Hi everyone,

OK so I'm REAL NEWBIE at all of this and so I'm just trying to educate myself.

First of all, thanks much for the matrix that shows which states allow home-based bakeries and which don't. That's how I first learned that it is illegal to sell baked goods if made in your home kitchen. Bad news for me, as I am a Maryland resident!

I've been reading up some of the posts and in particular about the bill in MD that got killed by committee to legalize home bakeries. That' too bad, but in some ways great b/c it looks like we can keep introducing it and improving on it and hopefully it will get passed in the next few years here.

I am a little confused about the terms "commercial" and "home" bakery though. What if you say, converted garage space into a separate kitchen for your home-based cake decorating business? This is what I was thinking of doing to get around the issue of home kitchens being illegal. Wouldn't this 2nd kitchen be a commerical one, and therefore legal? Or is it still home-based since it is located in your personal residence, and therefore illegal?

See why I'm confused? Can someone please educate me?

Thanks, Barb

Barbclara - Welcome to CC!

I'm certainly no expert, but I believe that the answers to some of your questions depend on which County you are in in MD. You might want to start with your County health department for some of those answers.

I think that in some counties you can have a 2nd kitchen in your home, as well as some other requirements, and be "legal."