Percolate, run. Water, fall.

Stories, find.

Baldwin's Pond in Meriden, Connecticut on a sunny March day. Wondering about why the dam was placed here and originally built.

An excerpt of pages, image that is linked back to acres of history.

Across the road, a colorful crocus display on a steep bank. Lovely and so appreciated, the numerous purple, white, orange blooms.

An agricultural past, a community that has preserved the open space that serves as a greenspace. Farms with stands, public gathering places yet to open. But their season will be arriving soon.

March is all seasons in one month. Blasts of wind. Flowers blooming in the sun's warmth. Hot almost. Back to freezing, temperatures drop. Fooled you.

“French troops under General Rochambeau camped in these meadows in 1781 on their way to meet General Washington in New York and, later, Yorktown.”

🐏https://t.co/4KZfOXqYNM

Ram Pasture, 1705. pic.twitter.com/yGSZeENLDj

— Moo Dog Press (@MooDogPress) March 25, 2023

Food connects us all, in the past and at present. Troops need food and while visiting this town, imagined the campfires and hunger satiated (or perhaps not) by local game, local farms and maybe the community offerings.

And about growing, here is a business you should know about.

We had some absolutely amazing sponsors come through recently 🥰

And from their donations, we have 8 jars of 💙Naadą́ą́' Dootł'izhí🌽 Seeds available to any aspiring Indigenous farmer &/or seedkeeper.

Shipping is covered. Message me if you are interested. pic.twitter.com/e0oZD4Cgg2

— Graham Tome Biyáál (@gbeyale) March 22, 2023

Now a story that originally appeared in March 2018. My mother once worked at a local bakery and love it. The interaction with people, the delectable goods offered in a glass showcase. Baking happened in the back of the building, now re-purposed as a dental clinic.

Babka And Goodies – Limpa Bread Too — Elmwood Pastry Shop & Coffee Bar

Spring means holidays, food, gatherings. Traditions.

The go-to place for Limpa bread, which is Swedish dark rye, a traditional holiday staple, is Elmwood Pastry Shop and Coffee Bar, 1136 New Britain Ave. in West Hartford, Connecticut. They also make another version known as “Vort” Limpa – ingredients include stout beer, orange peels, molasses, honey.

Ah, but the regional specialties.

In addition to Limpa breads, there is Swedish cardamon bread. Finskapina shortbread cookies. Danish kringles. Polish angel wings and babka – cheese, chocolate or raisin.

French butter cookies. Croissants. French horns, eclairs, turnovers. Italian cannolis, tiramisu, and clam shells (Sfogliatelle). Greek baklavas and bird's nests. English buttermilk tea cakes, scones.

Irish soda bread, raisin bread. Jewish rye, hammentash, rugaluch. German stollen and German chocolate cake. More.

Winalski does his artistry in edible creations, traditional and inspired limited run goods such as a Snickerdoodle donut – inspired, baked, gone – almost as quickly as photos of the drizzled-with-topping gems were posted to the bakery's Facebook page.

Bagels, breads and rolls, pastries, pies; they do wedding cakes and catering too.

Babka: A loaf-shaped coffee cake made with sweet yeast dough to which raisins, chocolate, or nuts may be added – as defined by Oxford Living Dictionaries.

If there is something you are yearning for, simply ask as odds are they make it. Everything is hand made from scratch daily – no preservatives or fillers.

This family-owned business (since 1948) – “Home of the original Viking Limpa bread, a Swedish specialty… we're the only ones who can make the original.”

According to an entry on WiseGeek:

“Limpa bread is a traditional Swedish rye bread which is flavored with molasses, anise, and orange peel. When well made, Limpa bread is moist and extremely flavorful with a rich, almost intoxicating odor. This bread is extremely popular in Sweden and in areas with a large Swedish population; if you happen to be fortunate enough to be living near Swedes, you can probably find a bakery which makes Limpa bread. This bread can also be made at home. There are a wide range of uses for Limpa bread. The slightly sweet flavor pairs well with butter as a breakfast food or snack, especially when the bread is still warm. Vört Limpa, as it is known in Sweden, is also a popular offering during the holiday season, although it can be enjoyed at any time of the year. The bread also pairs well with naturally sweet spreads like cream cheese, jams, and preserves…”

Donuts are another hot item which draws customers from far and near. The “honey dips” are a special glazed donut made with the recipe from the 1939 World's Fair, brought to Connecticut by the Winalski family.

Creme-filled donuts are made with fresh icing and here is where to find (yes!) cruellers – plain, powdered, cinnamon. Old fashioneds. Jelly donuts, glazed ones, chocolate iced, or topped with sprinkles. Tasty morsels of donut holes as delicious as those remembered from childhood.

“Being sweet to you is our business!” is the motto of this special place.

Note: Elmwood Pastry Shop will ship breads, rolls and cookies anywhere in the continental U.S.; call (860) 233-2029 for more information. Also, the Viking Bakery does not exist anymore, but is also fondly remembered by many in the state – the company had great products and a fleet of distinctive delivery trucks.

Editor's note: This story first appeared in March 2018 but is worth a re-visit. Up next: A visit to the Russell Farm, Bethany history and more.