Benzonia baker offers desserts from her home

Stephanie Shomin, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
·2 min read

Apr. 6—BENZONIA — Carrie Rains has owned her baking business Rains, Grains and Sweets for about seven years.

She also works as a pastry chef at Rock's Landing, a seasonal restaurant on Crystal Lake in Frankfort.

"I've always enjoyed cooking and baking since I was a child," Rains said. "It was a nesting thing while I was pregnant. I baked and baked."

The Benzonia resident said she started with a booth at Benzie County farmers markets and later opened The Sweets Shed at her residence. She said she wanted to "find a way to get items to people" when the no-contact format was in place during the pandemic.

"It's self-serve, an honor system," she said.

She fills the shed with cakes, bars, cookies (including 5-ounce stuffed treats) and more. People can stop by on Thursdays to purchase treats to take home. She posts a menu on her Facebook page, letting people know specific desserts that will be available each week.

"I make a little bit of everything," Rains said. "I try to have gluten-free options too, like gluten-free brownies."

The newest addition to her menu is grazing tables and charcuterie boards. She will assemble meats, cheese, crackers, fruit, jam and other ingredients.

A few months ago, she and her friend Kim Fish, of The Cheese Lady, opened Next Door Kitchen in Traverse City. This is where Rains does most of her baking.

"It's like a second business for cooking," she said. "I am baking all week."

Rains added that they are seeking renters for this shared commercial kitchen.

Rains, Grains and Sweets also offers scones and coffee beans for pick up on Sundays at the Sweets Shed. Rains makes a variety of scones, including blueberry and lemon poppy seed. She said the most popular flavor is garlic and cheese.

Gabriel Rains, Carrie's husband, is the coffee roaster. He said he has only been doing this about a year, but his experience working in distilleries and breweries has helped. He said the process of developing grains is similar to roasting coffee beans.

"I've really been enjoying the craft," he said. "Like any agricultural product, it's always changing. It follows the season."

In the winter, he makes coffee to order. In the summer, he will roast ahead of time to provide coffee at farmers markets.

He said his current favorite beans are from Sumatra and Colombia.

"I love being able to do the work and work alongside my wife," he said. "It's something that pairs well with what she does."

Carrie added that her next goal is to get her desserts into local stores and restaurants.

People can go to rainsgrainsandsweets.com to see the menu and to order items for pickup. Desserts may also be requested for weddings, birthdays and other events.