Text & Image of Ross and Valerie Schneiderman,
Vivian G. Kelly
Food and building images, from the respective websites
BREAD IS NOT BAD
Okay, Fashion People don’t eat bread, but IF they did, they would buy it from a baker who bears a resemblance to George Clooney, and also happens to run a fun low-key bakery/café, with his charming wife and two high school sons.
This combination really exists. The lovely New England Town of Ridgefield, CT is where the bakery [called Ross’ bread] is located. The owner/baker’s name is Ross Schneiderman.
WORTH THE SPLURGE
We grew up in the seventies’ – no carb diet movement and it’s stayed with us ever since, because it works.
That’s not to say that we don’t occasionally slip and succumb to great bread, like the ficelles and baguettes available in the hundreds of boulangeries in Paris. If you can’t get to Paris, go to CT., save yourself the planefare, and dig into a hunk of Ross’ organic baguette.
WHAT EXACTLY IS A REAL BAGUETTE?
There are baguettes for sale at Stop & Shop, and they’re okay, if taste isn’t an issue. We’re of the mind that life’s short, so who’s settling for just “okay” – in anything?
Baguette [definition] - A traditional “pre-ferment” of flour, water and yeast (which develops flavor for 12-16 hours).
This is what gives Ross' hand-shaped baguette its distinctive, delicious flavor. He uses “demi-baguettes” for our pre-made sandwiches in the cafe.
Ingredients: Organic wheat flour, filtered water, yeast, salt.
WHY THIS BREAD IS SO GOOD - A Philosphy of patience
Says Ross, “My introduction to the art of bread baking took place at my sister-in-law’s farmhouse on Via dé Cofferi in the hills of Tuscany, outside of Florence, Italy. It was there I learned the importance of patience. The great bread bakers treat their dough as living organisms, nurturing every step of the way, allowing enough time for proper fermentation and proofing. This patience and nurturing allows bread the chance to develop complexity, rich taste and the signature crust and crumb of a great bread."
ON THE MENU
In addition to the baguettes, there are delicious hearth-baked artisan breads, muffins [try the blueberry], scones and pastries.
Don’t forget to try a cup of coffee if you’re looking for an upgrade from your trusty cup of Dunkin brew. The coffee is brewed exclusively from Durham, NC-based craft roaster Counter Culture Coffee. The beans are sourced from small hand-cultivated lots of heirloom variety coffee.
For tea-lovers, there’s a generous selection of loose leaf tea from IN PURSUIT OF TEA.
www.counterculturecoffeelcom
www.inpursuitoftea.com
CAFE ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO
109 Danbury Rd., Ridgefield, CT
Tel: 203-438-4822
www.rossbread.com
There are even some handy tips on the site on how to extend the life of your loaf.
OTHER places to find Ross' bread:
Ridgefield Farmers Market (Fridays) www.ridgefieldfarmersmarket.org
South Salem Farmers Market at Gossett Brothers Nursery (Saturdays) (1202 Rte 35, South Salem, NY)
Bernard's www.bernardsridgefield.com
The Cutting Board www.cuttingboardct.com
ENDNOTES – FINE WINES & ASHTANGA YOGA
Is you DO make it to Ridgefield, come in the 2nd & 4th Wednesdays of every month, 6:00 – 7:30PM and drop in at SARAH’S WINE BAR – it’s part of Bernard’s, also at 20 West Lane/Route 35.
The wine tasting is $10 a head and all $10 go to benefit a different local charity.
Tel: (203) 438-8282
If you're feeling less than svelte after indulging in all this bread and wine, get yourself over to Val's YOGA SHALA, a few miles away in Wilton. This is the type of yoga some of the world's buffest bodies practice- Madonna, Brad Pitt, and Valerie, who's an ex-Olympic gymnast.
www.theyogashalact.com
The Yoga Shala is located at 991 Danbury Rd # 3, Wilton, CT
Tel. (203) 544-8811
Congratulations Ross and Val. XOXOXO. Best of luck with your new venture. Looks like you're well one your way. Too bad your goodies can't be shipped.
ReplyDeleteYour uncle :)
Looks great...we will be travelling all the way from Los Angeles on the 4th of July weekend to sample the wares.
ReplyDeleteEverything is fabulous. But you've got to try the blueberry muffins and the sweet earth bread, and don't leave without a cup of the best coffee I've ever had.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous mother
Everything is fabulous. Personal favorites--blueberry muffins and sweet earth bread, and the absolute best cup of coffee and hot chocolate with steamed milk.
ReplyDeleteI like the counter girls
ReplyDeleteYeah, the counter girls. Ally is really friendly. I like the sweet earth bread myself. The sticky buns are inconsistent. Too much of something (I think cloves)...
ReplyDelete