Ruby Blues - A Taste of [Downtown] St. Thomas

A long time ago on a cruise ship far far away continually disappointed by gelatinous creations masquerading as decadent desserts - I promised myself I would never again eat a dessert that I wasn't enjoying. Equipped with a sweet tooth inherited from my father, I am not always successful at backing away from the sweets.

That same sweet tooth tingled at the discovery of a brand new bakery conveniently located very near my office.

​Owners Sam and Craig Mason fell in love with the community and determined it was time to transition a long-standing passion into a new career path in their new hometown; the pair is from England. Retired from nursing, Sam holds Diplomas in Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts from Fanshawe College and spent several years in a bakery environment before debuting Ruby Blues in late 2021 with signature homemade taste and gourmet execution. The doors opened as planned despite the ongoing "series of unfortunate events" as well as a ceiling collapse the week ahead of their grand opening.

​While some of the bakery's offerings are recognizable treats on this side of the pond, they are still very much influenced by Sam's background backing in England for family and cricket matches. She had searched locally for some of her favourite treats and couldn't easily find them or they just didn't stand up to the flavours and creativity she was searching for. So she decided to share it with us all herself.
 
So far, every goodie I have brought home is something that could be easily fought over if the servings weren't so generous...but we manage to maintain our composure enough to share. The cheesecakes are light. The shortbread has the perfect chewy but melty center (enjoyed with tea or on its own). The chocolate cake crumb would impress Jacques Torres partnered with a rich frosting that punches the chocolate flavour up without overpowering sweetness.

But the crown jewel of this pastry case is the Banoffee Pie. It was new to me, aside from a faint recollection of a passing mention in Love Actually, but it truly is something we may have been missing out on all this time. Often mistaken for "just a banana cream pie" this is on a whole other level of toffee, banana, cookie, creamy goodness, an absolute must-try.
 
It's easy to see how much Sam and Craig care about their new neighbourhood - the bakery is welcoming with a warm and friendly atmosphere.
 
"I really do care about the products we make and serve, and always strive to provide genuinely good food. Being a retired nurse, it is an intrinsic part of my nature to give and make sure people are happy with anything that I do to make their life a little bit better." - Sam Mason

If you go ​🍰

​Ruby Blues is located at 578 Talbot St.
Order online at rubyblues.ca

---

Author

Written by Sarah from the Elgin/St. Thomas Small Business Enterprise Centre 
On Instagram @SBECinnovation #TasteofStThomas