Raising the Bar: Crafting a Snack Worth Sharing
This weekend, we worked in our shared commercial kitchen space to translate the home-baked treat that our tiny tot lovingly refers to as "fig bread" to the Harvest Bars we're so excited to share with you. Born out of our hearts & home, the Harvest Bar began with the simple yet innately human desire to share food. When our toddler started solids, it marked a turning point for our family. She wanted to eat what mom & dad were having, & we wanted her to join us at the table. But while we considered ourselves fairly health-conscious, we weren't comfortable handing her the processed protein bars that had long been staples in our diet.
So we got cooking. Out of the oven came a true baked-good in every sense of the word; two sweet, soft-baked layers with a hint of cinnamon & spices sandwiching a jammy fig filling & packed with goodies like protein, fiber, calcium, & antioxidants to boot. No artificial sweeteners, no seed oils, no preservatives. Everything inside is something you can pronounce & probably find in your own pantry. These first bars bridged a gap in our family's nutrition, offering a wholesome, convenient snack that tasted like a treat. They were a labor of love from start to finish — even our backyard hens contributed with fresh eggs!
Learning in the Commercial Kitchen
Fast forward to today, & we're taking the next steps to share Harvest Bars beyond our own table. On Saturday, we baked our first batch in a commercial kitchen & discovered we still had a thing or two left to learn. We were so awestruck by the massive mixer that we underestimated just how much hotter & faster a commercial oven runs compared to our trusty home setup. The result was a dozen scorched bars, which we happily claimed as the "real baker's dozen". (Spoiler alert: they still paired well with a cup of coffee). The good news? We can now confidently say that Harvest Bars meet both our personal & regulatory standards. At last they're ready to be shared!
Out in the Community
The Harvest Bar made its public debut this week at Big Tex, a veteran-owned & operated local gym, where we had the chance to meet folks face-to-face and share samples. If you missed us, don't worry we have more pop-up events in the works. You'll also be able to find us at weekly farmers markets soon, where we're eager to connect with our community.
And for those beyond state lines — both longtime friends & those we've yet to meet — we've been fine-tuning our cold-shipping process. Our very first interstate orders head out today, bringing a taste of the grove right to your door!
