My great-grandfather standing in front of his bakery, holding the hand of his son (my Opa).
My name is Joanna Struiksma-Facey and I am the owner and baker at Bright Spot Bakeshop, a Cottage Food Operation in the South Bay Area, California.
Although my professional training and career is in design, marketing and innovation rather than in the culinary arts, I have always loved baking.
Baking is in my blood!
My great-grandfather and his brother were both bakers, and my grandfather and uncle spoke fondly of the family bakeries. Both of my grandmothers are/were talented home bakers. My own mother is also a wonderful cook. She shared her enthusiasm for cooking and baking with me when I was a child.
Bright Spot Bakeshop's Nothern European inspiration is a reflection of my own personal history.
My father is English and my mother is Dutch. I was born in Norway, and grew up in Sweden and the Netherlands. Having quite the sweet tooth, I’ve had my fair share of baked treats from these countries over the years!
Now that I'm living in the US with my husband and two little boys, I am having fun replicating the sweets and baked goods I remember from my childood. I'm also discovering recipes for new bakes from Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Britain and neighboring countries all the time.
I’m loving the chance to share these goodies and my enthusiasm for baking with the wonderful people of California, through Bright Spot Bakeshop.
I hope you will enjoy them as much as I do!
Every Northern European country has it’s own cultural variation on the tea- or coffee-break (e.g. Swedish fika', English afternoon tea, Dutch koffietijd). The traditional time and place for the break and the specific sweet treats that accompany the hot drink differ. But the thing that all have in common, and what distinguishes them from American coffee-consuming traditions, is that it is about slowing down and appreciating the good things in life.
The Northern European tea- or coffee break represents a true break in the day, a moment to sit and decompress, on your own or gathered with friends and family.
Bright Spot Bakeshop is a Cottage Food Operation (Permit #PT0494868, Issued in Santa Clara)
