My new favorite non-profit, Cakes for Cause, has its last farmer's market over on Baughman's Ln. this Saturday from 10-1. For those of you unfamiliar with this awesome cause, let me give you a little background, lifted right from their own web site :
Cakes for Cause operates a social enterprise bakery/café (with retail space slated to open in the Spring of 2009) that provides job training and support to vulnerable youth in Frederick, Maryland. Our primary purpose is to give youth options for their future through vocational services.
Our apprentices go through an intensive 6-month curriculum that teaches basic bakery skills alongside restaurant service skills in an energetic and fast-paced café that serves the community at large. More importantly, the role of Cakes for Cause is to help vulnerable youth internalize change—in their surroundings, through their employment opportunities, and within themselves."
How cool is that? It's similar in mission to one of my favorite Food Network shows, The Chef Jeff Project, but on a local level.
Elin Ross is the ethusiastic and dynamic head of the organization and I swear, girlfriend works so hard that she sweats butter and eggs. And boy is she passionate about her mission. One of the cool things that she and her band of bakers have been doing is working at their own booth at the Baughmans Lane farmers market every Saturday. I'm actually a little bummed because this is the last week you can just drop by to pick up some goodies.
So here's the question: With their uber-cool mission, is the food actually any good? I mean, do you want to go over there to support the cause and put up with ok baked goods, or are the yummies actually, well, yummy. Well my friends, Cakes for Cause will NOT disappoint! I had the most scrumptious box of goodies just last weekend including a Rosemary Cookie that I am now OBSESSED with, a reasonably-sized and slightly gooey cinnamon bun, a crunchy mocha cookie (I do love my coffee), and an absolutely fantastic traditional focaccia (there was something else in the box, but I've forgotten -- sorry!).
I had to go to a brunch for a friend Sunday morning and had offered to bring something warm. Not wanting to make a trip to the store, I remembered the focaccia bread -- woo hoo! I cubed it, threw in some roasted red pepper, fresh spinach, a little sauteed onion, and cheese (duh), then whipped up some eggs and milk and let it all soak together before topping it with a little more cheese and baking the whole thing, covered, for about an hour. Rock on my friends. That darn bread was so good it made my strata fan-freakin'-tastic.
So the bummer is that we won't be able to get baked goods every Saturday once the market closes, BUT, I do know that Elin is taking orders (with advanced notice of course) over the course of the winter until their retail space opens in the spring. You can call her at (240)344-0295 or check out their web site at http://cakesforcause.org/contact.html.
Rock on Elin and crew, rock on.
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