In 2014, Tess challenged herself to learn more about bread by challenging herself to bake 40 different loaves of bread in one year. Not only did she learn about the flours, techniques, cultural significance, and recipes of bread around the world, she also came to understand the true unifying power of breaking bread with people you love. 

Towards the end of the project, she began experimenting with sourdough methods, and learned through trial (and a lot of error) how to bake using wild yeast. Ultimately, through sharing bakes and recipes with friends and family, she began to develop a following and started teaching sourdough workshops. 

Tess lives in San Diego with her husband and children, and continues to bake and cook with sourdough.