FARMINGTON – The Farmhouse Beer Garden recently opened the doors to its newest addition- the Farmhouse Bakery.
Located on Route 2, the bakery is the first storefront location for Clouser Cakes N’ Bakes owned by Jessica Clouser. 21-year-old Clouser has been successfully running the online catering business out of her own kitchen for the last two years. When a mutual acquaintance introduced Clouser to the Beer Garden’s owner Keeley Valverde, Valverde asked Clouser if she’d like to open up a storefront there at the Farmhouse.
“It’s a way for me to get my name out there, but also a way for them to get a different kind of clientele coming through the doors,” Clouser said.
The Farmhouse Bakery sells all of Clouser’s sweet products, while being maintained by the Farmhouse Beer Garden’s staff. When a product is purchased, both Clouser’s and the Farmhouse logos are on the packaging, resulting in mutual advertisement.
“It happened so fast, we’re both still trying to figure it out. Right now, the menu is lots of different things, but we’re trying to feel out what people want,” Clouser said.
The new business kicked off with a taste test for customers to offer feedback on Clouser’s baked goods. So far the feedback has been positive.
Clouser began her culinary journey back in high school, when her culinary arts teacher arranged her “first cake gig” involving her selling a cake for a teacher retirement party. Out of this first taste of the business world, Clouser stuck with it, continuing her independent catering business throughout college, where she also earned an associate degree in Culinary Arts. She’s previously been the pastry chef at Livermore Fall’s Berry Fruit Farm, but now that she has a storefront at the Farmhouse, she will be leaving Berry Fruit Farm to focus on her business.
“I was getting up at 3 a.m. and working all day, then baking all night to fill orders. I had to choose, and I chose this. It’s been my goal forever,” she said.
While many businesses have suffered during Covid, Clouser Cakes N’ Bakes has been booming.
“I guess maybe people are just more in the mood for comfort food right now. They’re buying cupcakes just because it makes them happy. But this is really why I do it anyway. I just want to make people happy,” Clouser said.
Inspired by her roots in the equestrian community, Clouser’s goal is to one day convert a horse trailer into a mobile bake shop. For now though, she is busy enough baking the variety of products sold at the Farmhouse Bakery. She is also continuing to cater private events and fill orders through her online presence.
