2012 Best Bite #24: Hot & spicy cheese bread, Stella’s Bakery at the Dane County Farmers’ Market

Each day in December, I’m celebrating my best bites (and sips) in 2012, posted in chronological order.

Why it’s a Best Bite: We went on an excursion to Madison one gorgeous October weekend to visit friends (and meet their new puppy!). Knowing that our host would be well-versed in Madison’s most delicious offerings, we began at the Dane County Farmers’ Market, which wraps all the way around Capitol Square. The first booth we saw was Stella’s, and we were advised to not proceed any further without grabbing a large, still-warm round of the bakery’s spicy cheese bread. This bread was quintessentially Wisconsin: a golden, lightly sweet dough boasting big pockets of cheese – think mozzarella and provolone – and studded with spicy pepper flakes. As soon as I finished one chunk, I couldn’t help but immediately tear off another (yes, three of us took down the whole thing in a matter of hours). Luckily, it’s also available for mail-order.

The details: Stella’s Bakery at the Dane County Farmers’ Market, Capitol Square, Madison, WI.