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Courtesy of: dana’s bakery
Dana’s bakery is like no other macaron bakery you have experienced before. Located in Chelsea at Gansevoort Market, it strays away from conventional American macaron bakeries. They have variety of flavors from s’mores to banana split to even some alcohol inspired flavors like mimosa and champagne. Their most popular flavors are fruity cereal, red velvet, chocolate molten and cookie dough.
Dana’s Bakery was created four years ago by Dana Loia. It was first an online bakery, then expanded into two locations; one in New York and one in New Jersey, so that Dana could better serve customer’s growing demands. She is very customer-oriented, considering them as her friends. She is always making sure that her customers are taken care and listens closely to suggestions from the public on possible macaron flavors.
“Through social media and meeting people, everyone’s always giving me their flavor suggestions so we’re always open to hearing them and kind of seeing what people want out there and what is a flavor that people love that someone hasn’t turned into the French macaron yet,” explains Loia.
The macaron flavors are also dependent on respective seasons/ months. Halloween flavors for the month of October were inspired by candy corn, three muskateers, and starbursts. A blend of pumpkin spices, and apple flavors are currently being featured for the fall season.
Even though Dana is a well-known entrepreneur who has been featured in popular names like The New York Times, People Magazine and others; she is very down to earth. She runs a normal schedule, whether it be meeting with her team to discuss possible ideas or traveling from her New York location to her New Jersey location to take care of business. She is also an advocate for keeping your body healthy and going to the gym five times a week.
“I try to work out during in the mornings, I think its really important and it helps me set the tones for the rest of the day. . . it helps me mentally.”
She is also an avid foodie, and has been inspired by all different types of food on her culinary journey:
“I am inspired by all the things around me and and the things I loved ever since I was little. . .”
This is reflected in her unique idea of the macaron, embedding something more into the pastry than just sugar. Instead it is a crafted art. Macarons, as Dana explains, can be likened to that of a canvas.
“I kind of think of the macaron as bit of a canvas in a way, I try to see what I like to eat, and what the people around me love to eat, and that’s the way that we can kind of transform it to the macaron while still keeping its integrity.”
Dana explains how the macaron is a bit like fashion in which they both influence each other.
She states, “They are both fun and whimsical.” It wouldn’t be coincidental in an area that is so arts-oriented that Dana’s macarons would be so bold and funky in its aesthetic.
Even though it is an art, it is something that anyone can learn. Dana not only offers classes for the public, she has also very recently created a DIY kit, which allows her customers to go to the store, buy a kit and make their own macarons. This gift is especially good for the holidays and allows the customers to make macaron’s at their own convenience.
Courtesy of: Dana’s bakery
Dana first made the DIY kit in an effort to bring a non-perishable item to stores such as Target, Bed Bath and Beyond and Bloomingdale’s. The kit allowed her to branch out to well known stores that were not able to stock her perishable macarons.
The kit is incredibly easy, and anyone can make them. The ingredients are all laid out on an instruction card; all you have to do is add egg whites. Dana explains that this is different than any other macaroon making kit because:
“. . . all you have to do is add that one extra ingredient and everything comes together.”
She is excited for the kit, especially for the upcoming holidays.
“I’m just really happy that we added it to the line its been a really great thing for us. I’m excited to see how it does over holidays and how everyone likes them when they get them as their gift.”
-by Samantha Rice