Jerry Summers
One of the big spinoff benefits from the migration of Swiss citizens to the Grundy County areas of Gruetli-Lager, Altamont and Tracy City communities that began around 1869 was the decision of John and Louise Baggenstoss to immigrate to the little town of Tracy City, Tennessee in the 1880s. After they established their residence they raised six sons who were all part of the family’s main contribution to the community in that they established the Dutch Maid Bakery in 1902.
Today it is the oldest family-owned bakery in the state of Tennessee. The bakery stayed in the Baggenstoss family and extended family until 2003 when it closed. A former resident of the area, Cindy Day, knew of the reputation and lineage of the ‘Dutch Maid Bakery’ and gave up her job in Plant City, Florida to buy the bakery in 2005. With the purchase came the original ovens, mixers and other pieces of equipment that the former owners had used since 1902. This includes mixing dough with an antique mixer or slicing hot loaves of bread with a 1920’s bread slicer. Cindy was also able to purchase all of the original recipes that the former owners had used since the original opening.
Just as the Baggenstoss’ raised five sons who worked in the bakery so do Cindy’s four children help to continue the family-oriented tradition by also working at the facility. One new feature that Cindy added was a café “that once a month we do an elegant evening dinner where we serve prime rib, salmon and other dishes.”
After difficulties with the coronavirus, the cafe is back to serving breakfast and lunch. The bakery operating hours are now 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Central Standard Time) on Monday through Saturday. For more information call 931-592-3171 or visit www.thedutchmaid.com.
Day has also incorporated into the menu a few of her own recipes and makes a variety of artisan breads such as Black Olive Roasted Red Pepper, Onion Dill, Sundried Tomato and Rosemary Olive Oil, as well as wedding and birth cakes, parties, sweet breads and cookies. As soon as the economy improves Connie hopes to reinstate classes in cake decorating, gingerbread house making and even a class for kids next year to make Mom a personalized Mother’s Day Cake.
In the future, hopefully groups can once again call ahead to arrange a day trip with lunch in the café and a demonstration on bread making as part of their excursion to many of the beautiful sites of nature in the area. One of the practices that Connie is proud of is that “every loaf of bread is hand-rolled”.
In 2013 the popular Tennessee Crossroads television show on Nashville Public Television carried a segment on the Dutch Maid Bakery. It is still occasionally shown on Karen Elliott’s Southern Accents show on WTCI in Chattanooga. Tennessee Home and Farm magazine also featured a story on the bakery in 2013.
If you need a fruit cake for any occasion it can be part of the many that are shipped all over the United States. One type of bread that is unique to Dutch Maid and can’t be found just anywhere because it takes so long to make is the salt-rise bread.
From Chattanooga-Nashville or in between the Dutch Maid Bakery is easy to find. Just get on I-24 and exit at Monteagle and then follow U.S. Highway 41 to Tracy City which is about a 10- minute drive from the interstate. The bakery is located in downtown Tracy City at 109 Main Street in an old brick building with hardwood floors. You won’t be met by a maître d’ or greeter but the aromatic smell of freshly baked breads, cookies, or cakes, coming from the premises will let you know you have found the Dutch Maid Bakery.
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Jerry Summers
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Dutch Maid Bakery at Tracy City