Welcome To My Kitchen
Once upon a time......nah, let's get right to the real deal. Rainbow cookies have been a family favorite for over thirty five years. Holiday requests were always, "Can you make your rainbow cookies?" Of course the request was fulfilled and then came the, "Wow, you need to sell these." So, here I am doing what I love to do and sharing the joy of rainbow cookies and so much more.
Flash forward a bunch of years, and my life includes my loving and supportive husband, John and our three amazing children, a daughter, Theresa, and sons, Christopher and Daniel. We have all grown as a family cooking and baking. Okay, I'm getting carried away....most of the time, they watch and wait for me to walk away from the finished products to grab a taste, and I'm the one doing the work. Nonetheless, the kitchen has always been a central place in our home for family and friends to congregate. So, I've turned my passion of baking into a business. It's a labor of love for me. My family is honest yet critical of my baked goods. Of course, this is what I expect and insist on in order to perfect my desserts.
I finally took the plunge and started this business in May of 2016. What pushed me to start was when the words I told my kids came right back to bite me. I'll admit I was a little...um, no now I'm stretching it...I was actually very nervous about starting up a business. Theresa and I were having a conversation about what I want to do when I grow up, and her exact words were, "Mom, there are two reasons people don't take risks...one they are lazy and two they are afraid, and I know you're not lazy...why are you afraid?" I just looked at her and almost wanted to cry. She was right, I was afraid of the unknown. I called my attorney to set up becoming incorporated the next day. My husband and children were very proud that I finally did what I've been wanting to do for some time.
Why Gluten Free? Well, we have friends and family members that have health concerns with the foods they eat. We entertain often and I've always tried to be aware of all my guests' dietary needs. It's important for me to be inclusive and not have anyone feel left out of a special meal or dessert. With this in mind, my husband John was the one who said, "Go Gluten Free, this way you can include everyone to enjoy your baking." Lo and behold, a new line of desserts has been born!
So, now the Farmer's Markets. After making my endless lists (did I mention I have OCD?) I purchased all my gluten free ingredients and packaging. I signed up for a local Farmer's Market. Reality was kicking in that I needed to get totally prepared for this market. I wound up staying up pulling an all-nighter baking and packaging my baked goods. I started with the rainbow cookies and chocolate chips. Thank goodness for Christopher and Daniel for being available to help me set up, help customers and pack up again. They calmed my nerves and the first day was a success. It wasn't long before I started getting custom orders, a variety of pound cakes and muffins, and one of the top requests, the infamous lemon drops. I now have return customers.
The ingredients used are only the best quality. I take pride in having no additional additives, organic ingredients, real vanilla, non GMOs, and of course, Belgian Chocolates. The flour, which is my most important ingredient, is blended by myself. I order directly from a highly reputable mill and combine several different gluten free flours to create the texture and taste that is made to perfection.
Thank you for visiting my page and I look forward to having you as a customer. Once you become a customer, I promise you won't want to leave.
A very special thank you to all my friends who had no choice but to listen to me and be part of my kitchen science projects. You all know who you are and I love each and every one of you. Thank you also for your support and help at the Farmer's Markets and the Garlic Festival. Thank you, Kayla Lopez for your creative picture taking and helping me with this website. We know how website savvy I'm not. Another special thank you to my mom, Anne for spending long hours helping me with everything from squeezing lemons to cleaning the mess. You are the greatest mom and I love you for all you do. Lastly, I cannot express my gratitude for the support of my husband, John and the most amazing children a mother could pray for. Theresa, Christopher, and Daniel, you have given me the strength to stay positive, believe in more, and strive for better. I love you with all my heart.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ JoAnn ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
