ALFAH MILLINER/XANSAN
ALEAH MILLINER/KANSAN
Cookies are just some of the baked goods that Alchemy offers in Bake House, the newest addition to its shop.
Alchemy Coffee owner Ben Farmer and his partner Joni Alexander recently opened Bake House inside the coffee shop. They sell everything from granola bars to cinammon rolls.
Alchemy coffee shop adds bakery
@aleaheileer
Alexander had been baking off-site for the shop for the past year. She said her items had been selling so well that it became evident a bakery addition was needed.
ALEAH MILLINER
@aleahheileen
"The bakery helps solidify Alchemy," Alexander said. "An equal amount of people
The warm smell of coffee that fills Alchemy Coffee is now paired with the fresh scent of baked goods, a new addition to the shop since it has added Bake House to its title. After a successful first year with just a coffee menu, shop owner Ben Farmer and his partner Joni Alexander added a bakery inside the shop.
come for the food as for the coffee."
"The cupcakes are one of my favorites to bake," Kelley said. "There are so many different combinations, and it is a really pretty process from start to finish. It's weird to say it is pretty, talking about baked goods, but they are gourmet and smell amazing."
Alexander said the ingredients are always purchased fresh from local farmers to support the community that supports her in return. Alexander bakes with no preservatives and
She recently hired two assistants to help with the baking: Farmer's mother, MaryBeth, and Jenna Kelley, a graduate student at the University.
Kelley was originally hired to be a barista but became an assistant baker as the success of the bakery grew. She said she grew up baking with her mother and grandmother, and her kitchen was always full of good food.
"The style of baking I do is Southern French baking," Alexander said. "It is down-home Southern food, but I add in a lot of French recipes."
uses as few ingredients as possible.
Alexander said she did not grow up with a love for baking. Rather, throughout years of traveling, cooking shows were the only TV show she could follow in different languages that sparked her interest. Now, she does extensive research on recipes she would like to make. After finding a base recipe, she then tweaks them to make the final product her own.
Pie, cookies, granola bars, bread, cakes, cinnamon rolls, jams and more can be found on the menu. Sandwiches on homemade biscuits were added to the menu last week. Alexander said the menu changes often so that nobody will get bored of the food.
The Merc recently added Alexander's pies to its store. It already carried Alchemy coffee and approached Alexander about bringing her pies to its store. The first 20 pies to hit the store sold out within 24 hours. The flavors of the pies at The Merc change every week.
"I have always wanted to own a bakery and it happened," Alexander said. "It has been a lot of work, but we love it."
Alexander said she and Farmer have worked to create a "mom and pop" sort of feel for their shop, as they both feel that is what the community wants. While talks of expansion are taking place, she said their goal is not to be too big that it becomes about a brand. They want the local feel of the shop to remain.
"It is amazing to be able to make a living off of your passion," Alexander said. "Ben and I both feel really blessed."
- Edited by Alex Lamb
IO | KANSAN.COM
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