Rosabella’s Garden Bakery
October 8th, 2008
One of the benefits of living in Washington State in the autumn, other than September’s perfect weather, is the ready supply of farm-fresh, delicious apples. As one of the staples of Washington’s agricultural output, apples are everywhere come October. And although there is a fantastic selection at local markets and grocery stores, there is something special about making a trip out of the city to visit an orchard and sample fruit fresh from the tree.
Luckily, Rosabella’s Garden Bakery is nestled in the Skagit Valley, only about an hour and a half north of Seattle.
Alan Merritt has been growing apples in Washington since the early 1970s, but the business has become increasingly difficult over the decades. His wife, Rose, opened Rosabella’s Garden Bakery in 2005 to keep their farm relevant. With delicious apple cider donuts, her famous 5-lb apple pie, and lots of canned fruits and sauces, the store/bakery is a charming destination. It combines the perfect amount of kitsch, consumer-oriented country charm, and quality products to make it delightful and fun, without collapsing (too much) into a frivolous attempt to attract customers.
Rose was the picture of Midwestern niceness. As soon as I walked into the store she greeted me kindly, and we talked about the weather in the Pacific Northwest versus the Midwest (she’s from Ohio, and I grew up in Illinois). When I told her that I was writing a blog, she took the time to have a long discussion with me about different apples (how the Honeycrisp is good and crispy but overrated, how the fall of the Red Delicious affected the apple industry, how the Gravenstein makes the best pies…) and tips for making a perfect pie crust (ice cold water).
And believe me, her pie crust was indeed perfect! I had a piece of the 5-lb apple pie–definitely a good pie, but the crust stood out. The slice was served on a paper plate with a plastic fork, the way God intended a good down-home piece of pie to be presented. Although I like my apples a little firmer in a pie, the filling was quite nice. Still, the crust was perfect–crumbly, but not too crumbly, rich and buttery.
I also sampled Rosabella’s apple cider donuts, which were suburb. The donut was soft and bready, not too doughy, and there were these occasional pops of sugar crystals in each bite–the perfect crunch.
Before I left, I bought enough Gravensteins to make a couple pies and try out Rosabella’s tips.
Alan Merritt helped me pick out some good apples, and also discussed the changes in growing apples that he’s experienced since he got into the business. That, however, is for another blog post. How about tomorrow?
The verdict on Rosabella’s : a great destination for a day of good food, beautiful landscapes, and kind people.