County of bakery: Franklin County
Location of bakery: W. 5th St. & Klingsick Lane, Washington
Phone: (636) 239-2300
"Evelyn Schulte is one tough cookie. "Cookie?" Did someone say "cookie?"
"Anyone who knows Evelyn knows that "cookie" could be her middle name, given that she has been making cookies - as well as other sweet treats - since 1959 when she and her husband, Leo, started Schulte Bakery on West Fifth Street.
"Through the years, Evelyn has seen thousands of cookies, doughnuts, breads, pies, wedding cakes and countless other sweets pass through the bakery's doors.
"Now, at age 78, Evelyn is having some physical challenges, including kidney failure two years ago that requires her to have dialysis three days a week.
"But this tough cookie doesn't let that stop her. She's at the bakery six mornings a week (they're closed on Mondays) at 3:30 a.m. making doughnuts.
'"I make the twists, long johns, cinnamon and Persians," she said. "After I shape them, they're deep fried."
"Through it all she keeps a positive attitude, remains active and enjoys each day. When things are the roughest, she only has to look back on the exciting life she's lived and the adventures that brought her to this moment.
Then and Now
"After the bakery opened, Leo went in at midnight and started mixing dough; Evelyn followed at 3 a.m. to start shaping. In addition, they had six employees - two of their daughters who served customers and worked the cash register - and four others.
'"Back then Fifth Street was Highway 100 and we had lots of business," Evelyn said. "After they created a new Highway 100, business slowed some, but then picked up again. Now the town is doing a lot of building this way so we still get lots of new customers."
"At the time Schulte Bakery opened there were two other bakeries in town. "One wasn't doing very well and, over time, the other (owner) retired," she said. "Today we're the only bakery in town, other than in grocery stores."
"The Schultes always have bought their milk and eggs from Siedhoff Distributing Co. in Union, and all the rest of their ingredients from places in St. Louis.
'"We've always made all our own dough and icings, also specialty items like eclairs, cream puffs, tarts and turnovers," she said.
"For holidays they take orders for homemade pies and other festive treats, but on holidays as well as a day-to-day basis, it's always difficult to calculate how much of any item to make. She noted that some days there's lots left, while other days there's not enough.
'"My husband always said if we could just judge what people might want every day it would be great," she said.
'"Sometimes someone will come in and want 10 dozen doughnuts," she added. "We may not have that many left or, if we do, then we won't have enough when other customers come in."
"Usually, if baked goods are left over, they go on the "Day Old" rack and, after that, they're pitched." ~ The Missourian, by Joan Elliott, Jan. 4, 2006