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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2016-01-27, Page 1212 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, January 27, 2016 The Pink Flamingo Bakery goes Hollywood Valerie Gillies Postmedia Network Erin Bolger, owner/opera- tor of The Pink Flamingo Bakery & Boutique in Bay- field, is no stranger to either baking or television. Her sig- nature pink lemonade cup- cakes won her a spot in the upcoming televised baking competition show "Sugar Showdown': Bolger grew up in Blyth, graduated from Central Huron Secondary School then moved to Toronto to study to become a makeup artist. She landed a position with City TV and with vari- ous lifestyle shows where she happily worked as a makeup artist for 20 years. Bolger explains that she baked through this entire time. "I would bake and feed the crew. I baked when I was stressed out, not necessarily from work, but from dating." Out of this emotional baking, Bolger cobbled together her first book which is a combi- nation of her dating stories, intermixed with recipes she used to work her way through the drama. "The Happy Baker" was born. Bolger dubbed both her cookbook and herself The Happy Baker. She is also very interested in public relations and does all of her own PR for her cookbook in Canada. She did take her book to Dragon's Den six years ago and the episode repeats every year. Harlequin has since bought out the rights to her book in the United States and sells copies through Amazon.com. Bolger retains the Canadian rights. Enter Jason Crawford of Brussels. After so many disap- pointing years of disastrous dating, Bolger met Crawford in 2010. Bolger was trying to figure out what her next step would be, but was still doing the makeup and going with the flow. They have since mar- ried, which brought Bolger back to her home area, now making her home in Brussels with Crawford. Both makeup and deco- rating are creative and vis- ual. It was a natural step to begin baking in her new home. Three years ago The Pink Flamingo Bakery & Boutique was opened in Bayfield. After being in Toronto for so many years, Bolger admitted, "it was a shock to my system being storm -stayed when I first moved." Due to the weather, the retail outlet for the bak- ery is opened when the snow melts, generally around Easter then closed for the winter when the Christmas orders are finished. In the off season, Bolger continues to fill orders on her own from the bakery kitchen. In the summer, the bakery is busy enough that Bolger hires employees, up to four at the height of the tourist season. Sharon Thompson began working at The Pink Flamingo Bakery this past summer. Bolger had already begun the process to win a spot on the baking competi- tion show "Sugar Show- down" to showcase her busi- ness. She received the call during the bakery's busiest time in the year to be at the studio for the taping and to bring an assistant. Bolger had little time to prepare, so asked her newest employee within her second day on the job, if she would assist her in a televised baking competi- tion. Thompson is generally shy and was very nervous about it, but agreed to help out. Bolger laughs relating this tale saying, Thompson "even dyed her hair pink to represent The Pink Flamingo As in all televised compe- titions, neither Bolger nor Thompson are allowed to divulge details of the show or results before it is aired. The episode with Bolger and Thompson will air Wednes- day, February 3 at 9 p.m. Watch for the full story in a future edition of the Clinton News Record. Bolger is already working on her second book, "now that I am more focused, having found someone rela- tively normal." Bolger says she is still emotional baking, but the stressors are differ- ent now. No longer are dates the most stressful thing. She finds running the bakery, doing the actual baking, writing and also doing all of her own promo- tional work, including on various social media plat- forms, makes it hard to fit everything in. "Sometimes you wish you could clone yourself as the bakery is full time. But you do the best you can." She is certainly a witty and creative force to be watched. Although the retail outlet Breanne Stafford Lexi Poelman (left) has worked at The Pink Flamingo Bakery & Boutique in Bayfield for three summers. Coworker Sharon Thompson (right) became a member of the staff in 2015 and was asked on within her first two days of work if she would assist owner Erin Bolger on a television cooking challenge show. The signature flavour at The Pink Flamingo Bakery & Boutique in Bayfield is Pink Lemonade. These pink lemonade cupcakes are pictured with owner Erin Bolger's cookbook, "The Happy Baker: A Dater's Guide to Emotional Baking". It is cupcakes that got Bolger accepted into the televised baking competition "Sugar Showdown". had been closed for winter, Bolger announced, "We will be opening on February 4 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. the day after the show airs (weather permitting). We will have cupcake flavours inspired by our episode!" Erin Bolger is the owner/operator of The Pink Flamingo Bakery & Boutique in Bayfield. To her, baking was just as much a part of her former career in television as being a makeup artist. Bolger returned to the studio as a contestant in a baking competition. You can contact Erin Bolger through either of her websites thepinkflamingobakery.com or thehappybakerchick.com. Bolger quips, "The web domain the happy baker was already taken, hence the chick part"