Veggie quiches, homemade cupcakes, fresh scones and delicious coffee make for perfect all-day accompaniments to Corina Bakery’s free Wi-Fi connection.  I often find myself hiding inside this established Tacoma bakery, trying to escape the madness at Weekly Volcano World Headquarters — only to find my damn editors blowing up my phone asking me to bring back brownies.  I swear they can smell that stuff from miles away. 

Molly Ott unwraps her baking apron, takes a deep breath in preparation for our interview, and sits across the table from me looking perfectly coiffed — as though she just stepped out of her house.  She’s been baking all day and she looks that good?  Jealousy takes over my body as I click my pen in an annoying manner.  This was my opportunity to get her back for that extra 10 pounds her cakes have cost me, and hopefully get back the time I lost drooling over her pastries over the last few months — which surely amounts to days. 

STEPH DEROSA:  Do people realize that hanging out here with your delicious baked goods tends to take up time, and leads to a gradual diminishment of daylight in their day?  Just last Sunday I feel like I lost an hour somewhere.

MOLLY OTT: That’s called going back to standard time, and you actually gain daylight time with that.

DEROSA:  Poppycock.  I waste hours on end here at your store.  Others must do the same, and it’s all due to the deliciousness of your food.  Have you noticed a decrease in business as people realize this?

OTT: Actually, we’ve doubled in business over the last couple of years.  You do know that you don’t have to eat three scones and a quiche with your cup of coffee, don’t you?

DEROSA: Of course I know that. (Fuck!)

OTT: As much as we love your patronage, we also service several local stores with our baked goods.  You don’t necessarily have to come here to this store for your daily fix.

DEROSA: But…you guys are so patient with me.

OTT: True, we do try and be patient with you.  The average customer doesn’t take as long to decide.

DEROSA: And when I change my mind repeatedly, no one kicks me out.  I like it here, Molly. 

OTT: Steph, there comes a time when the mother baker has to let her children go, and now is your time.  Be free, DeRosa.

DEROSA: I’ll never forget you, three-layer coconut chocolate gooey bar.

OTT: Just GO already.

[Corina Bakery, 510 S Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.5070]