Cash from Baking??

hayley11

esmer wrote: »

EHO were out to see me, and basically it's a no no so I can't do my cupcakes from my house. I think for parties of people I know, but that's it.

Aww that's such a shame. What reasons did they give? Can you fix any of the problems?

esmer

There was a really bad cause of food poisoning where I live and people die. A Local Butcher, supplied cold meat to a party and gave people E.Coli. So this is the strictest area ever. I would basically have to put in 3 sinks and get stainless steel splash backs and not allow my daughter in the kitchen, the lists go on........ he was really nice and I if i want to do it, I will have to go commercial.

So parties and shows and schools, but thats about it. So glad I asked them first before I spent a lot of money in investing in boxed and sugarcraft.............

hayley11

Here's the cake I did for my nieces birthday...

The finish isn't perfect but overall i'm quite happy with it. I really struggled cutting the letters out but then once i'd done a few, I was okay doing them. I broke two putting them on the cake but I don't think you can tell. :rotfl:

I didn't make the flowers btw.

Any comments, postive or negative would be greatly appreciated. I have zero confidence in anything I make and I always think my family just say it's good to please me.

thinkpositive

..I've just found this post and read through it. Hayley your cake looks beautiful - the finish on your icing is great! I bet your niece was delighted. What flavour sponge was it?

Esmer, that is such a shame as your mini sponges and cupcakes look amazing! I live in the north of Scotland (best not mention where exactly!)and I also got a very negative response when I phoned the EHO. I was told I'd need 3 sinks as well and to keep my kids out of the kitchen. It is such a shame. Also, I was told that if I wanted to make cakes to supply to any shop etc then each cake would have to be strictly labelled. If I wanted to sell cakes on a stall I'd need a portable sink with a generator!!!!! Totally put me off...which I think was the general intention. I know they are only doing their job and no doubt the strict EHO's are following the correct procedure. It is just unlucky we live in areas where they are extra specially strict. I can't help but thinking that, for the most part, home bakers will probably take more care with hygiene and cleanliness than big industrial manufacturing companies. On the one hand the government tells us all to get working and use our initiative and then their regulations knock us back down again. Surely a few sponges with buttercream aren't going to be high risk to anyone....!

Anyway, its just making cakes for the family from now on. I felt really gutted about it all after I got my knock back from the EHO. I still love making cakes though. Onwards and upwards Esmer.....hopefully you'll find something else that you could do from home to do part time.

Karen, your cupcakes look beautiful!

Esmer....if it isn't too cheeky could I possibly have your buttercream recipe. My buttercream always seems to be a bit hit and miss...sometimes too thick to pipe and other times too runny and the swirls don't stay put. Your swirls look fantastic.

hayley11

Thanks thinkpositive It was just a vanilla sponge with pink vanilla buttercream under the sugarpaste.

Sorry you got refused by the EHO as well, starting to dislike these people! Who the heck needs three sinks? I bet cafes don't have that many?

I think I better make sure they've been round here and given me the ok before I pay £400 for the cake decorating course.

karenccs67

hayley11 wrote: »

Here's the cake I did for my nieces birthday...

The finish isn't perfect but overall i'm quite happy with it. I really struggled cutting the letters out but then once i'd done a few, I was okay doing them. I broke two putting them on the cake but I don't think you can tell. :rotfl:

I didn't make the flowers btw.

Any comments, postive or negative would be greatly appreciated. I have zero confidence in anything I make and I always think my family just say it's good to please me.

its lovely hayley x

paulwf

hayley11 wrote: »

Sorry you got refused by the EHO as well, starting to dislike these people! Who the heck needs three sinks? I bet cafes don't have that many?

Actually they probably do. One of the main food hygiene requirements is a totally separate hand wash sink. This only has to be a very small sink but the idea is that as it isn't used for anything else a food handler can easily wash their hands at any time...it doesn't matter if the main sink is full of washing up or already in use. Ideally the main sink would be a double one so you can wash in one and rinse in another. As it happens if you already have a double sink adding a tiny hand wash sink might not be a big deal, although it would look a bit out of place in a domestic kitchen

paulwf

thinkpositive wrote: »

I can't help but thinking that, for the most part, home bakers will probably take more care with hygiene and cleanliness than big industrial manufacturing companies.

I'd disagree, in a decent industrial kitchen all surfaces are stainless steel and floors and walls are tiled so very easy to clean, and they will have a thorough cleaning rota. Staff should have clean uniform daily and will use disposable gloves and hair nets. Fly zappers and a pest control contract should be in place, and fridge and freezer temperatures will be digitally monitored. Standards aren't that different from an operating theatre! Of course there are some rogues out there but standards have improved a lot over the years.

I do agree with your other points though, cakes aren't high risk and there should be initiatives to get people running their own business. I did some very informal costings just for fun with my cupcakes and unless I massively scaled up I could make around £5 an hour, even renting a unit part time or some sort of arrangement with a cafe would be impossible.

EHO's are meant to work together with businesses as it is better to resolve issues than be unrealistic. Specifying a water supply and generator for a cake stall is madness, disposable gloves and a plentiful supply of clean utensils should clearly be enough. It's a shame EHO's are now taking such a tough stance, I have worked in some kitchens with really poor standards but I suppose a certain amount of box ticking goes on and EHO's look for stainless steel surfaces and 3 sinks but don't look at your personal approach to food safety. Regulations are getting tighter, but hopefully someone will see sense and do something to allow home bakers to continue.

thinkpositive

paulwf - totally agree that it would be good if EHO's could try to find ways to help people abide by the regulations and all the others points you made

...re the industrial kitchen point, I get what you are saying. What was in my mind was that a home baker making a few cakes will be very careful to follow all the regulations and do their very best to make a cake they have total pride in...whereas in some industrial kitchens maybe some of the staff are not that motivated to do that unless they are prodded by their supervisor! I knew someone who worked next to a baking firm and they used to tell me some rather unsavoury tales of what they saw going on! Though, I know, that firm was probably in the minority - they went out of business anyway.

..in case is it helpful to anyone else, I think if you have a dishwasher then you don't need a double sink as well, but you would still need a handsink. I'm afraid I didn't have the room for a double sink or a dishwasher and a hand sink.

paulwf

thinkpositive wrote: »

paulwf - totally agree that it would be good if EHO's could try to find ways to help people abide by the regulations and all the others points you made

...re the industrial kitchen point, I get what you are saying. What was in my mind was that a home baker making a few cakes will be very careful to follow all the regulations and do their very best to make a cake they have total pride in...whereas in some industrial kitchens maybe some of the staff are not that motivated to do that unless they are prodded by their supervisor! I knew someone who worked next to a baking firm and they used to tell me some rather unsavoury tales of what they saw going on! Though, I know, that firm was probably in the minority - they went out of business anyway.

..in case is it helpful to anyone else, I think if you have a dishwasher then you don't need a double sink as well, but you would still need a handsink. I'm afraid I didn't have the room for a double sink or a dishwasher and a hand sink.

I totally agree with what you're saying. So sorry you couldn't go ahead with your plans, it seems such a waste.