MBiz

Owner Adele Dart (right) puts a creative twist on specialty items like Thanksgiving turkey cake, with help from cake-decorating twins Valerie (above left) and Victoria Friesen and Linda Fehr (above right). Photos by Darcy Finley tarts, fruit cakes with fresh cream and basics like chocolate cake. All the pies and cakes can be pre-ordered, and Adele's is quickly becoming a go-to place in Steinbach for novelty wedding and birthday cakes. "We've done a patchwork-quilt cake and we have an order now for a log-cabin cake, which is going to be incredible," Dart says. The burgeoning bake shop's European flair followed Dart from northwest England, where she began her culinary journey with a two-year course at Bolton College more than 30 years ago. She travelled around the country as a chef, and cooked for the British Army, but her very first job at an English bakery is where she fell in love with the art of pastry. Dart managed to keep the oven hot when she married an English farmer 15 years ago and moved to Steinbach — "of all the places in all the world!" she laughs. Unfortunately, she and her husband separated, but she remained in the city, where she landed a job making meat pies for a local company before deciding to branch out on her own.  While Dart is adamant about sticking to European-style pastry – which is lighter and puffier than the gut-filling North American standard – she is constantly inspired by the many cultures of her new homeland, and she tries to integrate a Canadian twist into many of her goods. After all, at the end of the day, "it's just baking," she says. "Being able to open my own store is like a dream, and I was lucky enough to be able to be in a position to do it." Beausejour & District Chamber of Commerce Blue Water Chamber of Commerce Chambre de commerce de Saint-Pierre-Jolys Falcon - West Hawk Chamber of Commerce Grunthal & District Chamber of Commerce Lac Du Bonnet & District Chamber of Commerce Landmark & Area Chamber of Commerce Niverville Chamber of Commerce Pinawa Chamber of Commerce St. Malo & District Chamber of Commerce Steinbach Chamber of Commerce New & Noteworthy >> When Niverville didn't qualify for a provincial personal care home, the town, residents and businesses took matters into their own hands and built the ultra-modern $13.8 million Heritage Life Personal Care Home themselves, with no government funding. Creative fundraising, contractor discounts and community spirit got the 80bed centre up and running this summer. Now seniors with dementia and physical care needs can remain close to home. The province will contribute to operating costs. www.heritagecentre.ca >> Today House chair Simon Penner organized Steinbach's first CEO Sleepout in September. The 37 businesspeople who signed up for the sleepout raised funds for the city's overnight emergency homeless shelter. Today House provides shelter for up to four people on weeknights. www.todayhouse.ca >> The volunteer Crow Wing Trail Assoc. was recognized at the 15th annual Manitoba Tourism Awards for sustainable tourism. The association cares for the longest section of the Trans Canada Trail in Manitoba, spanning six municipalities including Niverville and St. Pierre Jolys. MBiz November 2013 29 E a s TE r n Eastern

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