We recently connected with Aysha A and have shared our conversation below.

Aysha , appreciate you joining us today. Day to day the world can seem like a tough place, but there’s also so much kindness in the world and we think talking about that kindness helps spread it and make the world a nicer, kinder place. Can you share a story of a time when someone did something really kind for you?

During the pandemic, like thousands of others, I joined Christina Tosi’s daily Bake Club. She would share a playlist, recipe and lots of joy during her IG live. It became the highlight of our day to see what creative delicious treats we’d be making along with her.

I remember on Mother’s Day, she streamed live with her mom. For so many of us, we were far from loved ones and a holiday like Mother’s Day was hard. So it was really endearing how she shared her mom with all of us.

Fast forward two years, I had my first Farmers Market on Mother’s Day weekend. It was pretty busy but from the corner of my eye, I noticed a woman with these kind familiar eyes (we were both masked). I instantly recognized it was none other than Greta Tosi-Miller. I was in tears! Mrs. Miller drove over an hour to show up BIG for me. It was so moving and honestly one of the kindest things anyone has done for me. She was a generous patron and made care packages for with my baked goods. So it was really a special memory.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I run a microbakery in Howard County, MD called L’abeille Sucrée which translates to the Sweet Bee in French. I first started in Quebec, Canada after missing the tastes of my favorite LA bakeries. Over the years, I have moved a lot and supplied cafes and restaurants and clients with American classics with French sophistication. My menu includes custom cakes, cookies and pastries. I prefer to work with clients to understand their ‘flavor story’ based on their favorites to create a unique and meaningful treat.

My philosophy has always been the best ingredients yield the best desserts. I also carefully source my ingredients from B corp companies like Valrhona, Heilala Vanilla and King Arthur because of their commitment to quality and service to others. I may not have a perfectly curated IG page, but I guarantee it will be love at first bite.

In 2021, I was fortunate to be a part of With Warm Welcome Bakers Box Vol. 6 DC edition. Arnold Byun and his team travel from city to city to highlight emerging and established Asian American bakers and part of the proceeds are donated. It was such an honor and privilege to have been selected. I prepared 100 slices of a cardamom coffee cake with Valrhona ganache decorated with rose buds. It was fun to create a unique dessert that reflected the different layers of my identity. This opportunity also put me in touch with the kindest and most talented group of ladies.

I have believed in the ‘power of a cookie’ from a young age. A cookie can make a bad day good, serve as a loving hug even if miles apart and most importantly change the world. Since moving to MD, I have had the opportunity to curate my own monthly bake boxes and more recently sell at a local farmer’s market. It has always been important to me to help others. Through donations from baking, I have raised over $8000 for various charities both local and international.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

There have been several times where I had to hit the pause button on my baking career due to moving or having young children. However the biggest pivot in my baking came rather unexpectedly.

When my son was 4 months old, he was diagnosed with dairy, egg, tree nut and sesame allergies. As a baker, it was very unnerving. Like what tastes better than butter? I started to do a lot reading, R&D and finally found I could make really good cakes, cookies, croissants all without butter.

After overcoming that challenge, I was able to open to clients with dietary restrictions and vegans.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Word of mouth has been really great for me, especially when it comes to clients with dietary needs. It is always nice to get a referral because you know your previous client was happy. Of course, when the Instagram algorithms work in your favor it helps.

Social media has helped get the word out that there is a local baker who works with the best quality ingredients and can easily make your favorite dessert, vegan, dairy free, nut free or egg free as needed.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.labeillesucree.com
• Instagram: Labeillesucree
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/l-abeille-sucree-the-sweet-bee-laurel?osq=cake

Image Credits
Aysha Alburaki