From Hobby to Business: Rona Bachour's Baking Revolution
Rona Bachour, the talented artist and baker behind Rona's Cookies, joins us to share her remarkable journey from a traditional upbringing in Lebanon and Puerto Rico to becoming a celebrated entrepreneur in the culinary world. With the onset of Covid, baking transformed from a mere familial pastime into a profound therapeutic outlet and a thriving business, earning accolades such as Best of Florida desserts for two consecutive years. Rona's creations—ranging from exquisitely decorated sugar cookies to her innovative baklava—reflect a fusion of cultural influences and personal resilience, showcasing how food transcends mere sustenance to embody connection and strength. As she navigates the intricacies of running a business, Rona emphasizes the significance of family, particularly her daughter, in shaping her culinary legacy. Join us as we delve into Rona’s inspiring narrative, illustrating the deeper meanings embedded within her delectable offerings.
Rona Bachour, the visionary behind Rona's Cookies, exemplifies the profound connection between culinary artistry and personal resilience in a narrative that transcends mere baking. Her journey, rooted in a multicultural upbringing straddling Lebanon and Puerto Rico, is an exploration of how food can serve as both a medium for expression and a source of solace. It was during the pandemic, amid the challenges of managing her full-time career in health insurance and grappling with mental health struggles, that Rona discovered the therapeutic power of baking. What began as a simple hobby, propelled by her participation in cookie decorating classes, rapidly evolved into a thriving business that garnered accolades, including the coveted Best of Florida desserts award for two consecutive years. Rona's Cookies is not merely a business; it is a tapestry woven from the threads of tradition, creativity, and familial love, where each cookie is a testament to the joy of gathering and connection.
In our conversation, Rona shares her philosophy that baking transcends its components—sugar, flour, and butter—elevating it to an art form that celebrates heritage and culture. Her creations, which include intricately decorated sugar cookies, gourmet drop cookies, and innovative baklava, reflect a harmonious blend of her Lebanese and Puerto Rican influences, resulting in flavors that are both familiar and novel. Rona’s story serves as an inspiration, illustrating how personal challenges can lead to the discovery of one’s true calling, and how food can foster connections that bridge cultural divides. As she continues to expand her business, Rona envisions a future where she can not only delight palates but also offer a glimpse into her heritage, providing customers with an experience that is rich in flavor and history.
Takeaways:
- Rona Bachour, the artist behind Rona's Cookies, discovered her passion for baking during the COVID-19 pandemic, transforming a traditional pastime into a thriving business.
- Her unique background, blending Lebanese and Puerto Rican cultures, influences her culinary creations, resulting in a distinctive fusion of flavors.
- Rona's Cookies emphasizes the importance of connection, tradition, and joy, with each creation designed to evoke fond memories and cultural heritage.
- The journey from hobbyist to professional baker was marked by significant recognition, including being awarded Best of Florida desserts for two consecutive years.
- Rona's approach to baking is both artistic and therapeutic, allowing her to disconnect from daily stressors and focus on creativity.
- Her daughter plays an integral role in Rona's Cookies, symbolizing the legacy and familial bonds that underpin the business's ethos.
Transcript
You've just stepped inside the walk and Talk, podcast number one in the nation for food lovers, chefs and storytellers.
Speaker A:I'm Carl Fiadini, your host, shining a light on the flavor, the hustle and the heart of the industry.
Speaker A:We're the official podcast for the New York, California and Florida restaurant shows, the Pizza Tomorrow Summit, the US Culinary Open at Napham, and the North American media platform for the Burnt Chef project, recorded at Ibis Images Studios, where food photography comes alive and I get the first bite.
Speaker B:Find out more info@thewalkandtalk.com this week we welcome Rona Bashour, the artist and baker behind Rona's Cookies.
Speaker A:Rona grew up between Lebanon and Puerto Rico in a family where everything was made from scratch and food meant gathering.
Speaker A:But it wasn't until Covid hit that baking became more than just tradition.
Speaker A:It became her lifeline.
Speaker A:While working full time in the health insurance industry and also battling depression, she found joy in cookie decorating classes.
Speaker A:What began as a hobby quickly grew into a business, earning her best of Florida desserts honors two years in a row.
Speaker A:Her creations bring cultures together.
Speaker A:Decorated sugar cookies, gourmet drop cookies in any flavor you can imagine, and her reinvention of baklava into bite sized wonders.
Speaker A:Beyond the artistry, it's her kids who drive her.
Speaker A:Her daughter now calls her a superwoman.
Speaker A:Inspired by her mother's resilience and passion, Rona joins us in the studio to share her story, her cookies, and her signature baklava.
Speaker A:Proof that food is more than dessert.
Speaker A:It's connection, tradition and strength.
Speaker A:Rona, welcome to the program.
Speaker B:Rona.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker B:What a day.
Speaker C:Oh, yes.
Speaker D:Crazy day.
Speaker B:It was a long day, right?
Speaker C:Oh, yes.
Speaker B:But worth it.
Speaker D:Every minute of it, right?
Speaker B:I mean, I mean, look, I mean, I'm doing the.
Speaker D:How are your taste spots, though?
Speaker D:Happy.
Speaker B:Happy, yeah.
Speaker D:One of them.
Speaker B:12.
Speaker B:12, yeah.
Speaker C:Good.
Speaker B:Well, it started with this.
Speaker B:It took us a few times to get this, to get started.
Speaker B:On this podcast, John has a piece of baklava.
Speaker B:And while we were listening to the opening monologue, you know, in real time, the three of us here, John takes a bite out of the baklava and it was like so crunchy and shattering and everything that we, it was, we had to stop it.
Speaker B:It was, frankly, it was intrusive, John.
Speaker B:But at the end of the day, I don't blame you and I'm not mad at you.
Speaker D:Rona, you wish to have another spice?
Speaker B:Of course I do, but I can't do.
Speaker B:I can't be this kind of host with you.
Speaker B:Know, baklava in my teeth and I just can't do it.
Speaker B:I can't do it.
Speaker D:You need to show the audience what we were doing today with the sound of you crunching on one of them.
Speaker B:Maybe we'll see later.
Speaker B:That's some real behind the scenes stuff.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker B:You gotta keep that to yourself.
Speaker B:But so we had two dishes today.
Speaker B:You had cookies and you had the.
Speaker B:The baklavan.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:But you said, hey, you know how.
Speaker D:I couldn't say that's not how it started it.
Speaker B:Did you.
Speaker B:You said, hey, how about we do another like a flan?
Speaker B:And I was like, what?
Speaker D:How it started it, because we were talking about different desserts for a vanilla paste, and I gave you the idea.
Speaker B:Of the flan and then you said, hey, we should do a flan.
Speaker D:We can make a flan.
Speaker B:And oh, that's when I said, oh, my gosh, we should do it.
Speaker B:Yeah, you're right, you're right.
Speaker B:Yeah, it was all me.
Speaker B:So I jumped in the car, I run to the store, some extra ingredients, whatnot, and now we have a third dish.
Speaker B:So we're running a little bit, you know, overtime today on the podcast.
Speaker B:But it was so worth it because it was a coffee flan.
Speaker B:And I don't know, I. I ate one whole.
Speaker B:One of them.
Speaker B:That was.
Speaker B:It's a whole thing.
Speaker B:Let's.
Speaker B:Let's get into this.
Speaker D:All right, before you ate a bit of everything today.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:Yeah, but I literally had that whole little flaw on myself.
Speaker B:John got a little piece of that I get, you know, But I ate the whole thing.
Speaker B:All right, before we lose the audience, let's talk about what you did today.
Speaker B:Start off with the.
Speaker B:Actually, you know what?
Speaker B:Start with the flan.
Speaker B:What did you do?
Speaker B:How did you make this flan?
Speaker D:So this flan is very simple.
Speaker D:You use just the base regular recipe for a regular flan.
Speaker D:You just add instant coffee to it.
Speaker D:So you just need eggs, condensed milk, evaporated milk, some sugar, and add some instant coffee to it.
Speaker D:Obviously has the twist of my own vanilla paste instead of store bought.
Speaker D:So you can see the speckles of the vanilla on it.
Speaker D:So it gives a different look to it.
Speaker D:Um, but that's all we did.
Speaker D:You just mix it all together.
Speaker D:You make the caramel, put in the pan or the plate, pour the flan on top of it and to the oven in a water bath or how you call it, for like an hour, hour and 15 minutes, and then take it out and let it cool.
Speaker B:I really appreciate the.
Speaker B:The coffee flavor part of it, um, that was a welcomed addition today.
Speaker B:So before we get into the, the rest of this, the vanilla paste, that's something different.
Speaker D:Yes.
Speaker D:That's homemade.
Speaker D:That's my recipe.
Speaker D:I make it from scratch from real vanilla bean pods.
Speaker D:And it has rum, it has sugar, has water, and you blend it all together.
Speaker D:I'm not going to give the whole recipe.
Speaker B:No, I don't.
Speaker B:Not to give the recipe, but yes, it has rum.
Speaker B:You need to taste.
Speaker B:But let me tell you something, this was delicious.
Speaker B:I never had an ingredient like that in any of the dishes.
Speaker B:I've had everything that you made or I've had in my life, obviously, but not like that.
Speaker B:So it was really interesting.
Speaker B:It was very different and I'm impressed.
Speaker B:Just saying.
Speaker C:Thank you.
Speaker D:I can use the vanilla extract that I got or the paste, but I prefer the paste.
Speaker D:And they're both made with rum.
Speaker D:So it gives a prolonged shelf life to the paste and the extract itself and has no preservatives.
Speaker B:So your cookies are lifelike, like it's an art.
Speaker B:And that kind of leads me into this first leg of our conversation.
Speaker B:You're an artisan baker, but what's the difference between an artisan baker and a baker?
Speaker D:So a baker normally is flour and sugar and create cookies or cupcakes or.
Speaker D:But artisan baker is more the craft behind it.
Speaker D:The ingredients that we choose to use, whether it's natural ingredients, if everything is handmade, the crafty techniques that we use, like for example, the baklava, I did the phyllo completely from scratch.
Speaker D:And that's what makes the difference.
Speaker D:Baker is a task and artisan baker is craft and art.
Speaker D:That's how I see it.
Speaker B:You literally had your paintbrushes out on your cookies.
Speaker B:Like you pulled out like the watercolor thing.
Speaker B:I felt like I was at home with my kids.
Speaker B:And then you sat there and you beautifully crafted painted the cookie.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker B:What drove you into that?
Speaker B:Let's talk about COVID and your entry point into the world of baking.
Speaker D:It all started with COVID And like you mentioned on the interaction, I do suffer from depression since a very young age.
Speaker D:And when Covid started, we were all so into quarantine.
Speaker D:It was me, my husband, a three, almost three year old baby toddler, and my five year old daughter with my full time job in the morning, working in the living room, my husband in the room, all the noise, the fighting.
Speaker D:It doesn't help you with depression itself.
Speaker D:On the contrary, it pushes you to fall lower and lower with depression.
Speaker D:So I needed something different.
Speaker D:I already used to bake at home for my family, you know, But I wanted something different.
Speaker D:So I saw this cookie decorating class online in which I needed to by the box with the cookies and the icing and follow the zoom video and start decorating.
Speaker D:Once I finished, the end result opened my eyes to a talent that I have hidden, that I never know existed.
Speaker D:And that's when I started continuing taking classes with COVID It helped me.
Speaker D:It was a therapy.
Speaker D:It is a therapy.
Speaker D:I just get unplugged from the noise that I have around and just focus on whatever I'm working with my hands and it just lifts me with the creation.
Speaker D:At the end, I see how prideful, how joyful, the bright colors, the details, and it just takes me away from whatever I'm thinking, whatever I'm feeling at that moment, I just get disconnected and helps me to continue moving forward.
Speaker D:So that's where it started through Covid decorating class and then it started from there.
Speaker B:Depression's a big deal.
Speaker B:The food industry is inundated with it and you know, a lot of times I feel like it's self inflicted.
Speaker B:You know, we choose.
Speaker B:Obviously, I come from this industry and when I was involved inside of restaurants, I made a choice to be out until 8 in the morning every night.
Speaker B:And I made a choice to partake in the overnight activities and hanging out with everybody else from the restaurant and all that.
Speaker B:But some people, it's not a choice.
Speaker B:And the reality is, you know what I really want to do?
Speaker B:Since we started talking and this has come up, I'm going to introduce you and this is something we didn't talk about, Pelly, but I want to introduce you to Colleen Silk and she's with the Burnt Chef project.
Speaker B:Burn Chef project is from Europe, coming over now to the US and Canada.
Speaker B:And it's nothing but resources about people that are cut from the same cloth.
Speaker B:She has a podcast, it's called Hospitality Bites.
Speaker B:It's actually the first podcast underneath the walk and talk media umbrella of podcasts.
Speaker D:I know, I follow her.
Speaker B:You do it.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:That's really awesome.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah.
Speaker B:But CG and everything.
Speaker D:Yes.
Speaker B:Excellent.
Speaker B:Well, I.
Speaker B:If you haven't been connected already with her, I am going to do that because I think that I feel.
Speaker B:I just feel like it would be a good connection.
Speaker B:A lot of who you are today comes from the fact that you have a very unique background.
Speaker B:You're Lebanese and you're Puerto Rican.
Speaker B:You're a unique blend and that means a blend of family.
Speaker B:It's also a blend of palate and you see things in a very specific sort of way.
Speaker B:If I'm wrong, I don't know, but I think it comes out in your baking.
Speaker C:It does.
Speaker B:How do the two cultures collide with you in the output of what you make?
Speaker D:Lebanese culture, food wise, is more fresh.
Speaker D:Spices, fruit, pastries, desserts, subtle flavors, but more fresh.
Speaker D:Puerto Rican culture is bold, full of flavor.
Speaker D:And when you combine both together, believe it or not, it's a huge blast of flavors.
Speaker D:You can see cardamom with coconut or anato oil with a traditional Lebanese turmeric cake.
Speaker D:And that's something that I've been trying recently to combining both flavors, both cultures into one dessert.
Speaker D:Like all my Lebanese desserts, I'm trying to have that fusion with the Puerto Rican side of flavors.
Speaker D:And believe it or not, people think it's weird, but it turns out to be pretty amazing, and people are liking it.
Speaker B:I presume you have Lebanese friends, and I presume you have Puerto Rican friends.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker B:And I also will assume a lot of your friends have tried what you.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:Is it the Puerto Ricans or the Lebanese that appreciate what you're doing?
Speaker D:More Lebanese friends?
Speaker D:They're not here in Tampa, so they haven't truly tried my.
Speaker D:My baking.
Speaker D:It's mainly the friends that I've gained a long time when we moved from Puerto Rico to Tampa that we started creating that connection, that new friends.
Speaker D:Yes.
Speaker D: iends that when we moved from: Speaker D:And to be honest, the only thing I can hear is amazing things from it.
Speaker D:And they have been supporting me all this way, and they're always looking forward to what new creations I'm making, what new fusions I'm making, whether it's a traditional dessert or is a new drop cookie that I'm creating.
Speaker D:A gourmet cookie that I'm creating, which this year I already created six new flavors, and that's combining both cultures as well.
Speaker B:You've lived in both Lebanon and in Puerto Rico.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker B:And of course, now you're here in the States, you're in Tampa, you're multilingual.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker A:Just three languages or more?
Speaker D:More.
Speaker B:What do you speak?
Speaker D:English, Spanish, Arabic, and French.
Speaker B:They say that people who speak multiple languages are super intelligent.
Speaker B:I can see.
Speaker B:First of all, when you're baking, it's like it's chemistry.
Speaker B:It's like really chemistry.
Speaker B:And I see how you take your approach.
Speaker B:We were together sitting for what, five, six hours doing this.
Speaker B:In that period of time, you kind of get to, you get to understand someone and you get to see kind of who they are, how they do it and why they're doing it.
Speaker B:I can make the connection between the different places where you come from and what you're doing on this food side.
Speaker B:And it's really amazing and you should be very proud of yourself.
Speaker D:Thank you.
Speaker B:You're very welcome.
Speaker B:And you know, you even brought some cookies that you know our Walk and Talk logo and John's photography company, Ibis Images.
Speaker B:And you're nice.
Speaker B:That was super cool.
Speaker D:Because for me, baking is not just that baking, it's the connection that you create with the person that you are going to meet.
Speaker D:Like, you will never see me empty handed.
Speaker D:You.
Speaker D:Whenever you invite me to someplace and I've never been, you will always see me with some baked goods.
Speaker D:And especially for companies like you guys, you will feel amazing when you are welcome with your logos on cookies, you will feel special.
Speaker B:I felt special.
Speaker B:And listen, if you're going to be showing up with baked goods and I saw, because I saw John, John was like looking at he when you said that.
Speaker B:He looked at me and I knew what he meant.
Speaker B:He basically is like open door, like, let her come.
Speaker D:Yes.
Speaker D:I always, whenever you invite me, you will see me coming with my hand filled with baked goods.
Speaker B:All right, what's the difference between your baklava and a traditional baklava?
Speaker D:So the baklava bites and the, the traditional is the one that we prepared today.
Speaker D:Okay.
Speaker D:That's the traditional Lebanese way.
Speaker D:No honey on it because I'm not gonna crucify that baklava.
Speaker D:The bites are smaller size round.
Speaker D:They're like a cup.
Speaker D:They're the same flaky texture of the baklava, but it's a bite size.
Speaker D:It's something that you can plate out for people and they can just grab it and it's just a bite versus the traditional baklava, which is a bit of a hassle to serve it on a plate.
Speaker D:It's a bigger size so the bites are small.
Speaker D:It's the same ingredients, the same flaky fillet, the same filling of walnuts, the same syrup.
Speaker D:Everything is the same, but it's simple, it's easier and it's something that you can have for your gatherings.
Speaker D:And it's just a bite.
Speaker B:You just said you didn't want to crucify the Baklava with honey.
Speaker B:Are the Greeks who listen to our show going to, like, you know, go up in arms.
Speaker D:Every country creates their baklava their own way, right?
Speaker D:And honey, unfortunately, gives that extra sweetness that we don't want on that delicate dessert, right?
Speaker D:And it can get soggy with time, easily.
Speaker D:With the traditional one, the syrup is just water, sugar, rose water, and blossom water and some lemon juice to reduce that sweetness of the baklava itself and creates that balance.
Speaker D:You can eat more than one, you know, throughout the day.
Speaker D:I know someone wants another slice, right?
Speaker B:He's twiddling his beard.
Speaker B:I think that means yes.
Speaker D:So because it's.
Speaker D:It creates that balance.
Speaker D:And I've heard a lot of people that tried my baklava, which is the traditional Lebanese way, and they do say how different it tastes and the flavor, how it's elevated.
Speaker B:I can attest to that.
Speaker B:And about a month ago, we went to a Turkish restaurant, my wife and I, and I had baklava and it was really good.
Speaker B:I've had Greek baklava.
Speaker B:Everything is very sweet.
Speaker B:With yours, it has the sweetness, but it's not the first thing you taste.
Speaker B:I actually caught, I don't know, three or four different flavors on your bazaar.
Speaker B:Where normally it would be phyllo dough and honey, you know, and a lot of it bottom honey, this was completely different.
Speaker B:So this was unique from my experience of baklava.
Speaker B:And I've had my share of baklava.
Speaker B:And I love baklava too, by the way.
Speaker D:And also this cinnamon that I use is Ceylon cinnamon.
Speaker D:So it's not the store bought cinnamon.
Speaker D:So I that cinnamon that I brought was freshly grounded and even by the smell of it smells completely different from a store bought, you know, and that also changes the flavor and balances out the sweetness of it.
Speaker B:You said your daughter is now part of Rona's Cookies.
Speaker B:How does it feel having your daughter a part of your business?
Speaker D:It's the best part of my journey.
Speaker D:Seeing her, how she takes the initiative of wanting to learn, wanting to be part of it makes me a proud mother.
Speaker D:Right now she's 13 years old.
Speaker D:She helps me with the packaging of the cookies.
Speaker D:She helps me whenever I'm conducting a cookie decorating class.
Speaker D:And she even helps me in the markets.
Speaker D:Whenever I go to a market, she's the one with me.
Speaker D:And seeing her wanting to be part of it inflates my heart, you know, because then I know that whatever I'm doing, Rona's Cookies is not only for me, it's for my family.
Speaker D:And it's growing with my family.
Speaker D:And it's a legacy I can pass on.
Speaker D:If by the looks of it, she wants it.
Speaker D:So it's a legacy that I can pass on to her.
Speaker B:Starting a business isn't easy.
Speaker D:No, it's not.
Speaker B:At what point did you realize this wasn't going to be a hobby anymore?
Speaker D:2021.
Speaker D:At first it was a hobby.
Speaker D:My husband let me play around it.
Speaker D:He was like, oh, it's a hobby.
Speaker D: Until When I started: Speaker D:And booked out is not like 3 orders per week.
Speaker D:Literally booked out like over 20 orders per week.
Speaker D:And when I started receiving corporate orders, that's when I realized this is not a hobby anymore.
Speaker D:This is bigger than that.
Speaker D:And when I accepted the reality that this is not a hobby and I treated this as a business, it just bloomed.
Speaker D:In less than a year, it just exploded.
Speaker D:I've been having returning customers from day one that every year place an order at least four or five times per year for older events, whether it's for their nephew, for themselves, for a friend.
Speaker D:That's when I knew.
Speaker B:So that's impressive that it took off.
Speaker B:How did you get there?
Speaker B:Was it word of mouth?
Speaker D:It was a combination of everything.
Speaker D:Word of mouth, social media, and the reviews that were left in my Google business page.
Speaker D:Whenever they were searching for cookies near them, I would pop up and they will see my reviews and then just reach out.
Speaker D:But most of them, yes, word of mouth, like a friend, how to order.
Speaker D:And they had an event and whenever they were asking, hey, where did you get those cookies?
Speaker D:They look amazing and tasted amazing, they will give my information out, but mostly it's that way and search.
Speaker B:Well, I know that you're very active on social media.
Speaker B:Like you're not afraid to jump into conversations, start conversations, or start to fight, finish conversations.
Speaker B:Yeah, like you can, you can really, you can really get in there and throw hands.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:On the socials.
Speaker B:I've seen it.
Speaker B:So what's more important than social media or the word of mouth?
Speaker D:That's a difficult one because it can be tied together.
Speaker D:Because social media, you can make a post and the people that have been suggesting or referring you will comment on those posts and back you up.
Speaker D:So it's a combination technically, because if I post a cookie photo and they will comment on it, they look amazing.
Speaker D:I love the cookies you made for me.
Speaker D:I will refer you to everybody.
Speaker D:And sometimes they tag their friends.
Speaker D:Hey, this is the lady that I was mentioning about.
Speaker D:This is the baker.
Speaker D:So it's a combination technically, because everybody nowadays has social media, so you're getting.
Speaker B:Positive reviews and you're building your community.
Speaker B:There must be a tie between the creative element that gives you some peace and the fact that people are really embracing you in the community.
Speaker B:In Tampa, are you surprised that people have taken on to you?
Speaker D:Yes, I am very surprised because there is other talents out there, but they decide to go with me.
Speaker D:And maybe because I'm.
Speaker D:I'm very towards customer service, that I know how to, you know, have that conversation, make them feel at peace with the set that they're going to get or their treats that they're going to get.
Speaker D:You know, have them that.
Speaker D:Give them that comfort that everything will be fine.
Speaker D:And the fact that every treat that it's made, it's made it's exceeding their expectations.
Speaker D:I'm surprised people go, oh, I saw this.
Speaker D:I want something similar.
Speaker D:Can you make this again?
Speaker D:And it's surprising because there is more talent out there.
Speaker D:But people decide to go with me.
Speaker D:Not that I'm complaining on the country.
Speaker D:I love it because they make me be part of their special moment.
Speaker D:And this is what Rona's Cookies is.
Speaker B:When you're in the process of creating a dessert and you find some of that alone time, you know, your own headspace, like, it's where you, you know, you can kind of slack out, maybe some of the noise that you have in your head, right?
Speaker B:What's more important to you?
Speaker B:The creation part of what you do, or the back slaps and attaboys and, hey, you're awesome.
Speaker B:Or is it the overwhelming support that you do get from your repeat business, the creations?
Speaker D:Because if my creations do not appeal the customers or the clientele, I will not get the positive feedback.
Speaker D:So I would rather put my effort on the creations to wow, that client.
Speaker D:And everything is like a domino effect.
Speaker D:If you're like, for example, now you enjoyed the desserts, and you were like, wow, this is delicious.
Speaker D:This is good.
Speaker D:So everything is tied together.
Speaker D:So I will put my effort on the creation, and everything will come afterwards.
Speaker B:You're getting two dopamine hits.
Speaker B:You're getting one on the creation, and then one on the.
Speaker B:On the accolade from your client.
Speaker B:You're now creating your own vanilla paste and offering decorating classes.
Speaker B:What is next for Varona's cookies?
Speaker D:So the vanilla paste is just the beginning.
Speaker D:I want to continue creating products that elevate the home baking without the preservatives.
Speaker D:Like I mentioned before, the decorating classes are expanding pretty rapidly, and the goal is to be more private and corporate events like for employee appreciation and that kind of stuff.
Speaker D:And if I can travel thanks to that and expand out of Florida or Tampa, that will be amazing.
Speaker D:Rona's Cookies, now the website has been modified, so before it was just for you to go and you can place your orders or see the pictures and see the quotes.
Speaker D:But now it's expanding.
Speaker D:Now it has the behind the Cookies where you can find different stories of what is happening behind the scene and what is recipes, like for example, the Phyll recipe or the Papaya Sweet recipe, where people can go for uplifting stories.
Speaker D:Or if they want to create some of my treats, they can go to the website and say, hey, I found that recipe there.
Speaker D:I'm going to go and grab it.
Speaker D:So it is expanding on different ways and I would love for it to continue growing wherever it can take me.
Speaker B:At the heart of everything you make, what do you hope people feel when they take a bite of one of your cookies or your baklava, one of your creations?
Speaker D:What did you feel when you ate a baklava?
Speaker B:As I've mentioned, I had my share of baklava and this was different.
Speaker B:And it made me sit and think about what I did.
Speaker B:Just eight and I'm taking bites.
Speaker B:And it took me a second to process that, wow, I really like this, but it's different.
Speaker B:And I.
Speaker B:But I really like it.
Speaker B:So my experience with it was very positive, but it took a second to get there because it wasn't what I was expecting and that was the surprise for me.
Speaker B:But then ultimately I'm like, okay, I can.
Speaker B:I can have more than one of these, which is not typical with bahila.
Speaker D:Did you feel connected with my culture?
Speaker B:I see where there was a distinct difference between Turkish, Greek and some others that I've had.
Speaker B:And I believe that is my entry point into your culture.
Speaker B:I think it's definitely different and I really liked it, I enjoyed it, and I would search for that.
Speaker D:So that's my hope.
Speaker D:My hope is for people, when they have my treats, to feel the comfort, the joy, and the connection with the different flavors that we present through Rona's Cookies.
Speaker D:Right.
Speaker D:Every bite reminds you of something that maybe you have tried before.
Speaker D:For example, when you try the coffee flan, it hits you like, I've tried flan before, but this is different.
Speaker D:It reminds you for.
Speaker D:From a special moment or something like that.
Speaker D:So that's what Rona's Cookies is, is to bring connection with flavors, even though it's from two different cultures.
Speaker D:But you get that approach of, I want to continue trying.
Speaker D:I want to continue savoring this because it's different, but at the same time, it's something that you might feel comfortable with because you already tried something similar.
Speaker B:I think you're going to come back on the show, and I think when you do, obviously you're going to bring more being good.
Speaker D:But I think that's mainly the reason.
Speaker B:Why I'm coming back.
Speaker D:Right.
Speaker B:Well, you've earned a spot for that.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:I think you should bring something else from your heritage, be it Puerto Rican or Lebanese.
Speaker D:What about a fusion?
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:I think a fusion would be spectacular.
Speaker B:Or as we say, spectacular.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:I'm like, yeah, I mean, I hit that, right?
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker B:We'll talk about what that's going to be.
Speaker B:So how do people find you?
Speaker D:They can find me on ronascookies.com, that's my website, on social media, Facebook as ronascookie and Instagram.
Speaker D:Ronascookies.
Speaker B:Listen, people, it's more than cookies.
Speaker B:I just want you to know that there's heritage, there's culture, there's passion.
Speaker B:There's a lot into this.
Speaker B:And it isn't just sugar and flour and water.
Speaker B:It's more to it.
Speaker B:Rona, thank you for being on the program today.
Speaker B:Appreciate everything that you did.
Speaker D:Thank you for inviting me.
Speaker B:And by the way, I always say it.
Speaker B:I say it every week.
Speaker B:Johnny boy, with these photos, man.
Speaker B:Stop it already.
Speaker B:Cut it out.
Speaker B:You're fired.
Speaker B:You're done.
Speaker B:You're too good.
Speaker B:We are out.
