07/29/2026
i took a long break between 2024 and the beginning of this year in an attempt to find balance between an in-person job and baking. while the first half of 2026 has been busy with baking, it has, regrettably, lacked focus.
at the beginning of this year i restarted offering bread subscriptions and as days and weeks and months passed...i started to recognize a real need for more focus. with my capacity, both physical and time, i can't just sell to sell. i needed to find a way to continue to grow (and work, lol) without leaning toward burnout.
there's some hesitation in being this transparent about my process, mostly bc it makes me feel less put-together? less careful? less "good"? but i really enjoy reading/watching other people work through things out loud, so i offer you this vulnerability.
my current focus is pushing through r&d on very specific recipes so i can offer a menu that's accessible to me, my schedule, and most importantly,,,my baking interests! not just ~what sells~
this focus might seem obvious, or something i should've started with, but baking sits in a weird passion/obligation zone (especially with already having a job). the passion side felt, and feels, like wanting to learn and hone skills/recipes and make things for myself that other people might also enjoy. but the obligation side of it feels like something less dramatic than survival...like i'll take any order i can get, any interest i can get, completely disregarding that i could, and should, have a filter for what's feasible for my skills/knowledge/time if i want to enjoy any of this process. both of these sides made it increasingly difficult to feel sure of what i was spending my already limited free-time doing.
i'm narrowing down what I make and test now so that i can eventually expand with less friction. the goal is always going to be to make delicious things i'm proud of but maybe go about it in a way that allows me more time for everything else i enjoy doing.
this is my extremely long-winded way of saying there's no bread in august BUT keep an eye out for something delicious (esp if you're on the Byrdie Bulletin, you'll get first dibs because i love you the most)
xo, byrdie.
