My name is Krista Bailey, and here is the story of how Bailey Basics came to be.
As a wife, mom and entrepreneur, I have always been a “creator”. I love to come up with ideas, solve problems and am constantly learning new and exciting things. Most of my research leads me to food! Learning where our food comes from, what it is made of and the most nutritious option for myself and my family. This journey has led me to start milling my own flour in 2023.
The journey to Bailey Basics
From 2006-2012 I worked as a Pastry Chef while also earning a degree in Restaurant, Hotel and Institutional Management from Texas Tech University. These years were full of late nights and early mornings, working under an Executive Chef and then opening a retail bakery in 2012. My husband and I built the bakery from the ground up. Turning an empty shell in a shopping center into the bakery of my dreams.
While owning and operating a retail bakery, I spent countless nights and weekends making cakes and other desserts to celebrate some of the biggest milestones in people’s lives. Weddings, birthdays, pregnancies, graduations, retirements, the celebrations were endless!
I had the opportunity to meet many wonderful people through the bakery…
Along the way, my husband and I began to grow our family. The demand of a retail bakery was more than could be managed with 2 small kids, and I sold the bakery at the start of 2018.
After swearing off baking, I focused on raising kids and soaking up as much family time as I could.
In 2023, now with 3 kids, I realized I missed baking but wanted to go about it with a more health conscious approach.
A relative baked our family a loaf of bread with fresh milled flour, and it was nothing like the “whole wheat” bread I had grown up eating! It was full of flavor, the texture was fluffy and not as dry as store bought wheat bread.
So Bailey Basics was born…
When I started researching fresh milled flour, I was extremely overwhelmed. I had an extensive background in baking and saw many talented bakers outlining the learning curve that came with this new way of baking. I also realized the up front cost would be pretty expensive.
I milled my first grains with a Vitamix blender and found a recipe, and was hooked!
I have slowly added to my equipment, upgrading to a WonderMill grain mill. After a few short months, I realized my KitchenAid mixer needed to be upgraded to an Ankarsrum mixer…the list goes on and on.
I created a micro-bakery to support this new hobby and also provide baked goods to my friends and neighbors. It has since evolved into this blog, which serves as a landing page for local customers as well as those just looking to learn about fresh milled flour.
The nutrition of whole grains
Not only did I LOVE the flavor and everything about eating this true Whole Grain flour, I also began researching and realizing how incredibly healthy it was. I always thought I was eating healthy by purchasing Whole Wheat flour and Whole Wheat products form the store, only to realize the whole grain was not truly included in the product (atleast not in its entirety).
I hope you find encouragement, resources, and everything you need to be successful in your endeavors as a baker using fresh milled flour! Creating a community around this nutritious way of baking and cooking is my passion and I am here to support those working towards better health with fresh milled flour!
Community!
DIVE IN! Here are some links to some people doing amazing things and that I have found helpful in my journey!
If you are local to West Texas, I created a Facebook Group, West Texas Flour Millers.
Pleasant Hill Grains- A company with incredible equipment but even better customer service and resources!
I also joined many Facebook groups, followed bakers on Instagram and just immersed myself in the culture.
You can find all of the amazing products I have researched, purchased and loved along the way!
HAPPY BAKING!
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