Gorge Local — In Business: Edeske Patisserie opens new storefront in downtown Hood River

After moving to Hood River in 2021, the two rented an incubator kitchen at Columbia Gorge Community College where Edeske began. Tamara’s chocolates and desserts quickly became a local favorite, particularly at the Hood River Farmer’s Market, and their new location is just a staircase away from the market lot.

Both Tamara and James were adamant about the market’s support of Edeske since the start. “We got to see what other people have to sell and meet customers and local produce growers from the orchards in the Fruit Loop,” said James.

From seeing and sampling produce options to meeting local farmers and establishing community relationships, the market was a key place for them to make connections and find ingredients they could source locally. “The agriculture is the whole reason we picked Hood River. We pick our own fruits as well as the orchards and farms we work with,” Tamara said.

The owner-couple duo gathered such a positive response from the public that investing in a storefront in Hood River just made sense.

“The community, especially the farmer’s market, has been incredible and they are really excited for us. Everyone has been so supportive, it makes Hood River the perfect place for our shop,” said Tamara, who is also head pastry chef.

She even shared that they began a Kickstarter campaign earlier this year to help open the storefront and were able to reach their $12,000 goal in just 9 days thanks to the generosity and support of the community. Without these funds, the kitchen space would still be a work-in-progress. Tamara and James attribute much of Edeske’s success to the community support and rich agriculture, and the couple is excited to teach people about their desserts and inspirations.

“Edeske” is Hungarian for “sweet little thing,” a personal touch from Tamara who is from Hungary. Their logo, a ginkgo biloba leaf, is also symbolic; her grandmother had a ginkgo biloba tree in her yard growing up, so both the name and logo are a reminder of her roots. Tamara chose to study chocolates and desserts in the Netherlands beginning around the age of 20. She focused as a pastry chef for four years and spent an extra year to master chocolate.

Her style lends to the shop’s identity as a patisserie and chocolatier rather than a bakery. “I chose pastries because I like to work with my hands and being able to create things. The chocolates and flavors give me room to be creative. The possibilities with desserts and chocolates is endless. Plus I like sweet stuff,” she said.

She met James in 2018 while both were working for the high end luxury cruise line Lindblad Expeditions. Tamara usually worked in 3-month intervals as the head pastry chef while James worked as the company’s videographer, traveling from ship to ship collecting footage for marketing and promotions. That year they met on a boat in the Arctic and fell in love.

After making long-distance work for about two years, the couple decided they had waited long enough and made plans to be together. Tamara sold all of her belongings and prepared for her last trip working for Lindblad, but when they arrived back home after the excursion, COVID was in full swing and international borders rapidly closing. She was forced to remain aboard the ship for another 8 weeks and had to push back any plans of visiting James. When she finally was allowed off the ship, Tamara found herself with no home, belongings, or job, so she moved in with family during the pandemic. She made a pact with James that one would visit the other as soon as one of their borders opened.

That border happened to be Hungary’s, and James snapped into action booking flights and reading international travel guidelines until he made it to her hometown. In 2020, James and Tamara got married with a small group of her family members in a centuries-old Turkish castle. “We tried to set up a livestream for my family back home but I set the camera up assuming everyone would be sitting, and everyone was standing, so it didn’t turn out so great,” James laughed.

Prior to getting married, the two had traveled the state of Oregon looking for the right place to settle in the future. They considered places like Bend, The Dalles, and Portland, but Hood River had the homey feeling and community clientele that was perfect for their vision. They acquired the LLC for Edeske Patisserie in early 2021. “We got the LLC as soon as we moved in,” James said.

Though they are excited to experiment and expand, they offer a range of desserts including chocolates, tartlets, authentic French-style macarons, layered mousse cakes, and extravagant dessert tables. “You can’t find what we do anywhere near here. Maybe if you drive to Portland you’ll find a few options,” James said. “We have ultra-refined recipes that Tamara has developed for years, and our new shop will allow for more styles and versatility.”

Items like mousse cakes and dessert spreads are available for custom order for large parties and weddings. “I will just ask you your favorite flavors and find a way to build them together,” Tamara said excitedly. She explained that her authentic macarons are naturally gluten free, and she can specialize her desserts for any kind of allergies.

Edeske is just beginning to blossom with their new storefront but you can still catch them at events such as Cider Fest and Mosier Spring Fest.

“Right now our big focus is on being able to successfully open the storefront and scale up. We need to establish our presence in downtown and then work to build the business up,” James said. They both agreed that quality over quantity is their priority.

One current goal the couple has is to find the best way to ship their chocolates outside of the Pacific Northwest region, as temperature changes affect the consistency and longevity of the chocolates. Same-day or overnight delivery is currently available, though, thanks to their custom-made chocolate boxes. The precise design is made to fit the sweets snugly in place so they don’t risk moving or breaking during delivery. They are also always looking for ways to be more sustainable, one of which is offering a discount to guests who bring back their chocolate box to refill.

Edeske Patisserie is now open Thursday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in downtown Hood River, 512 Cascade Ave. Their official grand opening is planned for Mother’s Day and all other events are regularly updated on their captivating Instagram, @edeske_patisserie. They welcome contact via social media, email, or phone at 514-716-1661.