Tag: ZINGERMAN’S BAKEHOUSE
It’s almost time for Paczki, those fried, filled pillows of deliciousness that are utterly irresistible. Zingerman’s Bakehouse makes them every year for Fat Tuesday, and this year the gluttonous day falls on Tuesday, February 28.
Our Paczki are only available for one day and sell out every year, so place an order for yours today to guarantee you don’t miss out! They come in five different filling flavors: Raspberry Preserves, Chocolate Pudding, Sweet Ricotta Cheese, Rose Hip Jam and Lemon Cream.
They’re available for pre-order and pick up at the Bakeshop (734-761-2095 ) or Zingerman’s Next Door (734-663-3354). Call or stop in at either location to place your order.
Now, I suppose I can start back at the beginning of the story. We have been baking Sourdough bread since we opened the Bakehouse, back in 1992. But, back then, we called it “San Francisco Sourdough,” in honor of the well known naturally leavened bread tradition out in California. Fitting, right?
As the Bakehouse started to grow in popularity and recognition (both locally and nationally), we had our first run in with the law. A lawyer for a San Francisco company contacted us to state their opposition to us using that name. Mind you, this was almost a decade after we started baking it. Rather than mucking through any legal complications, we decided to change the name. Zingerman’s Founder Paul Saginaw only half seriously suggested to the lawyer that we’d call it “Better than San Francisco Sourdough”. Remarkably the lawyer and the company he represented were fine with that.
Thus, “Better Than San Francisco Sourdough” was born.
What makes our Sourdough so special? The magic comes from the starter. We’ve been caring for ours and feeding it flour and water daily since before we opened in 1992. It gives the bread its trademark tang and blistered crust. And each loaf takes 18 hours to make, so the starter has enough time to do it’s thing.
The Grilled Cheese Bread
Wednesdays are a very important day here at the Bakehouse. Why, you ask? Wednesdays are for grilled cheese.. Not just any grilled cheese, one of the most satisfying grilled cheese sandwiches in Ann Arbor (if you ask me).
Sure, grilled cheese has (at least) two components- the bread and the cheese. While we use excellent cheese, one year aged Vermont cheddar for ours, the bread plays just as instrumental of a role. And we use our Sourdough.
So, why did we give Sourdough the star role in our one and only grilled cheese sandwich?
Since we first started the infamous Grilled Cheese Wednesday, we have always used Sourdough. One of our long-time Bakehouse staffers, Sara Whipple, recounts why this Better than SanFran Sourdough was the best choice for our grilled cheese:
“We thought the tang of the Sourdough would balance the richness of the aged cheddar cheese. And that the crispy crust would compliment the melty center.”
Anyone who’s tried one will definitely agree, our Better Than San Francisco Sourdough definitely makes our grilled cheese even better!
Wednesday: the day of lunchtime excellence
These cheesy Wednesdays were founded nearly 10 years ago (yes! It has been happening for that long) and were popular from the very beginning. Grilled cheese. Tomato soup. All made with excellent ingredients.
So, now you’re interested. You’ve pulled out your calendar (or started counting on your fingers) to see how many more days until the next Wednesday. Here’s the lowdown on our cheesiest day of the week.
Starting right around 11:30am, we fire up the grill and the grilled cheese slingin’ begins. If you’ve been around the Bakehouse on Wednesdays between 11 and 2, you may have noticed people trekking to our door, rain or shine. Now you know why!
As for how to go about the entire grilled cheese process… Stop in the Bakeshop, grab a number and, when it’s your turn, place your grilled cheese order. Then, take yourself and your receipt across the courtyard to our BAKE! classrooms. Let the line of people (or the smell of cheesy goodness) guide you to the right room.
After that, you’ll have a perfect grilled cheese in hand and the motivation to finish out the rest of your day with pizazz!
Sourdough (every day of the week)
Sure, you can get a grilled cheese on our Sourdough each and every Wednesday at the Bakehouse. But, if you can’t help it and you find yourself in need of our Better Than San Francisco Sourdough every day of the week, you’re in luck!
At the Bakehouse, we have them fresh from the ovens after 2pm daily. You can also pick up a loaf without even getting out of your car at Zingerman’s Roadshow. Or a few slices with your breakfast (or in your bread basket) at Zingerman’s Roadhouse. Zingerman’s Delicatessen also sells fresh loaves and offers quite a few sandwiches of their own on our Sourdough, too. So a tangy crispy slice is never far away.
Growing up in Ann Arbor, I have always had really great bread right at my fingertips. Well, at least by the time I started eating bread (and having bread preferences), it has always been a short drive away at the Bakehouse.
In fact, some of my earliest memories are of my mom, with me in tow, stopping in at Zingerman’s Delicatessen to pick up a loaf of bread. Of course then I was not nearly as adventurous, so I rarely tried the loaves of Rye and Pumpernickel and, yes, even Sourdough my mom bought.
Now, working in the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses (ZCoB) and having actually grown up with these breads in my kitchen, I have moved past the days of scrunching my face up in disgust as my mom tried to get me to try anything other than my go-to generic, sliced white bread.
But, I haven’t always been adventurous with my food selections. I regularly remind myself that trying new things is actually a wonderful way to grow and develop new tastes.
Maybe you fall into that category? Happy with the bread you pick up on your weekly grocery trip. Too overwhelmed to step into the world of artisan bread. Wondering why bread from Zingerman’s Bakehouse is so special anyway.
I’ll let you in on a (well-known) secret: Rustic Italian.
Whether you are new to the artisan bread world or just beginning to think about perhaps driving over to the Bakehouse, our Rustic Italian loaf is the perfect beginner’s bread.
The loaf itself is fairly simple looking. Golden brown in color, fairly thick-looking crust, flour gently coating the top. But don’t let its outward appearance deter you! Once you cut inside, you’re greeted with a soft, fluffy crumb that is a light, cream color.
What’s in it? Rustic Italian has a very simple ingredient list. Unbleached unbromated flour, water, salt and yeast. Time is the magic that makes this bread so special. From mixing the starter to pulling a freshly baked loaf from the ovens, it takes 14 ½ hours. During that time, that simple ingredient list comes together to make one of our most versatile loaves.
And we’ve been baking it since we opened the bakery September of 1992. It is a recipe that we tried, we loved and we had to keep. It has (clearly) become a staple around here.
So, what makes this bread so remarkable?
I suppose it would be good to mention here that it is the Bakehouse’s top-selling bread. It can be used for just about anything. Sandwiches? Perfect. Morning toast? Also perfect. Pair it with pasta or soup or olive oil. 100% perfect. It really does it all, and makes all those everyday meals a couple notches better.
Where you can find it
Over at Zingerman’s Roadshow (the silver to-go trailer out in front of the Roadhouse), they use our Rustic Italian for their Avocado Toast. Two slices, toasted, buttered. A whole avocado. Shake of salt, sprinkling of pepper. Plus a few dashes of Zingerman’s Roadhouse’s House Hot sauce. When I’m not at the Bakehouse writing about breads, you can find me at the Roadshow, making Avocado Toast (among other things). Another secret- it is one of my favorite picks for lunch while I’m there.
Another great option is to slice it up and serve with a nice spread of Zingerman’s Creamery Pimento Cheese. Perfect afternoon snack or even dinner party appetizer!
One of my favorite sandwiches at Zingerman’s Delicatessen also uses Rustic Italian as its base: Benno’s Birdie. Amish chicken breast, Ligurian pesto, oven-dried tomatoes, fresh mozzarella. And then grilled (You can find me in line for this sandwich when I’m done writing this).
If you’re just looking for a loaf to try, you can pick one up from the Roadshow or the Delicatessen, as well. Plus, you can come right over to the Bakehouse and get a loaf, fresh from the oven around noon, everyday. While you’re here, you can peer through the window and see our awesome bread bakers hard at work- a glimpse behind the scenes of those loaves of bread we have on the shelves.
Whether you’re new to this world-of-bread or a long-time acquaintance, our Rustic Italian is tried and true. Give it a go, you won’t be disappointed!
New year, new goodies. The Bakehouse creates so many delicious treats that, every so often, we have to cycle our favorite items out to make room for our other favorite items. This month there will be some big turnover (watch the video above for some of what’s going away!), so make sure to get in and grab your favorites before it’s too late!
The following go on vacation (don’t worry, they’ll be back) Sunday, January 1:
Beigli, walnut and poppyseed
Buche de Noel
Chocolate Chess Pie
Coconut Macaroons, vanilla and chocolate
Cosmic Cake, raspberry
Cranberry Pecan Bread
Cranberry Walnut Pie
Cupcake, buttermilk cake with blackberry buttercream
Cupcake, chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream
Cupcake, chocolate cake with peppermint buttercream
Cupcake, salted caramel stuffed
Fancy Schmancy Cookie Boxes
Juliette’s Croissants
Lemon Poppyseed Coffeecake
Merry Mint Chocolate Cake
Olive Oil Cake
Pavlova
Pfeffernüsse Cookie Boxes
Pumpkin Muffin
Pumpkin Pie
Rigó Jancsi Torta (chocolate)
Snowman Cookies
Stollen
With all these breads in my kitchen counter, you might be inclined to think that I carefully store them all in plastic bags to keep them fresh.
I don’t. Ever. NEVER.
That’s right. For all the bread I bring home, I never, ever, ever put it in plastic bags.
Why? Because although this may sound silly in a world in which sealing everything in plastic seems like the be all to end all, the plastic actually doesn’t preserve the bread at all. In fact, it ruins it. Bread sealed up in plastic stales more quickly. You read that right: it stales more quickly.
It also molds more easily. The crust is essentially eliminated, or is at least a pale shadow of its former well-structured self. Plastic is the enemy. I’ve eliminated it, and my bread is better for it.
How do I store it? Often in paper bags—paper allows the bread to breathe while still limiting some of the air movement that can dry out the loaves. Or, honestly, I just stick it cut side down on the counter or a cutting board. The counter protects the open part of the loaf and the crust does the rest—that is, after all, a big part of what crust is naturally designed to do. The same way the rind on a cheese protects the paste.
Does the bread dry out some? Sure! But that what toasters and ovens and crostini and croutons are for. A well-made loaf of artisan bread, like the ones from the Bakehouse, will easily last for 5-8 days without getting anywhere near a plastic bag.
Plus, although few folks know it, if you eat a lot less bread than I do and only want a small bit, we’re happy to sell you half loaves!
It’s sweet, it’s buttery, it’s swirled with cinnamon sugar, and it’s back—but just for a very limited time. For the uninitiated, Somodi Kálacs is a delicious yeasted traditional Hungarian Easter bread that we learned how to make in a village in Transylvania during our trip there back in 2012. We’ve loved it ever since, and offer it as a special bake three times a year. One of those times is finally here!
It’s available starting this Friday, October 21 through Sunday, October 23. Its got a lot of devotees, so we recommend ordering in advance to make sure you don’t miss out. Somodi Kálacs are available at the Bakehouse (734) 761-2095 and the Deli (734) 663-3354.
Enjoy it while you can!