Popular local bread returns to production at new bagel shop
Jasmeen Barnes stopped making bread in 2015 and put her bread making company, Rise, on indefinite hold while she started her salon, Twig, on Albany Street. Cazenovians, who would buy every loaf of her bread at the Saturday farmer’s market within an hour of the market opening, were saddened by the news.
But, starting April 28, those bread lovers can be happy once again.
Barnes is collaborating with Kelly and Kevin McGreevy, owners of Cazenovia Bagel Co., to reprise her signature bread recipes and offer them for sale once more.
“It’s been really humbling to get the feedback; I still get so many questions about [Rise],” Barnes said “People kept wanting me to bring it back, and I never really said no. So I didn’t really hesitate when Kevin and Kelly asked me to collaborate with them.”
“This is just another hole in the market,” Kelly McGreevy said on how and why this collaboration came about. “Since Jasmeen left, people just want great artisan bread … We are so lucky that she was willing to do this with us.”
The McGreevys opened their bagel shop three months ago, offering authentic New York City bagels and bialys with various cream cheese flavors, breakfast and lunch sandwiches and locally roasted coffee. Practically everything sold in the shop is sourced from local businesses and farms when available.
The McGreevy’s were looking to add fresh-baked bread to the shop and approached Barnes — one of their best friends — about the idea. “It was a no-brainer,” Barnes said. “When we stopped Rise we were just getting good … Now we’ve got the team, we’ve got the recipes, we’ve got everything. The product we made here [in the initial test runs] was by far the best I’ve ever made. They have awesome ovens, a bright, effective kitchen and just great collaboration.”
The Rise bread to be offered at Cazenovia Bagel Co. will be from Barnes’ original recipes that took her years to perfect. She will train shop manager Jessica Mann (who previously owned her own bakery for eight years), then manage the production actively for about a month, Barnes said. After that, Mann will be the head bread baker.
Barnes is not leaving or closing her salon because of this new collaboration, she said.
When Rise debuts at Cazenovia Bagel Co. at 9 a.m. on Friday, April 28, there will be loaves of fresh-baked boule, ciabatta and cinnamon-raisin-walnut bread for sale — while it lasts. As always happened at the Cazenovia Farmers’ Market in years past, the bread could sell out quickly, Barnes and McGreevy said. The types of bread offered by Rise at the Cazenovia Bagel Co. may change, depending on customer feedback, and the amount of bread sold may increase or decrease, depending on how successful sales are, they said.
“All around, it’s just been very exciting,” McGreevy said. “I feel wonderful about this collaboration. Jasmeen is one of my best friends — she’s so amazing — so we’re happy she’ll take the lead with us on this.”
Barnes agreed. “I’m thrilled and humbled that they want to do this with me,” she said. “I have no reservations; I’m psyched to grow with Kelly and Kevin. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity again. I am without hesitation tickled pink.”
Cazenovia Bagel Co., located at 79 Nelson St. in the Town and Country Plaza, is open from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. For more information, email [email protected], visit cazenoviabagelco.com or find them on Facebook.
