This past Saturday I headed to St. Cloud planning to stop at a couple of my favorite food and “bevie” stores sans family. Tis a luxurious thing to me gathering good groceries ala Han Solo.

I was saving the best stop for last, Good Earth Food Co-op. I walked in the familiar front doors, and braced myself for the lovely site of loaves upon loaves of fresh baked, dense, hard on the outside, soft on the inside Fred’s Bread. Truly the best bread I have ever tasted in this country. So close to what I had experienced in Europe at every breakfast. Fred’s Bread barely made it the half hour trek home usually, and was always the first thing eaten when I got home- a slice of Mega Grain or Flaxseed Oatmeal with a big slab of butter, or hummus, or pesto. I’d fry up some Smart Bacon for dinner, just to incorporate it into the evening meal through a BLT sandwich. I had once sent it off to Northfield to impress D & C from Goodbye Blue Monday Coffeehouse (they aren’t easily impressed by amateur baked goods-Fred’s was oh so not an amateur). Fred had traveled all through Europe learning the style, recipes, bringing back ovens from Italy, he was a rock star living in my back yard. His bread had a cult following.

So I walk into the co-op and there is a great big note on the Fred’s Bread display case, which was custom made by Fred. This article taken from the St. Cloud Times basically sums up the letter-

Fred’s Bread closes because of injury
 By Amy Trang, atrang@stcloudtimes.com

July 11, 2007
CLEARWATER TOWNSHIP — A longtime area baker has closed up shop.

Fred’s Bread closed Friday after owner Fred Mische said an injury has sidelined him from operating the business.

Mische said he injured his ankle in an accident late last month that has prevented him from baking.

As a one-person business, Mische said it would be difficult to bake and deliver his goods.

Mische’s breads were delivered daily to area businesses including the Good Earth Food Co-Op and Jules’ Bistro in St. Cloud and Manea’s Meats in Sauk Rapids.

But Mische’s bread won’t be gone for good. Mische said he plans on pursuing other ventures in the future that would involve his baked goods.

Mische’s wholesale business also shipped bread and pastries as far as Alaska and Florida.

Fred’s Bread was established in January 1999.

A former educator, Mische built a commercial kitchen for Fred’s Bread, including importing an Italian bread oven for his business.

Okay, folks, I only wish I could have anticipated this…I would have bought 12 loaves, crammed them into my freezer and savored each crumb.  Come to think of it, I may have a heel (maybe a bit on the stale side) hidden behind some frozen peas.  Yes!!!!

 I wish Fred the best, his bread will be so missed by so many.  I just might have to learn to bake my own bread now, and I’m still trying to decode his Napolean Pull Apart Cookie-buttercream frosting sandwiched by two chocolate oatmeal almond delights.  Heaven.  Get your own, ’cause I’m a bad sharer.