CL Family Spotlight: The Brown and Blond Bakery
There's something almost saint-like about our gluten free bakers - bringing the delicious goodness of brownies and pizza back to the lives of those with wheat intolerances and special dietary needs. Don't agree? Well you probably haven't tried The Brown and Blond Bakery yet. Read on to learn how business owner Kathy Wegner got her start!
Q: What's the story behind your business, and how did you get started? A: For most of my life, I knew I would be a business owner. When my first option was no longer feasible, I looked for other things I enjoyed. My favorite dessert is Brownies, so I made Brownies for just about every get together. But when I discovered I had wheat intolerance, now full blown Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, I could not find any gluten free products or recipes that suited my taste or did not have a multitude of ingredients including un-pronounceables. My relatives and friends were not avoiding wheat, so I wanted to develop a Brownie that everyone could enjoy. After four years of experimenting, I finally developed a recipe that has the taste and texture I love (no more sandy paste with a bad after taste!). For those who may not be into chocolate, I decided to try a Blondie, and fell in love with it too. I started offering these two mixes in November of 2011. The Cracker and Bread & Pizza Dough mix were added to the collection in the summer of 2012. After many requests, Quick Mix was developed and released October 2013.
Q: What makes your products unique? A: The mixes are Grain, gluten, nut, dairy, and soy Free. Since grain free baked goods are so unique, I wanted share them as baking mixes. This allows for alterations when baking. If there are no allergies to dairy, milk can be used instead of water, or butter instead of the oil. They can be customized to each one's tastes. They can also be made vegan!
Q: What do you like about being part of the Celebrate Local family? It is great to have a store dedicated to Ohio products. I marvel at all the creativity we Ohioans have. On occasions, we producers get to meet. The Celebrate Local Team does a great job learning about and promoting the products in the store. I'm proud that I get to participate.
Wow - Thanks Kathy! Learn more about The Brown and Blond Bakery here or stop into our Easton location to pick some up!