- Story by Angela Cowan Photography by Don Denton

Walking into Lucia White鈥檚 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 she鈥檚 invited me into.

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

鈥淪he was my total inspiration for everything I do here,鈥� she says, showing me a lovely picture of her mom. 鈥淪he was so kind.鈥�

Inspiration for the food, yes, but also a foundational part of Lucia鈥檚 drive to give of herself.

Lucia鈥檚 love affair with food and baking started at an early age, as she helped her mom in the kitchen.

鈥淲hen we first moved to Canada, she couldn鈥檛 speak the language, so she鈥檇 ask for my help reading the recipes.鈥�

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 family鈥檚 farm in the south of Italy mixes with flour, chopped rosemary from her garden, eggs 鈥� the recipe is technically a secret, so I鈥檒l stop there. Quick as a wink it鈥檚 in the oven and she鈥檚 moved on to rolling out Turdilli dough, a sort of spiced donut similar to gnocchi dough.

She鈥檚 been involved in some way giving back to her local community for years 鈥� participating annually in former employer Bayshore Home Health鈥檚 Hike for Hospice, for example 鈥� but it鈥檚 the last few years that her passion for involvement has intensified, largely due to the loss of several friends and loved ones.

鈥淚 just want to give back,鈥� she says. 鈥淲hether it鈥檚 giving my time cooking for people who need it. Whatever鈥檚 needed.鈥�

Well-practiced at hosting spectacular teas since her daughter鈥檚 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.

鈥淚鈥檝e lost a lot of friends to cancer, so hospice was the first one we donated to,鈥� she says, adding that her then-employer Bayshore provided much-welcome support. Stasia Hartley, area director, coordinated the company鈥檚 involvement, and Bayshore matched the $1,500 that Lucia raised through the tea.

Last year鈥檚 fundraiser was put on hold with her mother鈥檚 illness and Lucia鈥檚 intermittent travel, but she鈥檚 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 Janet鈥檚 Teas (鈥淪he鈥檚 just lovely. She鈥檚 such a community person too,鈥� 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.

鈥淚 just feel so happy inside when I get to make it for people,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 know they all appreciate and enjoy it, and that makes my heart happy. That鈥檚 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.鈥�

She鈥檚 quick to shower love on those in her life who鈥檝e helped and inspired her along the way: her mother, her husband Ken, her daughters Janine and Chelsey, her cooking 鈥減artner-in-crime鈥� Laurie Salvador, even Kimberly Lewis-Manning, the designer who spent countless hours reinventing Lucia鈥檚 kitchen into its current sublime iteration.

The last forkful goes down all too soon. I鈥檓 left utterly satisfied, but longing for more. And for more than just tasty treats, as well. I鈥檓 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 it鈥檚 a good feeling. Almost as good as that cake.