Think of a family tradition that you all love — it could be an opportunity to make more money and share with the world something great from your kitchen!

The MSU Extension office offers regular sessions in Horticulture and Agriculture that can explain how to get started. In addressing the latest applicable laws, they do a great job of explaining how it is now easier than ever to begin a home food business.

Please take a look at this link for more details. There are new sessions starting often! Bon appétit!

Helga is one of the most openminded people I know. Most recently, my beautiful German friend has started her own business called Choices. She makes soaps and lotions the old fashioned, handmade way, using only natural ingredients — jojoba, olive and coconut oils in her soaps and pure essential oils in her lotions.

A couple of years ago I asked Helga to come to my house around Christmastime as a treat and learning experience for my kids. She brought a truckload of oils for lotion-making along with at least 75 different essential oils to blend and scent. My kids got a firsthand lesson! By the end of our party, my entire kitchen was slippery just like our arms, legs and faces!

The motto for the night? “Don’t put it on your skin if you can’t eat it!”

The lesson learned was that we absorb everything quite quickly through our skin into our bloodstream. It’s hard to find a good lotion in the market that doesn’t have parabens, preservatives and artificial dyes. Helga’s lotions are all natural and safe enough to eat! But I wouldn’t recommend too much — pie tastes so much better (if I remember that night we all had our share of pie too)!

I recently asked Helga to make me some soap in bulk… you can imagine how much we go through with five kids. And I also asked her to save the money on the pretty wrappings and ribbons.

In the photo above you can see the soap is in big logs ready to be sliced next week. I use a hot knife out of the dishwasher and it goes through like butter! Helga is disappointed that I don’t do something more creative. She, like me, sees her precious creations as her babies and wants everything to be perfect and pretty!

For now this crate of soap is sitting in my office; you wouldn’t believe how wonderful it smells in here! Ahhh… lavender!

Yes, this is a diffuser! My husband Dave has taken an interest in aromatherapy and has become a home apothecary! Everyone is getting Dave’s own special blends of essential oils for Christmas. (Don’t tell the kids. I’m sure they don’t read my blog anyway, so no Christmas surprises spoiled.)

Dave gave me this wonderful diffuser as an early Christmas present to help me improve from a recent cold. And it’s amazing how well it works! After feeling lousy nearing the end of our vacation in Florida, I’ve been regularly adding oils of eucalypts, pine and lavender to a little bit of Kleenex. In the past, bronchitis may have already settled hard in my lungs. This time, however, the oils have killed off any bacteria and have helped me to get better, faster.

Thanks, Dave — this is a great gift. I love it and want one for work!

Matt Birbeck, our Product Center counselor, has been working with us for about 5 years. His group helps new upstart Michigan business get connected with other vendors or government agencies for whatever they need. Over the years, he has helped us with grant writing, job descriptions, the interview process, marketing and packaging. He has also given us many names of fruit growers whenever we’ve been looking for organic fruits.

We were fortunate to have also received a great honor by winning the “Best Barrier Buster” award for entrepreneurial success. We’re glad to provide a great example of how a small business can really make it in Michigan!

They’re coming in for the greatest pie in the country! All natural, old fashioned, hand-crimped pie with local fruit, sugar, unbleached Michigan-grown pastry flour, no transfats — just the good stuff!

Many times we’ve heard our guests say, “I haven’t had pie this good since my grandmother passed away. She made the best pie.” Our pies are nostalgic. Once people get their first taste, the experience is long remembered.

I am happy to be assisting one of our long time employees and manager trainer, Christina, teach the service class this week. It usually takes about 2 and a half hours depending on how many students we have. These classes are very interactive, and we all have time to share stories of what we think “good service” is and what “bad service” looks and feels like.

We are not perfect, but we’re working on it!

We now have all of the systems in place and can produce savory pies and additional items for our wholesale customers. Congratulations to our little band of hard workers who never cease to amaze me. It’s amazing what we accomplish at AHPC! From where we were in 2000, now ten years later in 2010 just blows me away. We more than quadrupled our business and have created 140 jobs for Michigan. Great job, team. Now onward and upward!

But you never know when something positive can come from the unexpected: the detour led me right past the annual Romeo Craft Labor Show! I knew that I had to stop in.

We used to sell at this craft show every year; it was a great venue. Since then, with so many other projects at hand we haven’t had time to return. But it’s tough not to at least pay a visit.

I was lingering at a craft booth of handmade Christmas decorations, admiring and shopping. A husband and wife team were busy at work personalizing the decorations for customers.

Rob and Renee have been coming for years.

I mentioned I used to sell pies at the show. Their eyes lit up.

“Achatz Pies?”

They told me they’re from Grand Rapids and looked forward to the Michigan 4-Berry on their trips to Romeo but were disappointed we hadn’t set up a booth this year. I was glad to know they found our shop in Sterling Heights and got their pie anyway! (Three of them in fact!)

Rob and Renee started Sweet Violets in their kitchen in 1989. Creating intricate dough ornaments, this part-time hobby soon turned into a full-time job. And what a great sales guy Rob is — making suggestions, showing me different components of each style and giving lots of ideas to help me make up my mind! Truly a wonderful “Made in Michigan” story. Be sure to check out their web site to see all the cute things they do.

I love meeting other entrepreneurs and seeing them succeed. So many people at craft shows have done just that — taking their destiny into their own hands, working hard. I love how this country gives us the right to pursue happiness. And create happiness for others as Rob and Renee have.

So far my husband Dave has canned a few dozen quarts. That’s right, Dave enjoys canning too. And he has been teaching our three daughters how to preserve food — a lost art. (Our youngest son, Zack, already knows how.)

Dave and Zack planted the garden together and are working on a few raised beds this year. Zack loves to cook; it’s in the blood. He is very creative and uses many of the herbs he’s planted in the kitchen. Truly great chefs like to know exactly where their foods come from.

Even though our garden is full of weeds, and we don’t spend the time it takes to really make it beautiful and abundant, our kids still get the idea.

One friend asked, “Why plant a garden when the farmer’s market is just around the corner?” That’s true, but not the point. We are trying to teach our children to be self sufficient and to learn how to manage the soil, plant, grow and harvest in the most organic way. All part of a bigger picture. It’s a great accomplishment to see rows of home-grown canned goods on the shelf!

Mid to late summer is the heart of Michigan peach production. Regularly $14 and up here’s the perfect opportunity to taste this delicious fruit before the end of the season!

Thanks to rageforst for the photo.

Peach Fest will be held at all seven area Achatz locations — Chesterfield, Oxford, Troy, Sterling Heights, Armada, Shelby Township and Beverly Hills. Call ahead and reserve your pie at this special price! Orders will be taken until Tuesday, August 31.

Thanks to dozerbones for the photo.

We’ve had lots of requests to open up the next Achatz pie shop in many different neighborhoods — one lady even asked us to come to Alaska! With much consideration and research we’ve decided to open up a new store in the most requested city of… Ann Arbor, Michigan!

Read more on our Facebook…

I recently visited Pete and Paul Blake of Blake’s Orchards and Cider Mill in Armada. They operate three farms equaling 700 acres and honeybees are some of their hardest workers!

I was totally fascinated by the bees and the beautiful, colorful hives. Pete and Paul told me that every year they hire beekeepers to set up their beehives on and around their orchards to pollinate all of their fruit trees, berry bushes and veggies.

The Blakes must purchase new bees every year. Although the bee should live from year to year they have tragically been dying from Colony Collapse Disorder. Scientists aren’t exactly clear on what’s going on with the collapse — whether it’s the mites, radio waves, cell towers, pesticides or simply a natural cycle. Do a search to learn more about this strange, mysterious phenomenon and the decline of our bees.

We’re looking for local beekeepers to get in touch with us as we’d love to carry and sell your honey at our Achatz pie shops.

Achatz Handmade Pie Co. was excited to be a part of the recent “Flip Flopping Summer VIP Rooftop Party” for the annual Detroit fireworks.

We served 1,000 slices of our signature pie, the Michigan 4-Berry, plus our Double Crusted Apple, and our Tart Michigan Cherry. Then we watched the awesome fireworks on the river! The fireworks were organized by The Parade Company and sponsored by Target.

We loved this pie so much we entered it in to the National Pie Championships held April in Celebration, Florida, where it won the blue ribbon in the berry category! We knew we now needed to give it a respectable name.

Over the years we’ve counted at least 75 different flavors of pies here at Achatz Handmade Pie Co. Many come and go on the menu with the seasonal change. Some pies are even named after the baker who created it, like Pumpkin Shelly, a cheesecake layered pumpkin pie with a pecan praline topping! Still one of my all time favorites!

Blue Ribbon Berry Patch will be our Pie of the Month for August 2010.

The Boston cream pie starts with our tender flaky pie crust, followed by a couple pounds of our homemade pastry cream made with pure butter and real vanilla, and topped with this really awesome delicious yellow cake! Then, my favorite part… a ton of super high fat chocolate ganache poured over top! Ohhh… must ride 10 more miles to burn just one slice of this heavenly pie!

But watch my recent segment on Fox 2 News where I made a Strawberry and Cream Pie with beautiful strawberries delivered from Florida. They were deep red, as big as apples, and looked like they were pumped on steroids!

This June, Strawberry and Cream is our Pie of the Month. We’ll be using locally grown strawberries from Blake’s Big Apple orchard on North Ave. in Armada, Mich. Visit Blake’s and they’ll allow you to pick your own berries. It’s worth a trip up; bring the kids and experience the hard labor of harvesting your own fruit (it’ll be good for your kids)!

Each month we spotlight a different pie for $1 off the regular price. Our Strawberry Cream pie will go fast and will soon be off the menu until next June, so call ahead to reserve yours.

We appreciate everyone who came out to celebrate and welcome us to the neighborhood! Our entire staff pitched in to help open the store along with volunteer friends and family members each trying to keep up with the samples and coffee.

Many of our bakers and managers from our headquarters in Chesterfield made an appearance and went to work at once! Our brother company, Achatz Soups from Skratzch, had manager Andy Brown sample their award winning soups! (Their Hungarian Mushroom just won the “Golden Ladle Award” in Detroit last week.)

Dave and I are so thankful to all the great people at AHPC who put out those wonderful pies day in and day out! Great work everyone! And of course to all of our faithful customers who keep us rolling, thanks so much!

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm announced the 2009 class of “Michigan’s 50 Companies to Watch” (MI 50), saying they represent the small businesses that are essential to the diversification and transformation of the state’s economy. The honorees, companies with between 6 and 99 employees that represent all regions of the state and a range of both high-tech and traditional sectors, have generated a total $1.1 billion in revenue and added more than 700 employees over the past four years.

“More than ever, we need the energy, determination and innovation that small business owners and entrepreneurs live and breathe every day as we work to diversify our economy and create jobs,” Granholm said. “We can’t forget that small businesses represent 95 percent of Michigan’s employers, and they are the backbone of our economy. I applaud these 50 companies and every small business owner who is helping to diversify Michigan’s economy by creating and sustaining all kinds of jobs for all kinds of people.”

Achatz Handmade Pie Co. grew 26% in 2008 and has planned growth for 25% in 2009, which will create 12-15 new jobs. The 20,000 sq. ft. Bake House in Chesterfield, Michigan supplies fresh pies to their own six pie shops in Macomb and Oakland counties.

Approximately 100 grocers and up-scale restaurants carry the Achatz Pies in southeast Michigan, Ann Arbor, Lansing and Chicago. Last year the company created a new line of frozen ‘Ready to Bake’ pies to supply the Whole Foods Market chain in the Mid-Atlantic region.

“This program has helped Whole Foods Market to increase their bakery sales because of the outstanding quality of our pies”, says Dave Achatz, President and co-owner of Achatz Handmade Pie Co. “We use no hydrogenated oil or preservatives in our pies, which makes our products fit perfectly in the all natural trend.”

This past week Marysol Castro visiting from GMA and all the local media that we’ve gotten has brought in so many people to our shops. We are giving away slices of our signature Michigan 4-Berry pie to every guest! And today our pumpkin pies were featured on the Rachael Ray Show which has brought even more excitement for us!

I believe this is the last day to cast your vote to see which pie will be named America’s “Best Slice” for the GMA challenge. Another Michigan company, Mooner’s in Traverse City, had won this challenge for the “Best Scoop” when GMA had asked America who had the best ice cream.

If we win, I will call Mooner’s, see if they want to bring the ice cream, we’ll bring the pie, and we’ll go see the guys (and gal) in Lansing to see if we can’t do something about all of these extra small business taxes that we here in Michigan pay!

Creating more jobs here in Michigan is vital right now and making it easier to invest in equipment, marketing and everything else we need to run successfully — instead of the heavy tax burdens — will make a difference in whether we can continue growth.

I was reading through all of our ‘Testimonials” and see one from my cousin Stacey. She writes, “we’ve come a long way from home, to flea market, to Good Morning America.” Yep, we’ll never forget the early days of baking a few pies from the back room of our home, loading up the old blue, setting up the 10×20 foot tent at 6 a.m. at the Armada Flea Market to sell pies — rain, snow, hail or sleet over the card tables! It’s been 15 years of honest hard work. And thanks to my dedicated staff and family for their hard work and perseverance, we’ve been able to purchase a great new Bake House in Chesterfield!

So now the campainging is over, they’ll count the votes, and may the best pie win.

I have been thinking of how stressed the other pie companies are feeling as well. The Friday Marysol Castro came out, I was driving to work with butterflies that turned into a severe stomach ache. Thought I would have to pull the car over and lose it on the side of the road! I was so nervous! I kept thinking of Michele from Michele’s pies, Audrey from The Olive Branch and Ms. Norma Grub, for they had already gone through the taping earlier that week! Had they experienced these horrible butterflies? I felt sorry for my competitors, really… though I felt more connected to them through the wonderful thing called PIE! So good luck all my kindred-heart fellow pie ladies! It’s been a great ride! We are all winners!

About two years ago we began cooking classes in our six pie shops throughout metro Detroit and Armada. We have so many talented bakers at Achatz, we thought it would be a good idea to spread the love and knowledge of baking and share some of our tricks and tips with the public. Jean-Marc and I have taught many cooking and baking classes — “Pie Extravaganza”, “French Pastry Night”, “Holiday Cookie-Night” and “Morning Pastries.”

With our big move to our new facility last year, we hadn’t taught in awhile. Our guests have encouraged us to get going again!

Jean-Marc, Renee, Rachel and myself hosted 27 “students” last week. We gave them the nickel tour of our Bakehouse, then began our class by talking about all the wonderful varieties of Michigan baking apples that are abundant right now. Students peeled Northern Spies and Ida Reds for their apple pie. We provided an apple pie recipe along with a good pie dough recipe. They blended the apples with cinnamon, Michigan-grown pastry flour, locally grown beet sugar and the pure local butter that we always use for our pies!

I demonstrated how to do a basket weave for the top crust along with techniques on fluting and crimping. We had a tons of fun and made a big mess! Thanks to my niece Renee, my son Zack and daughter Rachel for doing all of the clean up (especially Renee!).

Which reminds me, the most important thing that I hoped our students took home… the idea of “teaching.” I share story that we hear so often from my customers who visit our shop — lovers of excellent pie — that they have not had a pie so good since their grandmother passed (or mom, or auntie…). They tell us that no one could make a pie as good as hers. And now that she’s gone, gone is the great pie!

It’s one of the greatest compliments for us at Achatz Handmade Pie Co., but I’ve learned something from these stories and am beginning to understand that TEACHING IS IMMORTAL! So I encourage our students to get those kids or grandkids, your sons and daughters, nieces and nephews in the kitchen with you!

Sharing your recipes is only a small part of a great pie or baked good. The hand techneques, the procedures, standing side by side gramma (or grandpa) is the main thing, watching them! The good vibes, the TLC makes it taste that much better too!

As my son Josh says, “You gotta live in the moment!”

I look forward to next week’s pie classes, Nov. 10th and 11th. Oh, and we’ll making pie with Jay Towers from Fox 2 Detroit who’ll be getting a lesson in pie making on Wednesday Nov. 5th at the bakehouse in Chesterfield! We’ll be producing about 5,000 apple pies that day, and we’ll need the extra help! So be sure to watch Jay Towers on Fox 2 news Saturday morning Nov. 8th.