Well, Ive been trying to research and get a straight answer about Alabama's "Cottage Laws" and I finally got an answer this morning from the Capitol:
A food service permit is required to operate any establishment that prepares and sells food to the general public. The Alabama State Board of Health has adopted the 2005 FDA Model Food Code. Residential home kitchens do not meet the requirements of the food code and cannot be permitted.
Alabama does have exemption that allows some non potentially hazardous foods, such as baked goods, to be sold at state sanctioned farmers markets. The consumer must be notified by a sign or label that the product has not been inspected by a regulatory authority.
O.K. ...Then I begin to research what the exemptions are...What the @#!!%$....Should you sell at a state approved farmers market, you cannot give out business cards..you can not take orders for specific products..you can not deliver baked goods.. and you have to put a warning label on your food
First, I got angry..Then confused..this "Cottage Type Law" makes NO sense...But boy was it made clear to me what it would cost me if I got caught...Fines from the State..County and City..OUCH...Then I got sad.
But, a temper tantrum..(where I was going to throw myself on the floor, but I rememberd the last time I did that my DH had to help me up
)A cup of coffee and a chocolate cupcake later..I am calm and thinking about what kind of cake I will make my daughter for her birthday and that just because this didnt work out does not lessen the joy I get when I finish a cake.
VIVE LA CAKE
A food service permit is required to operate any establishment that prepares and sells food to the general public. The Alabama State Board of Health has adopted the 2005 FDA Model Food Code. Residential home kitchens do not meet the requirements of the food code and cannot be permitted.
Alabama does have exemption that allows some non potentially hazardous foods, such as baked goods, to be sold at state sanctioned farmers markets. The consumer must be notified by a sign or label that the product has not been inspected by a regulatory authority.
O.K. ...Then I begin to research what the exemptions are...What the @#!!%$....Should you sell at a state approved farmers market, you cannot give out business cards..you can not take orders for specific products..you can not deliver baked goods.. and you have to put a warning label on your food
First, I got angry..Then confused..this "Cottage Type Law" makes NO sense...But boy was it made clear to me what it would cost me if I got caught...Fines from the State..County and City..OUCH...Then I got sad.
But, a temper tantrum..(where I was going to throw myself on the floor, but I rememberd the last time I did that my DH had to help me up
)A cup of coffee and a chocolate cupcake later..I am calm and thinking about what kind of cake I will make my daughter for her birthday and that just because this didnt work out does not lessen the joy I get when I finish a cake.VIVE LA CAKE
