- Story by Angela Cowan Photography by Don Denton

Walking into Lucia White91裸聊视频檚 kitchen is a little like how I imagine heaven must feel.

Laid out on the table amidst cheerful yellow china and fresh roses are dainty tea sandwiches, sugar cookies with lemon curd, peanut butter brownies, a bowl of gorgeously coloured sugar cubes and an Italian almond celebration cake sitting regally on a stand.

Nearby, fresh sprigs of rosemary and lemons adorn the marble-topped island next to a bouquet of slender fennel breadsticks, a plate of almond anise biscotti and a traditional Italian olive oil cake.

Known in the community for her divine baking skills and tea spreads, as well as a passion for community involvement, Lucia herself is a vision in elegant black. On this day, her high-necked blouse is subtly striped with black velvet along the full sleeves, the collar clasped together with a cameo brooch. I have the sudden and distinct impression this woman should be commanding a sprawling estate, rather than the sweet little Sidney home she91裸聊视频檚 invited me into.

Almost immediately, she tells me about her mother, Dominique, who passed away last September.

91裸聊视频淪he was my total inspiration for everything I do here,91裸聊视频� she says, showing me a lovely picture of her mom. 91裸聊视频淪he was so kind.91裸聊视频�

Inspiration for the food, yes, but also a foundational part of Lucia91裸聊视频檚 drive to give of herself.

Lucia91裸聊视频檚 love affair with food and baking started at an early age, as she helped her mom in the kitchen.

91裸聊视频淲hen we first moved to Canada, she couldn91裸聊视频檛 speak the language, so she91裸聊视频檇 ask for my help reading the recipes.91裸聊视频�

Lucia moves to the side of the island as we chat, showing off the spread of ingredients for another olive oil cake, one of her signature dishes. Oil from her family91裸聊视频檚 farm in the south of Italy mixes with flour, chopped rosemary from her garden, eggs 91裸聊视频� the recipe is technically a secret, so I91裸聊视频檒l stop there. Quick as a wink it91裸聊视频檚 in the oven and she91裸聊视频檚 moved on to rolling out Turdilli dough, a sort of spiced donut similar to gnocchi dough.

She91裸聊视频檚 been involved in some way giving back to her local community for years 91裸聊视频� participating annually in former employer Bayshore Home Health91裸聊视频檚 Hike for Hospice, for example 91裸聊视频� but it91裸聊视频檚 the last few years that her passion for involvement has intensified, largely due to the loss of several friends and loved ones.

91裸聊视频淚 just want to give back,91裸聊视频� she says. 91裸聊视频淲hether it91裸聊视频檚 giving my time cooking for people who need it. Whatever91裸聊视频檚 needed.91裸聊视频�

Well-practiced at hosting spectacular teas since her daughter91裸聊视频檚 wedding shower in 2012, it was in 2017 that Lucia decided to take the event to the next level and host it as a community fundraiser.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e lost a lot of friends to cancer, so hospice was the first one we donated to,91裸聊视频� she says, adding that her then-employer Bayshore provided much-welcome support. Stasia Hartley, area director, coordinated the company91裸聊视频檚 involvement, and Bayshore matched the $1,500 that Lucia raised through the tea.

Last year91裸聊视频檚 fundraiser was put on hold with her mother91裸聊视频檚 illness and Lucia91裸聊视频檚 intermittent travel, but she91裸聊视频檚 excited to hold the tea again this year, and has hopes of expanding it into a much larger event. Her current employers, Don and Joanne Gulevich of Coastal Heat Pumps, are interested in possibly acting as sponsors, and Lucia is actively looking for more support.

An array of teas sits on the counter from Janet91裸聊视频檚 Teas (91裸聊视频淪he91裸聊视频檚 just lovely. She91裸聊视频檚 such a community person too,91裸聊视频� Lucia tells me.). And soon a pot of Earl Grey is steeping on the counter.

Then the oven beeps, and the olive oil cake emerges in a cloud of decadence, putting our conversation on pause. It is a thing of beauty, and Lucia places a slice in front of me, adorned with peeled orange and a light dusting of icing sugar. The flavour is incomparable. Delicately sweet and unbelievably moist, the subtle notes of rosemary blend beautifully with citrus, and at the very end, an unusual and most appealing herbal taste lingers from the olive oil.

I tell Lucia, only half-joking, that I have to restrain myself from licking the crumbs from my plate, which makes her smile.

91裸聊视频淚 just feel so happy inside when I get to make it for people,91裸聊视频� she says. 91裸聊视频淚 know they all appreciate and enjoy it, and that makes my heart happy. That91裸聊视频檚 how I want my life to be, enjoying every moment with the people you love. This whole situation with my mom passing has really brought that home.91裸聊视频�

She91裸聊视频檚 quick to shower love on those in her life who91裸聊视频檝e helped and inspired her along the way: her mother, her husband Ken, her daughters Janine and Chelsey, her cooking 91裸聊视频減artner-in-crime91裸聊视频� Laurie Salvador, even Kimberly Lewis-Manning, the designer who spent countless hours reinventing Lucia91裸聊视频檚 kitchen into its current sublime iteration.

The last forkful goes down all too soon. I91裸聊视频檓 left utterly satisfied, but longing for more. And for more than just tasty treats, as well. I91裸聊视频檓 inspired not only to go back to my own kitchen and break out my mixing bowls, but perhaps to look around my own neighbourhood and see how I might contribute my time, my own passions. And it91裸聊视频檚 a good feeling. Almost as good as that cake.