NOTICE: Due to the Winter Weather Advisory, the Baker Meet Up for 2/11 has been postponed to Tuesday, February 18. We hope to see you then!
Join fellow bakers for an evening of community and craft! Whether you're a professional pastry chef or passionate home baker, our Baker Meet Up offers a unique opportunity to connect with others who share your love of baking and want to use local flours and grains.
Featured speakers include Janey Gioiosa, the talented professional baker behind the upcoming Janet's Cafe & Bakery, and accomplished home baker Mark Woodward. They'll share their expertise on working with local, whole grains - from sourcing ingredients to achieving delicious textures and flavors.
Bring your favorite bake to share and taste creations from other local bakers. This informal gathering is perfect for expanding your baking knowledge, discovering new techniques, and building connections within our vibrant baking community.
Register below!
Theme:
Baking with Whole Grains — From their earthy flavors to their hearty textures, baking with whole grains offer bakers exciting opportunities to create standout breads, pastries, and desserts. In this meet-up, we’ll explore the versatility of whole grains, from using them in traditional recipes to pushing creative boundaries. We’ll share techniques for milling, hydration, and fermentation to make the most of their unique qualities. Whether you’re perfecting a rye sourdough, experimenting with spelt in a flaky pastry, or curious about adding whole grains to your bakes, this is the perfect space to learn, share, and grow as a baker. Bring your questions, successes, and challenges, and join us in celebrating the rich potential of whole grains!
Bring:
A bread or baked item of your choice made with whole grains, either whole grain flour or including whole grains in your bake (bonus points for regionally-sourced flour!)
A recipe card card with information about your bake, and ideally a recipe to share. Please include your name on the recipe card. We will collect these cards at the end of the event and share them through the CGA Home Baker Google Group.
Please bring your baked goods pre-sliced or divided to share and with something to serve it on (e.g., plate, cutting board, basket, platter, etc.)
About Janey Gioiosa and Janet’s Cafe & Bakery
A natural-born baker with an innate passion for dough, Janey Gioiosa brings both culinary school training and years of hands-on experience to her craft. Her journey began at Charlottesville's European-inspired MarieBette bakery, where she honed her skills in the bread basement. From there, her path led her through the wood-fired ovens of Little Hat bakery in Nelson County and to farmers markets, where she developed her own successful venture, Janey's Bread.
Now, Janey is embarking on her most exciting chapter yet – the upcoming launch of Janet's Cafe & Bakery in Richmond's Forest Hill neighborhood with business partner Will Darsie. Set to open in Spring 2025, Janet’s Cafe & Bakery will feature freshly baked goods and pastries alongside a thoughtful menu of sandwiches and salads.
About Reservoir Distillery:
Established in 2008, Reservoir is the third distillery outside of Kentucky to make bourbon since Prohibition. CGA board member & Reservoir Distillery’s Director of Distillery Education Shelley Sackier is leading the Virginia Heritage Grain Project, which is tasked with studying our country’s oldest grains used in relation to the spirits industry, ultimately asking the questions, “Are the forgotten flavors of history waiting to be rediscovered? And are they worthy of being unearthed?”
About Mark Woodward
In retirement Mark Woodward has developed a passion for baking bread. His breads are nearly all 100% whole grain, freshly milled, and naturally fermented. He takes pleasure in experimentation and trying whole grain bread formulas from around the world. In addition to being a home baker, he is a home miller, occasionally a home maltster, and has even grown some rye in his front yard (enough for one loaf of bread!). Now, through the baker meetups, he is enjoying sharing his knowledge with other bakers.
