Breaking Bread with Wild Leaven

Breaking Bread

with Wild Leaven Bakery

By Dena Miller

Tucked into a small set of shops with easy ingress and egress at 216 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, you’ll find Wild Leaven Bakery — although chances are, you’ll smell the aroma of fresh baked breads first. In addition to its brick and mortar location, the small thriving family-owned and -operated bakery is also a mainstay at the weekly Taos Farmers Market. Not just another bakery, Andre Kempton and his wife, Dr. Jessica Kempton, bring their ‘wild leaven’ philosophy to both their Taos and Santa Fe locations. Wild, or natural, fermentation is the traditional way to make and bake bread, and with a sourdough starter that Andre nurtures and feeds weekly, Wild Leaven is recognized for its dedication to using organic and local ingredients.

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Breaking Bread

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Wild Leaven works with a close-knit community of regional farmers who grow grain, mill flour, and prioritize heritage and heirloom grains. In addition to the Taos Farmers Market, the farmers include Big Wheel Farm, La Villita Farm, Mountain Mama Milling and New Green Organics, who help to ensure Wild Leaven achieves their mission of supporting local farmers to create a thriving, sustainable local food economy with healthy, nutrient-dense foods. With four to five dedicated bakers at both locations, Wild Leaven serves a range of breads and pastries as well as soups, chai and kombucha. The original sourdough loaf is their most popular items, which is made with organic flours grown in Costilla, Andre’s sourdough starter, and Utah’s Real Salt, an all-natural sea salt that comes from underground salt deposits in central Utah. Unlike other sea salts, Utah’s Real Salt is an ancient sea salt untouched by pollutants found in modern day seas. Wild Leaven celebrates the winter months with different hours. When the local farmer’s market is closed, the bakery is open Wednesday through Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. During the holidays, Wild Leaven expands its menu to include two European holiday breads. Panettone, the Italian delicacy also known as Italian Christmas Cake, is made with Wild Leaven’s yeast-leavened bread with raisins, candied fruit peels, nuts, and brandy. You’ll also find a German Stollen or Christstollen, which is a holiday hallmark throughout much of Eastern and Western Europe and Scandinavia. The new year will bring more expansion for Wild Leaven and opportunity for Taos. With a commitment to feeding their community, the bakery will make it even easier to break bread by offering a sit-down space with an expanded menu.

For more information, visit wildleavenbakery.com.

Give the Gift of Creativity!

The Gift of Creativity

Whether a work of art from our “RED HOT” gallery or an exceptional pair of mugs for the morning coffee or a gift card for a class or studio membership, the Taos Ceramics Center specializes in promoting fun and creativity. Please visit us Wednesdays noon-5:00pm, Thursday thru Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm, and Sundays noon-4:00pm. We’re located on the south side of Taos at 114 Este Es Rd.

2nd Annual MEMBERS SHOW!

Opens Friday, December 9

Works by Gretchen Ewert, Kim Treiber, Rachel Conn, Vincent Morales, Barb Raulston, Lee Akins, Sjoran Fitzpatrick, Max Massey, Rebecca Browning and dozens more!!!