Edible Ottawa
A (Sugar) Trip Away from the Ordinary
Photo by Amy Zambonin
Myroslava Mykytyn, above, prepares Ukrainian makivnyk — a not-too-sweet brioche roll with layers of raisins, honey, walnuts and poppy seeds — at The Black Walnut Bakery in Cumberland.
Located in a warm and cosy yellow house with a wraparound porch, Mykytyn and her husband Isaac Fouchard have built their dream bakery, serving flakey buttery croissants, seasonal soups and sandwiches, cookies and pies — a menu that emphasizes minimal, all-natural ingredients and masterful techniques.
"They're called 'the embarassment cookie,' because when you go to eat them for the first time, if you don't dust it off then you end up wearing it," Anna Papadopoulos, above, says with a laugh. Papadopoulos prepares kourabiedes — buttery balls of heaven.
Located just off Preston Street, The Nutty Greek Bake Shop, which has been owned and operated by the Papadopoulos family since 2012, offers a taste of Greece — both sweet and savoury — using recipes that have been passed down for generations.
Rachel Danesin and Jessica Carpinone, above, work feverishly to prepare panettone for the holidays last year, although the process can't be rushed.
From start to finish, it takes two to three days to make traditional panettone without the use of commercial leaveners.
Sheila Lynch, above, co-owner of Three Tarts Bakeshop, a fixture in Ottawa since 1996, prepares shortbread rounds only at Christmas.
The quaint bakery located in the heart of Centretown showcases handmade mainstays — rich pies and tarts, specialty cakes, sticky buns and decorated cookies.
The sweet scent of freshly baked sufganiyot can still transport Shabtai Baruch, above, back to his childhood — preparing for Hanukkah in Israel. From the end of October until the end of Hanukkah, it's the No. 1 treat he'll serve at Babi's Restaurant, located within the Soloway Jewish Community Centre.
Since 2015, Babi’s has fulfilled the need for a kosher restaurant and catering in the Ottawa Jewish community, while welcoming families and patrons of all faiths.
