Baker Carves Delectable Designs Into the Crusts of Her Artisanal Loaves of Bread

Food Art by Blondie + Rye

Baker Hannah P. of Blondie + Rye uses bread as an unconventional canvas for her art. Her appetizing loaves of sourdough, flatbreads, and filled buns are decorated with designs carved into the crust. Floral motifs and patterned swirls—sometimes coated in taro powder—come out of the oven looking almost too good to eat. But as any carb lover knows, enjoying a loaf of bread is best done while it is still warm from baking (no matter how beautiful it is).

Blondie + Rye is a side project for Hannah. By day, she’s a high school history teacher, and her profession is how she began her culinary journey. “I started baking about five years ago when my coworker gave me a Dutch oven and a simple no-knead recipe,” she tells My Modern Met. “A few months later I created my sourdough starter, Blondie, and after that, there was no looking back.”

The addition of crust art was a natural evolution for Hannah. “I can’t actually remember when the visual component took over, but I think I was drawn to the very act of creating the designs,” she recalls. “There’s sort of a rush and a danger to it because it’s so easy to have the lame (scoring tool) slip, or to misjudge the hydration of the dough.” This “danger” is part of the fun. “One would think this would make me very deliberate and keep good notes,” Hannah says, “but I also actually enjoy the irreverence of the improvisation. So I tend not to plan my doughs or designs too much.”

Baker Hannah P. of Blondie + Rye creates art on the crust of her bread loaves.

Food Art by Blondie + Rye

Food Art by Blondie + Rye

Food Art by Blondie + Rye

Food Art by Blondie + Rye

Food Art by Blondie + Rye

Food Art by Blondie + Rye

Food Art by Blondie + Rye

Food Art by Blondie + Rye

Food Art by Blondie + Rye

Bread Art

Hannah will also decorate flatbreads with colorful veggies.

Bread Art by Blondie + Rye

Bread Art by Blondie + Rye

Bread Art by Blondie + Rye

Blondie + Rye: Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Blondie + Rye.

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Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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