The butter tart is coming home to Barrie.
According to officials at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH), the earliest record anywhere for the butter tart filling was actually right here in Barrie, confirmed spokesperson Kimberly Wright.
“Mrs. Malcolm MacLeod’s butter tart recipe, which was submitted to the Women’s Auxiliary Royal Victoria Cookbook in 1900, is the earliest record anywhere for butter tart filling,” she acknowledged.
Whether you prefer the “tried and true” original version — or prefer to think a little more outside the box — hundreds of the “uniquely Canadian” dessert will be on hand this weekend for the Butter Tarts and More Market at Georgian Mall.
The free event is scheduled to run from 10 a.m until 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 8 at Georgian Mall and is expected to feature 35 vendors which will spread out across the inside of the mall, explained Helen Prucha, of Gotta Luv Butter Tarts, which is hosting the event.
“We put these festivals on across Ontario and this is our first time in Barrie (and) we are really looking forward to it. We always look at different markets and where there are possibilities," said Prucha.
"We did one in Oakville Place in a RioCan Mall and it was such a huge success that … the marketing manager was telling her colleagues about it,” she said, adding she was later contacted by a representative at Georgian Mall about the possibility of bringing an event to Barrie.
The event will boast vendors from as far away as Niagara Falls, she noted, as well as a few closer to home.
“They are coming from all over. We have two that are local — one from Innisfil and Wasaga Beach,” she said, adding they are also expecting visitors to come from all over. “People are crazy about their butter tarts."
Whether you are a purist or enjoy experimenting, there will be something for every taste bud this weekend, noted Prucha.
“There’s always been the debate over the classic butter tart — but they’ve branched out and there are now so many flavours … peanut butter and chocolate chip, Nutella, lemon, Nanaimo, salted caramel, toffee, M&M’s, blueberry cheesecake, turtles, caramel glazed walnut, pecan, coconut, maple bacon, and raspberry coconut … there’s something for every taste, every palate and every walk of life,” she said.
Saturday’s event will also include an artisan marketplace as well as cannolis and other sweet and delicious treats from award-winning local bakeries across Ontario.
Based on the success Prucha has seen in other markets, she is hopeful Saturday’s festival will be the first of many.
“This will be our debut and we’d love to be back next year,” she said.
