Hi, I’m Tracy, owner and baker at Undermountain Pantry.
Over the years I’ve been lucky to be a farmer, cook and educator rooted in a little valley here in Falls Village, CT. My work has always been to share the beauty of the land through the foods we eat whether that is growing vegetables for CSAs or farmers markets, cooking for intimate farm to table dinners or guiding folks through the joys or preparing a meal with friends. I’ve taken this spirit of conviviality - of the joy that comes through connecting with others around the table into my latest endeavor Undermountain Pantry. Primarily a home-based micro bakery featuring sourdough breads and baked goods, the Pantry still strives to work in partnership with local farms to bring to best ingredients to the community.
When I’m not baking I’ve been busy growing a big garden for my family and a few neighbors. This fall as the garden gets put to rest and goes quiet for the winter I’m excited to get back into the kitchen with folks through cooking classes in my home or yours! Stay in touch about weekly bakes and upcoming classes through the newsletter or send me an email! I’d love to chat!
Packing fresh sourdough loaves for pick up in the micro bakery.
How it began….
Undermountain Pantry started as part of a neighborhood partnership celebrating family, community, the land and great food.
I first came to this valley in 2003, invited by Kay and Bill Schrenk to create a CSA on their land at Beavertides Farm. In the early days here on Cobble Road I co-founded Chubby Bunny, the much loved CSA in the greater Falls Village community and raised two hearty farm kids, Beatrice and Baxter. This was a rich and fertile time for my relationship with the land as my children grew amongst the fields of vegetables. Fast forward almost 20 years and now I’m enjoying watching the next batch of farm kids, Oliver and Orion grow up on the same land surrounded by ewes birthing lambs and cattle grazing, with the best neighbors ever - their parents, Marleen van Gulick and Dan Carr.
I’ve found true kindred spirits in Dan and Marleen and love that they have become the next stewards of this beautiful valley. Over the winter of 2023-24 Marleen and I bemoaned that while we raised food, cooked and educated others about sustainable eating we felt we weren't quite hitting the mark for raising food and feeding our own families. And hence Undermountain Pantry was born as Marleen and I started to plan a really big garden to feed both our families while I also started experimented with sourdough bread baking. We planned to offer bread, veggies, and meat at the Beavertides Farm Store and soon Eileen Kinsella joined in with her eggs. Ani Jenkins from Undermountain Botanicals offers teas, tinctures and body care products and Jean and Jody Bronson have their maple syrup for sale as well, creating a tiny but mighty community market.
