THE BAKEHER

Welcome to The Long Fermentation Journey, a haven for sourdough enthusiasts curated by me, Meredith, a passionate baker with a story as rich and flavorful as my creations.

A Flour-Dusted Childhood:

Baking has been a love affair since I was a young girl. I found myself immersed in the warmth of the kitchen, where my mom shared age-old secrets of baking. With my hands covered in flour and the aroma of freshly baked goodies wafting through the air, my journey into the world of baking began.

Generational Love for Baking:

Baking was more than a skill; it was a family tradition. Both of my grandmothers  wielded rolling pins like magic wands & the kitchen became a place of connection, stories, and, of course, delicious treats. The art of baking was passed down like a cherished family heirloom. I will forever be grateful for the traditions and memories they passed on to me.

Unveiling a Gluten Intolerance Journey:

In my younger days, I noticed subtle shifts in my gut with tummy aches that made me sick - a mystery that went unnoticed until my 30s. At 33, a diagnosis of Hashimoto's, a condition affecting the thyroid, added a new layer to my culinary journey. The revelation not only explained the subtle signals my body had been sending but also became a catalyst for a more mindful and health-conscious approach to baking and eating.

At 42, a year long bout with meningitis served as a turning point for me & ignited a whole new chapter in my culinary journey.

The Sourdough Awakening:

Armed with the knowledge of my intolerance and the need to heal my body, I delved deeper into the world of sourdough. The slow fermentation process became not just a technique but a culinary revelation. Sourdough, with its magic of transforming humble ingredients into digestible delights, became the cornerstone of my kitchen.

Converting Recipes with a Fermented Twist:

With a newfound appreciation for the alchemy of fermentation, I began the exciting journey of converting beloved recipes to sourdough. Each adaptation was not just about substituting ingredients but infusing every creation with the distinctive tang that made her baked goods a celebration of flavor and gut-friendly joy. You can be assured that I test every recipe several times before I share them. Some of these recipes I created for my bakery and have reworked so they will be perfect for the smaller kitchen space.

The Birth of The Long Fermentation Journey:

After traveling and seeing the world with a private chef for 2 years as his baker, my Sourdough baking business took off in San Diego with weekly bread orders and catering to a unique group of people in search of digestible baked goods.

In 2019, at the age of 48, I moved to Boise, Idaho as I looked toward the new chapter my life was heading in. I worked as a baker until the pandemic closed the business I worked for, & opened my first Long Fermentation Sourdough Bakery at the beginning of the Covid-19 Pandemic in 2020. Baking out of the oven in the house where I rented a room, I quickly grew out of the home kitchen & moved into a local rental kitchen, 

In March of 2020, Bakeher was established in Idaho.

As the word spread like wildfire across Boise, Wild Phyllis Sourdough Bakery was born. With an incredible community of people interested in fermented baking, it was a wild success, but too much for the small space it was in. Wild Phyllis Bakery closed the doors in June of 2022. But that was not the end!

Driven by a desire to share what I've learned, and connect with like-minded bakers, I established Wild Phyllis : Love & Sourdough—a virtual space where flour & and time converge to create magic. This blog is not just a collection of recipes; it's a narrative of resilience, adaptation, and the enduring joy found in the world of sourdough.

Join me in celebrating the timeless art of baking, the alchemy of fermentation, and the simple pleasured of delicious baked magic ~

 Here's to Love & Sourdough—a story told through the language of sourdough.