If the "concerned citizen" who turned me in is someone from here that makes me really sad!!

I am going to be baking and decorating out of the Exeter Donut shop. Sherri the owner is wonderful and I can't wait to start using her kitchen. All I need now is some orders! My heart is breaking right now because I am trying to do this the right way and I feel like such a fool! I went down a few weeks ago to talk to the guys at the county office about what permit I needed and evidently the inspector I talked to didn't know what he was talking about!! It made me look really stupid! Someone turned my website in because they were afraid that I was baking out of my home! I am not!! It was someone who found my website and sent the link to the inspection officer. I wonder if it was someone from here or if it is another baker in a town near here...........

I am just sad! But you know what I am doing it the right way.... I believe that it is wrong to bake out of your home and I could not do it! I have been really convicted that I need to obey the law on this one! Romans 13 places me under the authority of those that govern me! I will abide by the laws of this country I absolutely LOVE!


Thanks for listening to me! I feel better just venting!

Martha

It was most likely someone local. I wouldn't turn someone in who was just doing cakes for friends/family. Just think about it, if you have a friend or relative who does cakes, that's who you're going to want to do your cake. So, I would consider those potential clients "lost" anyway. I think putting up a website is pushing the envelope, though. That puts you in direct competition with people who have gone through the agony and expense of getting lisenced. But if you're baking in a restaurant, what's the problem? Weren't you "legit" by using their kitchen? What happened? Did they just make you shut down your website?

I am so sorry this has happened to you! Hopefully you will get everything straightened out!

Geez! Some people just have nothing better to do!! Especially when you are getting permits and doing everything the "right" way.

Good luck!
Courtney

I would definitely look locally too. I doubt seriously that anyone from here has the time or interest (nothing personal) to choose you and look your website up, of the probably thousands of choices on CC, and go to the trouble to find your town, contact them, and try to get you in trouble, just by *guessing* that you might be baking from home. (If they did, they reallyreally need to, um, get a life.)

I'd guess it's someone local who either
a) doesn't want you competing, or
b) doesn't like the idea of you making money
which could include anyone from a local bakery to your evil sister-in-law.

If you're doing everything legit--it's their waste of time, not yours. I wouldn't give it much thought, waste of time and energy on your part.

It most likely is someone who's local and owns a shop. Just remember Karma kicks back three times... When I was going through the becoming legal process, I had a few people who tried stuff with me, but the thing is, I could sniff them out faster than a drug dog. Let's see, stopped by a local bakery to have an edible image printed yesterday for my first real order, I get a call on the phone today asking for pricing... um, yea, you're really a bride who found me "online" because I didn't have a website yet at that point and the cake was for a friend...

I guess I assume the attitude that everyone has to start somewhere and there's no way that I could turn people in that I know do this out of their homes. Yes, it all depends on what inspector/compliance officer you talk to on any given day so that's why it's important to trust but verify on what you need to do when it comes to the becoming legal process, but ugh... The only time I was tempted to turn someone in is when she was spouting her "culinary credentials" at a bridal show (not legal to advertise w/o a license) bragging about how she isn't legal, doesn't have a licensed space to do her work out of EVER, does catering as well, has two kids and three pets running around her house where she does her baking out of her regular kitchen offering peanut options left and right because no one else does - well DUH! There's a reason, it's called the state laws we'd have to follow if we DID in this state are INSANE.

Just take it with a grain of salt because most inspectors and anyone that you might be turned in to are going to work with you if you're at minimum doing the baking out of a licensed space to begin with. They aren't going to come down on you as harshly because you're in the process. The second my state inspector found out I hadn't accepted any orders because she told me not to until I had gone through the inspection, it was smooth sailing from there on out because she knew I was going to follow what she told me I needed to do. They aren't there to "get you", they're just there to help make sure you're following standards...

Now, if we could just get that one bakery up the road from Moy and myself to stop using real ribbon on cakes life would be good (it's a big no-no here, one that my inspector took time out of her day to make the point of saying)...

It was more than likely a local shop that saw your beautiful cake at the fair and decided to check you out. Good luck-it will all work out the way it's supposed to. It doesn't sound like you were handed a hefty fine or anything, so just keep trying your best to follow the rules and bake out of the licensed kitchen. Everything will be okay!

Oh, I feel your pain - and I just posted a new topic, because I'm new, and just got my first standing order

I agree with homecook and CoutureCake - probably locals - if the same would happen to me - I know it would be the local competition - which is also really sad, because it's business, and are they the monitors to say how many people can sell cakes, etc. in a 50 mile radius? I'm sure the same applies to any kind of business - some try to squash their competition before they even get their sign put up, or in your case - your website.

If you are going about things legally, then you have nothing to worry about, and I wouldn't give them another thought. We all have bumps in the road, this one is yours. I'll let you know when I have mine.

Couturecake, why is it a no-no to use real ribbon on cakes ?

Same thing happend to a friend of a friend. She made a shower cake snd a local shop asked the Mother of the honoree for the name and number of the lady who made the cake because she wanted her to work in her shop. The Mom gave her the info and sure enough! She turned her in. Sad thing is. . .The shower cake was a freebie! HAHAHAHAHAHA

Elle

I'm so sorry this happened to you... as many have already said, I doubt it was somebody from here, most of us bake from home (some for business and some as a hobby), I would look into your area and check local bakeries... Good luck!!!!
(((hugs)))