Courtney didn’t exactly choose the baking life—the baking life kept finding her, usually covered in flour. Born and raised in Chesapeake’s Western Branch area, she grew up baking with her mom and an army of Pampered Chef gadgets that no one really needed, but absolutely used anyway.At 14, while other kids were discovering freedom, Courtney discovered Mrs. Fields Cookies, where she spent her early years learning the art of scooping dough and pretending she totally understood customers’ extremely specific cookie requests. From there, she doubled down with two years in Western Branch High School’s Culinary Arts program and even a summer at the Art Institute—because nothing says “I’m committed” like spending your teenage years wielding a whisk instead of sleeping in.These days, Courtney calls Portsmouth home, where she lives with her spouse and their very busy two-year-old son. Baking has once again worked its way into her life—this time as a way to bring in extra income without sacrificing precious toddler negotiations, snack breaks, or the occasional attempt at a full night’s sleep.The Bitter Baker is Courtney’s way of blending skill, sarcasm, and survival into something sweet. Because if you’re going to balance family life and buttercream… You might as well laugh about it—preferably with a cookie in hand.