KANSAS CITY — Artisan bakeries are dabbling in a variety of baked goods and ingredients, from babka and bagels to local and sprouted grains. And they’re drawing inspiration from all over, creating a vibrant community that is embracing new flavors and formats.
“The trend toward local grains and small cottage bakeries is still on the upswing,” said Peter Reinhart, a James Beard award-winning baker who is an instructor at Johnson & Wales University. “Also, bagels are back, including sourdough bagels. Rich breads like babka and brioche variations seem also on the upswing.”
Guy Frenkel, founder of Ceor bakery in Los Angeles, who is known for pushing the envelope with his award-winning breads, said he’s seeing a surge in the creativity of artisan bakers.
“The idea that these bakers can liberate themselves and start exploring ingredients and shapes and new recipes, I see that more and more every year,” he said. “I used to feel like a lone player, and now I’m part of a movement. Creativity is very hard to replicate on scale. As long as the artisan bakers embrace the art part, the creative, the new, not just replicating but creating new stuff for their customers, I feel they all have job security in that aspect.”
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