Bread Thoughts


Longer than an Instagram caption, shorter than therapy.
Why I Don’t Do It All (And Don’t Want To)
aka: How Rest, Boundaries, and Saying “No” Make My Bread Better   If you’ve ever looked at Bread by Blaze and thought, “Wow, she must be doing everything,” I’m here to lovingly and crustily tell you: I’m not. And I don’t want to. I have a full-time job. I have a wonderful husband. I have a life group on Tuesdays, choir on Wednesdays, D&D whenever we can fit it, and I try to rest every Saturday or Sunday. I also have a cat named Sabre who supervises everything, including my... Read more...
Summers Like That ☀️
Summer always makes me think about the same few places. Growing up, we would spend a week every summer at Hither Hills in Montauk, camping right by the beach. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it didn’t need to be. Most days were some version of sand, water, and figuring out what we were doing next without too much of a plan. The setup was always the same. There was the boys’ tent, the girls’ tent, and then the tent where we ate breakfast every morning. For a long time, we... Read more...
It’s Hot. That’s the Post. ☀️
There’s a point every summer in Florida where it stops feeling like a season and starts feeling like a full-time condition. You walk outside for two minutes and immediately regret it, and somehow it’s still humid even when it’s not raining. It’s the kind of heat that makes you question every decision that led you to be outside in the first place. I’ve noticed that everything starts to adjust around it. You plan your day a little differently, you think twice before leaving the house, and you start appreciating anything... Read more...
The Kind of Food That Works for Days Like This
The Fourth of July always feels like one of those days where the plan is simple, even if the details aren’t. There’s usually some version of being outside, being around people, and eating at some point in between everything else. Sometimes it’s more organized, sometimes it’s just whoever shows up and whatever ends up on the table, but either way it tends to work itself out. I’ve noticed that the food that actually gets eaten on days like this is never the complicated stuff. It’s the things people don’t have... Read more...
Somewhere Between Plans and Reality 🍞
There’s always a version of the week that I think I’m going to have, and then there’s the one that actually happens. In my head, everything is spaced out nicely. I know what I’m making, when I’m making it, and how it’s all going to come together. It’s very organized, very efficient, and honestly a little unrealistic. In reality, it usually looks a little different. Something takes longer than I expected, something else gets moved around, and there’s almost always a moment where I realize I probably should have started... Read more...
Why I Can't Sell You Cheese Bread :(
Florida Cottage Food Law: The Rules Behind the Rolls Running Bread by Blaze isn't just about flour, faith, and figuring out how many focaccia cups I can fit in the oven at once. It also means following Florida's Cottage Food Law -the legal framework that allows me to operate a home bakery and sell directly to customers without a commercial kitchen. It's one of the reasons Bread by Blaze exists at all. So what is Florida's Cottage Food Law, what does it allow, and why do home bakers spend so... Read more...
On Dads (and the Very Specific Ways They Show Up) 👟🍩
Father’s Day always makes me think about how different dads can be, and how somehow they still show up in really similar ways. My dad is the kind of person who is always moving. He’s into triathlons, The Beatles, alt rock music, and supporting his kids in whatever they want to do - especially if it’s sporty. You can also usually find him on Facebook sharing sunrise or sunset pictures, or posting a reel with a bad dad joke that he absolutely thinks is funny. My father-in-law is different in... Read more...
Happy Birthday, Sam 💛
Today is Sam’s birthday, and I just wanted to take a moment to say how thankful I am for him. He’s smart, supportive, funny, and genuinely the best husband. He’s the kind of person who shows up consistently, encourages me when I need it, and somehow manages to make even the busiest or most chaotic days feel a little lighter. Bread by Blaze wouldn’t be what it is without him. He’s been there through every idea, every late night in the kitchen, every “I think I can make this work,”... Read more...
What I End Up Bringing 🍞
I’m not usually the person who shows up empty-handed, and honestly, I don’t think I was ever really given the option. I’m Italian, Irish, and German, and especially growing up with an Italian grandmother, showing up without something in your hands just wasn’t how things were done. There was always something to bring, something to share, something that made you part of what was happening before you even walked in the door. That habit stuck. My dad had his own version of it too. He would bring an Entenmann’s bakery... Read more...
Making Space for It ☀️
I’m not always very good at slowing down. I like having things to do, things to work on, something moving in the background. Even when I tell myself I’m going to take it easy, I usually end up finding something to fill the time with anyway, because apparently sitting still is a skill I am still developing. But every once in a while, something comes up that feels worth making space for, and this week is one of those times. We’re celebrating Sam’s birthday a little early, and instead of... Read more...
On Celebrating (and Why I Love It So Much) 🎉
I’ve always loved celebrating people, and I don’t really think I fall cleanly into one category with it. I love the small, intentional things that make someone feel seen, but I also love going a little over the top when I can. There’s something really fun about putting extra thought into a moment and letting it feel bigger than it technically needs to be. A lot of that probably comes from how I’m wired. Gift giving has always been one of my love languages, and hosting is right up there... Read more...
A Quick Pause (For Something Really Special) ✨
There are some weekends that you know are going to be special before they even get here, and this is one of those for me. At the end of this week, I’m going to be taking a short break from baking because my family is coming into town for my brother’s ordination, and I couldn’t be more excited about it. We don’t get to have everyone together like this very often, so I’m really looking forward to slowing down, being present, and just enjoying the time we have. I’m especially... Read more...