Anne Mayhew wanted to learn how to bake “really good bread,” and with three kids under the age of four, it was an ambitious endeavor. She mastered sourdough while her kids slept, and soon her friends began asking to buy her loaves. From there, it snowballed, and she named her home bakery LMNOP Bakery, as in the letters of the alphabet (they’re pronounced individually and don’t stand for anything).
Seven years later, on October 26, 2022, Anne and her husband Jesse opened a storefront bakery on Katonah Avenue, filling the void that the Baker’s Cafe left when they closed in 2001. At LMNOP, which is open Wednesday – Saturday, everything is a crowd favorite.
“We pretty much sell out of everything we make, and we make as much as we can,” says Jesse. “But the bread is what really pulls people in.”
“They come for the bread, and then they grab a pastry, a baked good or some coffee,” Anne adds. “But it’s all about the bread. Our sandwiches are becoming very popular, and I make more cookies than I ever thought I’d make.”
But what we love about LMNOP is that they bake everything – breads, pastries, cookies – with simple ingredients and healthy whole grains, and they’re all delicious. We’re big fans of their bread (which we slice and freeze, per Anne’s recommendation) as well as the cookies and the pastries.
“We don’t have very white grocery store bread or white pastries,” says Jesse. “We try to educate our customers; we teach people why we do it, what makes it better for you and why ingredients matter. A big part of why we wanted a front-facing space is so people can see how it’s made.”
To watch Anne and her crew bake, head upstairs – it’s worth a peek if you’ve never seen a professional bakery at work. And if it looks like fun, you’re in luck. In the not-too-distant future, LMNOP hopes to offer baking classes. And while you may or may not see us at those, you’ll definitely see us downstairs grabbing a loaf of bread, pastries and a coffee while saying hello to whatever neighbors or friends happen to be there as well.
This article was published in the January/February 2023 print edition of Katonah Connect.
Gia Miller is an award-winning journalist and the editor in chief/co-publisher of Katonah Connect. She says she’s living the dream she never knew she had. Gia enjoys telling people’s stories, laughing at her crazy dog and a good podcast. She thanks multiple alarms, fermented grapes and her husband for helping her get through each day. Her love languages are food and humor.
