The Peachey’s Baking Co. truck was one of the first places I visited with a friend in Bradenton. When he first extended the invitation, he did not know that I have an extreme love for donuts. But he knew I’m always searching for the most delicious food to eat and share with my friends. He hit the nail on the head twice, food and donuts. Donut Thursday was born right after that first morning. I celebrated Donut Friday when I lived in St. Petersburg, FL, and followed The Hole Donuts around. Then it was Donut Wednesday and Friday and so on. You get the picture.
Since that first day, I’ve learned that Peachey’s Baking Co. has a long family history of baking.
It started in 2007 during a drought that affected their family farm in Tennessee. With eight children to feed, there were also lots of hands to help supplement the income of their farm business. Their recipes originate from their grandmother in Pennsylvania. Peachey’s Baking Co., or The Amish Baking Co., as they were originally known, started with two countertop deep fryers at a Tennessee Festival.
Their business started growing from there and they added the savory pretzels after the first two years. During the first four years, they worked on growing their reputation and business in Sarasota, where the father of Sadie, Nate, and Sam Peachey (the three siblings in the business) is an Amish preacher.
In 2011, they were accepted as a vendor in the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Tennessee and that changed everything. The festival hosts over 150 top music artists and gave Peachey’s the ability to get over fifty helpers for them to operate their stand. After being part of the well-known festival, new opportunities have become available and they now travel the summers around North Carolina, Tennessee, New York, New Jersey, and other states. They chose to travel to festivals not only because it’s how they grow their name nationally, but because Florida’s summer heat and humidity does horrible things to their dough.
So now let’s talk donuts, the basic donut is glazed. This imperfectly shaped beauty is kneaded before your eyes, then dropped in oil and dipped in glaze. The ability to do this all in one swish in their food truck makes for the freshest, most delicate, and fluffiest donut you’ll ever have.
Why is an Amish donut so special? Amish doughnuts follow traditional recipes and are always made from scratch. The basics include sugar, flour, milk, yeast, and eggs. What sets them apart from other doughnut recipes is the method, which requires kneading, stirring, and patience. Lots of patience.
This is where the Peachey family’s touch comes in. Every week they offer a “Special” which could be a Snicker Doodle, Raspberry, or Chocolate donut (these are the ones that I’ve tasted) or some other amazing delicacy. You can buy a single, a triple order, or a dozen. I usually go with a triple to share plus a special single. That makes me very happy on a Thursday morning. 😊
They also have a savory pretzel which follows the same traditional method as the donuts and is served warm with butter and sea salt. It’s a delicious treat, but I’m partial to the donuts. I learned that when their mother used to bake back at home, the siblings also learned how to make pies, cakes, and cinnamon rolls. I can only hope that we get to try those one day.
Their business is growing but they don’t want to lose the “family feel,” which is so important. They have more food trucks now and are considering more locations in the Sarasota and Bradenton area.
For now, I will continue to drive to Crowder Bros Hardware on Manatee Ave. every Thursday morning. This is their usual Sarasota-Bradenton Schedule, but I’m waiting on confirmation for this season. You can sign up to receive their schedule at https://peacheysbakingco.com/localtruck.
I also recommend following them on Facebook, on Instagram, and checking out their website.
Tentatively, you should be able to find them at the following locations. Just remember that their schedule is subject to change and all times are estimated or until they sell out…and they do!
🍩 Wednesdays from 8 am to 2 pm at Phillippi Farmhouse Market – 5500 S Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL 34231.
🍩 Thursdays from 7 am to 12 pm at Crowder Bros Ace Hardware – 5409 Manatee Ave W. Bradenton, FL 34209
🍩 Fridays from 7 am to 12 pm at Village Bikes – 3898 S Osprey Ave. Sarasota, FL 34239
🍩 Saturdays from 7 am to 2 pm at Crowder Bros Ace Hardware – 2401 Lakewood Ranch Blvd Lakewood Ranch, FL 34211
When you pay them a visit (and I hope you do!) be sure to let them know you heard about it on Discover Bradenton!
