Baker offers gluten-free confections
What makes a good cake?
According to Cambria Goodwin, owner of Confectionary Archaeology, it’s local, seasonal ingredients, natural food colorings without corn syrup or synthetic dyes, and no gaudy, chemical-laden fondant.
Goodwin moved to Haines in November. At 13 years old, she started her first baking job in California. Since then she has graduated from the California Culinary Academy, worked as the head pastry chef for Portland’s New Cascadia Traditional Bakery and appeared on the Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars.”
Since moving to Haines, Goodwin has made several birthday and wedding cakes. Most recently she crafted a three-tiered cake for Genny Szymanski and Harry Rietze’s wedding, which included one layer of chocolate buttermilk cake with cream cheese filling, one layer of butter pound cake with vanilla bean frosting and one layer of strawberry rhubarb cake with strawberry cream cheese filling.
“I try to stick to really simple, old-fashioned cakes with a modern twist and new adventures in flavor and design, but not anything gaudy and full of plastic-tasting frosting,” Goodwin said.
Goodwin makes her own food coloring with natural ingredients like turmeric and beet juice, and steers clear of fondant, a type of moldable frosting used for sculpting and decorating cakes.
Accommodating a wide range of allergies isn’t a problem, she said. One time, Goodwin made a wedding cake for a person who was gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free and soy-free. “We had to get pretty creative,” she said.
Goodwin originally planned to start a bread-baking business here focusing on sourdough made with wild Alaskan yeast. Now, she’s reassessing her plan.
“I’m trying to see what the town really needs. Do we need another restaurant? Do we need a bakery? Do people want another place to get drinks? Do people just want a wholesale business? I’m still figuring that out,” she said.
Contact Goodwin at 805-459-9593 or at [email protected] Visit her website at http://www.confectionaryarchaeology.com.
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Brewington handyman service
Scott Brewington, owner of Dark Wolf Handyman Services, will haul your garbage, pressure wash your house, lay your stone patio or fix your broken chainsaw.
“I don’t think there is a job in this town I can’t do,” Brewington said. “I pretty much do everything, and if I can’t, I know people who can do it.”
Brewington, who is licensed and insured for jobs costing less than $10,000, started working on construction projects in Wrangell when he was 13 years old. He has been working in Haines doing carpentry and construction work for the past two decades.
Brewington started Dark Wolf Handyman Services last month.
“I’ve been doing construction most of my life and it’s what I like doing. I’m just not ready to go into full-blown construction because there is a market for small jobs in this town,” he said.
In addition to repairing and remodeling, Brewington also offers chimney sweeping, pressure-washing and debris hauling services.
“There are a lot of people who need construction debris, yard debris and garbage hauled,” he said.
Brewington said he usually uses a set minimum rate but some rates depend on people’s income levels and ages. “Senior citizens will get a discount on all their services,” he said.
Contact Dark Wolf Handyman Services at 303-0053.
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Miller makes jams, jellies of wine, beer
Resident Cassie Miller’s new business Sauced Sauces can satisfy your sweet tooth while also fulfilling your craving for a cold beer.
Miller makes gourmet jams and jellies using wine, Haines Brewing Company beer and Port Chilkoot Distillery spirits. Bestsellers include a rhubarb and gin jam and a jelly prepared with Lookout Stout.
Miller said she got the idea for the unique product when she became pregnant with her son. “I craved wine but couldn’t drink it, so I looked up other ways I could use wine so the flavor stayed but the alcohol content was gone.”
“Beer jelly came after my first bazaar when Fred Shields walked by saying that he did not like wine. I’m pretty sure it was just an excuse not to buy anything, but it made me think how many other people don’t like wine, so beer jellies were born,” Miller said.
In addition to the Lookout Stout, Miller also uses the local Eldred Rock Red, Black Fang and “Devil Made Me Do It” IPA.
This year’s Brew Fest was a confidence booster for her business, when she sold the jams and jellies out of her storefront in Dalton City. “I had one woman that just hung out in the shop for like an hour yelling at the others how amazing the flavors were,” she said.
Sauced Sauces continues to grow, and Miller’s products can be found on the handmade goods website Etsy and at Jewell Gardens in Skagway. Mountain Market will also start carrying a few flavors soon.
Each jar is $7. Contact Miller at 303-0206 to place an order, or look for her at the Saturday Farmers Markets under Payson’s Pavilion at the Southeast Alaska State Fairgrounds.