LEBANON – Katie Boardman’s culinary endeavors began with her children and continued inspired by her female relatives.
Before catering and baking, Boardman, a 44-year-old Lebanon resident who has a degree in therapeutic recreation, worked with children and adults with disabilities.
“I really loved that,” she said. “Then I had kids and decided to stay home with my kids. i have six … I’m really grateful that I was able to do that.”
Boardman grew up in Edmonton, Alberta and attended high school in Utah. She met her husband Casey at the University of Utah. They moved to the Upper Valley in 2017 when Casey, who has retired from active military service and is currently a member of the Vermont National Guard, accepted a position with an expeditionary medicine company in the area.
When she was home with her children, Boardman became interested in nutrition because she wanted them to eat healthy. After focusing on the food, Boardman said she “steered toward the baking.”
As Casey took classes and explored other career options beginning in 2009, Boardman handled catering and home baking.
“I made dinners for working moms,” she said. “I delivered dinner to their families, and then I made cakes and desserts, cupcakes, cookies; everything for weddings, parties (and) showers.”
Boardman’s secret to their treats lies in the ingredients.
“I only use fresh ingredients,” she says. “If I have a caramel cookie, I make the caramel. If I use cream, I whip cream.”
It’s kind of a family tradition.
“My grandma just always said, ‘Use real cream, use real butter, just use the real ingredient,'” she said. “…I grew up in this environment where I knew how good food comes together and is inviting.”
Not only are their ingredients of high quality, but so are their recipes, which often come from their female relatives, grandmother, aunts and mother.
“I’ll definitely call my aunts and my mom,” she said. “I derive ideas from them; They have the things that work for them that they passed on.”
She likes to bake cookies.
“When it comes down to it, if I can choose cake or cookies, I will always choose the cookie,” she said.
To come up with a new strain, Boardman said she likes to think of an ordinary dessert like banana cream cake and then try to turn it into a cookie.
“My banana cream cookie is somewhere between a shortbread cookie and a sugar cookie,” she said. “It’s got fresh bananas, a banana cream on top, and then vanilla waffles.”
Boardman served her treats at the Lebanon Farmers Market last summer.
“The farmers’ market community … it’s amazing,” she said. “You are so loyal. They were great cheerleaders. I was obviously scared of taking that step, but it’s my farmers market community that I feel like I can do if they like me…they’ve been really awesome.”
Toronto resident Lawrence Wilde and his family sampled Katie’s cookies at the Lebanon Farmers Market while visiting friends over the summer.
Reached via Facebook Messenger, Wilde said he was “frankly blown away by how good they tasted.”
Now with her youngest child in first grade, Boardman invests time in Katie’s cookies.
Casey Boardman saw that the former Twice on Sundae place next to the Salt Hill Pub in Lebanon on the pedestrian street was available and suggested taking the plunge.
News of the planned opening of the store was welcomed by customers, including Wilde.
“I think the store will offer people an opportunity to enjoy very tasty cookies, and perhaps best of all, they offer a wide range of different flavors,” Wilde said. “I would also think that the store would allow companies in Lebanon to pick up cookies for their business meetings and events.”
Boardman said she sees a commitment to social responsibility at her company.
“My goal is to be fully local within three years: eggs, flour… and I’m not talking about big flour companies, I’m talking about local farmers,” she said. “I would prefer to do everything locally. Everything will be compostable.”
Boardman hopes the food she prepares will bring the community at her store together.
“I just want this to be a warm, welcoming place where it doesn’t matter who walks through that door, they’re going to feel welcome here,” she said. “… That’s my big thing. I just want this to be a safe place.”
Katie’s Cookies grand opening is scheduled for March 25th.
Laura Koes can be reached at laurakoesjournalism@gmail.com.
