While most 13 year olds were doodling in their Lisa Frank notebooks, a young Nickol Hayden-Cady, founder of Foxtail Bakeshop, was elbow deep in a junior high cooking program that would change her life. Beyond the sounds of ingredients bubbling in pots or sizzling in pans, the idea that food could be something truly special is what captivated her.
“My dad often whisked me away to high-end restaurants, introducing me to famous chefs,” she reflected. “Their culinary creations completely shattered my beliefs about food and revealed a level of artistry I didn’t know existed. However, it was my Portuguese grandmother who instilled in me a deep reverence for the food ecosystem and the value of nurturing what sustains us.”
Hayden-Cady’s culinary journey began at a renowned Southern California catering company, where she was eventually handed the role of pastry chef at just 16 years old. Her training at The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, New York, further honed her skills, allowing her to work alongside some of the world’s best chefs.
“I don’t chase culinary fame,” she said. “What matters most is that people cook with intention, in a way that feels good.” She launched Foxtail Bakeshop in 2013 as a whimsical place for people to slow down and enjoy small-batch, from-scratch food. Despite the physical location closing in 2022, Hayden-Cady’s dedication to reimagining how we eat—in a way that’s both magical and nourishing—endures.
The Future of Foxtail Bakeshop
“Moving forward, I want to do something wildly different,” Hayden-Cady said. “It’s time to reclaim the ancestral legacy of nourishing ourselves. No one sits and savors anymore. We’re not enjoying our food or honoring the journey from farm to table.”
Over the past year, Foxtail Bakeshop has shifted from a brick-and-mortar establishment to a welcoming online hub for culinary connection and education, starting with the basics. “Without cooking skills, people become shackled to processed convenience foods,” she emphasized. Foxtail’s new digital space–affectionately called “The Den,” offers inspiration, recipes, forums, tutorials and online classes designed to equip people with a “kitchen of knowledge.”
Eventually, Hayden-Cady hopes to create a gathering space in Central Oregon that harmonizes food, nature and art. She envisions it as a community haven with room to roam, a farm store with locally sourced products as well as in-person cooking classes which celebrate the bounty of the earth. Seasonal communal dinners will allow guests to gather around long tables to savor a wholesome meal. “Hyper-local is the future,” she said.
Treats From the Den
For the past two years, Hayden-Cady has been creating a cookbook that transcends culinary norms. “Initially meant to be a heartfelt goodbye,” she said, “this book revealed my desire to evolve, not exit the industry.” Treats from the Den—available online and in local bookstores—boasts more than 175 treasured Foxtail recipes spanning brunch, baked goods, desserts and cocktails.
“This cookbook captures the essence of who I am and what I believe food can be,” Hayden-Cady said. An interactive journey for the willing and curious, the elevated recipes are meant to push people beyond their culinary comfort zones. “Take risks, expand your palate and make each recipe your own,” she encouraged.
Recipes from Foxtail Bakeshop
Editors note: In her kitchen, Nickol recommends using the metric system for accuracy. Here, find her recipes along with Bend Magazine‘s volume conversions.
Rabbit Confit
Yields six servings
INGREDIENTS
6 rabbit legs from Steady Home Farm
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper, ground
1 tablespoon juniper berries, ground
½ tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon juniper berries, whole
4 ½ cups duck fat or chicken fat (1,000 ml)
4 ¼ cups olive oil (1,000 ml)
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
2 shallots, quartered lengthwise
3 sprigs thyme
METHOD
Heat oven to 260°. Combine salt, pepper, ground juniper berries and brown sugar in a small bowl. Place rabbit legs in a large baking dish and season on both sides with the juniper mixture. Let sit for at least three hours, but not more than 24 hours.
Drain any liquid that’s come off the cured rabbit legs and pat dry. Scatter garlic, shallots, juniper berries and thyme around the rabbit, and cover with duck fat and olive oil. Season again with salt and pepper and cover with foil.
Roast for three hours. Remove foil, baste some of the fat on the exposed parts of the rabbit and bake for five more minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. To serve, heat a neutral oil to 360°. Fry for four to six minutes until crispy. Plate immediately.
Shiitake Mushroom Velouté
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons dried mushrooms of any kind (25 g)
1 ¾ cups fresh shiitake mushrooms, chopped (325 g)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, roughly diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon tomato paste
¾ cup dry white wine (200 ml)
1 teaspoon brown miso paste
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
¼ cup heavy cream (75 ml)
METHOD
Place dried mushrooms in a bowl and pour 1 ¼ cups of boiling water over them. Set aside for 15 minutes to rehydrate.
Meanwhile, add one tablespoon of oil to a frying pan over medium heat. Add the shiitake mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their juices and turn golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic, and tomato paste and continue to cook until softened and just beginning to caramelize, about five minutes. Pour in the white wine and cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated.
Add the rehydrated mushrooms and the soaking liquid and bring to a boil, then transfer the contents of the pan to a high-powered blender. Blend until completely smooth, then return the mixture to the pan. Reduce it to a creamy consistency, then add the miso paste, cream, and sherry. Season to taste and keep warm.
Smoky Potato Mashers
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ pounds petite golden potatoes (700 g)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ bunch chives, finely shredded
½ bunch parsley, finely shredded
2 tablespoons aioli or mayo
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon flake salt
⅛ teaspoon sherry vinegar
METHOD
In a heavy saucepot, add butter and heat on medium until foamy. Add onions and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally to sweat and reduce the liquid. Add garlic and cook on very low for 1 ½ hours stirring occasionally to caramelize. Once onion and garlic mix is caramelized, remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes, then chop and set aside.
Heat oven to 350°. Place potatoes on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender and soft enough to smash (versus mash). To smash, press on each one with the bottom of a glass. Try to keep some shape to them. Let cool for 15 minutes.
Fill a large heavy bottom pot with two to three inches of neutral oil. Bring temperature to between 355° and 360°. Add smashed potatoes and fry for four to six minutes until golden brown. Drain and set aside for up to 30 minutes ahead of plating; keep warm at 200° in the oven.
In a large bowl, add chopped caramelized onion and garlic mix, chiffonade herbs, aioli, Dijon, paprika, salt and sherry vinegar. Whisk well to make a paste. Fold in the smashed potatoes and mix well, dressing every potato. Finish plating with salt, pepper and chopped herbs.
BUILD THE DISH
Heat mushroom velouté and place a dollop about 1/4 cup size in the middle of the plate and spread about two inches around the middle of the plate. Place smoky smashed potatoes on one side of the mushroom sauce, about four to five potatoes. On the other side of the mushroom sauce, place the rabbit leg vertically. If necessary, place one potato behind the rabbit to help stand it up. Garnish the dish with microgreens, Urfa chili, herbed oil and smoked flake salt.
Yam Croquettes
Yields 30 croquettes
BINDER SAUCE INGREDIENTS
⅔ cup olive oil (100 g)
2 cups medium yellow onion, chopped (300 g)
⅛ cup cane sugar (30 g)
½ tablespoon kosher salt (10 g)
black pepper, ground (5 g)
¼ jalapeño chili, minced
1 teaspoon caraway seeds, toasted, ground
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
⅔ cup vegetable stock (150 ml)
METHOD
In a heavy saucepot, toast the caraway seeds, then remove from heat and grind. Add toasted ground caraway back into the heavy saucepot with olive oil on very low heat. Add onions, sugar, jalapeño, salt and pepper and sauté until soft but not brown. Stir in sweet paprika and vegetable stock, then reduce for 15 minutes on medium heat. Remove from heat and place in blender on high until mixture is smooth, then pass through a fine strainer. Set aside to cool and save for the croquette recipe. TIP: This can be made a day ahead and reheated.
CROQUETTE INGREDIENTS
5 ¼ cups yam, washed, peeled and cubed (725 g)
1 russet potato, scrubbed (295 g)
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup aged white cheddar, grated (40 g)
1 egg yolk
¼ cup olive oil
1 completed binder sauce recipe, strained (50 g)
METHOD
Heat oven to 400°. Prick russet potato multiple times with a fork. Place the potato directly on an oven rack. Bake for 50 to 75 minutes, rotating halfway through until the potato gives slightly when squeezed. Do not overbake as it will change the texture into dense versus fluffy croquettes. While still hot, carefully peel the potato and discard skin. Grate and set aside.
Start this next step 25 minutes after the russet potato goes into the oven: Cut washed and peeled yams into small cubes and rinse to remove excess starch. Place yams in a bowl with a half cup of water, cover with plastic wrap, and steam for 10 to 15 minutes on high. Place warm cooked yams into a bowl and mash until soft. It’s important to mash yams while still warm. Gradually work in the strained binder sauce with the mashed yams, grated russet potato, minced garlic, grated cheddar, egg yolk and olive oil until thoroughly and evenly mixed to the consistency of wet dough. Use a spoon to scoop and create individual balls of about 1 ½ inches. Place balls on baking sheet, cover with plastic and chill for two to four hours. After chilling, remove plastic and smooth the balls with lightly moistened hands to prevent the dough from sticking.
BREADING & FRYING INGREDIENTS
¾ cup all-purpose flour (100 g)
1 ¾ cups panko breadcrumbs (200 g)
¾ cup eggs, beaten (200 g)
4 ¼ cups rice bran oil or neutral oil (1,000 ml)
METHOD
Prepare three separate bowls. In one bowl, add flour; in the second bowl add panko; and in the third bowl add the beaten eggs. Line a sheet pan or plate with paper towels. Heat oil in a deep, wide saucepan to 350°; oil should be about 2 ½ inches from the sides of the pot. Dip the balls in this order: flour, egg wash and panko breadcrumbs until coated lightly but evenly. Cook the croquettes for two to three minutes, or until golden brown and warmed through. Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with flaked salt. Serve immediately.
Dandelion Arugula Green Sauce
INGREDIENTS
½ bunch dandelion greens, bottom stems removed
½ bunch arugula
½ bunch cilantro
3 ½ tablespoons soy sauce (50 ml)
¼ teaspoon coriander, toasted and ground
½ teaspoon caraway seeds, toasted and ground
½ teaspoon kosher salt
METHOD
Toast coriander and caraway seeds in a hot sauté pan on medium heat for one to two minutes until golden and aromatic. Make sure not to burn. Process in a spice grinder and set aside. Make a bowl with ice water and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Toss in dandelion greens only and blanch for one minute. Remove and plunge into an ice bath for five minutes; drain onto a paper towel. In a high-powered blender, combine the blanched dandelion greens, arugula, cilantro, soy sauce, ground coriander, ground caraway seeds and salt, and puree until smooth, about one minute, scraping down in between. Do not over mix as this may lead to a brown sauce. It is ready to serve and best to eat the day it is made. Chill until ready to serve.
Labneh Kefir Sauce
1 cup “Karoun” labneh kefir cheese (240 ml)
½ teaspoon raw honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon pink peppercorn, ground
METHOD
In a small glass bowl, combine the labneh kefir cheese, honey, salt and peppercorn and mix well. This can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
BUILD THE PLATE
1 container of pea tendril microgreens
Add the kefir sauce to a plate. Lightly swirl the dandelion green sauce without incorporating it fully. Transfer three to four croquettes to the middle of the plate on top of the sauce. Finish the plate with microgreens or pea tendrils and flake salt. Enjoy!
Buckwheat Crepe Dessert
INGREDIENTS
1 ¼ cup buckwheat flour (164 g)
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour (150 g)
1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons cane sugar
8 eggs
4 ¼ cups whole milk (1,000 ml)
1 ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (370 g)
METHOD
Melt butter in a sauce pot and keep warm. In a high-speed blender, add flour, buckwheat flour, sugar, salt and eggs. Blend on medium until smooth. Slowly pour in melted butter and blend for one minute. Pour into a large jar, cover, and refrigerate for at least eight hours to create a thinner, more pliable crepe.
Heat an eight-inch nonstick pan on medium heat. Add a thin layer of butter to the pan (or use a pan spray of your choice). Pour about ⅓ cup of batter into the hot pan, working quickly to swirl the batter around creating a round shape that fills the pan. Cook for 45 seconds to one minute for golden crispy edges. Carefully flip the crepe over with a small offset spatula or butter knife to avoid tearing. Cook for 20 seconds on the bottom side and move it to a parchment-lined sheet pan to cool. Repeat the process until there are 24 usable crepes. Stack crepes on top of each other as they will not stick. These can be made three days ahead of time or frozen for up to a month.
Blood Orange Hazelnut Streusel Topping
INGREDIENTS
¼ cup cane sugar (50 g)
¼ cup pastry flour or all-purpose flour (50 g)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup hazelnut flour or almond flour (50 g)
¼ cup unsalted butter, cold (50 g)
1 blood orange zested
5-6 Speculoos Cookies from Trader Joe’s
METHOD
Cut cold butter into cubes. Place Speculoos Cookies in a plastic bag, pound out to a fine crumble and set aside. In a food processor, add all ingredients except the butter and the Speculoos Cookies. Pulse for one minute and add in butter. Pulse until a sandy texture and dough starts to come together. Scrape dough onto a parchment paper-lined sheet pan and place in the freezer for 15 minutes. Heat oven to 325° and when ready, place the sheet in the oven. Bake streusel for 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and mix in the Speculoos Cookie crumble and combine while hot. Let cool.
Confit of Citrus Slices
INGREDIENTS
1 cup water (239 g)
1 cup sugar (206 g)
⅜ cup glucose syrup (85 g)
1 blood orange or 10 kumquats
METHOD
Wash citrus. Cut off and discard ends of the blood orange, then cut into ¼ inch slices. If using kumquats, cut in half or leave whole. Put citrus in a four-quart heavy bottom saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and drain. Repeat this process three more times using fresh cold water every time. Strain and set aside.
In the four-quart heavy bottom saucepan, combine sugar, one cup of water and glucose syrup, and bring to a simmer. Add the blanched citrus, cover with a lid and return to a low simmer. Simmer citrus for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally without smashing the citrus. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature in the syrup. Store in a sealed container.
Cookie Butter Whipped Ganache
INGREDIENTS
½ cup Speculoos Cookie Butter, Trader Joe’s (107 g)
1 cup Valrhona milk chocolate (169 g)
1 cup heavy cream (225 g)
1 ¼ tablespoon raw honey (28 g)
1 ¼ tablespoon glucose syrup (25 g)
1 ¼ cup heavy cream, cold (325 g)
METHOD
Melt chocolate to 110° over a double boiler. Bring the heavy cream, honey and glucose syrup to 120°. Pour the cream mixture into melted chocolate and emulsify with an immersion blender (hand wand). Add the cookie butter and blend for one minute. Add heavy cream in a very slow and steady stream, then blend. A slow pace will prevent the emulsion from breaking up. Transfer to a container and put plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture to prevent a skin; chill overnight to mature. Whip the ganache mixture to medium-stiff peaks when ready to use. Keep for up to one week.
BUILD THE DESSERT
Heat oven to 325°. Cut all crepes into an even circle. Warm the crepes in the oven for six to 10 minutes. Let cool and prepare fillings. Whip cookie butter ganache to medium peaks. Warm the cookie butter in microwave to make it smooth and spreadable. On a serving platter, place the first crepe. Spread a thin layer of cookie butter on top. Place another crepe on top of that, then add two heaping spoonfuls of whipped cookie butter ganache; spread evenly. Place another crepe on top and repeat with every other layer of cookie butter spread and cookie butter whipped ganache. Top and finish with a thin layer of cookie butter leaving two inches of crepe around the side. Place the streusel in the middle covering the cookie butter. Finish with powdered sugar and some confit blood orange slices. Chill until ready to serve.
Learn more about Foxtail Bakeshop, purchase the full cookbook, Treats from the Den, or sign up for cooking classes with Nickol.
