Earthly Kneads to bake up unique organic breads, goodies in downtown Muskegon

By: Deborah Johnson Wood

It won’t be long before the delightful aroma of baking bread will waft through the air in downtown Muskegon. Earthly Kneads, an organic bakery, is busy setting up shop at 810 Terrace, next door to the new home of The Cheese Lady.

Michigan-grown organic flour, fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables from local growers and suppliers combine with a big pinch of ingenuity to create delectable seasonal delights such as: chewy autumn bread made with fresh grated pumpkin; loaves of fresh grated apple and cinnamon; and chocolate cherry bread made from organic Manistee-grown cherries.

“I’m doing the bakery in a European style, with all the baked goods spread across the counters and in baskets,” says owner and baker Gail Smythe. “A lot of bakeries bake elsewhere and bring the goods in; I’m doing it all here.”

With a few tables where customers can sit and have free trade or organic coffee, specialty teas, and scones, cookies or other goodies, the shop will have a warm and cozy atmosphere.

Holiday fare includes Gail’s mother-in-law’s recipe for traditional German Stollen bread with cinnamon, sugar, pecans and dried fruit swirled in. Stuffing bread, loaded with everything Gail puts in her turkey stuffing, fills a home with holiday scents when toasted.

“I used to be an environmental scientist and I found out what our food has in it,” says Smythe about her enthusiasm for organic and locally-grown foods. “I’ve also bought some refurbished equipment to save money. The older ovens are actually better, because they’re work horses.”

Smythe hopes to open before Thanksgiving.

Source: Gail Smythe, Earthly Kneads

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].