Elizabeth Cottam, renowned for Leeds’ HOME and The Owl, has spread her wings to Boston Spa, where CORA, a contemporary bakehouse and dining room, will invite customers to sample bakery and patisserie-based breakfasts, lunch and afternoon tea tasting experiences, enhanced by ever-changing speciality cakes, pastries and wines.
CORA will contribute to the existing mix of independents in the village. Elizabeth explained: “We’re offering elegant, yet fun and playful pastry and bread creations that are very different from what you typically find in your traditional tearoom or old-fashioned french patisserie. I love making a real event out of eating, so I decided to create a place where the ceremony of afternoon tea could be embraced and rolled out to other dining times of the day, too. I’ve included a wide variety of expected and unexpected ingredients and flavours in the menu to update the patisserie format. To turn up the sense of occasion even more, every dish is paired with an optional carefully selected wine or cocktail.”
During the summer, the CORA team will rely on the weather forecasters to predict sunshine, when customers can pre-order picnic hampers. These packed hampers for two will include blankets, food, champagne and a little map to direct you to a perfect sunny spot by the river. Nice!
Liz continued: “One of the most exciting things about this project is that I’ve tracked down and pulled together a full female senior team. My general manager, head pastry chef and head baker, alongside me, make up an incredibly creative and formidable partnership. The development process has been so inspiring and enjoyable. I’m very much looking forward to showcasing what these amazing women can do.”
Initially, CORA will be open for collection only, but to give you a flavour of what will be on offer: Bloody Mary sourdough with rare breed bacon and tarragon tomato jam, foie gras and plum Danish swirls, mushroom and black garlic parfait on marbled, truffle ciabatta with Pedro Ximenez sherry butter, black sesame and tangerine eclairs, little pear drop pies, cakes made of sour cherries that look like clouds and many very special flavoured breads and other tasty treats. The tasting experiences will include both savoury and sweet dishes selected by the chefs.
CORA will also bake a small selection of products to take away each week, alongside two tasting menu boxes for brunch and lunch, each containing items that will change weekly. Customers are advised to pre-order to avoid disappointment.
Liz concluded: “It’s a great time for us to open and we’re hoping the summer months will be filled with people enjoying the dishes we’re creating for CORA’s opening. Our aim is that by June we will be able to offer customers the full, dine-in experience, but until then we are happy to serve people via the retail counter and help a lucky few picnic in style.”
With treats such as this one to look forward to, life is just becoming a little bit better!
