Well Baked Idea

December 28, 2021 Tomer Nusinov

Stacey Horn: (second from left): “The idea of doing my part and helping put smiles on people’s faces, giving strangers a little bit of happiness from my bakes, gave me a purpose.” (Photo by David Stuck)

Grandad’s Stash maintains a family legacy of living a sweet life.

Stacey Horn’s father, Stanley Louis Winakur, always had a sweet tooth. That’s why Horn, a Pikesville resident and mother of two, always kept a stash of her baked treats in his freezer especially for her dad.

In honor of her father, who passed away in February of 2020 at age 81, Horn recently created a new baking business called Grandad’s Stash.

Among the offerings of Grandad’s Stash are chocolate chip mondel bread, sour cream coffee bundt cake, triple chocolate cake, chocolate chip cookies (regular and gluten-free), rugelach and more.

Grandad’s Stash is a true family affair and a real labor of love, says Horn.

“I could never have started this journey without my family’s help and support,“ she says. “My best friend and husband, Matthew, is my sounding board. Our son, Sam, is my business and marketing manager/partner. Our daughter, Andrea, set up our social media. My sister, Laurie, designed our logo as well as reels me back in when I start to doubt myself. My sister, Wendy, helps with creative marketing and research.”

Currently, Horn runs her bakery out of her kitchen while she works to secure a commercial space. She is also in the process of partnering with local businesses and nonprofits to sell her homemade goods.

Horn says food and family have always been a hallmark of her life. Growing up in Northwest Baltimore, she has fond childhood memories of family gatherings, delicious desserts, and lots of love and laughter, all of which inspired the launching of Grandad’s Stash.

“Baking is something that has been a huge part of my life since I was a little girl,” she says. “I spent hours in the kitchen helping my mother bake mondel bread, chocolate rolls, rugelach, cakes and cookies. We would talk and laugh about everything.”

After her father’s death, Horn took a hiatus from baking. But during the pandemic, she began volunteering at Cast Your Bread Baltimore, an organization that connects bakers to local charity groups in an effort to fight hunger and food insecurity in the city.

It was Horn’s work for Cast Your Bread that reignited her love for baking and galvanized her efforts to open Grandad’s Stash.

“The idea of doing my part and helping put smiles on people’s faces, giving strangers a little bit of happiness from my bakes, gave me a purpose,” Horn says.

Orders for homemade baked goods can be placed via email at Grandadsstash21@gmail.com, Facebook (Grandad’s Stash), or Instagram (grandads.stash). They can also be purchased at Quarry Bagels and from Pikesville food trucks, which have supported and promoted Grandad’s Stash in the Jones Valley and Stevenson neighborhoods.

Tomer Nusinov is a Jmore editorial staff intern.