Michelle and Rick Barger, the owners of Artisanal Cravings, are originally from Staten Island, spent a stretch in Venice, Florida, and landed in Englewood because, as Michelle says, “We wanted a garden and a pool.” On August 1, it will be two years for Michelle and Rick; the garden’s going strong, 15 banana plants out back, and life in Englewood agrees with them.

But retirement surprised Michelle in an unexpected way. “To be perfectly honest, I got a little fluffy,” she admits, laughing. “I was eating out five days a week, and I thought, I’m living in South Florida, I can’t keep this up.” So she went back to something she’s always loved: baking. Though she’s humble about it, Michelle’s not just your run-of-the-mill, average baker. She crafts organic treats using ingredients she grows herself, straight from her garden.

“We’re all scratch here,” Michelle says. “We follow cottage food laws. I’m working toward more farm-to-table, more organic products. The veggies and spices in my focaccia, tomatoes, peppers, it’s all fresh from my garden.”

Clean, wholesome ingredients are non-negotiable. “All those additives are scary,” Michelle admits. “They lead to bloating and all sorts of other issues, especially for women. I just want to keep it as fresh as possible.” Not every dish is perfect, though. “Frosting isn’t the healthiest thing,” she grins. “But it’s delicious.”

Once she started Artisanal Cravings, things snowballed. “It got pretty popular. I have a nice following and I’m so happy with it.” You’ll find her bakery cart on Spinnaker Boulevard every Saturday and Sunday. She also sets up her cart on Sundays at the farmers’ market in South Gulf Cove. That, plus private orders, keeps her plenty busy. She used to run markets four or five days a week but realized baking high-quality goods takes time. So she scaled back and stuck with the bakery cart, built, of course, by Rick.

So, what do people love the most? “Oh my gosh, cinnamon rolls,” Michelle says instantly. “It changes, but right now those are the hit. I do a classic and switch things up every week, adding a new flavor; this week it’s chocolate. Let’s just say my test batch didn’t last long.”

Michelle and Rick enjoy the flexibility of their pop-up. “If I want a vacation, I take it. If I need time for myself, I step back a bit. Last August I had foot surgery and took a break for three or four weeks. Everyone understood and kept in touch.”

And prices stay fair. “This isn’t Manhattan or Miami Beach,” Michelle says. “People shouldn’t be paying seven bucks for a cinnamon roll. Making things from scratch and pulling ingredients from the backyard garden helps keep costs down.”

It all circles back to that backyard garden by the pool, the simple dream that brought Michelle and Rick to Englewood in the first place.

Artisanal Cravings is located at 6245 Spinnaker Blvd, Englewood, Florida. 

Hours Saturday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.  For information, call 718-704-8785 or check out their delish Facebook page Artisanal Cravings LLC for their latest creations.

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