Cakes and Pastries by Jorie is now open at 119 N. Main St. in Manteno.

Owner Jorie Roberts, who has been baking since she was 16, is making cakes, cupcakes, cookies, pastries and other desserts. She’s also recently been making taffy apples, and she plans to offer pies during the holidays. I was lucky enough to try one of the apples, which was covered in caramel and then drizzled with chocolate and nuts. It was the most beautiful taffy apple I’ve ever seen and the best tasting one I’ve ever eaten.

Jorie doesn’t have normal store hours or treats on display to buy, but she says people are welcome to stop in if she’s there and see what’s available to take home. To make an appointment for a consultation, call 815-468-7700. Jorie’s specialty is wedding cakes, and she also does sculpted cakes like the ones you see on many of the baking shows on TV.

(Thanks to a reader named Rai for that tip. Rai also recommends the cupcakes.)

Carlton’s Country Market is now open at 1223 N. Convent in Bourbonnais, across the street from The Daily Journal.

The store carries a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, almost all of which are grown in the United States. The only exceptions are the avocados from Mexico and the bananas from South American. Other offerings include jellies and jams, Smoky Mountain honey and soap, apple cider from Michigan, pumpkins, Indian corn, pickling items, a wide variety of nuts, and garden decor items. If you need a quick meal, they also carry prepared sandwiches made with Boor’s Head deli meat.

The Carlton family traces its farming roots all the way back to 1776. Most of the produce comes from the Carlton farm in Tennessee or from a Wisconsin-based consortium of farmers who pledge to use as few chemicals as possible.

Carlton’s Country Market is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The phone is (815) 935-8556.

If you enjoy homemade pastries, take a short drive out to Momence to visit MA Little Bakery.

Maria and Valentin Macedo recently opened the bakery and have been working 16-hour days to keep the cases filled with traditional Mexican sweets and American favorites. If your timing is right, you might get to enjoy made-from-scratch danishes or carrot cake. I lucked out on my most recent visit and got a hot-from-the-oven glazed doughnut, which was worth the drive all by itself. A reader named Russell raves about Maria’s Tres Leches Cake, aka Three Milk Cake, and her jalepeno breadsticks.

MA Little Bakery has the distinction of being the only Mexican bakery in Kankakee County, but I would describe it as a traditional bakery that specializes in Mexican treats, such as conchas, teleras, yoyos and empenadas. The empenadas come filled with strawberry, pineapple, cream cheese or sweet potato, which was my favorite. A yoyo is two disks of sweet dough with a filling in between, and it’s baked and then dipped in sugar. I’ve shared the strawberry-filled and pineapple-filled versions with family and coworkers, and both have gotten very good reviews. More familiar offerings include pastries, cookies, pies and cupcakes. All the pastries are baked, not deep-fried, so you can enjoy them with a little less guilt.

If you need something savory to eat first, they often have sandwiches made with homemade bread and ham from Southside Meats, which is next door. You can also pick up a loaf of bread, a mini baguette, sandwich rolls or biscuits.

One of Maria’s most artistic creations was a mold of transparent Jell-O encasing perfectly placed flowers. I thought it was too pretty to ruin with a spoon, but Val assured me it was delicious. The molds are not regularly available, as they are labor-intensive to create, but  Maria will take special orders for many items.

The name of the bakery comes from the first two letters of Val and Maria’s last name. While Maria is an accomplished cook, baking was new to her. When the couple decided to open a bakery instead of a restaurant, as they had first planned, they turned to cousins in Tennessee who owned a bakery. After an intensive three days of learning all she could, Maria left with enough recipes and skills to churn out amazing treats.

MA Little Bakery is open daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. As with most bakeries, the early birds get the best selection. Also, since everything is homemade, options vary. The cases are mostly self-serve, so when you get there, grab a tray and tongs, select what you want, and then pay at the counter.

The address is 419 E. Indiana St. in Momence. For more information, call Val at 773-827-3563.

(Thanks to a reader named Russell for that tip.)

On the Vine is now open at 121 E. Washington St. in Momence.

In addition to being a full-service flower shop, the business also sells a variety of wines and g0urmet food items, plus gift items and home decor.

All the wine is available for tastings, or to purchase by the glass so you can sip while you shop. There are nearly 40 kinds to choose from. Illinois wineries represented include Blue Sky, Alto, Von Jacob, Illinois River and August Hill. One of the August Hill wines is Hieland Red, which is made from grapes frown on Hieland Road in St. Anne. Wine tastings are $3 for five 1-ounce samples. A full 5-ounce glass of wine is $4, regardless of kind.

The food items also from around Illinois. For example, the Roppe Jersey cheese is made in Normal, the Flutterby popcorn is made in Utica, the dipping olive oil is made in Anna, Il., and the fudge comes from The Gathering in Gilman.

Off the Vine is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. They’re closed Sundays and Mondays.

For more information, visit their Facebook page or call them at 815-472-6590.

A grand opening will be held Sept. 23. There will be appetizers, wine and prizes from 6 to 9 p.m.

Rietveld’s Farm Stand will open for the season soon.

Rhonda Rietveld said yesterday (July 1) that she hopes to open in about a week to a week and a half. When she knows for sure, I’ll be sure to pass it along.

Rietveld’s is at 4067 E. 4000N Road in Bourbonnais. When the stand is open for the season, the phone is 815-932-6208.

Hours will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Elijah’s Fountain, the new coffee shop inside Love Christian Center, is now offering catering to local businesses.

Pots of hot or iced coffee, hot or iced tea, and pastries are available. Delivery is offered to downtown Kankakee businesses, otherwise pickup is also available. A weeks’ notice is requested. Call 815-401-5454.  

Love is at 249 S. Schuyler in Kankakee.

I’ve been asked when Rietveld’s Farm Stand in Bourbonnais will open for the season, and since I live nearby, I’ve been wondering myself.  Unfortunately, the phone numbers that I’ve been able to find for them have both been disconnected. If anyone has any information, please let me know so I can pass it along. You can call me at (815) 937-3374 or email me at drenckens@daily-journal.com.

Simply Sweets opened last month at 215 W. Walnut St. in Watseka.

Owner Marci Hartman specializes in fresh fruit arrangements and homemade candies. Popular items include Turtles that actually look like turtles, and S’mores, which Marci says taste exactly like the campfire treat after a 20-second warming in the microwave.

Simply Sweets is open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. The phone is (815) 515-4164.

Click here to follow them on Facebook.

Nana’s Bakery is now selling individual cupcakes.

Several gourmet flavors are offered each day, in addition to the standards of white, chocolate and strawberry. Popular specialty options include the Devil Dog, which is a chocolate cupcake that’s filled with vanilla whipped cream, iced with buttercream, rolled in chocolate cookie crumbs, topped with chocolate chips and drizzled with dark chocolate; and the Lemon Raspberry, which is a lemon cupcake with raspberry filling and a raspberry swirled buttercream icing. A reader named Joanie emailed to tell me about the cupcakes and said, “I had a white chocolate macadamia nut (cupcake). Deeelicious!”

Nana’s is at 205 S. Quincy Ave. in Bradley. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. The phone is (815) 802-8000.

The Starbucks inside the Bourbonnais Kroger (633 Armour Rd.) has closed. I made the discovery a few days ago, but I understand it happened about two weeks ago.