http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/02/05/2010-02-05_bklyn_underground_crustacean_station.html

I read this and had a good chuckle.... This dude is in the NEWS and not in trouble. haha. Now, I'm licensed (wasn't always, didn't have the money or customer base yet) and all and this isn't meant to be a debate on right and wrong...being licensed is RIGHT...I'm just chuckling because sometimes I think we go overboard changing every newbie question into "I'll only answer if you are licensed because if you are not, you'll get thrown in jail and I want no part of it." haha.

I mean...I wouldn't buy lobster out of this dude's basement! LOL!!!!

Sorry, lame humor this morning I guess.

Bwahahaha! That's funny...he's so "I don't give a shite!" So funny. I'll put it through the mail slot. Oh wow...

it's not right...no....

but dang that lobster roll looks delicious.

Way too funny I love it!

Good for him! I love enterprising folks !

I felt compelled to reply to this one...I'm a hobby baker who would love to one day be licensed.

I have actually had this guy's lobster rolls and they are yummy, but that was a one-time deal for me, I'd rather go somewhere else that's been inspected! There are many underground food enterprises like this in NYC, many of them former restaurant owners forced to close shop due to rent increases, etc.

Yeah, I know someone who has been doing it for 13 years and had front page of the "life" section of our paper article done on her and her cakes. No license. Then recently they did another article on another lady who isn't licensed and she told them she sold "some" cakes/cookies. I posted it here awhile back, the link to the article.

I think you are right they don't care much about someone selling a few cakes (I don't because I only enjoy this as a hobby) but if I wanted to, I just might. Home bakeries are legal in my state so I can't really see why someone shouldn't go the licensed route unless they are only going to sell a cake a month or something.

When I first started of course I didn't know anything about licensing...moved here and found out about it. But didn't have the money or ability to really make it a "business" so just let my word of mouth grow until I was ready to be a real "business". I kinda judged it by, when I started really making a profit, it was time to start recording myself as a business.

A VERY reputable cake artist told me she did the same thing. haha.

Anyway I just thought this was SO funny because you can hardly get sick from a cake (unless its filled with spoiled custard or something) but I would be scared to eat somebody's lobster. haha

FYI - was just watching the 10:00 news here (to find out if the snow was actually coming!) and the Health Dept. shut down the lobster roll guy today, as expected. The news story even referenced that other story from last year that was discussed here on a CC post - the woman in NJ who was selling cakes to pay her mortgage and got shut down after the news ran the story. In her case a hotel offered their kitchen for her to use to make the cakes, and the news reporter wondered if someone would come to this guy's rescue!

I'm kind of surprised the guy would let the news run his story....I mean...they can't run a story without your permission (I mean they took his photo, smiling!) can they? That was dumb if he really wanted to stay under the radar...

if you roll it..they will come..

good for him !!! in this economy one has to do what one can to make a living. At least he isnt cooking up meth or selling drugs or stealing... live and let be !!!