Hidden Gem: Kermit’s Bake Shop-Organic Sourdough Bread & Pastry in Redding, CT
Whether you’re looking for the perfect pastry to pair with your morning coffee or whole ingredient, zero-preservative fresh sourdough bread, Kermit’s Bake Shop in Redding is the place to go. Run by owner and head baker Kermit Perlmutter and his assistant Luke Figliola, the artisanal bakery specializes in laminated pastries and sourdough bread kept simple. Thursday through Sunday you can place an order for pickup over-the-phone or walk in.
Country white and mischbrot sourdough are fixed menu items, the rest of the menu rotates through a wide selection of sourdough flavors including cheddar, cranberry, pepper jack, raisin, and honey whole wheat all made with sifted wheat, whole wheat, and sourdough culture. And if you want to start your own culture for at-home loaves, sourdough starter is available for free upon request.
You can choose from a wide selection of pastries including pain au chocolat (plain or almond), all butter croissants, almond croissants, ham and cheese croissants, turkey and cheese croissants, crumb cake, and scones.
The pastry menu compiles the years of experience behind the business. Perlmutter’s professional experience began as a teenager in New York City, where he washed dishes and worked as a pastry apprentice selling batches of brownies to coffee shops out of a commercial kitchen in Queens.
“I still think it’s one of my best recipes,” Perlmutter said. “And also the recipe that’s uniquely mine.”
You can taste the years of practice in the soft, melt-in-your-mouth brownies that are rich in flavor with just the right balance of sweet, salty, and deep cocoa goodness. This item alone makes the trip worth it.
Upon his return to the East Coast after living on the West coast for ten years, Perlmutter brought back two breakfast specialties with him: Kouign amann and morning buns.
Morning buns are similar to cinnamon rolls but are baked with croissant dough making the inside layered and fluffy with a crispy exterior. Kouign amann has a texture denser than croissant dough and a crunchy, caramelized sugar exterior.
Perlmutter’s love for baking was sparked by his grandmother at a young age as he’d help cook for the family. That same passion drives his business today.
“I love feeding people. I always have.” Perlmutter said. “I’ve cooked for most of my life, for myself and for my family. Meeting people and having people enjoy my food is the highlight.”
Kermits Bake Shop
8 Main St. Redding CT
Fri-Sun 7 am-2 pm
203-628-2660
From breaking news and local politics to art exhibitions, live music, high school sports, small businesses, and cultural events, we celebrate the people and places that make Connecticut unique.