I am not too sure what to do. I have been approved by the local dept of health to bake at an alternate location (we can't be approved in a home kitchen it must be a separate kitchen from the living area) - about 40 min outside of where I live. This means packing everything in the car and driving it out there baking and then packing it up again. I sell my products weekly at a market.
It would be so much easier to bake in my own kitchen, I use all the measures that one would expect; hair nets, aprons, bleach sanitizer. The family - child, dog and spouse would leave the house while I am baking. Would anyone take the 'easy road' on this?
The other issue is that I can't bake it all in one night and still sleep, I would need to prepare ahead of time ie icing and cake. Would you do the prep work ahead at home and take the rest out and finish the work there?
I am not too sure what to do. I have been approved by the local dept of health to bake at an alternate location (we can't be approved in a home kitchen it must be a separate kitchen from the living area) - about 40 min outside of where I live. This means packing everything in the car and driving it out there baking and then packing it up again. I sell my products weekly at a market.
It would be so much easier to bake in my own kitchen, I use all the measures that one would expect; hair nets, aprons, bleach sanitizer. The family - child, dog and spouse would leave the house while I am baking. Would anyone take the 'easy road' on this?
The other issue is that I can't bake it all in one night and still sleep, I would need to prepare ahead of time ie icing and cake. Would you do the prep work ahead at home and take the rest out and finish the work there?
I fully understand what you are saying... you will be incurring expenses you have to incorporate into your baked goods. The easy road only sounds easy. It's not. You are setting yourself up for sleepless nights knowing you are not doing it by the book should you go that route. Think about it, HD already has approved you, will they not be looking to inspect at some point? If you are not utilizing the facility will they not look for you at home? Possible fines incurred? Take the high road, not the easy road.
Hugs.
I'd be legal.
I agree with leah_s, your consience is so much clearer when you do it the right way. (trust me). I baked cakes for family and friends, and so many people wanted me to sell cakes to them, and I always had a fear that if I do it I will be caught, and I did what it took to be legal, now I fell way better, I am not selling yet but at least I am Legal.
People who can have legal home kitchens may not understand how good they have it! Really, wouldn't you sleep better knowing you are legal, rather than worrying that someone will turn you in or the HD will be following up? There are others in CC who use certified/commercial kitchens perhaps they can give you suggestions on the most efficient use of your time. You will have to include your travel time and extra set-up in figuring your expenses.
Just an fyi, I am in the process of making my kitchen legal, and no pets are allowed in the structure at all, ever. I am trying to convince dh that he doesn't need those stupid fish, because even though I don't consider them pets the state does.
Anyway, at least here you would have a problem with having a dog at all.
Plus if something was to happen (ie. someone had some kind of reaction or even thought they did) and there was a complaint, then all Heck would break loose.
also there is a huge set of rules that I have to comply with to get inspected (3rd sink, covered trash, all utensils and ingredients must be separate from the everyday stuff, separate refrigerator, etc) So yes once I get these all, but you may not realize all that goes into having a home commercial kitchen.
In the long run would it be easier to build a very small kitchen out back?
I'd opt for being legal as well. Assuming you have all the conveniences of a commercial kitchen, large ovens, big sinks, more space to move around plus less distraction (no tv, no computer, no hubby/kids), you'll find yourself finishing up alot quicker than you would be at home. My typical schedule is to bake all my cakes on Thursday, make my icings while they bake and then I wrap everything up for the night and go home... leaving it all there. I come in the next morning and go straight to work. yes it's a huge pain to drag pans and supplies back and forth but I can bake so much faster with a bigger convection oven at the kitchen then I can at home. Plus I have a bigger mixer there so I can increase my batch size without any issues. the worst is when I forget to bring something trivial like a cake box or my leveler though.
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