With all the recent talk in Texas about how home bakers are operating an illegal business (pending the passage of a Food Cottage Law), I am really freaking out that the Health Department will be out in full force looking for people like me!

I accepted a cookie order about 3 weeks ago for a wedding. It's 200 cookies for an April 18th wedding. Well, I emailed the mother of the bride today to let her know that I could not complete the order.

Maybe I am just being toooo paranoid but I read somewhere that a local TV station in Austin would be airing a story about illegal home bakers and the Food Cottage bill. With my luck, my customers will see the story and turn me in! Or get mad at me! I am pretty sure that all of my customers know that I bake out of my own home but probably don't know that it is illegal in Texas.

I feel really bad about not completing the cookie order after I said that I would .........but I feel even worse about operating an illegal business.

What are your thoughts?

By the way, no money had been exchanged for the cookies. I was going to get paid upon delivery so at least I don't have to worry about a refund.

Don't worry about it. If something was to happen it's your butt not theirs.
Since no $ was exchanged you are fine, especially if there was no contract.

I know how you feel, I have been getting so many orders I have quit my job and I am scared to death. I am in a county that is small and is less likely to be a problem but you never know. What if the health department calls, oh man that would be a mess.

I think your biggest worry right now is the big bakeries in the area turning in the illegal bakers. Especially right now with the big bakers letting everyone know they are against this and that they think it isn't fair that others don't have to break through the red tape like they did.
It happened a couple of years ago near me, where I know of two amazing bakers turned in to the HD be jealous competition. It's sad, it ruthless, and it happens. Be careful.

It stinks that you have to be so paranoid about baking doesn't it? I wonder if drug dealers worry about stuff like that

I was licensed about 5 yrs ago in MA for a home kitchen, before that I only baked for family and CLOSE friends I could trust and unfortunately for me I did it for free.

20 plus years of free cakes really stinks believe me, but I too was always paranoid and afraid someone would turn me in.

I really hope TX comes around and allows the Bill to pass.

dkelly That's so funny.

If you got caught you should just tell them that you made all those cookies for a Bake Sale (they're not illegal). I just so happened that your Bake Sale was at a wedding reception & the bride's mom bought every single cookie you brought...wasn't that nice of her?!

I explained the situation to the bride's mom and she said that she understood but still upset that she would have no time to find another baker. I let her know as soon as I could that I wouldn't be able to make the cookies.

If she did start looking around and found a bakery to make the cookies, I think she will be even more upset at how much more a 'real' bakery charges for their cookies. She was going to get a really good price from me.