Influencer Interview: Kara’s Bread

When Kara first started selling bread on Facebook, it was upon her husband’s encouragement. It was a hobby at first, starting with following other bakers on Instagram to learn more about bread making. She was working full time alongside baking bread, but the “hobby” took off in a way that surprised her. In June of 2019, with her daughter in tow, she and her husband started selling bread at farmers markets — and something struck a chord. 

Bread as Traditional Comfort
“It was amazing to see what it meant to customers. It wasn’t just bread; it was a staple in their daily lives,” she said. “I’m really passionate about cooking and baking, the science behind it. I had to make a decision at my job, and my bread business was really starting to vibe. I had something at my fingertips that I can make, I like making it and I can sell it. It’s really rare to come across.”

Kara’s Bread has grown exponentially every year. Baking is simple, yet complex: It’s flour, water and salt. But, according to Kara, you don’t just make bread, you DO bread, especially sourdough. Every day is different, as humidity and temperature are involved. The highly complex bake is part of our heritage, Kara said, but it’s also making a trendy comeback. 

“It’s actually old fashioned. It’s how our grandmothers made bread,” she said. “They didn’t have a scale — they didn’t have thermometers in their dough. You can make bread baking as complicated as you want, and I tell everyone it’s worth trying.”

Bread making is a homemade, comforting notion, with deeply meaningful connections that continue to grow today. Returns to tradition are so rooted in today’s bread baking business that Kara doesn’t think it’s going to be a fad. 

“I think we’re seeing a unique change and a valuing of the slow, authentic process,” she said.

The LloydPans Difference
Thanks to social media and the digital age, one of the best ways to learn about niche interests — bread baking included — is to follow others. The bread and baking community on Instagram, for example, are tight knit groups, just like pizza makers. Kara also dove into this side of baking but couldn’t get the crust that she wanted. And then she spotted LloydPans.

“It was really cool to see you were from Washington, to see that small world connection. I lived in Kirkland, Wash., for two years when I started baking bread,” she said.
 
She ordered her first pan, trying to master deep dish and Sicilian-style, and LloydPans were absolute magic. 

“I had never had a more even crust on my focaccia or my pizza. And I was like that’s it: The pan is half the recipe! My oven is half the recipe of my bread, and the pan is half the recipe,” Kara said. “If you have the right tools you are going to have the product you want to achieve. It was so great to make that first deep dish pizza and be like ahhhh!” 

Kara had good luck with cast iron, getting the dark reaction with the dough. But, LloydPans made it easier because cast iron can be finicky, according to Kara. With its thick, heavy metal a pizza could be 20 pounds! LloydPans are non-stick, are easy to maintain and do not rust. And, the thin metal, anodized coating and dark exterior absorbs heat and conducts and distributes heat evenly and quickly — no soggy crusts. 

“With the shape of the pan, you can bake thinner or thicker. The shape helps the dough stay put, and the pans don’t warp at all. Definitely a high-quality difference,” Kara said.

Merging the two worlds, when Kara bakes LloydPans pizza, it’s always with her sourdough crust for a nice Detroit-style. There’s a fluffy chewiness and flash brown crust on the bottom. She butters the pan first, then adds olive oil, so not only does she get the browning, but the dough is crisping and frying on the bottom.

“It’s just magical. I’m curious to see what other possibilities are out there for this pan material.”