If you find yourself in Lyndeborough traveling down a winding dirt road with the sun peeking through the giant trees lining the street, you will most likely discover a magical residence home to Wee Beastie Bakery.
Less than a year old, Wee Beastie Bakery, created by Emily and Liam Couture, features home-baked goods named after fantasy classics like Hobbit Pillow English Muffins, Halfling Loaves and Hesters Hoagies.
The Coutures both have a love for baking and cooking, and were inspired by their garden to start their bakery business.
“This is the dream,” Emily said.
Floral magic
Emily and Liam moved from Peterborough to Lyndeborough about a year ago when they found the perfect home.
Pathway into the garden fostered by Emily Couture. Credit: KIERA MCLAUGHLIN / Ledger-Transcript 
View from the back of the Couture’s house. Credit: KIERA MCLAUGHLIN / Ledger-Transcript 
Inside the secret garden at the Couture’s house with a variety of flowers including chamomile for tea. Credit: KIERA MCLAUGHLIN / Ledger-Transcript 
Lake Elizabeth named after Elizabeth Ayre, the former home owner and creator of the garden and ponds. Credit: KIERA MCLAUGHLIN / Ledger-Transcript
Previously owned by Elizabeth Ayre, a beloved resident of the town, the Coutures want to continue her legacy and protect all her hard work.
According to Emily, Ayre created the entire property from scratch, supplying the ponds with koi fish, growing the diverse and colorful garden and planting the willow trees.
While Emily and Liam are native Granite Staters and have a love for the outdoors, they said it was intimidating at first.
“It’s a whole lifestyle change. It’s crazy because now I’ve got the bakery and everything that I actually wanted to do, but I’ve always been too scared to try,” Emily said.
On top of baking fresh bread and cookies every day from 3 to 7 a.m., the couple works to maintain the beautiful but large property.
Wee Beastie Bakery
As first-time business owners, Emily and Liam are learning along the way, but treasure every minute.
Inspired by their love of fantasy, Wee Beastie is named after a famous line from “Pirates of the Caribbean” and the nickname they affectionately call their dogs. In addition to offering baked goods at their shed on the side of the road, they have a free library named Secret Flour Little Library.
Their library participates in the Little Free Library non-profit that provides free books across the nation and the globe, and also combines their love of reading and food.
Liam bakes all the breads using a Poolish starter instead of the more popular sourdough. Currently, he works at a paid stage, which is an internship with a baker. Emily explained this as a “rite of passage” for bakers.
Emily makes all the cookies with simple three-ingredient recipes.
They are currently registered as a cottage bakery, limiting their food options, but they plan to expand to cold and hot items after getting the next permit.
The couple has lots of plans for the space and their business. Down the road, they want to let people rent the garden space for professional photos, art classes, micro weddings, dinners and more. They did point out this would be much later in the future.
Next steps are applying for a permit to provide hot and cold food, and then creating a savory food menu where people could come eat on the property and enjoy the scenery.
Even though the Coutures have lived and traveled all over the world, they are both happiest living and working together at home.
Emily said she wants to provide an oasis for the community to enjoy a welcoming atmosphere away from the hustle and bustle of the world.
“In the end, no matter what, we will always need our bread and stories,” Emily said.
For more information about Wee Beastie Bakery, check out their Facebook. They take preorders and are open Monday, Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 265 Old Temple Road, Lyndeborough.