Generations ago -- before food was processed in mass quantities or available at the drive-thru -- everything was made "from scratch," using in-season ingredients. The alternative was to not eat.
Even in today's microwave, curb-side service world of food preparation, meals and desserts made in the unique homemade traditions of the past appeal to people of every generation. That's what Marilyn's Bakery in Hobart literally brings to the table -- tastes that come right out of Grandma's recipe box.
It also keeps alive a farm culture that co-owner Barbara Tracy says is "a sustainable lifestyle."
Using an aunt's commercial equipment and family recipes, Marilyn Johnson Pearson opened Marilyn's Bakery in 1986 in a small work space at Johnson's Farm Produce market in Hobart.
For Pearson, it was a natural evolution. She grew up on the Johnson Farm, planting and harvesting fruits and vegetables, then helping family members turn the produce into delicious meals and baked goods.
"We started with just pies and bread -- apple, cherry and pecan pies and white bread," says Tracy, Pearson's daughter and business partner.
As the business grew, a kitchen/restaurant was built attached to the Johnson barn. Today, the restaurant's cozy décor and tantalizing aromas beckon customers to linger over a cup of "Fair Trade" coffee or tea and, of course, a treat from the kitchen.
Production of the homemade goodies is labor-intensive, combining people-power with machines. Baking begins before sunrise with muffins, coffeecakes, scones and cinnamon rolls for those early risers. Later, a delicious array of baked goods and homemade meals take shape in kitchen.
"Now, 55 percent of our business is in pie. We roll out 600 pounds of dough during one day to make about 400 pies. In three weeks, we'll be up to three days. Then we'll be making 1,200 pies a week," Tracy says.
Sugar cream pie, recently declared Indiana's state pie, is the bakery's only secret recipe, one passed down from Tracy's paternal grandmother and longtime restaurant owner, Mary Tracy.
"One of our missions is that we use local fruit as much as possible. We contract with Indiana blueberry farmers, and they have a processor flash freeze the berries. Last year, we purchased 3,500 pounds of blueberries," Tracy says.
Marilyn's Bakery creates pies from fruits in season and meals, such as chicken pot pie and soups from newly harvested vegetables. The harvest year starts in early spring with asparagus and rhubarb. Strawberries, blueberries, peaches, apples and pumpkin follow in their seasons.
Seasonal specialties at Marilyn's Bakery also include homemade English toffee, which co-owner Robert Eustace stirs himself in giant kettles. Last fall, the company sold 4,000 pounds of toffee.
