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February 24, 2009 New business raises money for breast cancer research By LOIS HEYMAN Staff Writer Angela Zippilli of North Brunswick never grew out of her childhood love of baking cookies. Many people who learn to bake at an early age go on to become pastry chefs and bakery owners, but Zippilli's route is a bit more circuitous. She held onto her baking as she made her way into a career in molecular biology, but along the way, she found more than a second vocation in baked goods; she also found a cause. After helping her mom out in the kitchen as a child, Zippilli began to bake on her own as a teenager, and established a holiday tradition with friends that they called "Cookie Camp." "We would get together for a weekend in December and bake several kinds of cookies to give away to our friends and teachers as Christmas gifts," she says. The pride and enjoyment she took in creating baked goods for others continued to feed her love of baking, even as she studied cell biology and neuroscience at Rutgers University. "Although I was very academically focused, I still tried to bake on weekends when I had the chance," Zippilli says. After graduating in 2007 and becoming the manager of a molecular biology lab at Princeton University, she had more time to bake, but the idea of starting a real baking business remained a dream. "That all changed this past summer when my best friend, Alexandra Krol, was raising money to participate in the Susan G. Komen three-day Walk for the Cure, to benefit breast cancer research in memory of her mother, Mary, who lost her long battle with breast cancer in 2002," Zippilli said. She wanted to do all she could to help, and offered to sell her cookies, breads, cakes and muffins at events to help raise money. And so, Angie's Oven was born. At a North Brunswick craft fair in September, she sold her baked goods, and donated all the proceeds to her friend's team, "Mary's Angels," for their October entry in the Susan G. Komen walk. "Over the past nine months, I've participated in a few flea markets in the North Brunswick area, and with each one I learn a little bit more about the business," she says. Some events have been fundraisers for Mary's Angels' 2009 walk, but Zippilli also is venturing into catering parties and other events, "to get my name out" and build her business. Angie's Oven specializes in cookies, offering pumpkin butterscotch cookies, ginger snaps and banana oatmeal trail mix cookies — along with classics like chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin. Her chocolate snowballs are a rich version of Russian teacakes, she says. Her breads come in banana, pumpkin and zucchini; she also makes a fruit-and-nut tea bread. Chai latte muffins "taste exactly as their name implies," Zippilli says. "If you like chai tea, you'll definitely like these." Dark carrot raisin muffins — with carrots, whole wheat flour, raisins and honey — are a healthy treat. "I'm always trying new recipes and I'm always open to customer requests," she says. "The best part has been meeting new people who are also interested in baked goods. I'm excited to finally turn my hobby into a real business." More information about Angie's Oven is available by e-mailing angiesoven@gmail.com or calling 732-688-1397. More information about the Mary's Angels team in the Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure is available by visiting www.the3day.org/goto/supportalex. |