San Diego Bakery — grace. bespoke desserts

Scenes from an Italian kitchen that inspired an Italian bakery

Growing up in an Italian family, I learned at an early age that food is the love language of our culture. From my Nonny’s kitchen counter where I watched her delight in making her grandchildren’s favorites (pizzas and pizzelles) and the special “S” cookies my Aunt Laura would make for us every time she visited from Michigan to the plates piled high full of Italian cookies that my Aunt Lanny brought us all on Christmas day, it’s all the reason I love what I do.

These extraordinary women fed our family from their heart and soul and lovingly passed the torch to the next generation. They have all deeply inspired me to continue their traditions through my own creations and recipes.

I got it from my Mama

My other half. My muse. Since I was a little girl she has been turning our house into a candy factory at Christmas, perfecting the most amazing Cannoli and reminding me not to “overwork” pie dough.
My Mama is the woman that taught me everything I know about baking and about making others feel just how much you love and care about them through food.

The face of grace.

grace. is named after my beautiful beloved grandmother. Grace (or Nonny as my family calls her) was the very first person to bake with me and we would make Italian bread together. She did most of the ingredient mixing, then we would carefully put the dough into a bowl covered with a white flour sack towel and I would patiently wait for it to rise. (Not an easy task when you’re a 5 year old.) But she graciously allowed me to punch down the dough after each rise.
*Still my favorite part of bread making to this day.*
We would turn that dough into rolls, but I would get a very special little loaf of my own to take home to my mom and share—this is just one of the many memories I have of my grandmother, who will turn 100 this year.

grace-bespoke-desserts-italian-bakery-san-diego-lauren-rennie.jpg — Hi there!

I’m Lauren! Lover of carbs, all things Italy and anything that involves pie crust. I was born and raised in sunny San Diego and I come from a big crazy Italian family where every important moment in life (big or small) centered around food.
I truly hope that when you bite into one of my desserts it will transport you back to a time in your life that conjures up all the warm fuzzy feelings. I hope it brings you right back to your grandma’s house, the trip you took to Italy or that special birthday dinner party with friends that lasted till midnight.

Baking is in my bones.

Thanks to all the women in my family. Most of my experience comes from cooking and baking with my mom and reaping the benefits of her infinite baking wisdom. And also reading every one of Ina Garten's cookbooks a million times over...because let's be honest, I am mildly obsessed with her! I mean who doesn’t love Ina!

I gather inspiration from traveling to my favorite places and walking endless miles to take in the food and culture. I’m obsessed with the Italian lifestyle of slow easy living, where a plump purple fig and a piece of soft ripened cheese is a glorious after dinner snack and a glass of wine is meant to be savored with dessert among friends.

My passion has always been feeding the ones I love, whether it’s a big Italian feast full of carbs or baking a sweet something just to say I love you.

And there is ALWAYS ALWAYS great music playing while I bake!