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BARK BOMBS OFFER THE ULTIMATE SUGAR EXPLOSION Local cooking instructor launches a line of sweet treats Like many people, Maggie Norris changed her business and her life as a result of the pandemic. Norris owns Whisked Away Cooking School, where she teaches cooking classes in her home. “With the pandemic shutdown, I couldn’t bring students into my home,” Norris said. “The silver lining of COVID for me was spending more time with my family.” As COVID restrictions lifted, Norris was enjoying the balance in her life and cut back to three cooking classes a week. She had a drive to continue to be creative and share her love of cooking. In early 2022, Bark Bombs was born, inspired by Halloween bark made by Norris’s mother-in-law. Norris created some bark treats for her daughter’s school and launched the business in time for Valentine’s Day. “I wanted to do something new, and working on Bark Bombs gave me the same fire and desire as when Whisked Away started in 2009,” Norris said. “I enjoy having a creative outlet during the day and spending time with my family in the evening.” Bark Bombs are made with Ghirardelli white chocolate, Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate, Oreos, pretzels, M&Ms and sprinkles. There is a peanut butter version with peanut butter chips, peanut butter M&Ms and Nutter Butter cookies. Norris also creates Bark Bombs for holidays and events. “We’ve had great feedback so far,” Norris said. “People love chocolate but are looking for something unique. Bark Bombs are a very versatile product for gifts, holidays and events.” Launching a product business was a new experience for Norris. “Bark Bombs is totally different than running a cooking school,” she said. “There was a definite learning curve with social media tools, packaging and production.” To spread the word about her new product line, Norris promoted Bark Bombs on social media, sent emails to her Whisked Away database and partnered with Instagram influencers. Norris is still learning and shares some advice with new business owners. “It is so exciting to start a new business, but it can be overwhelming, so I had to set boundaries,” she said. “I also learned that it’s OK to not be perfect at the start. Give yourself grace to let the business evolve.” Norris is excited about the future of Bark Bombs and plans to launch new products for summer. “I’m taking it day by day,” she said. “I see a lot of potential for growth, and I have so many ideas.” To learn more, visit barkbombs.square.site . KITCHEN DOORS { let’s eat } Photo courtesy of Life Created Photo courtesy of Maggie Norris FRONTDOORS MEDIA | 63 | MAY/JUN 2022