Photo Karen Graham.
Bake Brad Katz with his tart creation honouring the 4th Line Theatre.
Pastry Peddler baker Brad — got his creative juices flowing to develop a tart for the 4th Line Theatre as their contribution to this year’s largest Butter Tart Tour christened Arts ‘n Tarts. Last year, the popular Kawartha Butter Tart tour adopted a Canada 150 theme launching a Canadiana collection of butter tarts. (How can you make that delicacy more Canadian?) This year, organizers decided to embrace their artist inclinations and encourage bake shops to collaborate with local artists in their pastry creations.
Local bakeries are joining forces with local artists, artistic traditions, and studio tours, resulting in a tourist magnet to bake shops, studios and artistic events that occur throughout the summer season. The result is a new collection of signature tarts developed by local bakeries in collaboration with local artisans to celebrate local arts across the Kawarthas and Northumberland. Called the Kawartha Northumberland Butter Tart Tour, it includes dozens of stops offering some of the best butter tarts in Ontario with bakeries partnering with artistic creators to expand the appeal of the tour to stimulate more than just our sense of taste.
Not one to shy away from sugar, (he prefers it to corn syrup) Brad took on the challenge with a multitude of delicious flavours incorporated into a single pastry. Starting with a homemade dulche de leche, he added chunks of Belgian chocolate and toasted pecans finishing the tart with a chocolate ganache drizzle and a sprinkling of sea salt. The collaboration required the approval of the artistic partner, and 4th Line staff was oh so willing to partake in the trials. Two variations were subjected to a taste test, and the ultimate selection was a cross between the two with the executive decision taken by the executive baker himself. The result is a balance of sweet and salty, and is now available at the Pastry Peddler and this summer at the 4th Line Theatre at their refreshment booth before the play and at intermission.
It might take more than a butter tart to hold you over for a 4th Line Theatre performance this summer, and the Pastry Peddler as well as Moody’s Bar and Grill are members of the Rural Routes and Scenic Stages program offering more sustainable fare. Drop in to the Pastry Peddler for a pre-performance meal or after the show, visit Moody’s, our local neighbourhood bar and grill to enjoy their fresh, homemade and farm to table menu.
You can also dine at the farm with a picnic prepared by Baxter Creek Golf Club or eat in their dining room before the show. Back by popular demand is an on-site Barbeque option where playgoers can enjoy a flame grilled BBQ meal accompanied by a craft beer or cider at a comfortable picnic table before the show begins.
You don’t have to wait until the curtain drops to appreciate this tasty treat. Drop into the Pastry Peddler to perform your own taste test on this new treat developed in collaboration with two of our creative neighbours. KG
