When you have a passion you should let it shine, and Allie of Take Whisks does just that.
Allie grew up in Baltimore in a family with a large focus on food, and would constantly bake and cook with her dad. You could say food has always been a part of her work. Allie started working in a bagel shop at the age of 15, then worked in a diner during college and began working in the food industry. Not wanting to go to school in Baltimore, Allie researched ways to get in-state tuition at other schools. She found that if she majored in dairy science, she would receive in-state at Virginia Tech. Allie worked at a cupcake shop during college, and after four years, graduated with a degree in food science.
After graduating, Allie landed a job at Nabisco in New Jersey, where she worked in product development with items like cookies. She still had that side passion for baking, and while she never went to culinary school (though she still would like to someday) she reached out to various local bakeries in New Jersey asking if she could apprentice with them in her free time. A women-owned bakery let her apprentice one day a week, and she learned the ins & outs of baking cakes, how to chill, properly cut and pipe, and many other things she still remembers and uses today!
She started experimenting at home and would make cakes for friends and family, and word spread at work. Allie then moved to Austin, Texas to work in product development for Whole Foods, where she continued to make cakes for friends and family and refine her skills. She then started selling her creations as more people discovered her talent. This summer, Allie took a big leap and moved to Portland. So far, she loves the area, especially the food scene! She brought her cake making skills with her and has started spreading the word about what she does through networking.
Allie loves the way her cakes can bring the community together, and she loves working with other small businesses to provide them with special creations. Baking is a way for her to work with her two passions, baking, and food science. She doesn’t just make your typical vanilla and chocolate, Allie likes to play with flavors and infuse food science into her cakes, she recently made a sesame cake batter! Some of her friends have dietary restrictions, so she also enjoys experimenting and making vegan and gluten-free cakes, as well as recreating current food trends!
Right now, Allie’s “Tale Whisks” business is on Instagram, but is currently working on her blog that she will be releasing soon! With her blog, she wants to incorporate not only her cakes but her food science knowledge. Allie wants to educate her readers with things like what flours work with what ingredients, the functionality of different ingredients, and the sensory side of baking!
Allie currently sells and works out of her own kitchen, and is looking to expand her business into Portland, so if you need a tasty cake, Allie is the person for you! She is working the upcoming Lit AF Holiday Bazaar, a holiday show featuring women-focused businesses, where she will be selling her decadent confections. Support a Portland newcomer and local maker, and support Take Whisks. There’s no better way to celebrate the holiday and new year festivities than with a cake!
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