My passion for bread baking began after my mom and I took a sourdough bread baking class in the summer of 2018. My brother had discovered a local community college course in Santa Barbara and thought it would be fun for my mom and me to do together on my next visit. I was game as my baking skills were less than impressive. Prior to this class I considered my baking adventures a success if I didn’t set off the smoke detector.
That fateful day of class is still clearly etched in my mind. There was a heatwave in Santa Barbara and it was 102 degrees as we all filed into an off-campus bungalow equipped with commercial baking ovens going full bore. Despite the temperatures the class was packed with budding bread bakers and our enthusiastic middle-aged instructor. The instructor went into great detail on the history of bread, terminology, the basics and way beyond, and finally let us make and bake our own loaves.
From that day on, the fire was ignited and I was obsessed with all things bread baking. I created my own sourdough starter (natural yeast), took additional bread baking classes, researched and read many bread books, had epic recipe failures, delicious successes, and still continue to test and refine recipes. I am fascinated with how four simple ingredients (flour, water, salt, yeast) can result in so many different breads and flavors. And who doesn’t like the smell and taste of fresh baked bread out of the oven.
Fast forward some years later to my retirement after a long career in corporate fraud and forensic investigations. With free time on my hands and many loaves of baked bread behind me, I thought why not trade in my roller bag and business attire for an apron and bread ovens. This has led to the creation of Rye Humor Baking as a home-based business, referred to as a Cottage Food Operation. My mom, husband, and brother have been my support crew, comic relief, and number one fans. I can’t thank them enough for getting me started, keeping me going, cheering my successes, and encouraging me to pursue this business venture.
Rye Humor Baking 