It’s that time of year again when folks celebrate loved ones or friends. Whether it’s with your significant other or Galentines, we hope you spend this weekend doing something you enjoy, safely. That doesn’t have to be red roses and fancy dinner, but it could be warming up to a cup of hot chocolate and watching a chick-flick with your gal pals. Taking a nap is okay too!
Home baker creates fusion desserts and decor business
When Nabeela Ahmed organized her son’s first birthday in November 2018, she realized she wanted to have more than just Bangladeshi sweets and a cake.
“I’ve never even baked before. I just wanted to do something a little extra,” she says.
She added a fusion dessert table to add a nice touch to the party. Then she was asked to decorate a dessert table for a cousin’s bridal shower.
“Since then I had just been uploading it on IG not really with the hope of it being some kind of business venture,” she says.
She realized she enjoyed baking. She kept practicing. Ahmed shared treats with friends or family.
“I guess I’m never buying desserts anymore,” she laughed.
“In my household, none of the people I live with, my in-laws or husband, have a sweet tooth says Ahmed.
After posting her concoctions on her Instagram page, she started getting requests to make more dessert tables, giving birth to Zayans Dessertz, named after her son.
Ahmed has curated about 10-15 dessert tables for weddings, parties, bridal showers, and baby showers.
“I like to be part of peoples’ celebrations and big days. Friends and family can always count on me to make desserts,” she says.
Although Ahmed caters, decorates, and delivers, she takes orders for pick-up.
“Being a mother is full-on itself,” she says.
Ahmed enjoys baking “anything that looks pretty” such as cupcakes with sprinkles and frosting, macaroons, meringues, shot cups, colorful truffles, and cake pops.
“I prefer more visual things with a pop of color that looks pretty,” she says.
Ahmed says her skills have gotten better with practice, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have to start all over again sometimes.
“I can’t deliver something I am not happy with. Baking is like one mistake… you just messed up the whole thing,” she says.
For orders contact her via Instagram or email zayansdessertz@gmail.com.
Bonus: For Nabeela Ahmed’s milk chocolate chip recipe, click here.
TikTok Sensation Sharminara Haque featured on Eater Detroit
If you’ve been following @sharmineats on TikTok or Instagram, you know she’s not only cooking up familiar Bangladeshi homemade food but she’s also serving it with a dose of humor.
Haque was featured in Eater Detroit, sharing her story about growing up in Bangladesh and Detroit - and joining the social media TikTok to get through the throws of postpartum during COVID.
Haque says she uses her platform to educate people about South Asian dishes, create new recipes, and as a way to spread awareness about social issues. Now she has more than 116,000 TikTok followers. Read more about her story on Saa Nasta Newsletter.