On of my favorite spots in Sister Bay is Analog Coffee & Ice Cream. For over 15 years, Rachel Lohman, also know as the Cookie Lady, has been the baker, chef and owner of this treasured Door County cafe. Every morning she bakes fresh cookies, muffins, scones, croissants and coffee cakes for her waiting customers. Rachel’s fresh out of the oven pastries paired with a steaming robust cup of Anadyne coffee is a perfect way to start a day in Door County.

I asked Rachel, “What is the best part of being in business?” She said, “It’s rewarding to build a community within your business, getting to know your customers and treating your employees well, and, of course, I love to feed people.” I asked her, “What is the worst part of your business?” “The trash has to be taken out”, she laughs.

After the morning crowd has been fed, you’ll see customers lined up the rest of the day for Rachel’s delicious put-a-smile-on-your-face ice cream.

“Exhausted Parents” is her best seller, a creamy concoction of bourbon, espresso and chocolate. Next is “This Just Got Serious”, a rich vanilla ice cream laced with salted caramel, cashews and chocolate. It’s hard to chose from one of the many flavors so it’s best to return again and again.

Early every morning Rachel is in the kitchen preparing her delicious pastries and getting ready for another day in Door County. “With the fear and anxiety people are feeling now, it’s nice to be able to put a smile on someone’s face,” she tells me.

I could never make a good biscuit until I took a baking class with Rachel this past winter. She taught us how to make All Butter Biscuits with Buttermilk and graciously encouraged me to share the recipe with you:

Rachel’s All Butter Biscuits with Buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine in a medium sized bowl:

1 TBS sugar

1 TBS baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups (8 oz.) all purpose flour (Rachel recommends weighing the flour)

Add in:

6 oz cold butter –grated

Toss by hand to coat butter

Add in:

2/3 cup buttermilk

Pour the liquid mixture into the flour mixture and combine by hand or with a rubber spatula just until a shaggy dough forms – about ten stirs. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and flatten by hand or with a rolling pin into a rectangle about one inch tall. Quarter the rectangle and stack the pieces on top of one another. This will form layers. Flatten again into a rectangle about one inch tall. Again, quarter the rectangle and stack the pieces on top of one another. Repeat this process 2-3 more times. Then flatten the dough into a rectangle and using a bench scraper, trim the edges of the rectangle. Cut the biscuits into eight equal pieces. Place on a lined cookie sheet, top with melted butter and bake until golden, about 20-25 minutes. Serve warm with butter and jam or honey.

Analog Ice Cream and Coffee is open May through October. Rachel’s Pumpkin Pie In A Cup has become a Door County Fall Fest favorite. After a busy season, Rachel likes to travel with her husband and be inspired by foods around the world, including Paris, where she has taken classes at the famous culinary school, Le Cordon Bleu. When not traveling, she volunteers her time to teach baking classes through The Clearing in Door County and is one of the instructors at The Savory Spoon in Ellison Bay. No wonder her pastries, coffee and ice cream are so good people come back year after year for her food and friendliness!

Visit Analog Ice Cream and Coffee, 10649 N Bay Shore Dr Sister Bay, Wisconsin 54234. Open every day May through October.