Obama Buns from the Bakehouse (Weekends Only)
My friend Melvin Parson’s favorite pastry
Two months ago last week, my good friend Melvin Parson, founder of the remarkable We the People Opportunity Farm in Ypsilanti, passed away. (For the latest on We the People’s good work after unexpectedly losing its leader, read up here. The Roadhouse, for one, just committed to buy twice as many of their collards this summer as last!)
Melvin was 61 when he died. Like many people in our community, where his positive presence made such a significant impact, I miss Melvin. For the last 10 or 12 years, we spoke probably two or three times a week. If we connected during the weekend, it often took place in person: I would be working on my writing at the ZingTrain office, and he would drive over to Zingerman’s Southside—in part, of course, so we could see each other, but also definitely so he could buy an Obama Bun at the Bakehouse. I think it’s safe to say it was one of his favorite foods. To this day, every time I see an Obama Bun, I think of Melvin. Which is almost certainly why, several times in recent weeks, I—savory lover that I am—seem to have found myself making my way to the Bakehouse to get one. If I can’t hang out with Melvin, at least I can enjoy the deliciousness of one of his top treats.
As Susan Krauss Whitbourne, professor of psychology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, explains:
Food memories involve very basic, nonverbal, areas of the brain that can bypass your conscious awareness. This is why you can have strong emotional reactions when you eat a food that arouses those deep unconscious memories. You can’t put those memories into words, but you know there is “something” that the food triggers deep within your past. The memory goes beyond the food itself to the associations you have to that long-ago memory, whether with a place or a person.
Whether or not you knew Melvin, it’s very likely that you, too, will love Obama Buns.
One morning, many years ago now, I asked Melvin what he liked so much about them. “Well,” he started with a smile, “I like the name. I like that they’re made by you guys—by Zingerman’s, at the Bakehouse. I like the taste of the pecans. They always taste fresh. Just the right amount of dough versus sugar … the topping that’s put on ’em is great. They’re the perfect size. I’ve eaten so many Obama Buns, they’re a comfort food for me. It’s my treat to myself.” Anything else I should tell folks? “Keep making ’em, and don’t ever stop!”
So what is an Obama Bun? Basically, it’s a sweet roll topped with a bunch of pecans and a compellingly good caramel. It’s great as is—or even better when halved, brushed with a bit of Vermont Creamery Cultured Butter, and grilled! If you love a good sweet roll, don’t miss this marvel. Enjoy it with a cup of that really good Colombia CoSurCa coffee that’s this month’s Roaster’s Pick (read on). It’s excellent with L’amuse Signature Aged Gouda Cheese, too!
In the Zingerman’s Bakehouse book, Amy and Frank write that Obama Buns “are delicious, rich sticky buns. The dough is full of tasty butter, and the topping is made special with a mixture of honey, Muscovado sugar, and an abundance of pecans.” They also share the story of the name. We originally called them ’Bama Buns because of the pecans and their connection to the South. But when Barack Obama became president—well, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to pair the two, so we added an “O” to the name.
Remember, we make Obama Buns only on the weekends, and it’s worth coming by the Bakehouse, Deli, or Roadhouse on a weekend morning just to have one. You wouldn’t be the only one making a special trip—the Obama Buns have a LOT of very, very loyal fans. After all, in both my opinion and Melvin’s, they’re one of our best Bakehouse pastries ever. Maybe I’ll run into you in line!
