My inner cynic said “yeah, right!”
Thus, I inquired about the window proclamation, “Mom’s Baked Goods from Scratch.”
Many eateries make such folksy boasts. Another “truth” without “substance?”
However, in Mount Vernon’s downtown coffee shop Fuel, the claim is deliciously true. The path from “scratch” to one’s satisfied stomach is a tale of culinary artistry.
Around 6 a.m. each day, Pat Ouverson begins production of Fuel’s diverse array of baked goods. Utilizing a commercial Kitchen Aid, Pat mixes dough throughout the day to keep up with the steady customer flow.
“We bake all day long, so it’s always fresh,” Pat proudly proclaimed. All employees bake. The oven is convenient to the front counter. The result is truly an art form crafted with a loving touch.
Treats include seven varieties of scones, chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies, cranberry torts, brownies, carrot cakes, and pumpkin bars.
“A new favorite is the cinnamon almond scone,” Pat noted. “Initially (barista) Madison Gritton said it ‘wouldn’t make the cut’ upon taste-testing. She suggested adding a little more almond flavoring.” Modified by Pat, it’s “now wildly popular!”
Pat’s daughter Tommie Ouverson opened Fuel in 2005. Following her 2006 retirement from the American Cancer Society, Pat came to work at Fuel.
Both mother and daughter have artistic blood. For Pat, baking is anything but routine; it is instead a profound art form. Tommie, an artist herself, has a business vision and sense of taste to create the cultural ambience which makes Fuel attract locals as well as long-distance visitors.
Determined by Pat, recipes stem from long held family traditions, offerings by neighbors, and suggestions from work associates. All are modified to perfection by Pat’s definitive taste.
“My recipes are secret,” Pat said. “If and when we may ever close, only then might the recipes be revealed.” Such secrecy is a true artist’s province.
When entering Fuel, the waft of baked goods mixes with a tantalizing blend of coffees and various other drinks fill the shop’s air. A welcoming, at-home atmosphere results.
Good food and drink attract people. Possibilities evolve.
Fuel’s sense of place is reminiscent of the Louisa May Alcott House in Concord, Massachusetts. There, around a big table, such mid-1800s luminaries as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau joined other townspeople to hash out the times.
In the book Imagine: How Creativity Works, author Jonah Lehrer refers to a result of congregated people, positing, “Culture largely determines creative output.”
Within its warm-toned interior and surrounds of hand-crafted art, Fuel’s tables serve as a modern-day salon for cultural gathering.
Consider the possibilities: With Fuel’s enticement of tasty food, drink and a welcoming atmosphere, people will come, stay a while, converse, and share ideas. That setting can lead to more creative life in Mount Vernon and beyond.
Tommie Ouverson reflected, “There isn’t a town of Mount Vernon’s size that can boast a main street like ours. To be part of our small, thriving community is wonderful.”
Pat Ouverson concludes, “We have older buildings filled with new ideas. That element attracts talented people of diverse interests.”
Fuel is essential to the city’s core character thanks to the alluring part… Mom’s Baked Goods from Scratch.
Pat and Tommie Ouverson spark the allure with a 6 a.m. encounter with Fuel’s mixer. Ideas and friendships are also mixed therein. Consider the possibilities!

Gallery • 1 Photos

Bob Campagna

Pat Ouverson, mother of Fuel owner Tommie Ouverson, peers through the coffee shop’s front window under the word “Mom’s.”