I stopped by Buttermilk Bakery on a recent Saturday and found it bustling with people patiently waiting in a line that snaked through the shop.
Of course, we’re not talking about a big shop, so the snake would be more like a large garter than, say, an anaconda. Or maybe more like a racer because the line moved pretty fast.
A little too fast. You can’t really make your decision about what to get until you’re right up to the glass that separates the drooling public from the tempting array of freshly baked goods.
Emphasis on the good. I limited myself to four items, which were boxed for me to take away. (There weren’t any seats available in the cafe, so away we went.)
The best thing I chose was a gooey monkey bread, the dough fresh and pull-apartable. I also liked the apple danish, a large platter of with sweet cubes of fruit in the center.
On the savory side, I sampled the onion croissant, which was fine but probably would have been better heated up.
I did raise the temperature of the quiche, which had sweet peppers and cheese in the eggy mixture. The filling was well-formed but not too solid, just right, and the crust of the pie was as flaky as they come.
The friendly staff kept things moving but also kept a good attitude when guests asked questions about the pastries.
Buttermilk Bakery is a mother, daughter and son operation. Or daughter, mother and brother depending on your stance. Taissa Rebroff, a UCF graduate, returned to Central Florida from a freelancing job in New York to start the business with her mother, Lana, and brother Philip, who were already bakers in the area.
After selling their wares to other retail outlets, such as Lineage Coffee Roasting and Farm-Haus in the East End Market, they took over the little house structure on Orange Avenue in Winter Park that had for a short time housed La Triomphe, a French cafe.
Central Florida has been in need of good bakeries for a long time. I’m glad to see these small operations open and flourish.
Buttermilk Bakery is at 1198 Orange Ave., Winter Park. It’s open for breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Sunday. Saturday and Sunday features a modest brunch menu from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The phone number is 321-422-4015.
