The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
TASTE THE MEMORY
Kiedrowski’s Bakery makes cookies in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In the midst of baking and kneading dough for the annual Paczki Ball on Feb. 3, Kiedrowski’s Simply Delicious Bakery is fitting another popular treat in its ovens for its Martin Luther King Jr., MLK, cookie tradition.
Named as “The Best Bakery in America” by Baking Buyer Magazine and Dawn Foods, according to its website, Kiedrowski’s, 2267 Cooper Foster Park Road in Amherst, has a few slogans; one of them being: “Taste the memory in every bite.”
To follow that motto, Tim Kiedrowski, owner of the bakery, said bakers have made the cookies that represent King for over 15 years.
Rolling out dough, baking the cookies, then adding icing and edibles sheets of frosting that are photos of King are made to show support to the Baptist minister and civil activist.
According to Kiedrowski, he likes to decorate the holiday themed cookies with King’s iconic moments of the famous “I Have a Dream” speech, and another speech addressing support in Mississippi and logos of him as well.
Every year, he said the bakery gets a head start a few days before King Day at prepping and baking the cookies.
This year, bakers began baking from six to 10 dozen cookies a day starting Jan. 10 and will continue until Jan. 14, the day before the holiday, Kiedrowski said.
Normally, the last day for baking is their busiest day in order to have the remaining orders ready for libraries, educational groups, parties and other events who support the King legacy, he said.
Kiedrowski said having an annual tradition of baking cookies for King is one special to him.
He said when he was 12 years old when King was assassinated April 4, 1968, and two months later, when U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, was killed.
Kiedrowski said it was hard for him to see why there were issues and what was fought for, then.
“At that time, being young, I couldn’t understand why, because growing up in Lorain, we didn’t know racism,” he said. “All my friends (of different races) played together. I couldn’t understand why people were killed as they were working for peace, justice and equality.”
As he got older, Kiedrowski said he really realized what these types of leaders stood for and wanted to create cookies to pay homage to them and try something different.
At $1.50 each, Kiedrowski said every year he likes to pay tribute to King by making cookies and sharing a piece of his, and the history of many others.
“This is my special way to do it,” he said.
To show how important history is in the community, Kiedrowski said making cookies is a tasty way to educate and preserve it.
The bakery has done other cookies such as former President Barrack Obama.
Kiedrowski said Obama and King cookies have been good sellers.
“Growing up with that in my past, it’s my way to bring the memories of the leaders in the past to the community so all remember history and continue to,” he said.
Kiedrowski said he hopes that with the help of his cookies, that people — both young and old — live off the memories and spark discussion.
He said to have the younger generation become more educated and do research on what someone like King’s legacy was and what he was striving for, is what he hopes for.
Kiedrowski said his hometown flavor is tradition and memories.
“This is what I remember as a child, and it’s why I do it,” he said.
“It’s something to bring back to Lorain.”