Luv’s Brownies launches a dessert truck to celebrate 25 years in organization

Andrea Lacy thinks some problems are blessings in disguise. Situation in place: Her brownie recipe.

Through her to start with semester at San Jose Point out College, she was baking a thank-you present for a pal and discovered that the dough was thicker than normal. She baked the batch in any case, and they have been a large hit. But when she revisited the brownie recipe later, right after she was identified with dyslexia, she understood she experienced transposed some numbers.

A couple of yrs afterwards, in 1996, when operating at Hewlett-Packard, Andrea released her Luv’s Brownies — the initially web-only bakery, she claims. Many thanks to that recipe and her Seo competencies, the undertaking was an quick mail purchase/shipping and catering accomplishment. In the years since she was initially highlighted in this newspaper, she’s been created up in Ebony, Essence, Black Enterprise, Today’s Black Woman and Each and every Working day with Rachael Ray journals and garnered awards for both her baking and her resilience in the confront of dyslexia.

With the occupied Valentine’s Working day vacation approaching, we talked with Andrea (pronounced Aundrea) about the wheels she purchased for the bakery’s 25th anniversary, her new line of sweet treats and how she’s helping younger people today prevail over their personal challenges.

Q: How did you take care of your dyslexia and come to be a thriving entrepreneur?

A: Dyslexia doesn’t slow me down. SJSU gave me the resources to be prosperous. They furnished guidance on how to manage myself. Around the a long time, I have made a toolbox of approaches, discovered to make lodging.

Q: Whose kitchen area know-how impressed you? 

A: My father was an remarkable cook dinner. He was a magician, and we never experienced the identical food 2 times. He taught me the worth of cooking and freezing. I’m frugal very little at any time goes to squander.

Q: Do you even now use that transposed recipe? And what good high quality did it give to your brownies?  

A: Sure. It’s double the chocolate, and buyers can convey to. Our brownies are greatest served heat. The types off the truck are served warm at residence, 5 to 10 seconds in the microwave.

Q: Why the heart shape as an alternative of a regular square?  

A: I named my business enterprise immediately after my childhood doll. Her title is LUV. I nonetheless have her.

Q: You hand out Grit Award scholarships. Who are they meant to honor and support? 

A: The Grit Award is for pupils who have shown tenacity in conquering issues and who now would like to construct on their achievement by pursuing better training or vocational teaching.

Candidates need to have a track file of local community support as perfectly as shown economic will need. The scholarship may be utilized for a four-12 months college, junior school or vocational faculty.

A portion of every Luv’s Brownies obtain goes toward the Grit Award. The scholarship foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Q: Why, at 12 months 25, did you make a decision to invest in a new set of wheels? 

A: I was not certain how to roll out my products offerings. So I interviewed two foodstuff truck manufacturers. One particular business uncovered a applied, gutted truck. That is when I realized I was on the suitable path. I saved and scraped alongside one another the income for generation and the Luv’s Brownies “wrap.” Prior to my eyes, I had a new menu and a new line of enterprise.

Q: What goodies are you offering from the dessert truck? 

A: We’re serving refreshing-baked brownies as Luv Bites, Luv Pops on a stick, ice cream sandwiches, brownie cones and residence-created waffle cone sundaes with brownies and household-made caramel. And Cafe Cubano coffee beverages (my delivery mother is Cuban) and Chocolate Caliente with heart-formed marshmallows.

Q: What other brownie flavors or specialties do you provide for delivery or mail order?

A: On the FAQ on our website we listing 14 flavors, which includes coconut-caramel, peanut butter, rocky highway, s’mores, sugar-no cost and gluten-cost-free.

Q: Who are some of your most important purchasers?

A: I have been blessed to promote brownies at the San Jose Giants baseball stadium for 10 seasons.

Q: What’s the craziest purchase you have ever received?

A: Men applied to give me specific things to put in the reward basket with the brownies. I’ll allow your creativity just take it from there!