Shoreline Chef Creates Maria's Desserts

Maria João Galvåo is a lively, intelligent woman strongly devoted to her passion of cooking and baking. Her face lights up as she speaks of her ‘Persian Love Cake’ made with an array of spices and ingredients

She started Maria’s desserts in 2009.

“I’m a one-person business that caters to individual tastes and needs.  I make all my products with tender loving care,” she states

Right now she is cooking and baking out of a commercial kitchen on 103rd and Aurora. She works as a personal chef, sells directly to clients, businesses and Farmer’s Markets. She was at the Solar Fest event in Shoreline last month and is excited to have a booth and sell her products at the Shoreline Farmer’s Market, opening in 2012.

Since she lives in Shoreline she is eager to soon cook and sell all her products from her home. She is in the process of applying for the Cottage Law, which allows chefs like Galvåo to do just that and cut out the middleman, so to say, allowing her save money, time and resources.

“My biggest struggle is keeping up with accounting and social media,” she admits. 

Working from home will simplify everything. She will have more time to devote to her passion and also more money to hire people to do the things that are necessary but not in line with her desires as a chef.

Most of her products are to order.  She does birthday, wedding cakes and desserts. She’s a personal chef and runs classes. The Bee Hive Bakery, at 1400 23rd Ave on Capitol Hill, will soon be selling all her products.

One of the more interesting things about Galvåo is that she inherently gravitates toward recipes that are gluten free. She like the challenge of creating gluten free dishes and desserts.

One of her favorite desserts, an almond citrus cake, comes from and old recipe from a northern Spanish convent that is naturally gluten free.

“I work with a lot of ancient flavors, like cinnamon, orange, almond, coconut, that I grew up with in Portugal,” she states.

However, she isn’t limited to her preferred tastes, flavors, and recipes. She proudly states that she can cater to everyone’s wishes.

“You tell me what flavors you like and I can create that for you.”