Zaza & Co. From Baking Enthusiast to Cookie Extraordinaire
Once upon a time, in the midst of the chaotic year that was 2020, a little bakery called Zaza & Co. emerged, captivating the taste buds and hearts of dessert enthusiasts far and wide. Led by the passionate and adventurous spirit of its owner, Raitza, Zaza & Co. quickly became a beacon of creativity and delectable treats.
From a young age, Raitza had been enchanted by the world of baking. Growing up in a household with two talented bakers as parents, the mesmerizing scent of freshly baked bread wafting through the air became a comforting symphony of childhood memories. However, the demands of a full-time job and studies left little room for Raitza to pursue her passion for baking. The dream of owning her own bakery seemed like a distant fantasy.
Then came the unexpected turn of events when a global pandemic swept across the world, confining everyone to the safety of their homes. It was during this period that Raitza decided to seize the opportunity to reconnect with herself and explore the creative endeavors that had long been simmering within.
Embracing the newfound "free time" with zeal, Raitza embarked on a whirlwind of artistic pursuits. From coding and calculators to nail art, calligraphy, and even concocting handmade soaps and lotion bars, she fearlessly experimented with every avenue of self-expression. However, among this kaleidoscope of creative exploration, one passion stood out like a shining star – baking.
In her cozy kitchen, Raitza immersed herself in the alchemy of flavors and textures. Bread became her muse, cookies her canvas, and cakes her masterpieces. As she joyfully baked her way through a multitude of recipes, time seemed to lose all meaning, disappearing in a whirlwind of sugary delights and culinary experimentation.
But what truly set Raitza's baking journey ablaze was the overwhelming response from those fortunate enough to sample her creations. Friends and family raved about her scrumptious treats, urging her to share them with a wider audience. Amidst their resounding encouragement and a fateful conversation with her supportive partner, Raitza embraced the idea of turning her passion into a bona fide business.
With unwavering determination, Raitza took the leap and officially established Zaza & Co. as a testament to her love for baking and the indomitable spirit that fuels her culinary artistry. With each delectable cookie, cake, and loaf that emerges from her oven, Raitza pours her heart and soul into crafting not only mouthwatering delights but also moments of sheer joy and happiness for those who indulge.
Today, Zaza & Co. stands as a testament to Raitza's unwavering commitment to pursuing her dreams, even in the face of uncertainty. Each delectable creation is a testament to her dedication and boundless creativity, a testament that dreams do come true when passion and perseverance intertwine.
How did I meet Zaza & Co? Well, I’m glad you asked! Amidst the bustling wonderland of Buena Market at LKLD Live back in December of 2020 (everyone’s favorite year), I stumbled upon a tiny cookie booth that emanated an irresistible aroma of gingerbread goodness. Now, let me tell you, I'm a gingerbread connoisseur, and no one comes close to my grandma's homemade recipe...until I met Zaza & Co. Their gingerbread cookies gave my grandma a run for her money! I mean, seriously, these cookies are so good, I had to keep it a secret from her. Every year, like a covert mission, I savor the delight of Zaza & Co.'s gingerbread cookies, adding a pinch of mischief to my holiday festivities. Don't worry, Grandma, yours are still my favorite … when I run out of Zaza’s gingerbread cookies!
So, dear readers, come on this enchanting journey with Zaza & Co. and allow yourself to be captivated by the magical world of baked delights. Join us as we celebrate the irresistible allure of Raitza's baked wonders, one delectable treat at a time!
What inspired you to start baking?
I have always loved the kitchen and baking as far as I can remember. I have always thought of baking as a “science,” and it truly is. I love being creative, but I’m also a huge foodie. Baking allows me to combine both of those worlds.
I would say my inspiration for baking was always the happiness it brought. When I was little, we moved from Puerto Rico to the U.S., and we lived with my grandparents for a few years. My parents have always worked hard to try and give us the life that we have, but desserts, cakes, and cookies were not always around. Cake, cookies, and pastries typically meant happiness and joy. There was happiness when someone celebrated a birthday, graduated from school, or even when someone got a promotion.
One of my biggest values in life is making a difference, and what better way to make a difference in someone’s life than by adding something sweet to their life, literally. The happiness that I felt every time there was a dessert around is what inspired me to want to bake. I wanted to chase those moments of joy and those moments that gave you warm and fuzzy feelings. Don’t get me wrong, my family wasn’t “unhappy,” but life wasn’t easy when we first moved here.
Being able to bake and share my love for baking really brings me those warm and fuzzy feelings. Every time someone places an order, I feel like I can make an impact in their life, no matter how big or how small, but I am able to share a little bit of my joy with them. My hope is that with every bite someone takes out of a cookie, cake, treat, whatever it is from Zaza & Co., they are genuinely reminded about how sweet life is, literally.
What has been the most rewarding part of running your own cookie business?
The most rewarding part has been being able to make a difference in my customers’ lives. Genuinely, when I receive pictures of little kids or others with my cookies, cakes, or treats, it gives me fuzzy feelings. It makes me feel like this is exactly why I do what I do. Being able to make that difference in their life, no matter how big or small, is what I love the most.
Another rewarding aspect of running my own business has been seeing growth. Establishing Zaza & Co., has been a dream. By growth, I don’t solely mean the growth of the business, but honestly, seeing myself grow as a person. Sometimes we are moving at 10000x miles an hour and forget to take that moment to stop and look back. When I do stop and take a moment, I see how much I have grown. Whether that be understanding my values, having a clear vision, setting goals, and see whether I was able to meet them, and if not, instead of beating myself up and unmotivating myself understanding what I can do to reach it next time. I feel like those are all valuable lessons in life that sometimes we don’t take the time to realize, but being able to see those life lessons from my little business makes me feel like this was intended to be a part of my journey. I think life has its way of working out, and things happen as they should, and just seeing it unfold, has been super rewarding.
Looking ahead to the future, what are your goals for Zaza & Co.?
I ask myself this all the time as well!
Funny story, I quit my full-time job of 12+ years this year to pursue my passions full-time. Now, what does that mean for Zaza & Co.? I can’t fully answer that question just yet. I am still trying to adapt to this lifestyle and see what comes naturally and what I must continue working on.
I currently have a year-round menu. I love taking orders and having a year-round menu, but like I said, I also love being able to dive into the creative aspect of baking. With that being said, I am not sure if, going forward, I would continue with a year-round menu or pivot to seasonal/quarterly menus or maybe even both. Who knows!
With that, I am thankful to be able to have my own business because that is the beauty of it. You don’t have to know just yet. You can test things out, try it and see how it goes, and pivot as needed. That’s not really something that you can always do at a corporation.
As someone who has worked in a corporate environment for over ten years, I can tell you that no matter how high your position is, you will never be able to make your own decisions fully. Even if you get to make decisions and someone else doesn’t like them, they will certainly let you know.
My goal for Zaza & Co. is for us to be a business that genuinely makes a difference in your life. I want to be a business that inspires and motivates. I want anyone to know that whatever they want to do is possible. Sometimes when we see small businesses, we see a dream. We say, “Wow, they can make their own schedule. They can pick their days off, and they have unlimited vacation.” — But we don’t usually see everything that comes with those things. We don’t see the late nights or the 40+ hours you are working a week, the sacrifices you make, and everything else. I want to show people that even though a business is a lot of work if it’s something you love and you want, take the risk and just have fun with it. Life is too short not to spend the time doing things you love.
In addition to cookies, what other types of desserts do you offer?
We make cookies, cupcakes, banana bread, and banana crumb cakes. We have experimented with cheesecakes, cakes, cinnamon rolls, swiss rolls, and more, but we love cookies and cakes the most. I may be a little biased, though.
Can you tell us about some of your most popular items? What makes them stand out?
Our Zaza cookie, it’s our signature cookie! It is a brown sugar cookie swirled with guava. It’s also the cookie in the “o” in our logo for Zaza & Co. I hand-swirl the guava in each cookie. It takes take time, but as they say, good things take time! I want you to be able to taste the guava in every single bite of the cookie. The reason I feel like the cookie stands out the most is the uniqueness of the cookie. I can assure you that you have never had a guava cookie quite like this one.
The Zaza is named after me - Zaza & Cookies is really just “me and cookies!” As silly as it may sound, many people couldn’t pronounce my name, Raitza, so for short, they would call me Zaza! It was really my friend and fellow business owner, Dan, from Del Ladders, that began calling me Zaza. I liked it, so it stuck! The cookie was named after me because I may or may not be obsessed with guava everything! Since I was just making cookies for my family and friends, I would name them, and since this was “my” cookie, I named it after me, Zaza.
Do you have a personal favorite dessert that you offer, and why do you love it so much?
The Zaza, I am most definitely biased, though I love guava. This cookie is what really led me to start Zaza & Co. This is the main cookie that I would contactless deliver for my friends and family during COVID. Other than The Zaza, I would have to go with Trunchbull’s Favorite, which is the chocolate cake I make! I also love everything chocolate and right now.
As you can tell from the names of those two, most of the items that we offer have a special place in my heart. A lot of them are inspired by the people I love the most. Some are named for fun, like the “Spice Spice Baby,” but most of them are named for a reason. Check out some more names below!
The Mari – My husband, who is obsessed with everything white chocolate macadamia and hazelnuts. So, we made a cookie just for him, a white chocolate hazelnut cookie.
The Rad – My brother who loves Nutella, so we made a hazelnut cookie filled with Nutella, and it’s now his favorite cookie!
The Papi – My dad LOVES banana bread, and even though he says he “doesn’t eat sweets,” even though he devours any bag of chocolate he can find around the house. So, this chocolate chip banana bread is right up his alley.
The No-No – My grandfather, who, when I was growing up, would never leave the grocery store without buying oatmeal raisin cookies. Even though he will never be able to taste it, I know it would be his favorite.
The Sirena – Named after “Las Sirena’s Lakeland,” Victoria, one of the owners, is really the one that suggested and inspired this cookie.
Trunchbull’s Favorite – Named after Ms. Trunchbull’s cake from Matilda. This was my favorite movie growing up, and I always wanted to eat the cake that Bruce was being forced to eat. Maybe not with the sweat and tears but with all that chocolate fudge, yes, please!
And the list goes on, The Coworker, The BFF, M’s Fav, Junjun, The Kay-P, etc.
How do you approach creating a new dessert recipe?
Although we really try to stay up to date with trends, sometimes creating a new recipe happens by mistake. Some items that we create are seasonal, and we absolutely plan to make them. For those items, we are experimenting with recipes months before we offer the cookie, for example, our pumpkin bread or even our gingerbread cookies.
For others, we sometimes stumble upon them by mistake. Sometimes I have extra cookie dough and just throw some stuff in there, and boom, a new cookie flavor. Other times I will see or try something I love but want to put my own spin on it. That is how the Snickerdulce was introduced.
I loved dulce de leche stuffed churros, but instead of churros, I wanted to make a dulce de leche cookie! We made cinnamon sugar cookies (our version of a Snickerdoodle) and sandwiched the dulce de leche in between them!
Being able to have the creative freedom to try new things and “play around” with ingredients is what makes it fun! We have tried a bunch of different flavors; some we have kept and some we have retired, like strawberry cheesecake and little Debbie cake cookies! We look forward to continuing to create fun and unique recipes for our friends and customers.
As the oven timer dings, signaling the end of this blog post, I want to remind you dear reader to stay in the loop and get your daily dose of cookie cravings, by following Zaza & Co. on Instagram @zazaandcookies. There, you'll find her mouthwatering menu, upcoming market dates, and even sneak peeks behind the scenes on her "cookie cam." So, whether you have a birthday, graduation, anniversary, or simply a craving that only cookies can solve, slide into her DMs and place your order.
Remember, life is too short to resist the temptation of freshly baked treats. As Zaza & Co. continues to sprinkle joy and scrumptiousness, let's embrace the sugar-coated moments and savor the taste of success, one bite at a time. Cheers to cookies, dreams, and a future filled with floury mischief! Stay hungry, stay happy, and keep those ovens warm!