Today we’d like to introduce you to H.L. Fahnestock.
Hi H.L., thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In December 2019, we made a trip to Hamburg, Germany, to visit our daughter, Sam. She was studying at the University of Hamburg during her junior year abroad from Smith College. Every morning, during our visit, we would stop for coffee and a delicious Franzbrötchen at the train station. In March 2020, the pandemic forced her to return home. She missed the German pastries, breads, and desserts, so I decided to find a Franzbrötchen recipe and experiment with it until I finally created the pastry she loved. Inspired by this, I started selling them on Facebook Marketplace, marking the beginning of a cultural journey for me.
Growing up, I was surrounded by different versions of classic German foods. But I wanted to take my baking back to the authentic German traditions we discovered during our trips to Germany, like the hearty breads, sweet but not too sweet pastries, and delicious desserts.
Some recipes I use were passed down through family members, while others came from German language cookbooks that my daughter and her best friend sent me from Hamburg, Freiburg, and Berlin. Even though my German language skills aren’t great, I’ve learned to read and translate recipes from German language cookbooks.
In my home in Georgetown, Texas, I run a small bakery without a storefront. This way, I can take orders through my website (texbrotchen.com) and deliver them locally. As a micro-bakery, I personally make every bread, pastry, or dessert from scratch. This journey has been so rewarding, as I learn more about German culture and the different regional variations in food and baked goods in Germany. As we close the book on Oktoberfest 2025 and I think about all the pretzels I’ve baked and sold, I can now turn my attention to the upcoming Christmas season. The kitchen will be filled once again with the delightful aromas of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and more.
I can’t thank my family enough for their unwavering support over the years. I also want to thank the many German expatriates who gave me their valuable feedback to make sure that my creations stay true to the original recipes.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I baked pies for my family since my kids were small, but baking breads and pastries seemed too daunting. But at the age of 61 I, like many during the pandemic, decided to learn to bake something different. I probably should have started with bread, but I was singularly focused on Franzbrötchen.
I started as a cottage baker, then had a commercial space for a year. After my lease ended and they chose not to renew. It seemed like a setback, but it was truly a blessing that forced me to think about why I started on this journey. I am much happier baking smaller orders, focusing on quality over quantity and bringing joy, through food, to my customers.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about TexBrötchen German Bakery?
As a cottage bakery, I specialize in traditional German baking, aiming to provide a culinary experience reminiscent of a German bakery. I bake to order, ensuring freshness. My specialties include Bavarian pretzels, Apfelkuchen, Apfelstrudel, and Schwarzwälder Kirsch Torte. I am proud that my baking brings fond memories to expatriates, former residents, and those with ties to Germany. Due to my home-based business, availability is sometimes limited. I typically bake on Thursdays and Fridays. For inquiries, contact me at texbrotchen@gmail.com.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I want to thank my daughter Sam, whose adventures in Hamburg, Germany inspired me to bake my first Franzbrötchen, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my mother, Nadine, who taught me to bake cakes and pies as a kid. At almost 93, she still bakes weekly. My biggest supporter, of course, has alway been wife Mindy, who has endured the occasional mess in the kitchen, but without whose help and support I wouldn’t be able to have achieved any degree of success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://texbrotchen.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/texbrotchen
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/texbrotchen
Image Credits
H.L. Fahnestock
