Baking Made Easy with Love’illy
So you’re like me, you have aspirations of becoming a gourmet baker. The problem is you have no clue where to begin. Or you might be the person who knows something about baking but don’t have the hours available it takes to bake from scratch. However great your experience may be in the kitchen (or in my case none), most of us want to be able to cook comfortably for friends and family, have the food be satisfying and nourishing, and most of all taste great!
It’s often said that baking is an art, you either have the talent or not. Well in today’s food industry that’s no longer the case. Large Companies and small start-ups are now recognizing the needs of consumers and providing them with easy-to-use ingredients and foods that help anyone cook like a pro. Who doesn’t love that? This gets people like me excited about being in the kitchen and the possibilities about what I might be able to cook- no stress, fail-proof ingredients, good food, happy people, yes please!
So what are these new food trends and products that will make life easier? What product will provide us with all the ingredients and tools necessary to become a gourmet baker? Well one of these hot new trends is Love’illy. Their line of gourmet pie mixes combine the tradition of baking with innovation. Yes, even a novice baker like myself can now turn out a traditional yet gourmet fruit pie…like grandma used to make but even better!
Love’illy is a line of gourmet pie mixes, made with no chemicals, preservatives or gluten. These all-in-one dry baking mixes combine a custom blend of aromatic spices, real sugar and gluten free thickener that makes for an easy-to-use pie mix- essentially a fruit filling starter. By simply adding Love’illy Gourmet Pie Mix to fresh or thawed fruit, pouring it into a pie shell (or any pastry for that matter) and baking, your guaranteed a perfectly thickened, wonderfully flavored fruit pie. It’s like a cake mix but for pie, there’s nothing like it. Now isn’t your mouth watering?
I got a chance to interview the owner of Love’ illy, Sydney. She explains the goal of Love’illy to bring ease and sophistication to homemade baking and entertaining. As well as, how the brand grew organically in her kitchen, from hours spent cooking and creating her own recipes. Let’s learn more about her journey and her amazing products!
What inspired the name Love’illy?
SB: The name Love’illy was inspired by my love of cooking for friends and family. It’s the thoughtfulness and pleasure one takes in preparing food for loved ones. Cooking is an extension of yourself- an offering if you will, that says ‘this gift is for you, please savor and enjoy, and leave satisfied and nourished.’ There’s no better way to enjoy the company of others than to sit around the dinner table and enjoy home cooked food.
What is unique about Love’illy?
SB: Our fruit filling starter is handcrafted in small batches with gluten-free thickener, real sugar and fresh fragrant spices which makes baking fruit filled desserts effortless. There’s no other product out in the mainstream market that helps people make delicious and natural fruit filling; the only other options are canned fillings which have loads of sugar (not even real sugar), very little fruit and poor fruit quality. There are plenty of pre-made pie doughs available but there aren’t any filling options- that’s where I saw a need and created a product. I mean the filling is just as important as the crust!
How did you decide on what flavors to make?
SB: I’m a food lover. Wherever I go and whatever I do I have to sample local cuisine. That passion for flavor and unique ingredient combinations is what inspired me to develop the line of Love’illy flavors. When deciding what fruit pie mixes to make I began by focusing on the most popular fruit pies and what spices would be complementary yet distinctive.
I knew my line of gourmet pie mixes had to include apple, blueberry, peach and cherry- these are all classics in their own right. Each ingredient in the mix had to complement the fruit first and foremost. The fruit had to be the star of the show, with all other ingredients subtlety in the background. The foundation to all of my recipes and flavors includes a balance of sweet, tart, warm and salty elements. This balance of flavor creates a complex, satisfying and well composed recipe.
For someone that has never baked before, is it a product made for a beginner?
SB: For the person that’s not as comfortable in the kitchen and intimidated by baking, using Love’illy is a great option. There’s no need to worry about your pie turning out runny or lacking flavor or making sure you have a pantry filled with the right ingredients. By picking out your fruit, making or buying pie dough, and your favorite Love’illy mix, you can effortlessly make a gourmet dessert in minutes- mix, pour, and bake! So simple!
For the person that’s an experienced or frequent cook, Love’illy is great because it saves time and is an extraordinary dessert that never fails to impress. Most of us don’t have 2 hours to make one dessert and using Love’illy is a way to make a homemade dessert in minutes. It’s semi-homemade cooking at its finest.
How has being a business owner changed your life?
SB: I’ve learned a lot throughout the process. From concept and development to the creation of a sellable product the journey has taught me that I’m resilient, and that creativity, perseverance and being nice to others will get you far.
Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
SB: In the next 5 years I see the Love’illy brand expanding with the addition of various flavors and products. Short term, I hope Love’illy continues to gain consumer and industry recognition and is carried in more large and small specialty grocery and retail stores across the U.S.
What is your philosophy in life?
SB: Where there is a will there is a way. This is my mantra because I started this company with no industry experience or connections and hardly any money. I entered into a very difficult and expensive field as an underdog. It’s taken years to develop and design Love’illy and at each stage there have been challenges that could have easily made me want to throw in the towel. Whether it was people doubting my ability, logistical issues or distributors and buyers not wanting to take a chance on the product because it wasn’t familiar (i.e. another hot sauce or flavored mustard), I’ve always believed I could make it happen, and when one path ends another can be created. You just have to have faith.
By using Love’illy there’s no need for a recipe or handfuls of ingredients- it’s all included in the mix. What more could you ask for?!
To check out more about these amazing products, go to www.loveilly.com
Article By: Tosha Cole Clemens
www.Facebook.com/ToshaColeClemens
All photos by Natalie Emerson
