Holly-daze

I truly feel like I’m in a daze this time of year … Most folks say “aren’t you glad the busy season is over now that it’s OFF season?” And I just stare at them in such a dazed-and-confused manner because, let’s face it, there’s no such thing as “off season” anymore! Not with all of the building, constructing, MOVING … and please don’t get me wrong - it’s excellent for business, and we are grateful to our CORES, but sometimes we just need HELP. And I can’t be the only one who feels this way - but - DOES ANYONE WANT TO WORK ANYMORE? (heh…) Finding good help is EXTREMELY difficult, which is why we take care of the people we DO have, but finding hard working, ethical, honest, and positive folks is a true challenge! (if you are one of those people, please apply here.) ;-) Wheew! Now that I got that off my chest … it’s coooold isn’t it?? Colder than normal! It may be a long winter, but I’m super pumped for next year ~ we’ve been hinting at a “move” and some changes are definitely coming! I’ll leave it at that and get back on here sooner this time ..!

Until then… <3

It’s only Spring …

and we are already turning away cake requests … yikes. We have really seen an increase in the demand for custom cakes and cupcakes. The need is growing here in the area, and the providers are shrinking. Anyone who knows me knows that I HATE saying no … I’ll do anything I can NOT to say “no.” But, I can feel it coming … I’ll have to start saying “no.” The goal for our Cakery is to have some readily available cakes and cupcakes, but it’s been so difficult finding the time to make those in between all of the custom orders. Folks, I don’t think you fully understand the time it takes to make a cake - whether it’s big or small, it takes TIME. Our cakes and frostings are made from SCRATCH, not a box or a tub (yes, there are local bakeries that do this, why? because time is money, honey.) And you can either charge less and take shortcuts or charge more, and not. However, that’s when quality over quantity comes in, in my opinion, and it’s challenging to do both just right. How much time does it take for a cake, exactly? Generally 3 hours for a small cake, and up to a full day for a tiered wedding cake. Now, of course there is some time in between where we can multi-task, but honestly - think of how long it would take you to bake a cake at home, from scratch, whip up your frosting, using room temperature butter (please allot time for that), letting your cake cool, doing a crumb coating and chilling the cake a bit, then frosting/writing/decorating/packaging … you get my drift. We don’t have an assembly line of 10 bakers just crankin out cakes (I wish!) it’s just me, and usually one or two assistant bakers (who help me in between customers.) So, just some things to think about and why it’s important for us to have as much time and detail as possible for cake requests, and the best way to submit a cake request is via email at kristinas.cakery23@gmail.com

Thanks for reading, see you soon!

Surviving a pandemic

We opened Kristina’s Kitchen on February 10th, 2020 - just a few short weeks before the mandatory restaurant shutdowns due to Covid-19. I was mortified. Horrified. Furious. However, my negative emotions were quickly turned around when we realized that we didn’t have to close … we were one of the very FEW restaurants that were able to stay open because we had the “take-out” concept from the beginning! And not on purpose either - we would have loved to have a sit-down, dine in spot, but the Kitchen is just too small. Now that we’re going into our 5th season, I wouldn’t want it any other way, really. We were extremely fortunate because we survived and thrived in 2020 - it was truly a miracle! My heart broke for so many of our friends in the area who had to close their doors, and here we are 4 years later and a lot of them still haven’t recovered. With the demand for custom baked goods - cakes and cupcakes - we knew we had to expand. So we did, we purchased a big building on a little bit of property and opened up Kristina’s Cakery! Heading into our 2nd season here, I’m excited to see what the future holds.

“Wait, you used to do what now?”

I’m often asked … “how long have you been baking?” Or “what culinary school did you go to?”

The simple answer is, not long, and, I didn’t. Now, don’t go judging me just yet … I have been in the food/restaurant industry since my very first job at the age of 14 (Jack’s Bagels in Levittown, PA), and have remained so (obviously) up to this day. But prior to 2020, I was a spa therapist for 15 years! Yep. Facials, massage, manicures and pedicures. And like most things I do, I made sure I was damn good at it… using only the best ingredients and products. I’m not saying I was the best, I’m just saying I worked hard to do my best and learn the best. Something I’m very passionate about and carry with me to this day. My entire family has some sort of culinary training or passion. My mom was/is a chocolatier and is well known as “Aunt Sugar” because she always brings the best sweets to the party; her brother has owned/managed several restaurants in the Reading area, and his children now own 2 very successful breweries. On my father’s side, my dad and his siblings have always been food (and wine 🫠) connoisseurs and my dad always taught me to “live off the land” utilizing fresh produce and ingredients. But I found my true passion with the sweet stuff. I’ve always had a sweet tooth, but developing a gluten intolerance/celiac inspired me even more to make the sweet stuff healthier without compromising the quality and flavor. It can be challenging, but I’m always up for it.

Stay tuned, I have lots to share 🫶🏻