In 1996, when my daughter was a toddler, I dreamed that I could be a stay-at-home mom and make a decent living. From this dream Vermont Shortbread Company was born. For years I sold my buttery, rich shortbreads at Christmas time to friends and family. Word of mouth (literally!) was my only advertising. Each year during the holidays, hundreds of orders would pour in and I would bake the 8" round gourmet dessert cakes around the clock to keep up with the demand.
Today
A decade hs passed since I began my business. During that time, I became a single parent and returned to my former career as a technical writer, full time in an effort to support my daughter and pay the mortgage. A huge blow came in April of 2001, when I was laid off from my high tech job, which I loved. Always independent and fiesty, I decided it was time to take Vermont Shortbread Company to the next level as a means to resurrecting my dream of being a stay-at-home writer/mom/baker AND improving the quality of my life. Did you ever see the 1980s movie "Baby Boom" with Diane Keaton? Welcome to my world!
These days, I own a commercial bakery and employ bakers. Vermont Shortbread Company has become a nationally recognized small woman-owned business.
Visit our Web site next time you are looking for a unique gourmet food gift. Vermont Shortbread comes in 7 delectable flavors: traditional (plain), raspberry or strawberry jam, chocolate, lemon curd, walnut cinnamon, and almond.
E-mail us at jsaz@gmavt.net for more information or visit us at Vermont Shortbread Company or read our food and life commentary at our award-winning blog, Vermont Shortblog.