By CYNTHIA WOOLBRIGHT

Staff reporter

Have no fear, Oak Harbor — your bakery is here.

Business is now up and running at the long-anticipated Nibbles specialty bakery at the corner of Dock and Fidalgo streets.

If you stop by the bakery expect to meet one excited Ruth Jordan Culbertson, executive baker and owner of Nibbles.

“At Nibbles, our concept of baking is slightly smaller,” she said. “We want to give people smaller pieces of higher quality so they feel satisfied without feeling like they broke the bank on calories that week.”

It’s a concept that Culbertson and her staff of around a half-dozen are eager to share.

At Nibbles, where everything is “a little bite of heaven,” display cases will feature tiny tarts, quiches and a wide selection of assorted pastries — all created with the thought that a small piece or version of something created with the best ingredients out there is better than a huge piece of something else.

Culbertson moved to Oak Harbor in 2000 with her husband, Rick, and son, Brian.

Nibbles specialty bakery has been in business since January 2005, but Culbertson was limited to baking only by order out of a commercial kitchen.

The Nibbles concept all started with a super-sized, un-flavorful Costco muffin.

“My husband and I were sitting there sharing this not-so-great muffin and thinking ‘why,’” she said.

Nibbles will offer a full pastry line, cakes, scones, tarts, muffins, bread rolls, croissants — all in the perfect size for nibbling.

“I kind of wish I wasn’t the baker for this because I’d really like to be a customer,” Culbertson said. “That really tells me I’m on the right track and doing what I love.”

The baker said that 98 percent of what customers will find at Nibbles will be made from scratch and the other 2 percent will be items she brings in, such as a full case of Chocolate Necessities truffles. Culbertson will also create her own sweet treats such as a line of marshmallows and “killer caramels.”

Customers can stop by for lunch or to snack on Nibbles savories. The quiches are already out and expect salads, savory tarts and savory cookies to follow.

“The smaller portions allow people to do the intelligent thing and be appropriately satisfied without stuffing,” Culbertson said.

The baker’s creations often get influence from her German heritage and hometown demographics. She grew up in Petersburg, Alaska, a small regional town with a high Norwegian population.

“Growing up I always thought everyone could bake,” she said.

Culbertson said in Nibble’s first year she plans to offer a wide variety of items and really listen to her customers.

The baker considers her work traditional but not conventional. She plans to team with Bayleaf owner Beth Graves, with whom she’s done catering work in the past, to concoct recipes that use Bayleaf ingredients. She’ll share these recipes regularly, but don’t expect every recipe to be fair game.

“There are recipes of mine that my own mother doesn’t even have,” she said.

Expect the atmosphere and service at Nibbles to be just as quaintly fun as the treats themselves.

Walls will bear local art and one wall will invite customers to bring in or send post cards from everywhere — the quirkier the better.

“If anyone can find me a jackalope I’d love it,” Culbertson said with a laugh.

Nibbles hosted an open house Aug. 31 and officially opened for business Sept. 1. So, far, business has been sweet.

“We’re doing great and meeting all sorts of lovely people,” Culbertson said.

Already proving popular are the almond croissants and lemon curd tartletts, and Culbertson is learning that the only thing that possibly spreads faster than wild fire is word that heaven is just down the street.

“You can always tell when someone has taken a few items back to the office,” Culbertson said. “Once they hear about it, they always come looking for their own.”

Nibbles

1191 SE Dock Street, Suite 2, Oak Harbor

Hours: 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Monday through Friday,

Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Sunday.

Phone: 675-1184.

Web site: www.nibbles

specialtybakery.com.