| WHO: | Ruhland Strudel Haus | ||
| WHAT: | Family run strudel business | ||
| SIGNATURE PRODUCTS: | Sweet and savory strudels | ||
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WHERE: SOCIALS: WEBSITE: |
Eagan and St Paul @strudelman on IG and @ |
By Michelle M. Sharp, Founder and Editor of Meet the Minnesota Makers
“Love on a Plate…” is Ruhland Strudel Haus’s slogan. This passion project became a growing business for Eagan’s Tom Ruhland and his family. Everyone 
involved literally brings something to the table thanks to the positive energy and creativity that feed this strudel business everyday.
Food is Tom’s Love Language
Tom’s inspiration is his love of people. Food is his love language: “Making food for somebody is a very intimate action and an expression of love. That may sound a little poetic for a food maker, but that’s what drives me.”
Apple was the original strudel, and is still Tom’s favorite. He sources much of his produce locally, especially vendors from the St Paul Farmers Market. Tom’s son Noah, who leads the kitchen, roasts every vegetable and braises every cut of meat himself. Their primary outsourcing is the custom made all-butter puff pastry made locally by Gregory’s Foods in Eagan.
Limitless Possibilities
The Strudel Haus menu delights fans with over 50 varieties, both sweet and savory. The menu has year round staples and seasonal rotating flavors. Tom credits his son Noah with the consistent high quality and diverse flavor palate of their offerings. “Noah is the creator. He dreams the strudels first and then makes his dream a reality.”
Creating a product that will be shared among friends and loved ones is the cornerstone of Ruhland’s Strudel Haus, “The most important part of this company is that we make our product knowing that it will end up on a table and will be shared by people who love each other. Feeding people is truly the most intimate and connected actions you can take.”
Building Love on a Plate
Tom’s belief in the value of table and community comes from his mom. Growing up in a household of 11, he treasures his memories of the dinner that would be waiting for the family when they came home from Sunday Mass. His Mom would have a roast in the oven that was always done perfectly. He returns to pot roast as his adult comfort food, “My mother taught me the value of table, the value of community.”
Passing that sense of community forward is the Ruhland Strudel Haus mission. Try a new flavor for yourself to share in the “love on a plate.”
Consider the Menu
Explore www.thestrudelhaus.com to find all the sweet and savory strudels.
Each strudel feeds five to eight. Serving sizes are, of course, arbitrary. The strudels are sold frozen, wrapped in a sheet of parchment paper for you to place on a baking sheet. A quick egg wash of the strudel ensures a beautiful golden hue.
Looking for lunch options? Try a half strudel or a Strudelwich—a great way to try more of the menu.
The roasted vegetable with white bean and the blueberry lemon are my personal favorites. These are rivaled by one of Ruhland’s more recent menu additions—Apple Cider Braised Pork with Sweet and Sour Cabbage and Bacon. It’s SO good. Under the direction of Noah and Lucas Goodman, Ruhland’s Chief Creative Officer, a Salmon En Croute has joined the menu. Replacing the salmon duxelles, this gourmet strudel yields a tender salmon filet baked with mushrooms and red peppers in a Havarti cheese sauce. Tom describes it as “step up and a step forward” for the Ruhland’s Strudel Haus menu.
Ruhland’s Strudel Haus also partners with local organizations for fundraising efforts. Contact Tom at thomas@thestrudelhaus.com to coordinate a fundraising sale for your school, sports or civic organization.
Get In Touch
Check thestrudelhaus.com for seasonal menu items. Free delivery with a $75 minimum purchase every Wednesday within a 30 mile radius of St. Paul. Pick up Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday at their St Paul kitchen. Purchase at Ferndale Market, Jerry’s Foods, Mackenthum’s Meats, and Rosie’s Market in Rosemount.
Follow @strudelman on IG and @ruhlandsstrudelhaus on FB for current market appearances or special events (like their annual contribution to the St Paul German American Institute’s menus).
Visit meettheminnesotamakers.com or follow @meettheminnesotamakers on Facebook and Instagram to discover the small business owners leading Minnesota on a tasty sustainable path forward. Meet the Minnesota Makers is a news site that connects you to the local food, farms, artists and artisans that make Minnesota thrive.
Full feature of Ruhland’s Strudel Haus as a part of the Meet the Minnesota Makers: Land of 10,ooo Treats series in the Sun ThisWeek and Dakota County Tribune first published in 2021.
Ruhland’s Strudel Haus has twice been a participant at the Farm at the Arb Taste Makers Classes hosted by Chef Beth Fisher and Michelle Sharp of Meet the Minnesota Makers. These classes are a celebration of local food and the people who make the dishes come to life.
