Irwin's Green Lake & Wallingford Open New Years Day

Start the year off right with Stumptown Coffee and an Irwin's scone, muffin or pastry!
Both Irwin's Green Lake and Wallingford shops will be open from 8-2pm on Sunday to ring in 2012!
See you there with bells on and happy New Year!

Irwin's Green Lake Is Hiring

Irwin's Green Lake is currently in need of a baker/barista!
Would love to find one person who can work full time, but a couple of part time people would be great too!
Email your resume to lindafecher@msn.com!
Looking forward to meeting you and have a great New Year!!

Irwin's Holiday Hours

Happy Holidays Everyone!
Here are the holiday hours for December through New Years:

Wednesday, December 14th-We will close at 3pm for Irwin's Holiday Party
Saturday, December 24th-We will close at 3pm for Christmas Eve
Sunday, December 25th-Closed for Christmas
Monday, December 26-31-Open from 7am-5pm
Sunday, January 1st-Open from 8am-2pm (Hydro House closed)

Irwin's wishes you and your loved ones the best for this holiday season!!
P.S. Let Irwin's bake your holiday pies!!

Irwin's Now Using Shepherd's Grain Flour

We are happy to share that Irwin's is now using all Shepherd's Grain Flour for our delicious pastries and baked goods!
Who is Shepherd's Grain? Why are we so excited to integrate their flour in our creative baking process? Read on...
"Shepherd's Grain is an alliance of 33 progressive family farms dedicated to practicing sustainable agriculture.
Mission: (Shepherd's Grain) strive(s) to build a positive economic future for our local family farmers and a healthier planet for everyone by revolutionizing the way grain is grown and sold.
Members: Pacific Northwest farmers dedicated to sustainable agriculture, fair business practices and genuine accountability.
Methods: (Shepherd's Grain does) less to the soil so that nature can do more. (Their) no-till and crop rotation systems enrich the soil and prevent erosion and water pollution.
Model: (Shepherd's Grain values) an honest partnership between farmer and customer, so our unique pricing model provides the farmer a stable revenue and the baker a stable price.
Integrity: (Shepherd's Grain pledges) to be honest, transparent and quality focused. Food Alliance certifies that our farming practices are of the highest standards and our products are traceable through the milling process and back to the individual farmer."
If you aren't familiar yet with the high quality that Shepherd's Grain flour has to offer, c'mon in to Irwin's to get to know their product and ours a little better. We're sure you will see why we are loving having them in our pastry case!
Learn more at www.shepherdsgrain.com and www.foodalliance.org

Craft & Cake Night Tomorrow

For all you crafty folks trying to find time to work on holiday projects and gifts, why not join us tomorrow evening at Craft and Cake Night at Irwin's Green Lake?! We will be working like elves and snacking on treats to keep us crafting at top speed from 5:30-7:30pm! See you there for crafty fun and cake too!

2nd Pie Night with Linda Tonight Cancelled

Hi all, we have to last minute cancel our 2nd Pie Night with Linda for this evening and hope you all understand and will join us next time! We will be rescheduling soon and keep you all posted for the next opportunity! Thank you for the great response and will be in touch soon for the next opportunity to make pie with Irwin's!

2nd Pie Night with Linda

Do you love Irwin's pie and want to know more? Let us share our secrets with you on our 2nd Pie Making Night with Linda!
Our Green Lake kitchen will be open for 10 pie-lovers on Tuesday, December 6th from 6-8pm to make and bake an Irwin's classic Marionberry Pie from scratch!
The night includes hands on lessons in making Irwin's pie dough and our signature Marionberry filling for you to use at home!
After the work is done, let Irwin's treat you to an espresso drink and a slice of pie!
Reserve your spot before the 6th by stopping into or phoning our Green Lake location at 206-985-9410 to pre pay for the evening. Rates are $50 per person and $70 per couple.
Just bring yourself and a 9 "glass/ceramic pie plate! (We have extras for purchase if you need one.)
Participants take home a complete recipe for Irwin's Marionberry Pie as well as an essential gift for making pie at home. Your very own Marionberry pie will be available for pick up the following morning at our Green Lake shop so it can cool overnight and will be ready to serve!
Let's get to baking!

Too Late for Irwin's Pie? Never!!

If time has been slipping by you these last weeks, fear not, there is still time to have the Best Pie in Seattle for your holiday feast!
Give Irwin's a call to reserve your pie for pick up today or tomorrow, or stop in and take it with you right away!
All our locations are open regular hours today. Wally and Green Lake will be open tomorrow until 3pm and Hydro until 1pm.
Stop in for your usual coffee and treat and take a pie to share with those you love!
Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Almost Thanksgiving Special *November 20th-23rd*

This Sunday through Wednesday, stop into Irwin's Cafe at Green Lake and Irwin's Wallingford Bakery to enjoy a special and seasonal treat, our Almost Thanksgiving Ciabatta and a cup of soup! Wallingford will be serving a homemade Pumpkin soup and Green Lake's soup du jour will be the perfect compliment for your pre-holiday enjoyment.
Also, if you haven't had a chance to pre-order your Thanksgiving pie yet, today is the perfect opportunity to reserve a Marionberry, Apple, Pumpkin or Pecan pie for your Thanksgiving celebration! Call any of our 3 locations to order yours today or stop in to sample today's offerings and pick the perfect pie for your table.

Let Irwin's Bake Your Holiday Pie!

This Thanksgiving, let Irwin's make and bake the holiday pie for your table!
We will be baking up Marvelous Marionberry, Tart Apple, Delicious Pecan and Perfect Pumpkin!
Pre-order your pie(s) of choice from any of our 3 Irwin's locations.
Pies will be ready for pick up on Wednesday, November 23rd before noon.

Irwin's Halloween Costume Contest

Hope everyone had a safe and super fun Halloween!
Thanks to all y'all who came by the shop last night to strut their stuff in costume!! Sugar cookies were enjoyed by all and the costumes were all so great!
Komo news even hung outside to catch trick or treaters in costume as they were gearing up for the night! Here are some of our winners from the contest!!

Pie Making with Linda

Do you love our pie? Have you ever wondered how Irwin's achieves a delicious, flakey yet substantial crust everytime?
Let us share our secrets with you on our 1st Pie Making Night with Linda! We will be opening our Green Lake kitchen up to 10 pie-loving peeps on November 8th from 6-8pm to make and bake an Irwin's classic Marionberry Pie from scratch!
The night will include hands on lessons in making our pie dough, our signature Marionberry filling and putting it all together for a fabulous pie finish you can pick up in the morning. After all the work is done, let Irwin's treat you to an espresso drink and a slice of pie to sweeten the deal while we finish the baking!
Reserve your spot before the 8th by stopping into or phoning our Green Lake location at 206-985-9410 to pre pay for the evening. Rates are $50 per person and $70 per couple. Just bring yourself and a 9 "glass/ceramic pie plate! (We have extras for purchase if you need one.)
Participants will take home a complete recipe for Irwin's Marionberry Pie as well as an essential gift for making pie at home. Your very own Marionberry pie will be available for pick up the following morning at our Green Lake shop so it can cool overnight and will be ready to serve!
Let's get baking!

Halloween Costume Contest at Green Lake this Monday, October 31st from 3-6pm!!

Irwin's Cafe at Green Lake will be hosting a Costume Contest from 3-6pm this Monday to celebrate Halloween!
Come one, come all to show off this year's costume at our shop for a little treat before hitting the town or taking it in for the night!
Open to children of all ages, our contest winners will receive $10 and $25 gift certificates to Irwin's and prizes will be awarded on Tuesday, All Saint's Day!
Stop in for a chance to win and have a little caffeine at the same time to ensure your spooky celebration lasts into the night!
Trick or Treat and can't wait to see you all in costume!!

Street Artists Narboo and Starheadboy Show at Irwin's Green Lake

If you haven't been in yet this October, you certainly do not want to miss the new and totally awesome works up by Starheadboy and Narboo. Both prolific, local artists are sharing their works with us at our Green Lake cafe for October and you don't want to miss the vibrant, city-meets-nature vibe in here! The combined showing brings together great lines, pop-out colors and a sketchy realism that will rock your socks off! The pair often show their work together and while they both have their own signature style, the 2 so perfectly compliment each other, that they speak the same language fluently. Both Narboo and Starheadboy have contact information at the ready for any of you who are looking to fill a bit of wall space with some of the best street art in Seattle! Starheadboy is also open to commissions and murals alike!

Crafts and Cakes Follow Up-More Crafting Ahead on November 10th, 2011!!

Thanks again to all our Crafty Cakes Night participants, it was great fun with old friends and new ones alike!
As the night progressed, we had projects ranging from macrame and crochet to soft sculptures and light metalworks. And cake, oh yes, lots of cake was enjoyed by all! And a few cookies and slices of pie too, naturally!
Looking forward to seeing you all again next month on the 10th of November to craft into the evening at Green Lake's favorite bakery and cafe!

Irwin's Pizza Schedule

For all you who already love Irwin's in-house and totally scrumptious pizza, and all those who will be falling in love shortly, here is pizza schedule so you always know what your next slice in Wallingford or Green Lake will be!

Mondays-Pollo Loco with roasted chicken breast, Irwin's fresh pesto sauce and red bell peppers-Ole!
Tuesdays-Mushrooms, red onion and feta-Because with feta, everything is betta!
Wednesdays-The Pesto! with tomato slices-Zesto!
Thursdays-Pancetta and arugala with sauteed onions-Mmmmm!
Fridays-The Greek, a serious slice topped with artichokes, tomatoes, black olives and feta cheese, of course!
Saturdays-Party down with the Fiesta! Red and green bell peppers and onions make this a celebration!
Sundays-Tomato Basil, a simple and perfect pairing for pizza everytime!
Every day, we make at least one fresh pizza of the day and most days, we make an additional Tomato Basil pizza pie too, so check in for that always delicious slice and watch our tweets for daily updates on Irwin's soups too!

Crafty Cake Night at Irwin's Green Lake!!

Come one, come all to Irwin's 1st Crafty Cake Night at our Green Lake shop Thursday, October 13th!
From 5:30-7:30pm we will be crafting and indulging in pastry aplenty from Irwin's offerings! No, its not free, but nothing this good ever is!
Everyone is invited to join us by the fireplace with travel-friendly and easy clean-up projects! Bring a friend and a handicraft of your choice and we can have our cake and eat it too!!

Congratulations, Aaron and Rachel!!

Irwin's congratulates our own Aaron Winnenberg and Rachel Fecher on their upcoming Marriage this Friday, August 12th!
Aaron and Rachel are both managers at our Wallingford and Green Lake locations and their presence will certainly be missed for the next 2 weeks as they Honeymoon down the West Coast. Send them off with your well wishes and happy thoughts as they tie the knot in just 2 days to become Mr. and Mr. Rachel!
Congratulations to you both on getting hitched and making it all look so easy!

Irwin's 5th Anniversary Party and BBQ

Celebrating 5 years of ownership, Irwin's wants to thank all our customers for their continued support!
Join us on Sunday, July 31st for a BBQ on the sidewalk, fun and friends!
Drop by anytime from 4-7pm and enjoy Irwin's amazing spread of fresh salads, chips, dips and gallettes to accompany your choice of BBQ! As always, many vegetarian and vegan options abound! See you there!

Pie for the 4th of July!

What is the perfect dessert to share for this 4th of July?! PIE, of course!! At Irwin's we are baking up an assortment of pies for you to share! We are offering Marionberry, Cherry, Apple and Strawberry Rhubarb for your enjoyment! Stop in to Green Lake or Wallingford to reserve yours today!

2nd Anniversary for Irwin's at Hydro House!!

June seems to be slipping by and we cannot forget to wish our Irwin's at Hydro House a "Very, Happy Birthday!"
This June marks their 2nd Anniversary, so stop in and see Gwen and Paige in action, making delicious delights and tasty treats for all in Eastlake!
Also, feel free to mention our "Buy 1, Get 1 Coffee & Espresso Drinks" deal, as seen on the My Green Lake and Wallyhood Blogs! What better way to celebrate, then by sharing Stumptown coffee with a friend!?

Free Stumptown Drip Coffee for Dads!

Father's Day is just around the corner on Sunday, June 19th.
Irwin's would like to celebrate by giving Dads free Stumptown Drip Coffee for their special day!
C'mon in and enjoy a cuppa joe on Irwin's. Its our way to say a hearty, "Thanks Pop, for all you do!"

Grand Opening This Weekend!

Join us at Irwin's Cafe at Green Lake for our Grand Opening this Saturday and Sunday, May 14th and 15th!
Free mini cookies and cupcakes, free Stumptown drip coffee and sweet raffles abound!
Come one, come all to see the freshly renovated and delicious new location at the corner of Latona and 65th!

Grand Opening at Greenlake May 13-15th!

At last, Greenlake, your wait is nearly over... Irwin's Cafe at Greenlake will open the doors for business on Wednesday, May 11! Everyone is also invited to join us for our Grand Opening Celebration lasting all weekend long May 13, 14 and 15th! Stop in and enjoy a scone, lunch or even an evening slice of pie and say "Hello" to your new neighbors at Irwin's. We look forward to seeing you there!

Nice Shooting, Tex!! Ms. Katie Hill is Irwin's Photo Contest winner!

This photo gem was taken on a sunny, August day and just as our good buddy and fellow Irwinite, Theresa was leaving us, Colorado-bound. Sam, Katie and Theresa all smiles as they just finished a most delicious pastry, here in Irwin's Wallingford. Also, included in the window of the shop, you can spy Seattle's favorite, honest mechanic, John Giovine. Rain or shine, all you need is a little, tasty pastry and Irwin's is just the place to share a special moment with someone you love!

"The frustrations, comedies and adventures of life, all narrated by the individual characters, created by Aaron Winnenberg."

Irwin's own Scone and Cookie Artisan and Banana Bread Baker, Aaron Winnenberg is our Artist for April!

Aaron is no stranger to showing in Seattle. You might recognize his work as he is showing all over town these days in streets and shops alike. Recently, Central Circuit featured Aaron's "Larry Walters" on the cover and shared a bit about his characters in the interview within. He has also been published in Carpaccio Magazine, and you can find him in Juxtapoz online!

Aaron's characters are calm under pressure, always pensive and problem solving. His characters find themselves in various unfortunate, surreal surroundings, yet they are at peace with the chasm to cross, the solid ground to find, or even searching for the light in the darkness. His work seems to depict feelings of struggle and loss, while staying playful, hopeful and always light.

You can find Aaron's characters on the walls of Irwin's Wallingford and in the windows of Irwin's Greenlake until May, and always on the interweb @ www.aaronwinnenberg.com.

Irwin's Community Photo Contest

What thing, person*, memory, or item do YOU love or find interesting when you come to Irwin's??
In the first of what will be many community challenge events, we present to you the Irwin's Community Photo Contest.

We invite patrons (and future patrons!) at all of our locations (including the soon-to-open Greenlake shop) to submit photos of your Irwin's experience!

The idea: We're collecting pictures of Irwin's- inside or out! We hope to capture our customer's experience- things they may love or find interesting (or just photographable!) about our cafes or their time spent in them.

All photos will be compiled, posted to our facebook page, and juried. The winner will receive a free specialty food item of their choice (be it slice of pie, cookie, slice of cake, gooey cinnimon roll, salad, sandwich, breakfast or lunch item, whatever they may crave), their picture will be displayed in the shop, AND we'll post an interview with the winning artist or writeup about the winning photo on our blog.

Rules:
The most important rule: Be respectful- Ask PERMISSION of any and all people who may be included in your shot.
Submit images to Cara at our Wallingford location, send as a facebook message, or email to: irwinsbakery@gmail.com (all photos must be sent electronically or submitted physically to our staff. For the duration of this contest, all photo wall posts will be disabled on our facebook page)
Photo image quality will not be a factor in determining the winner. Cellphone cameras, pinhole photography, polaroids, DSLRs... all types welcome!
Submissions will be accepted through Thursday, March 31st.
Have fun, get creative! We look forward to seeing our shops through the lens of our community!

*again, Ask PERMISSION of any and all people who may be included in your shot!!

Irwin's Bakery Coming Soon to Greenlake!!

Some of you may have heard the rumor that Irwin's is opening a new location at Greenlake, and its totally true!
Located at 301 NE 65th Street, right at the corner of 65th and Latona, Irwin's Greenlake will be our 3rd shop and we are enthusiastic to share an open date of mid-April!
Irwin's Greenlake will feature all the favorites from our Wallingford shop and Hydro House, while also focusing on a splendid lunch menu and additional dessert offerings for the later evening crowds.
Stay tuned for progress reports and photos of the new location and check out this great blast from the past photo!

Gregg Keplinger’s Striking Acoustic Sculpture

As February flashes into March, its time to switch up the art in the shop and Gregg Keplinger’s handcrafted instruments are just the way to jazz things up for Spring!

Many of us at Irwin’s know Gregg for his favorite table, his single macciato, banana bread and his witty sense of humor, but we are very excited to be showing off a selection of his hand hammered and beautiful instruments! Gregg is a drummer and drum maker by trade and has made quite an impression in Seattle’s music scene, time and time again.

Come in and check out his beautiful instruments on display in the shop! Prices range from $90 for smaller works, $130 for the medium sized pieces and $200 for the largest work. You can purchase pieces through Gregg, or let Cara know and I will pass the info on to Gregg!

Also, check out his website @ www.greggkeplinger.com

New Sandwiches at Irwin’s!

We are spicing lunch up a bit for these chilly February days.
Gwen has been perfecting some new, gourmet sandwiches for your enjoyment and they will all be ready soon, but stop in for a sneak preview taste this week!

Today or tomorrow, try our Roast Beef and Swiss Ciabatta.
Stacked with roast beef, Swiss cheese, sautéed mushrooms, spinach, horseradish and mayo, this is surely the perfect sandwich to warm you up!

Also, try the Greek Veggie/Vegan sandwich, piled high with hummus, olive tepenade, zucchini, red bell pepper, Roma tomatoes, spinach, red onion and a splash of red wine vinaigrette. Add Feta to make it betta, or keep it pure for Vegan Style!

Keep your eyes peeled for new favorites like Ham and PepperJack, Chicken Gorgonzola and The Greek Chicken coming soon to the menu!

Cherry Pie Time

It’s Cherry Pie season at Irwin’s Bakery!
For Presidents' day, Rachel has been baking up Cherry Pies!
Irwin’s famous, buttery pie crust packed with sweet, tart cherries and sweetened with just a bit of sugar, this is the perfect way to celebrate your afternoon!
Try a slice warmed with whipped cream and enjoy! Mmmmmmmm…
And on Monday, February 21st, Irwin’s will also have Petite Cherry Pies available to celebrate the holiday on the go, or for those just looking for a Cherry Pie bite!

Employee’s Choice Monthly Donations

Every third Tuesday of the month, Irwin’s donates 20% of that day’s earnings to a charity of an employee’s choice. This month it happens to be on Tuesday, the 15th and Irwin’s own Alex Berry, also the artist of the month, has chosen to support PAWS.

In the past, donations have gone to a variety of charities and non-profit organizations, including but not limited to; Camp Ten Trees, Woodland Park Zoo, Jet City Improv, Heifer Project, Hope First, Tilted Thunder Railbirds, Chimp Sanctuary Northwest, Freedom Project and even Seattle’s own 90.3, KEXP., help us continue the celebration of “FebruBerry” and 20% of your beverage and pastry will go to help PAWS do what they do! And, naturally, while here, take in the art and have a free mini chocolate chip cookie when you mention following the blog, facebook or tweets!

Red Velvet BabyCakes

St. Valentine’s Day is on Monday and Irwin’s has love to share!
Irwin’s famous Red Velvet Cake takes the form of perfectly portioned, and yes, heart shaped BabyCakes! Iced with cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with wee, sweet hearts, these BabyCakes are the bomb! Sweet for you and sweet for two!

Available for special order ahead of time, and pick up on Monday, these little darlings are as adorable as they are delish! We will make some extras too, in case anyone needs a last minute dessert option for Monday! As always, feel free to mention the blog for a free and tasty mini chocolate chip cookie!!

Irwin’s Artist for February is Alex Berry!

While we all know Alex for her superb espresso making and baking skills, she is also a talented artist working in several mediums. Currently at Irwin’s, Alex has a selection of her drawings, painting and wearable ornament on display. The work is available for purchase directly through contact with Ms. Berry.

Alex shared with me an illumination into her creative process. “The process of my work varies drastically. I could never simply sit down with the intention of forcing creativity. Each piece is made only as I find inspiration. Be it found through nature, personal relationships, color or the daily stresses, each piece is unique.”

You can find Ms. Berry behind the espresso machine on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7:30am to 3:30pm. I recommend you do have one of her tasty coffee creations as well! And of course, mention this blog for a free mini cookie!! Coffee, cookies and culture all in one stop!

Groundhog Day

For all of you who happen to love the holiday, the film or just the sentiment of a Groundhog predicting the weather, we at Irwin’s join you!
Hoping for a cloudy day and an early spring, we are cooking up a special Groundhog Quiche to celebrate February 2nd. Packed with toasty potatoes, Tillamook cheddar cheese, dill and groundhog (which happens to taste just like ham) this hearty quiche is sure to satisfy your hunger on a chilly day. Served with fancy greens and our house dressing, even the Groundhog approves!

Mention this blog and enjoy a free mini chocolate chip cookie while you wait for your coffee or tea. Also, no groundhogs were harmed for this quiche or blog!

Oooh, Red Velvet Cake

No matter which history you credit, Irwin’s triple layer Red Velvet Cake, layered with our rich cream cheese frosting and encrusted with crushed pecans, make this cake is a total show stopper! A favorite of ours to taste and gaze upon, it is also our most sought after confection for countless Dessert Auctions around Seattle. Just frosted and cut, this moist, indulgent treat beams scarlet red from the cake plate and seems to just call your name…Oooh, Red Velvet Cake!




Keep your eyes peeled for Red Velvet Baby Cakes for St. Valentine’s Day! The same delicious dessert, but perfectly portioned to be sweet for two, or just you!

National Pie Day

This Sunday, January 23rd is National Pie Day! The American Pie Council has dedicated this entire day to the making, baking, eating and sharing of pie. And why not have a day to celebrate the delicious dessert we love so much?!

We will be serving up luscious slices of Marionberry and Pecan to celebrate all weekend long. Try either of the seasonal favorites, warmed in the oven and topped with cool whipped cream to finish off the weekend on a sweet note. As far as holidays go, we at Irwin’s think this one “really takes the cake!” Or shall we say, pie?!

While in the shop, mention seeing this blog and receive your free Irwin’s famous mini chocolate chip cookie to enjoy, pre-pie that is.

New Art for January in Irwin’s Bakery

Happy New Year to everyone!!

January’s artist is Susan Waite, Painter, Printer and Teacher. A Seattle native, Susan captures tranquil landscapes, bustling neighborhood settings and familiar, peaceful moments alike in “magical colors and inspired brushstrokes.”


Stop in anytime at Irwin’s Bakery and see a selection of Susan’s work and as always, mention the blog and get your free mini chocolate chip cookie!!