A new bakery has landed in Bixby Knolls

I like to check Facebook Sunday mornings. A post from friend and neighbor, Maureen Price shared a brief review of our new local bakery, The Merchant. I read further and saw a positive review in The Gazette which said the bakery, while only open a month, can sell out quickly. I had 10 minutes before the start of business, so jumped in the car. There were several folks enjoying the Stumptown coffee and baked goods on busy Long Beach Blvd, as I walked up to the shop. There is nothing like seeing like a full case of baguettes, blueberry walnut bread, cinnamon rolls, cinnamon "bomb", cheesy scones and chocolate chip cookies.  I choose the bread with walnuts of course, along with a cinnamon roll, a "bomb" and a couple "everything but the sink" cookies. 

I brewed myself a cup of joe and sliced into the loaf. The aroma of fresh baked grains greeted studded with blueberries and walnuts. I ate two slices straight up, delicious. 

A bite of the "bomb" provided a light crumb, that was not as similar to a croissant as described, but more dinner roll. Nice with coffee. The signature cinnamon roll frosting was sweet as expected, but the real treat was the bread, light and baked to perfection...with just the right amount of cinnamon. "Everything but the sink" cookies are my kind of dessert, dense and filled with nuts, dried fruit and chocolate. 

Will be back soon and I hope our neighborhood and beyond will support this wonderful addition to Bixby Knolls!