Baked goods, sweet treats, and more are all on the menu at Gaston’s Bakeshop in Allentown. Fun fact, Owner and Pastry Chef Emily Gaston has always despised the color green. “But as soon as it came to creating logos for the brand, sage green was calling my name!” she says.
The 900-square-foot Gaston’s Bakery has a lot of history within its walls. Prior to being this bakery, its previous lives include a candy/soda shop. “It holds so much value to those who have seen the building transform; which is something I definitely do not take likely. It’s an honor to be a part of the story,” Emily says. Prior to opening her own space, Emily baked out of a shared commercial kitchen space at Cherry Street Kitchen.
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Cookies, Macarons, & More
Popular menu items at Gaston’s Bakery include salted caramel chocolate chip cookies, French macarons, and vanilla bean scones. Other fan favorites are their Nutella pop tarts and raspberry hand pies. “I like to think of my menu as upgraded classics,” Emily says. “I grew up loving classic family recipes.”
Her favorites shift with each season, but her heart always returns to her salted caramel chocolate chip cookies. “Though I love upscale desserts as much as the next pastry chef, everyone loves cookies. You can’t go wrong.”
Macarons are the only gluten-free item she offers for now. But Emily hopes to add gluten-free cookies and custom cakes in the future. “Every week I try to expand the menu, whether it’s testing a new cookie recipe, a new crème brulee flavor; or experimenting with new cakesicles,” she says.
About Gaston’s Bakeshop
Emily grew up in Hamilton Square, less than 10 minutes from the shop. “Allentown has always felt like a wholesome, homey town,” she says. Before opening her business in town, she took part in a few town festivals as a vendor. “I never saw myself with my own space, I don’t want a larger-than-life enterprise,” she reveals. “I want the business to remain honest and vulnerable, reminding people there is only one baker behind it all.”
Emily’s love of baking stems from a childhood passion for making cookies, pies, chroscikis, and anything else with her grandmothers. “When it came to choosing my career, it was a no-brainer,” she says. “Baking has always been a huge part of my life. I couldn’t wait to get out of [The Culinary Institute of America] to fully pursue it.”
Visit Gaston’s Bakeshop at 4 Main St in Allentown. Look for them online to learn more.
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All Photos: © Emily Gaston / Gaston’s Bakeshop