Winter 2021 Cookbook Club: Zingerman’s Bakehouse

Michigan winters are filled with perfect baking days: the cold invites you to preheat the oven, snowy days ask for warm freshly-baked bread, and sweaters allow for extra desserts. This Winter, we’ve selected the Michigan cookbook Zingerman’s Bakehouse for extra baking inspiration! 

About the Author: 

Amy Emberling and Frank Carollo are co-owners of Zingerman’s Bakehouse, which started as supporting business to Zingerman’s Delicatessen in Ann Arbor, making bread for the busy deli. Together, they co-wrote this cookbook to include lessons from real life throughout the book, like how to read a recipe (p. 26) or how they practice leadership (p. 85.) 

Why it’s Great: 

Zingerman’s Bakehouse is well known in their area and beyond. With this cookbook, readers from around the state can recreate the same flavors beloved by Ann Arbor residents in their home kitchens. In addition to hamantaschen and Boston cream pie, they also include recipes for many Michigan food traditions and favorites: paczki, Detroit-style pizza, and pasties. 

Stone milling their own flour since 2018, Zingerman’s makes several of their flours, and therefore baked goods, using local sources. You can also include local flavor into most of these recipes by using locally-grown flour: check out Earthkeeper Farm near Grand Rapids, Grand Traverse Culinary Oils and Flours in Traverse City, or Westwind Farm in Swartz Creek (near Flint) for more info! 

Which Recipe to Flip To: 

Flip to the True North Bread on p. 227 for a straightforward, classic bread recipe on how to use a Michigan local flour to create a from-scratch artisan loaf at home. For those who don’t have time for a bread baking recipe, check out the Ginger Jump Up cookies on p. 95 for a sweeter product that can go from oven to plate more quickly.

Zingerman’s Bakehouse True North Bread
Image credit: Zingerman’s Community of Businesses

If you join us for Cookbook Club this Winter, make sure to snap a pic! Tag us in your social media post so we can see your creation! Let’s get #tldcookbookclub with it!

Claire Butler is a Communications Coordinator with Taste the Local Difference from Northwest Michigan. You can reach her at [email protected].