I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean. During my upbringing, we went through a lot of challenges, but we never missed a birthday cake, holiday treat, or the occasional dessert made by “Abuelita”. Most of the birthday cakes we had were homemade by my mom. I remember like it was yesterday, helping my mom bake our cakes the night before and decorating them the next morning in preparation for our birthday parties. My favorite cake was one that she made of the Little Mermaid! It looked so much like the real character from the movie, and I couldn’t wait to taste it. All my friends were excited to try it, also. That was the foundation of my passion for baking.

During my teenage years, I used to always watch Abuelita make all kinds of desserts and dreamt about one day being like her. She was (and still is) a great cook. I helped her bake anything from flan to “besitos de coco” (coconut kisses). I was always by her side, watching every move and ingredient she used. My favorite thing to bake was meringue cookies. I loved the entire process! Back then, my grandma did not have a mixer, so I had to mix the egg whites by hand and then add the sugar and continue mixing. It took so long to make but it was all worth it because we really had to put our heart into it.

When I became an adult, I made the decision to join the military in search of a better lifestyle. So, I joined the United States Marine Corps, where I spent 8 years of my life. It was an amazing experience! When I transitioned from the military to the civilian world, I worked for multiple companies in leadership positions. As I continued developing my knowledge and skills, I found myself with a void that only continued to grow as I progressed in my professional career. That is when I realized that I needed to follow my dreams for baking.

As I began having children, I started becoming more conscious about what my family and I ate. I have always had a sweet tooth, but most of the store-bought desserts are loaded with a list of ingredients, most of which I cannot pronounce! The more I learned about the health consequences of many of these ingredients, the more I wanted to avoid them. I have tried to find local bakeries that avoid using artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, GMOs, etc., and found that they are very difficult or impossible to find.

So, I wanted to combine my passion for baking with my passion to use simple and healthier ingredients to offer people who are more conscious about what they eat, and that’s where The Rustic Bakehouse Blog was born!

We use simple ingredients that are non-GMO and certified organic, along with only plant-based dyes, to provide an option for those who also try to avoid these ingredients. We are confident you will love our recipes as much as our family.