This month, you might think the most excited humans live in your house, planning costumes and cobwebbing up the front yard, but perhaps you haven’t met Courtney Blount, pastry chef at Bakery on Main. Over the years, Halloween has gone from homemade costumes (white sheet ghost, anyone?) and the trusty pillowcase-turned-candy-bag to high-tech decorations and themed parties. Still, no matter what decade we’re in, the to-do list is always long. But with Courtney behind the mixing bowl, baking is one thing you can check off your October plans. She’s creative and fall-obsessed, and she uses bakery puns like “donut” give up and refers to herself as being “the right kind of crazy” for the bakery. I don’t know about you, but that’s the kind of person I want mixing the batter of my chocolate Jack Skellington cupcake.
Courtney has been with Bakery on Main since it opened five years ago. Her grandma was a pastry chef, so she likes to say that baking is in her blood. “I can remember her teaching me how to pinch the dough just right around the edges.” And some of those memories start creeping in when Courtney’s working, especially around the holidays. “Pastry is my creative outlet, working with my hands, seeing a product from start to finish, paying attention to the present moment.” Her perpetual goal is to make people happy with food. Couple that with all that inspires her – her co-workers, a tried-and-true recipe from her grandma, and the community. Add in her innate curiosity and passion, and you won’t find a Halloween treat made with more heart and autumn magic. “I love October and the fall season. The cooler temperatures, the beautiful landscapes, and, more importantly, the feel-good flavors like cinnamon, pumpkin, ginger, chai, and apple. They make us all feel cozy and warm.”
Bakery on Main’s pastries are made from scratch in small batches to guarantee that everything tastes as good as it looks. If you’re wondering what to choose from the clear cases of this quaint shop, the answer is... everything. But if you’re asking what the most popular item this time of year is, it’s their donuts. The team likes to call the theme ‘cute-scary,’ so think of festive figures like mummies, Draculas, and jack-o’-lanterns. “Our three donut fryers use their creative minds and artistic skills to blow us away with their creations.” The team also likes to incorporate all the soulful fall flavors in their bakery goodies, so you’ll find scones, muffins, cookies, and cheesecakes with those comfort-evoking notes. The apple crisp cheesecake, influenced by two of Courtney’s favorite desserts, is a must-try, and their scones are a community favorite all year round.
After you’ve filled your cart with bags of snack-size candy bars for visiting ghosts and goblins, stop in for a warm welcome and a brown box full of Halloween goodies at the Bakery on Main. You’ll be treated to the essence of fall in baked form and perhaps a few more quirky puns and quips because it is true that life is sweet, but these treats are spooktacular.
https://bakeryonmainmn.com/