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Appalachkey Kid: Local baker continues to create culinary perfection, during fight with cancer

By Ainsley Hall - For the Chronicle | Aug 26, 2022

Alisha Hanlin creates a variety of pastries, including these danishes. Courtesy photo

SHEPHERDSTOWN — On Aug. 13, Alisha Hanlin, who previously owned Pressed Flour Bakery on German Street, held a bake sale as a part of a furniture pop-up shop at Evolve Shepherdstown. This was largely due to Hanlin’s close friendship with Jane Tseng, one of the main faces of Elaa Life Furniture, which was selling in the pop-up shop. Tseng wanted to create an interesting and dynamic atmosphere for the shop, so she decided to invite Hanlin to hold a bake sale at the pop-up.

Though Hanlin was physically weak, due to ongoing cancer treatments, she was able to hold the bake sale, and quickly sold out of the baked goods she brought to the shop.

After working in the hospitality business for around 17 years, it’s clear that Hanlin is passionate about food and how it brings people together.

“There is something powerful about breaking bread together,” Hanlin said. “Whenever people gather, there is often food involved.”

After closing her first brick-and-mortar business, Pressed Flour Bakery, due to the aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Hanlin had a hard time. However, that experience helped her learn more about herself and changed her perspective on working with food.

Hanlin

“I learned a lot from closing,” Hanlin said. “I think I started to associate food and working in the bakery as a part of my identity. Stepping away allowed me to change my relationship with food. It was heartbreaking at the time, but I’ve learned to be more positive.”

After she closed her bakery, Hanlin repurposed her old Instagram account and renamed it “Appalachkey Kid.” She wasn’t interested in starting another business, but wanted to use her platform to continue learning about food and sharing her experiences, through blogging and social media. She was fascinated with the anthropology aspect of food and how it manifested in different cultures throughout the world.

“I wanted to dive into new stuff,” Hanlin said. “It was a way for me to continue to explore food and culture.”

Hanlin is currently fighting terminal Metastatic Lung Cancer, so she said that most of her sales from the pop-up shop went directly toward her medical treatment or toward fulfilling her bucket list. Through Pressed Flour Bakery and her other local baking ventures, Hanlin has greatly impacted Shepherdstown and continues to help create community through her passion for food.

If you are interested in helping Hanlin, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-alisha-treat-metastatic-lung-cancer.

Appalachkey Kid is the new name for Alisha Hanlin’s baking business. Courtesy photo