Go with the Grain

MAN MIGHT NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, but it sure does help. That’s what baker Andre Kempton bet on when expanding his Wild Leaven Bakery from Taos to Santa Fe late last year. With a following that started at the Taos Farmers Market in 2012 and four years later turned into a brick-and-mortar shop in town, the time seemed right to add a second store. With his wife, Jessica, handling marketing and promotion, Kempton focuses on sourcing organic and regional heritage and heirloom grains. The unique long and slow fermentation process of his sourdough starters delivers a fuller flavor, longer shelf life, lower glycemic index, and happy microorganisms that pre-digest some of the gluten. As for the flavor? Well, one bite of the Chile N’ Cheese sourdough (from $7) will hook you. Ten varieties of bread plus pastries and homemade soups round out the menu.