Alex Emmott, an “old” student of mine, owns Canto 6 in Boston!
Alex Emmott was one of my grade 8 students. A beautiful human being when she was 13. That is rare. And, it is apparent, and not surprising, a beautiful young adult! We reconnected after 13, or so, years because I had asked my Slow Food Edmonton members what  they might suggest I see in Boston and NYC. A day or so later, there was an e-mail from a name I most definitely remembered asking me if I used to teach school at Crestwood, in Edmonton. Oh, my gosh! I was absolutely delighted to hear from Alex. She had a very comprehensive list of recommendations and I hit as many as I could when in Boston as I had taught her for a year, and knew that this was a gal to take seriously. She is who hooked me up with Michael Iceland to tour the Boston Food Project, and she also directed me toward the No Name as I wanted a really fun, no fuss, and lots of muss, seafood eat-out fest on evening there.
After I learned that she owned a bakery in Boston, I had to visit it, and her! I had her penned into the itinerary unknown to her! It was my first day in Boston, and I had just finished touring the north end with Michele Topor’s Tours. We rented a car, and the first stop was Canto 6 in Jamaica Plains for lunch. Driving into the area, it was clear that it was an eclectic area. Lively, and colourful!
And then, there it was. The sweetest little bakery on the corner. I never got an outside photo, but I tried! So many goodies! What shall we have? Well, now I discover that as my tour was late, Vanja and Lauren had already eaten while waiting for me, but they shared the most delectable sandwich. I believe it was the turkey one on the menu.
Me? I had a cannele, a tappo, and another delectable pastry of some kind. Yummers! I was a bit shy to call Alex, but Evangeline, working intently at the back, popped out and asked me if I was Alex’s teacher. I have always had that look! She gave her a call, and within ten minutes there was a little mini-reunion going on. My gosh! In a nano-second, Alex grew up before my eyes. There were the same eyes, and smile, and hands”¦ but she was now a young lady. And, a young lady with a confidence and flare that was compelling. Big hug! How gratifying to meet such a lovely gal over a very special little lunch in her own bakery.
Lauren took the photos. Another wonderful memory. I am so, so happy that I took the time to see Alex. Next time, it will be for baking lessons! I want to learn to make their canneles and their tappos! Isn’t she so sweet? And so were the goodies! Georgeous, and YUMMY! Now I have written to Alex and asked if she and Evangeline share recipes. If so, I will be doing a cannele and tappos blog very, very soon!
THANK YOU, ALEX! XO
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