Missouri Baking Company - St. Louis

One of my largest guilty pleasures in life is the Missouri Baking Company located on The Hill in St. Louis (see map).  Since 1923, the Missouri Baking Company has been making some of the finest Italian baked goods this side of Italy.

Missouri Baking Company was founded by three brothers, the Gambaro's - Stephano, Luigi and Giuseppe.  Stephano's sons, Pasquale (Lino) and Ben, and a daughter, JoAnn, worked at the bakery while they were young and eventually took over the business. 

Initially, the family only intended to sell to restaurants in the area.  However, they found that the general public was interested in their delectible baked goods and they opened up a retail location at the corner of Edwards and Wilson on The Hill.  

Today, Lino (pictured left) and Ben - ages 91 and 87 - still stick around the business and help. Ben's children, Chris and Mimi, run the day-to-day operations.  Ben's wife, who is 85, works at the front counter with her daughter while Chris is the head baker.  

(Update - Lino passed away on August 15, 2007.  He had been working at the bakery during the morning, then left to go home and rest.  When he never made it home, his nephew went looking for him.  He was found dead in his car near the bakery.  And I believe Ben is fully retired from the place.)  

The Missouri Baking Company is like any little bakery that you'd find in any Midwestern city.  The only exception is that you won't find a donut or any thing deep oil fried any where in the place. They have that great smell when you walk in.  Situated in their display cases are cookies, rolls, desserts and pastries that look just scrumptious. 

It's always busy at Missouri Baking Company so I took my number and looked over the offerings in the case.  To my horror, they had no tiramisu.  That was the main reason I was in there.  Well, that and to get a loaf of their great Italian bread.  

When the lady called my number, I went up to the counter and said, "Please don't tell me that you don't have any tiramisu."

She got this pained look on her face and said, "I just sold the last two pieces a little while ago."

I know I immediately got a pained look on MY face and I said, "Oh boy...  And I wanted to take some back to Iowa."

She said, "Hang on a second.  Let me go check in the back." 

She left for a moment and then came back.  She said, "I had to ask very nicely, but he just got some tiramisu out and he said that he'd cut you some pieces."  

I thanked her profusely for doing that and she said, "Aw, I just know how to talk to him."  It turned out that I was talking to Mimi Lordo, one of the co-owners; and she was cajoling her brother, Chris Gambaro, the other co-owner. 

I told her that I stop at Missouri Baking Company nearly every time that I come to St. Louis for their outstanding tiramisu.  She said, "How do you transport the tiramisu?" 

I told her that I usually drive and I keep a cooler with ice in the trunk to make sure the tiramisu doesn't melt on the way home.  She was mightily impressed.  I said, "Your tiramisu is the best I've ever had.  That includes other bakeries and great Italian restaurants that I've eaten in over the years.  That's why I bring a cooler with me when I come to St. Louis."

Mimi gave me a quick little family history of the Missouri Baking Company.  She pointed out her father and uncle standing in the back - wearing their pointed little baker hats and white aprons.  She then introduced me to her mother who was working the front counter.  Remember these people are all in their mid-80's to early 90's. 

I've always loved the Missouri Baking Company, not only because their desserts, pastries and cookies are so sinfully good; but because the place is so old world in it's feel.  And now meeting some of the family who run the place makes me feel like I'm a neighborhood guy from The Hill.   

When I brought the tiramisu home that evening, I got cussed by my wife who is trying to lose the weight.  But she still ate it.

 

 

Doesn't it look great?  It's probably the best tiramisu that I've ever had... 

Comments

[Tim Lake]

Oh, man!!! Missouri Baking Company! My wife was just saying the other day that she really missed getting cannoli's there. It's tough to find them down here.