Latté Da! Café & Bakehouse
Home of the Cookie Fairy BY farah f. jadran I PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLY KANE One day Barb Wright and Kay Crawford were driving around as they tend to do for leisure. On this particular day, they happened to be driving through Utica and they noticed an old shop sign. The sign was for a café, one that was no longer in business. They loved the name and agreed that if they ever opened a sandwich shop or café together they would use this moment for inspiration. Last summer, on another leisure drive through Madison County, they noticed that a storefront on Linklaen Street in Cazenovia was up for sale. It was that of Angel’s Deli. Admirers of the village’s architecture and all-around charm, they decided to check it out. “We had lunch here and by the end of our lunch, Kay was in the kitchen and it was almost karma,” explained Barb. “It just looked like the kind of place Kay should be running.” On Dec. 14, 2012, Barb and Kay opened Latté Da! Café & Bakehouse in the village of Cazenovia. “And here we are totally by accident,” Barb said. Kay has many years of experience in restaurants and hospitality, including 17-plus years where she was the general manager for both Brooklyn Pickle locations. “The business world gets crazy,” Kay said. But according to Barb, this is without a doubt, Kay’s forte. Barb admits she has absolutely no background in running a restaurant, but it just so happens that she’s “the best baker Kay’s ever met.” No matter who’s the best at what, the café has been running smoothly because they recognize each other’s strengths. During the day Barb is on the clock elsewhere, so she doesn’t arrive to the café until about 6 o’clock at night. Kay is there for the majority of the day, including the lunch rush, and is not only cooking up a storm, she’s getting to know the customers — many of whom have already become regulars. The couple has already joked that they’ve become a bakehouse with a café and not so much a café with a bakehouse because of the demand for Barb’s divine desserts. “I’m a home baker and certainly have done it for years,” Barb said. “No, I’m not going to tell you how old I am.” I guessed, 37, and she said, “sure” — so we’re good there! “I’ve always been known to make a great pie,” Barb said. She makes at least two pies every night she drives into Cazenovia. “Every time I come back, they’re gone! Maybe there’s a piece or two,” she said. And since Kay is tracking inventory as the day goes on, she chimed in to let me know they once went through an entire carrot cake in one day. Barb’s Almond Cherry Scones also move out the door almost as quickly as they come out of the oven. Another crowd favorite has been “the chocolatiest, darkest homemade cupcake ever with the most decadent chocolate frosting,” according to Barb. The cupcake “Amy’s Addiction” — is named after long-time friend Amy Manley, who, if you couldn’t guess, loves chocolate! Amy helped the café duo do some organizing and designed their business logo. “She has free scones for life,” Kay said. “People are in and out of here constantly looking for a dessert,” Kay said. “Mostly we just enjoy watching people enjoy what we’re making.” And you may be pleased to hear that everything they make is made there, it’s “not out of a box,” Barb said. Latté Da! is located at 3 Linklaen St., Cazenovia. Café hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Find them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter at @LatteDaCaz to receive updates on daily specials. Call (315) 655-5835 or stop in to ask about their catering menu.