If I could describe Corinne Carpenter, owner of Break O' Day Farm, in one word it would be "authentic." She's as natural as the farm she lives on, as free roaming as the chickens that she raises. Her description in the about section on the Break O' Day Farm website is like talking to a neighbor.
I met Corinne when she became a vendor at the Lansing Gluten Free Fair. She came to our attention after winning a Favorite Pizza Recipe contest. Her fruit pizza was a huge hit with all. (She also has a cookbook with the "regular" family recipes that she's converted to gluten-free.) I immediately loved the whimsy of her booth. It was decorated with record covers and the names of her products pai homage to songs and singers of yesterday. For example, she makes an "All Shook Up" Peanut Butter Bread, her tribute to Elvis. Learn more about this Pure Michigan business in Carpenter's own words.
Photo Credit: Corinne Carpenter
1. What inspired you to become a baker Why the focus on gluten-free?
I’ve had booths selling goods at farmers’ markets for quite a few years. When my son was diagnosed with gluten intolerance, I started baking gluten--free for him. It’s hard for a young kid to find out that all of his favorite foods are now off-limits. I tried to make the foods as close to “normal” as possible. In the beginning, most of it was tossed to the chickens & pigs. Eventually, the foods tasted better, but it was quite a learning curve. I’m still learning more every day.
When I originally found out my son needed to eat gluten free, I tried to keep a dual kitchen. It was difficult to prevent cross-contamination and he is extremely sensitive, so the dual kitchen didn’t last long. The kitchen is now 100% gluten-free.
After I had been eating gluten-free for almost a year, I woke up one morning and realized I hadn’t had a migraine headache in a long, long time. As a person who had been plagued with migraines for most of my life, it was a strange feeling to be “cured”. As the doctor told my son “Sometimes you don’t even know how sick you are until you feel better.” We have banished gluten from this house and it is not coming back!
2. Are there other highlights of your products? Dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, etc?
I make quite a few dairy free products and do take custom orders. I try to use local products whenever possible. The pies are made with Michigan fruits when in season.
Photo Credit Corinne Carpenter
3. What steps do you take to insure that your products are truly gluten-free?
I bake under the Michigan Cottage Food law, which means I bake in my home kitchen. The only foods baked in my kitchen are gluten-free and they are made with certified gluten free products. I replaced any kitchen tools that could possibly retain gluten, including my great-grandma’s rolling pin. I almost cried at that loss. My great-grandmoher and I had made so many pies & memories together. I had it for almost 20 years- I literally learned to bake with that rolling pin. I grieved, shed my tears, but I recovered.
4. Do you have customer stories about how your products have impacted them?
Yes, and I think this is one benefit of being at the markets. I’m able to talk to visitors, answer questions, and get their feedback. One man ate his cupcake at the market, came back & bought all the rest. He was so excited! I have met so many wonderful people through the years. They are the reasons I keep coming back. I also have many happy customers who have told me they enjoy the pies and brownies, even though they have no dietary restrictions.
Photo Credit: Corinne Carpenter
5. What would you like consumers to know about your products and your business?
Most recipes originated in my great-grandma’s recipe box. I have modified them to be gluten and sometimes dairy-free. All recipes are tested & modified until they pass what I call the “fly-off the plate test”. My kids take their gluten-free goodies to school quite often to share with (gluten eating) friends. Kids are (sometimes brutally) honest. Only after they pass the kid test, do the goodies move on to the market menu.
Break O'Day Farms doesn’t have a storefront, nor do they sell at grocery stores. All her baked goods are sold at local Michigan farmer's markets, such as the Holt, Dansville or Williamston. Check her Facebook page for her weekly market schedule. She plans to travel around our beautiful state this summer and attend more markets along the way. You may find her in a new location in your area!
With each new #MichigansBestGF baker I write about, I feel more and more blessed to live in Michigan and know these people. Who's your favorite baker and why? Click this link for a statewide list of gluten-free bakers and an interactive map so you can visit them all! Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Periscope for pictures and live videos too!
