Sticky fresh butter tarts made with real butter!!

The weather was damp and rainy, as was our moods for whatever reason... probably just a case of “the Mondays”. This time, to our surprise the Google search turned up a new spot: Tartistry. It was only 6 minutes away, however at first glance it looked like they only served butter tarts. Upon further investigation we found that their dedicated gluten free kitchen serves savoury tarts, soups, and espresso as well. Oh man did I need an espresso!
Now that I've got your gluten free attention, I want to tell you a story.
I set out to write this article about a butter tart shop, Tartistry. What I ended up with was a story about people who make a difference... and who also make butter tarts!
About a year ago Jenn and I were in West Toronto looking for a safe place to eat, as we've done, in that area, a dozen times.
...Then you can understand how it would feel to have someone tell you that... It hit me like a ton of bricks.
As we entered, the eclectic decor mixed with the intoxicating smell of baking pastries AND fresh ground coffee immediately brightened our day! The counter was adorned with butter tarts of all kinds: Chocolate Hazelnut, Lemon Curd, Blueberry, and much more. The young lady that took our order seemed just as sweet as the goodies she was doling out! I had the beef bourguignon tart and Jenn had a vegan mushroom tart.
WOW!
Between the atmosphere, the staff, and the amazing food, it really did make our day! Take that Monday!!
I just felt that there was something special about this place, so when it came time to write a feature article, they were at the top of my list.
I got to have a wonderful long conversation with Michele, the owner, and the woman behind the culinary excellence at Tartistry. I assumed we would talk about the regular stuff: the struggles of running a gluten free business, recipe development, products, and so on. And we did, but I soon learned that butter tarts are not the heart of this story... she is!
Let me explain.
Michele grew up learning to cook and bake as a little girl with her mother, Margaret, who I'm told was an excellent cook and baker, and largely the inspiration behind Tartistry. “I would mix the batter and cut the dough” she explains as she recalls fond memories of their special time together.
Because of this heartfelt connection to baking, Michele always had dreams of one day running her own bakery. A dream, like many of us have, that lies dormant in the back of our mind; nagging, poking, and prodding to get out. Well, about eleven years ago and 26 years into her professional career (not as a baker) Michele let hers out! She and her husband Stephen essentially quit their jobs, purchased a charming little Toronto property on the Queensway, and got to work creating the best damn tarts in town! (My words, not hers)
Not long after they opened, on a cold day in January, a woman wondered in, no doubt in search of something delectable. She and Michele got to talking as the women placed her order. During their conversation Michele learned that this warm, lovely lady had lost her 23-year-old son just two years earlier.
“Do you have children?” Michele asked me. “I do.” I replied. “Then you can understand how it would feel to have someone tell you that.” A lump formed in my throat just thinking, even for a brief moment, about dealing with the loss of a child.