Why It’s Called Poppyseed Wellness

The Seed of an Idea

When I first started what’s now Poppyseed Wellness, it actually went by another name: Poppyseed Sourdough.

So, why Poppyseed? The funny part is — I’ve never baked anything with poppyseeds in my life. But the name had nothing to do with the ingredient itself and everything to do with the person who planted the seed of my love for bread: my father, whom I call Poppy.

Over fifteen years ago, after our family took a trip to San Francisco (which happens to be where he grew up), my father began making sourdough from a starter he created himself. Since then, he’s turned his kitchen into a homestead bakery (and now, as my parents rebuild their home after a housefire, he's even building himself [and me] a proper homestead kitchen) — crafting rustic loaves, bagels, pastas, croissants, cookies, popovers, and more - all from sourdough starter. He even mills his own wheat. About five years ago, he shared some of his starter with me, and it’s still alive and bubbling in my kitchen today. That same starter even traveled with me to Italy, where I baked bread for the restaurant I worked in — a tiny piece of home that crossed the ocean.

At one point, I suggested that my father start selling his bread under the name Poppyseed Sourdough. He laughed and firmly declined — but the idea never left me. So, I decided to carry it forward myself, in honor of him.

When I launched my Poppyseed Sourdough Instagram, it was simply a space to share my breadmaking experiments. For a while, I even sold loaves locally, until I realized that turning something I loved into a business made it lose some of its magic. I went back to baking for joy — gifting loaves to friends and family instead of selling them.

Pictured above: a few of my bread creations from the very beginning — including the restaurant in Italy where I brought my starter to work, my original Poppyseed Sourdough menu, and a snapshot from a bread-making class in Paris.

Over time, my bread posts evolved into something more — reflections on nourishment, creativity, and mindful living. When I began studying at IIN and shifted my focus toward holistic wellness, I realized that the name Poppyseed still fit perfectly. It had always been about growth, patience, and care — the same values that now guide my work.

So even as my purpose expanded from breadmaking to wellness, the name stayed the same. The seed had been planted long ago — and it continues to grow.

XO,

Ariella