Rooted in Rider’s backyard: The Gingered Peach bakery

By Teagan Rotella and Madison Lewis

The scent of cinnamon and raspberry permeated through the air on Feb. 5 at the Bart Luedeke Center. A table was stationed in front of the Muller’s Pub entrance, visible to the students scouring for a snack. Icing-coated confectionery and powdered pound cakes adorned the table as students flocked to the treats.

From Roots to Recipes: A Black History Month Celebration, hosted by Rider Dining, plans to feature local Black and African American-owned businesses once every week. Students can enjoy free food samples while simultaneously exposing their palates to restaurants in Rider’s own backyard.

The big question was: where had all of these perfectly scented sweets come from? Answer: The Gingered Peach.  

A Black-owned bakery located five minutes away from Rider, The Gingered Peach, was founded in 2014 by Joanne Canady-Brown.

The pastry chefs handcraft all of their baked goods, like cinnamon buns, guava and cheese danishes, butter pound cakes and oatmeal raspberry bars. Out of all the baked goods, the cinnamon buns and guava and cheese danishes were undoubtedly the favorites among the crowd, as some eagerly returned for second helpings.

Many students highlighted the welcoming and warm atmosphere of this event, with the staff and students politely chatting, filling the room with comfortable banter.

Freshman social media strategies major Hennesys Mora-Luna lives far from campus and said she liked how the event provided exposure for a business near Rider.

With residential students being obligated to have a meal plan, trying local gems may not be high on their bucket list, so being able to taste test the food of a restaurant before making the voyage to the establishment can be convenient and accessible to students who have busy schedules.

Sophomore musical theater major Kat Gedmin said, “I don’t have much time to go to events on campus, so it’s nice that it’s right here where I eat and where I’m running to my next class, so I can be a part of it on the way.”

While some students may see the weekly event as a chance to snag some free food, others visualized a bigger-picture purpose to the occasion, seeing the promotion of neighboring Black-owned businesses in this way as essential, worthwhile and delicious.

Senior political science major Zoey Pangburn said, “During things like Women’s History Month and Black History Month, it’s important to highlight the group that we are honoring.”

On Feb.12, Daly Dining Hall will be serving recipes from Sweet Home Cafe housed in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, which further aims to enlighten students on both culture and cuisine.

Geo Stephens, a freshman undecided major, emphasized how events like From Roots to Recipes can encourage other people who have similar aspirations by showing them that it is possible to achieve their goals.

Junior graphic design major Athaiah Wallace also observed that the timing of the tabling for From Roots to Recipe is imperative within the current social and political climate.

She said, “I think it’s very important, especially with everything that’s happening in today’s world, that we shine lights on not only Black-owned businesses, but minority businesses in general.”