Frequently Asked Questions
Are we a licensed bakery?
We are a home bakery operating under the Montana Local Food Choice Act. Montana allows for person-to-person sales within the state of Montana, without licensing. We are required to be sure our customers know that we are a home kitchen not subject to regulations regarding inspections and licensing. https://www.dphhs.mt.gov/assets/publichealth/FCS/CottageFood/MTLocalFoodChoiceActGuidanceDoc_.pdf
What’s our baking together story?
When Rebecca and Michael got married in 1997, she had no clue how to cook or bake anything. When Hannah Belle was a baby, the parents only had one car. So while Michael was at work, Rebecca and Hannah Belle were home together alone. After watching Food Network, and specifically, Emeril’s show, Rebecca looked at her baby girl and promised her that she was going to learn to cook with confidence. By the time Hannah Belle was a couple years old, she’d be at her toy kitchen “cooking” while Rebecca cooked in their little apartment kitchen, Food Network still playing in the background. Fast forward to Hannah Belle’s pre-teen years, Rebecca wanted to be sure her kids had cooking knowledge before they became adults. Day after day, mother and daughter cooked and baked together. It became a bonding experience. A time when teen and mom could have deep, open, and honest conversations. We now have clocked countless hours these past couple of decades cooking & baking side-by-side!
Why do we need 72 hours to fulfill orders?
We do a true sourdough. From feeding the starter to being able to mix the dough is on average 6 hours. Then after the dough is mixed, it takes 8-12 hours for stretch & folds and the bulk fermentation. Then we shape the dough for the 12-48 hour cold proofing. All this is done before we can bake it!
Why do we do sourdough in almost everything?
Rebecca (mom) has battled digestive issues for many years. Through process of elimination, she discovered it was leavened breads that were a major trigger for her GI issues. It was suggested by a friend to try adding fermented foods to her diet. So she made kimchi and bought kombucha. After a period of time, she noticed some improvement. She got a sourdough starter from a friend and within a couple of months, had zero GI issues! This discovery began her love of everything sourdough!
Do we bake anything without sourdough?
Yes! And no! We may primarily specialize in sourdough, but for all of our desserts, we have non-sourdough versions (but we find our sourdough versions turn out sooo much better). But breads? We choose to only sell sourdough versions of breads.