There is a 30-minute weekly local television show called MaineLife where they highlight companies and areas around the state. We watch it each week and have discovered many spots we never knew about, or renewed our interest in revisiting areas.

This past weekend they visited The Apple Shed Kitchen & Bakery in Kents Hill, Maine. We’ve driven through Kents Hill and Dave is very familiar with the area having lived in Readfield, which is literally a stone’s throw away, but neither one of us was familiar with this local favorite.

What caught my eye in the segment was the large, croissants they have to offer! I was then convinced I NEEDED to stop and visit.

Dave and I made a special trip over on a Thursday, as their website indicated that is the day where their baker takes on the consuming practice of laminating pastry dough. Although when I asked at the counter if the croissants were only available on Thursday, he said “it depends”. So I may or may not be disappointed the next time I drive over specifically on a Thursday for a good croissant. We’ll see!

Located across the street from Kents Hill Boarding School campus, the bakery is easy to find on Main Street along Route 17. A small paved, parking lot brings you to a simple, single-story building. But OH, the treats that await behind that door!

No only do they provide a wealth of pastries, but there are extensive coolers filled with freshly made soups, stews, pastas, sandwiches, cookies, and breads. SO many breads! If I hadn’t already picked up all of our groceries for the week on the prior day, I would have picked up the loaf of Rosemary Gouda Focaccia for sure.

We are actually quite shocked at the large inventory of ready-to-eat meals available. I wasn’t expecting to find quite so much, but it’s wonderful and certainly something to remember when we’re craving a good meal and don’t want to go out to a restaurant. It’s only a short 15-minute drive. Well, pretty much everything is a short 15-minute drive away from our house.

Their prices appear to be high at first glance, but it’s made in-house with an extensive kitchen staff and you’d pay the same amount at a restaurant. I think the pricing was very fair for this day and age and it’s much better than drive-thru food. They offer a weekly menu online indicating what they’ll have in-house that week so you can plan ahead.

Meanwhile, back to the pastries! I picked up one of their glorious carrot cake croissants and Dave grabbed an apple cinnamon scone. They were gently placed in a bag and we waited until we got back home to enjoy.

Dave said the scone was very good and I dug into the croissant as best I could considering the hefty amount of creamy icing on top. I’m not one to shy away from icing, but it overwhelmed the flavor of everything else for a bit.

There was a thicker spice and carrot filling inside the fantastic croissant. Crispy on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth layers of baked butter on the inside.

I’d love to go back for just a plain butter croissant, if they offer it. Oh, who am I kidding, I’ll probably pick up anything they offer!

I’m ashamed to say I didn’t know about this bakery, especially with it being so close. I’m always on the lookout for fabulous pastries to enjoy with my tea and The Apple Shed does not disappoint! I will be back.

Cheers!