Flag Leaf Bakery hasn’t opened its storefront on Main Street in Antrim yet, but its bread and baked goods have already been a hit in the region. At the Hancock Farmers and Artisans Market, the business sold out its offerings both Thursdays, and people in the community seem enthusiastic about the new bakery.
“People have been supportive on both platforms (Facebook and Instagram),” Melanie McCune said. She and her partner John Ellingwood are the owners of Flag Leaf Bakery and they are excited to open their doors and share their food very soon.
Before moving to New Hampshire and starting their business, McCune and Ellingwood were working at bakeries in Portland, Ore. They moved to Eugene for a while, and thought about starting their own bakery there, but ultimately decided to go east.
“The forest fires (in Oregon) were a big part of the decision. It was stressful checking which way the wind was going,” Ellingwood said, “And I was missing my family.”
Ellingwood grew up in Hancock and knows the area well, so he and McCune were thrilled to find the location for their bakery in Antrim. The spot, next to Trends of Fashion, was previously the storefront for Saxy Chef before it moved to Keene. Because the location was already set up to be a bakery, electric and plumbing were in place, which helped alleviate some of the initial setup stress.
“It allowed us to focus our budget on food instead of infrastructure,” McCune said.
But they’ve still had plenty to do to get ready to fully open. They’ve painted, put together the kitchen and set up seating. They’ve also had to navigate supply-chain delays, as their big bread oven, which can bake 55 loaves at a time, hasn’t arrived. They have been using a smaller oven that can bake 12 at a time. They’re not sure when the new oven is going to arrive, but they’re planning to start opening the store a couple days a week while they wait.
McCune and Ellingwood have a wealth of baking experience. They have worked for large and small operations, and Ellingwood worked at a grain mill in Eugene to get a broader perspective on the whole process.
Ellingwood specializes in baking naturally leavened bread. Unlike a loaf that would be found in the supermarket, this bread doesn’t use commercial yeast. Instead, the dough ferments for 12 to 15 hours, which causes it to rise. Ellingwood explained that naturally leavened loaves can be easier to digest and have a different taste. The long fermentation process breaks down the gluten in a way that using commercial yeast doesn’t.
“John and I have been really lucky to learn from generous and helpful bakers,” McCune said.
As for McCune’s specialty: “I prefer croissants,” she said. “People don’t make them at home.” And she likes to play with baking trends and add her own twist.
“I try to have fun with them like with cruffins (a combination of a croissant and a muffin). It’s fun to be able to mix and match fillings. It’s a playful pastry,” she said.
In the center of the kitchen is a large wood countertop. Quite a few people could fit around it, and Ellingwood plans to offer bread-making classes to the community once the big oven arrives.
“One of our goals are to be a part of the local grain scene,” McCune said, “Hopefully we’ll get to know farmers in the area.”
The “About” section of Flag Leaf Bakery’s website explains the name. of the business: “The flag leaf is the final leaf to emerge on the cereal grain plant. Where the previous leaves have been responsible for gathering the energy from the sun to enable and promote vegetative growth, the flag leaf is responsible for gathering the majority of the energy used to develop the most noticeable and highly sought after part of the stalk, the head of wheat.”
They go on to explain that like all the leaves on the stalk that grow and gather energy before the flag leaf, the grain-breeders, farmers and flour-millers are the essential steps that make bakeries possible. The section ends, “So please remember, as you enjoy one of Flag Leaf Bakery’s products, be it a nutrient dense, naturally leavened, whole grain hearth loaf or a flaky croissant, that we are just the last leaf who’s job it is to turn a whole season’s worth of work into the final product you have before you.”
Flag Leaf Bakery’s website is flagleafbakery.com, and it is active on Instagram and Facebook. The bakery is located at 46 Main St. in Antrim.