My Happy Place: Freeport Bakery

I am an impatient driver. I drive a lot for work and play chauffeur to my offspring, so it is inevitable. I do try to stay calm....but every once and awhile, I find myself yelling at another driver that has cut me off or is going too slow. I don't know why I do it...they can't hear me. But I yell and curse anyway.

One day, when it really got past the point of acceptability, my younger daughter calmly said to me" Mom, calm down ........take a deep breath and find your happy place". It made me stop and think, where is that elusive "happy place" exactly? Well, I have more than one I suppose. But this is one of my top ten: Freeport Bakery in Sacramento.

And I am far from alone. Every holiday, you will find a line around the building of people waiting to pick up their orders of delectable cookies, cakes and breads. You can be sure that the treats will not all make it home in one piece. I came across such a line last Saturday, the day before Easter. You will not find my impatience here, however. When the lines are expected, there is always a coffee cart out front so you can help yourself while waiting. And the lines move quickly due to the very well trained staff and organized traffic flow....a little different than the city streets mentioned earlier.

You can just smell the goodness as you pull into the parking lot. And the minute you enter, it is a feast for the eyes. Every holiday gets it's own special touch: decorations and specialty cakes, cookies and breads.

The decor is happy and welcoming. I always end up staying longer than I planned just taking it all in.

That pink box on the counter is holding a bread ring baked with colored eggs. So pretty you almost don't want to eat it. Almost.

One of my very favorite year round treats is their almond horn cookie. They are crunchy outside, chewy inside with that delicious almond paste flavor. They are dipped half way in chocolate and covered with slivered almonds. I can eat a dozen without thinking!

And the cakes! Don't get me started! Oh....I can't help it: there are fabulous fruit tarts, and specialty cakes for each season. You can see the beehive cake in the case there. I still cannot get the Pim's Cake out of my head from the Fall season: rich almond cake frosted in chocolate fudge with orange marmalade and chucks of fudge on top...O.M.G! Bliss...pure and simple.

So.... you didn't think I would leave empty handed did you? This sweet thing came home with me: