CRUST BAKING CO.

Happy 2021! Nearing a year of being in a pandemic is an odd anniversary to approach. It’s a new year, and like previous ones, nothing magically changed when the calendar pages flipped. Stephen and I are still working from home. Alivia is still home with us, with the help of my in-laws, and we’re still searching for some semblance of balance. A year ago, Stephen started baking weekly loaves of bread for us. We didn’t jump on the sourdough starter trend, opting for a no knead recipe instead. This year, we’ve discovered Crust Baking Co., a local bakery that opened near us last year. Their fresh croissants, tarts and sourdough loaves have quickly become a necessity and weekly treat.

Pickup: Crust Baking Co. is located in the lobby of a Condo on Yonge St, south of Major Mackenzie. Commercial parking is available at the back of the condo and there has always been empty spots whenever we go. There is an entrance on Yonge and another through the back of the building, through the condo lobby. Currently, indoor dining is closed in York Region, so only pickup is available. Samples of bread loaves are displayed on shelves and fresh treats are at the counter. We order at the counter and everything is packed in individual paper bags. All regular seating has been stacked and roped off.

Food: In addition to loaves of sourdough bread, a 3 day process to bake, we’ve been enjoying the croissants, pain au chocolat and tarts from Crust Baking Co. So far, we’ve tried their regular croissant, almond croissant, wild blueberry tart, raspberry tart, Boston cream donut and danishes. Every treat has been a delight so far! The croissants flakey and buttery, the fruit tarts decadent without being overly sweet and the bread freshly baked with a perfect crust. Stephen’s grilled cheeses have levelled up considerably. Almond croissants are Stephen’s favourite, not usually my thing, but the ones from Crust have changed my mind. The marzipan filling is plentiful with a great rich, natural flavour!

We usually visit in the morning, but even the croissant I picked up one afternoon had retained its flaky texture. Other menu items I’ve been eyeing are the giant chocolate chip cookies, madeleines and cinnamon sugar donut. Crust also offers fresh espresso beverages, coffee beans for purchase and a selection of sandwiches, salads and quiches. Looking through their social media accounts, I see macarons, but have not encountered them myself yet. Custom cakes are also available to order via email. A photo of fresh sesame bagels was just posted on their Instagram account and I’m eager to get my hands on one.

Overall, I’m very happy to have Crust Baking Co. so close to us and look forward to exploring more of their menu.