I don't write these recaps because I like looking at numbers. I write them because the numbers tell a story about the people behind them. This week, our Saturday working thread crossed 1,095 comments. But that's not even the real number. When you count every like on every comment inside that thread, every bit of encouragement, every "your crumb looks amazing," every "try checking internal temp instead of going by color," the total interactions in that single thread topped 4,200. Across the full week, 25 posts generated over 5,243 interactions. In a community that's two months old. Here's how the Saturday threads have grown: Focaccia: ~521 comments Cinnamon Rolls: ~840 comments Japanese Milk Bread: 1,095+ comments That's not a fluke. That's a pattern. But the numbers aren't what make this community different. The people are. Tracy slept through her bulk fermentation alarm, shaped the dough anyway, then laminated brown sugar and cardamom into a second batch because why not. Ehsan ran three simultaneous experiments: standard, long fermentation, and poolish. Linda catalogued the protein content of every flour in her pantry. Kim asked about glass pans and Tracy researched it before I could even start typing. Kathee swapped her sourdough starter into the yeasted recipe just to see what would happen. Cheryl fought wet dough, overproofed, popped bubbles, and pulled a loaf that smelled like espresso. Deborah's loaf collapsed on one side and she posted the photo anyway. That's the culture. Not perfection. Progress. Not cheerleading. Coaching. Oh, and somewhere in the middle of all of this, that little yellow star showed up next to our name. Top 1% of all 191,000 communities on Skool. #1 on ProveWorth across the entire platform. Not just bread. Not just food. All of it. That star belongs to every single person who showed up this week. The full recap is attached. Every post, every baker, every number, verified from the feed. Give it a read. Find your name. You earned it.

It's that time again! Help me give a HUGE Crust & Crumb Academy welcome to everyone who has joined us since our last shoutout. We see you, we're glad you're here, and we can't wait to bake alongside you! 👏 Welcome to the Academy: @Melissa Owens · @Laura Bowser· @Laura Hemmer Heinrich · @Steve Koschella · @Sadie Jones · @Demetra Lambros · @Alejandra Ceballos · @Rick Sakane · @Frances Quinn · @Melissa Molaison · @ethan-abdullohi-2327 · @Hannah Stephens · @J Warner · @Debra Stone · @Susan Gole · @Jane Johnson · @Tammi Thurston · @Michelle Sweeney · @Allison Micciche · @Hannah N · @Melissa Rumbley · @Katerina Marianou · @Diane Defelice · @Amanda Juliet · @Ires Aponte · @Karin Ovari · @Marianne Márquez · @Cathy Grizzell · @Kim Cochran · @Ruth Thor · @Tracy Nudo · @Regina Heyward · @Desirae Bowling · @Tricia Skarupinski · @Pauline Rogers · @Hea Mat · @Juliana Freitas · @Robin Yount · @Bernie Gomms · @Mamabear Claws · @Ro Ef · @Jose Espino · @Liisa Reimann · @Connie Murcia · @Krissy Johnson · @Darriel Whetstone · @Wayne Porter · @Aline Chan · @Shana Shoogukwruk · @Roxanne Arcilla · @Marie Temby · @Luis Prous · @Charla Oja · @Monica Knoesen · @Andrea White · @Margaret Wangelin · @Lisa Dambach · @Cheryl Smith · @Christy McCracken · @Jamie Mansperger · @Michelle Winters · @Cindy Hall · @Tangie Montgomery · @Nassos Perrotis · @Paula Stephens · @Matt Smith · @Linda Dubuque · @Kathleen Baker · @Deborah Taylor · @Deborah Karaban · @Cheryl Jones · @Patricia Garcia · @Carlos Brooks · @Courtenay Shular · @Amy Doolittle · @Pam Vincent · @Veerle Van Coile · @Abigail Rizzotti · @Horacio Miroddi @Joyce Prather · @Eleanor Cumming · @Laura Bowser · @Maria Thompson · @Michele Russo · @samantha-schaarf-4970

Hey everyone, I'm going to be honest with you. I've been out of town for a day and a half and I'm playing catch-up this morning. But we're rolling. This is your overview for the week. We're making Japanese Milk Bread (Shokupan) on Saturday, and if you baked cinnamon rolls with us last weekend, you already know the most important technique in this recipe. More content is coming out this afternoon and we'll follow our normal schedule the rest of the week. I'm working through your messages now, so if you've reached out, I see you and I'm getting to it. In the meantime, the full overview lesson is dropping in the Classroom shortly with the history, the science, and exactly what we're covering each day leading up to Saturday's bake. 📖 Full recipe (yeasted and sourdough versions): https://pantry.bakinggreatbread.com/recipes/japanese-milk-bread?variant=yeasted More this afternoon. Let's have a great week. 🙌

I was in Winston-Salem for Ryan’s track meet and while I was there I swung by Camino Bakery, owned by Cary Clifford. Here’s what got me: Cary started baking out of her home kitchen. Then a coffee shop basement. Then in 2011 she opened her first real location on Fourth Street, and today Camino has multiple spots across Winston-Salem, known for handcrafted breads, croissants, pastries, and seriously good coffee. That’s the journey right there. I shot a quick walkthrough video so you can see what they’re doing. The bread, the space, the vibe. It’s the kind of place that feels like a neighborhood, which is exactly what we’re building here in the Academy, just in a different way. If you’ve ever thought about taking your baking beyond your kitchen, watch this and let it sit with you. More on that conversation coming soon.