Karen's Bakery
In historic Folsom, food is art.
At Karen’s Bakery Café and Catering, it’s all about the food from tasty decadent desserts and baked goods to a full menu of creative soups, salads and entrees. All are crafted using organic and sustainable ingredients from local farmers whenever possible.
For the past five years, Karen Holmes has created a dining and baking experience for visitors which mixes her signature quality with the latest “foodie” trends. The comfortable café, located just off historic Sutter Street, features casual and patio dining with touches of sophistication without the fussiness of white linen.
Visitors even might find a bit of spandex at Karen’s. Cyclists from the close by American River Parkway trails often take a short detour and stop in for a quick beverage or maybe a leisurely lunch as they enjoy their weekend by pedaling through Folsom.
“Tapas” or small bites plates are signature this season at Karen’s. “People want a wider variety of taste and it’s easy to do that with festive plates of tapas,” she said. And when it comes to desserts this holiday season, the “in” taste is a silky blend of salted caramel and chocolate as featured in a new cake. “It’s really an amazing combo,” said Holmes.
As the cozy café is located within view of the new historic Folsom ice rink, Holmes invites skaters to enjoy a hot beverage to warm up after enjoying time on the ice.
Karen’s Bakery, Café and Catering offers all kinds of savory dishes to compliment any celebration as well as relaxing atmosphere in the café for breakfast or lunch.
Baked treats
The holidays are for entertaining and Holmes shares one of her favorite simple snacks, Rosemary Walnuts, to have on hand at home for guests or even for a quiet evening sitting around the fireplace. They can be made in advance and stored, but are very nice served warm. And walnuts are great this time of year.
Rosemary Walnuts
6 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of dried rosemary, crumbled
1 teaspoon of salt, preferably kosher
½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
4 cups of walnut halves
Melt butter in a large saucepan. Remove from heat and add seasonings. Add the walnuts and toss gently but well. Place the walnuts in a shallow roasting pan in one layer. Bake at 325 degrees until nicely toasted, about 10minutes, shaking occasionally. ENJOY!
Visit Karen’s Bakery Café and Catering at
www.karensbakery.com.