HIRING!

Yay! Hiring time!

Progress!

Here are some new photos of the bakeshop. Things are progressing! Glass for front door is in, the flooring is down and the facade is almost complete. The shop is really coming along, we are all getting super excited!

 

Under Construction!

This has been way over due! Let me just say I have been learning a lot through this construction process, mostly that everything takes at least three times longer then planned. That said we are moving along now, old walls torn down... New framing is up. Basement is dug out deeper, new drains in place for washrooms and new concrete poured. New windows installed and looking great. A/C duct is up and ready to keep my baked goods from melting away!

So here are a couple pictures of what has been going on in the shop for the last couple weeks. From now on I will be posting pictures every week, so that you can see the transformation take place too!

Back from NYC!

Hey Everyone,

So I just got back from NYC! Let me just say, wow I am full! I ate so much delicious vegan food. From dinner at Blossom to the most amazing vegan ice cream at Lula’s Sweet Apothecary, I could not get enough. So here is my list of the top five vegan eats/treats in NYC:

1.   Lula’s Sweet Apothecary at 516 E 6th St.  I have never been an ice cream fan, not even when I was a kid, but I figured I was in the area and I would give it a shot. Let me just say...heaven! The best vegan, and well I would say non vegan ice cream, ever! After that first lick I wanted to go there everyday (sadly I only made it there twice). Currently they only have the one store but supply to a number of independent grocery stores as well as eco friendly shops in NYC. But it is now my new mission to get their good stuff here in Toronto! haha (I will keep you all posted).

2.   Blossom at 187 Ninth Avenue. This is by far my favorite vegan restaurant in NYC. I make sure I always go there when I am in the city. I had the Hickory Basted Tempeh over Horseradish Crème Fraiche, sounds amazing right?! Honestly you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu; everything is perfect! They also have a Lavender Creme Brulee that will blow your mind. The service is always great and the atmosphere is cozy and relaxing. No matter what lifestyle you follow, Blossom will be one of the best meals you will have in NYC.

3.   Cafe Blossom at 466 Columbus Avenue. They are the same owners as Blossom, so of course they have amazing food as well. The atmosphere is a bit more casual at the cafe and they are open for lunch and dinner. The place where I was staying was close to the cafe so I went almost every day for a morning smoothie. On the weekend I had a yummy brunch, the scrambled tofu was the best I have ever had (well other then mine that is).  There is a patio at the front so it is the perfect place to enjoy lunch and people watching.

4.   One Lucky Duck 466 Columbus Avenue. This is a great on the run place. Everything is raw and pre-made to grab on the go. They also make a ton of fresh juices and shakes to give you energy to walk the streets of NYC all day long.

5.   Cocoa V 174 Ninth Ave. Is a Chocolate boutique and wine cafe. They are also associated with Blossom, so again of course they are fantastic. I always go in at least once when I’m in NYC and grab an assortment of chocolates and truffles to bring home with me. They just melt in your mouth, and they have such a great variety of flavors. I really wanted to do the wine and nut cheese plate (and chocolate tasting) as well but I ran out of time. So it is on my list of things to do next time I am in the city.

If you ever travel to NYC make sure you hit up at least one of these places! YUM!

Delicious Vegan Recipe: Jalapeno Poppers!

The weekend is just around the corner!

What do I want after a week eating right and going to the gym? I want to eat something delicious and fried! I was trying to decided what it should be...something savory and maybe cheesy. Perhaps even something that can be enjoyed with friends and a refreshing local beer (speaking of which, I love Beau’s beer, it's a local all natural organic brewing company).

Then it came to me! One of my all time favorite pub foods: jalapeno poppers! I came across a recipe that is a great variation of the tradition popper. Using panko bread crumbs and a mix of vegan cheddar cheese and cream cheese for the filling. In the past I have made them with regular bread crumbs; they are great too. But the panko adds an extra crunch, which really makes the poppers pop. ; )

The recipe is from Kathy Patalsky Blog, Healthy Happy Life (click for the recipe). Its an amazing blog, with so many great creative ideas!

Well I hope you all enjoy the recipe as much as I did. Make sure to treat yourself this weekend

Photo Update

Hello Again,

   Just wanted to do a little photo update to show everyone the type of treats you'll be able to enjoy at the bakeshop. We're super busy preparing for the big opening this summer! I hope you will enjoy these delicious photos:

                                                       

                        

Introducing Ollie!

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

I wanted to introduce you all to Ollie, Tori’s Bakeshops little mascot:



The bakeshop mascot!


He will munch down on any treat you give him (especially yummy vegan ones!). In this photo Ollie is sporting a lovely cupcake collar, hence his unhappy expression (this little guy is definitely not short of attitude). All of you will be seeing him outside the bakeshop, probably sitting perfectly with one paw in the air begging for a piece of your sweet (shake a paw is kind of the only trick he knows right now).  I can’t wait for Ollie and I to be a part of the beaches dog loving community. I know Ollie will love his new home!

Sneak Peak!



Hello again! Just wanted to give everyone a sneak peek at our Queen Street East location (The Beaches), pre-face lift!

We will have updates as soon as we start construction. We will be posting photos every so often so you can all be a part of the process! That means you can look forward to following us through all the good, bad and the ugly steps of construction (lets all keep our figure crossed for more good than bad).



Inside looking out onto the street.



The store front.







Hello and Welcome!

As a new blogger I wanted to extend a warm welcome to you and thank you for your interest!

I am very excited to announce that we have recently recieved our keys to our summer location that will be opening this summer on Queen Street East in the beaches neighbourhood. We are incredibly pleased to be starting this new venture with such a wonderful and beautiful community (one of the best in Toronto, if I do say so myself).

We love everything and all things vegan, organic, gluten-free and refined sugar free! Our home made baked goods are just the delicious treats you've been waiting for! As we are renovating and moving in we want to share this journey with all of you so we will be blogging reno-updates as the bakeshop moves closer to the grand opening this summer.

For now you can find us on Twitter and Facebook.

 Or visit our webpage.




You will love our delicious vegan cupcakes!