I am not ashamed to say I could and would love to live on brownies and cookies alone. Unfortunately, I cannot because just looking at the stuff puts five pounds on my thighs alone. However, when my sweet tooth is screaming I dash to The Bent Fork Bakery in Highwood.

Liz and Michael Bearwald own and operate the quaint spot and never fail to disappoint. The moment I walk in, I’m greeted with a smile and conversation and feel as though I’m in a small vacation town and found a hidden treasure. This is such a welcome alternative to the Corner Bakery or dare I say Deerfields’, where, although the products are good, lack the homemade taste and home town vibe I so enjoy about The Bent Fork. 

The first time I was introduced to their butter cream cupcakes was on Mother’s Day last year. My husband was eyeing the spot for a while, and when he went in, Liz and Michael guided him to their famous “baby cakes” - the most delicious giant cupcakes I have ever tasted. These are better than grandmas and melt in your mouth. He couldn’t decide what else to bring home, so he wound up with an assortment of cookies, brownies and cupcakes to feed our family for a few days. One treat was better than the next, and soon, I started visiting them weekly to get my fix.

 In the morning, the blueberry scones sit perfectly with a cup of freshly brewed Intelligentsia coffee. For a special treat my kids love the intense brownies or “peanut buttah” cookies. My birthday cake dilemmas are forever over, as Liz has made a special pajama party cake and baseball replica cake for us. And, when I was in a jam for a dinner party dessert, I purchased individual apple crostadas for my guests and they happily gobbled them down!

Recently, The Bent Fork expanded their store and now boasts a few tables outside and in to sit and eat your treats and soon will host a small dining room area. In addition, you can purchase gift baskets of all sizes, and now with the expansion, they are selling small boutique type gifts such as hand painted martini and margarita glasses, decorative paper goods, and unique aprons among other novelties.

Although I must add an extra 15 minutes to my workout to justify my visits, these treats are worth it! If you’re looking for a special dessert, cupcakes for the little ones or just a nosh to make it through the day, The Bent Fork is the Answer.

 The Bent Fork is located at 333 Waukegan Road in Highwood. They can be reached at 847-926 GIFT or on their website at www.thebentfork.com.

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This entry was posted on Monday, May 28th, 2007 at 3:28 pm and is filed under Deerfield(t) , Highland Park(t) , Highwood(t) , Lake Bluff(t) , Lake Forest(t) , Ravinia(t) , Shopping(t) , Kids(t) , Check this out!(t) . You can leave a response.