Watch

This Baker Takes Artisan to a New Level

Creator:
Published:
February 15, 2024
January 27, 2020
Learn to take risks by following this artisan's example.|Learn to take risks by following this artisan's example.

Lauren Barry is the owner of The Elder Bread, an artisan bakery in South Bend, Indiana. She is also the sole operator, which means she runs the counter, makes deliveries, buys ingredients — not to mention makes every recipe from scratch.

"Everybody loves food. You kind of get that special excitement when you're about to eat a warm cookie or a warm loaf of bread."

Video Transcript

Meet Lauren, a baker in South Bend, Indiana.

Lauren Barry: Okay. So I'm going to do the next stretch.

All right. Hey, what's up?

Customer: How you doing?

Lauren: How may I help you?

Customer: I just came to buy all your snacks.

Lauren: Oh, all my snacks?

Customer: All your snacks.

Lauren: That's cool.

Customer: I'll take a cinnamon roll.

Lauren: A cinnamon roll? All right. To go, or for here?

Everybody loves food. You kind of get that special excitement when you're about to eat a warm cookie or a warm loaf of bread. You're just like (exhales). I get really excited.

Lauren is the sole owner and operator of The Elder Bread. She makes everything from scratch. 

I don't really ever have a plan. I don't know. I just kind of went for it. I just go for things.

(She’s holding an extension cord bound with duct tape.) I fixed it. I’m an electrician, too.

(Lauren is shown mixing ingredients and pouring water into a container of dough.) 

This gets more hydration because rye… needs it. You want the salt to be integrated into it, but you don't want to be too rough with the bread. Which — you say knead? I don't knead bread. I don't “need” bread. Yeah, I don't knead it.

Maybe other people had that magical moment, but I was just making bread because I was bored and just started selling it. I'm like, "Well, I'll just start making more stuff." And then I just started selling that, too. And then I guess opportunities kind of just arose for me.

There's no one else here. You know, I'm the delivery girl. If I need ingredients, I gotta go to the store — gotta leave, sorry.

Man, I'm scared every day, you know? It's good to be like that. I think if I wasn't scared, that'd be a problem.

(She’s holding a split loaf of freshly baked bread.)

It's beautiful. I like to put my face in it and smell.

(She’s showing a small recipe book.)

It's the book of secrets. Here's all my recipes — not like all of them ever, but it's the ones I make here. And my daughter has to write her name on everything.

Creators:
Grotto
Published:
February 15, 2024
January 27, 2020
On a related note...
Fear of Failure: What It Is and How to Overcome It

Fear of Failure: What It Is and How to Overcome It

Andrew Mentock

Pizzeria Serves Up Second Chances in Cleveland

Pizzeria Serves Up Second Chances in Cleveland

Grotto

Keeping Dreamers Dreaming

Keeping Dreamers Dreaming

Grotto

Simone Biles Leaves Olympic Competition for Her Mental Health

Simone Biles Leaves Olympic Competition for Her Mental Health

Grotto Shares

Cocktail Recipes for the Bud Light Drinker

Cocktail Recipes for the Bud Light Drinker

Isaac Huss

Empowered Employment for Adults With Autism

Empowered Employment for Adults With Autism

Grotto

How Do You Find Friends After College?

How Do You Find Friends After College?

Grotto

Meet Corita Kent, Trailblazing Catholic Artist

Meet Corita Kent, Trailblazing Catholic Artist

Cate Von Dohlen

How Thrifting Soothed My Anxiety

How Thrifting Soothed My Anxiety

Maria Walley

"To Be More"

"To Be More"

Stephanie Konrady

How to Reject Hustle Culture Based on Your MBTI

How to Reject Hustle Culture Based on Your MBTI

Claire Krakowiak

"Valley Flowers"

"Valley Flowers"

Giovanna Maiello

Why I'm Catholic: I'm Not Alone

Why I'm Catholic: I'm Not Alone

Grotto

3 Ways Faith Can Help Us Combat Racism

3 Ways Faith Can Help Us Combat Racism

Sophie Caldecott

The Antidote to Shallow Consumerism: Intentional Habits

The Antidote to Shallow Consumerism: Intentional Habits

Robert Christian

Grotto’s Travel Guide to Washington, D.C.

Grotto’s Travel Guide to Washington, D.C.

Andrew Mentock

An Inside Look at the Ancient Art of Iconography

An Inside Look at the Ancient Art of Iconography

Grotto

How to Stress Less About Money This Year

How to Stress Less About Money This Year

Sarah Coffey

Filmmaker from Kenya Shares His Motivation

Filmmaker from Kenya Shares His Motivation

Grotto

How to Create (and Stick to) a Christmas Budget

How to Create (and Stick to) a Christmas Budget

Sarah Coffey

newsletter

We’d love to be pals.

Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll meet you in your inbox each week.