“I started baking with my grandmother and my mom…making cookies and other easy things,” remembers Chef Kelsey Burack, owner of The Bottom Line Bakery. “Baking was always an awesome way to spend time with Mom and Nan. Cooking with them, and that nostalgia, is what I bring into my cooking today.”
Steeped in family tradition, many of The Bottom Line Bakery’s items, like the Classic Banana Bread, are a nod to Kelsey’s time cooking with her Mom (Jeanine Burack) and Grandmother (Lorraine Linehan).
Additionally, the bakery’s name honors her grandfather, former New York City Policeman Daniel Linehan. Kelsey recalls, “At any given time, you would find all of us around Nan and Pop’s table until the latest hours of the night, solving the world’s problems. At the end his motivational family talks, Pop would always say ‘and that’s the bottom line’. So, Bottom Line Bakery is a great way to honor his memory.”
The Bottom Line Bakery provides treats for any occasion. “Food is at the center of every celebration,” says Kelsey. “As a chef, it’s super important when someone comes to me and asks me to be a part of that. It’s something I take very seriously.”
“With Bottom Line Bakery being so close to my heart, I’m hoping to bring forth food to remind people of their childhood days, past memories, and happy moments,” explains Kelsey. “I try to understand what my customer needs and make sure I’m honing-in on bringing that nostalgia out in whatever products I’m providing for them.”
Kelsey is also the recent winner of Food Network’s Chopped Sweets – Million Dollar Desserts. Her dream is to bring true, good quality pastries to CSRA. You can find The Bottom Line Bakery on Facebook and Instagram. Also, check the Evans Lifestyle Facebook page for details on our Mother’s Day pastry giveaway.
Classic Banana Bread (Jeanine's recipe)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Cool Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 1 loaf
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup soft butter or margarine
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/3 cups mashed ripe bananas (3-4 medium)
- 1 tsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. In a separate bowl, mix mashed bananas, milk and vanilla. In another container, combine flour, salt and baking soda. Alternate adding and blending flour and banana mixtures into the bowl with the creamed butter and sugar. Add nuts if desired. Turn into greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Turn out of pan and cool completely before serving.