Pastry Corner goodies in County stores

Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Gloria Austin
COOKING UP GOODIES — Cari Hutchinson, right, owner of the Pastry Corner and her helper Tabitha Hatch get ready to put delicious home baked goodies into packages. The packages will be delivered throughout the Houlton area and Presque Isle.
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
    Cari Hutchinson knows how to satisfy your sweet tooth. The owner of the Pastry Corner in Houlton has been serving baked homemade sweets from Houlton to Presque Isle for eight years.
    The Pastry Corner located at the intersection of Alice Avenue and Bangor Road, across from the Shamrock Café, is an open commercial kitchen comprised of workspace, freezers and plenty of storage. The Pastry Corner is an outsource of homemade goodies to local stores.
    The 1988 Houlton graduate worked at the Houlton Recreation Department, Ward Log Homes, Grammy’s Country Inn in Linneus and at the Shiretown Atrium Restaurant in Houlton before raising her family.
    When Reggie Dow purchased the “Bus,” which sells hamburgs, hot dogs, french fries, onion rings and other snacks on Broadway Street through the summer, he needed help and Hutchinson worked with him. Then, Dow bought the original High Street Grocery and Hutchinson managed Dow’s Market.
    “We weren’t able to get pastries,” recalled Hutchinson. “So, I said I would make same cookies.”
    She started with a dozen cookies, which were gone within an hour, so Hutchinson began baking more and more.
    “It got bigger and bigger, until the counter at Dow’s was half the counter,” she laughed.
    With the increase in baking, Hutchinson needed more space, so Dow built a corner counter in his store.
    “I was there for three years,” she said. “Then the cakes started picking up and I had no room to put cakes plus the food going out.”
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Gloria Austin
YUMMY — The Pastry Corner’s whoopie pies, cookies, and Rice Krispie squares are among the homemade snacks to be placed in 14 stores from Houlton to Presque Isle.
    Hutchinson moved to the former Donut Shop to allow more area for cooking and packaging.
    “The main purpose of the business is for my baked items to go out to other stores,” Hutchinson explained.
    The Pastry Corner’s homemade traditionally-baked goodies can be found at Dow’s Market, the Shamrock Café, Food Trend on the North Road, Beals Variety, Paradis Shop ‘n Save, T&S Market, Linneus Country Store, Cameron’s Market, Doc’s, Monticello Country Store, JP Cash, The Sandwich Shop, Bradley’s and Pages.
    Hutchinson usually makes two Houlton deliveries and one Presque Isle delivery per week. She bakes her popular cookies, whoopie pies, Rice Krispie squares, coffee cake and pumpkin squares on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and prepares her cakes on Friday.
    “I don’t keep regular hours,” she said.
    Among her most popular items are the Rice Krispie squares and the chocolate whoopie pies.
    “People also seem to like the variety packs,” she added. “I have also started making butterscotch covered Rice Krispies.”
    Working with Hutchinson is Tabitha Hatch.
    “I cook and she cleans up,” laughed Hutchinson. “When she was hired, I told her I was a messy cook.”
    An item taking off recently for Hutchinson has been her cakes. She bakes wedding and birthday cakes, along with her already well-liked stock.
    Even though Hutchinson wants customers to feel free to come into the Pastry Corner to place their orders, the best way for her to handle them is by phone.
    “I am busy all day cooking,” she said. “Going from preparing to cooking doesn’t leave much time to discuss particulars on orders. The best way is to set up an appointment.”
    Customers may call Hutchinson at 521-0026 (leave a message) or check out her Facebook page to see photographs of her cakes and other goodies. Hutchinson can also package platters or box her items for customers. She advises to call ahead for party orders. Hutchinson also keeps items stocked in the freezer for when those unexpected times pop up.
    Hutchinson hopes to “keep up” with her already busy business and eventually add more ovens and maybe even more staff.
    “I have a set routine,” she said. “I just want to keep this a healthy business.”
    Though tired and worn at the end of a day, Hutchinson finds enjoyment in her work.
    “I don’t feel as if I work,” she said. “I certainly didn’t wake up one morning and say, ‘I want to be a cook.’ It really came to me. It found me.”