Martha Elk has been baking for pure pleasure for over a decade. She uncovered her passion while living and working in Japan, where box made desserts--her only claim to fame in the kitchen up until that point--don’t really exist. Martha spent the next four years in Japan learning how to bake from scratch and her baking quickly became a source of creativity, exploration, and discovery in an area of her life previously unknown.

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She spent the next three years baking in Bar Harbor and Portland for a variety of bakeries, learning unique skills and techniques at each before finding her love of beautifully artistic cakes and European inspired pastries. She was also introduced to the value of using high quality, all natural, locally sourced ingredients and what a difference they make in the end product, as well as the satisfaction of knowing that she is helping to support local and small businesses.

 

Martha was also able to witness first hand the challenges the food industry faces regarding food waste, sustainability, and its environmental impact; deeply influencing her decision to create Hanami Cake Design to be as sustainable as possible!

 

Martha’s love of baking extends into her home as well, where self-study and experimentation results in her playing with different design techniques, always challenging herself to try out new and different styles of baking, and unique and intriguing flavor combinations. She has always enjoyed working with her hands, but the combination of creativity, science, and artistry that goes into her work brings together many of her life-long passions into one incredibly satisfying result.

 

Baking in its essence creates something that is meant to be shared. And being able to create for people on some of the happiest days of their lives and knowing she is adding to that happiness—that brings her true joy. 

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