The Apple Pie Bakery Café has more than just apple pie. The bakery/café also has savory and sweet options waiting to be discovered, and at a good price. The Apple Pie Bakery Café, which is part of the Culinary Institute of America’s diverse restaurants, is located on the CIA’s campus in Hyde Park, New York.
Student involvement with the bakery is a key aspect in helping the bakery run smoothly.
“There are multiple sections where students work in the café,” said Matthew Waldron, general manager of operations. “It is one of their classes. The students are both in front of house and in back of house, where the food is produced. Students are doing a great deal of the cooking. They’re also student workers who assist because we are the busiest outlet on our campus.”
Using local products is very important to the CIA.
“Because we are in the Hudson Valley, we use local products whenever possible,” Waldron said. “The majority of our produce and protein comes from local producers.”
Being environmentally friendly is also not taken lightly. Many of the to-go products used at the café are biodegradable and compostable. The majority of their products are made from recycled materials as well. In the café, trash is sorted to make sure that everything that can be recycled is being recycled. Furthermore, the café also composts food waste as well.
As for affordable items for students at the café, there is a bounty. For breakfast items, there are muffins, bagels and croissants all for under $3, along with many of their coffee items under $4. If you’re looking for something sweeter, the café’s “most popular product,” the apple pie, is only $3.50 a slice. Many of their cookies and breads are under $3 per cookie or slice and the pastries and bakery cases are beautifully displayed. It makes it hard to say no to dessert.
When I went to the Apple Pie Bakery Café, I wanted to highlight the ultimate comfort food: mac and cheese. The mac and cheese is described on the menu as “tubetti pasta, tilamook cheddar cheese, parmigiano-reggiano and topped with crisp bread crumbs.”
For only $9, it was truly a culinary treat for my wallet and my tastebuds. This mac and cheese would be perfect to warm up with on a chilly fall day; it’s filling and delicious. The bread crumbs on top in addition to the various cheeses gave this dish a more adult feel to the regular grade school mac and cheese.
I’m excited to go back and try breakfast with a side of apple pie.
The Apple Pie Bakery can be found on Facebook or at applepiebakerycafe.com.