The Bread Butler:  A new rising vendor at the market   

Before The Bread Butler opened its doors in 2020, Adreas Mergner would bring bread to his daughter’s school or when she had playdates. “People were saying it was some of the best bread they have ever eaten,” Andreas Mergner reminisced.

Mergner opened The Bread Butler during the Covid-19 pandemic after he became a stay-at-home dad when his escape room business declined because of the pandemic. Through his love of baking bread, Mergner transitioned his life toward a new business and began delivering baked goods to his customers. In April 2020 is when Mergner officially opened The Bread Butler.

Mergner says The Bread Butler relies on good reviews and word of mouth. “Really, we just want people to try it. We do have samples at the farmer’s market. Come by look at it, smell it,” Mergner said, “That’s really all we try to do at the farmer’s market is get people to try it.”

Their weekly staples include Italian-style loaves, crispy crust semolina flour loaves, and flavorful whole wheat sourdough loaves with poppy and sesame seeds. You can also find banana crumble – a moist banana bread with a coffee cake-like topping, lemon poppy cake, and peach hibiscus muffins. 

In addition to these offerings, The Bread Butler brings various items week-to-week, including baguettes, black currant croissants, challah, cheddar jalapeno loaves, ciabatta, and more.

“Market-goers are the ideal customer for us because they care about quality. We use organic flour, we mill our own whole wheat and rye, and we care about what we make. We try to make tasty stuff,” Mergner said.

All of their breads use organic, local flour. And almost all of their breads use a sourdough starter in various amounts, which can be attributed to their flavor.

The Bread Butler attends Wednesday and Saturday markets at High Rock Park. You can also find their bread at Honest Weight in Albany and their store on Central Avenue in Colonie. Flexible delivery options allow customers to pre-order by phone or on their website, thebreadbutler.com. Freshly baked bread can be delivered to your front door once a week for a small delivery fee.

The Saratoga Farmers Market is 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturdays in the food court of the Wilton Mall. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for previews of what’s fresh.