Nestled in the streets of Hamilton is a brand new bakery that will be your new obsession. Flour and Salt, located on Maple Avenue across from the Eatery, is a “homegrown bakery” selling freshly baked goods and a variety of local products. On any given morning you can walk in to find a line wrapping all the way through the shop and out the front door. Flour and Salt is popular not only for its delicious food but also for the clean and comfortable atmosphere that it provides. The decor has a hipster vibe without the “trying too hard to be hipster” feel that usually comes with coffee shops.

My personal go-to and arguably one of the more popular choices are the breakfast sandwiches. Flour and Salt offers special sandwiches that they have already designed, but you can also choose your own adventure and create your own bagel sandwich! Several of my friends had raved about the “Say Uncle” breakfast sandwich, while others opt to build their own signature sandwiches. The options are seemingly endless especially with upgraded options like the Sriracha ketchup, capers, and avocado. There are so many other alternatives besides their sandwiches, though. There is an array of freshly baked goods, fresh bagels and cream cheese, and a variety of healthy and often locally produced juices, jams, and other items. On their website, you can find the menu of their bakery items and a gallery of different pastries that they have made. The website also features a blog, with posts about the dog treats they make, new recipes that they try, and their journey as a growing business.

A grapefruit cake made by Flour and Salt and posted on their website's gallery.

A raspberry pop tart made by Flour and Salt. It will put those old silver-wrapped portraits to serious shame.

An apple cider donut made at Flour and Salt. Every bite tastes like Autumn.

One of the best parts about Flour and Salt Bakery is that it is a locally owned business. It is owned and operated by two Colgate alumni who have stayed in Hamilton. As some people may recall, they sold some of their pastries on campus last year. Today while I was in the bakery, I saw on the back shelf of one of their cabinets their first dollar bill framed. It is important to support small businesses, especially in our Hamilton community. Each and every business and the families that run them make up the fabric of this community. It’s important for the Hamilton community and especially the Colgate students to support these businesses. I am as guilty as anyone else of craving food from the chain restaurants like Dunkin and Starbucks, but the experience of contributing to a locally owned small business is truly priceless.