After deciding to settle in Jinpoluo, Liu experimented with her calling card item — millet cookies -for several months.
"Millet is a relatively healthy staple food, just like quinoa seeds, and is gaining popularity overseas," she said. "Unlike wheat that can be ground into very fine flour, millet flour is coarser and doughs made with it cannot be as stretchy and soft as those made with wheat flour."
Achieving a desirable texture and taste — slightly crumbly with a nutty flavor — could suffice for a baking hobbyist at home. However, Liu understood that opening a bakery requires standardized procedures and consistent output.
Liu worked with the rural cooperative and trained three female villagers on key baking skills, from making cookie batter to decorating cakes.
"Teaching them how to make desserts was actually quite convenient because they were willing to learn and meticulous in copying every single step that I demonstrated," she said.
Over time, the number of apprentices at the shop has grown to over a dozen, Liu said.
"Local villagers have also learned to adjust recipes based on the size of eggs and the condition of different batches of millet and flour," she added.
In November, a food reviewer and former pastry chef with nearly two million followers on Douyin, the Chinese version of the short video app TikTok, visited the store and spoke highly of its products.
He was effusive in his praise for one particular item — a fusion of the decadent, cream cheese-based Basque cake and locally produced pumpkin.
"The creamy cake and sweet pumpkin are a great match, which gives a sense of satisfaction and is not cloying at all," he said in a video that drew 80,000 likes. "I think this store not only excels in its business idea, but also in its presentation of the final dish."
The online influencer's patronage instantly brought a wave of customers to Liu's store and inevitably generated some scathing reviews from those who felt the taste did not live up to their expectations.
"We had been preparing and running the business for nearly three years and were suddenly thrust into the spotlight. I felt under great pressure and was anxious for a while," she said.
