Calling all the good baking b-words in Thames and beyond

Rachael Pull bakes to brighten people's days. She is pictured here with son Edward, 2, who often reaps the baking benefits. Photo / Supplied

Baker Rachael Pull's ''go-to'' dish involves a packet of Tim Tams and cream cheese.

If Rachael has an emergency baking request, truffles are her dish of choice and she can whip them up in no time.

''Every time they put out a new flavour of Tim Tams it's like 'ooh, must try them'.

"It's great fun. Everyone loves them.''

It's all done to make someone else happy.

She's a ''Good Bitch'' — head bitch of the Coromandel chapter — from Good Bitches Baking. Good Bitches Baking is a group of volunteers across the country who want to show kindness by making someone's day with baking.

Rachael has been the local head bitch for a year and previously helped establish the Wanganui branch.

According to their website, a ''good bitch'' is high praise and implies action, hard work and humility.

Being a good bitch appealed to Rachael as she loves experimenting with baking and it is volunteer work she could fit into her busy work and family life.

''It's also a great way to try new recipes. I use them as experiments for my kid's birthday cakes, for example, during the America's Cup I made a brownie with a boat design out of icing sugar.

''It's a way to indulge my sweet tooth without indulging my sweet tooth because I give it away.''

Rachael says there are easy ways for bakers to help out.

They could double batch their regular baking and/or freeze any they have spare.

''If you don't want to eat an entire batch you could just eat the ugly ones and deliver the rest to someone who could do with a bit of kindness in their lives.''

Her baking favourites include cakes, biscuits and of course, truffles if she's rushed or tired.

Good Bitches Baking provides baking to various community organisations they have built a relationship with.

Recipients are kept private. Their situations vary — some may be sick or looking after someone who is unwell, in hospice care, they may have had an unexpected turn of events, be fleeing domestic violence or are just experiencing hardship.

Rachael bakes in her spare time as she works fulltime for Thames Coromandel District Council as a policy analyst.

She has three members in the Thames area she calls on for help. They hope to attract more bakers in Coromandel and branch out to Hauraki as well.

And you don't need to be a great cook to be a good bitch, she says. They're also looking for people who would like to help with deliveries.

Good Bitches Baking started in the Coromandel in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic last year. Good Bitches Baking was founded nationally in 2014 over a glass of bubbles by Nicole Murray and Marie Fitzpatrick.

For more information visit www.gbb.org.nz or email coromandel@gbb.org.nz.