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Chef Nancy Davis' fans soon won't have to wait for the weekly farmers markets to buy her breads, cakes and cookies. The Spotsylvania woman is opening a shop at Five Mile Centre Park on Aug. 1.
Date published: 6/30/2012
The aroma of freshly baked puff pastries fills chef Nancy Davis' Spotsylvania County kitchen.
The tasty bites are the inspired marriage of leftover dough and some crushed, crystallized rose petals that happened to be on the counter. She now makes them with crystallized jasmine and violets as well.
"It melts in your mouth because it's puff pastry," said Davis, who enjoys experimenting with ingredients. "It's very floral. It's refreshing. It's light and not overly sweet. Everybody loves them."
The treats are just some of the hundreds of cakes, cookies, breads, brownies and a hearty version of chicken salad made with cream cheese that she's been preparing in a cramped commercial kitchen in her basement. She sells them at Spotsylvania's two farmers markets, FOODE in downtown Fredericksburg and through her website, nancysdes
"In this business, you can't say, 'I just do breads,'" said Davis, who is one of just a handful of professional bakers in the Fredericksburg area. "I do sweet and savory."
Demand for her creations has grown so much that she's preparing to move into a 1,500-square-foot facility at 6320 Five Mile Centre Park on Aug. 1. Spice Rack Chocolates now occupies that space off State Route 3 in Spotsylvania but is moving to Spotsylvania Towne Centre.
"This is a leap of faith for me," said Davis, who is the daughter of a Baptist preacher. "I'm excited and scared."
Chef Nancy's Creations, as the new location will be called, will feature a storefront where customers can buy made-from-scratch goodies such as cheese or fruit Danishes and bourbon walnut brownies along with a cup of coffee to go.
"It won't be a doughnut shop," said Davis.
She'll also use the space to continue making the breads and other items she sells at the farmers markets; the rolls and breads she makes for FOODE; and the wedding, birthday and other cakes she bakes for special events.
"I like to use fresh, edible flowers on wedding cakes," said Davis, who prefers buttercream frosting to fondant. "I like everything that I make to be edible. Nothing artificial. You have to use artificial colors and pastes to make flowers out of fondant. I can do it, but I don't like the taste."