Welcome to PB!  My name is Leigh McFarland, and I want to thank you for stopping in to see my pastries!  I discovered my passion when I was young and learning to bake my mother’s recipes.  As a child, I remember so fondly the Hungarian Christmas Cookies that my mother made every year, peeling back each and every layer of the thin sheets of dough, eating and savoring one layer at a time.  My mother had learned from her mother, and as I entered into my teens, my mom began to each me.

 

I flourished when my sister asked me to bake a birthday cake for my nephew. I spent the next 15 years creating custom cakes, developing anything from my nephew’s Pokémon cakes, to multi-layered, intricate wedding cakes for the greater Frederick, Maryland area.

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Through this, I’ve learned incalculable recipes, ranging from my Eastern European roots, to American style sweets, and perfected them through countless hours in my kitchen.

 

Over the past few years, inspired by my heritage and several trips to Europe with my husband of over 22 years, Rob, I’ve transitioned into creating European pastries. From the sweet crunch yet delicate layers of Kouign Amann, to the incredible spice flavor of an Elisen Lebkuchen, I continue to challenge myself with new recipes to master.

Starting from scratch, using nothing but natural ingredients, I’ve embarked on a journey to create delicious and traditional European pastries. Using a combination of old-world recipes and new, the look of satisfaction on my customer’s' faces drives me to continually hone my craft, and share my passion with the world.

 

This journey has already been a walk among dreams.  I enjoy the challenge of creating only the finest European pastries and sharing a piece of my heart with all of you.

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There’s always a seat open in my kitchen; care to join?