With so many home bakes I think we should get a break - Page 3

No, that's a way to make sure everyone KNOWS about it, but the only way to make sure they ADHERE to it is by popping in and doing the periodic inspections.

The reason that I asked about the cards was because a shop-owner wanted one from me. A licensed shop-owner.
I went to her to ask how to get "going" in our area. As a gesture of my thanks for her taking the time to talk with me, I took 2 small decorated cakes for her. I just wanted to show her my work - one was buttercream the other fondant. I showed her my picture album and we just talked. I did not go with alterior (sp?) motives!
She asked me for a card. I told her I didn't have any because I wasn't licensed and couldn't advertise. She asked could I not just put my name, phone number and maybe a picture of a cake on it. Now she is licensed. So this is what I got confused about. She wanted to call me for future orders.
Yes, it is advertising in one sense - but not in another. She couldn't find something to write with etc. just like the lady at the High School. And sure, I could call the Health Dept and ask but......
And like many of you, I don't have the resources to have my own shop right now and certainly to scared to venture into that option with hardly a client list. I have sincere respect for cake decorators with their own stores and I know if your good and your product is good, you get the business. But how does a home-based decorator stand a chance without recognition for their work? It's almost like a catch-22 in my opinion.
I'm very interested in how some of you with your own shops got started!

wanted to add: the store-owner told me I needed a "front end" like her....

I haven't finished reading the whole thread, but I had to jump in and say YEAH to OhMyGoodies!! I totally agree with whole germ issue!! I'm 30 and, like you, was never that sick as a kid - and neither were the kids in school! I don't have kids, but all my friend's kids are sick a lot like your kids.

Ok - back to reading the rest of the thread....

~Chelle

OK as an inspector I will try to answer - mind you I am in Alabama.

Grease trap- if you are on a septic system it's to keep all the oils from messing up you system - which is a costly repair. also raw sewage backing up in your establishment is a health hazard, also if your field lines fail you can contaminate the ground water. If you are on sewer and you put too much grease in the pipes you not only mess up your plumbing but others on the same line.

Separate kitchen - the big thing here is cross contamination. In your home kitchen you are fixing meals and have people in and out (family). Say you fix meatloaf and your hamburger meat has e-coli. You fix the meatloaf and cook it long enough that the e-coli is killed. You later fix a cake and icing. If the cake or icing come in contact with the e-coli then it's not cooked enough to kill it and bam - you've just possibly infected a bunch of people. These people then call the health department who start an investigaton and work their way back to you as the common thread in all these cases. Or your husband has a stomach bug and is using things in the kitchen (spoons, cups) and they aren't properly sanitized and you give 300 people at a wedding the stomach bug.

The list goes on and on - if you have talked to someone at the health department or who ever permits you they should be able to tell you reasons they require things. It's always easier for me to get someone in compliance by giving good examples than just saying because that's what the law requires.

HTH

There is someone on this site who owns a "cottage bakery," in Ohio, I think. I like that idea, and I wish other states would allow them. Basically, it means you can bake and sell from your house anything that does not need to be refrigerated (so, cake is fine, but cheesecake is not), and I think an inspector may come once a year to check for cleanliness (?). I feel like it's in the state's interest--they get fees and taxes then--and the consumer also realizes that they are purchasing from a home baker who has fewer requirements than someone in a commercial kitchen.

See if you can use her kitchen and get it permitted for your use. I was going to do that with a local caterer!

Thank you for your reply!!

She is opening up a "full bakery" and asked me for some dummy cakes that if anyone was interested in, they would be special orders. She would turn around and call me. She's asked for some small cakes that she can sell in her shop. Anything that she can refrigerate and/or freeze prior to displaying in her shop.
So, technically, am I not going down the right road? She's trying to help me but also it helps her business as well.

Ohmygoodies - a big Amen to you. You are very wise for your age.

Anywhere there is food there should be hair nets worn. I wear a hairnet and plastic gloves when I cook in my own home. Workers complained so much about having to wear hairnets because they didn't look good. Then there was a while you had to wear a hair net but your bangs could stick out

I did check on insurance and was suprise how inexpensive it was.

I am not afraid to post I can hold my own. I've seen other threads go to far and have to be locked, I just don't want it to get to that point. And I do feel that those that are license pounce on those who are not.

And, I have seen those who are very mean and personal to others.

I was in the third grade, many, many years ago and they showed a film about the life of a fly. Forget it, till this day a fly lands on my food I'm done.

In resturants I've seen flys, ants and roaches. They have a license. I've seen cooks go to the restroom and not wash their hands. They have a license. I've seen cooks put leftover rice/soup from the busing tray back into the pot. They have a license. I have seen inspectors get paid off, alot of good an inspection made. I've seen a young cook wash his car floor mat in the dishwasher where the dishes go. They had a license.

At least the people that know me know I'm clean and they fell safe with my baking.

I guess what I'm trying to say if I want to buy a loaf of banana bread from the woman down the street I should be able to. I know she doesn't have a license and it's my choice to buy from her. I have a huge problem not being able to have a right to make my own choice. The government is always trying to find a way to tell us how to live.

Besides the government getting money the license serves another purpose. Some people think if a place has a license it's a safe place to eat it gives them comfort. That is their choice.

stefy - what did you mean about illegally cause hardship on legal? what
hardship?

I'm glad she didn't want you to have a rear-end like her

I'm bad

Now you know y'all was laughing too

Janette, I think she means by undercutting the prices.

We have set our prices because, at least ..me..I have to pay a big chunk toward rents.

how can I earn a living when someone down the street that hasn't invested what I call..blood, sweat and tears into a business.

I know that I'm not the only 'naughty' baker in miami, but since no one else advertises as such ..I do..and I KNOW that there are a few unlic bakers..and people with unlic storefronts now jumping on the 'naughty cake' bandwagon since I've gotten my write up in the local paper and appearances in local tv.

If they want to bake for friends and family and make banana bread for the lady down the street..all well and good.

But, promoting yourself when you're not lic or inspected or whatever and undercutting someone like me because the SAHB has no over head and once they pay for the ingredients and supplies all the rest is pure p rofit...THERE is the harm!

I dont' start to make ANY profit 'till AFTER I pull in 3g's!!!

Can you imagine ANY SAHB..working THAT hard to make 3 thousand dollars worth of cake/product..BEFORE they put dollar one in their pocket???

I know it's my choice, it is also my choice to "PROTECT and DEFEND" my business and my livelihood. This..is not my hobby, nor is it something I do for "friends and family" ( even though they benefit!! lol)

It puts food on my table, pays my bills...so forth and so on..but ONLY after I pull in that 3 thousand!!

It frustrates me to no end, that I found an "untaped" niche for my talents. I don't do wedding cakes, because of the established markets. I don't really do birthday cakes because there are some bakeries down here that do AWESOME cakes....So what was left...What I do...then you have people trying to "borrow" your ideas and break into YOUR market.

The SAHB that were doing wedding cakes and birthday cakes are now trying to 'edge' me out! Ok, so it's called free enterprise and all...but, I think...that's the harm that stephy was talking about...

and...

Would you let an unlic doctor treat you? do you let a street mechanic fix your Bently ( if you had one? lol) an unlic makeup artist or hairdresser? Massage therapist? Get my drift there? It seems that every occupation that deals with working with food or the public needs established guidelines.


and for those people doing those NASTY things in the kitchen like washing the car mats in the dishwasher...well!!! WHO WAS RUNNING THAT KITCHEN...they would be soooooooooooo gone in mine!!!!!

OK, but how much grease does a baker ever dispose of? And why not then tell them to throw it in the trash instead of the disposal? I have yet to EVER have any grease except for the remainder of what's on my spatulas and mixing bowls from making icing... I'm not a restaurant with frying oils... I'm sorry... don't get that at all..

Separate kitchen... do restaurants have to have a separate kitchen for doing their desserts from doing their regular meals where there will be cross contamination? None that I've gone to!!!! So... I don't get that either... Do restaurants have flour they use for pizza and flour the use for cake separate? Not at the restaurants I've worked for...

I'm lucky that in VA I get a home license easily - have to have separate storage space for home versus "work" stuff, separate shelf in the fridge for cake supplies, have to have a double sink, but putting in two rubbermaid containers in my big one sink qualifies, and I can't make foods that need to be refrigerated for sale... THIS is reasonable imo as they are will to work with home bakers... we'll see how long that will last though!

Melissa

Risque:
How many cakes do you make a week to have a business? Did you have a client list established prior to opening a business? Were there agencies that worked with you in helping financially open a business? etc. etc. etc.

I'm sorry but the more you say, the more I'm convinced you really need to take the food safety certification course. If you had, you wouldn't be asking these questions because you would understand why restaurants don't have separate kitchens and you'd understand how they properly handle cross contamination elimination. Restaurants also don't throw their frying oils down the sink. Crisco or butter in your icing? This is fat that will solidify in your drains. It may be "just a little" but over time, this builds up.

I know you are a serious baker and want to really get your business going. That's why the food safety course will be a great investment in yourself and your business.

In the meantime the "why do I need 3 sinks?" and "why do I have to learn about cross contamination?" questions would cause concern about your knowledge of food safety and how you handle food prep.

Take the course. It will be the best money you can spend on yourself.

there was a big to-do in VA about a month ago. There was a new regulation that food contributions to homeless shelters and the like could only come from licensed facilities. they would no longer accept home goods....

Well, that lasted for about two weeks and they lifted that regulation as people were outraged... their homeless and need as much as help as they can get and so now you are saying a person's good deed isn't acceptable?

I don't know how it all went and why it was changed in the first place, but it got reversed quick.

melissa