2 days ago
A New Cambridge Bakery Is Serving Chili Crisp Cookies and Gochujang Citrus Sticky Buns
is a Boston-based writer and editor on a perpetual search for the perfect empanada. She has more than ten years of experience covering food, travel, and culture, with a particular emphasis on marginalized communities.
Marissa Ferola has a fail-safe test when creating Korean-American confections for her newly opened cafe Nine Winters Bakery in Cambridge.
'If my kids won't eat it, it's not coming here,' she says. 'My kids are very sweet with their critiques but they certainly have them.'
Family is at the heart of Nine Winters. Ferola began experimenting with Korean flavors after her daughters were born, as a way to reconnect with her roots and pass that heritage on. Adopted as a child, she wanted her kids to grow up with a strong cultural foundation — and food became one of the most meaningful ways to build it.
The result is a deeply personal and playful menu: gochujang citrus sticky buns, doenjang brown sugar oatmeal, and peanut butter chili crisp cookies. Savory options include egg bread, deviled mayak gyeran (Korean marinated eggs), and a gochujang Bolognese. A trio of milk bread sandwiches — perfect for tea parties — was inspired by ones she shared at home with her daughters.
Deviled mayak gyeran and gochujang Bolognese are on the menu. Nine Winters Bakery
The drinks menu reads more like a cocktail bar than a bakery counter — but it's designed for early morning buzzes rather than late-night pours. There's the Jeju Island, a salted coffee tonic with orange marmalade, and the Galbi, a fat-washed medium roast with apple and ginger, served in a smoked glass. Even a regular cup of coffee can be dressed up with doenjang caramel or perilla syrup.
Before opening the shop, Ferola sold her baked goods at pop-ups hosted by Honeycomb Creamery. Now, she's excited to host pop-ups in her own space. On August 1 and 2, Providence-based chef Jose Rodrigo will serve a four-course prix-fixe dinner highlighting Latin flavors.
'I'm really excited to learn about other people's cultures and how they share and connect with folks through their food,' says Ferola.
Community is also baked into the space. Ferola's menu is served on handmade ceramics by local Korean-American artist Ki Wan Sim and Seoul-based small business Zedo Ceramics and guests are greeted by a mural from artist Astro Wongsarak, depicting Ferola's daughters Janine and Winter and the family cat Clammy going on fantastical adventures. Ferola hopes to host a wide spectrum of community-oriented events in time, everything from adoptee connection opportunities to cross-cultural children's story hour.
'It feels like an extension of my family's table,' says Ferola. 'I want people to feel represented and happy and celebrated whenever they step inside.'
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