4 Questions: Heavenly Crumbs

Shannon Pridgen, owner of , 355 Franklin Avenue, between Greene and Lexington Avenues, Bklyn, NY

Open 6 years.

Four Questions:

#1. What do you sell?

A: Heavenly Crumbs is a boutique bakery, offering specialty cupcakes, cakes, refined American, excellent product and great service. Anything imaginable, we can create-- any flavor, any combination you want, we can put together. The latest popular thing people are asking for is pralines and cream. It’s kind of complicated, but it tastes just like ice cream inside your cake, but it’s all frosting. It takes all day to make, but it’s absolutely delicious.

#2. What sparked your interest in this particular field?

A: I’ve always been a baker since I was young. My grandmother taught me. But even with that, baking is a field of study, and so anything you do and want to do well, you have to study. I studied at New York Tech and the Institute of Culinary Education. Natural ability is fine, but it only takes you so far, and if you’re really serious about any craft, you honor it by becoming a student of that craft. I read somewhere you don’t master a recipe until you do it 1,000 times. And it’s true.

#3. From a business owner’s perspective, what is your impression of Bedford-Stuyvesant?

A: It’s a beautiful thing to be able to serve your community and give them something nice where they don’t have to go outside of the community. We recently did the cakes on the cover of Glamour Magazine for the New Year’s Eve edition with the Kardashians on the cover. Our cakes were featured in that whole photo spread. We’ve been in Paper Magazine, too. So it’s nice to be able to offer the community access to something that’s high quality right in your own community.

#4. Can you share something interesting about yourself or the store?

A: When you walk in the door, what we really try to do is understand your palate. Like chocolate berry, you have to like the combination of the acidity of fruit paired with chocolate. So we like to take our time, understand your palate, and then help you pick out what you would enjoy the most.