Challah out loud

I have a passion for baking: being part of a time-honored tradition and profession puts a twinkle in my eye each time I don my baker's jacket and fire up the mixer.  But baking isn't just about products- baking is discovering new tips, techniques and recipes; the adventure of running a business and the excitement of sharing those moments with the world.  After all, why keep it bottled up when I can Challah out loud? 

A classic dairy-free pareve dessert that needs no alternatives

The coconut macaroon is a much maligned dessert.  Most people enjoy (is that the right word to use) macaroons from a can over passover.  Our kosher bakery offers them all year round.  When you have them fresh with generous serving of dark chocolate slathered on the bottom, they are heaven.  Even non-coconut lovers are gobbling them up.  We have our own secret recipe, but are wiling to share it.  Intersted? Drop us a note on the contacts page and we will send it to you directly.  Now you can enjoy this classic pareve dairy-free dessert by us or at home.

Bringing quality goodies to the kosher and dairy-free masses!

Let's be honest: waking up at 4am to make the two block walk to my kosher bakery isn't always the easiest.  In the rain, the snow or the humid summer heat even the most deterimined dairy-free advocate can meet their match.  Whenever I am at my breaking point, I keep a stack of customer reviews to read and they remind me why I love doing what I do.  Below is a recent one that I'd like to share.  If you have any friends who suffer like Heather, please feel free to have them call or email us.  Hopefully we can help restore some quality of life to them too:

http://heather-flewelling.blogspot.com/2009/06/kendall-pittsburgh-and-sweet-tammys.html

Changing the perception of dairy-free pareve desserts

Until recently, there have been very few dessert options for those who suffer from a dairy allergy or intolerance. Recipes that included dairy-free or pareve (the kosher term for dairy-free) alternatives never tasted the same as their conventional counterparts.  Fortunately, that is changing.  As the public demand for quality dairy-free ingredients and products has increased, the industry has responded.  Sprinke in some creativity, and bakeries like ours are now able to make products that are completely pareve and dairy-free but do not sacrfice taste and texture.  For more dairy-free resources, visit: http://www.godairyfree.org/  

The economy collapses, but the dough keeps rising!

We get it: the economy is in the tank and only a lunatic would open a new business these days, much less a retail business.  But, industry watchers predict just the opposite for high-end custom bakeries, which are thought to be counter-cyclical. We’re happy to say that in our first x months in business, it’s proving to be true. 

For sure, folks are canceling their vacations and trimming back large expenses. But along with that frugality comes a new found love for simpler things: an oatmeal cookie still warm from the oven, the scent of fresh baked bread enveloping you as you walk in the door, taking a minute to share a cup of tea with a friend...

Perhaps there are lessons we can all learn again during these uncertain times. Simpler is better.  Wholesome matters.  Care and attention always wins over the mechanical coldness of mass production.  If nothing else, chocolate rocks!