Four of our favorite spots for old-fashioned baking

Jeffrey Hallenbeck, the self-taught baker at this Pilsen storefront, makes his croissants and other pastries with butter he cultures and then hand-churns himself, an elaborate process that can take as long as 24 hours.

Baker Ellen King takes the past seriously; she’s studied historic preservation as well as cooking. She and her crew mix, knead, and shape their breads by hand and then allow them to ferment and rise with wild, not commercial, yeast.

For his pizzas, breads, and pastas, chef Jared Van Camp produces his own superfine flour from locally grown wheat with a custom-made mill in the restaurant’s basement. He says his flour tastes better and won’t have adverse effects on gluten-intolerant customers.

Paula Haney has scoured old cookbooks to uncover old-fashioned techniques for preparing her pies, particularly the crust. She’s also experimented with old recipes, including ones for vinegar pie and for sugar pie.