Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Starting a cookie biz--first step-the product

So, long time no chat here. Sorry about that. I got this crazy idea to start a cookie business and have been keeping myself very busy with it. Today a good friend of mine commented that I had not written on my blog in a long time...I told her I had been crazy busy with this cookie biz thing...and she said, you should write about starting this business. So, here we go...

It all started when I was trying to figure out how a favorite cookie of mine from the Chicago area -- Carol's Cookies -- was made. I had to figure out how she gets her cookies to stay so puffy, but not cakey, more like dry and sugary cookie dough. I started by buying the cookies when I was in Chicago this January. Brought them back to Napa, ate some and started thinking about them, ate some more. I then researched what role each cookie ingredient played in the spread factor. I needed LESS SPREAD, more PUFF in my cookies. I hate flat cookies, so I was very excited to try to figure this out. I even posted a question on Chowhound about it and had many replies. I realized I was not the only one out there trying to figure out Carol's Cookies. I started playing with the cookies and taking the test recipe items out to my friends and asking them what they thought. And then one day a friend asked me why I was trying to figure out that other cookie when mine was MUCH BETTER!!!! haha
My other really good friend said to me, you MUST sell these at the local Farmers' Markets this Summer. I thought, hmmmm...that is a good idea in this economy to start out making something for a Farmers' Market instead of opening up a brick and mortar bakery. I like it!!!
This was the first step for me to starting a cookie business.
I will tell you all about my process here . I have been spending a ton of time researching and collecting information. I will keep a log for your entertainment. Hope you enjoy it.