Christine Nordstrom of Sift Bakehouse.
Christine Nordstrom is a confectionary household name in Southwest Florida, as her company—Sift Bakehouse—is a vendor at 16 different farmers’ markets each week. Soon, Sift will have its own storefront in downtown Sarasota, most likely in the spring. Nordstrom knows what it means to hustle as an entrepreneur, and her goal-driven philosophies have led her to sweet success.
Q: What was your background in the food world before Sift?
A: I have a bachelor’s degree in culinary management from Johnson & Wales University. But my training began way before that, in my grandmother’s kitchen, baking every holiday season. As a teenager, I attended the Wayne County Schools Career Center for my last two years of high school, where I ran the school bakery and competed on the state level in baking and pastry competitions to win my college scholarships. I’ve launched numerous startups, worked under some well-known chefs, had fun doing an internship at the Biltmore Estate, been an executive pastry chef in a few multimillion-dollar restaurants, and I’ve even closed a business or two of my own. All of my experiences have led me to where I am today.
Q: Do you have an interesting memory about one of the first things you ever made?
A: As a child, I drove my parents nuts. I’d mix all the shampoos, conditioners and body soaps together, creating masterpieces during bath time. Ever since, I haven’t stopped stirring.
Q: Tell me about your upcoming store in Sarasota.
A: Currently, Sift operates at 16 different farmers’ markets each week, from Sarasota to Naples. After five years of building my brand and customer base, I’ve decided to open a retail store. Sift will be located near the new Aloft hotel between Palm and Pineapple Avenues in downtown Sarasota. Our focus will remain on our signature rustic Americana line of baked goods, including our famous hand-decorated shortbread cookies. There will be a signature cookie bar, a new granola bar (where you can create your own granola blends), and our bakehouse collection of naked cakes and seasonal pies. We use cage-free, grain-fed eggs, and we source local honey and other items locally when available. We will also be featuring other locally handmade items that match our down-home feel.
Q: What are some of your signature items?
A: We can barely keep up making scones. Currently, the blueberry lemonade is a bestseller, followed closely by the cranberry walnut Valencia. We also sell 15 different kinds of cookies each week. Our Breakfast cookie is loaded with goodness and has been a bestseller for years. The newbie this year is the Treehugger. Where can you go wrong with roasted banana, dried cranberries, cashews, oats and coconut?
Q: What makes you want to get up in the morning and do what you do?
A: I work seven days a week. Every morning, when my alarm goes off at 4 or 5 a.m., I say to myself “How bad do you want it?” Wanting success and a bright future for myself and my children are what drive me. The thing about me is that I’ve known failure. I’ve fallen flat on my face and nothing can motivate a strong person more than not wanting to go down that path ever again. I thank that path for all the lessons I’ve learned, but this time, I’ve chosen a different one.
CHOCOLATE CHERRY BISCOTTI
Ingredients:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon cherry extract
1 cup dried cherries
½ cup chocolate chips
Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter and flour the baking sheet, and set it aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until it is light and fluffy. Add the eggs and cherry extract, beat the mixture, and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture and, on a low speed, mix until a stiff dough is achieved. Stir in the dried cherries and chocolate chips. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet.
Form the dough into a slightly flattened log (about 12-by-4 inches). Bake the dough until it is slightly firm (about 25 minutes), cool for 10 minutes, and reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees. On a cutting board, using a sharp serrated knife, cut the biscotti diagonally into 1-inch thick slices. Arrange the biscotti on a baking sheet and bake until it is crisp (about 10 to 20 minutes). Cool and serve.
Sift Bakehouse is currently at 16 local farmers’ markets and will soon have a downtown Sarasota storefront. 306-6072, siftbakehouse.com.
