Spending time baking in the kitchen can be a great bonding activity. For Kelly Castro and her son, Carson, making cookie dough helped them get through the COVID lockdown. In fact, baking is a form of occupational and speech therapy for Carson, who is on the autism spectrum. Now, their bonding activity has grown into Just A Taste of New Jersey Bakery in Fair Lawn.
“We made so much cookie dough that we couldn’t possibly eat it all,” Kelly recalls. “So we started delivering it to friends and neighbors, ready for them to bake in their homes.”
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Starting a Family Business
Of course, their cookie dough was a hit, becoming the inspiration for starting Just A Taste of New Jersey. Kelly immediately wanted the company to employ differently-abled people, and a cookie dough business was ideal. She envisioned how creating the dough could be broken down into several smaller tasks including labeling and packaging. “These smaller tasks could include jobs for all abilities, so it was the perfect fit,” she says.
The bakery is the home base of Carson’s Cookie Dough. The 800-square foot space sells both baked cookies and cookie dough kits. Their signature kits come with 10 frozen cookie dough balls, parchment paper, and baking instructions. Cookie dough goes straight from the freezer to the oven. All Carson’s Cookie Dough products are made from scratch on-site in their commercial kitchen. But their use of wholesome ingredients gives each cookie a homemade taste.
A Bakery with a Mission
A Taste of New Jersey currently works with adult programs for ages 18-21 from local school districts. They also partner with volunteers from local organizations. The bakery offers accommodations including instructions and diagrams so differently-abled people can be successful in the shop or kitchen.
The space boasts a cheerful décor and vibe. Their front window features a quote about differing abilities, which they switch out periodically. For instance, one quote by Kelly’s longtime friend Alysia Steinmann reads “Different is not less; it’s just different.” Likewise, the walls feature artwork by George Levine, a young artist with ADHD.
Besides cookies and cookie dough kits, Just a Taste of New Jersey also sells a curated selection of products. This includes coffee from Ethan & the Bean, popcorn from Popcorn for the People, and socks from John’s Crazy Socks. They also carry honey from Pony Power Therapies and dog bones from Holy Bones. What these brands all have in common is a mission to support differently-abled adults. “It’s one-stop shopping to support several of these brands at one time,” Kelly explains.
Prior to opening Just A Taste, Kelly was torn between attending culinary school or studying accounting. She decided to go into corporate finance, where she met her husband. “Life has come full circle, and I now combine my business background and love of baking,” she says. “I can’t believe I have this bakery. And the fact that it’s a bakery for differently-abled adults is even better.”
Visit Just a Taste of New Jersey at 25-05 Broadway in Fair Lawn. Look for them online to learn more.
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All Photos: © Kelly Castro