EDMONDS — Nikolai Kulakevich knew as a little boy in Estonia that one day he would be a baker.
Friends and family teased him about this dream until he was a teenager, when he started making all the desserts for holidays.
Now 46, Kulakevich is the owner of Edmonds’ newest bakery — Ganache Patisserie and Cafe — on Main Street near the movie theater. The fare is mostly traditional Italian and French. Just call it European.
His sister, Julia Kulakevich-Fedorov, is the manager of the coffee shop, which is decorated by Nikolai’s wife, Renata, in a hip color combination of chocolate brown, lime green and white. Ganache is a pleasant place to sit, visit with friends and drink coffee.
Kulakevich and his crew — mostly friends and family — bake all the goodies sold at Ganache in his commercial kitchen (the former Crema de la Crema) in Mountlake Terrace and truck them down to Edmonds each morning.
At Ganache, one can order any sort of espresso drink, as well as $6 or $7 sandwiches made on Kulakevich’s baguettes and croissants, including smoked salmon and mozzarella-tomato-basil.
The highlight at Ganache is, however, the desserts.
On social media, Edmonds Mayor Dave Earling gives these sweets two thumbs up, calling them “fabulous.”
A list of some of these mouthwatering creations:
■ Sweet and delightfully sour raspberry and passion fruit mousse cakes, at $6 each.
■ Generous slices of tiramisu cake, ganache chocolate cake and the creamy Black and White cake (my favorite), all for just $6 each.
■ The amazing volcano caramel and chocolate mini cake, $8.
■ Tasty, colorful macaroons for $2.50 each.
■ Whole cakes, which range in price from about $36 to $42, must be ordered two days ahead.
“They are amazing,” Fedorov said. “For my brother, baking is still his hobby, his fun, his passion. And he uses quality ingredients.”
The regulars at the shop, which opened in July, often order more than one treat. Yes, they must balance this indulgence with a walk or a run, but it’s worth it.
“Life and chocolate are all about balance,” Fedorov said. “When I eat cake, I skip potatoes, pasta or bread. It is no problem. Some customers say they can’t have cake because they are on diets. I say there are no diets on Fridays or Saturdays. You can start on Monday, or maybe Tuesday.”
Ganache Patisserie and Cafe
405 Main St., Edmonds; 425-678-8006; www.facebook.com/Ganache-Patisserie-Cafe.
Winter hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
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