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Upcoming Giveaway: Lá Liath Bakery

Giveaway Alert: Order a whole pie this Tuesday, October 6, and while supplies last we’ll bring you buttery shortbread from Lá Liath Bakery! 

Baking is Marenka Dobe’s North Star. Her passion for the cookies and pastries of the British Isles led to the creation of Lá Liath (la lee-ah). Of all the bakeries in Seattle, Lá Liath may have the most personal touch: “Everything about Lá Liath is me,” says Marenka. “I make every single cookie, scone, and tart. I package them. I deliver them.” 

Since 2017, Lá Liath’s reputation for baking some of the best British Isles sweets in Seattle has steadily grown through Marenka’s presence at the Queen Anne, Burien, and Shoreline farmers markets and pop-up events. Additionally, Ken’s Market in Greenwood and Marketime Foods in Fremont carry her products. More recently, Marenka has added an online store, which has been a boon to her loyal customers, especially since Covid-19 hit in March. 

Pagliacci’s October 6 giveaway is a package of Lá Liath Shortbread, one of Marenka’s favorites. “I'm proud of the shortbread because it's such a simple cookie and it took a lot of work to get it just right,” Marenka says. “They’re buttery and not too sweet, which makes them addictively good.” Look out for another Lá Liath giveaway in November!

But her absolute favorite? “The Bakewell tart,” Marenka says with a smile. “It has a thin, flaky pastry crust, a raspberry jam that I make by myself with berries from Sidhu Farms in Puyallup, and a frangipane topping, which is an almond custard that sets firm while it bakes.” 

In addition to baking five days a week at her commercial kitchen in Georgetown, Marenka has worked part-time for Pagliacci since 2019 at our Stone Way store. “Pagliacci has been really good at working around my schedule at Lá Liath,” says Marenka. “Working at Pagliacci has taught me a lot about managing people and managing a business. It’s a great model for how I’d like to structure my business as it grows.” 

When the time is right, Marenka would like to open a storefront, “preferably with large windows, comfortable seating, and maybe a neighborhood cat that likes to stop by,” she says. 

In the meantime, those with a love of British Isles pastries and cookies (or just a love of great pastries and cookies) can order from Lá Liath’s online store. Marenka will ensure everything is made just right and packed and shipped with care. In fact, if you live in the Seattle area, it’ll probably be Marenka dropping the box at your door! 

If you’re not sure what British Isles pastries and cookies are like, you’re not alone. They’re basically anything that goes well with a cup of tea! “My favorite thing to hear is when someone comes up to me at the market and says I’ve read about this in my detective novel,” Marenka says. “Bringing these delicious but largely unfamiliar cookies and pastries to the Seattle area has been really fun for me.” 

And at Pagliacci, we’re delighted to help spread the word (and shortbread goodness) and to support another small local business. 

Enjoy!

Publish Date: October 2, 2020