When Shana Lemke's favorite sourdough shop closed, she didn't just find a new place to buy bread — she created one.
The baker started selling gluten-friendly cookies and loaves of long-fermented sourdough at farmers markets after learning to make her own bread at home.
"I knew that those words meant that me and somebody who's gluten intolerant, I could eat that bread and it wouldn't affect me, wouldn't hurt my gut or my skin," Lemke said.
WATCH: How a Boise Bench bakery puts a fresh twist on sourdough
After working out of her garage for months, Lemke opened Pure Bliss Baking on the Boise Bench in April 2024. As her business grew, so did her crew and that doesn't even count the most important bakers.
"These bacteria yeast come from the flower itself. They come from the environment and it has to be treated like a member of the crew or a part of the family, so it's fed every night and first thing in the morning," Lemke said.
The long fermentation process takes time, which is why the bakery is only open three days a week. Once the starter is ready, bakers shape the loaves and mix in other ingredients.
But this Boise Bench bakery is serving up more than sourdough.
"We've got a creative crew out there that's constantly coming up with new ideas. We also have cookies, we have cupcakes, cinnamon rolls. Right now we're doing lemon rolls, huckleberry rolls, apple pie rolls," Lemke said.
The bakery is open to customers Thursday through Saturday.
