Robby's Baking Therapy

Dear flock,

This Friday morning post is incredibly close to my heart. October is always a heavy month for me as I approach the anniversary of saying goodbye to Smokie, my childhood cockatiel and my absolute rock through college.

I actually sat down and wrote this letter to him back in August because I knew the words would be too hard to find right

Sometimes a change of heart is the only way to find your true direction. Writing about video game characters and making their favorite foods has been a creative outlet for me on Substack over the past few months. My heart has always truly been anchored somewhere else. It is anchored right here in our local community, in the vital mission of food

I’ve had a document sitting in my Google Workspace titled “dear grandma” for a while now. I was waiting for the perfect moment to share it, and this week is exactly that.

Today, October 21st, is my mom’s birthday. This coming Saturday, October 24th, is my grandma’s birthday.

These two incredible women shaped me into the woman I am today. Both of

To the man who called my mom and me hippies, thank you. We did have bright pink and purple hair, and yes, I was a freshman in high school. But I still want to thank you. You might have meant it as an insult. But from that day forward, I have always taken it as a compliment. Because at the end of the day, I think I am kinda a hippie in the way that

Last week we put our jars of apple butter to use by making that twisted swirl bread for Kamisato Ayaka. It only makes sense that this week we look across Inazuma and dive into the one and oni himself, Arataki Itto.

If you play the game, you already know he’s loud, larger than life, and slightly childish. He’s an oni with a soft spot for fun and

Before we dive into this week’s chapter of Smokie’s story, I just wanted to take a moment to say a truly heartfelt thank you to every single one of you. Your kindness, encouraging words, and amazing support with our laptop goal have honestly meant more than I can say. Thanks to your incredible generosity, I am so incredibly happy to tell you that

Last week we put our jars of apple butter to use by making that twisted swirl bread for Ayato. It only makes sense that this week we look at his younger sister, Kamisato Ayaka.

If you play the game, you already know she’s all about spophistication and grace when she’s out in public. She’s a dancer, she’s the daughter of the Yashiro Commission and

Lately, there has been something very heavy in the world of poverty and food equality. The fact that millions of people are opening up their physical mail to see notes that something else is changing for them and their families. Whether it be the Medicaid work requirements, rising Medicare premiums, or the shifts in SNAP allowance. And I think now

Last week, we spent our afternoon simmering down a rich, caramel-colored batch of Cozy Autumn Apple Butter inspired by Inazuma’s most dependable housekeeper, Thoma. Now that those mason jars are safely tucked away in the refrigerator, it’s time to put them to work for the head of the Kamisato Clan himself: Kamisato Ayato.

When it comes to what

Every family story has a turning point, a single moment where the path splits, and everything changes. For my family, that moment didn’t come from a grand, planned decision. It came from a petty bedroom argument with my sister Sarah over who loved our cat Cookie the most. Walking down those ten familiar steps to get our dad to act as the referee,