Summer Entertaining

So summer is the time for a backyard bbq or a picnic at the park. Why not bring along a yummy package of homemade cookies! Specialties include but aren't limited to loaded chocolate chip cookies (and I mean loaded!), fudgy chocolate chocolate chip cookies, and oatmeal coconut chocolate chip cookies.
Sure, everything is listed with chocolate, but that's because I can't imagine a cookie without it. But if you're concerned about melting chocolate, then oatmeal coconut cookies can be made with either white chocolate or dried fruit.
Basically, you get whatever you want when you order from THE SUGAR MOMMY! No other retailer lets you call the shots that way The Sugar Mommy does. If your own mom doesn't let you boss her around, then call this one! You can boss me around as much as you want...as long as you pay your bill :-)

Interested in Being a Taste-tester?

I have been experimenting with a lot of different ingredients lately, and would love to get honest feedback from people.

People always say they want to be taste-testers, but how much do they mean it?

Contact me and let me know if you are really interested, because if you are, I would be happy to provide goodie bags in exchange for honest feedback (and hopefully hype!). The catch is you have to be able to get the goodies directly from me.

What do you think?

Professional Pictures

The other day I had a nice meeting with local photographer Walter Schnecker about taking profressional pictures of my candy. He was very helpful and gave great insight about doing food photography. Not sure when, but I think I'll probably take the leap soon.

One thing he made me realize is that to take proper photographs, I actually have to come prepared with lots of food. I hadn't really thought about that. I mean, in the process of taking pictures, the food has to be manipulated and if the chocolate starts to look, um, beaten up, then we need different pieces. So I can't just show up with one plate of peanut butter cups, I actually might need three or four plates, ugh!

But lucky for me, good food photography is a knack for my step-mother Julie Riven Jaye. So I'm so grateful that she'll be involved and giving her eye to the whole experience.

Need feedback on new pictures, please!

Ok, so I realize these pictures are still amateur, but someone suggested I really crop them up and try to get rid of as much extra space as possible (especially since it's usually a placemat, countertop, or kitchen wall, ugh!). So I tried cropping them up and would love some feedback. I'm contemplating professional pics for my new website, which should be completed next week.

I'd love to hear what you have to say about them! All thoughts are much appreciated.

What's your favorite chocolate filling?

I'm working on my menu and am really looking for ideas from the masses (especially those who love to eat and gift chocolate).

Tell me what you love with/in/on your chocolate! Please be specific and detailed. Nuts, what kind of nuts. Fruit, what kind of fruit. Get the idea?

I'm also looking toward the next holiday season for some new ideas for mix-ins and combinations. This fall, I'm hoping to be a part of a few great local events such as Bedford Shop Til You Drop (aka STUD), the New England Holiday Craft Fair in Rockingham, community craft shows, the vendor show at Hampshire Hills, and more!

Let me know what you think!

Patience is a virtue

Finally my website is back up and running! For a while I felt like I was watching paint dry or waiting for water to boil! It looks like godaddy came through and got the site working before their deadline.

Please check out the site and send a link to your friends. Referrals are much appreciated.

More than mad at GoDaddy - where did customer service go?!

So my problem with GoDaddy is ridiculous now. First it was give it 24 hours and the site will be up and running. I gave it 30 hours then called to complain. Now this supervisor (because clearly there will be a different one every time I call) says to give it 72 and the site should be up again. I mean, seriously! In what world is this considered customer service?! I get better response when I call a free hotline like the Butterball turkey call center!

Please hang in there with me and pray that my site is back soon. For now, check my blog, my twitter, and my facebook fan page.

Mad at GoDaddy!

So today I decided to call Go Daddy (my web hosting site) to help me with some questions I had. I got a nice but incompetent man on the other end of the line, who after 55 minutes, proceeded to basically erase my website! After another 33 minutes with a supervisor, I have been assured that my site still exists, but isn't accessible by anyone for at least 24 hours, at which time I have to go into the system and fix what the moron broke. What am I paying them for?! Not only did he not answer my questions (the whole reason for my call), but he managed to screw up my whole site. So now people get that lovely Forbidden message when they try to open my site. Super! Please have faith in me that I will fix everything tomorrow and be back in operation mode.

Word of Mouth and Networking - Need Ideas!

Everyone talks about the importance of networking and spread the buzz about a new business. Well, that's what I'm praying for. I didn't win the NH Start-Up Challenge, so the $25,000 cash prize and additional marketing campaign is going to another new biz. That means I'm on my own to get the word out for The Sugar Mommy LLC.

I have put the word out on facebook and twitter, but it's not enough. I need your help. I need everyone to know that I'm ready, available, and willing to be the go-to source for all things cookie and chocolate.

If you have any tips on networking or generating free publicity that I haven't already mentioned, please post a comment. I'm donating chocolates to everyone who asks (within reason): Greater Nashua Dental Connection, Souhegan Valley Chamber of Commerce, Child Advocacy Center of Hillsborough County, Jewish Federation of New Hampshire, and the Souhegan Chamber again. My guess is if you ask me to donate something to your organization, I will, assuming I'm around and able to fill a box with chocolates or a basket with cookies. While I love being charitable and believe in karma, I also am hoping to increase exposure and generate business, let's be honest.

This is where you come in! I am putting out this offer: if you can send me 10 real prospects (names and contact info for friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers of yours who love cookies, chocolate, entertaining, and/or gift-giving), I will give you your choice of box of assorted chocolates or dozen fabulous cookies!!