South Evanston News Issue #2

Local Baker Shares His Holiday Thoughts

Evanston, IL (South Evanston Newswire) — When asked about the role and responsibility of being the local baker, especially during the holidays, Oran Rankin, 59, and Head Bread Guy of Button Bakery, shared his thoughts.

“I have always loved baking bread for the holidays. Getting to work super early, firing up the coffee maker, picking out some music, and trying to settle into that elusive ‘zone’ is such an important part of big production nights. I love thinking about all of the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners in which our breads and baked-goods have played a part and it gives me a real sense of joy.”

But sometimes, Murphy’s Law likes to visit during those busy holiday weeks.

Rankin recalled one year as he swung an eighty-quart bowl onto the big Hobart mixer and sheared off the positioning pin. A lag bolt saved the night. Another time, during a snowy winter, he had to climb into a dumpster to retrieve a scorched oven motor. And yet another night, at their former Village Baker location in Spring Lake, Michigan, the oven’s motor was partly melted from blown-out flames — but still managed to limp through the night.

Eventually a new motor replaced it — but amusingly — that brand new one also died during another high-volume Christmas week. He ran back to the dumpster, found the old half-dead motor, bolted it in, wired it up… and it worked.

This year, Rankin says, he expects fewer mechanical surprises.

“What I do foresee is making all of my favorite Thanksgiving and Christmas breads and dinner rolls.”

Button Bakery’s classic dinner rolls — made with milk, baker’s patent flour, water, butter, eggs, sugar, salt and yeast — remain a holiday staple. Customers are encouraged to order early.

Pastry Chef Kate and her assistant Megan will be baking a festive array of sweets. Locals rave about Kate’s Carrot Cake, and Megan’s Christmas and Hanukkah cookies are elaborately decorated works of art.

Rankin will also continue baking customer favorites like San Francisco Sourdough, Cranberry Walnut, Apple-Cranberry and Pumpkin pies.

And, as always, his signature holiday Stollen returns — perfected since 2011 — made with rum- and vodka-macerated fruit, spices, long fermentation, triple-lobed shaping, and orange-vanilla glaze.

“They are truly delicious and make the perfect gift,” Rankin says.

Sampling begins early December and Stollen will be available throughout Christmas and New Year’s.

Photo credits: Sara Rathbun, the Baker’s Wife.

Button Bakery Hours (Holiday Season)

Thanksgiving Week
• Tue & Wed — OPEN
• Thu & Fri — CLOSED
• Small Business Saturday — OPEN

Christmas Week
• Tue — OPEN
• Wed (Christmas Eve) — OPEN to 4pm
• Thu (Christmas Day) — CLOSED
• Fri & Sat — OPEN

New Year’s Week
• Tue — OPEN
• Wed (NYE) — OPEN to 4pm
• Thu (New Year’s Day) — CLOSED
• Fri & Sat — OPEN

Winter Break
Jan 6–15 — CLOSED