A peek at Red Cap Patisserie

Last week Red Cap Pastisserie opened its doors and pastries immediately started streaming out. Normally closed on Monday and Tuesday I was lucky enough to be invited by on Tuesday for a small tasting. When contacted about the tasting there were words I didn’t immediately recognize such as Kouign Amann and Tourtiere. Upon learning that a Tourtiere was a savory pie I was all onboard. I wasn’t disappointed.

The big muffin-looking guy you see in the middle of the photo above is a Kouign Amann. Which I’m pretty sure (I have no idea at all) is French for Crossiant-Stickybun-Cinnamon Love Child. The underside of this pastry is caramelized and I loved it so much I felt the need to take a picture.

On the other end of the spectrum is Mr. Tourtiere. He’s a savory fellow, but a bit of mystery. You’ll need to know the marks on his top to know what he’s hiding. The one below contained pork, plum and pear. If you saw a Tourtiere sporting three parallel lines above each other you’d be looking at chicken, bacon and peas. Other flavors include a beef with caramelized onions, potato with cheddar & onion, shiitake with shallot & cream, and various fruit-filled options.

The shop is bright and airy. The front of the shop is taken up with a counter and case for the pastries. A few stools will allow for a quick bite while looking out on Meadow but this is definitely a grab-and-go spot. Nearly everything is made with that in mind, even the Tourtiere comes in a handy cardboard holder.  The menu is at the bottom of this post and you’ll find all the usual suspects, but what you won’t find is bread or cakes. The focus is strictly on the pastries.

Martine Wladar is the Pastry Chef behind the baked delights. Growing up, she and her siblings took turns with the cooking. It was during this time that she fell in love with baking. Schooling and stints in restaurants eventually brought her to Richmond and with the desire to break out on her own.

She and co-owner husband John have been selling at The Farmers Market at St. Stephen’s, where they enjoyed great success. In some cases success caused hiccups. The popularity of  Tourtieres with fellow vendors setting up,  meant none were available for market goers.

They’ll be hosting a Grand Opening on April 15th with a full menu and free treats to the first 100 guests..

Red Cap Patisserie (719 N. Meadow Street)

Open Wednesday – Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM
Website/Facebook