Who am I

Hi! My name is Rosaria. I have been baking ever since I can remember.

My home bakery, Cherry Street Treats, gets its name from my Nana who was the family’s avid baker. Her home, located on Cherry Street, was a time capsule filed with cookbooks and her handwritten recipes on any scrap of paper she may find. My passion for baking in part stems from her, so thank you Nana.

I come from a family that values tradition and the importance of food, despite their different approaches to food. My mother’s side is Italian and is rooted more so in cooking, especially seafood, while my father’s side is Irish and rooted more in baking. One of my earliest memories is baking my family’s Italian Christmas cookies with my mom and stirring the wooden spoon, a special recipe which I bake every Christmas Eve. Growing up in a small Massachusetts town, I grew to love farmers market visits and seeing where my food is coming from. My bakery menu has nods to classic New England staples and family recipes mixed with longtime favorite recipes and current creations.

A passion for food led me to earn my Master’s in Food Studies from New York University, where I studied elements of food and our food system as a whole. My thesis project was a cookbook proposal, which showcased family recipes and food traditions which I’ve always carried with me. Prior to that, my undergraduate degree in Public Relations, allowed me to tap into my creative digital tools and event planning. I have previously worked in food and travel public relations for an array of hospitality clients.

Having a Restaurant Management certificate from the Institute of Culinary Education, led me to form a business plan for my dream of opening a bakery/ café/ speciality food shop one day. I have previously worked in numerous small, family run food businesses, where I loved connecting with customers and learning the backend of food businesses.

I am so excited to see what joy comes from having my New York State Home Processor Bakery permit, and being one step closer to my bakery dream.