When we ordered these recently Horchata Polvorones from Texas Baker Mariela Camacho, it was for so many reasons: They are subtle. They are deeply aromatic. They happen to be vegan and gluten free. And yet none of that is the biggest reason these cookies are so special. What really makes them stand out is that they are part of King Arthur's year-long Baking a Stand initiative.
Baking a Stand began last year with the mission to highlight the recipes of inspiring bakers from around the country and raise money for social justice organizations. With each season, we have worked with a new baker, whose recipe we bake and sell in our country Vermont coffee; all proceeds from item sales benefit a local Vermont organization fighting inequality and injustice, with an additional donation from King Arthur given to a non-local organization of the recipe contributor's choice.
These organizations have included JAG Productionsa Black theater company here in Vermont; RVA Community Refrigerators, a BIPOC-led initiative to reduce food insecurity in Richmond, Virginia; AND Vermont ReLeaf Collective, a BIPOC network advancing racial equity in land, environment, agriculture, and foodways—plus much more.
Shilpa Iyer
How Roasting a Stand Began
The idea for Baking a Stand was sparked a little over a year ago. Amid the reckoning of racial and social justice in the summer of 2020, the employee-owners at Norwich's King Arthur's Bakery began thinking about how they could have an active impact on their community. “We were talking in the bakery about how King Arthur could be involved,” recalls head pastry chef Andrea Quillen. “Can we have a bake sale? Would it be a one-time thing?”
Andrea and her fellow bakers were inspired by the social justice work led by other pastry chefs, such as Paola Velez's work with Bakers Against Racism and Natasha Pickowicz's annual Bake sale for Planned Parenthood. As we were thinking about how to implement the same approach, one thing was clear: “We couldn't do it for us,” says Andrea. “We needed to shine a light on different bakers and different local organizations.”
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The four bakers and their recipes
Andrea contacted King Arthur's leadership, who immediately responded with their full support, and the planning began. The first baker to appear was New World Sourdough AUTHOR Bryan Ford. “I love his approach that baking is about more than just white, crusty, airy bread,” says Andrea. This style of cooking is embodied in Bryan's Coconut bread with chocolatea coconut-chocolate-scented bread that we sold in the cafe from October to January.
The other featured baker was bread activist Arley Bell, who Brown Lemon Rosemary Butter Muffins (pictured at the top of this post) were well suited for the winter months in which they made their debut. “With the mission behind this project, of course I was immediately on board,” says Arley. “It was so much fun to develop a recipe, but also to be a part of something bigger… and to be able to make a difference in a way that I normally wouldn't.”
After Arley, the bakery partnered with cookbook author and activist Julia Turshen in June. With Julia's Orange and Greek yogurt cakesays Andrea, it felt like an authentic way to incorporate Pride into Baking a Stand – both highlighting Julia's work and supporting the local LGBTQ+ youth organization Complete Vermont.
Finally, Mariela is closing the one-year program with him Horchata Polvorones. For Andrea, these cookies epitomize something she loves about the program: “It's getting our Norwich customers to try something they wouldn't really have had the chance to before. I love an opportunity to expand people's taste and culinary knowledge.”
Melina Hammer
Cooking for a better world
Andrea is quick to point out that this initiative is not about King Arthur and its bakery team, but the local bakers and organizations whose work they have been grateful to highlight. She cringes when she reflects on how so many great bakers have shared their work and recipes with us. “It's unbelievable! I am very grateful to the bakers who participated.”
Roasting a Stand was designed to be a one year program and now that year is coming to an end. But the work it represents is not finished. It is part of the widest King Arthur's Mission: How do we inspire others through baking? How to bake together?
This means expanding our culinary knowledge and baking styles, continuing to collaborate with bakers we are inspired by, and thinking beyond the kitchen to support more BIPOC farmers and producers in our community.
For example, we have continued to work with JAG Productions to host Theater on the Hill, a group of weekly shows that shine a light on black life and aesthetics. We are too focusing our giving program on organizations and individuals working to create more equitable food systems across the country and collaborating with bakers of all backgrounds to share their culinary expertise, like Shilpa Iyer's Singaporean Pandan Chiffon Cake.
With a year of Baking a Stand behind us, our work has only just begun.
Learn more about how King Arthur is using baking to build stronger communities here Return page.
Cover photo by Liz Neily.
