One of the soul-nourishing benefits of enjoying food made with hyperlocally sourced ingredients, is that consumers become more connected to their community. Vitsky Bakery, a small-batch artisan bakery in Wassaic, is a testament to that notion, with a menu that changes seasonally, weekly, and sometimes daily, depending on the availability of local, farm-fresh ingredients.
While some might prefer the reliable routine of starting their days with the same coffee and pastry each time they pop into their favorite bakery, there’s something to be said for the decision to allow the cycles of the season to have a say in what goes on the menu.
“We’re very informed by what’s available in the region and what’s in abundance at local farms,” says owner Ariel Yotive. “Especially this time of year. For example, if a farm has 10 pounds of tomatoes that they couldn’t move at farm markets, we’ll take them and turn them into an item like tomato garlic focaccia or a cheddar mustard heirloom tomato danish. When we’re given plums, we can figure out a way to make a plum tart.”
Beyond using those suddenly available ingredients, Yotive also regularly sources flours from farms like Wild Hive Farm in Clinton Corners, honey from Falconwood Farm in Wingdale, and a long list of other producers for her baked creations.
Open since last July, Yotive’s philosophy on maintaining a sustainably sourced bakery stems from a passion for supporting the regional food system, inspired in part by past work she’s done in Patagonia. “I've been a chef for 10 years, and once worked at a lodge in Patagonia, which is so remote that you need to be able to make food with whatever’s available; this led to the ethos that drives the bakery,” she explains. “Supporting local food supply supports the regional economy. We saw this during the pandemic, how supply chain issues can affect the food supply—but sourcing from local farms is important for maintaining good food in our own communities.”
Yotive’s passion for food started at a young age; as a kid she would always tell family about how she wanted her own restaurant business, and found herself in the industry after college, working through kitchens around New York City. She didn’t study culinary arts but went to Bard (for Latin American Politics) and built what she calls a romantic relationship with the area. “I’m originally from the city but had family in Rhinebeck and spent summers up here, so I knew I always wanted to come back,” she says. “After college, I followed the path to wherever it took me, which is how I ended up in Patagonia, and eventually made my way back here, worked at Troutbeck for three years, and then the opportunity to open my own place came up in a community I’ve been living in since 2015.”
That opportunity was a spacious former dairy barn built in 1920. The building allowed enough space for her bakery and a small in-house marketplace where she sells some of the locally sourced products she uses, as well as pantry items and kitchenwares.
Although the bakery has been well-received by the community, the changing menu drew some confusion at first, but has mainly been embraced. “Wassaic is a small community, so people have opened up to the concept over time, and some folks have even changed their own sustainability ethos based on the concept,” she says. “We’ve had unique items like a lemon balm custard bun with peaches, or a blueberry brown sugar cookie that folks have been disappointed to see not become a permanent menu option, but we do carry some staples!”
Those standard menu items include a popular sourdough bread ($10), crowd-pleasing corn molasses cookies ($2.75 each), and cardamom brioche buns. ”If I took those buns off the menu, there’d be riots in the streets,” Yotive laughs.
It’s also worth noting that the bakery is only open three days a week: Friday through Sunday. “But that’s not because we want to only cater to weekenders—it’s because I’m a team of one,” Yotive explains. “It’s so cool to be a front-facing baker, because it’s such a great way to engage with the community. However, some of our products take so much time, like croissants, and because I’m baking by myself, I want to offer a truly high-quality product and can’t be open all week. But Wassaic, although a small town, is a really dynamic town, too. You can walk the rail trail to the bakery, grab a pastry and some coffee and sit beside the stream next to our building, and enjoy a taste of the region.”
Vitsky Bakery is located at 3 Main Street in Wassaic, and is open from 8:30am until 3pm, Friday through Sunday.
