Lady Marmalade: A British-themed bakery opens in Chesapeake
I don’t get up early on the weekends, but I hopped out of bed this day. I wanted to get to Lady Marmalade, a new bakery in Chesapeake specializing in cakes for special occasions and other sweet bakes. I made sure to take reinforcements — my husband — so that we could divide and conquer.
The urgency? The bakery is only open Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pastry chef and owner, Heather Hallett, spends her week prepping, preparing custom orders and supplying another business, Pourfavor Coffee Shop, with treats.
Hallett’s interest in baking began as a girl. She would grab the largest knife out of the drawer to help mom. Her parents knew then she was destined for the culinary arts. The Great Bridge High School graduate studied pastry for four years at Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island. She also studied abroad in Switzerland and Italy training under some of the best pastry chefs. After graduating, she worked at the Marriott Copley Place in Boston for 10 years.
Hallett had dreamed of moving to England and applied for a transfer with the Marriott. She had been fascinated with the royal family since she was young and saw them in magazines. Her mother, who had been stationed in Europe with the Navy, sent her packages from England. Later, they traveled to the United Kingdom three times together. Hallett had even written letters to the queen and her family, and they responded on official letterhead and with picturesque postcards.
But, Hallett’s work request fell through. She decided to do the next best thing:
“If I can’t go there, I will create my own space here.”
Hallett tested recipes, planned her menu and searched for locations in Virginia. She initially wanted to focus on celebration cakes, particularly for weddings which she hadn’t done much of.
Instead, “I like to make stuff people want to eat,” she said.
The Lady Marmalade bakery opened in April in a 538-square-foot space.
A whimsical picture of Queen Elizabeth hangs near the entrance and met my eyes. A sign above it read, “Let them eat cake.” I admired the contrast of the dark turquoise wall paint to the bright French country wallpaper with it popular landmarks. It’s online menu has cake flavors named after areas in London — Victoria Park, Paddington, Primrose Hill.
Hallett and three other ladies greeted me almost in unison. A young helper was passing out company stickers. I stuck one on my shirt and contemplated my first move.
I started on the far right of the quaint shop. My mouth watered looking at the sheen on the big macarons made with dark chocolate mousse, raspberry preserves and fresh raspberries. (When I ate it later, it was love at first bite. Chocolate oozed outside the crispy edges. Great chew. A hint of bitter-sweetness from the raspberries. Everything was right in the world.)
Next, I could’ve sworn I heard the colorful array of macarons yell, “Pick me next, pick me next!” The lovely lady behind the counter described the day’s selection: red velvet, Nutella, lemon and Lady Grey, salted caramel, strawberry, milk chocolate, cookies and cream and much more. They melted in my mouth and hit the right flavor profiles. Might be the best in Hampton Roads.
In this same display case, I selected a Lady Marmalade cupcake, a miniature version of the shop’s signature cake. It consisted of golden yellow cake, orange marmalade and Swiss meringue buttercream. This beauty left a lasting impression. I loved the moist and creamy texture with its burst of zest on the tongue. I saw a whole gateau in my future. Until then, I told the clerk “Give me a mini Victoria sponge, too.” Raspberry preserves and Swiss buttercream graced the middle — a perfect duo. I devoured it after my Sunday dinner.
I also spied bottled British beverages such as Fentimans Victorian lemonade and sparkling elderflower soda, but wasn’t why I was here. I did make a mental note.
I moved to another section and wanted to lick the plexiglass partition.
Instead, I oohed and aahed as I pointed to the raspberry white chocolate scone. In the words of Hallett, “Who doesn’t love a scone?”
There were others, but this one sounded amazing. It tasted like a piece of dipped fruit married a crumbly biscuit and gave it a sweet kiss. I swooned. I would pair it with an episode of Netflix’s “Bridgerton.”
Up next, the chocolate orange cookie — thick and fudgy. It would’ve been superb without the citrus essence. I imagined a standalone version would be perfect for dunking into a glass of cold milk.
The Jammie Dodgers, a popular British biscuit, looked tempting. My husband went for it and offered to share. I consumed one of the buttery shortbread cookies with its a circular cutout and jam sandwiched in the middle. Fresh and almost flawless. I wanted more filling.
But as my mother would say, “That’s plenty.”
I felt like I had traveled to Europe. The only thing that was missing was my tea.
I took up enough time as patrons lined up outside for me to finish sightseeing. I think they were being mindful of social distancing for a place with close quarters. Staff was efficient, patient and friendly. They packed everything in brown boxes for the transport home.
The official grand opening for Lady Marmalade was June 4 in honor of the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, a celebration of the queen’s 70-year reign. Hallett plans to add Friday hours to the schedule after this event is over. She hopes to expand her space to offer more goodies.
If you go
The spot: Lady Marmalade, 309 Johnstown Road, Chesapeake
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays only
Order this: Big macaron, raspberry white chocolate scone, Lady Marmalade’s signature cupcake, French macarons
Bakery prices: Most items $3 to $4.50, big macaron $7.50, French macarons (6-pack) $15
Vegan/vegetarian/gluten: Everything is vegetarian. All French macarons, millionaire bars and coconut macaroons are gluten-free. Vegan options are available.
Parking: Few in front of the store.
Contact: ladymarmalade757.com, 757-819-6563
Rekaya Gibson, rekaya.gibson@virginiamedia.com, 757-295-7709, on Twitter @gibsonrekaya
