On a cold, sunny Saturday morning, nestled beside the front door of Chef Pam’s Kitchen, sits dozens of beautiful, freshly baked sourdough bread loaves. Every other Saturday, Chef Pam’s hosts the Waukesha Winter Farmers Market. The indoor event allows local farmers, craftsmen, cooks, and bakers of all kinds to sell their homemade wares well into the winter months.
The market offers a huge variety of goods, ranging from kettle corn to hot sauce, micro greens to pot pies. However, one Lake Country local has made his mark on the event. Mike Riggs, the primary baker and owner of Bayview Breads, has garnered quite a bit of attention for his beloved bakery creations. Mike’s sourdough breads are made from fresh ingredients and handcrafted with care. He has also cooked up several sweet treats, including croissants and fruit tarts which are sprinkled with a generous helping of powdered sugar.
Mike never anticipated that his sourdough business would become so successful. In fact, he only ever expected it to be a hobby. After retiring, Mike was looking for a new way to combine his keen problem solving skills and his creative culinary interests. As he puts it: “In 2021, I thought it would be fun to start a small business with my baking. I figured I would just do some local markets and events.”
However, he has become an overnight success. “It’s really taken off,” Mike says of Bayview Bread, which now offers almost twenty different types of bread on a rotating basis. Additionally, he offers online exclusive pre-orders of specialty goods such as chocolate croissants and cinnamon rolls.
The most popular loaf comes with unanimous acclaim: the Country Blonde Sourdough. Its simple ingredients and crackly crust have become a hit. Every customer and worker answered that the Country Blonde was their favorite, but one nearby vendor of fresh pressed juice chimed in: “Oh, but the cranberry walnut is great, too!”
The future looks bright for Mike. The Lake Country baker now sells his bread all throughout southeast Wisconsin, from the Eagle Public Market down to Milaeger’s in Racine. Still, his passion and creative pursuits are encouraging him to expand. His next endeavor? Grilled cheese sandwiches, of course. “I’m looking forward to experimenting with all different types… different breads, different toppings.”
The success of Bayview Bread is a tasty triumph for all of Lake Country.
