The Bent Fork Bakery

Custom Cakes & Sweets at Highwood's Bent Fork Bakery

A few years back I was in a meeting and a basket of cookies and brownies were passed. Being a little nuts about consuming sweets, I hesitated but then reached for an old fashion chocolate chip cookie. That was the beginning of the end. Few things in life are as pure and pleasurable as a perfect cupcake, crunchy cookie or if you’re serious about gooey chocolate – The Bent Fork’s Intense Brownies.

The story behind The Bent Fork is rather romantic. Husband and wife owners, Liz and Mike share a passion for food –especially the sweet stuff so they started a “small batch” bakery in 1999 and have been going strong and steady ever since. Mike educated me on what a “small batch” bakery is and I was particularly pleased to learn that for The Bent Fork it means, everything made in a small quantity with NO preservatives, additives, or unnatural anything. And, that made everything extra yummy.

Mike gave us the tour while Liz did all the hard work in the back.

Aside from the irresistible assortment of pies, bars, muffins, shortbreads, whoopee pies and other baked goods; The Bent Fork is the kind of place that just has good aura. Its bright and unpretentious – with doodles on the walls and pictures of past items Liz and Mike have lovingly created. With its recent expansion there are places to sit down, snack and chat. For a hot and steamy Wednesday afternoon the traffic flow was consistent and diverse. I especially enjoyed watching two girls and a Mom drool over what to get and share. Serious decision making over the blue or the red frosting seemed to be the dilemma of the day. Don’t you wish life was always this simple?

The Bent Fork creates custom birthday cakes with the old fashion butter cream frosting with recommended ordering a few days in advance to ensure perfection. Lastly, The Bent Fork does gift baskets, party favors and shipping and delivery 24/7 anywhere – so now there’s no excuse to share your cookie.

The Bent Fork
333 Waukegan Rd., Highwood
847-926-4438
www.thebentfork.com
Open M-F 9-5
Saturdays 9-4

Loren Greiff