Crowds may be flocking to new and trendy bread and pastry shops these days, but sometimes getting back to what’s familiar can tickle the taste buds a little more.
State Fountain Bakery has been preparing desirable delicacies like dog bone cookies, chess pies and caramel cakes on the campus of Mississippi State University for more than 100 years, a feat many businesses might envy. The essential ingredient: it’s a place shaped by community—the Bulldog family.
While the bakery’s size has fluctuated through the years and products have come and gone, loyal campus bakers like Angel Jennings continue to mix up recipes—many of them longtime secrets—starting around 3 a.m. in preparation for an early morning of hungry students, employees, alumni and visitors.
Jennings, a cake decorator with Aramark, the university’s food service provider, has been rising before the roosters for 27 years to prepare chocolate crème pies, light chocolate chip cookies, fruit bars and more. Her work is driven, she said, by the time-honored baked goods and the bakery itself.
“I’ve been here for a long time now and enjoy the tradition involved—especially visiting with alumni and taking their orders, which usually include some of our oldest recipes,” she said.
Regina Hyatt, MSU vice president for student affairs, agreed. “The recipes are certainly important—the dog bone cookie of today tastes like the ones from decades ago. But it’s the nostalgia and feeling that you get from eating that treat that brings people back time and time again.”
Hyatt recently was at the center of seeing State Fountain Bakery make a welcome return to its original location on the first floor of Perry Food Hall, which was completely renovated over the past two years. Prior to the cafeteria upgrade, the bakery had two stints in Colvard Student Union. In the mid 1990s, all cafeteria operations—including the bakery—were temporarily relocated to the Union during the food hall’s first complete makeover, made possible by benefactor Jane Perry in memory of her late husband and MSU alumnus, George.
The first mention of State Fountain Bakery in the student newspaper, The Reflector, was in 1922 when an article on the new and expansive cafeteria referenced the “bake shop.” Another early story lists breakfast there for 15 cents in the mid 1930s.
It certainly didn’t hurt State Fountain’s reputation in the early years to be included in the historic cafeteria, constructed through an $800,000 appropriation from the Mississippi Legislature. Once completed, the structure was considered the largest university cafeteria in the country and became known as an architectural showplace.
Its majestic look can be attributed to the architect commissioned for the work, Theodore Link, who is best known for his 1904 World’s Fair buildings and Union Station in St. Louis, and the Mississippi State Capitol. Early descriptions of what was then “State Cafeteria” point out its massive stone walls, cathedral-like interior and timber hammerbeam ceiling, all elements in Link’s use of the Richardsonian Romanesque style popular in the early 1900s. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History named the facility a “Mississippi Landmark” building in 1984.
Fast forward a hundred years and today’s bakery—inside that same building—reflects the original brown wood look and even boasts a soda fountain bar and stools much like those used in the Roaring ‘20s.
“Its history definitely lent itself to the design choices we’ve made there. It’s a strong nod to tradition, but in a fresh, fun way,” Hyatt said.
Also fresh are the milk and eggs delivered from the university’s Bearden Dairy and South Farm poultry unit, just as they were more than 10 decades ago, according to the 1922 Reflector story. While still used in many memorable munchies and drinks that have endured over the years, they’ve also been introduced in newer provisions like the muscadine ripple milkshake and Edam pimento cheese croissant.
Approximately 250 visitors frequent the bakery each day and find a rotating menu filled with trendy boba or “bubble” teas, frozen drinks, tiramisu croissants, Nutella-stuffed donuts and peach coffeecake.
Gamedays at MSU are even busier with alums hurrying to the bakery for tailgate goodies their families have purchased for years and new offerings like a beignet or breakfast sandwich filled with John Rosson’s “Awesome Sauce” jams, jellies and preserves made in Starkville. On cold days, fans warm up with the local Southbound Coffee made in Columbus.
Aramark Manager Donna Robinson, who recently began supervision of the bakery, said, “Some of the young kids may have never seen dog bone cookies until they come in on gameday, but once they see them in the display they already love them.
“The bakery may be new to me, but I see the items that Angel and others are creating here every day and how good it all looks. I take pride in it because everybody knows where it is and customers love it,” she said.