BARKING DOG BAKERY

Menomonie Menomonie

DOGGONE GOOD

Farmers Market-goers enjoy Barking Dog Bakery treats

words by KATE EDENBORG | photo by ANDREA PAULSETH

A Y E L L O W L A B N A M E D G Y P S Y His decades of food and baking INSPIRED THE NAME for Richard experience have inspired him to try Thomas’ most recent endeavor, Barkdifferent things. “It keeps me and the ing Dog Bakery, a popular outfit at the customer interested,” he said. “I kind Menomonie Farmer’s Market. Thomas of follow my soul and the seasons.” Cussaid Gypsy liked to have an “early tomers at the Menomonie market are morning conversation” at 4:30am with a willing to follow Thomas’ lead. barred owl. “My twin sister,

Those who come Jane, sets up the stand to the market might see his most recent “ P E O P L E L I K E and I arrive at 8am, and there is generally companion, Roma, a line waiting, where a a 5½-year-old pup, next to his stand. His T H E M B E C A U S E ‘feeding frenzy’ takes place,” Thomas said. first lab was Hobo. He is generally sold “They are all wanI TO A S T T H E out of all pastries by dering fools like me,” 10am. Some favorites Thomas said. The man behind P E C A N S I N are his sweet danishes, such as apple the popular baked walnut or peach and goods wandered into the area more than B U T T E R A N D blueberry, as well as the open-faced savory two decades ago. croissants that feature Thomas was owner of B R O W N S U G A R various meats, cheese, The Creamery Resvegetables, and herbs. taurant and Inn for 23 years and then owner A LO N G W I T H While many of the pastries are conof the River Valley sumed as customers Bakery, which he built and opened with C I N N A M O N A N D wander the market, Thomas’ breads are a partner in Durand. more likely to make

Barking Dog BakNUTMEG” it home. He said the ery has been at the Birdseed bread – market in Menomonie which was from his for three years and offers customers R I C H A R D T H O M A S , BARKING DOG BAKERY days at the Creamery – and his Honey several dozen differBrioche are the most ent types of bread, popular. danishes, and croissants, all made from Thomas also delivers a rack of scratch. His bakery items often have a bread to Marion’s Legacy (632 S. unique twist. Consider, for example, his Broadway St., Menomonie) on Fridays. caramel rolls with spiced pecans. “PeoYou will see him at the Menomonie ple like them because I toast the pecans Farmer’s Market most Wednesdays and in butter and brown sugar along with every Saturday. “A man’s got to tend to cinnamon and nutmeg,” Thomas said. his garden you know,” Thomas said.