The Plum Baker

My earliest memories in the kitchen are of sitting on the counter as my mom made bread doughs. She'd tear off a ball for my brother and I to play with as she finished kneading and forming loaves, and we'd stick our little creations in the oven alongside hers.

Those tiny shapes came out hard and hardly tasty, but her loaves filled the kitchen with a smell unparalleled ... fresh warm bread. And I knew that if we could cut into the bread when it was still warm, we could also schmear a pat of butter onto it that would melt in a way that it didn't melt on toast, dripping and soaking into the slice and making for one of the tastiest treats.

Who knows if it's these happy early memories that started a lifelong affair with the oven, of if they merely tapped into something that was already there. Regardless, I've been baking since I was about eight years old. Always simple goods -- carrot cakes, oatmeal & drop sugar cookies. Simple but tasty. Especially well-paired with a cup of hot coffee (which is exactly how my father always takes his baked goods, waiting patiently with his plated slice of pound cake for the pot of coffee to finish brewing).

In late 2008, a chance compliment to my ginger chew cookies re-sparked an old dream -- to make baking my livelihood. I've spent the many months since then slowly exploring just how to do that, selling a few dozen cookies here and there, then bursting onto the Market Square Farmers Market with Coffee & Chocolate and Blackbird Coffeehouse.

As my livelihood continues to shift and shape, I happily welcome special requests. I look forward to baking for each and every person who perks up their ears at Chocolate Chocolate Coffee Chocolate Cookies, Carrot Cake, Ginger Chews, Pumpkin Whoopie Pies and all manner of other goods.

And as I add to my repertoire, I'll add to this web site, so please check back for new selections regularly.

-- Lindsay Beeson, The Plum Baker