Article by colin dickerson

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t’s December at the Atherton’s house.

The Christmas tree stands tall in the living room, Marley, the Portuguese Water Dog, runs around the room sniffing the needles of the tree, barking to get some attention. Across the

lin Dickers o C y B o

room in the kitchen Signa Atherton and Kimberly Dickerson put their final touches on their Christmas tree cookies after three days of nonstop work and hundreds of cookies later. Finally they can relax, as if they have just spotted

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e r u t L a i f e n g we i S S et S h o p a

land after a long journey through rough waters. However, just as they start to clean up, the storm hits.

They get the email: the Mountain View Sports Boosters need 100 more cookies for their tree lot. Back to work they go.

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i g n a t u r e Sweets is a local type A cottage food style bakery, meaning they bake out of home, that specializes in personalized decorative sugar cookies.

A type A cottage food operation means they “sell directly to the customer” (San Francisco Department of Public Health).

Atherton and Dickerson

a chaotic zone with the Atherton and Dickerson rushing back and forth trying to complete their cookies, to a relaxed place for socializing while cookies bake, to finally a place where Atherton prepares meals for her family.

Just like any great ship captain, the pair face a lot of hardship.

For Signature Sweets this comes in the form of restrictions set by the California

started the business as a fun way to make money. The kitchen at Signature Sweets is always changing it at one point can be

Department of Public Health on what ingredients Signature Sweets and other cottage food kitchens can use.

But Atherton and Dickerson decided to try and change this so that they can bring their customers “something that will make their parties sparkle” (Dickerson) in the easiest and best way possible.

Six years ago Atherton called her friend Dickerson asking if she wanted to join her in making a sweet business.

Atherton had done this before by herself but felt like it was missing something.

That is when the idea to call her friend Dickerson, knowing that they had worked well together on other projects with the school and that they both had a love for baking.

That is when the voyage took off.

The partnership was perfect from the beginning Atherton even said “we are two halves of one brain because it takes so much creativity.” In their business it is very

important to have this one brain because they have to be so creative to make each of the cookies so that their customers get something that sparkles.

As they got more serious Atherton and Dickerson applied for a license to bake out of home which put a restriction on what they can and cannot bake.

This is when they narrowed down to just selling the decorative sugar cookies. The company prides itself based on the relationship with their clients and the clients have noticed.

According to Janice Palomo, the first customer of the business and a frequent returning client, “they were great cookies, great design, we would continue to order them for customers and for new employees and give them out.” Atherton and Dickerson have enjoyed every second

of the 6 year journey.

It is 8 o’clock on the dot Dickerson is already at Atherton’s house. The two of them

to roll out the dough.

Dickerson says “we roll our cookies out in between to pieces of parchment paper

bring out the eggs and butter from the refrigerator to warm to room temperature.

As the ingredients heat up they sit down and review the plans for the day they planned out the day before. Being the captains that they are they do this everyday making sure the ship is prepared for any of the choppy waters that they may hit.

Everything is ready to go, time to mix the dough. After mixing the dough they begin

so you don’t get extra flour mixed in with the cookie. This is so you first cookie taste just like your last cookie.” After the dough gets rolled out they cool the dough before cutting it into the unique shape for whatever order they are doing. The cookies then get

placed in the oven for baking.

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Time goes by and the cookies are ready to decorate.

Atherton and Dickerson have been discussing creative ways to decorate while the cookies are baking and finally they are ready to make these personalized masterpieces. As they paint these beautiful pictures they chat, listen to music, occasionally go feed Marley and enjoy each others company.

Atherton claims, “With a partner it makes it more social and a lot more fun.”

After the finishing touches are put on the cookies they package them for delivery and the kitchen returns back to it’s original kitchen to feed a family.

As the the journey that has been Signature Sweets has gone on the waters have not always been smooth.

With the California Department of Public Health’s restrictions on what a cottage food bakery can make the Atherton 4

and Dickerson have had to be flexible from the beginning.

The California Department of Public Health says that “Cottage food operations are not allowed to

they have to be prepare for the storm that could come when some key ingredients become banned.

But this hasn’t stop Atherton and Dickerson from navigating through

“We are two halves of one brain which is key because it takes so much creativity.” m a n u f a c t u r e potentially hazardous foods, acidified foods, or low acid canned food products that would support the growth of botulism if not properly prepared.” But a lot of these foods have not been proven to be hazardous and “Complying with the laws are preventing many a microentrepreneur from getting started on a budget or running a small food business to supplement their income” (Wyshak).

Because the laws can change frequently

the bad waters and adjusting their cookies. An example of an ingredient that is unfairly banned is meringue powder which is “powder egg whites and is totally food safe doesn’t have some of the bacterias that raw eggs do” (Dickerson).

Instead of sitting back and allowing this to happen and hold them back they take the storm head on. They have done all they can to get this changed along with other items that should not be illegal. The duo has spent hours sending emails to other similar

b u s i n e s s getting the to join the fight.

Atherton and Dickerson have created petitions talked to politicians and anyone else they can to get to join the cause. A lot of work that they do is in front of the computer researching ways that they can provide evidence to show that the ingredients are food safe. This work that they do is what sets Signature Sweets apart from other business instead of sitting ideal and letting the tough waters hit them Atherton and Dickerson

navigate through them to find the best way possible to make the

best cookies around.

As there ship continues to sail Atherton and Dickerson are excited for what the journey will entail. Although they haven’t thought about it yet both Atherton and Dickerson see the business expanding as there kids go off to college. Atherton does say “we might take more breaks to travel more but with more free time I see us

using it as a “creative outlet” (Dickerson).

Both talked about possibly buying a commercial space but they aren’t sure if they are ready for the risk it will take.

Dickerson jokes, “It’s not like we want a TV show or anything but a cookbook deal would be pretty cool.” Whatever the future weather may bring we know Signa Atherton and Kimberly Dickerson will be captaining the ship at Signature Sweets and will be having a great time doing so.

expanding.”

The pair enjoys there time together baking 5

Work Cited

“Cottage Food Operations.” Cottage Food California Department of Public Health.

Web. 11 Feb. 2016.

“California Homemade Food Act (AB1616).”

San Francisco Departmentof Public Health. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.

Kimberly Dickerson. Personal Interview. 10 Mar. 2016.

---. Personal Interview. 19 April 2016 Janice Palomo. Personal Interview.

31 Mar. 2016.

Signa Atherton. Personal Interview.

17 Mar. 2016.

Wyshak, Susie. “How to Start a Food Business in California With the Cottage Food Law.” Food Starter. 2015.

Web. 11 Feb. 2016.

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