Green Apron

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Simone Bahler is in charge of sourdough bread production. She said the sisters’ bakery uses a chemicalfree, organic all purpose flour from Montana to make breads. The bakery developed its own sourdough starter, using Concord grapes to help develop the right strain of natural yeast.

Making sourdough bread is a three day process. The dough is allowed to slowly ferment while refrigerated to develop flavors.

Simone Bahler said the bread is so well fermented that people who have trouble digesting regular yeasted breads do well with their product.

The business offers fairly straightforward sourdough breads that are either white or whole grain. Others tend towards the exotic. One loaf includes coffee grounds. Another is flavored with cranberries, walnuts and Parmesan cheese.

Simone Bahler said that she feels she is a pretty experienced baker, able to adjust her process due to temperature and humidity.

“I’ve been doing it a while,” she said. “It’s not a huge challenge. Every baker is a little different. I appreciate other people’s breads.”

Beka Bahler is primarily responsible for pastries. She said use of local, Wisconsin products helps make her products tasty. The business uses Wisconsin butter, eggs, honey, fruit and maple syrup. Other ingredients, such as sugar, oils and flour, are organic.

She said she uses a “lamination” technique to build her puff pastries so that they are buttery and flaky. The best sellers are pear tarts, fruit turnovers, rum raisin handpies, brownies and scones.

Beka Bahler said the sisters get satisfaction from both baking breads and pastries and then selling them directly to hungry customers.

“We all love baking and selling our products,” she said. “This is something we grew up with. It’s second nature.”