Woman's sourdough classes help new moms connect, pursue new passions
Making homemade sourdough bread may seem intimidating at the start, but the result of understanding some basic science of bread leavening to achieve that signature tangy taste, chewy interior texture and crusty exterior is both delicious and satisfying.
Just ask Katrina Nieson, a full-time sourdough baker and owner of Sourdough Mama, who turned her self-taught hobby learned on social media into a full-time business creating intricate 3D bread designs from blossoming florals to realistic butterflies.
The Carlsbad, California-based mother told "Good Morning America" she began her sourdough journey after experiencing postpartum depression in 2021, "learning all that [she] could" about traditional bread making online, where the community fueled her creativity and acted as a therapeutic social space.
"I needed something to feel like Katrina again, some kind of outlet and confidence booster," she explained. "I immediately was drawn into just the aspect that you could make something beautiful, like that at home -- I fell in love, so I started baking weekly."
She continued, "I started to think about how lonely I had felt after having Sophia and kind of just that switch into parenthood, and I realized this is something that I think every caregiver could benefit from."
Since then, Niesen's loaves have risen to viral acclaim on social media -- her purple butterfly loaf chief among them -- and she now teaches workshops, including for new moms to help them cope with mental health challenges and to inspire personal fulfillment.
"It's been extremely rewarding taking on this pursuit and sharing it with the community," she said of stepping out to teach others and creating a space where they can connect to do the same. "I always make us a little group on Facebook -- this is a ripple effect and it's really neat to see that something I'm so passionate about has sparked so many others in business or friendships or a new skill that they didn't have before."
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