Aug. 05--Word is slowly spreading about Nicole Voruz Perez' home-baked wine-infused pies and on Monday, Plainfield village trustees passed a "cupcake law" to help home-based bakers like her.
Voruz Perez started her home-based company, All Pied Up No Place to Go, in March and has been working with village officials ever since to get a cupcake law passed to aid home bakery start ups. The ordinance allows home bakers to sell goods baked in their homes provided monthly sales do not exceed $1,000.
"I'm thrilled," said Voruz Perez, who still works full-time as an insurance manager and runs her business. "It opens up the ability for us to go out in the community and advertise."
Voruz Perez created a Facebook page for her business and has put out business cards in a few local businesses, but she said Monday's action helps her step up her advertising efforts.
And while she eventually plans to open a shop, she said baking from home allows her time to build up a clientele.
Since March, word has spread about the pies she and her neighbor make. In July, she saw a record week of about 25 orders for the July 4th holiday. She's already planning some special pies for the fall. She also expects to hire another employee and rent a commercial kitchen around the holidays to help fill her pie orders.
The business started over a glass of wine and a discussion about the difficulty in finding a good pie. Voruz Perez said she looked at her husband and told him she was going to make wine-infused pies. From there, she started working with her neighbor to match wines with fruit pies.
She said new customers come to her for the "novelty" of the pie.
"But then people try it and really like it," she said.
While businesses operating under the "cupcake law" do not have to undergo inspections, Plainfield officials said they reserve the right to inspect kitchens if there are complaints of customers becoming ill. Voruz Perez noted she takes extra measures to ensure a safe, clean environment for her baking.
Voruz Perez' pie offerings can be found online at www.allpiedupnoplacetogo.com. All pies can be made with or without wine and are available in three different sizes.
Alice Fabbre is a freelance reporter.
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