Sweet teeth rejoice

WILLIAM DIXON

Although it’s only been open for six months, Oakville’s The Danish Pastry House is preparing to serve royalty.

The small bakery on Cornwall Rd. east of Trafalgar Rd., was started by the half-Danish and half-Canadian, Anita Lauritsen. Her parents had moved to Canada during the 1950s, bringing with them years of Danish traditions. Lauritsen warmly recalls memories of baking Danish pastry with her mother.

“I started the Danish Pastry House for some selfish reasons,” said Lauritsen. “I really missed Danish baking and wanted to introduce the culture to Canada.” Dedicated to tradition with an unwavering resolve, Lauritsen explains they import almost all of their ingredients, especially almond paste, a key pastry ingredient.

“We don’t rely on sugar,” said Lauritsen. “The almond paste is what makes the pastry sweet.” While her Danish chefs work hard in the kitchen behind a wall of clear glass, Lauritsen explains that they have nothing to hide.

“There’s a romanticism about handmade bakeries,” said Lauritsen. She’s trying to capture the traditional appeal to the senses, “I want to the customer to be engaged,” she explained.

Oakville seemed like the right place, thanks to its metropolitan vibe, explained Lauritsen. “We used very little marketing,” said Lauritsen, explaining that the majority of their popularity was thanks to word of mouth.

The chefs all hail from Denmark, explained Karsten Johansen, the bakery’s barista and commercial accounts representative.

“There’s not many Danish chefs,” he said, it takes about three and a half years to go through the necessary schooling to become a full-fledged chef. Classes typically consist of about 25 per year. They found most of their chefs by using an ad on Facebook, and they’re signed on for at least a year.

Schools in Denmark are even aware of the little bakery, and several chefs are already lined up to join the team in 2015. It’s not a hard sell, most Danes love Canada, they love nature and the water, explained Lauritsen, Canada is very welcoming.

In November, Lauritsen is looking to expand her menu to include breads, and extend hours to pull in morning commuters. She already has a bread maker signed on, and 12 authentic Danish breads ready to roll out.

During September, the Denmark Royal couple will be visiting Toronto, and it’s going to be an exciting time for Lauritsen and her team, as they will be catering the event. They’ll be in Toronto for about two weeks selling their traditional baked goods.