Magnolia’s Sweet Haven

Fridays with Dr. Glass: Health Concerns and the Sweets Industry
Woman Eating Chocolate

(Photo Credit: The Guardian)

When consuming sweets, it’s important for you to exercise moderation. If you make the choice to constantly overindulge in sweets, leading to excess levels of sugar in your body, you have no one to blame but yourself. While most of us love sweets, we all have a responsibility to consume them wisely. Today, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Santresa L. Glass, a successful small business owner in the sweets industry and a small business and social media expert, about health concerns associated with sweets and how she works to mitigate those concerns in her own praxis. Dr. Glass also divulges Valentine’s Day specials Magnolia’s Sweet Haven, LLC is offering, so you should certainly check out those specials to experience what “Pampering Your Sweet Tooth” really is about—without depleting your bank account.

In what ways, if any, do you attempt to make your sweets as healthy as possible?

One of the main things that I and my interns strive for and execute is using fresh, seasonal, and local ingredients. There is a massive difference in the taste of baked confections when using the best and most readily available ingredients. We do not offer any sugar-free desserts, but always encourage our clients to indulge in moderation with our addictive confections.

What is your response to those who say it is those in the sweets industry who are helping to make us an increasingly unhealthy nation?

You cannot blame an entire industry for the nation’s problems with obesity. As with delicious savory dishes, one must consume sweets and desserts with limits. I believe in using good, unsalted sweet cream butter and advocate celebrating life with something sweet; perhaps cheesecake, in moderation.

What special plans does Magnolia’s Sweet Haven, LLC have for Valentine’s Day?

Magnolia’s Sweet Haven is running Valentine’s Day specials for the Savannah/Hilton Head areas. “Pampering Your Sweet Tooth” is something that we delight in doing year-round with mini-cheesecakes, chocolate-covered strawberries, wine-infused and traditional flavored cupcakes as well as dessert tables and candy buffets.

Connect with Magnolia’s Sweet Haven, LLC:

Website: www.pamperedsweettooth.com

Email: msweeethaven@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magnoliasssweethaven

Instagram: instagram.com/magnoliassweethaven

Antonio Maurice Daniels

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Georgia’s New Cottage Food Regulation: An Interview from the Field

Georgia Cottage Food Law

Revolutionary Paideia had the pleasure of interviewing Santresa Glass, owner of Magnolia’s Sweet Haven, LLC, about Georgia’s new Cottage Food Regulation.  She was asked questions about her small business and how the new Cottage Food Regulation impacts her small business.  Below you will find the details of this interview.

1.      Please describe your small business and what goods and/or services you offer.

Sure, and let me first start by saying thank you for the extension of an opportunity to shed a little more light on small business, specifically in the dessert industry as well as the currently implemented (as of September 2012) Cottage Food Regulation.  I am the owner of Magnolia’s Sweet Haven, LLC, a small, delivery only sweets boutique in Atlanta, GA that encompasses the “farm to batter approach.”  I specialize in individual portioned cheesecakes, chocolate covered strawberries, traditional and wine infused cupcakes as well as dessert tables and candy buffets.  We are committed to environmentally friendly business practices, from our natural brown boxes/packaging that are uncoated with fibers used from the Sustainable Forestry Initiatives lumber to our eco-friendly labels, printer ink, office supplies and more.  Baking “green” affects more than just the cost of our scratch made goods.  Our cupcakes and cheesecakes have a deeper, more defined flavor because of the use of local, fresh, and organic ingredients (when available).  Our vessels and displays on our dessert tables are also purchased locally and offer a variety of recycled and upcyled jars, bottles, cake stands, and the like.

2.      What is your understanding of what the Cottage Food Regulation does?

First, let me give credit to home baker, Sara Rylander, for pioneering and advocating for a Cottage Food Regulation in the state of Georgia.  There IS power in social media.  The Cottage Food Regulation allows for individuals to make baked goods such as cakes, pastries, jams, breads, and other confections (please reference links below for specific goods) inside of their home kitchens.  Upon review of the registration application and passing of a preoperational inspection, individuals will then be licensed for food sales operations only.  There are some variances from county to county in the state of Georgia; however, everyone must submit an application for review as well as pass the inspection of their home kitchen.

3.      What impact, if any, will the Cottage Food Regulation have on your small business?

The Cottage Food Regulation has a profound impact on my small, delivery only sweets boutique.  First, let me start with the bottom line.  Renting commercial kitchen space is expensive overhead, yet necessary for business licensing as well as food and safety hazards for my clients.  I have to continue to rent commercial kitchen space because I sell individual portioned cheesecakes and chocolate covered strawberries; however, one of the benefits of the Cottage Food Regulation is the ability for the home baker to become an entrepreneur or for the individuals that are always preparing the baked goods for family and school functions to become small business owners.  Outgoing funds that were formerly delegated towards rental fees can be dedicated towards the purchase of more ingredients for recipe testing and home kitchen equipment that enhances their baking needs.

4.      What advice can you give to those wishing to start a small business and those who have existing small businesses about becoming successful and staying successful?

Passion and education are essential elements in starting a small business within any respective industry.  Yes, one is to do what he or she loves; however, in wanting the money to follow, hard work, consistency, and growth become necessary.  Being successful is an ultimate goal of small business entrepreneurs.  I have coined an R & B approach to business.  R- Refresh old clients with new and innovative flavors and/or dessert table construction and B- Build relationships with old clients and seek others with new consumers, build your entrepreneurial empire, build up other small business owners with support, and build through the local community by giving back.

Santresa Glass can be found below at the listed social media locations, and be sure to gain more knowledge about Georgia’s new Cottage Food Regulation from the links listed after her social media locations:

www.twitter.com/magsweethaven

www.facebook.com/magnoliassweethaven

www.pamperedsweettooth.com

Resourceful Links on Cottage Food Regulation in Georgia

Georgia’s Pioneer Sara Rylander

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/stay-home-mom-gets-law-changed-start-cake-business/nSGgX/

Sara Rylander’s Story

http://www.change.org/petitions/georgia-state-legislature-enact-a-cottage-food-law-in-the-state-of-georgia

Starting a Cottage Food Business

http://agr.georgia.gov//Data/Sites/1/media/ag_consumerprotection/cottage_food/files/startingacottagefoodbusinessbrochure.pdf

Rules of Cottage Food Regulations

http://agr.georgia.gov/Data/Sites/1/media/ag_consumerprotection/cottage_food/files/cottagefoodregulations.pdf

Cottage Food: Frequently Asked Question

http://agr.georgia.gov//Data/Sites/1/media/ag_consumerprotection/cottage_food/files/cottagefoodsfaq.pdf

Antonio Maurice Daniels

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Happy 32nd Birthday Santresa L. Glass

I wish my best friend Santresa L. Glass a happy birthday today.  You are my heart.  On this day, enjoy yourself because you deserve it.  Make more time just for yourself because you’ve given everyone else so much of yourself.  I want you to know that you’re so special to me.  I’m grateful for all the things you’ve done for me.  I love you!  At some point in the day, I will sing you a song.  Lol!  Again, Happy 32nd Birthday my best friend!

Antonio Maurice Daniels

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Revolutionary Paideia Acknowledged By Pampered Sweet Tooth

I have the joy to report that my article, “Don’t Be A Flip-Flop,” has been featured on Pampered Sweet Tooth (http://pamperedsweettooth.blogspot.com/2010/07/feature-academic-pst-revolutionary.html). Pampered Sweet Tooth also has me listed on her BlogRoll as an “Academic Pampered Sweet Tooth (PST).” If you are in the Atlanta, Georgia area, or if you plan to visit the Atlanta, Georgia area, then be sure to place an order at Magnolia’s Sweet Haven, LLC (http://www.msweethaven.com) for some chocolate covered strawberries, cheesecakes (even cheesecake minis), and/or candy/dessert tables. The owner of Magnolia’s Sweet Haven, LLC is Santresa L. Glass-Hunt, a graduate of Albany State University (undergraduate degree in English), Troy University (master’s degree in Management), and has certificates in Event and Meeting Planning from the University of Georgia and Clayton State University. Mrs. Glass-Hunt is certainly an accomplished woman with tremendous products that are sure to “pamper your sweet tooth.”

Again, be sure to check out her tribute to my blog, Revolutionary Paideia, and you will also see my comment to her. I encourage you to check out her blog and leave a comment about what you think about one of her posts and/or what you think about her blog in general. I’m tremendously honored, Pampered Sweet Tooth!

Antonio Maurice Daniels

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Happy 30th Birthday to Santresa L. Glass-Hunt

Santresa Glass

First, I would like to give honor to one of my bestfriends in the world: Santresa L. Glass-Hunt. She is the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Magnolia’s Sweet Haven, LLC. Mrs. Glass-Hunt is a graduate of Albany State University, where she completed her undergraduate degree in English. She has a master’s degree from Troy University in Management and various certifications in events and meeting planning and management from the University of Georgia and Clayton State University. She is a published and a member of Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society.  San, as she is affectionately known, is co-authoring a scholarly book, Greening Higher and Postsecondary Education: Linking Eco-Justice and Social Justice, with me. While doing all of this, San still finds time to actively maintain her blog: http://pamperedsweettooth.blogspot.com . Most importantly, San is one of the most giving and caring people in the world.  The purpose of this article is to give Santresa L. Glass-Hunt the recognition she deserves for being the great person she is.

San never receives any public recognition for her great deeds and often does not gain the private recognition she is due.  I am here to give you the public recognition you have earned. With this article reaching a wide audience and a large number of people across the nation (and some international readers), this article will only be a small token of appreciation for the great things you have done for so many people. Although you may not feel that your work is always valued, please know that if no one values the work you do Jesus does. He knows about all of your struggles and pain. He even knows about all of your thoughts and struggles that you do not share with anyone.  Please know that what you are doing with your life is awesome, and you make so many people around you and who you encounter better people just because you come into their presence.

I want you to know that you are a fantastic wife, daughter, and stepmother—roles you have not received the proper honor and appreciation you are due. God rewards you for the stellar work you do in these roles. You are so special to me and we have so much fun together. We laugh together, cry together, rejoice together, pray together, vent together, sing together (LOL!), and vent together. People are so jealous and envious of our relationship and they just don’t understand it! This is one of the dominant reasons why we are so close—we don’t try to explain it!

On your special day, your 30th birthday, I wish you a day full of all of your wildest and grandest hopes, dreams, and desires. America better get ready for you because you are certainly a force to be reckoned with.  By the way, I want to thank you for telling me to tune into the T.I. interview with Larry King—you can be sure the articles to come from this interview that I pen will be unsettling, unnerving, and unhousing. On this day, know that I love you very much and would do anything for you. If this article is not well-written, know that I had to compose it while we were on the phone. Lol! I could write so much more, but I will stop here for the moment. God is working everything out in your favor. I love you and have a great 30th birthday! Oh by the way, expect a song really soon. Lmbo!

Antonio Maurice Daniels

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Magnolia’s Sweet Haven, LLC and Santresa L. Glass-Hunt

For those individuals situated in the Atlanta, Georgia area, I would like for you to consider making a purchase from Magnolia’s Sweet Haven, LLC. The owner, Santresa L. Glass-Hunt, is phenomenal. She offers cheesecakes, chocolate covered strawberries, and dessert tables. Mrs. Glass-Hunt is not only an accomplished businesswoman, but also a highly accomplished academic. She has an undergraduate degree in English from Albany State University (graduated with honors), a master degree from Troy University (formerly Troy State University), and has various business and event and meeting planning certificates from the University of Georgia and Clayton State University. She is a member of Sigma Tau Delta, the international English honor society and she is a published scholar. She is currently co-authoring a scholarly book with me about creating a more ecologically sustainable higher and postsecondary education milieu. With such a great academic background, one can come to understand why her business products are so impressive.

I very much encourage you to become a fan of Magnolia’s Sweet Haven, LLC on Facebook. She also has a very interesting and engaging blog that you should visit frequently at http://pamperedsweettooth.blogspot.com . On her blog, you will have the opportunity to learn more about this brilliant businesswoman, her products, and many other business related and non-business related phenomena. This is the first company and blog that Revolutionary Paideia has endorsed.

Again, I highly recommend this company and blog. I am more than confident that you will enjoy the company and blog. For those of you situated in the Atlanta, Georgia area, I encourage to get in contact with Santresa L. Glass-Hunt immediately and place your orders. She has a tremendously busy schedule filling orders, so please contact her immediately to receive your orders without delay. I appreciate your support of Magnolia’s Sweet Haven, LLC.

Antonio Maurice Daniels
University of Wisconsin-Madison