Hominy Farm bread builds a following despite quarantine

FIRED UP: Sydney Rubin and Eli Je Bailey warm up in front of the Turtle Rock wood-fired oven where he bakes Hominy Farm breads from locally grown and milled grains. Photo by Camilla Calnan

Artist Sydney Rubin and bread baker Eli Je Bailey had no intention of buying a house in Asheville when they landed in the area in October 2018 from their native Florida. “We were living in a friend’s basement,” says Rubin. “I was teaching art at the Montessori School in Hendersonville, and Eli was baking at OWL.”

“This house popped up for sale, and we went to see it because it was Dave Bauer’s, and we’re huge fans of his and Farm & Sparrow,” Bailey confesses with a laugh.

When the revered founder of Farm & Sparrow mill told them that he wanted to sell the property to a young baker, “It felt like it was meant to be,” says Rubin.

In January 2019, the couple bought the house and the building next door — complete with a wood-fired brick oven built by Turtle Rock Masonry — that had once been the home of Farm & Sparrow Bakery. Bailey spent months learning the process of wood-fired baking before debuting their business, Hominy Farm, at the River Arts District Farmers Market in February.

The launch preceded by just six weeks the closures due to COVID-19. While the impact of the shutdown was dire for many businesses, Bailey says that even with the restrictive distancing measures and remote payment procedures put in place at tailgate markets, he’s seen an increased interest in his breads.

“It seems that a lot of people have realized the importance of shopping small and local from people who they know and trust,” says Bailey. “It has also offered us the opportunity to give back to our community by donating loaves to service workers, doctors, nurses and people who have been laid off due to COVID-19.”

Hominy Farm’s menu of six naturally leavened breads, made with 100% organic, locally milled grains and flour, gives a nod to Bailey’s Lebanese heritage. “I first thought I’d be doing baguettes and ciabatta, but when I sent a picture of the oven to my Lebanese grandma, she told me it looked like the village oven in Hakur, where she grew up. So it made sense to draw from my Middle Eastern roots.”

Since its launch, the bakery’s most popular items have remained gan de mie loaves and manoushe, a Lebanese flatbread topped with dried herbs and sesame seeds. Hominy Farm also sells weekly at the North Asheville Tailgate Market and by monthly subscription through its website. “We love doing markets because we can talk directly to people about our bread,” says Bailey. “I’m kind of a freak about it.”

For more on Hominy Farm, visit avl.mx/75h.

Correction: This article was updated on May 29 to accurately reflect ownership of Hominy Farm. 

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Kay West
Kay West was a freelance journalist in Nashville for more than 30 years, contributing writer for the Nashville Scene, StyleBlueprint Nashville, Nashville correspondent for People magazine, author of five books and mother of two happily launched grown-up kids. To kick off 2019 she put Tennessee in her rear view mirror, drove into the mountains of WNC, settled in West Asheville and appreciates that writing offers the opportunity to explore and learn her new home. She looks forward to hiking trails, biking greenways, canoeing rivers, sampling local beer and cheering the Asheville Tourists.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.