I’m an avid baker and nothing makes me happier than baking for my friends; that is until I had a very intriguing email from a WGC fan and fellow baker! This woman explained that she and her friends had started a baking club and were incorporating more whole grains into their delectable treats. The only thing better than baking for your friends is baking with your friends!

Inspired by this woman’s club, I did some research and discovered that happy home bakers are uniting all over the country – all over the world, in fact — to create edible concoctions together. Some clubs meet once a week and some once a month at a different person’s home and everyone bakes together. Each meeting has a different “theme,” for example cakes or cookies, or holiday celebrations. Once a recipe is chosen, everyone gets together to get their hands dirty! And, of course, to enjoy the results of their bake-a-thon.

One of the coolest things I found was a virtual baking club. If your friends aren’t avid bakers or your kitchen can’t fit all of your hungry compatriots (I certainly have that problem!), you can become a member of organizations like the Sunday Baking Club. Everyone bakes in their own kitchen and then posts photos or videos of their sweet treat, accompanied by a witty haiku, tips, how they changed the recipe and anything else that expresses the fun they had in the kitchen!

Still learning the baking basics? Grab a group of friends (or your whole family!) and head to King Arthur Flour’s Baking Education Center in Norwich, Vermont. You’ll be hosting a baking club in no time! King Arthur offers classes that go from the very basics to more advanced techniques and are anywhere from a few hours to weeklong. From breads, biscuits, pizza crusts to mille feuille and empanadas, there’s baking for everyone’s tastes.

In fact, if you click on Home Bakers and then Whole Grains on the KAF link above, you’ll see a list of all their many whole grain classes, from their four day class called Whole Grains: Principles & Practice (the next one starts March 24!) to several other three and four hour classes on whole grain breads and other baked goods.

Have I piqued your interest? Start your own Baking Club. Ask all of your friends for a favorite whole grain baking recipe, and make up a schedule of recipes and hosts for each week or month. It’s a great way to share favorite family recipes, new kitchen experiments and favorite ingredients. As the Queen of Quinoa, I’m kicking off my newly formed Baking Club with Quinoa “Oatmeal” Cookies, of course!

Share your baking adventures with us on the Whole Grains section of the Oldways Forum. We’d love to hear about your favorite recipes or your new Baking Club! (Mallory)