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Thursday’s Short Take from Niagara Express
Three or four years ago we encountered Anastasia Nikolaeva of Anastasia’s Artisan Bakery at the North Tonawanda City Market.
Anastasia was friendly, chatty with a great baguettes, bread, sweets and a charming Russian accent.
That first day, we purchased a country loaf and some sweets filled with poppy seeds as well as a mountain cookie, oaty goodness filled with nuts and chunks of chocolate.
She said she lived in Amherst, I think with 3 children and her home bakery.
On another occasion, I saw her son, Serge, working the stand at the market. I think we bought a Borodinsky rye that day, thick, dark, chewy rich brown bread from her son. He was almost sold out.
“Where’s your mom?” I asked.
“Home sleeping,” he said.
Over time, we kept supporting her stand and she kept talking about her plan for a brick-and-mortar coffee shop. Eventually, she had a location, Zimmerman Street in North Tonawanda.
I last knew it as a grubby pizzaria whose name escapes memory.
All along, she posted her dreams and progress to social media, whether photos of baked goods, promotions of where she would be delivering goods this week, Filled with Love Buffalo on Campbell Boulevard in Pendleton and Overwinter Coffee on Main Street in Williamsville. Her brand was authentically baked into every loaf and ever post.
In time, I saw her teaching baking classes at Massachusetts Avenue Project thanks again to Facebook.
When someone is building a dream, and doing most of the construction work themselves, never, ever ask John Meteer when Hammer and Crown Brewing is going to open. It’s like my wife Beth asking when a Niagara Falls tour is going to be done. It takes what it takes.
For example, watching Anastasia’s new oven arrive and then waiting for the electric to put it in place took forever. She was patient, painting, cleaning, waiting and still baking.
Anastasia’s space at 236 Zimmerman is complete. She is open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. It is bright, welcoming and crowded. We stopped Saturday morning at about 10:30 a.m.
The place was packed with bread sold out with a line to the door and every seat full.
I went back Tuesday morning at about 11 a.m. and grabbed a country loaf and a baguette. The selection was limited because she was nearly sold out. Again. It cost $12. Bread is wrapped in paper. Cups are compostable. Being eco conscious is as important as baking real bread with real ingredients like Farmer Ground flour. Know your farmer, know your food.
When we visited Ireland in September, one of the things that made the food special was the bread. They called it brown bread but really it was thick, hearty whole wheat. My favorite loaf came from a baker at the Kinvarra market. He said he used to be an engineer but he preferred baking (Anastasia is educated as an engineer. It may not be a coincidence). His flour came from a nearby farmer who had been cross breeding ancient grains since after World War II.
