Mammy’s Bakery owner Jessica Deshiro sells traditional Italian baked goods, sweet and savory, from a location near the intersection of Main Street and Route 1 in Damariscotta. (Johanna Neeson photo)
Eight years ago, Jessica Deshiro moved to Maine from Boston on a mission to share her grandmother’s old Italian recipes and creations. From her new shop at 767 Main St., Mammy’s Bakery offers “classic Italian baked goods and sweet creations,” both in the shop and by special order.
Through many years working kitchen jobs at Rising Tide Community Market, LincolnHealth’s Miles Campus, and Weatherbird, Deshiro “fell in love with cooking” and decided to turn her passion into a business.
When she heard about a space available in the Pine Grove Plaza building, she jumped at the chance to open a brick-and-mortar store in the “hidden but here” area of Main Street just before Route 1.
Mammy’s Bakery is named after Jessica’s grandmother, Mary Lou “Mammy” Deshiro, who passed away from Alzheimer’s disease in late June.
Ricotta cookies are among the traditional Italian baked goods available at Mammy’s Bakery in Damariscotta. (Photo courtesy Jessica Deshiro)
Jessica recalls cooking with her grandmother in Boston when she was young and credits “Mammy” with teaching her everything she knows.
“It’s a comfort thing,” Deshiro said of her traditional Italian baked goods.
Open Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, Mammy’s Bakery sells wholesale goods made in a nearby commercial kitchen as well as special orders. Deshiro uses her grandmother’s recipes and cookbooks for baked goods like cannoli, cookies, and tiramisu, which she sells alongside savory options like scali bread and gnocchi.
Recently, Mammy’s Bakery hit 500 likes on Facebook and celebrated with a gift card giveaway.
“A following like that is huge for us. We started by word-of-mouth and people were pleased and happy!” Deshiro said of the warm reception from the community.
As a remembrance of her grandmother, Deshiro will donate 5 percent of all 2018 sales to efforts to end Alzheimer’s.
