How does a business banker turn into one of the best organic sourdough bakers in the Wide Bay region? Passion, enthusiasm and absolute dedication to creating one of the best handcrafted sourdough bakehouses to be found near or far.
Rick Nelson and his wife Susan banked everything they had on the success of their sourdough bakery, selling their family home and cashing in Rick’s super to invest wholeheartedly in The Pocket Storehouse, and even though Rick will tell you it’s not about the money, their gamble has paid off.
You will find Rick and his wife Susan working tirelessly at The Pocket Storehouse, bringing the warm and fuzzies inside a homely feeling bakehouse on the corner of Scotland and Quay St. Rick is often out the front passing around new sourdough flavours, house made dukka and having a general chat to punters about the benefits of eating sourdough and Susan is always busy working away behind the counter, pouring freshly brewed barista coffee or restocking or having a chat to regulars.
Rick is excited that what is not only a delicious product, also has many people visiting the storehouse for health benefits too, with the sourdough spelt pasta, bread and pizza bases being Monash University Low FODMAP certified - which means these products can be eaten as part of a low FODMAP diet (under the provision of health professionals advice).
Benefits or not, this bread is delicious (and organic) and there are so many different amazing combinations to choose from. They post the daily offerings for their Thursday and Saturday trade up on the facebook page and commence drooling….now.
Flavours such as turmeric and linseed, sundried tomato herbs and cheese, fruit and macadamia, olive herbs and mozzarella cheese, 5 seed, spelt and the list goes on. Aside from the loaves of bread, there are pizza bases, pasta and the most amazing cabinet of delicious organic sourdough treats and donuts you have ever feasted your eyes upon. Think croissants, scrolls, brioche donuts (jam, chocolate and lemon curd), chutney and cheese scrolls, sticky apple and fig with salted caramel, vanilla bean cupcakes, chocolate slice and so much more.
If you are gluten free, diary free or vegan - there are also options on offer and the smell of freshly brewed coffee alongside the bread is enough to bring you back over and over again - there is a reason the line weaves out of the door early on Saturday with punters prepared to part with their cash for these delicacies.
The Pocket Storehouse is also a go-to breakfast and brunch destination, bring a picnic rug and grab a position on the lawn out the front or take away to the river to enjoy the best reuben (seriously, it oozes with sauerkraut, sauce and the corned beef is out of this world), sausage roll or toasties you have tucked into.
You can also meet two producers in one at The Pocket Storehouse with Helen from Healthy On The Inside (HOTI) Kombucha based at this location on Saturday mornings. Helen offers up tasty samples of her many locally-inspired kombucha flavours that are brewed under the Bundaberg sky (as her label says) like hibiscus and ginger, raspberry and rosewater, ginger glow, dragonfruit. Helen is a recycling and reuse champion with many kombucha refill stations around the region and is passionate about the benefits of kombucha on your body.
The Details: Open Thursday 9am to 2pm, Saturday 7am to 12 noon (or sold out, whichever comes first). You'll find this gem located at 8 Scotland Street, Bundaberg.