As the holidays start creeping up on us, there are always so many things to do. Deep clean the
house to ready it for company. Be sure to get all the groceries you'll need for the holiday feast.
Don't forget to invite Aunt Agnes to the party. It's literally a doubly busy time of year! So, if you
could eliminate one time-consuming but necessary task from your holiday list, what would it
be? I believe the top answer would be all the extra baking! You have the detailed decorating,
the extra groceries that aren't staples in the pantry, and of course, the time it takes to actually
do it right to make the holidays special.
Many of us grew up with family get togethers to help make this task more fun, and less time
consuming. I remember my childhood and into my adulthood, looking forward to all the
cousins, aunts and grandmas getting together to pass on the traditional holiday treat recipes
that were passed down the generations for as long as I can remember. I loved dipping the
Rosette irons into the batter, and watching it sizzle in the oil, carefully rolling the Krumkake,
and flipping the Lefse. Norwegian baking is the best! But as I got older, the family got smaller,
and the relatives got busier, until it was just me and my girls doing the traditional stuff that I
loved.
So, last year, I finally bit the bullet and ordered the Rosettes, Krumkake and Lefse, and you
know what? They tasted just as good as mine did-- maybe even better! That left me with more
time to finish the last of the gift making with no stress!
Angela Larson lives in West Concord and has been baking since she was old enough to reach the
kitchen counter. Her mother, grandmothers and aunts were her teachers, and she found that
she loved to bake. While she tends to gravitate toward offering items made using tried-and-
true family recipes, she has learned how to go fancy with wedding cakes, Norwegian and other
sweet treats, and some rather unusual specialty items. She just finished making a catsup bottle
cake! I would say that takes a bit of imagination!
"Baking is my creative outlet that brings joy to others’ celebrations" she shares. Angela is
employed as the office manager for 6 Catholic parishes, and along with that she has worked at
food and beverage venues for many years. Over the years, she has been creating specialty
cakes for friends and family, and finally last year, decided to make it a business, and let her
imagination run wild! Lucky for the rest of us, we can now support Angela in her creative
endeavors by pre-ordering our holiday treats that will impress our guests with the traditional
favorites, and more!
I asked her what the hardest part of making her dream come true has been. She answered, " I
had to learn the marketing aspects, liabilities, web design and social media stuff." Good for you,
Angela, you are doing it all right! She has made her presence known by having a float in the
Survival Days parade, and most recently during West Concord's Trunk or Treat celebration.
Word of mouth has certainly helped, and getting the word out through local advertising has
helped immensely.
Now she is preparing for the busiest time of the year, and is taking orders for holiday baking,
and even offering classes monthly, each with a different, seasonal theme, to learn how to
decorate your own treasures, and have fun doing it! You can find all the details on her
website, angelalarsonbaking.com, and on her Facebook page @angelalarsonbaking. There you
will find pictures of some of her creations, her class schedule, and her pre-order form. So, if this
is the year to give yourself a break, and still indulge in the holiday traditions you love, give
Angela Larson Baking a try. I believe you will be glad you did!
