We’re in the Hidden Valley neighborhood of Santa Rosa, behind Pacific Market and Willi’s Wine Bar, near the McDonald Historic District and Santa Rosa Memorial Park.

Great sourdough takes time! The baking process follows the natural rhythm of traditional sourdough fermentation.

• Natural starter: Unlike commercial yeast, the starter must be strong and fully activated before mixing the dough.
• Slow fermentation: The dough develops flavor and structure over an extended fermentation period.

The result is naturally fermented loaf with a beautifully developed crust, flavorful crumb, and the character that makes artisan bread special.

Not yet! I’ve considered joining local farmers markets, but currently focused on fulfilling private orders from my home bakery.

I operate as a California Class A Cottage Food Operation, using our home oven for every loaf. I’ve baked as many as 20 loaves in one session, but that’s a very full morning of baking!

Expanding into farmers markets would require additional permits, equipment, and production capacity. It’s something I’m considering for the future.

Absolutely! Sourdough loaves freeze exceptionally well.

Place your loaf in a sealed, freezer-safe one-gallon zip-top bag, pressing out as much air as possible before freezing.

To thaw: Leave the loaf inside the sealed bag on the counter until thawed.

To refresh in the oven: Remove the frozen loaf from its bag and place it directly on the oven rack or a preheated baking stone at 350°F for approximately 30 minutes.

Allow it to cool before slicing. You’ll have a wonderfully refreshed loaf with a delicious crust.

We like to keep our sourdough on the counter for everyday enjoyment.

After cutting a slice from one end, simply stand the loaf on its cut side on a clean cutting board. The crust helps protect the bread from drying out. Depending on your home’s temperature and humidity, the bread can remain enjoyable for several days.

For longer storage, you can freeze it, or it’ll last 7-10 days in the fridge in a zip-lock bag.

I built my starter from scratch in April 2025. It took three attempts to get it going, but the third time was the charm!

I feed my starter at least once daily, sometimes twice during warmer weather. Depending on when I need it next, I use feeding ratios of 1:5:5 or 1:10:10 with organic all-purpose flour.

One of the fascinating things about sourdough is that the yeast and bacteria are constantly reproducing and adapting. Even a starter maintained for generations contains living microorganisms that continually renew themselves.

Here in the Bay Area, our changing seasons influence the way starter behaves. That’s part of the beauty of naturally fermented bread.

My primary bread flour is Shepherd’s Grain OPUS High-Gluten Flour, made from Dark Northern Spring wheat varieties, with approximately 13.5–14.5% protein.

It’s sourced from Certified Regenerative Farms, and each bag includes an ID that allows me to trace it back the farm and family where the wheat was grown. I purchase it in 50-pound bags and store it in airtight flour bins.

My Artisan Original dough, which forms the foundation for many of my specialty loaves, also contains 10% whole wheat flour from Bob’s Red Mill.

I take the same care selecting inclusions as I do choosing my flour.

• Jalapeño & Cheddar: Tillamook Sharp Cheddar, hand-cut into small cubes, and fresh jalapeños.
• Organic Seeded: Central Milling’s SuperSeed blend.
• Cranberry Walnut: Organic Kirkland walnut halves and Ocean Spray whole dried cranberries.
• Chocolate Walnut: A combination of Starbucks hot cocoa mix, cocoa powder, and walnuts for a chocolate flavor that isn’t overly sweet.

My goal is simple: thoughtfully selected ingredients that complement the flavor of naturally fermented sourdough.

I’m always experimenting!

One of my latest projects is a Lemon Blueberry Sourdough. The recipe is nearly ready, but finding a reliable source of quality dried blueberries has been a challenge.

My Cinnamon Swirl loaf was another labor of love. It took plenty of experimenting to perfect the technique, but it’s now available to order.

Have a flavor you’d love me to try? Send your ideas!

My love of baking began with my mother and grandmother, both wonderful bakers who always welcomed my helping hands in the kitchen.

My mother was a competitive baker and a perennial Best of Show winner at the Ohio State Fair. Her Parker House and Cloverleaf rolls were especially exceptional.

As a child, I watched her knead dough by hand, folding, pressing, and turning it until the gluten developed properly. Those early experiences taught me that baking is as much about patience and understanding the dough as it is about following a recipe.

When I returned to baking and began experimenting with sourdough, there was an enormous learning curve. Developing my starter was only the beginning.

I spent countless hours refining hydration, dough temperature, bulk fermentation, shaping, inclusions, cold proofing, and baking times. There were plenty of failures along the way.

I don’t miss those failures, but I certainly appreciate what they taught me.

Today, I’m proud to carry on that family baking tradition here in Santa Rosa. My Artisan Original Sourdough earned Best of Show at the 2026 Sonoma County Harvest Fair, a recognition that makes all those years of learning especially meaningful.