“Bread is life. Bread has been important since ancient times. Bread is community. Bread is love.” - Brandon Schulfer, Owner and Founder of Salty Soul Crew
Brandon and Monique Schulfer were born and raised in California, and it’s there that they met, fell in love, and had their children – Urijah (11) and Bentley (8). It’s also where they had roots and where they initially planned to live.
However, life and God had different plans for the Schulfers. They felt called to move, get uncomfortable, and try something new. When a job opportunity for Brandon became available in Northern Colorado, they prayerfully took a leap of faith.
In July 2018, The Schulfers made Downtown Loveland their home. “It was anything but easy,” Brandon describes. “We knew it was the right move but it was a challenge. It wasn’t until we started our business that we really developed a community here.”
Not long after moving, they felt called once again to start their home-based, family-run business – Salty Soul Crew – salt for the flavor it adds and the Biblical significance of the mineral.
“We just felt called to give back. To bless our community with something so important like bread,” Monique says. Salty Soul Crew primarily focuses on bread, sold from their home; Monique also makes handcrafted earrings.
They specialize in no-junk sourdough, using a wild yeast sourdough starter. This starter is a complex community of microbes working in symbiosis to produce an incredible tasting loaf of sourdough bread. The starter is used to make many other things including pizza dough, cookies, and more. They also sell their starter and teach classes.
“Our whole family had been gluten-free for years,” Monique details. “But we can eat sourdough, and so can many others. It’s fermented for long enough that your body can actually digest it without issue. It was a huge blessing for us to be able to have bread again, and we wanted to bless others as well.”
What started out with a small whisper in their ears has turned into a beautiful thing. The entire Schulfer family takes part in the business and together, they serve many families.
“It takes teamwork,” Brandom admits. “It’s a balance. We want to provide the best, freshest bread, but this is also the time to pour into our kids. We’re intentional with our time so we bake at 4 AM, it takes coordination but it’s worth it.”
“I just want to provide a place where people can get good food, but also trust all the ingredients. We’re extremely conscious of where we get our products, who we partner with,” Brandon says. Salty Soul Crew has built those very kinds of relationships with growers around the region. “We only use products from small, organic farms. I want to be transparent – so you know exactly where your food comes from.” Their goal in the future is to create a brick-and-mortar storefront to deepen connections and serve more.
For now, their home is the center of their life and business. They homeschool their two boys, focusing on classical education and life learning. They enjoy hosting guests, playing music, and tending the garden in their backyard.
“Bread has always been our focus because of the blessing that it can bring to others,” Monique says.
Sourdough Pancakes
2 cups of active, bubbly sourdough from Salty Soul Crew (starter kit)
2 pasture-raised chicken eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder (mixed with 1 tablespoon water, then add to starter)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons raw honey
2 tablespoons organic avocado oil
1/4 cup organic buttermilk or any milk of your choosing
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix until thoroughly blended. Cook on hot griddle or in a pan on medium heat. When you see bubbles, form flip once. Cook for a few minutes more until golden brown. Top with butter and maple syrup.
Sourdough Banana Bread
1 cup of active, bubbly sourdough from Salty Soul Crew (starter kit)
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil
1 cup raw honey
1 pasture-raised chicken egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 bananas, mashed
2 cups flour (organic all-purpose)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Directions: Cream together the butter, honey, egg, and vanilla; mix in the sourdough starter and mashed bananas. In a separate bowl combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture (step 1 ingredients) and mix just until combined. Do not over-mix. Pour the batter into a greased 9x5-inch bread pan. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool completely prior to slicing.
Salty Soul Crew
Saltysoulcrew.com
714-756-0559
saltysoulcrew@gmail.com
