Does any one have a Cake Pricing Matrix for Vista windows?? I can't get the ones that are on here to load on my computer and I was told that the 2003 verison of things doesn't always convert well to the newer programs that vista uses. I have excel it just seems to be the newer one.

If any one could let me know. I'm very interested in this information.

Also Does any one know the laws in New Hampshire of making/selling cakes?

Hi, Holli_Rose!

I'm sorry I can't help you w/ Vista; I run a Mac.

Head over to NH.gov for information on selling food products. There are different classes of food establishments, and a home based bakery would usually fall into Class H; a "Homestead Kitchen" doing less than $5k annually in sales. The facility in which you plan to prepare food needs to pass inspection by a Health Dept. inspector. If you pass, they'll assign you a license that's good for a year.

Go to http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/DHHS/FOODSANITATION/LIBRARY/Form/fs-license-app.htm

if you have any other questions, just ask! Btw, where in our lovely Granite State are you? I'm down South, near the MA line.

~Kristen

Nah.. it's really quite easy. The inspection takes no time at all. Being in a state like NH where it's so eay to get legal makes it silly to not just do it. Registering your business with the state is super easy too. Depending on what you want to set your business up under it can cost up to $125.00. The inspection costs $25 (if I remember correctly) for a class H. You will need to get your water tested before the inspection and that costs $30-ish dollars through the state labs. With start up costs that low it's worth the security knowing you won't get busted. Insurance is cheap too.. I pay $300/year for 1 million dollars in liability. That alone is worth its weight in gold.. knowing you will be protected should someone get sick.

If you have any questions about the process feel free to ask away.

The matrix is a MS Excel spreadsheet, so should run ok on any operating system that has it. There are updated versions of Excel, but i'm pretty sure they are always backwards compatible.

Jeanne's right. Now that I've been through it, I can't even remember what I was nervous about! lol!

It cost me $50 for a water test at a lab right in Manchester (I didn't want to drive all the way up to Concord to drop off water), and $25 to send in with my application w/ the water test results.

When I applied for my LLC business license, that was $100 (I did drive to Concord for that so I wouldn't have to wait a month).

You can bake and sell after being licensed, but technically aren't supposed to advertise with a business name unless you've applied to the state as a business. I'm sure people people do it anyway.

I now have the peace of mind that I'm an inspected and licensed facility, and that I can legally advertise with a business name. Many of my customers find that important too, I've learned.

It's definitely worth it!

Gotta spend money to make it huh. I guess its not nearly as bad as I thought.

What are they looking for when they go threw the kitchen though? Just your average run of the mill clean? My husband is a cheif at a local college he's worried that we're going to need the standards that they have at work. The buckets of cleaning solutions and stuff like that. Our house is pretty clean anyways we don't have any pets so I don't think thats gonna be a problem but we're wondering do we have to have the place spotless including cabnets and does the trash have to be in a certain place away from things and all that? One of my biggest worries is that we live in an apt. We have no intentions of leaving any time soon (we're saving for a house probably won't move till next summer) but is that going to make a difference to a health inspector because we don't own the place?

Also worrisome having to actually have a business name! EEK! I wasn't sure I wanted to go that far I just wanted to legally sell cakes on occision I wasn't sure I wanted to do a full blown business. I think this is a confidence thing though. Its so great hearing from women who have done this though and hearing the encouragement of how laid back it was to do all this. I can't thank you guys enough for all your info!


As for the matrix that have tried to dl from the site they don't come up correctly in the excel it says that the information can not load correctly for some reason or another.

Well, I guess if you want to sell, you could just do it word-of-mouth then you wouldn't have to worry about advertising w/ a business name. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong)

After reading about everyone else's nervousness here on CC about their upcoming inspections, I got the jitters. But people at the dept in Concord are very helpful and answer emails fairly promptly. I even had my inspection scheduled for a Tues or Wed, but the inspector called me out of the blue the Friday before and asked if she could come over a couple hours later cause she was going to be in my area for a couple restaurants. I said sure, as I was eager to get it done. Did a WHOLE LOTTA cleaning in 1.5 hours that day!!! lol!

The inspection was easy. The woman who visited me is probably the same one who will do yours. She covers from my town up to you, plus out west to Litchfield I think. I can tell you about the kitchen stuff. I can pm you if you'd like, so this doesn't get lengthy. You don't have to have buckets of cleaning stuff around. Have your place clean and disinfected (clorox wipes). It's not the same as the commercial level facility.

I don't know about the apt. thing. That's a great question to ask someone at the State.

The requirements are on the state DHHS site, but you have to have non-porous countertops (so no wood), either a double bay sink or a single bay sink and a dishwasher, your fridge must be maintained at 40 degrees or less, and you have to have aplace to wash your hands that is not your kitchen sink within easy reach. It's really not that hard. You can even have pets in the house. You don't have to have heavy duty cleaners or special things like that. All they want you to have is testing strips for your sanitation sink (just bleach and water in one of your sinks) and they cost $5.

Having a business name registered with the state isn't scary at all. It's also nice come tax time.. . There's a lot you can write off. I am registered as a LLC. It's the best option if you ask me. The taxes aren't confusing and it is separate from your personal taxes.

Not to mention the piece of mind..

Here's my home and hobby matrix. It should run on most newer versions (if not all) of Excel.

Loriana (Lisa)

It just has to be easy to get to and one down the hall will be fine.. that's where mine is too. You just can't be washing your hands in or near your sanitation sink.

loriana, what is your 'home&hobby matrix? Is it specifically for cake baking/decorating or for other stuff as well (as the name implies) . Thank you .