Kneading Conference 2024

Join us in Coburn Park with April, and start your day with a harmonious blend of nature, movement, and mindfulness. Embrace the beauty of the present moment and nurture your well-being from the inside out. Through mindful movement and deep breathing, you can release tension, enhance focus, and restore vitality to both body and mind. Start your day with April for rejuvenation and self-care before the fun of The Kneading Conference!

 Bring your own mat or use one of the mats provided

Farm-to-Table breakfast features pastries and locally sourced yogurt, granola, and fruit.

Arturo Enciso is a baker from Lebec, California that has called Long Beach his home since 2008. As a self-taught baker, for the last decade he’s grown his hobby into a career with his business Gusto Bread, a panadería in Long Beach. The bakery, once run out of his home as a cottage operation, makes breads and pan dulces with wild fermentation using masa madre (sourdough), embracing ancient knowledge and using the best quality ingredients to create nourishing food. He believes that bread provides a beautiful way for people to connect with one another and to past traditions to create community and a brighter future together.

This workshop is all day Thursday and into Friday:


Join Albie Barden, who has been building masonry heaters and ovens for nearly fifty years, along with Michele Barden, as they share their unique approach to oven construction and their passion for preserving heritage corn.
A few years ago, Albie realized that an antique cast iron bathtub, when turned upside down, could make the perfect oven shape. He purchased a five-foot antique tub and had it sandblasted to remove the enamel. Scott Barden's team at Maine Wood Heat then cut out a door opening and a chimney exit with a torch. They welded a rimmed plate for the base to contain the oven and three inches of structural insulation, on top of which Albie templated and cut a floor of all-natural firebrick. He also formed and cast an arched refractory baffle to keep flame and heat inside the oven as long as possible.

On top of the tub, Albie added three inches of reinforced cast refractory concrete and a thick layer of insulation. A metal shell was added over the entire oven, which was mounted on a cart for a total portable weight of 1800 pounds. More recently, Albie and Scott's team have prepared a second five-foot sandblasted tub. This oven will feature hard red mortared bricks as the thermal mass, with about three inches of insulation added. Conestoga ribs and wire mesh will allow for a stuccoed finish or metal skin to be added later.

The original portable tub oven that Albie and Michele use regularly at home will be present at the workshop. They will bring heritage flint corn to shell in an antique Maine-made cabinet corn sheller. They will also make or bring fine ground cornmeal, bake and share Jonny Cakes in the original tub oven, and discuss their project of preserving Maine and New England's heritage flint corns.

This workshop offers a unique opportunity to learn about innovative oven construction techniques and the importance of preserving agricultural heritage.

Learning how to make a good baguette is a window into understanding some of the basic principles of bread-making—hydration, time and temperature.  The lessons learned can be applied to many different styles of bread.  Join Karen Bornarth, Executive Director of the Bread Bakers Guild of America, to explore three different baguette formulas based on three distinct processes: a straight dough, a poolish, and pate fermentee.  We will also incorporate whole grains into our baguettes and try different shaping and scoring practices.

Join us for "Baking with People," an engaging workshop delving into the dynamics of employment, teamwork, and bakery culture.

Designed for individuals in leadership roles within bakeries or those aspiring to lead, this workshop draws on our extensive 17 years of experience as owner-manager-bakers. We've worked with a diverse array of individuals, from new hires and apprentices to seasoned bakers and managers.

Navigating the complexities of working with a team is both rewarding and challenging, and for many bakers, it's an essential aspect of bakery operations. From building a culture of trust and open communication to effectively managing conflict and disappointment, we'll explore the key elements of fostering a positive work environment.

Led by experienced facilitators, this workshop offers valuable insights, practical strategies, and a forum for discussion. Whether you're seeking guidance on leadership skills or grappling with specific challenges in your bakery, join us for an enriching conversation that combines shared experiences and participant-driven dialogue.

Join us for a 3-hour workshop where we'll delve into the art of crafting both sweet and savory morning delights. Lisa will guide you through mixing your own batch of brioche dough, perfect for both sweet and savory applications. Take home your prepared dough for overnight chilling, ready to shape and bake the next day.

Whether you're a seasoned baker or new to pastry, this workshop promises a delicious morning of creativity and culinary delight!

Join us for a hands on workshop with the one and only Theresa Culletto, also known as The Vineyard Baker, as she walks us through the secrets to crafting exquisite and mouthwatering focaccia bread just in time for harvest season!

Theresa is the talented author behind the new book “Beautiful Breads,” a stunning collection filled with inspiring photos, invaluable baking tips, and detailed instructions for creating bread masterpieces fit for any special occasion. These breads are so beautiful; your loved ones might hesitate to take a bite – but remind them, that’s the best part!
With over 40 years of baking experience under her apron, Teri has graced the screens of shows like Good Morning America, Today’s Show, and Baker’s Dozen as a guest judge. Her culinary expertise has also been featured in renowned publications like the New York Times, Food Network Magazine, Paris Match, Daily Mail, and more. She’s even presented at the prestigious Johnson and Wales Bread Symposium in Charlotte, NC.

Teri is not only a bread artist but also a dedicated grower, cultivating much of the produce used in her bread creations from her humble home garden. She’s a proud member of the Bread Bakers Guild of America and the Maine Grain Alliance, constantly expanding her knowledge in the world of cereal sciences and bread baking.

Theresa’s mission in life is to inspire, educate, and promote a wholesome lifestyle centered around nourishing bread, just like the kind she enjoyed growing up in first-generation European families. She believes that beautiful bread can be mastered by bakers of all levels and seamlessly integrated into any routine, nourishing not just the body but also the mind and soul of your family and friends.

Find Teri on Instagram: vineyardbaker and Facebook: vineyardbaker

Thursday Options:

1. The Maine Meal:
   • Main Course: Chicken & Veggie OR Just Veggie Pesto Pasta Salad over Fresh Salad Greens
   • Sides: Fresh Sliced Oranges, Cookie
   • Contains wheat, egg, dairy
2. The Bankery:
   • Main Course: Minestrone Soup (Made with local vegetables, Gluten-free and dairy-free)
   • Sides: Biscuit (Crafted with local flour), Cookie (Oatmeal Raisin featuring local oats and flour)
3. The Miller's Table at Maine Grains:
   • Main Course: Crop Rotation Black Bean Burger (Crafted with Maine Grains organic oats, black beans, Cabot cheddar cheese, and chipotle mayo; vegan option available)
   • Sides: Side of sourdough country bread, Cabbage slaw, Morse’s sour pickle, Chocolate Rye cookie
4. Joe's Flatiron Café:
   • Main Course:
     • Butternut Squash & Quinoa Salad (Featuring local produce, served alongside a toasted garlic asiago bagel with hummus)
     • OR
     • Turkey Sandwich (Nestled between the warm embrace of a toasted plain or asiago bagel, features locally sourced Gouda cheese, succulent tomatoes, crisp mixed greens, onions for a zesty kick, all crowned with a crunchy pickle)

Join Martin Philip and Jessica Battilana from King Arthur Baking Company for a sneak peek of recipes from their forthcoming cookbook, The Big Book of Bread. Martin will showcase repeatable breads that you’ll want to make over and over again, cornerstones of home bread baking: his Classic Sourdough Miche and his enriched braided challah. Then Jessica will show you some delicious things to do with those breads (beyond buttering them and cramming them into your mouth). She’s share two recipes from the “Things to Make with Bread” chapter of the book: a beautiful summer panzanella and a creamy, rich vanilla bread pudding topped with roasted seasonal fruit and caramel sauce. Throughout the demo, they’ll share details about the forthcoming book, and answer questions about making (and cooking with) bread. If there’s time, they might even make cookies. Don’t miss it!

Fresh pastas made with high quality local flours and local eggs are a healthy addition to menus year round! Join Chef Mark LaCasse and Kelly LaCasse of The Maine Meal in their own commercial kitchen, for a pasta making demonstration and tasting at this year's Kneading Conference!

Discover the Art of Oven Building with Scott Barden: Master Oven-builder and Heater Builder from Maine Wood Heat. Join us as Scott leads an immersive workshop delving into the fundamentals of oven construction, fire building, and heat management. We'll gather at the Maine Wood Heat (MWH) oven near The Kitchen at 185 before carpooling to the MWH facility for hands-on learning.Maine Wood Heat Co., upholds a philosophy centered on crafting the greenest, most efficient, and aesthetically pleasing products possible. Our Le Panyol oven stands as a testament to this ethos, constructed solely from 100% pure materials, offering unparalleled quality and performance.

Discover the secrets of salt-rising bread, uncovering the magic of microbes and the incredible taste of locally sourced Maine Grains Heritage Flours. From a live demonstration of starter preparation to savoring freshly baked bread, this immersive experience will illustrate the importance of preserving traditional bread-making techniques and using high-quality, locally sourced ingredients. This class will include a discussion of how microbes other than yeast contribute to the bread's unique flavor and texture. It will also offer insights on the bread’s history and cultural significance. Join us as we celebrate culinary heritage and empower you to create your own delicious salt-rising bread masterpieces.

Your recipes are perfect, your social media fans are excited, and you love baking for your community. But how do you actually turn your passion into a real business? There's a lot more to ownership than just baking great loaves and pastries, and a number of things you'll want to consider before taking the leap to opening your own place.

Zach Martinucci is a baker and culinary anthropologist who founded Rebel Bread in Denver, CO in 2018 with a few thousand dollars and a dream. He has spent the last five years growing the artisan wholesale bakery into a multi-million dollar business with 30 employees, and is excited to share the lessons, tools, and spreadsheets that have helped contribute to a sustainable business. 

Zach simplifies business ownership into three steps: Making a Plan, Figuring out the Finances, and Taking Action. In this workshop, we'll explore each step in detail, including crafting a comprehensive business plan beyond menu items, understanding finances for profitability, building meaningful community connections, and navigating operational challenges.

Whether you're considering bakery ownership, expanding a side hustle, or seeking fresh perspectives for your existing business, this workshop will leave you with a confident understanding of how it all works, so you can take the best next steps for your baking journey.

Take a leisurely stroll to a nearby local business, where you can savor a delicious cup of coffee or bubble tea with friends and fellow attendees. It's the perfect opportunity to network, unwind, and recharge before the next session. Whether you're catching up with colleagues or exploring the charming surroundings, enjoy a refreshing pause in your day filled with camaraderie and relaxation.

Details will be shared soon.

The most widely grown grain varieties in the modern day were bred for pesticide tolerance, unwavering uniformity, and boosting yields at any cost. In a world full of flavorful, nutritious, and resilient grains, this approach is not quite as “conventional” as it may seem. Join the Project Director of MGA’s Heritage Seed Center, Paul Pollaro, to discuss how organic farmers can stay competitive with heritage grains, learn how to select the best varieties to achieve your goals, and peek behind the scenes into the day-to-day work of a heritage seed restorationist.

Kick back and relax among old friends and new! The Grain Gab will feature local beer, wine, cheese and a spread of locally made delights.

Check back soon to learn more about this year's supper!