Hi, I’m Staci, the owner and baker behind Rock Bottom Baking.

For more than a decade, geology was my career. I worked in geology and geotechnical fields, followed that career to some interesting places, and genuinely loved what I did. Geology is still a big part of who I am, and I don’t think that’s ever going away.

Then the ground shifted a little.

An unexpected layoff left me wondering what came next. I definitely didn’t have “start a bakery” written into my career plan, but suddenly I had an opportunity to spend more time doing something else I’ve always loved: baking.

I’ve always been the kind of baker who tinkers. Following a recipe is usually just the starting point. I like experimenting, changing things, figuring out why something works…or why it definitely doesn’t, and adjusting until I get it where I want it. Some of my recipes have been with me for years, some were shared with me by people I’ve met along the way, and others started with a simple “What happens if I try this?”

Come to think of it, that’s actually not all that different from being a geologist.

So I brought a little geology into the kitchen, and Rock Bottom Baking was born: part fresh start, part geology, and a whole lot of butter.

Today, I bake in small batches here in Milwaukie, Oregon. You’ll find plenty of geology mixed in, from The Trifectite and Conglomerate to the rocks in our photos, and the geology jokes I probably find funnier than everyone else does.

I’m serious about making really good food. Everything else? Let’s have a little fun.

Turns out, rock bottom can be a pretty solid foundation to build on.