I'm taking Wilton III - today I sat by someone who does have a business. She asked why I didn't. I told her - I want to be home with the kids - renting a kitchen doesn't work for me.

She says she only rents the kitchen to BAKE the cakes, cookies, etc. She brings them home and does all the decorating. Is that legal? She says so. If it's only to BAKE the cake, maybe make the icing there ... do ya have to make the icing there?? - that would only take a couple hours a week.

Can that be legal? PLEASE - if anyone knows - I'd love to do that!!!!!!!

I am not from Texas but my first instinct is no. The point of being in a licensed rental kitchen is because it is inspected and the health department approves of it. If you are decorating the cake at home they have not inspected your home or kitchen for cleanliness (not to say your's isn't, but that isn't the case with everyone out there).

But I would say a call to your health department is in order.

I would love to be able to give you better news, but the Williamson County Health Department told me "no way, no how" on ANY food prep outside the approved kitchen. This included even things like gumpaste flowers or fondant bow toppers. I was informed that anywhere else besides the approved kitchen was "contaminated" (yes, my kitchen where I cook and eat every day...contaminated). I had to talk the inspector into letting me take a bag of icing to weddings so I could pipe borders after assembly. She said "but what if someone sneezes on the cake?" I'm like..."uh...that can happen with or without borders, whether I am there or not?" I swear, some of these people seem to take the attitude that food is poison.

no, its not legal. i have converted my garage to do all this. i cannot bake my cakes in that kitchen then take them into my house to decorate. it all has to be done in the inspected kitchen.

I knew it was too good to be true!