CLOSED FOR THE SEASON
1035 Koshlong Lake Road
Haliburton, Ontario
thelittletart at live dot ca
We are located just 8km south of Haliburton off of Gelert Road (That's only a ten minute drive from downtown!) or follow the Rail Trail.
Here at The Little Tart all of our baked goods are created from scratch and made by hand fresh daily the way home baking should be.
We take pride in everything we do from our baking to our friendly and courteous customer service. All of our recipes are tried and retried until they are our absolute best.
Visit us at The Little Tart and fall in love at first bite!
Making mouths water since 2009.

Monday, November 28, 2016

Opening for Christmas!



We are happy to announce - will be opening for Christmas!...

Once again it will be short and sweet and of course weather permitting (we don't want to encourage anyone to be on the roads when they're treacherous).

We had such a good time last year we just had to do it again!

We will be opening December 23rd and 24th ( that's the Friday and Saturday) from 10am to 4pm (It sure gets dark early.)

As always we will operate on a first come, first serve basis. We will be stocking the store with lots of goodies and we sure hope you'll help us spread the word.

Most of all, we hope we'll be seeing you!

Sunday, October 9, 2016

Another Year Over

Time is a funny thing; it stretches out into infinity but blink and a season has passed. 

When Bill and I opened our doors for the first time 8 years ago we didn't know what to expect. We had my mom's recipe collection, a business name, and the countless hours I spent in my mom's kitchen. 

We were determined to make it work. 

Neither of us had ever worked in (never mind operated) a pastry shop. The "Donald Dairy Bar" was our first experience in retail. We must have been out of our minds, but in the words of Garth Brooks "Life is not tried it is merely survived when your standing outside the fire"; so we jumped in eyes wide open. When you don't know what the rules are, you don't know you're breaking them and sometimes the results are absolutely fabulous! 

While many bakeries have redefined "home baking" an offer anything but - we were determined to offer the real thing; the kind of baking I grew up with. We were going to bake the way my mother had taught me. It's the hard way, but it's the only way I know. 

We violated the first rule of business – location – out here "in the middle of nowhere". We didn't have an advertising budget and would have to rely on word of mouth - the slowest (albeit the absolute best) possible way to grow a business. 

And here we are at the end of our eighth year - looking forward to our ninth.

Against all odds, we're still here!

We thank you often because we can't thank you enough. Once again it has been our pleasure and our privilege to be your tart store, to have been a part of your cottage country experience, to be a part of your family gatherings, friendly get togethers, celebrations and traditions. We are so very grateful for all of your support because without you we're just a little tart store "in the middle of nowhere" instead of the destination you have made us. 

We'll miss you, but fortunately this isn't good bye; it's simply so long for now and we'll be seeing you again very soon.

From our home to yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Bill and Theresa

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday, September 9, 2016

Our Fall Season Begins Today!


Our fall season begins today!

So, we took a moment to roughly calculate the number of hours we worked in July and August given we worked 67 days straight for roughly 15 to 17 hours per day and realized we worked 1,000 (plus) hours each (give or take an eight hour day or two); that's six months worth of hours in two months and after two days off we're… still exhausted, but determined to see the fall season through. 

If you have visited The Little Tart, one of the things you discover is that we don't operate our little pastry shop the way the big bakeries operate. The reason is simple… we can't. This past summer Bill and I began to see The Little Tart less like a bakery and more like a studio.

We operate an artisan kitchen: we create small batches, by hand, from raw ingredients. For that reason we make decisions that allow us to please as many people as possible while making it possible for us to keep operating. 

After that long winded intro, here's where I'm going with this… 

At this time of year we usually begin taking orders again. A lot of you know this and this week we received an influx of order inquiries; so many that we realized we would be opening our doors on Saturday with only three kinds of tart which contradicts, "Arrive early for best selection." 

For this reason (and many others we won't go into) we have decided to continue to operate on a first come – first serve basis. (With the exception of Thanksgiving when all pies are made to order.) 

We realize not everyone will be happy with our decision, but we try to operate in the spirit of fairness and we feel this is fair to everyone who makes the trek to our little store.
The Little Tart - small batch artisan home baking

Monday, September 5, 2016

Thank You for a Fabulous 2016 Summer Season!

The Little Tart - End of Summer
shhhhh
Every year we have closed the door on Labour day, stepped outside, and it has felt like we arrived at the party just as it came to an end. This year has been different.

This year it feels like you brought the party to us.

It was a perfect cottage country summer! Everyone seemed just a little happier; lots of smiles, lots of jovial conversations; lots and lots of laughter. 

We received so many compliments and encouraging words; it is so easy to get drunk on your kindness!

Hey, what's a party without a few hiccups? A broken down appliance, a family emergency, and of course, there's always that one person - you know the one - he gets completely blathered, hears his favourite RUSH tune start to play, climbs onto a table to show off his air drum solo, gets a little too animated and falls off.

I'm happy to say Bill's okay and not a single Mojito tart was damaged during the incident. 

But the party is winding down. We both feel like we have the world's worst hangover and jus' need a mimit to – jus' only a mimit. 

After 67 consecutive work days (and at least 1,000 hours each) we're going to take a couple to recover. We'll be back in the kitchen midweek to prep for next weekend when we will open again with new fall hours. 

Thank you so much for making this summer season so absolutely wonderful! It is by far our best one yet and we couldn't be more grateful and humbled by your kindness and generosity.

We hope you're enjoying this holiday Monday and we will look forward to see you again very very soon!

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Summer Hours!

Hi there!

Bill and I have been in the kitchen prepping since Tuesday to get ready for this Canada Day long weekend! When our doors open Canada Day morning we will be operating seven days a week until labour day! We'll be making as much baking as we possibly can hoping for another crazy busy summer! Unfortunately this means we wont be accepting orders until the weekend after labour day and recommend arriving early for best selection.

We hope you'll make us a part of your summer tradition!

See you soon!

The Little Tart's Summer Hours
 

 

Saturday, June 18, 2016

We're All About Quality

So, it's been busy here this weekend but I have to take a moment to mention something that has been brought to our attention this year. We wait until something is said at least three times before we give it much credence, and even then we weigh the implications and most often let it go. Sometimes, however, well... here it is:

Bill and I do not supply anyone anywhere with our product for resale. We have had several customers now who believe they have seen our products elsewhere. I want to make this very clear because we are all about quality; while we have been approached often over the past eight years (It happens several times every year and this year, so far, is no exception.) by people who would like our product for their business, we always politely decline because once it leaves our store we lose quality control.
Now, having said that, if someone has been in and purchased our product to sell, it's without our knowledge and we do not condone this.

We also pride ourselves on originality; we work very hard to create the best product we can and that includes presentation and how it's marketed. While some believe immitation is the greatest form of flattery - making a tart look like ours doesn't make it ours and we don't want people to be misled.

Phew!

Thank you very much for your time. I'm headed back to the kitchen.

Please, enjoy the rest of your day!

Saturday, June 4, 2016

Visit The Little Tart for a "Booty Call"!

"Booty Call"
The Little Tart's own salted caramel custard tart with chocolate truffle bottom.
At the very beginning of the season I had a suggestion for a new flavour. Two words; "salted caramel".

Well, here it is; created in The Little Tart's own kitchen! Please allow me to introduce our very own salted caramel custard tart with chocolate truffle bottom. And you know it has a name (drum roll)...
"Booty Call"!

That's right, my friends, you can now come to The Little Tart for a "Booty Call"!

Saturday, May 21, 2016

How To Make The Little Tart's Mojio Tart

The Little Tart's Mojito Tart
How to make The Little Tart's Mojito Tart:

1. Make lime curd with rum.
2. Test to make sure there's enough rum.
B. More rum.
6. Find the mint.
10. What?
12. Why are there so many steps?
14. I think I forgot the rum.
D. Test to make sure there's enough rum.
7. We really should write this recipe down.
1. Get a pen.


Thas how u made the monino... oh yeah, bake it!
 

Friday, May 6, 2016

Mother's Day Greetings!

Good morning!

The sun is shining and it's Mother's Day weekend!

Are you planning on giving your mom the gift of The Little Tart's fresh home baking this weekend? Well we have something special to go with that gift! It's a little something we designed in true The Little Tart style to tell your mom, "Hey, you done good!"
So, this weekend, just let us know you're purchase is a gift for mom and we'll give you (free) one of our nifty greeting cards.
 
Tell your mom you love her and then give her the card that says, "I brought something from The Little Tart because... "
 
Well, you'll just have to come in to find out!
 
The Little Tart
Mother's Day card


Friday, April 29, 2016

Our 2016 Season Begins!

It's our 8th season!!!
We are proud to say our 8th season as The Little Tart here in Haliburton, Ontario begins today!!!

Friday, April 22, 2016

One Step Closer!

Every year we try to find ways to make working in our small kitchen more efficient. This year has been no exception as we remove, rearrange, and add shelving. Everything has been scrubbed to a shine and I am so happy to be able to say the store is now ready!

We are working on our menu, followed by a stock run, then it's on to prep!

We're very exited to get our 8th season underway!

 

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Easter Weekend - Life Happened

So the plan this past weekend was to post an enthusiastic, excited announcement of our Easter weekend opening. We had a month long schedule worked out with a countdown to opening day. Once again, life is what happened while we were busy making other plans.

Bill and I try our best to keep our personal lives separate from the business, however, the fact is, our personal lives do impact our business at times and can create unavoidable closures or in this case delays.

Two weeks ago Bill became quite ill and within a few days was knocked off his feet. A few days later I became quite ill (of course I blame Bill). A few days later Bill started to feel better, and a few days after that I didn't. As a matter of fact I became quite ill and just yesterday completed a round of antibiotics. We're not sure what the virus was, it started off feeling like a really bad cold, but it packed a nasty punch and I'm still not clear of it. To make matters worse, an unrelated health issue that I began dealing with a couple of years ago has returned and it's creating its own chaos.

Long story short; we won't be opened for Easter weekend this year.

We are anxious to get our doors open and get our 2016 season underway, but we have to be healthy and we have some work ahead of us to get ready.

We are so sorry. We hate to disappoint. I'm hoping to post an opening day very soon.

Thank you in advance for your understanding.

Best wishes.

 

  

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Walking on Thin Ice


 




It has been snowing here today. We have a cold snap on the way and so we decided to get out and enjoy the weather before we have to hunker down for a few days.

We stopped at a rock face to admire the ice. (Visible from Gelert road on the rail trail.) When we walked past it a few days ago it was melting and what you see is the result. Nature's art is always the best there is. It's absolutley stunning!

Anyhoo, we were also playing with Mojo, throwing sticks from an old beaver ...dam. Fun right?
It was until we learned a valuable lesson; you can't see what's underneath all that freshly fallen snow. Bill stepped off the side of the trail to retreive a stick and what he thought was solid ground was actually thin ice and he broke through up to his knees. He was soaked and we had a bit of a walk home.

There have been a lot of warnings this winter about thin ice. There is a lot of open water out there and it's not safe.

Please, please be careful, especially with all this fresh fallen snow because you just don't know know what's underneath. Bill's fine. He was fortunate, it was a puddle (a deep puddle), but if puddles aren't frozen, lakes certainly aren't.

Be smart. Be safe.

Have a wonderful day!

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

'Kayso, last night Bill went in to work on his latest painting and I was all like; "Hm? What to do?" And it just so happened I was in the kitchen... alone... talking to myself. Not good.

So I turned on some tunes, turned on the oven and got to baking and yes, this is a tease because these are going on the menu!

What are they? Well, you'll just have to visit us this spring or summer to find out.

Nomnomnom nomnom nomnom!


Sorry, my mouth was full. Have a great day!

Sunday, January 24, 2016

Ten years in the Haliburton Highlands

Ten years ago Bill and I packed up our lives in Toronto and moved to the Haliburton Highlands. The decision was made during a two and a half hour drive home Thanksgiving weekend. Two and a half months later, here we were!

It's at this time every year that we are transported back to the first walk we took in a picturesque wonderland of shimmering snow and ice wondering… what were we thinking? It's cold! It's so cold! And look at all this snow!

We didn't even own a shovel!

Regrets? No way. We bought a shovel, warm clothing, and snow tires (another lesson quickly learned) and settled in. Ten years later, we're still here and still marvel at the beauty of this place we call home.