by Kate Berry
of The Weekly Staff
BREWER — Anna Berube, 21, of Brewer couldn’t wait any longer to make her dream of starting her own bakery a reality. With a Kitchen Aid mixer and a website, she created Vanilla Avenue Bakery and Pastry. The at-home bakery offers a variety of homemade goodies. From cakes to pies, cookies to macaroons — there is something for every type of pastry connoisseur.
“I saw a KitchenAid commercial and knew that I needed one,” Berube said. “I got one for my birthday in March and that’s when everything took off.”
Something that started as just a hobby quickly turned into a business. With no prior professional experience in baking or cooking, Berube dove headfirst into her passion and out of her comfort zone.
“I’ve always loved baking in general,” Berube said. “My aunts bake a lot so they help me with recipes or if I have any questions.”
For inspiration, Berube looks to Pinterest and Martha Stewart’s Instagram, along with the website PopSugar.
“I like to look at allrecipes.com, too,” Berube said. “You can learn the basics from there and come up with your own recipe ideas.”
Berube is constantly improving her baking skills. She bakes goodies for her roommates and neighbors and awaits their critiques.
“I don’t usually taste my things,” Berube said. “I have other people taste them and I get their feedback.”
Some favorites on the menu are French Almond Macarons, German Chocolate Cake and Fruit Tarts. Prices depend on the type of dessert so buyers should call to ask for an estimate.
To keep up with the updating menu, customers are encouraged to follow the Bakery’s Facebook page. The page posts pictures of some of the bakery’s latest creations, displays contact information and shows numerous five-star reviews from satisfied consumers.
Customers can pick up from Berube’s home or she can deliver the treats. Both cash and personal checks are accepted.
There are several ways to place an order — call 207-217-8486, e-mail vanillaavebakery@gmail.com or go to the contact page at vanillaavebakery.wix.com/vanillaavebakery.
“I’m going to school for communications and I thought that I wanted to go into public relations,” Berube said. “But, in the end, I want to own a bakery. That’s what I want to do with my life.”