On baking — Baking is tucked in between all of my other projects and aspects of life: it is an expression of creativity, an outlet for various emotions and feelings, a vehicle for art and style, a form of guided meditation, an outpouring of love and sweetness, a means for me to get my hands dirty, a salve for my soul, the wanderings of my mind, an artist’s blank and ever-changing canvas and palette, a love language, a confusing mix of calculated science and whimsical daydreams, and the way I share my love and care with those around me.
On flavors — I am inspired by a lot of things and my interests change daily. I love the deep and intense flavors of dark chocolate, I am fascinated by floral notes and decors, I crave the richness of peanut butter and caramels, I am heartened by the freshness of bananas and apples, and I am wildly intrigued by uncommon flavors and pairings. Swoon, dream, create, burn, repeat. I draw inspiration from everything my body and soul comes in contact with: conversations, light shifts, words, photos, memories, scents, the desire to create something new, the need to get back to the classics. I create, create, and start again.
On naming — In my earliest memories of baking salt was never part of it; I didn’t think bakes and salt went together. As I slowly made my way through chapters of recipes, trials and errors of flavor and reaction, of testing and tasting, I realized that I was missing a key ingredient, salt. It changed the delicate composition and balance of flavors of everything I touched. I also didn’t know what rye was until 2018. Is it an ointment? Is it a type of pretzel? Where did it come from? After many forays with tasting and baking with it, it slowly became my favorite type of flour. It magnifies my inspiration and creativity tenfold, adds a depth of complexity, notes of interest. In my baking journey and progression, I hope to take salt and rye with me - to navigate through the crumbs and sugar dust, to soar.
On the course ahead — saltedrye is here to document my adventures and misadventures. To seal the memories, to share each crumb and fold, to build my home-baked portfolio, and to remind me where I’ve gone and where I’ve yet to taste.