They made a Florentine a brittle biscuit loaded with slivered almonds and candiedfruit and covered in chocolate roughly the size of an automobile hubcap.
Bakers would serve hot loaves of pan dulce (a sweet bread dotted with candiedfruit) rumoured to be the best in the city, and famed cultural figures like tango stars idled away hours at the tables.
But be warned: With a total of 10 eggs, five-and-a-half sticks of butter, almost two cups of bourbon, and a generous helping of candiedfruit, Lane Cake is not for the faint of heart.