My love for baking started with a trip to Europe that I took with my wife, Bianca. When we came home, Bianca and I kept wondering, Why can’t we get bread this good in the United States? That question sparked something in me; I had to give bread baking a try.

My background as a scientist made this new hobby feel familiar—I even turned one of my old lab notebooks into my “bread book.” I measured flour to the gram, tracked humidity and temperature, and adjusted variables to see what would happen. There were a number of flops more reminiscent of hockey pucks, but with the encouragement from family and friends I persisted.  With time I began to pull something special out of the oven.

What started as a quiet passion quickly became something bigger. I entered my loaves at the Iowa State Fair in 2014 and to my total surprise was named artisan, sourdough and overall grand champion.  I traveled to San Fransisco in 2017 and enrolled in a week long artisan bread baking course.  I baked bread to share with family and friends, and soon I was selling at the Ames Main Street Farmers Market. Those first days, I could only bake four loaves at a time in my kitchen oven, but I was thrilled when people returned to my stand again and again as repeat customers. Before I knew it, I was baking and selling 80 loaves per market, building a small but loyal following.

When Bianca and I moved to Minneapolis, I brought my bread making with me. I finally gave into my wife's pleadings and purchased a dedicated bread oven, installed a 240-volt line in the garage, and got to work. Today, I bake every single loaf by hand and sell them at two farmers markets here in Minnesota. Bianca—always my biggest cheerleader—once surprised me with tickets to the Kneading Conference in Maine, and it remains one of the most special experiences I’ve had on this journey.

Baking bread has brought so much joy into my life. It’s about more than flour and water—it’s about creating something beautiful to share with others. Every loaf has a story, and I’m so grateful to share mine with you.

Warmly,
Nick