WOW! Isn’t that what you think when you first walk into a room with fresh baked goods? That’s also what you think when you go into WOW Bakery & Café, 140 Main Street, Jackson, CA. If the scent of fresh bread, muffins, Danish and cakes don’t get you, the sights will. Let me tell you, I can spot raspberries a block away. The muffin I chose to go with my Kona coffee was stuffed with as many raspberries as it could hold. The flour even had a pink cast…no hiding them there. There was no hiding the delicious flavor either. It was a wonderful breakfast!

We also ordered Danish pastries, and some just-perfect English muffin bread to take home. The bread is to serve with other meals, but there are only two of us, so I’ll freeze half to keep it fresh. Fresh’ is very important to WOW bakery. They use nothing but the freshest ingredients with NO preservatives. That means that the flavors are true. It also means that those of us who are not fans of preservatives for reasons of health, can be sure of what we’re getting. Also, nothing goes to waste if it’s in the freezer. Every bite is a treat when it comes out.

John and Molly Ware have only been open since December 2nd. They knew about the business before they got into it though. They once had a small bakery and it was Molly’s dream to open one again. John does the baking and Molly serves the front. The place is already a treasure to the locals. Good help is important too. Michele Gill is the deli manager. She makes two kinds of fresh soups daily. Only Friday’s clam chowder is a regular offering.

Locals and tourists alike get a kick out of sandwiches named in honor of local mines and miners. If you’re in town at lunchtime, try the Argonaut. It’s a "traditional club sandwich-fresh baked turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado on toasted English muffin bread with mayonnaise," Mmmm! This is good with a cup of that fresh soup.

If salads are your favorite luncheon meal, WOW Bakery makes them fresh too. There’s a ‘House Salad’ with the nice touch of crumbled bacon, blue cheese, dried cranberries, and spiced pecans, served with the spring mix of greens and topped off with tomatoes and white balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Try the ‘Chef Salad’ or the ‘Traditional Caesar’ Salad served with strips of fresh baked chicken. Add a bowl of soup, and that’s a meal for a king. Too much food? Have a ½ sandwich with a small mixed green salad or cup of soup. That’s just right for the small appetite.

A change of pace is offered by several kinds of quiche for lunch. Bakeries aren‘t just for bread anymore. My husband, Jack, suggested I mention the cozy atmosphere provided by the bakery where he read his paper. There are seven small tables with chairs if you decide to have your soup or Danish and coffee there. Mugs are offered to use at the coffee ‘bar’ instead of the ‘to go’ paper cups. Besides the French, Italian and Kona roast, there are several others for you to enjoy. If coffee isn’t your ‘cup of tea’, there’s tea. Other beverages are in the coolers against the wall.

It’s great to see a bakery at this location once again. It has housed a bakery for 140 years. Even the forty-niners bought bread here. "Locals are the back-bone of our business," Molly said. However, it’s places like WOW Bakery & Cafe that make ‘locals’ out of ‘tourists’. WOW Bakery & Café is open 7: 00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday; Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. WOW is closed Tuesdays. Phone (209) 223-4619 for more in-formation or to order take-out for lunch. If you’re in the neighborhood, stop in and get your WOW for the day at 140 Main Street in Jackson.