Happy Fall, Y'all!

Whew, we've taken a loooong hiatus from the newsletter!  Life has been a bit busier than normal in the last year, and while we've still found the time to make all our goodies, time has been limited to actually write about them!  With fall on the scene though, and our favorite goodies coming out of the oven, it's the perfect time to transition back to keeping you in the loop!

Speaking of goodies, let's talk about what's making a fall comeback (and a strong one at that)! Our Pumpkin Spice Brittle has apparently developed quite a reputation the last couple of years. People started asking us for it in July.  Just sayin'.  It's finally back but for a limited time (through November)!

Pumpkin Spice Brittle

Next in the fall lineup--Pumpkin Spice Bread with Chocolate Chips.  I was told by a child near and dear to my heart (my own daughter) that she liked it so much that she was going to ask Santa for a loaf for Christmas.  While she may find that special treat in her stocking come Christmas morning, it doesn't mean the rest of the world will have the same opportunity, since it's only available for a limited time (through November).  That being said, freeze a couple of loaves and you're good to go!

Pumpkin Spice Bread with Chocolate Chips

All pretty and packaged up!

Last but certainly not least, our final seasonal offering:  Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with Pecans.  It's like getting a big hug in the form of a cookie.  Warm, homey spices combined with chewy raisins and toasted pecans are what send it over the top.  

Oatmeal Raisin with Pecans

Need a pretty package to put it all in?  Our Trick or Treat Halloween package is perfect for the month of ghost and ghouls!

Trick or Treat Package

HAPPY FALL!!

Cookie Love and Sale!

Cupid will be making the rounds soon!  Forget the flowers and chocolates, you want cookies (or toffee or granola or even better, a combination of all three) for your sweetie! 

If you live locally, don't forget that we offer free deliveries within a 5-mile radius of Waynesville (weather contingent--let's just not even mention that 4-letter word they are predicting again this week). 

Below is a sampling of what we're offering this year.  My favorite are the decorated sugar cookies.  Let us know what you'd like us to write on them and we'll make it happen!  My dream for this business is that someone orders a decorated sugar cookie for Valentine's Day one year that reads, "Marry Me?"  I want to be a part of that momentous day so badly that I'm willing to offer the entire package for free if our cookies are special enough to make it to a marriage proposal!  Click here to see our entire cookie selection

The packages are as cute as the goodies!  We have two different options this year that you can look at here, but here's our new offering below

Don't need a dozen?  Or looking for that perfect gift for a teacher?  Our box of 6 cookies is the perfect fit.

Don't forget about the most delectable toffee on the planet as an option instead of (or with) cookies.  We adorn it in Cupid's honor with a red ribbon.

Is your sweetie pie gluten free or eating Paleo style?  No worries, we gotcha covered!  Send them a dozen of our amazing gluten-free chocolate chip cookies!  I truly enjoy them as much as regular chocolate chip cookies, and this is coming from a cookie aficionado!

Last but not least, if you order before midnight, January 9th, use coupon code LOVE and 10% will be deducted from your order!  Our way of saying....

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Holiday Packages are Here!

Holiday packages are available on the website as well as our exclusive holiday cookies! 

We're bringing back our good friends, Chocolate Peppermint and Orange Cranberry Cookies, but we're also bringing in a couple of new players this year:  Vanilla Bean Sugar, made with premium Madagascar vanilla beans and extract, and Toffee Chocolate Chip, made with our own famous Almond Toffee Bark.  They're sure to become regulars on the menu each holiday season!  

No worries though, you can also add Almond Toffee Bark to your order as well as our Fruit and Nut Granola!

Cranberry Orange

Chocolate Peppermint

Toffee Chocolate Chip

Vanilla Bean Sugar



In addition to our standard holiday packages, we also offer custom packaging.  Need a holiday gift for your most valued clients but wish you could personalize it for your own specific needs?  No problem!  Just give us a call (828-400-5795) or email us and we'd be happy to help you figure it all out. 

We are proud to hare with you that 10% of our holiday proceeds will be donated to an amazing organization my family had the privilege of visiting in Ethiopia last year, Common River.  This non profit organization's mission is to provide a self-sustaining and productive community in the village of Aleta Wondo.  Common River also greatly enhances the well being of orphaned and at-risk children in the village.  We were blessed with donations from family and friends before our visit and we provided many needed school supplies and books for their education and adult literacy program.  It is a place that stays with you long after you visit and we will undoubtedly return one day as this area is relatively close to where our son was born.  What Tsegaye and Donna (the founders) have accomplished and are continuing to achieve is nothing short of amazing.  Truly, they are a testament to the power of one person making a difference in the lives of countless others and we are proud to support them.  I implore you to visit their website....go on, take five minutes of your day to read about them and if you're moved, they would welcome your financial support! 

Million dollar smiles abound at Common River

If you go to the website, read the story about Abraham.  He is pictured on the far right.  Prepare to be amazed.

October 2012

Fall is upon us and what better way to get in the spirit than to send someone freshly baked goodies?  Our ovens are filled with the smells of our Pumpkin Spice Cookies.  Toasted pecans, butterscotch, white chocolate, real pumpkin and spices are what make this cookie a must have to celebrate fall!

We've also added Harvest Granola to our menu celebrate the autumnal season.  Pumpkin, warm, homey spices, maple syrup, nuts, and fruit are the highlights and I personally enjoy it more than our tried and true granola!

HAPPY FALL!!

Cyber Monday (and Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday)!

It's that time of year again when the ovens here at Blue Ridge Bake Shop earn their keep in a big way!  We are rolling out new packages for the holidays, a couple of new cookie flavors, and the tried and true cookies that our lineup wouldn't be complete without. 

Before we talk about the good stuff, a little bit of housekeeping is in order.  We are still waiting for our dear Wogene to come home from Ethiopia. There are delays because of the US Embassy and their investigation before they can grant him a visa to come to the United States.  Why am I even writing about this?  Well, it makes for a very tricky holiday season for us.  If we receive word in the next week or two that he has clearance, we will pretty much drop everything and jump the pond as quickly as we can to bring him home.  Blue Ridge Bake Shop, at that point, will be closed for the holiday season as I am planning on taking "maternity leave" while we start our life together with our son.  However, if we don't receive clearance (and it is truly any ones guess what will unfold with this debacle), we will be open and ready to take any and all orders that come our way.  This Mama needs a little distraction while she (impatiently) waits for her sweet boy to come home, so put me to work! 

That being said, if you are planning on ordering goodies with us this year, I'd suggest you do so as quickly as possible!  I know a lot of folks don't like to send their gifts until close to December 25th, and I will do the best I can to fulfill those requests, but with the caveat that it may need to happen sooner if we receive clearance and need to send things earlier.  Because of this uncertainty, if you place your orders now, and we need to leave before you wanted them to be delivered, I will happily grant you a refund.

Whew, confused yet?!  It's been a frustrating time for us and I profusely apologize for the inconvenience.  In an effort to entice you to place your orders sooner than later, I am offering a 15% discount on any and all orders placed by December 1st.  That way, I can get things rolling in the kitchen and can also guarantee your order will be filled (as long as you don't mind me sending it between December 5th and 7th).  We won't travel before those dates, even if we receive clearance in the next day or so.  If you need to place multiple orders at once, email me or call (828-400-5795) and I can take your order by phone.

Now that that's taken care of, let's get to the good stuff!  We are excited to offer two brand new packaging options this year.  Click here to go to our website or on the packages below to be redirected to our website to place an order:



Holiday Cheer Package



Santa's Cookies Package

In our cookie lineup, we're offering four seasonal cookies plus our outrageously decadent Almond Toffee Bark and the homey goodness of our Fruit and Nut Granola.  You can't go wrong with any or all of it! 

Chocolate Peppermint-the quintessential Christmas cookie!

Cranberry Orange--Back to popular demand, fresh cranberries and orange juice are the stars of this festive cookie--it's a new Blue Ridge Bake Shop favorite for the holidays!

Ginger Chocolate Chunk with Cherries--The warmth of fresh ginger, the sweetness of dried cherries, and the decadence of bittersweet chocolate....bliss in every bite!

Pecan Shortbread--An unassuming cookie that will blow you away with it's buttery flavor, studded with toasted pecans.  Southern Christmas cookies at their best!

Happy Holidays!!

Fall Package and Pumpkin Cookies

To kick off fall, we're adding our festive package back in to the lineup!  Add cookies, granola, and even toffee now that we can ship it again and you'll have one happy ghost or ghoul in your midst! Order any package between now and October 15th and we'll take 15% off your order (refund applied after order placed).  Click here to go to our website and place your order.

Everone's favorite fall cookie, Pumpkin Spice, is back and just as good as always!  Warm spices, butterscotch, white chocolate chip, pecans, and of course, pumpkin are the highlights of this buttery, soft cookie that has become a crowd favorite over the years.  Who wants store bought candy when you can have the best treat of all this Halloween!

I know, it's too early to be thinking about Christmas!  This year, however, we are temporarily closing our doors to the retail side of the business due to the pending arrival of our newly adopted son from Ethiopia. I call it my maternity leave, even though our sweet Wogene is already 5 years old!  Regardless, when he comes home (hopefully around early November), we'll need time to step back from our busy lives and get to know each other and let him get his bearings.  

We will still have goodies available in our regular haunts (see home page of our website for locations) and if this mama is going a little stir crazy, I may open up shop for a few orders, but as it stands, I am planning on taking it easy and bonding with our little guy.  Thank you for your understanding and support during our adoption process!  We are thrilled that we're finally about to bring him home and want to do everything in our power to promote a calm and happy environment in our home for him when he arrives.

We plan on reopening the website and retail side of our business again just after the first of the new year.

Apple Oatmeal Cookie with Maple Glaze

Apple Oatmeal Cookies with Maple Glaze

Fall is just around the corner and apples are in season here in the mountains!  This chewy oatmeal cookie does them justice with the addition of all-natural applesauce.  A maple glaze gives them an even bigger "wow" factor.  They're only available for a short while and you can pick some up at Kaninis here in Waynesville or order some from our website.

Happy September and Happy Almost Fall!