Waukee This Way! Five Food-Focused Reasons to Head Way Out West.

These food artisans make it worth the gas money.

I’d been curious to try WildFlour Artisanal breads for a long time now, but while I was at it, I thought I’d check out a few other food artisans in that neck of the woods. Here’s a roundup some of new-to-me finds, as well as a couple tried-and-true gems that need to be on everyone’s radar, no matter where you live in the metro area.

But first, a word: I don’t just scroll for food finds—I hit the pavement, poke around, and only bring back what’s worth your time. (Some spots didn’t make the cut.) If you value true food scouting, consider backing it with a paid subscription.

Oh, Yes. The Bread Is Worth the Drive

WildFlour Artisan
www.wildflourartisan.net

A porch in Waukee becomes a bakery stand at specific times of the week. I loved the sourdough and the five-spice ginger cookies!

First of all, WildFlour might be the best name for a small-batch baker ever, right? And I’m equally charmed by baker Clorrisa Brooks’s goods. I tried the wonderfully classic sourdough loaf ($7), which brought everything I wanted: a crackly crust, a springy interior, with flavor that was, at turns, tangy, sweet, and toasty.

I also took home a dozen magnificent five-spice molasses-ginger cookies ($12): chewy, moist, and deeply spiced. Forget mediocre monster-sized cookies. These sane-sized goodies will make you feel five times more indulged without feeling done-in.

She also had other varieties of sourdough, including garlic-rosemary, Italian three-cheese, cinnamon-raisin, and honey-cinnamon. Additional cookie flavors included sourdough-brown-butter-chocolate-chip and pumpkin-spice-snickerdoodle. She also had some pumpkin-streusel muffins available.

Selections change, so hop on WildFlour’s Facebook Page to learn what she’ll be putting out on her “Monday Porch Pickups” from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.—no preorders required. (Note, there will not be a pick-up on 9/15.) She does take pre-orders for pickups on Fridays. Learn all about it here.

Have You Ever Had a Kouign-Amann? Me Neither.

5 Borough Bakery
272 W Hickman Rd; (515) 508-1273

5boroughbakery

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I stopped into 5 Borough Bakery, which specializes in plain, filled, and otherwise fancy croissants and a few other viennoiserie, plus some sweets. I’ve been told they also have killer cinnamon rolls on Fridays and the weekend, but this was a Tuesday.

What caught my eye above all, however, was the Kouing-Amann. Seriously. All my trips to France, and I’d never even heard of this celebrated pastry from Brittany? How is that even possible?

A little digging reveals it’s a kind of croissant-like dough, made with yeast—and an almost alarming amount of butter. Some even call it the world’s most indulgent pastry. I like that it carries a shiny sugar glaze—lightly sweet, never cloying. It’s the kind of thing I’d reach for with a midmorning coffee or as an afternoon teatime treat. And most surely something I’ll seek out again.

The almond croissant seemed a little more like a sweet roll in texture than a croissant—but would that stop me from ordering it again? Not at all!

The almond croissant leaned more toward a springy sweet-roll texture than the flaky layers of a classic croissant. Once I adjusted my expectations, though, I really enjoyed it—moist, tender, and with just enough almond paste and flavor.

Civilization Ho! (At Home Sweet Cone)

1188 SE University Ave, Waukee; (515) 954-9144

Home Sweet Cone in Waukee. The day’s flavors when I visited (selections continually rotate). P.S.: They offer unlimited free samples!

Someday I’ll write about all the ways American food companies cajole us into overeating, making us unhealthy while increasing their bottom lines. Monster cookies, for starters. Or ice cream: want two flavors in one scoop? Sorry—you have to order two scoops. Generally supersized and super-priced. Nobody needs that much ice cream. So it’s one flavor … or overeat. Why, why, why?

Home Sweet Cone has this nice feature called a “split scoop”—you can get two half-scoops of ice cream, which kindly allows you to try any two flavors you wish. Thank you, Home Sweet Cone.

That’s just one of the many reasons I like this sweet artisanal ice cream shop. Other reasons—it’s just a cute shop in general, and it was staffed by a congenial crew. Oh, and the ice cream—all-natural ingredients and 16% butterfat (that’s high—in a sublime way!), make it a rich, dreamy delight. Indulgent, yes, but you’ll be very happy with much less than two giant scoops. (By the way, one dish of split-scoop was easily enough for two of us.)

We loved both the raspberry-white chocolate and the almond-sugar cookie. The latter would be absolutely dreamy over just about any double-crust fruit pie I can think of. The raspberry-white chocolate was so good we took home a pint—it can be a stand-alone dessert on its own.

At Home Sweet Cone: The little pint-sized tables and chairs melted my heart!

I’ll Probably Never Go to Waukee Sans a Stop Here

Old Station Craft Meats
450 6th St, Waukee; (515) 452-0150

Last year, my “steak crush” was a bavette steak (above)—a lovely cut of meat. This year, it’s a flat-iron steak, but only if it’s cut by a true artisanal butcher, such as those at Old Station Craft Meats.

Yes, you’ve heard me rave about this artisanal butcher before, but it’s worth repeating. I just love the meats here, and every time I go, I get a few favorites (duck breast and veal cutlets, for instance), plus ask owner Nick Lenters what I should make for dinner (depending on what I’m in the mood for).

So, for a quick-cooking steak that was Tuesday-night priced? How about a flat-iron, he suggested. I told him that about 75% of the times I’d had a flat-iron steak—either at a restaurant or at home—it had been tough and simply not that great.

He said the problem probably wasn’t the cook, but the butcher. It has to be cut just right. I took one of his beauties home, pan-fried it quickly to medium-rare, sliced it across the grain, and it was heaven—richly, deeply flavored and tender. These guys know how to cut meat.

Stop in and ask what you should cook for dinner. He’ll have an answer, I’m sure.

While You’re in the Area, Have Lunch at L.T.’s Organic Farm Restaurant

L.T.'s has seating inside a restored corncrib, as well as outdoors at picnic tables. The menu always stars organic pasture-raised chicken, though you can go vegetarian or vegan if you wish.

This post isn’t meant to cover dining options in Waukee, but as long as you’re heading out there, you might as well consider a stop at L.T.’s Organic Farm Restaurant. They’re only open for a few more weeks in the season (until mid-October), so take advantage before they close until spring.

Find fresh, joyfully healthy food that’s sourced locally and served on a farmstead a stone’s throw from Waukee. Read last year’s article—I’m glad to say that I visited this week and it’s exactly as compelling as it was a year ago.

P.S.: If you’re there around dinner time, remember, you can bring your own wine. And if it’s nice out, they have lovely picnic table seating.

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