Women's history is like yellow cake: sometimes looked over, yet a critical foundation upon which so many things are built. Today, we're shining a spotlight on that building block — in honor of Women's History Month, we're celebrating some of the women who have been important influences on the King Arthur recipe site and their delicious legacies. It starts before there even was a recipe site, back when recipes were printed in our catalog, The Baking Sheet, and chronicled in cookbooks like theKing Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook. Starting in 1976, co-ownerBrinna Sandswas the original baker behind many of these recipes, and she's the one to thank for classics on the site likeBasic White Bread,Scones, andVictoria Sandwich Cake(above). Next in the lineup of women who changed King Arthur's culinary history isPJ Hamel, who filled a variety of roles from Chief Copywriter to Recipe Developer to Senior Content Editor. Notably, she was the lead author of the award-winningKing Arthur Baker's Companion. PJ is responsible for staples on our recipe site likeClassic Peanut Butter Cookies, our wildly popularEasy Cheesecake, and even the superchocolateyCake Pan Cake, which she first learned about from Brinna. Our Test Kitchen has been spearheaded by women the last few years, withCharlotte Rutledgerecently at the helm before current Test Kitchen ManagerSarah Jampelassumed the role in 2022. Charlotte contributed hundreds of recipes to the site during her tenure. Today, she says her most baked recipes includeWhole Wheat WafflesandHomemade Whole Grain Pancake Mix, an easy breakfast to enjoy with her kids. For a sweet treat and birthday tradition, she makesPerfectly Pillowy Cinnamon Rolls, a well-loved former Recipe of the Year. For nearly half a century, Brinna, PJ, Charlotte, and Sarah have built a baking legacy here at King Arthur alongside many other proud female employee-owners. Cheers to them (and their recipes)! Sincerely, |
