At a time when many processed foods seem to dominate the market, the appeal of artisanal cooking is rising in popularity. From handmade baked goods to fresh cheese to honey straight from the comb, products that start from scratch call out to those who want to take a more natural approach to cooking.
Thankfully, for residents of Greater Gainesville, the area is home to several local artisans who offer naturally crafted products that make perfect additions to any recipe.
A Crust Above the Rest
Uppercrust is a local bakery known for its fresh-from-the-oven goods. From flaky croissants to decadent pastries to crusty baguettes, Uppercrust makes every recipe from scratch.
“We start the recipe from the ground up,” said owner Ben Guzick. “It’s really just time, effort, knowledge and quality ingredients. All of them have their special flavor. Being a local business, we can play with things until they feel like an authentic and genuine expression of what we like to make and eat.”
Quality ingredients are the crux of the artisan chef. Many store-bought breads contain preservatives and artificial ingredients, while freshly baked bread from scratch offers a much healthier alternative for a tasty panini or scrumptious club sandwich.
Uppercrust has two locations:
- 4118 NW 16th Blvd
- 8766 SW 27th Ln
You Butter Believe It
For those seeking locally sourced cheese and dairy products, Hawthorne Creek Creamery is a family dairy farm specializing in artisan cheese made with milk from the cows they raise themselves. From Gouda to Swiss, the cheeses are produced from Jersey cows, a breed with a higher butter–fat content in their milk. Owner Matt Lussier said that the farm utilizes that fat content to produce the buttery flavor for which their cheeses are known.
Natural ingredients will always be the goal for the creamery so customers can enjoy the most premium components in their meals. Lussier said he wants to be positively involved with the community.
“We want to grow as sustainably as we can,” he said. “If we ever get to the point that we are losing quality on our products, that’s when we need to stop and regroup. We want to continue to sell our cheese locally and throughout the state of Florida.”
You can find Hawthorne Creek Creamery cheeses at several local grocery stores, including Publix.
For more information, visit www.hawthornecreekcreamery.com/our-cheese.
What’s the Buzz?
True natural honey is a gem that can be hard to come by, but thanks to the hives at Cross Creek Honey, Greater Gainesville locals have access to several varieties, such as Orange Blossom, Tupelo, Gallberry and more.
“All of our honey is 100% raw, straight from (bee) hives,” said Cross Creek Honey Manager Jennifer Gentry. “When we extract our honey…we will strain it to remove any wax or bees, and then it goes right into glass jars. We never heat our honey; it’s never treated, nor is anything ever added to it. It’s as pure as the bees give it to us.”
Honey is a natural sweetener that can be added to many dishes, and it helps those aiming to cook healthier meals avoid the use of sugar. Honey is also known to be a great anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial agent.
With a community full of local artisan businesses, those looking to add more natural ingredients to their meals have a great place to start –– and those who are artisan chefs at heart do not have to go far for the foods they love.
You can find Cross Creek Honey on Saturday mornings at the Haile Plantation Farmers Market.