Where did you grow up?
I grew up right here in Des Moines.
How did you come to specialize in gluten-free baking?
I’ve always loved baking, but when my husband started having health issues, I had to learn how to bake using other forms of ingredients. See, my husband, Chad, can’t have a trace of gluten or dairy in anything he eats or drinks. So this was something I had to learn to do. It took a lot of practice, and a lot of sampling, but eventually I got it. Every time I made something that turned out how I wanted it, it was a wonderful feeling, because I knew Chad would be able to enjoy things just like everyone else.
We started the bakery to provide a service for those like Chad. Hopefully, we’re able to help them feel just like everyone else. We want them to be able to walk into a bakery and choose their treats instead of having to buy a frozen treat at the grocery store. It’s wonderful to see the joy on people’s faces when they come in for the first time and they’re overwhelmed with options. It’s a good feeling.
Why did you choose Waukee for your business?
We live in Waukee. Our oldest graduated from Waukee High School, and our youngest is a junior at Waukee High School. This is the only place we wanted to be. Waukee is our home.
Tell us what a typical day at a gluten-free bakery is like.
A typical day varies, but most days it’s off and running from the moment I walk in the door. We partner with Scratch Cupcakery and Gusto Pizza Co. Both partners keep us very busy on their own, but then we also have orders and walk-in business. We make a lot of cupcakes, dessert bars, cookies, muffins, French bread—and even more items—daily. We’re adding to our staff to help with the increase in business, and it won’t be long until we add again. We’ve been very blessed.
Even though it’s hard some days, it’s so worth it. Even when I have a long day and feel like I’ve hit a wall, I know people appreciate the time and effort. I can’t say it enough—we’re blessed!
Now that we’re well into the holiday season, what sorts of seasonal goodies would you like to brag about?
The funny thing is, what some people consider seasonal, we bake all of the time. We do pumpkin bars every single day, and we offer pumpkin pie all year long. The nice thing about our products is that they freeze well, so a lot of people order large amounts and freeze the items to take to family events, or just to keep around for their go-to treat. We also have soft frosted sugar cookies. We offer pre-frosted cookies, or cookie dough for them to take and bake, or baked cookies with frosting on the side for them to decorate at home.
But honestly, our holiday seasons are crazy busy, and it’s about making an assortment of items, not just one or two specific things. So I guess if I were to brag about something, I would say that I feel anything you choose, you will enjoy.