It’s October, we’re a little over a week away from the most delightful holiday of Halloween, and I’m here to bring you news and info about holiday treat orders. Yay!

There is a special holiday treat menu for 2020, with cookies, candies, scones, and other tasties made especially for you and your holiday guests. You can order cookies by the dozen, candies by the pound, scones by the batch (sets of 8), and even curated cookie and treat boxes based on your preferences (and even mine): Holiday Season Menu 2020!

I will be doing the Weaverville Winter/Holiday Market this year on the following dates: Nov. 11, Nov. 25, Dec. 9, and Dec. 23. I will have holiday goodies for sale, including some of the cookies and treats on my holiday menu. I am also arranging pickup for holiday orders at this special market, with no minimum order or pickup fee (see more details below). Because I will be focusing on these treats, I will not have bulk bread for sale as I did for the summer and fall markets, but you can still place special pickup orders for bread on those dates, should you desire a loaf or two for yourself or as a gift.

How do I place an order for holiday treats?

You can do this in a number of ways:

1. Use this link to place and pay for an order in advance with a credit card, via my Square page. I will send a confirmation email and any follow-up questions about your order within 24 hours, as well as pickup/delivery options. If you would like to set up pickup at the Weaverville Winter Market, select Pickup, and select one of the dates listed above (the site will give you more dates than are actually available). You can also pre-order bread for pickup at market in the same way!
2. Fill out the old Google Form here, using the Holiday Season Menu 2020 as a guide. I will send a confirmation email and any follow-up questions about your order within 24 hours, as well as payment information and specific pickup/delivery information. You can pay via credit card or PayPal.
3. Send me an email (thecrunchybaker @ gmail.com, without the spaces) with your order, using the Holiday Season Menu 2020 as a guide, if the above options don’t work. Be sure to include desired delivery/pickup options. I will send an confirmation email within 24 hours with any follow-up questions and information, as well as payment options.

How far in advance do I need to place an order?

Please place orders at least 5 days in advance for pickup and delivery orders, including small bread orders for pickup at market. All orders should be placed by December 17 to guarantee goods by December 23, the last day I can fulfill holiday orders. Orders placed fewer than 5 days in advance cannot be guaranteed by the desired date. I am one humble baker doing all of the planning, buying, baking, and housekeeping for my business, so I greatly appreciate your patience!

What payments do you accept for special orders?

I accept credit card payments through Square, as well as electronic payments through PayPal. Special orders must be paid in advance. Prices on the menu do not include tax or electronic payment fees, but your final invoice will reflect these fees.

How can I get these delicious baked goods?

You can get your holiday treat fix in one of many ways!

1. Pickup at the Weaverville Winter Market on one of the dates specified above. This is the easiest option for me, and there is no fee for pickup. You can also order bread in advance for pickup, with no minimum order.
2. Pickup at Planet Kitchen in North Asheville on specified dates and times (usually Friday afternoons). $24 minimum order.
3. Delivery to your home or other location within the great Asheville area. There is a $5 delivery charge, and $24 minimum order.

I want a cake/pastry/something not on the Holiday Menu. Can I still order that?

Yes! I specialize in many types of cakes, including roll cakes, pound cakes, and other cakes of many types and flavors. I also offer pastries and other small goodies by the dozen, as well as flavors not necessarily listed on the menu. If you’re thinking of a particular kind of cake or goodie, or you’ve had something at market that you must have again (Icelandic almond rolls, anyone?), just send me a message via email or the Google Form and we’ll figure something out!

Some things to keep in mind: I have a local, in-season focus, so summer flavors (e.g., strawberry or other summery fruits) would not be available except in jam form. I am also unable to do special orders for very small numbers of pastries or cookies (i.e., fewer than a dozen) for logistical reasons. I’m happy to answer any questions you might have!

I don’t live in the beautiful Asheville area! Can I have baked goods shipped to me?

Yes! However, at this time, I limit shipping to North Carolina residents, and there is a shipping charge based on location and amount of goods. Please fill out the original Google Form if you need shipping, and we’ll go over details via email. Some treats also ship better than others, so keep that in mind when ordering. I’m happy to answer any questions and make suggestions!

That’s all for now, but I’m sure I’ll have things to add and bugs to fix as the season progresses. Until then, happy homesteading, and get yourself some tasty baked goods for the holidays!