Julie and Jimmy Reynolds, owners of Magnolia Bread Company of Sudlersville, Maryland, are now using locally grown wheat in their line of artisan breads. In March of 2010 the couple began experimenting with local soft winter wheat in order to incorporate grain from their farm into the hearth breads they have been producing since 1993. The challenge of utilizing local wheat in focaccias, ciabattas and batards comes from the fact that eastern soft winter wheat does not contain a great deal of gluten, the protein required to develop the desirable texture and structure of artisan breads. In order to make breads crusty, moist and chewy, western hard red winter wheat, with its higher protein / gluten levels, is a necessity.
Using decades of experience in the kitchen, the Reynoldses developed a process for adding Queen Anne’s County soft winter wheat to their hand-made loaves resulting in a wonderful line of breads including Homefarm Wheatberry, Craisin Raisin, Eight Grain, Broa, Pao Doce, Sweet Potato, Khachapuri, Tomato Focaccia, Spinach Chevre, Eve’s Cheddar Ciabatta, Blue Cheese Walnut, Apple Pecan Sourdough, Slaughterton Wild Yeast, and around twenty other varieties they make by hand.
The Reynolds live and work at Slaughterton, their 13th generation family farm near Sudlersville. Magnolia Bread Company is a family business; two generations are currently employed in the production, distribution and sales of artisan breads. The Reynolds family also owns and operates Magnolia Caterers, an off-premise catering company that has been in operation for 22 years.
The breads are baked in a fully licensed, inspected and insured Maryland Food Service facility on the farm, and are currently available at local farmers’ markets in Centreville, Chestertown, North East, and Annapolis. Wholesale pricing is also available.
Magnolia Bread Company can be reached online or by phone for more information: magnoliabread.com/[email protected]/410.708.1479
Lindsay L. says
I loved their Spinach Chevre Foccacia! Delicious.