Last Saturday, we shared spoonfuls of sweet treats, memories, and a few tears with Bakery Amande at her last Carlton Farmers Market.
It’s hard to believe Amande only joined the Carlton Farmers Market community in April this year. Her sweet little stall and trays of delightful tarts, cakes, and sweets have certainly made a mark.
Bakery Amande at Carlton Farmers Market earlier this year
Amanda (the brilliance behind Amande) has wrapped up Amande in Melbourne for now and is relocating to Jakarta to open a new shopfront and be closer to family. We’re cheering from the sidelines (and setting up alerts for flight deals to Jakarta). We can’t wait to see how Amande incorporates local tropical produce into her cakes and bakes.
Amanda has a love for local, seasonal produce. She’s been a keen farmers market shopper since noticing the quality of the produce at places she’s worked, like Osteria Ilaria, which source from local producers such as Days Walk Farm and Remi’s Patch, who also frequent the markets (they're both at Coburg Farmers Market weekly).
Fresh produce from the farmers markets
“Since then, I’ve been going to the farmers market every Saturday before I start work. I love supporting local farms and small-batch producers because I understand the labour they put in and how they value bringing the best seasonal produce to the market,” Amanda said.
It was natural for Amanda to decide to trade at farmers markets—you may have seen her sweet stall at the Regional Farmers Market at Abbotsford Convent, Heide Market, Carlton Farmers Market (that’s us!), or perhaps picked up one of her cake boxes.
Bakery Amande has been instrumental in the popularity of Carlton farmers market over the past year, and Amanda's "good mornings" to staff and shoppers were always just as sweet as her bakes.
"I will miss my Saturday morning breakfast cakes and having shoppers interrogate me on what flavour I had picked that week. I am so excited for Amanda's next chapter (and even more excited that I finally got my hands on a piece of her custard slice before she left)" said Bek, Markets Lead at MFM.
Bakes from Bakery Amande first ever Carlton Farmers Market
It’s been a joy to welcome Amande into the Carlton Farmers Market community (hence the tears on Saturday). We’ll be savouring the flavours and textures that Bakery Amande has introduced to us, while also keeping an eye out for an Amande pop-up in the future (Amanda has assured us, “this is not the end of Amande in Melbourne!”).
More reading material on Amande
Melbourne Farmers Market - Meet Amande: A micro bakery by Amanda Lowrensa
Broadsheet - There’s a New Cake Box in Town (and It’s From an Ex-Supernormal and Osteria Ilaria Pastry Chef)
Broadsheet - Melbourne’s Best New Bakeries, Dessert Spots and Sandwich Shops of 2024 (So Far)