ALGONA, Iowa -Daily Bread Bakery is humble on the outside -a metal building that used to house a construction company. Inside, diners feast on made-from-scratch soups, sandwiches, salads and desserts in decor that resembles a European street cafe.
Owner Alison Hill grew up baking. Her mother, Louis Piper, and her grandmother, Alice Stamper, both baked bread.
When Hill's five children were ready for solid food, she decided whole grain bread would be most nutritious.
"I didn't really know what I was doing, and my first attempt using whole wheat flour resembled a brick," she said. "At a La Leche League meeting, someone suggested that I grind my own grain."
Through Internet research she found a small electric mill and started experimenting.
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"It turned out pretty good, and I kept practicing with my family," Hill said. "I started giving the bread to Sunday School teachers for Christmas presents. They asked if they could buy it because they loved it."
Hill sold her bread to friends and neighbors in the Manly area.
"One day I prayed to God about what I should do next," Hill said. "I told God to speak through my husband, Eric. A few days later Eric told me I should sell my bread at the Mason City Farmers Market. We did that for a few years, and then it came time for a change for our family. We prayed about it, and God led us to Algona."
They opened the Algona bakery in summer 2008.
"We decided to make it a bakery and a cafe because we had to eat while we were making bread," Hill said. "I love to cook, and if I was making soup for us, I could make more for other people."
She made sandwiches on a panini grill, and salads, wraps and desserts soon appeared on the menu. Some days now there is lasagna or chicken pot pie.
"We make everything from scratch," she said. "It tastes better, and it's much more healthy."
Fresh Connections Food Co-op in Algona has always been a big supporter. In addition to its baked goods, Daily Bread serves soup, sandwiches and desserts at the co-op at noon week days. Daily Bread products are in 67 stores from Minneapolis to Indianola and Cedar Rapids to Spirit Lake. Eric does the distribution assisted by son Aaron. Every other week they sell at the Des Moines Farmers Market.
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Daughter Elizabeth, a recent graduate of Johnson and Wales College of Culinary Arts in Rhode Island, is working at Daily Bread for a season. She has studied cuisine throughout Europe and Asia. A wine expert, she has assembled a collection of Iowa wines for sale at the cafe.
Son Isaac, a high school senior, helps on routes, and Caleb, 14, and Matthew, 10, assist at the bakery when they're not in school.
"Every day the bread is made from freshly ground organic Golden 86 wheat berries and other certified organic ingredients," Hill said. "When we grind our grain, it is still alive and warm and very nutritious."
Golden Ground, a honey whole wheat, is the bakery's signature bread. Picasso, a seven-grain, and Pony Tail, made with whole wheat and old-fashioned rolled oats, are also popular. Specialty breads include fruits and nuts, herbs and spices and nuts and seeds. All are certified organic. When possible, Hill uses local ingredients.
The bakery is just about ready to expand into the building next door. They will be able to bake 100 loaves at once rather than 20 and will work with distributors to increase their marketing area.
One Saturday night each month, they prepare a Daily Bread Dinner based on a theme ranging from Indian to German to Mexican, Italian and French. The four to five course dinners are served by candlelight. The Aug. 27 dinner will be Mongolian barbecue.
