How three Lengthy Seaside ‘Cottage Meals’ Enterprise House owners Thrive Regardless of Coronavirus Pandemic – Press Telegram

Long beachFrom Amy Orr,

Contributing writer

With mandatory restaurant closings and struggles in the supply chain, 2020 was devastating for many people in the food industry.

For some, this year’s home security restrictions have spurred new opportunities to explore – especially for businesses running out of homes.

Since 2013, California has allowed food preparation and packaging in non-commercial kitchens. The state “Cottage Food Law” allows chefs to cook from home within certain parameters. Several domestic businesses have developed in Moncton during the coronavirus pandemic and ongoing restrictions.

Sean Laughlin, for example, worked as a photographer prior to the pandemic but is at high risk if contracted the coronavirus and was unable to continue taking photos. Instead, Laughlin, a work-hungry food lover, began baking – and the Loaflin Bread Company was born. Its menu offers fascinating varieties of focaccia and sourdough bread for one-time purchase or for weekly, bi-weekly or monthly subscriptions.

Laughlin is in the kitchen at 5 a.m. every day now. His wife Mimi Masher takes care of the business details including sales, marketing, packaging and delivery.

“The bread is actually very tasty,” said Masher. “He is very diligent and attentive to details and these are great qualities of a baker.”

Baking has also proven to be a point of sale for Alina Tompert. As a full-time architect at Studio One Eleven, Tompert decided to leverage her German roots when working from home. The cinnamon bakery, named after Tompert’s favorite spice – cinnamon – was launched in July. Nougats, nuts, jams, and gingerbread cookies are some of the options that are offered in their artisanal biscuits.

Tompert is also committed to social change. That’s why she looks for locally sourced, organically grown and free trade ingredients, uses fully compostable packaging, and donates 20% of her baking profits to East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice.

Tompert grew up helping her mother in the kitchen, saying she had vivid memories of peering over the counter on tiptoe and kneading butter into the cookie dough. Every year at Christmas, “Oma”, which means “grandma”, sent her a can of goodies from Germany. Tompert honors and expands their family recipes in their handcrafted biscuits.

Family heritage is also at the heart of Aliye Aydin’s cuisine. Summer trips to her father’s family in Turkey fostered a lifelong appreciation for dishes and spice mixes from the Middle East.

“Food is my love language and I love exploring taste,” said Aydin.

Aydin studied nutrition and urban agriculture at UC Berkeley, attended cooking school, and became a professional chef. A firm believer in the benefits of natural, healthy foods, she decided to share her culinary passion by joining a menu preparation and meal planning group called A Good Carrot.

Aydin’s recipes became popular and so did her special spices. In March 2019 she started a second home service, the Spice Club. Their flavor combinations include a range of Turkish, Moroccan, Cuban, and Indian spices. Special seasonal mixes are only available to club members.

In addition to running small businesses, Laughlin, Tompert, and Aydin are now exploring another aspect of the home offering: online teaching. All three are designed to teach online cooking classes on Moncton Food and Beverage. Tompert has already directed two virtual programs.

“It was really fun to connect with friends and family, as well as new faces in these classes,” she said. “So far, all of the results seem very good.”

Sign up for The Localist, our daily email newsletter with hand-picked stories relevant to where you live. Subscribe here.