Bakery Stand at Sunrise: Summer Mornings, Sourdough Bread, and a Garden-Fresh Pizza Recipe
Bread, sun, and a little bit of love.
Early morning view of Sweet & Savory Cottage Bakery stand filled with fresh sourdough loaves, bagels, and sweet treats in Glen Rock, PA
Some mornings just pull you out of bed.
Not with urgency — but with invitation. Like the day is stretching out its hand and saying, “Come with me. Let’s start slow.”
I walk through the house before anyone else is awake, the floor cool under my feet, the air still clinging to night. Out back, the garden is heavy with July — zucchini stretching like wild things, tomatoes bursting in red and gold. I crack the kitchen window and the smell of basil drifts in like a reminder: this season won’t last forever.
The stand is quiet for now, but in a few hours it’ll hold the work of these hands — bread, bagels, granola, sometimes cookies if I had a second wind the night before. For now, the dough is waiting. And so am I.
I’ve made this walk to the kitchen a thousand times. I could shape loaves in my sleep — maybe I have — but each one still feels a little sacred. The starter bubbles softly, the dough stretches just right, and for a few quiet minutes, I’m not a business owner or a mom or someone trying to keep all the plates spinning. I’m just a baker.
Bread has this quiet way of teaching me things I didn’t know I needed to learn.
Like how rest isn’t a reward — it’s part of the recipe. That things don’t have to be perfect to be good. That what we do with care and intention, even in the smallest moments, can become something deeply nourishing. Not just for others — but for ourselves, too.
It’s the middle of summer, and everything feels full. The house is loud and lived-in — dogs underfoot, kids in and out, peaches ripening faster than I can use them. There are garden baskets on the porch, laundry drying in the sun, and usually someone asking if there’s “any more of that sourdough.”
It’s a lot. But it’s also good.
So I bake. It helps me breathe. It helps me notice. It helps me give something small and beautiful to the people I love and the people who drive down our gravel lane just for a loaf of bread and a smile.
Later, when the stand is filled and the sun is higher, someone will stop and say, “It smells amazing out here,” or “My daughter devoured that pizza crust last week,” and I’ll smile, knowing that what I put out into the world from this little kitchen is landing in real homes, on real tables, during real moments of life.
That’s what keeps me waking up early. That’s why I flour the counter and roll out crusts and keep a Sharpie on hand for handwritten tags. Not for perfection — but for presence.
Featured Recipe:
Sourdough Pizza: Pizza Night Bundle
Originally shared in Southern York Living Magazine- July
This trio is what summer tastes like around here — crusty sourdough, bright tomato sauce from the garden, and soft, stretchy mozzarella.
Sourdough Pizza Crust
(Yields 2 medium or 4 personal-sized crusts)
500g bread flour
350g water
100g active sourdough starter
10g salt
15g olive oil
Mix flour, water, and starter. Rest 30 minutes.
Add salt and olive oil. Mix until smooth.
Stretch and fold every 30 minutes for 2 hours.
Cover and rise until doubled (or overnight in fridge).
Divide and shape. Rest.
Bake at 500°F on a hot stone — 8–10 minutes with toppings.
Garden Tomato Sauce
2 lbs ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt, pepper, and fresh basil to taste
Simmer together 25–30 minutes until thickened. Blend if desired.
Fresh Mozzarella
(Make your own if you're feeling brave — or grab a good one from the store and slice it thick.)
Coming Up Next:
A love letter to garden dinners, the joy of letting your kids cook, and why imperfect meals are sometimes the most memorable. (And yes — a printable rustic peach galette is coming too.)
Until then, thanks for being here.
Thanks for stopping by the stand, reading these words, and being part of this story we’re writing together.
With flour on my hands and gratitude in my heart,
Dawn
