This year, we noticed small bakeries that were once considered hidden gems are finally being recognized for amazing baked goods and the stories behind each baker who wakes up while the city is still asleep are just as wonderful as the baked goods itself.
Coming fresh out of the oven this fall is I Loaf Sourdough, which just opened two weeks ago in Broward. This tiny bakery helmed by chef Gözde Karan originally from Turkey is slowly but surely gaining popularity in the Fort Lauderdale community for its fresh sourdough bread, good coffee, and sweet treats.
A Self-Taught Sourdough Baker Takes on Fort Lauderdale
"I worked as a chef basically all over the world for 12 years," says Karan. "I have now been baking for the last five years. Once I made sourdough, I just fell in love. It's a kind of science — it's challenging, and I like challenges, so, I just started baking at home."She first decided to gift loaves of bread to her friends, and then, she decided to take this more seriously. Karan decided to pick up jobs at local bakeries in her home country to understand how a large-scale production works compared to her home kitchen. Moving back to the United States, she found herself working as a kitchen manager for an owner who gave her free-range to experiment with her baking.
After three years of perfecting her craft, she finally found her own space, located at 2720 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Ste. 103, in Fort Lauderdale.
Everything is baked fresh in the morning and made in-house by Karan. The bakery highlights sourdough bread, but also offers a variety of pastries and croissants. According to Karan, some of the best sellers include the banana bread, the lemon blueberry bar, the Turkish rice pudding, and her own take on a croissant, which due to a different process while baking, is crunchier and has a deeper flavor than the classic croissant.
The coffee bar area also allows for a few coffee selections including lattes, cold brew, cortados, a couple of tea selections, and matcha. (Pro tip from Karan: while the bakery offers milk alternatives, she recommends customers without dietary restrictions go for the regular milk since it's a high-quality farm milk. In her own words, "This milk tastes like actual milk."
The Bakery is Already a Hit Among Locals After Two Weeks
In its short time open, her hard work is already being recognized by locals who stop by for a coffee break, a quick bite, or even stumble upon the storefront while browsing around the area."It's only been two weeks, but I'm having a second and third-time customer," says Karan. "They're coming back, they love the brand, and they all say they have been looking for something like this in the area. Some customers told me they used to drive to West Palm Beach to get good sourdough bread, and they are really happy to have it nearby now. I'm really happy to have nice feedback. I think they see I put all my heart into this job."
Running on two hours of sleep and managing the bakery by herself, Karan tells New Times she's just happy while she feeds customers they feed her soul.
"No one gets into this business for money," she says. "We do it because we love it. I just want to be happy while I'm working here. I want to see a happy customer and their reaction when they eat my bread. Their comments of how much they like it make my day, and it makes all the sleepless nights worth it."
By next year, Karan hopes I Loaf Sourdough will get more and more regulars. Her ultimate dream is to see a line out the door.
I Loaf Sourdough. 2720 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; @i_loafsourdough; sourdoughbreadfortlauderdale.com. Open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
