{Disclaimer: We are working with Matryoshka’s Bakery to bring you this review, however, the opinions are our own! All pictures in this post were provided by Maryam Counter.}
Have you ever had a chance encounter that has changed your life forever?
Like meeting a person who from that point on has a profound effect on who you are and how you think, and you know you’ll never be the same? Perhaps, I’m being a bit dramatic, but about a year ago I brought my kids to the Wiggle Room to get their crazies out and that’s when I met Maryam Counter, a woman who would change the way I understand and taste desserts.
Maryam is the owner of Matryoshka’s Bakery, a home bakery located in Saint George, VT specializing in French macarons, French pastries, specialty cakes, and cupcakes. Maryam is a wife and a mother of three daughters. Although Maryam’s husband is a Vermont native, the family lived in Texas until they relocated to VT in 2017. Maryam chose the name Matryoshka because it represents family, love, and her native country, Russia. Maryam’s family is her life, her happiness, her everything. You can feel the love she has for her family in everything she bakes.
On our chance first meeting, Maryam was set up at the Wiggle Room with several different flavor combinations of her French macarons (not to be confused with macaroons… did you know there is a difference? I didn’t, but man is it HUGE!) I ate one and can still remember that although the outside was solid and had a slight crunch, it also had the perfect amount of chewiness and the center was oh so creamy and the flavor… ahhhh, the flavor! I’m not embarrassed to say that I ate about 6 and then begged Maryam to attend BVTMB’s Bloom event. She attended Bloom. She was such a hit, we asked her back for BVTMB’s Family Fun Day.
Fast forward a year and everyone I know uses Maryam whenever they need cakes, cupcakes or macarons. I personally ordered my husband’s birthday cake from Maryam in August. I told her he loves Chocolate cake but he hates that they almost always are dry. She promised me that it would be moist, and God did she deliver. His cake may honestly be the best chocolate cake I have ever had.
My friend and I ordered Maryam’s macarons for a dear friend’s baby shower this fall. Tasha and I ordered her macarons for our team’s Holiday party. Countless friends have ordered birthday, baby shower, retirement, graduation, and even wedding cakes from Maryam. Seriously, once you try Maryam’s desserts you’ll understand why I and all my friend’s sing Maryam’s praises.
Besides how delicious Maryam’s cakes are, they are gorgeous. Maryam has an eye for decoration that others would never think up. I mean, look at these cakes…
Good things to know:
- Maryam’s focus is on using local and in-season ingredients, which means that when ordering sweet treats from her the sky is the limit when it comes to your flavor choices. When you contact Maryam to place an order she works with you to figure out exactly what flavors and ingredients will fit your special occasion.
- Maryam can make cakes and cupcakes that are gluten-free, however, they are not made in a gluten-free facility.
- Maryam makes most of her fillings (unless they are cookie butter, which I love, or some kind of jam), cake and frosting all from scratch.
- Maryam doesn’t work with fondant.
- Ordering from her couldn’t be easier! You go to her Facebook Page and private message her. You have a conversation about the date, the theme, flavors, vision etc. Then she makes it, you pick it up, and voila (!) you have the perfect dessert.
- For the quality dessert you get, Maryam’s prices are a bargain! You can see her price list here.
- Maryam has a 5.0 rating on her Facebook business page and you can find many reviews in her VIP group.
I hope this post made your mouth water and the next time you need an extra special treat you will order from Matryoshka’s bakery. After you do, you can come thank me.
