SEPT. 11, 2001
In this Issue ...
Baker’s Dozen Bakery CrawlRegular Features
Special Feature
Info on ET
What’s Cookin’ ...
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The Baker’s Dozen Bakery Crawl
Remember bakeries from childhood, the ones whose sweet aromas enveloped you as soon as you opened the door? Such homey bakeries were typically family-owned and provided a wide range of treats such as homemade doughnuts, sinful eclairs, fudge brownies, and cupcakes topped with sprinkles. Probably even now you can recall the anguish of having to wait for your sweet on the long car ride home.
Entertainment Times recently set out to rediscover one of the greatest joys of childhood—the neighborhood bakery. We report our findings, which include cafés that serve high-quality baked goods and artisan breads.
You’ve heard of the neighborhood pub crawl; this is a regional bakery crawl, and sugar— and carbs — are the addictions.
1. Bagel Works
120 Main St., Keene, NH
603 357-7751
Don’t overlook the baked goods at this popular lunch spot. On sale are a variety of artisan breads and all-natural New York-style bagels, which are boiled and baked in small batches with unbleached, unbromated flour. Muffins include blueberry, lemon poppy, chocolate chip, apple cinnamon, raisin bran, cranberry-orange, orange chocolate and coffee cake. Other pastries include blueberry and maple oat scones, Danish, apple turnovers, brownies, tarts, biscotti, and a variety of cookies.
2. Bakery Normand
192 Main St., Northampton, MA
413 584-0717
This German bakery offers fine cakes and tortes but is renowned for its excellent old-world breads. Choose from whole wheat, three-seed, and rosemary ciabatta, among others.
3. Brewbakers
97 Main Street, Keene, NH
603 355-4844
This funky, lively café ranks high on atmosphere and generous portions. Baked goods such as scones, muffins, and cinnamon rolls are delicious accompaniments for morning coffees and teas. Hearty homemade sandwiches, soups, and salads are available for lunch.
4. The Dutch Epicure Bakery
180 Elm St., Milford, NH
603 673-2137
Local Europeans come here to stock up on their weekly desserts, according to pastry chef and owner Mike Ciola, who also supplies upscale eateries with his creations. Everything is made from scratch on the premises. Breakfast pastries include excellent scones, croissants, and Danish. Standing at attention behind the glass are a wide range of pastries, including almadines, almond barquettes, diplomats, eclairs, fruit tartlets, petit fours, cream puffs, and cookies such as chocolate chips, coconut macaroons, oatmeal raisin, and peanut butter.
Chocoholics can order five different kinds of chocolate cake here. Basilic cake consists of three layers of chocolate cake, filled alternately with raspberry puree and chocolate buttercream. German chocolate cake is filled and finished with a cream-and-butter icing loaded with pecans and coconut. Gianduja gateaux is filled with a light chocolate hazelnut mousse and iced with chocolate buttercream. Sacher torte is made from three layers of chocolate cake, filled and iced with apricot puree and glazed with ganache. Finally, there is truffle cake, a “cholocate, chocolate, chocolate” cake filled with chocolate mousse, iced with chocolate buttercream, glazed with ganache, and garnished with hand-rolled chocolate truffles.
Customers can also order after-dinner cakes (which include alcohol such as rum or Grand Marnier), fruit tarts, specialty cakes, and children’s birthday cakes.
A variety of homemade breads are always available.
5. Flourish Bake Shoppe
222 Elm St., Milford, NH
603 249-8944
Flourish specializes in breads for both the retail and wholesale markets. All loaves are made from scratch with no chemicals added. Try the Hannah Jack braid or maple cinnamon loaf. Also to-die-for are the shop’s cinnamon rolls and pumpkin dinner rolls. Cookies, muffins, and fine coffees are also sold.
6. German John’s
5 West Main St., Hillsborough, NH
603 464-5079
Helmet Heer (German John) was a baker by hobby until he came to the United States from Germany with his wife Judi nine years ago. Heer missed German pretzels terribly and so began baking them. The bakery’s clientele is about 60 percent German; these fans come from a radius of 100 miles to get their kuchen and strudel. Whole-grain, wheat-free breads are available for those with dietary restrictions. Pretzels in the shapes of lizards, sharks, snakes, spiders, bats and more can be special ordered (great for Halloween). Look for Josi II on the wall when you visit. Heer made this German “crocogator” (named after one of his daughters) in 2001. It took 12 hours (excluding oven time) and 48 pounds of dough to make this nearly 10-foot-long creature. The day-old items are true bargains, priced at less than $1.
7. Henion Bakery
174 North Pleasant St., Amherst, MA
413 253-4909
If you’re hankering for the ultimate chocolate cake, this is the place! Also worthwhile are the breakfast pastries, homemade doughnuts and Henion’s signature item: a sourdough bread, made slightly sweet, with walnuts. All baked goods are created with unbleached and unbromated flours. Birthday and special occasion cakes are available.
8. Jean’s Pastry Shop
11 Central Square, Keene, NH
603 352-4427
You’ll find old-fashioned goodies here, such as elephant ears, sweet rolls, whoopie pies, and hermit cookies. Grab a window table to savor your treat while you watch the passersby. Choose from modestly priced deli-style sandwiches for lunch. Jean’s also creates a wide range of wedding cakes.
9. Kernel Bakery
The Jaffrey Road (Rte. 202), Peterborough, NH
603 924-7930
A good selection of cookies and pastries are available. The bakery’s bread is sold at many food and grocery shops in the area. The bakery is open to the public only on Mon., Wed. and Fri. from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
10. Kristin’s Bakery & Café
Colony Mill Marketplace
222 West St., Keene, NH
603 352-5700
Desserts “to die for” fill the cases at Kristin’s Bakery and Café at the Colony Mill Marketplace in Keene. Whether it's the Creme de Menthe Chocolate Bars or Snickers Pie, this top-notch bakery offers decadent delights that melt in your mouth. For breakfast, they offer a variety of scones, danishes, and muffins. They also provide an assortment of homebaked breads.
11. Nonie’s Restaurant & Bakery
28 Grove St., Peterborough, NH
603 924-3451
Nonie’s serves breakfast the way Grandma used to. Save room for muffins (blueberry, corn, oat, and lemon poppy), Danish (strawberry, cheese, and apple), and cinnamon rolls and twists.
12. Panera Bread Company
West St., Keene, NH
603 357-9100
It’s no coincidence that the Panera chain got voted New Hampshire’s best franchise bread in a recent issue of New Hampshire Magazine. The quality lunches, artisan breads and baked goods ensure that there’s always a hopping crowd here. The bakery-café’s freshly baked breads include: a soft and tangy sourdough, a country artisan bread, French loaf, stone-milled rye, pumpernickel, tomato basil, cinnamon raisin (great for French toast), raisin pecan (a good choice for breakfast toast), Asiago cheese, focaccia (a traditional Italian flatbread), multigrain (made of nine grains and molasses), honey wheat, sesame semolina, three cheese (Parmesan, Romano, and Asiago), Kalamata olive, and three seed (poppy, sesame, and fennel).
13. Twelve Pine
11 School St., Peterborough, NH
603 924-6140
Fresh-squeezed juices (try the zesty citrus explosion if you need a wake-up call), specialty coffees, rich hot chocolate, and delicious pastries such as lemon poppyseed and cinnamon chip scones make this an ideal breakfast spot. Coffeecakes, muffins, cookies, and decadent cakes and cheesecakes are also served.
— LYNN TRYBA
All photos by Maureen McHugh