Sampling dishes and diners in and around Miami County

This week, due to the well-awaited chilly weather brought on by the late arrival of autumn, I was looking for something warm, something sweet, and something savory to eat. I wanted to cover all the bases and thought a bakery would be a good place to start. I keep traveling back to one town over and finding myself in the quaint little places of Troy. I won’t lie. Parking in the square is close to a nightmare. However, I found it might be worth it to grab a bite at the Bakehouse Bread and Cookie Company. I was initially nervous that they would only have pastries and sweet treats. So, being a member of the Gen Z community, I naturally found myself googling the menu before my arrival. That’s how I found out that the bakehouse has a lot of lunch options to offer. This even includes a soup of the day. That said, it wasn’t quite chilly enough for that this week. Instead, I landed on the ciabatta sandwich.

After venturing around in what felt like an endless loop to find a parking spot in the square, I finally made it into the bakehouse. I chose the Bakehouse Ciabatta because I’d never had artichokes on a sandwich before. That being said, I’m a die-hard spinach and artichoke dip lover, and I had an artichoke itch to scratch. I thought maybe the sandwich would have an artichoke dip vibe but in a socially acceptable way to eat for lunch, and I wasn’t disappointed. The sandwich had a thick, crunchy exterior of ciabatta toasted bread made in the adorable bakery. The ovens visible from the dining tables give the cafe a warm and cozy atmosphere. Inside the crispy ciabatta exterior was a sandwich like no other. The sandwich was a layered beginning with tasty artichokes marinated in artichoke dip-like perfection. A layer of salty capicola and prosciutto was also balanced by a garlic aioli, which absolutely destroyed my opinion of regular mayonnaise. I’m afraid I won't be able to settle for Hellmann’s again. Finally, the gooey mozzarella cheese and baby spinach layer are made for a tasty myriad of flavors in each bite. This grilled masterpiece was also, kindly served with kettle chips and a pickle spear. I was scared at first because I’m a certified bread and butter pickle hater, and I was extremely excited when I found out my pickle was a tasty dill.

I also ventured to order an item out of the bakery display case. I’ve never had a mouse before, and I wasn't sure what it was other than maybe a mix between a camel and a deer. However, the adorable passionfruit mousse sphere was eyeing me from behind the glass. I had to give it a try. The sweet, futuristic-looking dessert was a creamy chocolate and fruit-flavored treat coated in a vibrant red and orange chocolate shell. It was almost too pretty to crack open and eat. It was the perfect sweet treat to pair with an even more delicious sandwich.

I’ve never had a sandwich like this one before. Of course, you have your Italian subs and your grilled ham and cheeses, but this artichoke cheesy masterpiece is something that I’ll be thinking about for a while, at least until I can get another one. I washed down my delicious lunch with a Snickerdoodle coffee, which was surprisingly delicious for a place with no fancy espresso machines or coffee bean grinders. As someone who usually drinks more creamer in their coffee than actual coffee, I was pleasantly surprised by the delicious and full Snickerdoodle flavor. The coffee, sandwich, and mouse were all eaten with a fork in one hand and a book in the other. The bakehouse was the cutest little place to grab a quick bite to eat while catching up on my reading and enjoying a cute bakery vibe. I’ll definitely be back next time I must cure my artichoke cravings.

Bakehouse Bread & Cookie Company is located at 317 Public Sq SW, Troy.