On Tuesdays, I run errands. The main reason I run errands on Tuesday is because I can stop by Tecumseh Bread & Pastry to get a chocolate croissant. And bread. And sometimes a cookie. Or some other kind of pastry.
There are so many things I like about this place, I’m not sure where to start. Last Tuesday was the first time I stopped by 3 Dudes & Dinner, the temporary home of Tecumseh Bread & Pastry. Arlo Brandl greeted us and introduced himself, then walked us through the tantalizing display of pastries and breads. Since I’d been dreaming about chocolate croissants every since I heard about this new bakery, I had to have one.
Baker Arlo Brandl
Arlo was a gem and picked out the two biggest ones for my aunt and me. We made ourselves at home on the couch, even though it’s not really setup for people to hang out and linger. That day we took home a loaf of sourdough bread and a chocolate cookie, you know, in case we got hungry later. We waited until we were back in the car, only slightly full from eating our enormous croissants, to start tearing into the fragrant, still warm, loaf of bread. This week, in addition to the usual chocolate croissant, we got a loaf of bread with caramelized onion & gruyere – absolutely fabulous. We ate big hunks while finishing up all of our errands.
Best. Chocolate. Croissant. Ever.
Another thing I like about TB&P is that they use local fresh ingredients whenever possible and the grains are freshly ground. Arlo doesn’t compromise quality to use local, but he does source his craft from our neighboring states, Ohio and Indiana, when a Michigan vendor is not available.
When I asked Arlo why he chose Tecumseh instead of a bigger city, he said that when he compared the quality of life for bakers in New York City to the quality of life for a small town baker, it was an easy choice. I love that he wants to be the village baker for this tiny little town!
Recently Arlo left his day job to pursue the bakery full time. When I asked if it was difficult to get the wholesale side of the business going (he currently provides breads to 3 Dudes & Dinner, Evans Street Station, Tecumseh Brewing Company, and Cotton Brewing Company in Adrian) he replied that it was actually pretty easy – he just shared a few samples and they were ready to order. That’s all it would have taken for me!
See that lonely little bun in the front row? I wanted to stuff the entire thing into my mouth . . .
The bakery is currently open for business on Tuesday and Thursday, 5:00 am – 11:00 am and Saturday and Sunday 5:00 am – 1:00 or while supplies last. Arlo and his wife Alisyn are planning to open a downtown Tecumseh storefront this spring and will be open every day of the week. If you have a chance to go Michigan’s east side, I highly recommend a stop at Tecumseh Bread & Pastry! Be sure to get there early – you don’t want to miss out on the best selection!