Unless you live along the bustling, tree-lined streets of Downtown Bethlehem you may not know that an artisanal bakery sits on an inconspicuous narrow alleyway connecting Broad and Market Streets. And while this bakery is called The Granola Factory, there’s more than just granola being baked up each day. It’s here that matriarch/owner Suzanne Virgilio and family create inspired comfort food to go and traditional baked goods you only wish you had the time and talent to make.
It all began in 1988 when Suzanne and her husband, Robert, purchased The Bethlehem Inn. Circa 1845, the Colonial-style property was the perfect place for these newlyweds to operate (and occupy) a bed and breakfast where Virgilio could show off her culinary prowess. She began experimenting with her now-famous honey pecan granola recipe which was an instant hit with guests who wanted to take it home by the bagful. So the couple created a commercial kitchen in their basement and soon began churning out pounds of granola. Demand grew and so did Virgilio’s desire to expand her food business.
It was Robert who spotted an ideal retail space adjacent to the B&B’s back door. He passed the former Deschler’s Seafood on his daily errands and happened to meet the owner just as he was thinking of selling. “It was fate,” she says. The Virgilios bought it right away and in the fall of 2006 The Granola Factory opened its doors. The location of their operation may not be the most visible spot for a business but attracting the neighbors wasn’t hard to do. They knew the granola was good and interest in Virgilio’s other offerings came pouring in.
“My initial thought was to just offer baked goods, Friday to Sunday. But I knew we couldn’t survive doing just baked goods. People don’t have time to travel to five stores to get all of their food,” Virgilio says. So she expanded the menu to include some of her favorite savory recipes. Sandwiches evolved into soups and salads, which then grew to include individually packaged dinners showcasing Virgilio’s ability to put a twist on traditional home cooking. “I loved cooking ever since I got my Easy Bake oven. My mother always cooked so it is a sense of comfort for me to cook and bake,” explains Virgilio, who has also taught home economics at Easton Area High School for more than 33 years.
Beef Bourguignon, short ribs, lobster mac and cheese (made with fresh lobster from Martha’s Vineyard), are all inspired by Virgilio’s family recipes and the likes of Ina Garten, Martha Stewart and the iconic Betty Crocker. Experimentation also leads to recipe success, as was the case with Virgilio’s famous Bethlehem Bars (an oatmeal-shortbread cookie with chocolate, caramel, roasted pecans and an oatmeal crumb topping).
Suzanne Virgilio's Kitchen Essentials • King Arthur flour • Rubber spatula • Heavy duty baking sheets (absolutely essential for baking granola) • Parchment paper
Neighbors became repeat, loyal customers and were understanding when the Virgilios had to cut back hours even more to accommodate their growing granola production. They produce 300 to 500 pounds of granola a day, several days a week. This fulfills orders for their packaged granola sold in 40 Wegmans, three Fresh Markets, one Whole Foods and Valley Farm Markets, not to mention the large wholesale orders where their granola is used to assemble yogurt parfaits and desserts through various food distributors. And it takes all hands on deck to make sure that everything runs smoothly.
Sons Mitchell, 20, and Peyton, 14, mix and package granola while two full-time bakers, Sue Marsh and Megan Newton, help to keep up the pace. Oldest son Calvin, 25, can be credited with some of their recent expansion, who to the surprise of his parents, left his corporate job in finance and returned home to help out with marketing the family business. Now they need most of the week to bake, fill and distribute orders, leaving just Thursday and half of Friday for the retail space to be open. And that’s just September through May.
Virgilio still plans to teach for the next few years, though she and her husband sold the inn this summer to focus on The Granola Factory. A natural-born teacher, Virgilio hopes to one day conduct on-site cooking classes and show people how to prepare the recipes that mean so much to her. “My recipes come straight from the family dinners I prepare each Sunday,” she says. “What I offer customers is an extension of that. It’s truly a labor of love.”
Fall Harvest Salad of Roasted Beets, Mushrooms & Shallots with Maple-Sherry Vinaigrette
Roasted Vegetables
4-5 medium beets, scrubbed and trimmed, but not peeled1 dozen Cremini mushrooms, wiped clean with a damp paper towel4 medium shallots, peeled and roughly chopped4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oilKosher salt
Preheat oven to 450° F. Line a heatproof glass dish with aluminum foil in a crisscross fashion. Halve the beets and place cut side down on cutting board; cut into 3/4-inch wedges. Place cut beets in medium bowl and toss with 2 Tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Transfer to foil-lined baking dish, arrange in single layer and tightly seal foil. Roast for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully open foil (be careful of the steam!). Use a fork to pierce beets. If beets are still firm, reseal foil and return to oven for 10 more minutes until tender. Remove from oven, open foil packet and allow to cool before handling.
Cut mushrooms in half and place in bowl with rough-chopped shallots. Toss with 2 Tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place on flat baking tray and place in same oven as beets for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, stir and return to roast for another 5 minutes. Remove from baking tray and place in a bowl to cool. When beets are cooled, add to bowl with mushrooms and shallots and toss to combine flavors.
Maple-Sherry Vinaigrette
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil4 Tablespoons sherry vinegar1 Tablespoon maple syrup1 rounded teaspoon Dijon mustard8 mint leaves, finely chopped (optional)1 smashed glove of garlic
Combine all ingredients (except garlic) in a liquid measuring cup or bowl in the order listed; use a fork to whisk well. After whisking, add garlic, cover and refrigerate until serving. Before serving, place dressing in microwave for 1 minute to warm, then remove garlic glove. Stir to emulsify all ingredients.
Salad Greens
A generous mix of radicchio, escarole and frisee
To plate, lightly drizzle greens with 3-4 Tablespoons of dressing. Toss to coat and plate. Add 2-3 Tablespoons of dressing to room temperature roasted vegetables and toss to coat. Add to greens and garnish with goat cheese and toasted walnuts, if desired.
Asian-Style Braised Short Ribs with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes
Asian-Style Braised Short Ribs
5 lbs. beef short ribs, cut into 4-oz. portions (use a mix of with & without bone)1 cup light soy sauce1/4 cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed1 stalk lemongrass, halved and smashed1 generous Tablespoon minced fresh ginger1/2 cup light brown sugar1 quart homemade beef stock or good quality low sodium beef stock1 bunch scallions, sliced on diagonal (white part only, save sliced green tops for garnish)2 Tablespoons corn oil3/4 teaspoon crushed pepper flakes
Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, combine soy, rice wine vinegar, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, brown sugar, crushed red pepper flakes, beef stock and scallions. Stir well until sugar dissolves. Set aside. Place 2 Tablespoons of corn oil in a wide stock Dutch oven; heat until almost smoking. Using tongs, add short ribs to pan about 5 at a time (don’t overcrowd). Brown short ribs on all sides until nicely caramelized. Remove and place on platter. Continue until all beef has been browned. Return short ribs to Dutch oven, packing tightly to maintain one layer. Carefully pour soy mixture over ribs. Place on medium high burner and bring to a simmer. Once a simmer is reached, turn off heat and cover with lid. Place in preheated oven and bake for about 3 hours, until meat is very tender and falling off the bone.
Carefully remove ribs from Dutch oven to a platter. Drain the fat off the cooking liquid and return to Dutch oven. Now place Dutch oven onto medium high burner and bring to simmer. Reduce the liquid until only 1 1/2 cups remain. Strain sauce and discard solids. Return ribs to Dutch oven and coat with sauce. Return to oven for 10 minutes to allow the sauce to macerate the ribs.
Wasabi Mashed Potatoes
3 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large, equal-sized piecesSalted water8 Tablespoons butter, cut into pieces3/4 cup heavy cream, heated2 Tablespoons roasted garlic2–4 oz. package of frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed very dry1 Tablespoon wasabi paste to tasteSalt and pepper
Place cut potatoes in large stockpot. Cover with cold water and a generous amount of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender. Meanwhile, place squeezed dried spinach in blender and carefully add warm cream. Blend until spinach is liquefied and set aside. Drain potatoes thoroughly. Pass through a food mill into a large bowl. Add butter, hot cream mixture and roasted garlic puree. Add wasabi and salt and pepper to your liking.
Serves 4
Roasted Pear, Apple and Quince Crostata
Roasted Fruit
3 firm ripe pears3 apples (preferably Fuji or Gala)1 quince1/2 cup granulated sugar3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger1 cinnamon stick4 whole cloves3-4 Tablespoons apple cider
Preheat oven to 375° F. Peel, quarter and core pears, apples and quince, then cut into 1-inch chunks. Toss fruit with sugar, lemon juice, ginger, cinnamon stick, cloves and 2 Tablespoons apple cider. Transfer to large shallow baking sheet and roast, stirring once or twice until fruit is very soft and caramelized, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and add remaining 1-2 Tablespoons apple cider, scraping caramelized juices from bottom of baking pan. Discard cinnamon stick and cloves. Allow to cool completely in pan.
Pastry Dough
2 1/2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour3/4 teaspoon kosher salt2 Tablespoons granulated sugar2 sticks (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes1/2 cup plus 1-4 Tablespoons ice water
In a food processor, combine flour, salt and granulated sugar. Process to combine. Add cold butter and pulse mixture until it resembles coarse meal (butter should be “pea-size”). Pour 1/2-cup ice water over dough and process mixture (it should begin to form a ball around the processor blade). If needed, add additional water 1 Tablespoon at a time, but only if mixture is very dry. Remove dough from processor and divide dough into 6 equal portions. Gently shape into balls and flatten slightly. Place dough ball on lightly floured surface and roll into a 12-inch round (it does not have to be a perfect circle). Place rolled round onto parchment-lined tray and repeat with remaining dough balls. The dough can be refrigerated up to 1 day, let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before assembling crostata.
Brown Sugar Filling
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened1/2 cup packed light brown sugar1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar2 eggs1 teaspoon vanilla1/4 cup flourSaltGranulated sugar
Beat together butter and sugars in a large bowl using an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low, then add flour and a pinch of salt; mix until just combined. Divide and spread evenly in pastry shells.
Preheat oven to 375° F. Scatter roasted fruit with juices over filling. Fold edge of pastry over filling to partially cover. Pleat dough as necessary. Brush folded pastry edge lightly with egg wash (egg mixed with water) and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake on baking sheet until filling is puffed and set and pastry is golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool enough to serve warm, about 1 1/2 hours.
Serves 6
