Meet Mark
How it all began... Bread is Mark's passion.
It's a bit of a long story, so we'll give you just the highlights. Mark grew up in New England and studied Political Science. During college, a love of people and the gift of the gab landed him in the restaurant industry. After rolling up his sleeves waiting tables, polishing silver at the fanciest of places, managing a vegetarian restaurant, and working at the famed Pepe's Pizza in New Haven he refocused his attention on the art and study of wine. His passion for wine turned into a successful career, and for 17 or so years he worked with the best wine importers. He used to say, "it's about the juice"; as he realized the plethora of flavors that resulted from grapes that were grown with love and handled with care. It's here that he developed a keen sense of taste and smell, falling in love with authentic food and wine as he sipped and swirled his way around the globe. Literally.
Mark always joked that when he was an old man, he would start acting and dressing like a cowboy. He envisioned cowboy boots, dungarees, turquoise rings, and of course a horse to ride. He never knew he'd be slinging dough, and not riding horses.
As fate would have it, one sunny California day, on a whim, he signed up for a class on making sourdough bread. What ensued could only be described (primarily by his wife, Kristin) as an obsession. Before either of them knew what was happening, their kitchen had a grain mill, a second oven imported from Belgium, and flour....flour on every conceivable surface.
Days turned to weeks and weeks to months, and suddenly Mark realized the importance of sharing healthy sourdough bread with the community. He was tired of going to the store to see loaves with ingredients that he couldn't pronounce. He realized that flavor and nutrition could exist together in harmony and that offering an alternative to mass-produced bread could be his contribution to his community.
Mark continues his education in the craft of sourdough. Since that fateful class, Mark has worked in commercial bakeries "staging" ( a french word for an unpaid internship learning one's craft) and honing his dough slinging techniques. He has participated in classes, conferences and worked with other bakers, all the while wondering if Kristin would ever go for having a commercial bakery in their tiny home.
In 2019, Mark decided to pursue his passion for sharing the story of naturally leavened whole grain sourdough bread, and Bread and Flours was born. A business dedicated to the pursuit of the handcrafted naturally leavened sourdough bread, with health and wellness as the top priority and the love of whole-grain foods for better living.
Kristin is multi-talented. A beekeeper, a master gardener, a professional wine consultant, a crafter, a true renaissance woman.
Don't let this smile fool you, Kristin is a business shark. Savvy, intelligent, and quick-witted.
Kristin is warm, passionate, and will be happy to share her opinion on almost any subject.
Just ask her. Really.
Kristin is equally involved in all of the daily activities for Bread and Flours. These include, in no particular order, deliveries, quality control, business development, new preserve recipes; she is essential and we couldn't survive without her keen insight into all matters.
Meet Judy
Judy is a go-getter. From the Marriot corporation to a floral designer, raising a family of 4 gents, with her husband, Tom. Judy also has 9 beautiful grandchildren. Judy brings support to all matters at Bread and Flours. This includes preserve making, inventory management, product development, and product controls. Judy is a renowned baker sharing always with family and friends all her treats. Her customer service skills are exceptional and she makes everyone feel like they are part of her family.
We definitely couldn't do it without Judy.
Judy puts a smile on everyone's face!
Meet Kristin
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