Baking Blind

Baking is a science, it’s chemistry. You just cant throw ingredients into a pan, stir, bake and expect to get anything other than something that you can shingle your house with.

Kristina, a Sulphur Springs native, is not letting her lack of sight keep her from getting a job. She is currently working at Baked and Brewed on Main St. She has a passion for baking.

The owners shuffled a few things around the kitchen to help Kristina, and it will take some time for Kristina to memorize where things are. “Right now I just doing some baking two days a week.” said Kristina. Kristina has to rely on family to get her back and forth to her job. Ride-share options do exist, but are not always available, and can get expensive. “I have tried walking to work, with a tactile map, but there are parts of my walk that don’t have sidewalks, and I don’t like waking in the street.” said Kristina.

Even though Kristina was born in Texas, has a social security number, graduated from Texas Public Schools, and has a Texas birth certificate, it has taken her several years to navigate various state and federal agencies to get the documentation required to work in Texas. Budget cuts and COVID restrictions added to the mire of red-tape she experienced. Friends and Family have helped by reading forms and reports and driving her to various locations around Hopkins and Hunt County.

Baked and Brewed Bakery

Baked and Brewed Bakery and CoffeeHouse opened on Main St several years ago. The Co-Owners are husband and wife. Alec handles the caffeinated part, and Laura heads up the baking. They, along with the nation as a whole, have had an increase in wedding cake orders. Baked and Brewed has recently added cheesecake to their ready to eat selections. In order to keep up with demand they have hired several new employees.