Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Cohen.
Samantha, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Baking, as I’m sure others would say, was something I did as a means of relaxation or creative expression. My passion for it really grew when I began to blog on ArtFoodAdventure.com. I can still remember counting down the hours until I could go home from work to whip up something new. But the best part of baking was always being able to share it with my co-workers. Taking the final product out of the oven, individually wrapping it up with a handmade tag and giving it to them became my biggest joy.
When I decided to dive head first into launching a small food business, I knew I had to integrate my other passion as well – history. It was really the only way I envisioned it – a bakery with a purpose. With a minor in Jewish Studies and a bookshelf (both physical and on my Kindle) full of Holocaust, Jewish-related, Spanish Inquisition, etc. books, it was obvious that my first and primary focus would be Jewish history. Most of the baked goods and fictional biographies have some sort of Jewish basis. The history of the Jewish people is that of constant migration – acquisition of new cultures and flavors throughout the centuries – just like our delicious goodies.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I’ve been doing this full time since February of this year and can definitely agree with other entrepreneurs when they say you have to put your all in. From finding a commercial kitchen to getting all the right paperwork done, it’s really not easy. There’s no guidelines or “how to’s,” you basically have to figure out everything on your own and over time.
As soon as I left my old job in marketing, I networked with others who had done something like this before. I would stop at farmers’ markets to chat and ask questions from other food startups. I quickly realized I was already behind. Many farmers’ markets here accept vendor applications between February and March. I barely had a logo at that time and was still recipe testing at home.
By some miracle (and a lot of long hours and stress that I now like to forget about) I managed to get the commercial kitchen, the permits, the bank accounts, etc. that would allow me to participate at the farmers’ markets and sell online.
I launched my online store about a week before my first farmers’ market in Jamaica Plain and it has all ramped up from there! It’s been an awesome ride so far. Getting to know the other vendors, foodies and my neighbors has truly been spectacular.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about The Sababa Kitchen – what should we know?
The Sababa Kitchen believes that every food has a background, a story to tell. It is our mission to share that unique story with the people of New England and the United States. We do so by personifying our baked goods and creating a unique “upbringing” that highlights a specific time in history. History is important – it helps us understand the past and shape the future. Teaching history through delicious baked goods might just help us have a better tomorrow.
We specialize in mini babkas! Babkas are originally Eastern European – think of a brioche bread that is rolled out, filled with either chocolate or cinnamon, rolled back up and baked in a loaf pan. Our mini babkas have more unique fillings, like our “American Favorite,” which has peanut butter and jelly or our “Middle Eastern Gold,” which has tahini (ground sesame seeds) and fig. We also have “The Traditionalist” with sweet poppy seed and “Baklava’s Sister” with almond butter and honey. Even our chocolate babka has a twist to it – “La Mexicana” has chocolate AND cinnamon and cajeta, a Mexican dulce de leche.
We also make ma’amoul, Arab cookies that are traditionally filled with dates or pistachios. Ours, which have freshly ground almonds, honey, cinnamon and are then dipped in fine white chocolate are called “Spanish Traveler.” Our “Scottish Miracle” cookies, which are actually a family-recipe, are a hybrid between a shortbread cookie and a puff pastry. We make colorful challah and mini challah loaves whenever we get the chance.
Our biggest goal (and challenge) is bringing baked goods from different cultures to Boston. You can get a gourmet donut anywhere, but it’s hard to find a babka or a ma’amoul that isn’t pre-packaged or made in a factory. All our baked goods are made by hand in small-batches. The quality and the love is always there.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My friends and family have been my biggest supporters! They were the first to place online orders or come to my farmers’ market stand. They share my social media posts, tell their friends about my business, and bring treats to their office to spread the word out.
My boyfriend Robert Dreiker has (and continues to be) a huge part of this story. He’s done everything from hauling heavy materials to setting up at farmers’ markets.
Contact Info:
- Website: thesababakitchen.com
- Email: info@thesababakitchen.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/thesababakitchen
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesababakitchen/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/SababaKitchen
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