Dining out at Calos Cookies

 John Calos, who learned to bake and cook at his childhood home, experiments with cookie flavors until he gets them just right.

By Natalie Pollock, Staff Writer

Question?

What would two young parents with six children and careers in the medical world want to do next with their limited time and energy? Answer: open a cookie bakery, of course.

Daunting as it may sound, Dorie and John Calos, who live with their blended family in Canton, decided to pursue a passion they named Calos Cookies and lease a space with a commercial kitchen on Main Street in New Hartford last December.

They both have some experience in the restaurant business. Dorie went to work as a young teen at Luna Pizza in Simsbury, and then to Flatbread in Canton. And John grew up in his family’s pizza place in East Hampton. 

Dorie was disillusioned with the birthing of her first daughter, who is now 21, because she feels “it just happened to me.” It was not the beautifully emotional experience she had thought it would be. She began reading and studying toward certification as a doula to offer physical and emotional support for a birthing mother, as well as information for the couple in the hospital birthing room about the activities and equipment present at a delivery. There are medically trained staff also in attendance. 

After eight years and several children later, the unpredictable schedule and intensity of the experience became too much, and she was open to another pursuit.

Dorie Calos often brings 3-year-old son Sammy to the family’s cookie bakery that she and her husband opened in December. 

With an Italian mother and Greek father, John had learned how to cook and bake and perform every other aspect of operating a food business by doing. On his own he worked for Cavey’s fine dining restaurant in Manchester for 13 years and assisted the chef with food prep.

“We met when he was going to nursing school. He gets the stress out by cooking and baking. My husband makes the dough and is a tremendous cook and baker. He tries one recipe over and over until he gets it ‘right,’” said Dorie.

A diverse group of people in their lives were introduced to their baking. John Calos brought 100 cookies for his nursing class. Dorie was asked if she could bring two dozen cookies to a PTO event. More and more people were hearing about and sampling their baked goods. Then people began asking if they could pay to buy cookies for parties.

After a Facebook post, the business grew. John would make some amount of a particular dough, and they would announce it. They were baking in their home and then had to admit the business was taking over their kitchen. 

Meanwhile Dorie’s father Dan Seger was concocting flavored pickles and hot sauces as a retirement project. He suggested to the couple to join him at the next farmer’s market in Collinsville, just to test the public’s response to their cottage industries. They sold 600 cookies in three hours on a Sunday last summer and received a lot of social media messages asking for special orders and even leftovers.

“John loves to share his food, but he was baking eight hours a day for the farmers market because we only had one small oven. We needed a commercial kitchen,” said Dorie.

Together with her father they found the perfect space at 360 Main Street in New Hartford, which had been a bistro. The landlords Bob and Peg Murphy have been a good match with the Calos and Seger.

Calos Cookies is only open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday now, while John continues working as a cardiac nurse and Dorie is busy with their children’s needs and activities. A self-described people person, she is in charge of “the front of the house,” creating the cookie displays, ringing up orders and welcoming customers. She also bakes off her husband’s creations, while he works 50 hours or more at St. Francis Hospital and then comes home for dinner and makes the dough in the evening. 

Cinnamon buns have become the biggest seller at Calos Cookies and disappear quickly on Saturdays.

Q. What is the most popular cookie at your bakery?

A. Cinnamon rolls. We did not expect that. John wants to keep our (daily offering) consistent so on Saturday he makes the classic roll and one funky one, like blueberry flavored rolls with lemon cream cheese frosting. He has also done pecan rolls and smores flavored.

Q. What is your personal favorite?

A. John likes anything with nuts. We now have an orange pistachio oatmeal cookie. I had the gluten-free smores last week.

Q. What is your “secret weapon” ingredient?

A. He uses brown butter, Cabot European style. It makes a big difference. It’s good quality and has a higher fat content. The brown is more flavorful, rich and deep.

Q. What is the one cooking technique that everyone should know?

A. John: Patience. If you rush anything it does not work, for example, using butter when it’s too cold or hard. You need time to mix in the baking powder too. And if it’s too hot in the kitchen it’s bad, and it should not be too humid. And it can’t be distracting in the kitchen.

Q. If you could take any celebrity chef out to dinner, who would it be and where would you take them?

A. John: I would invite chef Achatz Grant from Chicago whose restaurant is Alinea (with 3 Michelin stars).  His story is mine. His family had a diner where everything had to come out hot and fast. He is also known for his creative presentation.

Q. What herb or spice best describes your personality?

A. John: For me, brown butter because it is simple looking but is complex (tasting). 

Dorie: For me it’s anything spicy because I am.

Q. What do you like to cook when having guests to your home?

A. John: A couple of nights a year I have meat night with dry-aged ribeye and pork belly Asian style. I (grill them and) put them out on a big cutting board in the center of the kitchen and everyone picks their own meat and sauces. Dorie: We add Brussels sprouts with bacon. WHL

Calos Cookies, 360 Main Street, New Hartford 860-977-3034 www.caloscookies.com

Seger’s Sauces and Stuff, 360 Main Street, New Hartford 

860-699-0181 www.Segers-Sauces.com