Today we’d like to introduce you to Dan Scheibner.
Hi Dan, I’m so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Like many small businesses, DanDough started during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. I started making old-school sourdough, focusing on understanding the fermentation and health benefits of the natural, original bread-making method. I became obsessed with everything there is to know about sourdough. I read books and articles, watched videos, and started baking loaves at an insane pace. Each batch was another opportunity to learn more. I would quickly be baking 8 loaves throughout the day to perfect my process. With so many loaves of bread, I would give away loaves to neighbors and friends. Word quickly spread through my neighborhood, with people asking me, “Why doesn’t your bread make me feel terrible after I plow through a whole baguette?! It’s a miracle!” In reality, it was just that traditional, fermented sourdough is way better for your body and much easier on your gut, not to mention the many gut-boosting microbes! Eventually, people started asking to pay for it – and the basis of DanDough started there and grew organically into what it is today. The name came from a friend’s child asking for “Mr. Dan’s Dough,” and it was DanDough henceforth! Stay Doughpe!
Let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
It hasn’t been too bad, honestly. The biggest hurdles are bottlenecks in the baking process. As a Texas cottage baker (which means all the baking prep and process is done in my primary residence), my space is pretty limited, so turning out 50+ loaves in a day (plus baguettes, bagels, cookies, cinnamon rolls, and more) is quite the task. Early mornings at 2 a.m. to get the ovens turned on so they can preheat before loaves go in can be grueling.
Thanks. What else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
DanDough Bakery is based on sourdough, with no commercial yeast used in any products. I specialize in artisan sourdough loaves, specifically those from a long, cold fermentation cycle. This fermentation creates fantastic flavor and is the basis for what makes sourdough “good.” I have spent countless hours perfecting the 3 C’s of sourdough baking – the color, crust, and crumb. I am super proud of how those three have come together for DanDough – blistery crust, caramel color, and a well-balanced interior crumb. What sets me apart from the many others making sourdough these days is my level of knowledge and understanding of the overall sourdough process and what ultimately comes from that product that customers enjoy.
What were you like growing up?
I grew up in a super small town and was born into a family of athletes and teachers. My dad was a logger in Washington in my earliest years of life, and then got his teaching degree at night and started teaching and coaching basketball when I was quite young. I grew up a good student (hard not to with my Dad-teacher) and excelled in athletics – particularly basketball. Basketball was everything and all the time – I started all 4 years in high school, played straight through every summer, ultimately got a scholarship to a community college, played basketball there for 2 years, and got my AA. I met my wife in high school, and we started dating on her 16th birthday. 20+ years, 4 kids (all boys), a few animals, and more Uhauls than I care to admit later – and we’re still loving life together and waiting to crush the next 20+ years.
Pricing:
- Sourdough loaf – $10+
- Baguettes (2) – $8
- Bagels (4) – $10
- Cookies (12) – $20
- Cinnamon Rolls (6) – $25
Contact Info:
- Website: www.DanDoughBakery.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_dandough_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanDoughBakery
