When Mother Nature hands you lemons, make lemonade...(or a special egg sandwich!)

So....this is Sultana Down Rigging Weekend and Artworks Studio Tour in Chestertown.  You're expecting several thousand visitors on Saturday to tour ships, visit artists studios, and walk around town on a lovely Fall day.  You plan ahead, place your orders during the week to ensure that you have enough bread, pastries, and food...and then mother nature sends cold winds, drenching rain and the threat of snow...what to do?  Move to "Plan B..."

There won't be Bread at the Farmer's Market today in Chestertown.  The boys will be at the Market in Easton selling out of the truck at the Farmer's Market there.

But here...at the Bakery in Chestertown...Special...for today...
One-Egg Special Sultana Sandwich - with artisan bacon and melted provolone on a country French roll.
As I am writing this, Paul just opened the oven and the sweet aroma of bacon has filled the bakery....and here it is.

So...come by the Bakery, get the special of the day,take home some comfort food for tonight, visit with some friends or meet some new ones.  We'll be here until 2 PM.

Building Community one loaf at a time

I woke up this morning to news of the Euro zone financial crisis threatening to send us all into the abyss...not the calmest way to get the day going.  I got to my studio and walked to the bakery.  There is something very comforting in the short walk, hearing the rustling leaves underfoot, seeing the first rays of the sun rising beyond the Chester River.  Despite the gloomy world news, I feel much less alone seeing the morning "regulars"going about their own ritual...croissant and coffee on the way to work...half a dozen pastries for the office...a baguette for dinner this evening.
In order for a community to feel like a community,  there not only have to be people who value such things but just as importantly, places for those people to see one another, "bump"into each other, say good morning.  I look forward to greeting Matilda behind the counter, Kelley (Doug's mom) juggling between preparing the coffee, and doing paper work...it helps to ground me in a place...in a community.   (As I'm writing this a bus just pulled up with about 15 students on their way to Baltimore - a class from Washington College examining life in the Chesapeake watershed.)  They get it.

I'm hoping to be able to post a video of the "Chestertown Four" when they delivered 90 loaves of bread to "Occupy D.C."  They were well received, got introduced to the assembled people who in turned shared bread, thanks and conversation.  Below is a photo by Robbie Behr of the group as they were loading the two cars that took the bread to DC.  Check out Robbie's blog at http://idiotsbooks.com/

Feeding the multitude with bread

Sofia and Lindsay at the Chestertown Farmer's Market

      Today's post has more to do with the spirit of the bakery than with the bakery itself.  As I am writing this Doug, head baker and owner of Against the Grain; Michael, head pastry Chef; Sofia, my daughter who works at the bakery and Lindsay (of the newly cropped hair) who also works at the bakery, are in Washington D.C....at Mac Phearson Square.  They brought 90 loaves of Miche to the folks gathered at "Occupy DC."
      They loaded up the van at 4 PM (after a full night and day of work) drove to the New Carrolton Metro stop and took the train downtown with their donation to the cause.  More photos and stories when "The Chestertown Four" return.

Doug at the oven

Michael baking a quiche crust

Comfort food for a rainy Wednesday

7 AM and rain, it's still dark out but the lights of the bakery easily cheer me up.  This morning, a different aroma is in the air...I take a moment and guess..."olive oil?"  Doug Rae, head baker confirms it..."olive oil" is being heated in a pan to drizzle on goat cheese pizza and also on a fresh mozzarella, provolone and pepperoni pizza...today's lunchtime pizza special.

Yes, I know this is supposed to be about pastries and bread but there are so many other delectable things that go on here and the olive oil caught my eye - or nose if you will.  Anyway, on a rainy day I need comfort food so it's a Maine Blueberry Muffin and coffee for today, there are more here waiting for you.

What's For Breakfast?

I grew up in Greenwich Village, New York City two blocks away from a little bakery simply called "The French Bakery."  My mother would send my father, brother and I to get French rolls or a baguette on Sunday mornings...the baguettes never made it home in one piece and on occasion they didn't make it home at all...

Fast forward some 40 years and the 21st Century version of "The French Bakery" has opened up on High Street in Chestertown, Maryland...it's been a wait worth waiting for and with any luck I'll be sharing my love for French pastries, breads and good coffee with those of you who want to join me occasionally in the morning to see what "the boys" have been baking, experimenting with and creating in the kitchen...

Stay tuned and bon apetite.