By Steven Garmanian

Walk into any bakery and the combination of sensory excitement and nostalgia pulls you under its spell. Memories of childhood, of parenthood, of morning walks with a friend, of delicious pastries from one’s past, are all ignited upon entry. The fresh aromatic atmosphere and visually incandescent arrays startle one with longing and desire. Happiness flourishes in the heart, and the mouth waters with anticipation.

Paul Larsen, opened Larsen‘s Bakery in 1974. As a boy, in Copenhagen, he started learning traditional recipes at age 14, and has been baking Danish pastries ever since. At age 73, Larsen still arrives daily to see that all’s running smoothly. His mission to create a warm and friendly bakery where families come and enjoy authentic Nordic goodies has been a grand success. Now, 41 years after its founding, Larsen’s not only has survived; it has thrived.

Located on the corner of 24th Avenue. N.W. and N.W. 80th Street in the Crown Hill neighborhood of Ballard, Larsen’s flies an awning featuring a pretzel shaped emblem topped with a crown, a symbol proclaiming it a Danish bakery. A few of their seasonal offerings include: Pfeffernuesse (a soft cookie with anise, ginger, rolled in powdered sugar), Pepperkaka (a ginger snap with diced almonds), and, of course, Lefse (a potato tortilla often served with butter, cinnamon, and sugar.) Cardamom is a key ingredient in many rolls and breads. The seed is ground right before mixing it in the dough, so its fresh spiciness is at its most fragrant. But the king of flavors for Danish is Marzipan, an almond paste and staple in many pastries including Kringle, the holiday favorite.

The bakery wakes at 3 a.m. and runs a single shift until noon. The scope of this enterprise is astounding. Peter Rizzo, the production manager, buys Marzipan from California at the rate of three tons per order. He procures the best Danish margarine in shipping container size lots. The flour and sugar usage runs at 2500 pounds a week. When the Kringle line is running during the peak holiday season -- between October and January, three hours daily, with a crew of five workers -- 1500 Kringle are baked a day for a total of upwards of 50,000 Kringle annually! As a primarily local bakery, 75 percent of this production is sold retail and only 25 percent wholesale.

Last year Larsen’s embarked on an extensive remodel that increased their capacity by 35 percent. Patrons may marvel at the beautiful new showcases, brick, stone, tables and chairs that were imported from Denmark. They may look up at the magnificent old growth central beam that was blasted with walnut shells to bring back its luster. They may comment on the modern baking ovens, imported from France. But behind the façade is a workspace twice again as large as the retail shop that produces the abundance of a factory.

Larsen’s Bakery has expanded its breads, and savory offerings made with mozzarella, basil and sun dried tomatoes, spinach and feta, or caramelized onions and bleu cheese encrusted in light and fluffy pasty dough. They also offer gluten free fare ranging from Crème Brulee, Coconut Macaroons, to Florentine cookies. They support fundraising for Scandinavian Festivals and donate their ‘day old’ breads and pastries to Northwest Harvest. Larsen’s is dedicated to supporting the Ballard community in many ways.

Traditional favorites at Larsen‘s Bakery.

Manager Jess Fisher spoke of the changing demographics of Ballard, of how young couples with kids are transplanting the loss of elders in the community, but how, on any given day, you can still hear a multitude of European languages spoken in line. They come, she said, because they expect a “different standard” of excellence with roots in the old countries. Whether a wedding cake for 300 people, hand decorated cookies for the kids, cakes customized with images of your choosing, or the particularly creepy Day of the Dead skulls filled with red velvet cake and raspberry jam, ask Jess and she’ll make it happen.

Daily, and particularly on Saturday or Sunday mornings, there’s nothing better than to queue up in line for an order of pastry and coffee. Also, remember dogs are to be left outside due to health regulations. But when it’s time to order, you have a full array of delicious choices. For a bargain, check out the day old, half-priced strudels. Either eat in, or take your selections with you for a walk to nearby Golden Gardens or the Shilshole Marina, happily munching away on a bite of Ballard‘s authentic Nordic heritage.