my trip to red wing pottery & my baking essentials

hi everybody!
ive been blogging ;) fun, right?! it feels good to have more time & the inspiration to share photos, recipes, products & life-happenings.
i think this is an easy thing to burn-out on or to run out of 'blog-able' topics ; so it feels good to be back.

now that i am only working two jobs [woo hoo!] ; i have had a bit more free time. a couple weeks ago, i had a day off, so blake, daphne & i took a tiny minnesota day trip.
we ended up in wabasha & red wing ; a little less than two hours away. both towns are full of charm, shops & fun things to do.

one of our set destinations? red wing pottery. they are a third generation minnesota business [yay!] & they make beautiful pottery. lots of adults that grew up in minnesota have some childhood memory of red wing pottery. my dad had TONS of gallon crocks he use to keep wine in when i was little.

the shop is open 7 days a week & its HUGE. there are potters in the back. and the floor is full of thousands of pieces. everything from popcorn bowls [next on my list] to pencil holders to tea kettles. all made locally. in a small town. employing folks. [i love it]

i decided that 2013 would be my year to test out 40 loaves [baking 40 loaves of bread in one year]. i have been looking for the perfect bread pan [preferably vintage pyrex], but hadnt found it.

done. found. beautiful, right? your dough rises inside & then it goes straight in the oven.

my other purchase? this rolling pin.
i used it to make a few batches of my vegan thin mints. the cookies are delish & the rolling pin is awesome.

cool, right?
at the end of last year, blake & i made the commitment that we would shop for everything we need as locally as possible. we havent been 100% successful [my new heart rate monitor was made in china] ; but we are doing our best.
purchasing items from shops like this make the products that much sweeter.
we are supporting minnesota. small towns. a local business. when people make money, they can support their families. when people have money, they are able to spend more money in their town. it all makes sense. its so simple.

do you have a 'hidden local gem' in your town?