The Day Trippers Love Us!

Ron Patterson and Tom Corbin, both of Arlington, maintain a website and blog entitled "Day Tripping — DC Metro" and hit the hinterlands to provide reviews for their loyal following. Ever bakery fans, they were excited about heading to Warrenton to see us and, as their review states, they weren't disappointed. It's a glowing send-up of the Red Truck Bakery and we couldn't have said it better ourselves. For the full review and photos (including a look at other highlights of Old Town Warrenton), go here: http://www.daytrippingmetro.com/warrenton.htm

In a nutshell, here's what Ron and Tom posted:

We first heard about the Red Truck Bakery from a feature in the Fauquier Times-Democrat several years ago. At that time, owner Brian Noyes worked out of his home using mail order and a parking lot in the Virginia village of Orlean as his venues. Since then, we have been eagerly awaiting Brian's arrival in Warrenton - in a real establishment.

On our August 25, 2009, foray to Warrenton (for the express purpose of visiting Red Truck), we arrived around noon and walked into one of the most inviting bakeries in our memories. We should say, we love bakeries - for all the great reasons everyone loves bakeries - the fragrance of baked goods and the promise of things sweet and good.

WE WERE NOT DISAPPOINTED!!!. You just have to smile when you walk into Red Truck. The place is so clean and inviting - the fragrance we expected was so very, very pleasant and we were greeted with broad and sincere grins from the very attractive staff. What a great start. We looked around and began our culinary adventure.

Our purchases were designed to get a "flavor" of their offerings and included: (1) a loaf of Harvest Wheat Bread with Fruit; (2) Foccacia; (3) their signature "Alma Hackney’s Rum Cake" and (4) a jar of their Sour Cherry Jam (with a hint of almond).

Within a couple of hours of returning to Arlington, we just had to try the Rum Cake, and we did. Never have we been so surprised and delighted with a new taste - the cake was simply perfect - not too sugary and just tart enough to keep us interested. This is a winner, no doubt.

The next morning, we had toasted Harvest Wheat Bread with the Sour Cherry Jam for breakfast. Again, it was definitely yummy, yummy time. We love wheat bread and this tops our list. The jam helped start our day with a lift. The foccacia came later in the same day with the same result - done right with panache.

We can't recommend strongly enough that visitors to this site make whatever effort required to get to Warrenton and the Red Truck. We guarantee that you won't be disappointed.

Tell Brian that Ron and Tom said "hey."

They keep dropping by

It made our day when Robert Duvall and his wife Luciana dropped by the bakery today after having our breads the night before at a dinner event. We spent 25 minutes yakking about local food and John Wayne. Tony Leake of the Sheriff's department stopped in just in time for a conversation with the big guy.

3 week update

Lots of news from the Red Truck as we hit the three-week mark in our new bakery building. ~ New York Times food writer Marian Burros, who gave us rave reviews in December, stopped by to meet us for the first time in the new space. When I told her that her review might have something to do with the crowds she waded through, she told me "they're all here because your food tastes good! Period!" ~ We hired new senior baker Kevin Powers, also from the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) who brings with him a stellar repertoire of breads. Stop by for some incredible baguettes, batards and country potato bread. ~ Top Chef pal Carla Hall and her husband Matthew dropped by a week ago; they were last here prior to the renovation and were amazed at the transformation. ~ We had our first Family Supper on Saturday evening--a chef's choice dinner featuring local seasonal foodss. Thanks to our buddies Jim & Steven who prepared homemade sausage and polenta, with heirloom tomatoes and corn.

And ... we're open!

We received our occupancy permit on Wednesday and opened up the bakery at 6:30 this morning—and we had our first customer already waiting in the parking lot (he's pictured in the center of the image at left). And what a day: two big bakings were cleaned out, and at closing we had one brownie left, until a mom and a kid showed up at the locked door. Thanks for following us on the journey as illustrated on this blog, from the initial planning (and awful paint colors) to a real warm and comfortable place. Come on in and see us. --Brian Noyes, Red Truck Bakery

We're brewing!

Lots happening quickly as we head towards next week's finish line. Deliveries of supplies and ingredients are arriving every morning and we're scrambling to find places for everything. The beverage cooler is now stocked with juices, waters and other drinks—most of them local and/or interesting. The big news is coffee, though: Konrad Catolos of Counter Culture Coffee drove up Thursday from Durham to give our new staff (and a couple of coffee-hungry customers) a very thorough lecture and demonstration on his unique (and incredible) coffees. We're still working on the phone system and trying to locate the last of the needed items to get us open, but we hope to be serving that great coffee and our baked goods & sandwiches by the end of next week. Stay tuned.

Final inspection: passed!

After months of renovation, rewiring, rebuilding walls and floors, new HVAC, a killer paint job and some master carpentry, all the work is done and we passed our town inspections yesterday. Our staff has been assembled and orientation was held on Saturday; our pal and HR guru Steven Golsch (above) presented an employee handbook and a myriad of paperwork, and we'll now all knuckle down for training over the next few days (coffee instruction with North Carolina's Counter Culture Coffee is on Thursday). Once the ingredients and other products show up, we'll have a few days of test baking and throw open the doors late next week.

The home stretch

We commissioned our communal dining table months ago; it arrived on Friday and was well worth the wait. The town wanted a place to sit and enjoy coffee and sandwiches and we devoted an entire service bay of this former 1921 filling station for use as a community dining area. A historic note about this massive 7-foot table which seats 12: it is made of floor joists from a barn in Clarke County, Va., that was set afire by General Philip Sheridan and his troops in 1864. General Ulysses S. Grant tapped Sheridan to burn his way across the Shenandoah Valley, destroying barns and other structures to prevent Confederate use of its grain and other goods. The wood was salvaged, and the table constructed, by our craftsman Steve Scott of nearby Boyce, Va.

The final work has been made in the retail space. Shelves and counters are built and painted; the granite has been installed on the countertops and we're crazy about our new old-style schoolhouse/apothecary pendant lamps, now illuminating the sales area.

All-American visit

Uncle Sam, in desperate need of an apple pie, stopped by the bakery on July 4th and settled for a tour instead. He'll need to wait just a couple of weeks to satisfy his sweet tooth.

It's looking like a bakery (and a warm, sophisticated one at that)

We’re in the home stretch and my excellent team of contractors is pushing hard to get the work done quickly. The floor’s done, the painting is complete (same colors as the exterior; the ceiling in the retail space is the buttery yellow door color, which really brightens up the place), the sinks are being installed and the first of the equipment showed up this morning. It took a bit of work to get the beverage cooler into the retail space but it’s there now for good, awaiting grab-and-go sandwiches, icy cold drinks and local cheeses. Lewis Sublett and his team, including the exhaustively conscientious Jeremy (pictured outside the building, above) are on top of everything; I got more good work than I ever had a right to expect from McGregor Craig Painting, especially Kenny, Chuck and Gordon (shown with the long dark hair in the interior spaces, above). What’s next: lots of fine-tuning, the final inspection with the town and the Department of Agriculture, a major clean-up, the last of the hiring and training of staff, oven installation and calibration, and a few test bakings. We’ll keep you posted on the opening date, which looks to be around the middle of the month.

We're smokin' !

The parking lot’s filled with contractors, as is the bakery itself. Lots happening during our final stretch: photos above show architect Dwight McNeill and carpenter Mark Soiland planning out the retail area’s shelving and cabinets, shown in mid-installation (lots of beaded board throughout). Meanwhile, Lewis Sublett and crew are working on electrical and lighting—and Mike and crew from MRC Plumbing are on top of the air conditioning, heating and plumbing—now that the new tile floor has installed throughout by Warrenton’s Miller Carpets. We hope to have Kenny Craig and his crew back next week to paint the interior. One casualty during the frenzy: our front window. New glass now in place and Quail Run Signage is on the way to add new typography.

The Washington Post food section today ran a good story on our favorite coffee folks: Counter Culture Coffee in Durham, NC, which has been working hard to provide us with exceptional coffee and is working on our own Red Truck Premium blend. Counter Culture’s equipment will be installed next week and we’re looking forward to sharing the best coffee on the East Coast with you—and happy to see that the Post has discovered our secret. Here's a link to the story (you may need to copy and paste):

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/16/AR2009061600841.html

The early days

As we make good progress on the interior of the bakery, I thought you’d like to see a shot of the former 1921 filling station shortly after it opened. Louie Warren sent this photo to me, showing his grandfather, station owner Louis Harry Warren, in the foreground wearing a cap with his hands on his hips (Warrenton’s old jail is clearly visible in the background, covered with ivy). The station at that time hadn’t had the service bays added; the lone office is quickly becoming the retail area of the bakery. 

Progress in the store

We now have our new floor installed in the bakery’s retail space (the former office of this 1921 filling station) and we love it; next up are cabinets, shelving, wall repair, a good paint job and installation of lighting. In the service bays our contractor Lewis Sublett and his team have begun construction of the 5-foot wall that 1) creates a communal dining area (beyond the wall in the photo above) and 2) starts the open kitchen area (sinks and a sandwich-making station will be positioned against the wall shown above). Lots yet to do but we’re making some headway.

Interior work underway

We’ve got our permits and the demolition has started inside the 1921 former filling station. First down in the retail space: the ceiling bulkhead in what used to be the “colored bathroom” with its outside entrance—a good place to start. New walls are going up; electrical work starts this week and we should see some darned good progress quickly. 

Tastings: New coffee and gluten-free items

While looking for a location in Old Town Warrenton, I heard over and over again that merchants, shoppers and office workers were desperate for a GOOD cup of coffee. I’ve since partnered with the best coffee blender and roaster on the east coast—Counter Culture Coffee in Durham—to supply our coffee for serving by the cup and for retail purchases by the bag. Counter Culture blends sustainable coffee beans, many of which are organic, fair trade, rain forest alliance certified and bird friendly. We've experimented with a variety of beans and are pleased with the new Red Truck Bakery Premium Blend, which we'll offer along with seasonal blends and single-origin varieties. Counter Culture has also designed a service program for us, so after our new water-filtering system has been installed to their specs, we'll start training on the new equipment.

Additionally, many folks have asked whether we might carry gluten-free items (celiac disease suffers can't process wheat flour and other gluten-carrying ingredients and yearn for a flaky pie crust or a crunchy cookie). The flour in the air of a bakery prohibits making truly gluten-free items in-house; I've found a Rappahannock woman who has launched a line of gluten-free items and will bake for us; we had a taste-testing yesterday and our panel (which included foodies, discerning design professionals and gluten-intolerant pastry fans) pronounced the goods excellent and indistinguishable from more traditional items. We're now working on the final selection of offerings. If you’re interested in gluten-free products and have some thoughts, by all means share them here. Thanks.

Cleaning up the exterior

Big day at the corner of Waterloo and Ashby: the paint job (on the front, anyway) is completed and the signs are up! Dwight's paint color selections are superb; just ask the countless folks who have stopped by with compliments (compare to the Mom's Apple Pie photo, bottom, taken just before we got hold of the place). I'm especially wowed by the disappearing door: the side door, beyond the single window, was always an eyesore; Dwight's solution was to, well, just paint it out. And voila! It's gone! Next up is the repainting of the gutters and the roof--a metal Spanish tile. Many thanks to Kenny Craig of Hume and his painting gang for a job well done; ditto for John Ralph and his Quail Run Signage team.

A rainy equipment search

Today's the day I hit the road (six hours of driving in the rain, all told!) looking for good quality equipment (new and used) for the bakery. Craigslist has been the best resource, although I hit the jackpot at Harwill Foodservice Equipment in Winchester. Sinks are a priority right now; the plumber's coming in Monday to reroute the pipes and drains before the tile floor is installed. I found exactly what I wanted.

A big birthday!

We were happy to be a part of Fauquier County’s 250th anniversary celebration on Friday. Lots of folks stopped by for Red Truck brownies from the back of the truck itself; good positive comments from the mayor, two supervisors and other elected officials, as well as Main Street merchants and the people who shop there — they’re all looking forward to good sandwiches, great coffee and breads & pastries baked right there. Saturday found us at the Gold Cup; the Red Truck Bakery was asked to join in the judging in the “Best Tailgating” competition. We found some Derby pie we’ll need to make next year, although our memory may be clouded by the abundance of mint juleps handed out to the judges. Tough job.

Red Truck hits the highway

We’re helping the environment and increasing our visibility by adopting a local highway for clean-up four times a year. The signs went up this week on a section of Rt. 211 from just outside of Warrenton west to Orlean’s Rt. 688 (if you need to throw a beer can onto the road, do it elsewhere—thanks).

Top Chef blessing

Our pal Carla Hall, “Top Chef” finalist, stopped by the Red Truck Bakery's new-location-in-progress to give her special hootie-hoo blessing to the project. It was fun hanging out with her, her husband Matthew and son Noah, and buddies Steven and Dwight, as we hit Rappahannock foodie hot spots. Restaurateurs, fellow diners, passers-by (including a guy on a motorcycle who stopped in the middle of the road to greet her) and those in line for ice cream recognized Carla from the hit Bravo show. 

Signs approved!

It was a little dicey there for awhile but the town of Warrenton's Architectural Review Board last night approved all my signage: individual metal letters spelling out RED TRUCK BAKERY across the stuccoed front (as they might have appeared in the filling station's hey-day) and, more importantly, the free-standing 8-foot sign out near the street that harks back to a traditional Esso station sign. I've lined up the painter for the exterior (that work starts next week); we'll also repaint the 1921 metal Spanish tile roof. Demolition starts Monday inside as we take down two walls added recently and start installing new tile flooring (much appreciation to Ike at Miller Carpets for getting us this far with the floor). Thanks to John Ralph at Quail Run Signs for assisting with last night's presentation, and to Christopher Mothersead, Town of Warrenton Planning & Community Development Director, for the good words of support during the hearing.

We're finally in the door

Mom's Apple Pie moved out over the weekend and took the signs down. I had to pay her eleven day's worth of rent to gain early access but I now have her keys and promptly changed the locks. I met with painters and the floor guy today, switched over the electricity (with Dominion Green Power renewable energy) and received my business license: it's now full-speed ahead! We're tweaking the floor plan and, once we wrestle that to the ground, will line up the contractors and equipment. 

The bones of the building

Many Warrenton folks have e-mailed me asking that we include some seating inside the old filling station to enjoy coffee and lunch without having to take it back to the office; it's my hope, too, and we're doing what we can with what we have. My pal Dwight McNeill (a residential architect helping with the bakery's space planning) and I met over the weekend with Steve Wagner, Fauquier's premier commercial restaurant architect who had some good ideas on how to get some seating into the new location. We're working on plans now along with a list of other renovation requirements: replacing the plywood flooring throughout and opening up the service bay area by removing some walls. I'll keep you posted on our progress. 

Keeping the Red Truck green

I'll be using as much local fresh produce and dairy items as I can. In keeping with that attempt to reduce our carbon footprint, as I plan the bakery I’m trying to stay as green as possible—no plastic bags, no poly clear clamshells for packaging sweets, no bleached white paper bags. I’ve finally found a company that will manufacture recycled-paper sandwich packaging for me: little wedge-shaped folding boxes with a clear corn-based plastic window for viewing the grab-and-go sandwiches in the cooler (this packaging is big in the U.K. but no one’s making them here in the states, and I refuse to use those nasty plastic sandwich wedges found in 7-Eleven). The forks, spoons and knives I’ve ordered are made from potatoes and sugar cane and will compost rapidly. The kraft brown carry-out bags and coffee cups are eco-friendly, made from recycled paper and will break down quickly; I’m also pushing large reusable insulated coffee thermoses—buy it once and get a free fill-up; bring it back in and fill it up for a discount. 

Signage for the new location

The Red Truck Bakery is moving into a restored 1921 Esso filling station, next door to the county courthouse in the heart of Old Town Warrenton. The current tenant is closing her pie shop on Saturday and, as soon as she vacates, I'll be in to renovate the front retail space and start installing equipment. First up, though, is approval from the town's Architectural Review Board for the signage I propose: I submitted plans and drawings last week for signage on the building and a freestanding sign out near the street that harks back to gas station signs of the ’30s and ’40s. Dwight and I are working on paint colors and plans for new counters, shelving and lighting.

Our introduction to the horse set

As a birthday gift, two pals—Jim Nedohon and Steven Golsch—gave me a prime tailgating spot on the rail at Saturday’s Old Dominion Point-to-Point steeplechase. They supplied the savory goods and bar; we offered red truck-shaped cookies and rum cupcakes (Jim peddled them under the name “rum shooters” which got the crowd excited) from the back of the old red truck itself. To wash down the goods we handed out Red Truck water, our new line of ultrapurified h2O packaged with our label, which we'll sell at the new store.

A recap as I launch my blog

I left 30 years of magazine art direction (Smithsonian, House & Garden, The Washington Post Magazine, Preservation) to follow my passion for baking. After education at the Culinary Institute of America (the other CIA) in Hyde Park, NY and the respected L’Academie de Cuisine in Maryland, I launched the Red Truck Bakery out of my farmhouse in the village of Orlean 50 miles from Washington, DC. The bakery, named after the 1954 red Ford pickup I bought from designer Tommy Hilfiger, soon proved to be a hit; customers were awaiting my arrival each Saturday morning and the goods sold out quickly. A story in The New York Times food section about the Red Truck Bakery sent 57,647 people to my website in one day (only 26 hits the day before) and the orders poured in during the holidays. After looking at dozens of potential locations in the Virginia Piedmont, I signed a lease at the end of March 2009 on a renovated 1921 Esso filling station in the heart of Old Town Warrenton, next door to the courthouse (old red truck + old filling station = all kinds of marketing possibilities). The current tenant, a pie shop, closes on April 11 and I hope to get in there soon to renovate before opening in early June.