About Suggestions for New Products

I wanted to take a moment to touch on this topic because I've gotten such great feedback and suggestions. They are so appreciated and I love knowing what my customers would like to see. Unfortunately, I won't be able to offer anything with Nutella or pecans or M&Ms, for example. I have a life threatening allergy to peanuts and tree nuts and run a nut free kitchen. I do use beans and am able to consume coconut so I'm peanut specific, not all legumes; and all tree-nuts with the exception of coconut.

While some of my ingredients are manufactured in a facility which processes nuts, depending on the item(s); I don't use ingredients which are processed on shared equipment. The risk factor to me is just too high. Mars advises that M&M's are now a "may contain" due to shared equipment; I'm not sure when that changed since previously they were safe. I talk with manufacturers to see what their allergy processes are for new items and if it's anything more than "made in a facility" I don't use it. Shared lines are too risky for me.

I am really strict on this because my allergies are extremely severe. I have had a cross-contamination issue from a salad being mixed in the wrong bowl at a restaurant. So hopefully that puts it into a little perspective. I just can't take the risk and I do apologize for that.

I've been asked about gluten free items. I can do some of the menu as gluten friendly with certified gluten free flour and make the adjustment there, but, I cannot call it gluten free because I process gluten. For some varieties, such as cookies and cream;, Oreo's contain gluten so that wouldn't be a product I can do and I hope people can understand. I know gluten free versions exist, but, many times gluten free contains almond flour so we're right back in where my allergies are an issue.

I'm always willing to work on new items and I truly do appreciate the feedback and look forward to continuing to share my love of baking and quirky names with everyone.