Ode to the Dietz Bakery – Fredericksburg, Texas

Corrine Jung

Jeff, this was great. Thanks for doing it. A great deal of what you expressed are things I too felt. Take Care!

Corrine

Maxine Jung

Jeff,
Thanks so much for sharing your article on Dietz Bakery.. Your pictures were wonderful. Love Mom

Alice Schumpelt

Jeff, you hit the nail on the head! The bakery was indeed Fredericksburg and will be missed more than any other business except maybe Dooley’s. That is one one of my childhood memories.

Joanne Frantzen

Oh, Jeff! Although my thighs won’t miss the calories, my mouth will miss the scrumptiousness. What I think I will miss most of all is watching Sassy get so excited about the cinnamon twists. What a treat to get to spend that morning with you and her, two of my favorite people in the world. Thanks for sharing your thoughts that mirror so many of our own. 🙂

Teresa Jenschke

Beautifully written, Jeff, and thank you for sharing this. You are such an inspiration, and what a wonderful tribute to Dietz Bakery.

Doris Juenke Doebbler

Jeff,
You brought yet another tear to my eye with your “memories” of one of my favorite places to visit on Main St. I grew up in San Antonio but, mom and dad being from Fredericksburg, spent many a day there. In fact, when we were first married, hubby, who grew up there, and I lived on Travis St. in a garage apt. (which no longer exists) for five weeks before going off to college.
We now live in Bandera. On Tuesdays when we brought lambs over to market, we always had to leave early — so we could get 8 – 10 loaves of white, wheat or pumprenickel bread which we “hoarded” in the freezer. It was oh so good with Koch Kasse — which is another “dying creation”.
Ahhh, progress. The older I get, the more I hate it!
Thanks for sharing these wonderful memoirs.

Linda Wilson

Jeff, I don’t know you but work with your mom at the gift shop at HCM. I knew of Dietz Bakery from visits here as a tourist for years before we moved here in 2002. As a short timer here I was so sad to see Dietz close. I too am not always in favor of progress.
Hope I can meet you one of these days when you are here. Your mom is a hoot and I enjoy her friendship.
Thanks for this great piece!

Mary Obermite

Well said–and thank you for putting it out there. I grew up eating Dietz bread and it is true I will miss it–even from where I live now in Germany. But, Don and Marcia have earned this next slice of their own adventure, and I toast them for taking the step–even if it is a loss for the rest of us.

Sharron Esquell

Jeff, What a great article. Dietz Bakery will for sure be missed. I just hate that we were to far away to patronize them regularly. Keep up the good work.

Lavern Loving

You did a great job of voicing what oh so many of us are feeling. It leaves an empty feeling in any trip down Main St. just knowing it isn’t there.

Annabel Kasper Wilkinson

What a wonderful article. There will never be pumpernickel bread like Dietz’s. That was my favorite. The cinnamon roll pictures made my mouth water. Thanks for doing a great job.

Shirley Kearns

How very nice of you to remember and to write what so many of us are feeling. My Opa Evers made regular trips to Dietz Bakery and I still remember how good the doughnuts were with the summer sausage from Udo Henke’s butcher shop. That was a long time ago but the quality never wavered. And then the cinnamon rolls. Oh my.I admired Don because I went to high school with him and knew he had a choice of how to spent his life. I remember how his Mom and Dad labored in that bakery. We are glad he decided to continue the family tradition.

Robert Lamar Feuge

Jeff: Your ode brought back good memories. After I left FBG for college, I would receive “care packages” which included Dietz Bread. Guys in the dorm would hear that I had German bread and they would descend on my room like vultures. Whenever I visited FBG (as recent as last October), I would take my place in that line for a fresh, warm loaf of that wonderful bread. Going home won’t ever be quite the same without that bakery. Best wishes to the Dietz family.

Teri Kusenberger Ewing

Just seeing a picture of their cinnamon rolls makes my mouth water. I have family living away from Fredericksburg and when we go to see them, my mom is always asked to bring Dietz’s bread. It is one of the first things we hear when we get there, “Were you able to get Dietz’s bread?” A wonderfully unique piece of Fredericksburg is gone! Message to Dooley’s 5 and 10: Don’t ever close!
Best of luck to the Dietz family!
Thanks for a wonderful story, Jeff! Travel well.

Carole [Arhelger] Mirsky

I was born in Fredericksburg, in 1943, my father, Alex Arhelger, was a decendent of Fredericksburg’s early settlers. I grew up enjoying the fine treats from Dietz-Moellendorf (Moellendorf’s were my aunt and uncle) and later just Dietz. As far back as I can remember, I would hear my mother, Ruby, placing her order in advance and going very early in the morning to Dietz to bring home the best treats in the world. Later, when she was too old to drive, she would walk the 5 or six blocks to the bakery; she would be sad indeed to learn that Dietz ceased doing business. Thank you for the wonderful article and the sweet memories. Carole Arhelger Mirsky

Cindy Beeman

Being a transplant here for several years now, this article is sad but we bless the family as they move on. Yes Sir, the smell was still there even when the SOLD OUT sign for the day was hung on the door and the doors were locked. Which meant you had to get there early in the morning. Fredericksburg has lost something special with 3 generations before, I wish someone would have carried it on., To us there is still time to reopen with the new generation!! We will take you back anytime!! GOD BLESS YOU.

Charlotte Hirt

Thanksgiving won’t be Thanksgiving without Dietz bread. My grandmother’s recipe specifically says “One loaf of Dietz bread, dried and crushed” goes into the dressing.

My special cousin could eat nothing except Dietz bread as she fought the dreaded cancer. I would bring her two loaves every week when i went to see her until she died. We miss you Don and Marcia!

Steven Ahrens

I will miss the Dietz bakery. There was nothing better than their fresh baked loaf of bread. When I was growing up we would always have a loaf of fresh baked Dietz bread in the kitchen. I remember eating it with ” Koch Kase” that was my favorite. Coming back to Fredericksburg will not be the same with out Dietz bakery.

Jeff

Thanks to all for your comments on the post. You’ve all helped make my point that Dietz was an integral part of the community. All the best! Jeff

Martha Ahrens

I just ate the last of the cinnamon rolls I had my mom get for me. Sigh. They were really good. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

Sandra Houy

My parents owned Schaeffer House Cafe, so Dietz Bakery was like family to us when they moved to this location. A wedding was not complete without Dietz bread. My favorite was the pumpernickel. White bread with Kock Kase or homemade thick sweet cream sprinkled with sugar, was to die for! When my mother was dying from cancer, the one thing she could still eat were the products from Dietz Bakery. We made sure she always some in her freezer. Thanks for such a wonderful tribute and God Bless you Don and Marcia in your retirement. It is well deserved.

Barbara Usener

I remember when your parents and grandparents had Der Lindenbaum as a bakery. I would go there to get my cinnamon rolls. I have to eat my rolls and donuts and cinnamon twists sparingly now that I have in the freezer. I can’t share with anyone hoping they will last forever. I know we all have to retire sometime and better now that you still have your health to enjoy Fredericksburg life. Our turkey dressing won’t be the same without your bread. Will wish you well and happy retirement.

Lindsay Crenwelge

Jeff-WOW that article was great. Luckily i still have a few rolls and a couple of loafs of bread in my freezer.

Rebecca McCarty

This is such heartbreaking news. My mom’s family is from Mason and we ate Dietz bread whenever possible. I live in the PNW now but am heading to Texas for a visit and had planned my trip around visiting Dietz when I arrived there and as I left. It’s so sad that the old style and much better family bakeries are dying out. The only thing better than the Dietz white bread was their pumpernickel bread and don’t even get me started on the cinnamon rolls and other yummy treats. Fredericksburg just won’t be the same now.

Bud Norton

Thank you for this wonderful tribute to a true Fredericksburg (and Texas) landmark!
I’m just a long-time tourist who started coming to Fredericksburg regularly in the mid 1970s, At first I wondered why the Dietz Bakery always seemed to be closed. Someone finally told me that you had to get there early in the morning (well, “early” for me) before they sold out. I’m glad to say that I’ve probably eaten every type of baked good Dietz has sold. All excellent! I think your tribute pretty well sums up the special feelings customers had for the place.and the friendly people working there.
I’m sad that Dietz is gone, but will keep the sights, smells and tastes as fond memories.
Best wishes for the owners and staff! Hope they enjoy their future endeavors.

Marlene Pylate

Jeff,
Your article reminds all of us not to take anything for granted. We must savor the things we love while we can for all too soon, they may disappear. Blessings from Fredericksburg!

Pam Booth

Wow, I just came across your article about Dietz. I was born in F’burg but fmom and dad moved to Memphis, but my grandparents, greats, aunts, uncles lived there forever. I have been reminising lately about F’burg and longing for my Oma’s homemade bread, german sausages and the beautiful landscape in the Hill Country. Hope to get there one day soon and will miss not having a lot of the old establishments there. I’m glad to hear Dooley’s is still there!!

Tony LSU Dietz

Like the town of Fredicksburg to begin with, very touristy in a positive manner, but with me having the same last name I thought that the bakery deserved a visit. And wow, like Jeff stated, it was very tasty and every time we went through Fredicksburg, we stopped at the delicious bakery. Thanks for the years of service.

Laura

Thank you so much for the beautiful article on Dietz’s. I have so many fond memories of visits to the bakery. Fredericksburg and everyone that visits will sure miss everything that Dietz had to offer.

J. O. & Trish Haney Bulverde Texas

Great article on Dietz’s Bakery. The wife and I visit Fredericksburg many times a year to shop and enjoy the natives and watch all of the people that flock in from all over the nation to enjoy the sights and sounds of this unusually beautiful little city in the Texas Hill Country. One can learn very many things and be inspired greatly by just visiting and observing the living that goes on in Fredericksburg.

Nomadic Samuel

Oh, those cinnamon buns look divine!

Stephanie - The Travel Chica

This is a sweet post. And those cinnamon twists look delicious!

Bill Black

I just got word about the closure! Establishments such as this are becoming even fewer and further between. My wife and I would have been interested in keeping the business going — and learning it all from the Dietz family themselves and then changing NOTHING.

I just cant believe that there was noone to pass the bakery down to, or noone willing to step in and learn. Just heartbreaking… Would have tried to do so in a heartbeat.

Meg McDonald

Thank you for writing this. I remember so many mornings sitting in my little rocking chair at 5am – by the gas light grate of a wall heater, at my grandmother Margaret Maier (Tally) Fricke’s house – waiting for some angel from Dietz to drop an oil-stained paper bag full of freshly baked cinnamon sugar donuts off at our side door. Fredericksburg is just not Fredericksburg without Dietz Bakery. 🙁 Hopefully they will publish a cookbook … and easily charge $200 per cookbook!

Marty Land

What a great article Jeff! It is a great tribute to a great tradition which will be sorely missed in the Fredericksburg community. I am so glad that Donnie & Marcia are finally getting the opportunity to have time for themselves! They are great people who have always generously given of their time and talents in this community and I am sure they will continue to be involved cause that’s just who they are! We will miss the wonderful aromas and edibles but time changes many things and this has been a long time coming. Wishing Don, Marcia, & Cathy the very best as they start a new chapter of their journey!

Joyce MARSHALL Masters

Jeff, what great memories this article evoked!!! Thanks for featuring your hometown. Going back to our roots is so cathartic…our emotions so raw. Thanks for taking me on this journey!!

M'Layne Murphy

I lived in Fredericksburg during the late 80s until 1993. Dietz Bakery was the highlight of my mornings. Loved the cinnamon rolls. Would stop and get a box to take to my co-workers and Bill and Kathy Shearer at Shearer Publishing. It’s sad to hear they had to close.

Russell E. Kneese

Mr. Jung,
Thanks for the article! I found this when I was doing a search for a kochkase recipe that was similar to Mrs. Reeh’s that could be bought at Knopp-Mezger when I was a kid. One of my favorite meals as a kid was Dietz bread, kochkase, and dried sausage. It’s truly a shame that the Dietz recipes, along with Mrs. Reeh’s, and numerous other treasured Frederickburg traditions are dying a slow death. Thanks again for the memories!!!

Dan

The Pecan Butterflies were the main reason I didn’t mind driving 80 miles to visit Fredericksburg and now I find they’re no more. I wish I had that recipe.

Judy Moldenhauer

Great article!! Sad day when this bakery in Fredericksburg closed. The smell when you walked in the door and their bread….delicious, could eat half the loaf and not even give it a second thought!!

Christy

The last time I went through Fredericksburg on my way to Austin from West Texas (back in 2015), I looked for Dietz bakery. I didn’t see it. I wasn’t sure I remembered where it was though. Growing up, my dad always left West Texas so he could be at the door by 6:30 am to get bread before heading into San Antonio. I will truly miss the bakery. Thank you for the article.

Stephanie A. Malott

Did anyone get the recipe? I loved that bread and would Love to make it today.

Paul Zimmerman

Our family traveled through Fredericksburg in the early 70’s and would either stop at Dietz bakery to try to find pumpernickel bread, if any were left. If not, then we’d drive to Birks BBQ to see if they had any left. We hoarded the pumpernickel as though it were a prized possession. We always made special trips to Fredericksburg just for the bread. Thank you Dietz family for giving my family wonderful memories. I’ve searched everywhere looking for their pumpernickel recipe. If anyone happens to have it, please let me know. [email protected]

Pam Coates

Wow! Sad to learn of Dietz closing. My parents lived just outside Kerrville and would make the 45min drive to get Dietz every week. My sister and I were hAppy to go over to Fredricksburg when ever we would come down to visit. We grew up on bakery bread in New Jersey and always brought several loaves home from Dietz. I even had my boss bring the bread when she went to visit her dad in Marble Falls and later K’ville. Now it’s all just happy memories. Thanks for the great article!

Rebecca L Burrer

The bread was a staple for all family gatherings! There is nothing like Dietz bread anywhere in the world!

Peggy Sultemeier

My grandmother, Gretchen Nugent, worked at Dietz for years!! Her usual job was cutting the bread. I miss her, that bakery smell in her sweaters and all the delicious homemade treats more than words can express.

Chris Christensen

Sounds like your grandmother smelled better than mine… not that it is a competition.

Rex M Fox

I was reminiscing today about pumpernickel from the Dietz Bakery. That was a great farewell article from 2010. I miss the pumpernickel.