Even though we’ve all had, or will have, various jobs throughout our lives, one thing we all look for, and wish for, is the job that is the best fit. With the Magpie Bakery, Magdaline Sebesta has found the career that for her is a best fit. As Maggie says; “nobody’s sad with baking.”

a photo of the magpie bakery food cart

Maggie has been baking since she was a young girl under the tutelage of her godmother, but it wasn’t until she made the transition to Portland in 2006 that baking became a full-time career. She was the manager of The Honey Pot food cart for two years and then operated as caterer from the Fish Box food cart for another couple of years. It was through her catering clients that Maggie was then able to cater for the TV shows “Portlandia” and “Grimm.”

a photo of the magpie bakery food cart key lime pie

But it was Maggie’s key lime pie that really set the stage for the opening of the Magpie Bakery. In fact, it was the notoriety and popularity of that same key lime pie that made opening the food cart a possibility. The pie crust is made with a secret, made fresh daily, cart-made, graham cracker crust (even the graham crackers are made by Maggie), and topped with whipped cream rosettes and lime zest.

Another secret ingredient in the pies from Magpie Bakery is the pie crust. Maggie uses the same crust for her chicken pot pies as well as (among others) her caramel rum apple pie, her Oregon Marionberry pie, the chocolate pecan, and the bourbon soak pear with cardamom crumble.

a photo of the magpie bakery food cart caramel rum pie

Magpie Bakery also offers cookies and cupcakes. And by cookies we mean a bacon chocolate chip gooey cookie. That’s right, bacon and chocolate chips. And monster peanut butter cookies. Also on the menu are Russian tea cakes, Mexican wedding cookies, macaroons, and hand pies who flavors rotate daily.

You can find the Magpie Bakery in the Rose City Food Park at 5235 NE Sandy Blvd. The cart is open Noon to 6:00 PM Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Friday’s 12:00 to 7:00 PM, Saturday’s 12:00 to 6:00 PM, and Sunday Noon to 4:00 PM. Mondays the cart is closed.

Listen now as Steven Shomler and Ken Wilson talk with Maggie from the Magpie Bakery about Bakersfield and key lime pie. Did we mention that Magpie is a nickname given Maggie by her coworkers at The Honey Pot?

PRP