I started making baklava about 10 years ago. It's funny, because I'm not really much a cook otherwise, but I've found if you make good baklava, people don't really care so much that you can't make anything else! 

 

My father, who is first-generation Greek-American, complained for years that he couldn't get baklava that was as good as mine when he went out to eat. I didn't necessarily target Greek restaurants though, because they often use family recipes and you don't want to insult anybody's Greek grandmother! Since I had started using locally sourced ingredients like Ohio Amish butter and honey from the Ohio State University Honey Bee Lab (even the phyllo is made by Athens Foods in Cleveland), I realized I had a product that I would like to order if I was out at some of my favorite local places. I've been a huge fan of Columbus's independent restaurants and local food scene for years, and I'm really proud to be part of that now. There's even napkin dispensers with Glad Annie's advertised on them at Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace... I'm ridiculously delighted with those every time we eat there!
 
 

My daughter was born with a Congenital Heart Defect 4 years ago. Before that, I had no idea how common this was and how many families struggle with CHDs. About one in 100 children are born with some sort of Congenital Heart Defect and nearly twice as many children die from Congenital Heart Defects in the United States each year as from all forms of childhood cancers combined. My daughter will likely have to have corrective surgery in about 10 years, so I joined the new Columbus chapter of Mended Little Hearts thinking that the money I help raise today could quite literally fund the research that affects the treatment she receives later on. That's pretty strong motivation! It's also a wonderful way to connect to other parents who are on this same journey with their children.

 

We are very fortunate in that my daughter's defect is very mild and does not affect her day-to-day life right now. She's incredibly active and energetic, which is often not the case for children with CHDs. But we have to take her to Children's Hospital twice a year to keep it monitored, which is always an unpleasant reminder that there is something wrong. When she gets to elementary school, we'll have to look at doing things like limiting her activities in gym class, and as a parent, you never want to have to think about limiting what your children can do. But mostly you hope that the child will always be healthy and safe, just as you would for any child.

 

Oh yes! She often makes deliveries with me and is "in charge" of carrying the invoice. She loves coming to The Hills Market with me because she likes to see the baklava in the bakery case. Sometimes she even wants to buy some, but I can usually distract her with the Der Dutchman cookie dough that's across in the refrigerated case. We love that stuff. If only I could declare it as a business expense!

 

That's really not a fair question...they are all amazing! But I do think Pattycake Bakery is an absolute city treasure. We had both a traditional cake and a Pattycake vegan chocolate cake for a party once, and everyone was eating the vegan cake, even non-vegetarians! Jennie Scheinbach also helped me out when I was getting started with the baklava business; she's a great example of creating a business that's in keeping with your personal beliefs, and that's what I'm trying to do with Glad Annie's.