Old Firehall Confectionery: Stay away from the pastries
Old Firehall Confectionery, 170 Main St. Unionville, Markham, ON
170 Main St. Unionville, Markham, ON
I first discovered Unionville last summer and it was like walking into a picturesque episode of Gilmore Girls when the camera pans wide over Stars Hollow. I was so amazed at Unionville because it is totally hidden on a random exit from Markham’s industrial Highway 7. You’re driving along another grey and drab Ontario freeway and all of a sudden, a quaint little village appears.
We explored Unionville on a Monday and for some reason, almost every store was closed. Even the jewellery store. We were happy to find the candy store open though. It was the most adorable old-style candy store housed in a former firehall building.
Old Firehall Confectionery, 170 Main St. Unionville, Markham, ON
Even the inside of the candy shop was charming, giving off a warm ambiance with wooden pillars, a bulk area with bins full of candy and endless display cases of cupcakes, chocolates and cookies. I wanted to eat everything in the store.
Belgian chocolate truffle with raspberry and fresh mint, Old Firehall Confectionery, 170 Main St. Unionville, Markham, ON
We selected a couple of artisan chocolates, one of which was the Belgian Chocolate truffle with fresh mint and raspberry. I picked it because I loved the little flower. It was so delicate that we broke the flower when we removed it from the bag. The little truffle was sweet and tart with a familiar cut of cool mint finishing it off.
Belgian chocolate truffle with raspberry and fresh mint, Old Firehall Confectionery, 170 Main St. Unionville, Markham, ON
The other chocolate we chose was the the gorgeous mango passion truffle, also made of Belgian chocolate. It was sweet, and tropically fruity, making me think of girly drinks and fruit punch. And I just love the colours in the truffle, bright orange fading into yellow on the shell and the inside was a brilliant yellow.
Belgian chocolate truffle with mango and passion fruit, Old Firehall Confectionery, 170 Main St. Unionville, Markham, ON
Belgian chocolate truffle with mango and passion fruit, Old Firehall Confectionery, 170 Main St. Unionville, Markham, ON
The other pastries we bought at Old Firehall Confectionery were a mass disappointment, unfortunately.
I was surprised because all the pastries looked incredible on display. Never just eat with your eyes, I guess.
Chocolate dipped white chocolate chip cookie, Old Firehall Confectionery, 170 Main St. Unionville, Markham, ON
We bought a white chocolate dipped white chocolate chip cookie drizzled with milk chocolate. I was so tempted to eat this that I tore open the wrapper in the car and started scarfing away. The cookie looked simply delicious all covered in chocolate. How could that not taste good, you ask? Well first off, the cookie inside was completely stale. The chocolate did nothing to mask the dry crumbs in the cookie.
Chocolate dipped white chocolate chip cookie, Old Firehall Confectionery, 170 Main St. Unionville, Markham, ON
As my readers know, one of my all-time favourite flavour combos is peanut butter and chocolate so I just had to buy the peanut butter chocolate cupcake when I saw it at Old Firehall Confectionery. Also, I picked it because it was square shaped. I love unconventional shapes for pastries. Disappointingly though, the cupcake wasn’t the least bit chocolatey. I know that’s not a word but I was expecting this cupcake to be just that: deep, rich, dense and simply chocolatey. Was I asking too much? Evidently, because if i closed my eyes and ate this cupcake, I wouldn’t even know I was eating a chocolate cupcake. It was basically flavourless. I was surprised because we bought this from a chocolate shop AND the chocolate truffles that we bought were so tasty.
Chocolate peanut butter cupcake, Old Firehall Confectionery, 170 Main St. Unionville, Markham, ON
I’ll have to pick a different pastry shop to visit at Unionville the next time I make the hike out to Markham.