Waves of Grain

Posted By Michael Stern on August 14, 2008 7:05 PM

Jason and Hillary Fargo, proprietors of Waves of Grain, a bakery at the south end of the spectacularly scenic Pacific coast community of Cannon Beach, were facing a dilemma when I visited in July, 2008. "Our flour mill does only twenty cups at a time," Hillary said. "We drove out east and brought back a truck full of wheat berries. We store them in our garage, but the bakery has grown and we need more than twenty cups at a time." The Fargos buy their wheat north of Pendleton from Hillary's second cousin, Fritz Hill, who is a fourth generation farmer. A vintage black and white photo on the wall of the small bakery shows Hillary's great-great grandfather driving a mule-drawn thresher.

The wheat is a variety known as dark northern, which is especially well-suited for breads and pastries, thus helping to explain why Waves of Grain biscuits, breads, muffins, sticky buns, and cheese sticks are so extraordinary, and why this bakery earns top rank in the Roadfood Pantheon. The friendly little shop turns out some of the most delicious baked goods I have tasted north of the San Francisco Bay. During a three-day visit to Cannon Beach, I got breakfast there every morning and even managed to nab some focaccias and quiches for lunch, followed by dessert of chocolate buttermilk cupcakes and blueberry cream cheese bars.

Still, it was frustrating not to be able to try everything on the bakery shelves. It all looks so good, and everything I ate was memorable. Of particular note are the big Tillamook cheese biscuit with its crisp edges and creamy inside, the crusty cheese sticks, and the elegant sticky bun (which I got one morning still hot from the oven, praise be!). Good coffee and espresso drinks are made from organic, fair-trade beans roasted in town by an outfit called the Sleepy Monk.

Cheese Stick

Cupcake

Cheese Biscuit

Gooseberry Tart

Blueberry Scone

Sticky Bun

Raisin Bran Muffin

Quiche

Focaccia

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