Dining: Sweet dreams
Anyone who spends 16 months serving in Iraq in the Minnesota National Guard deserves something sweet upon return. But instead of following her tour with a welcome-home cake, Krista Steinbach set her sights a little higher -- her own bakeshop.
"I've always loved baking," said Steinbach. "As a little girl, I didn't dream of owning a bakery, but I decided I wanted to do something that I loved for the rest of my life."
Steinbach, a Nebraska native who now lives in Columbia Heights, provides the baking prowess behind Sweets Bakeshop, her months-old venture through which she sells her cupcakes, macaroons and brownies. She currently accepts orders through her website (www.sweetsbakeshop.com) and makes twice-weekly deliveries to Local D'Lish in Minneapolis' Warehouse District, and she plans to open her own retail shop by next spring. Here's a sketch of how far Sweets Bakeshop has come.
Fall 2008: In November, Steinbach graduates from the Culinary Institute of America in California, specializing in bakery and pastry. While in school, she first writes a business plan for Sweets and begins doing online research on financing and operating a small business. She speaks with California cupcake shop owners, who prove to be an invaluable source for information.
Winter/spring 2009: Upon returning to Minnesota, Steinbach begins developing recipes, tackling the basic vanilla and chocolate varieties before creating other flavors and "forcing friends and my husband to try them." Her first attempt to obtain financing for a retail space is unsuccessful as several banks refuse her request.
"It was discouraging, but looking back, it was a good thing," she said.
Steinbach holds back on looking for her own location and instead devotes her energy to finding rental space, ultimately turning to a neighborhood caterer's kitchen. She finds a kindred spirit in Ann Yin at Local D'Lish and starts making Wednesday and Saturday deliveries in mid-April.
Summer 2009: The buzz surrounding Steinbach's baked goods grows with referrals from the caterer from whom she rents kitchen space -- and as more Local D'Lish customers taste her treats.
In the meantime, Steinbach puts off the founding of her own bakery location and works on developing new recipes and products, such as mini cheesecakes and opera cakes.
Stay tuned for future updates with Steinbach as she works toward her dream of finding Sweets Bakeshop a space of its own.
The Churn
The Carlos Creek Winery Grape Stomp and Wine Festival takes place this weekend, starting at 6 p.m. Friday. Head out to the winery (Carlos Creek Winery, 6693 NW. County Road 34, Alexandria, Minn.) for live music, wine tasting and blending classes, exhibitors and vendors and more. For details: www.carloscreekwinery.com/events/grapestomp.
"Never Trust a Thin Cook" author Eric Dregni appears at the Varsity Theater Sunday at 2 p.m. In search of the world's best food, Dregni moved from Minnesota to a small, fog-covered town in northern Italy: Modena, the birthplace of balsamic vinegar, Ferrari and Luciano Pavarotti.
- The Heavy Table team writes about food and drink in the Upper Midwest five days a week, twice a day, at www.heavytable.com.
