It’s Summer
As we approach the “real” start of summer here at the bakery, which starts on the 4th of July, my thoughts turn to my mom and her extended family, who created a home for us all to gather and allow time to stand still just for the briefest of moments.
It’s a story that began about 1923 or so with my Great Grandfather Epstein, an immigrant peddler from Chicago, by way of Hartford WI., on his way to meet his brother in LaCrosse, with his son Louis in tow. He must have been taking Highway O, which goes in that direction. He stopped at what he thought was a rooming house,
The story goes that he was looking for a place to spend a few days and knocked on the door of a home where Mrs. Lee and her daughter Elizabeth were living.
These two remarkable women were facing their own real life challenges. Mr. Lee had suddenly passed away from a heart attack. He left them in considerable debt and taxes to be paid on a large amount of acreage including Lake Lee which he built from a trickle of spring water. Seeing their need for a place to stay the ladies gave up a room for my great grandfather and Louis.
This part of the story is fuzzy, but somehow Great Grandpa Epstein had noticed in walks around the area, that the soil was extremely sandy and not good for growing crops but that a type of moss that thrives in this kind of swampy boggy soil was flourishing. Fast forward, this area also produces a large amount of cranberries to this day.
Grandpa Epstein started drying this moss and selling it to floral distributors in Chicago, and a business was born.
Louis and Elizabeth end up falling in love, marry, grow the family business and have kids of their own. At the same time Polio was a huge scare for young children (sound familiar), so my grandmother said to my grandfather “let’s find a cabin near Pa in Wisconsin.”
We now occupy that home where the Lee’s and the Epstein's first met. It’s a place filled with lots of memories, emotions, rituals and warmth. A place we return to as a family at this time of year to celebrate summer, the 4th and the remarkable people that have graced this house and spent endless hours telling stories on our porch.
This is also the time of year of my Mom’s passing, so my thoughts turn to her and her family, who created a place for us to come together. A place that just for the briefest of moments allows time to stand still.
But what does this have to do with pastry, especially in the throws of summer? Well, if you are lucky, you will be invited to someone’s lake house, roof top pool, boat, brunch, club, want to surprise someone at summer camp, or you just want to stock your freezer to be ready for company you’ll be hosting.
And what a better way to say thanks and I love you than to bring or send some homemade baked treats.