Welcome - E Komo Mai

To this day, I vividly remember the first time that I tasted a special pastry from my aunt's bakery. I was probably age three and I instantly fell in love with the taste, the texture, the fresh aroma, and the perfectly golden brown of the sweet. I did not have the vocabulary to describe it at the time, of course, but I knew that I had to have more; thereafter, each time someone made a trip to the city, a whole pastry would always find its way home.  And a good portion would find its way onto my waiting taste buds. 

For me, this experience was the beginning of a lifelong fascination and love affair with the art and science of baking. How could something so elegant and exquisite come out of simple things like flour, eggs, butter, and sugar? 

Something magical must have happened. 

I was sure of it.

When I was sixteen, I made my first bread. I followed the recipe faithfully. There was nothing in the recipe to indicate that using all whole wheat would result into something so very unlike the fluffy, brown loaf that was pictured on the page. To make it even more nutritious, I decided to substitute cracked whole wheat for one-half of the total flour. The oven was pre-heated and I wasted no time in placing my dough within. 

A wonderful smell filled the kitchen and filtered into the rest of the house. It was time to take out the long awaited loaf of earthy, delicious bread. 

The butter was ready.

The loaf was a beautiful brown color.  The texture was appealing with bits of cracked wheat dotting the surface. 

Only, the loaf had not risen. It was heavier than a brick. Gale force winds could not have shifted it.

I had made a doorstop. 

Not to be discouraged by my first bread attempt, I would keep on researching, experimenting, and developing my secret love of baking. I figured that I had already reached the lowest point of baking with my loaf of brick; therefore, everything else afterwards would only get better and better.

After years well-spent on raising a family while also being a founder and establishing the North Central Wisconsin Conservatory of the Arts, I was ready to take a leap for a new endeavor. Our daughters helped me to realize that it was time to follow my passion. My husband fully supported this decision, and he is the official taster of all baked and confectionery creations before they go to the bake shop.

In July of 2017, I opened Nanette's Kitchen to offer to the community delectable sweet and savory treats gluten-free and glutenful.