Back In The Day Bakery: Savannah, GA

Excerpted from Back in the Day Bakery Made with Love by Cheryl Day and Griffith Day Artisan Books Copyright © 2015 Photo by Angie Mosier

“We hung that American flag in the bakery with pride,” says Cheryl, who learned to bake from her grandmother during childhood summers spent in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. “Bakers put so much thought into making things using these Old World methods. Some of those are European techniques, but we decided that it was a good thing to be all-American bakers. It’s very honest. It’s who we are.”

Cheryl and Griffith believe in the power of simplicity. Yet they don’t sacrifice their personal style, adding a touch of the Day dazzle to all their downhome dishes. Cheryl puts a Creole spin on the classic brownie, topping hers with New Orleans-style chicory and coffee-infused ganache. Griff takes his turnovers from traditional to tropical, packing them with guava paste and sweet Neufchâtel cheese in his Southern interpretation of the Cuban pastelito.

Photo courtesy Cheryl and Griffith Day

Cheryl runs Back in the Day’s front of house and creates the dessert menu. To really make a connection with her customers, Cheryl says she likes to think of herself as that aunt who was the best baker in the family. Since the beginning, Back in the Day’s bestseller has been Cheryl’s Old-Fashioned Cupcake, a fluffy vanilla cupcake frosted with vanilla buttercream. Her Coconut Cake and Bourbon Bread Pudding—made with day-old ciabatta and topped with raisins—are the best versions from your childhood. Ask for a fried egg and a slice of candied bacon inside the warm, flaky perfection that is her grandmother’s Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuit recipe, and be transported back to a time when things moved a little slower and seemed a little softer around the edges. Griffith works the back of house and creates the savory menu. Sink your teeth into one of his melty Pimento Pig Sandwiches, thick-cut apple-smoked bacon and pimento cheese in a homemade ciabatta roll, or a Bacon and Jam Empanada filled with Griff’s signature jam—a smoky blend of Vidalia onion, bourbon, coffee, and a splash of Coca-Cola. With each bite, you’ll feel the Southern stars align.

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2 COMMENTS

  1. Love, love your website. Can hardly wait to get to Savannah and visit your bakery. 🙂 Actually, I have a major question…hah!
    My husbands grandmother (from very rural Georgia) us to make him tea cakes for a afternoon snack when he returned from school. He does not remember what or how they were made. Over the years I’ve tried different recipe to no avail. You would happen to have a recipe like that, would you? If so, and you would send it , I would reward you with a lot of “old fashioned” grandma hugs. 🙂 Good luck with your bakery. Ya’ll look like you are really enjoying yourself.
    Have a wonderful Day, Suzanne

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