January 3, 2025 • 31 mins
What if the secret to spreading love was as simple as baking a pie?
In this episode, we visit Sweetie-Licious Bakery in DeWitt, Michigan, where Linda Hundt turned her passion for baking into a mission of joy and connection. From battling personal struggles to earning national acclaim, Linda’s story is proof that love can be baked into every bite. Join us as we uncover the heartwarming journey behind Sweetie-Licious and the legacy Linda is creating, one pie at a time.
What you'll discover in this episode:
- The life-changing moment that led Linda to embrace her calling.
- How Sweetie-Licious grew from a farmhouse porch to a nationally recognized bakery.
- The powerful connection between food, tradition, and community.
Tune in for a slice of inspiration, baked fresh from the heart!
Links:
Sweetie Licious Bakery Website: Click here
Subscribe to our Email Newsletter: https://totalmichigan.com/join/
Find us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/totalmichigan
Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@totalmichigan
Show Notes:
00:00 Introduction
01:24 Linda's Background and Education
03:57 The Love for Baking Begins
05:15 Family Influence and Early Baking Memories
12:50 The Turning Point: From Politics to Pies
18:06 Starting the Pie Business
19:44 Challenges and Triumphs
25:20 Legacy and Family
28:43 Connecting
30:43 Conclusion
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery (00:00):
I never thought I was good at anything.
(00:01):
I never thought I was special.
and that's one reason I love to sharethis story to, to let you know that if
I'm special at something, so are you.
And it doesn't mean youhave to open a pie shop.
But it does mean that youare gifted and that God gives
us these gifts for a reason.
Cliff Duvernois (00:20):
Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Total Michigan, where
we interview ordinary people doingsome pretty extraordinary things.
I'm your host, Cliff Duvernois.
Today I am sitting outside ofLansing in the ridiculously
cute little town of DeWitt.
And for today, I was very excitedthat she agreed to be on the show
because as a little kid, one of mymost favorite desserts in the world
(00:43):
was when my mom would bake pie.
And come to find out we've got anational champion of a pie maker here
who started a bakery who's got anincredible story to share with us.
So she has actually won the FoodNetwork Pie Challenge as well as the
Crisco National Pie Championship.
She has been featured in USA Today, Foodand Wine Magazine, and just about every
(01:04):
other periodical that is out there.
And we're going to talk all about that.
ladies and gentlemen, please welcome theowner of Sweetielicious Bakery and Cafe.
That would be Linda Hunt.
Linda, how are you?
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: I'm good, Cliff. (01:15):
undefined
Thank
Cliff Duvernois (01:17):
I I might just say that intro again.
That is just absolutely incredible.
Okay.
so let's get to the good stuff.
Tell me, where are you from?
Where did you grow up?
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: I live in DeWitt, just a (01:27):
undefined
mere five minutes away.
In a little, cute little farmhouse.
And, I grew up in Lansing.
So just 15 minutes away.
And I went to Michigan State.
And that was another 15 minutes away.
So I have not, we are too farfrom where I was born actually.
My, I have a twin sister.
(01:48):
And she's lived all over the world.
I'm just your basic little pie maker.
Laughter
What did you study at Michigan State?
Education.
Elementary Ed.
Yeah.
But that was back when therewere no jobs in the mid 80s.
Everybody that I graduated withmoved to like California and Texas.
And, I always wanted to be closeto my family, as they aged.
(02:11):
and just to enjoy them and all of that.
So I ended up in politics of allthings, just because it was a full
time job, and I knew I wanted children.
And so I hated everysecond of being there.
Although it's not, it was nothing likeit is now, that was over 30 years ago.
but the people were amazing, andstill some of my dearest friends.
(02:36):
And I have a lot of folks thatstill come in here, from those days,
Cliff Duvernois (02:38):
Now, why did you decide to go into education?
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: My parents, my mom was a (02:42):
undefined
high school English teacher.
My dad was elementary school principal.
My grandmas and aunts wereone room school teachers.
My brother was a teacher.
my twin
Cliff Duvernois (02:53):
So it's clearly in your
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: It's clearly in my family. (02:54):
undefined
That and pie baking, And cookingand baking in general really.
yeah,
Cliff Duvernois (02:59):
Certainly.
And then, So you get your, you get,you got your degree in education,
but you started working in politics?
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: Because there were no jobs here. (03:06):
undefined
Ah.
So I did not want, I had no desire tomove, to Dallas, Texas, or anything like
that, and, which is where they were.
So I, so yeah, I just found, justlike we all do, sometimes the
path that you want isn't exactly,God's plan and God's path for you.
that was the first, big lightningbolt that happened to me early on
(03:29):
that, because, honestly, you canlook at it like, Oh, I hate politics.
Why am I here?
Or I can look at it like, Oh, mygosh, the people are wonderful.
And, I have a job with benefit,all the other good things, which is
what I chose to do for a long time.
and then it, I knew that there was.
Something else.
Cliff Duvernois (03:46):
Indeed.
And
we're going to talk about that.
Because dying of curiousity.
So you actually got into pie baking or
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: baking in general (03:57):
undefined
Yeah, yep.
Cliff Duvernois (03:57):
Yeah, talk to us about that.
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: Yeah, my twin sister and I, I think (03:58):
undefined
it was 1968, could have been 1969.
We got an easy bakeoven, the turquoise one.
I think kids are still getting them.
I know my granddaughter has one, so yeah.
And I was just mesmerized.
And, I have three older brothers.
And I always tell this story.
And it's so true.
I didn't, you know how they had the littlebrownie pack, and you had the light bulb,
(04:23):
and you would look, and everything smelledgreat, and it tasted good, as a kid.
You need any type of baked goods Exactly.
And I remember my three brothers comingout of nowhere and saying what's that?
what's baking?
What's happening?
And, and we would, I remember my mom,would be burning hot from that light bulb.
And my mom cutting itin five little pieces.
(04:45):
And my brothers were nice to me, for thefirst time, for the first time in my life.
And I really, I really at a young agereally realized the love, and probably
with my brothers more so appreciation,for, For baking and giving, I'm,
I love to give it away if I can.
You know what I mean?
I love to be able to,to make people happy.
(05:06):
that's what always been my quest in life.
And, so it all just came together,full stop at one point, that this
is what I need to do full time,
Cliff Duvernois (05:15):
Now, was your mother a baker?
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: Oh, yeah. (05:16):
undefined
Oh, they all were.
My Aunt Margie, My cookbookhas all the stories about it.
And I really wanted, and I know I'mprobably jumping around here, but
this, each of the pies have a story.
I wanted to, pay tribute to, these people,whether they were school teachers, or
secretaries, or stay at home moms, orpresidents of corporations, whatever it
(05:38):
was, that their lives were, importantand worthy for, baking and cooking
and making meals and making familydinners and traditions important.
And that's what I grew up on andwhat I wanted to continue doing, not
only for all my customers, but therewas all sorts of ways to do that.
(06:00):
And that's why kind of thedifferent media things took off.
Because I feel that's, a reallyimportant tenet in life that
sometimes gets forgotten betweensoccer games and cell phones and
all the things that can distract usfrom the real essentials of life,
Cliff Duvernois (06:18):
things took So, you're a little girl, you're experiencing mom,
grandma, and Aunt Margie, baking away.
So what is maybe like some of the, whenthey're teaching you, what is some of the
key pieces of advice that they gave you?
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery (06:33):
maybe like I Margie's farm and, my twin sister
would stay a week there and we literallywere like Tom Sawyer painting the fence
and doing the whole farm life, feeding thechickens and same with my Grandma Farrell.
And they were the, so farm life and thatI was very, I knew that was my dream.
And then professionally baking was itwas not anything that entered my life
(06:57):
at a young age, but I was certainlyinfluenced my I remember mom having, pies.
She's always baking pies.
And I remember there we'd get homefrom school and again, she was
a high school English teacher.
So she wasn't there right away, andI remember there'd be this pie in
the refrigerator that said do noteat For church circle tonight, and
I'm like no way I always said, Ialways when I teach baking classes
(07:20):
or whatever television whenever doingalways bake two pies You know what?
Never one.
Because someone else needs that.
And anyway, so that was,it was always around.
We always had Sunday dinnersafter church, we had all of those.
But one of the, I think, ofthe big catalysts really was, I
married my high school sweetheart.
And he, we were talking aboutcoconut cream pie was his favorite.
(07:42):
We were, I was probably 19 or so.
And, I was gonna bake him hisfavorite meal and have a picnic.
And, I remember trying to make this crust.
I was independent.
And mom had, of course,gazillion cookbooks.
And she was teaching afterschool, she wasn't home yet.
And I was just in tears,because my crust wasn't working.
And, And I wanted to make this pie andhave it be super special for my boyfriend
(08:06):
at the time, she walked me throughit, And, I, just the little things.
Like the crust doesn't have to be perfect.
It doesn't have to be this pizza dough,You can piece it and make it together.
And then when you put it in, you don'tknow it and it's like a perfect pie.
There's so many things about,just the analogy of pies, in life.
That really...
or real and true, that, the crust andall the wonderful flavors inside, are
(08:31):
another testament of, the more the better,I always fill the pies to the very top.
So we're not being scant in the senseof, you need to live your life really
full, and, I, I just think, her, she wasalways, a perfectionist cook and baker.
But she also never used recipes.
And and there was always somethingdelicious, on the stove, even if
(08:52):
she had conferences or whatever.
And I just really felt, super,super connected to that.
When mom would get, her Good Housekeepingmagazines, Family Circle, Country Living,
all of it, I would get it before she did.
And I remember being 10 yearsold and going, Family Circle used
to have a menu in the middle.
It was like a papermenu of the whole month.
(09:13):
And I would cross thingsoff and put things.
And then I just started experimentingwith flavors and Just, I always loved
trying to make, a lot of our, all of ourthings here are based on vintage recipes.
Whether it be my own orfrom vintage cookbooks.
And then, My job, I thought,is to, aren't we always trying
(09:34):
to make the next generation
better than we are in some way, right?
We want them to be, I don't, I guessbetter may be the wrong word, but
enriched, and have a richer life, notin money, but, or as rich as possible.
As we have and blessedand all of those things.
So I always thought it was my jobthat they, these pioneers of cookbooks
(09:59):
from the turn of the century.
I even have a couple of those,that I based some of these on.
But I wanted to make them my own, too, andI wanted to make them even more flavorful
and even, better than, so I reallyexperimented with that and kept doing that
until I was called to have my own pie shop
Cliff Duvernois (10:18):
Sure, and before when you're talking about cookbooks, I was
just thinking that one of my mom's mostprized possessions is like a Betty Crocker
cookbook that has been used so many times.
The pages
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery (10:30):
are
falling.
Yes,
it's
got
the
red
yes, That's one of my all time favorites.
Yes.
Actually, yeah, that, is actuallya better home and garden.
And then the Betty Crocker is just thered, not to get technical with you,
but I have the, I have, no, because thebetter, is the red and white chalked.
Cause that's the one I, my highschool girls when they graduate
(10:52):
and they go on to college, I alwaysget the reproduction one like that.
You can still buy it.
Oh, really?
Yeah, because you can't beat therhubarb pie, the bread and butter
pickles in there, are still someof my scalloped potatoes, yeah.
Cliff Duvernois (11:05):
we're going to have a hard time stopping this interview.
I can tell that right now becauseI absolutely love this topic.
for our audience, we're going to takea quick break and thank our sponsors.
When we come back, we're going totalk about Linda's meteoric rise.
And, when it comes to, baking pies,we'll see you after the break.
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(12:11):
Hello, everyone, and welcome back to TotalMichigan, where we talk to ordinary people
doing some pretty extraordinary things.
I'm your host, Cliff Duvernois.
Today, we're talking withLinda Hunt, owner of the
Sweetielicious Bakery and Cafe.
Linda, before the break, wewere talking a lot about pie.
And I am so hungry right now.
the question that I got for you is,when we left off on your life's journey,
(12:32):
that you had gotten your degree ineducation, you were now working in
politics, you had a full time job.
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: children (12:37):
undefined
Cliff Duvernois (12:38):
With children now?
Yes, you married yourhigh school sweetheart.
idyllic.
Benny?
Any stretch of the imagination?
anybody would just be like,perfectly content with that.
But, something came up.
Why don't you share with usabout what was happening?
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: out of nowhere, I got depression. (12:50):
undefined
And it back then, I'm so gladthat it's talked about now.
And we just, no, it's still mental health.
No mental health monthwas September, I believe.
but.
But back then you didn'treally talk about it.
So I certainly didn't share.
And I was always known, and still am,as the happy one, and the positive one.
(13:12):
And I, that's who I felt who I was.
So this was like this slapon my face when it came.
Slap on my face.
in bed bawling my eyesout of feeling unworthy.
Unworthy of God's love andworthy of anyone's love.
And, especially his, and, so I wouldsneak to therapy on, my lunch break.
(13:37):
And, so no one knew and Ijust, my family didn't know.
I didn't want them to have any burdenof, so would cry on your way to
work and cry in the shower and allthe typical things that one does.
But one day, I have, and still do,a stack on my nightstand filled with
(13:59):
cookbooks and spiritual books, bible,every kind of spiritual, but just,
poetry, just everything that inspiresme, And I had read this particular
one my friend had sent me, and it wasbasically saying faith is, and all
the wonderful things that faith is.
And one of them had said, and I had readthis book many times, and read this quote.
But I'm going to butcher it, but itsaid something like, pain is knowing
(14:22):
That, all the pain in your life is alla part of God's perfect plan for you.
The minute that I read that, Igot this warm, it was a flood.
Yet it was slow.
this flood of warmth and love that wentfrom my toes all the way to my heart.
(14:49):
Through my body and the messagewas you are loved and special.
And you need to love people.
And I can't, it didn't say the masses.
But it was very clear, that's thecool thing about the Holy Spirit.
I.
Just even saying it in words,it doesn't seem worthy.
(15:11):
But I always get teary when ithappened, because I can't believe
to this day that happened to me.
little me.
Cliff Duvernois (15:17):
Like God reached down and touched you.
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: Yeah, in such a way. (15:18):
undefined
And when that happened, all ofthese, and he had tried giving, these
little hints to me all this time.
And I just ignored them.
I just didn't even put them togetherof, and when it happened, it was almost
like flashing your life and all thethings like a puzzle piece or I always
(15:41):
refer to it as One of those things thenumber things where you when you're
a kid and you connect the numbers.
That's exactly what it felt like.
Every single things like flash inmy life of what was important to me.
But not only that I had gifts.
I never thought I was good at anything.
I never thought I was special.
I never thought that, and that's onereason I love to share this story to
(16:04):
people to, to let you know that if I'mspecial at something, so are you, and it
doesn't mean you have to open a pie shop.
But it does mean that youare gifted and that God gives
us these gifts for a reason.
So when that happened,I never turned back.
I had to quit my job.
(16:25):
All of this was a huge financial burden.
but I knew that when I connected thedots, that, I didn't say this and I
forgot to say it, but on my honeymoon in1985, we were at a pie shop in Cape Cod.
And I said aloud to my husband,this is a dream of mine someday.
(16:49):
But I never ever thought I'd get there.
Because back then, when you graduated backthen, if you were to own a business, you
obviously had to go to business school,
That was really what was, exactly,that's what it was taught.
I never ever thought I wasever smart enough to do this.
and I never thought that I was,whatever, this would ever really happen.
But when the Holy Spirit talksto you, then you don't give up.
(17:11):
So that's where my drive came from.
I don't have to say inmy shop, God loves you.
I just hope that they getthat when they walk in.
From not only the aromas, the smellsand the food itself, but the people
that wait on you, the smiles, thegenuineness, but that's all love,
(17:33):
and I've had so many stories.
I wish I would have writtenanother book on that.
How that, has made adifference in people's lives.
Our little teeny pie shop.
And again, we're not moving mountains.
We're just, moving little hills.
And, but that's all any of us need to do.
You know what I
Cliff Duvernois (17:52):
Sure.
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery (17:53):
So
Cliff Duvernois (17:53):
So.
you've had this experiencewith God, you've had this
epiphany, you've quit your job.
Now you're going all in on pies.
Now did you open up your store thenor did you run it on your home.
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: ran it out of her little farmhouse. (18:06):
undefined
I had a little actually That pie safeover there was on my back porch, and I
had an old refrigerator just like that.
And I had a little bucket, and people usedto, feed my chickens and wander around.
If I wasn't there, they wouldjust put the money in the bucket.
I started the farm market here as well.
And so I did it at the farmmarket and high end restaurants.
(18:27):
And these are those things,like I would have to call
these really nice restaurants.
With, asking God to help me, to say,drop off a pie, are you interested?
The whole media thing, I would,there was a radio personality here.
And he, I went to his office and brought apie and I said I had this brilliant idea.
The ideas were, like, crazy.
(18:49):
The thoughts and concepts and pierecipes would never stop in my mind.
I had a really hard time sleeping andevery morning, woke up just energized to
do this, and get this opportunity, likewhen you ask, you know what my story is.
And, and we talked about Godprior to us talking right now.
(19:11):
And you ask if I'd mind if I shared.
And I said, I want to share.
when I have this opportunity, I likepeople to know, like what I just
said, that we're all important, we'reall a part of his plan, which is
sometimes really painful and hard.
But, just opening the door for somebody,acting, lovely to somebody, buying
them a cookie, that happens all thetime here, people are constantly buying
(19:33):
things, just like before when we gothere, they're, yeah, you I think,
when you have that kind of energybehind you, it, it just can't stop.
There's so many times that we almostdidn't make it not only through
COVID, but our, we were supposedto do QVC and the all planned.
I went to QVC school in Philadelphia,to make sure I was good for television.
(19:57):
It was supposed to be our big break.
And then the freezer broke downthe night before with all 900 pies.
And I asked God, right then I said, Idon't know if I can keep doing this.
I remember, cause I had to call QVC.
And of course, I didn't have enoughmoney to pay for any of that.
So I'm like, where are wegoing to get this money?
And weirdly, every single time I wouldget a weird inheritance from, I'm
(20:21):
not kidding you, a weird inheritance.
Or somebody would, somebody from thestate or something would stop by and
say, Hey, you might really apply for,you need to apply for this grant.
I don't know if you know about it.
But every single time.
And so I've always known that God wantsus to continue no matter what, and I
love, we get to the people that work here.
(20:43):
They just, everyone always said,how do you get these people?
I had this gentleman.
we do the Capital Farm Market, andhe ran across the capital lawn.
You're not even supposed to do that.
And he came up to me and said, I'vebeen trying to, talk to you for years.
He said, how do you do it?
How do you?
Every time I go into your shop,everyone's so delightful, and the food
(21:04):
is so good, and how, what are you doing?
the atmosphere, what?
And I said, that truly is a partof God's plan for me, they come to
me and then they love what they do.
And they, so it's been this, themedia, I know you talked about that.
that was the I would knock on doors,so the radio personality, I went
(21:25):
in with a pie and said, I had thisreally good idea that I'll tell a
story about a pie, and then yourlisteners have to guess what pie it is.
And they would call in, andI had a little pink princess
phone, do you remember those?
So that was my phone at the time.
And I would crawl down there.
And I had a big sign up hereon the case, the pie case, that
(21:45):
said, I'll be right with you.
I'm on live radio show.
and, The people would come in.
And then from that gig,I would get others.
I would go to the television peopleand say, from Grand Rapids in Detroit,
we didn't really have a local one.
And then they liked it.
And then that's how I won the21 first places at the Crisco
(22:06):
National Pie Championship.
I hated competing.
I hate competing.
I hate it.
But I knew I had to do that formore people to know who we were,
because it is a destination.
It was designed as a destination.
Not everyone flies by, Dewitt everyday, but that allowed more people to
come for me to share love with people,and then once you get, You know the
(22:29):
Steve Harvey found out about us.
And then he you know the we won thebest pie in Michigan Detroit Free Press.
We're Mitt Romney came And then we did wewere on the front of the New York Times,
and the Washington Post and William SonomaI used to get that catalog all the time.
I'm like what a dream You know I wouldlove to be able to have my pies, and
(22:51):
then they called me up and said youknow We would love to have your pies,
which ended up being a nightmare.
I know, because, but it was a, soit's all one thing leads to another.
The cookbook, I really worked,I've always dreamed, because
cookbooks were my favorite.
My mom had gazillion.
And, I always dreamed of writing one,and so I, back then, again, it's not
(23:13):
like it is now, where you can't evenfind out who, literary agents are.
so I'd go in the back of cookbooksI liked and try to find out who they
were and I would write them and lotsand lots of no's and then out of
nowhere someone believed in me, And sothen I had my cookbook of my dreams.
And then that won theMichigan Notable Book Award.
And so then, honestly, it,when I look back at it's hard
(23:37):
to believe that's happened.
But I think when you have astrong purpose, then things, and
you're true about it, obviouslyit's not about the money for me,
because there's not any money.
Cliff Duvernois (23:53):
Smiles
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: but we pay our bills, And I get to meet (23:54):
undefined
people from all over, just like you Cliff.
And I get to the stories that I've hadwith people have just been unbelievable
that it would never have happened.
and the best part, to be honest,is people take these pies and their
cookies or whatever it is, all over.
(24:14):
I hear it all the time.
This is going to our reunion in Kentucky.
This Thanksgiving pie is going to Denver.
people take them on planes,people take them everywhere.
And that, That piece of pieis part of all of our legacy,
the pies that we grew up on.
There's nothing, we don't putanything artificial in them.
It is exactly like your momor your grandma, your aunt
(24:37):
or your wife or whoever.
That's what they taste like.
That's why everyone loves it.
Cause because they're.
It's like eating a piece of,I say delicious memories,
And continuing that on.
And, there's, there's gettingless and less of the hometown
bakers around, the bakeries.
(24:58):
So I feel honored honored thatI've been able to do this.
Cliff Duvernois (25:02):
And I know we just covered a lot right there, talking
about, you starting your shop,getting out there, all the different
opportunities that have become as of it.
I'm taking advantage ofthat, which is extraordinary.
I wish we had more timeto go into all that.
But I do.
You made the comment.
I want to explore that for a little bit.
Because you've now been in thisparticular location for how many years,
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: It'll be 19 next month. (25:24):
undefined
Cliff Duvernois (25:25):
19 next month.
You were talking beforeabout the hometown bakers.
talk to us a little bit about the legacy
that's here.
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: My daughter Ellie started doing (25:32):
undefined
the pies with me when she was 12.
We did our first wedding acrossthe street at their farmhouse.
And, granddaughter was getting married.
I have a picture of it somewhere.
and she, graduated from Michigan Statein 2000 something, in food science.
And so she went to work for MarieCallender and has the little pies and
(25:57):
little cakes that are in your freezer.
She developed and Banquetand, she came back.
She ended up marrying a, local guy,which my daughter just married.
His brother.
So it's sisters marrying brothers.
It's the cutest
thing.
It
Cliff Duvernois (26:13):
old fashioned right there.
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery (26:15):
is.
Oh, and they're justsuch a delightful family.
So blessed.
But, so she ended up doing that.
And I had some health issues.
And, she ended up taking over.
And, it was a gradual thing.
And.
I've often told her, I said, she couldbe making four times what she makes
here, literally, as a food scientist.
(26:36):
And, I said, I never want you to everfeel like George Bailey in It's a
Wonderful life, that you have to do this.
Because, no big deal, Ican close shop, sell it.
I just don't want you to everfeel this is a burden to you.
And, she told me with,we're, I was crying about it.
(26:56):
I don't remember how we got on thesubject and She started crying and
she said mom, but this is my dream,too You know, you might have started
it, but I want to continue it.
You know, I have lots of thingsthat I want to do different.
I want to finish writing your cookbooks,you know I want to write the cookie one.
And all of those things.
I can't get over how Blessed Iam, and what a wonderful spin
(27:20):
she's doing on things herself.
Making it her own.
At the same time, we have all theregular goodies are still here.
And we would never change that.
at the same time as well, she's adding,wonderful spins on things and adding
new cookies and adding youth, anddifferent, through Instagram and all
(27:41):
sorts of different kinds of social medialike that, bringing different people
in and celebrating different holidaysthat I wouldn't have even thought of.
It's a absolutely beautiful thing, andI can't believe how blessed I am that
it will continue, for, during COVID.
I didn't know if we were gonna survive.
people rallied around and kept coming in.
And even with the prices goingup with everything, people
(28:03):
are still willing to do that.
And I know I keep saying the wordblessed, but I am really blessed.
I'm really blessed that it's stillhere, and that Ellie will be able
to So now, I she has two kids.
So I get to be grandma.
I get to be homemaker.
And I get to still come up here.
I'm the runner.
I still bake pies andthat kind of thing too.
Today I did dishes.
(28:23):
But I get to greet everybodywithout pies burning.
I used to always be out heretalking and there'd be pies burning
in the Not literally, but I didburn some lemon meringues once.
I will say that.
But I get to greet everybody, whichis one of my favorite things and
just talk to people and enjoy them.
Cliff Duvernois (28:40):
Sure.
I bet you they reallyappreciate that as well.
Linda, if somebody'slistening to this episode.
And they want to come and check out yourawesome smelling bakery, maybe partake
in some of the goodies that are here.
what's the best way forthem to connect to you?
How do they find you?
Instagram
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: we're Instagram people, which (28:56):
undefined
I know not everybody's on.
But I love it because it's more pictures.
Facebook got too political for meand just to and we didn't get as many
people on that as far as business.
so yeah, Instagram.
You get on our website.
You can, you can spend hours on that ifyou want to get into all the pie stories.
(29:16):
but Yeah, we're in DeWitt.
You can't miss us when you ifyou're looking for downtown DeWitt.
Yeah, I used to have arunner that would run.
It was 20 miles.
He would run here.
And he was trying to lose weight.
And he said he would keep going aroundthe building over and over smell
all the food at five in the morningbecause that's, that's our bakers hour.
(29:39):
So that's when pies were really rough,wafting through the whole neighborhood.
Yeah, we love, our hours are 7.
30 to 2 during the week.
And 8 to 2 on Saturdays.
And we also have lunch.
People love our lunches.
homemade everything,my mom's chicken salad.
Cliff Duvernois (29:54):
I see I got quiche on the menu.
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: you got quiche quiches. (29:56):
undefined
I think we made 10 today for folks.
all different kinds of quiche.
And that's an, oh, theflavors are just amazing.
And, yeah, we have.
We have.
I have this one.
These two gentlemen.
One comes from Metro Detroitand one comes from Holland.
And they've I think they've beenhere for started coming 18 years ago.
(30:17):
So they meet here and somehowthey saw me on TV of some sort,
and they've come here ever since.
And it's just been such a joy to see them.
So we have a lot of people that,just love to come sit around.
Listen to Frank Sinatra music.
I have, I also listen to Bing.
we listen to anything old.
and then, just enjoy the clitter clatterof dishes and all the wonderful aromas
(30:41):
that come from an old fashioned bakery,
Cliff Duvernois (30:43):
And for our audience, we'll make sure to have all those
links in the show notes down below.
Linda, no pun intended.
it's been a treat havingyou on the show today.
I really appreciate it.
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: No pun intended. (30:52):
undefined
You're so sweet, Cliff.
Cliff Duvernois (30:56):
And for our audience roll on over to Total Michigan, you can
click on Linda's interview and get allthe information she mentioned there.
Join us next week when wetalk to Michigander doing some
pretty extraordinary things.
We'll see you then.
I never thought I was good at anything.
(00:01):
I never thought I was special.
and that's one reason I love to sharethis story to, to let you know that if
I'm special at something, so are you.
And it doesn't mean youhave to open a pie shop.
But it does mean that youare gifted and that God gives
us these gifts for a reason.
Cliff Duvernois (00:20):
Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Total Michigan, where
we interview ordinary people doingsome pretty extraordinary things.
I'm your host, Cliff Duvernois.
Today I am sitting outside ofLansing in the ridiculously
cute little town of DeWitt.
And for today, I was very excitedthat she agreed to be on the show
because as a little kid, one of mymost favorite desserts in the world
(00:43):
was when my mom would bake pie.
And come to find out we've got anational champion of a pie maker here
who started a bakery who's got anincredible story to share with us.
So she has actually won the FoodNetwork Pie Challenge as well as the
Crisco National Pie Championship.
She has been featured in USA Today, Foodand Wine Magazine, and just about every
(01:04):
other periodical that is out there.
And we're going to talk all about that.
ladies and gentlemen, please welcome theowner of Sweetielicious Bakery and Cafe.
That would be Linda Hunt.
Linda, how are you?
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: I'm good, Cliff. (01:15):
undefined
Thank
Cliff Duvernois (01:17):
I I might just say that intro again.
That is just absolutely incredible.
Okay.
so let's get to the good stuff.
Tell me, where are you from?
Where did you grow up?
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: I live in DeWitt, just a (01:27):
undefined
mere five minutes away.
In a little, cute little farmhouse.
And, I grew up in Lansing.
So just 15 minutes away.
And I went to Michigan State.
And that was another 15 minutes away.
So I have not, we are too farfrom where I was born actually.
My, I have a twin sister.
(01:48):
And she's lived all over the world.
I'm just your basic little pie maker.
Laughter
What did you study at Michigan State?
Education.
Elementary Ed.
Yeah.
But that was back when therewere no jobs in the mid 80s.
Everybody that I graduated withmoved to like California and Texas.
And, I always wanted to be closeto my family, as they aged.
(02:11):
and just to enjoy them and all of that.
So I ended up in politics of allthings, just because it was a full
time job, and I knew I wanted children.
And so I hated everysecond of being there.
Although it's not, it was nothing likeit is now, that was over 30 years ago.
but the people were amazing, andstill some of my dearest friends.
(02:36):
And I have a lot of folks thatstill come in here, from those days,
Cliff Duvernois (02:38):
Now, why did you decide to go into education?
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: My parents, my mom was a (02:42):
undefined
high school English teacher.
My dad was elementary school principal.
My grandmas and aunts wereone room school teachers.
My brother was a teacher.
my twin
Cliff Duvernois (02:53):
So it's clearly in your
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: It's clearly in my family. (02:54):
undefined
That and pie baking, And cookingand baking in general really.
yeah,
Cliff Duvernois (02:59):
Certainly.
And then, So you get your, you get,you got your degree in education,
but you started working in politics?
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: Because there were no jobs here. (03:06):
undefined
Ah.
So I did not want, I had no desire tomove, to Dallas, Texas, or anything like
that, and, which is where they were.
So I, so yeah, I just found, justlike we all do, sometimes the
path that you want isn't exactly,God's plan and God's path for you.
that was the first, big lightningbolt that happened to me early on
(03:29):
that, because, honestly, you canlook at it like, Oh, I hate politics.
Why am I here?
Or I can look at it like, Oh, mygosh, the people are wonderful.
And, I have a job with benefit,all the other good things, which is
what I chose to do for a long time.
and then it, I knew that there was.
Something else.
Cliff Duvernois (03:46):
Indeed.
And
we're going to talk about that.
Because dying of curiousity.
So you actually got into pie baking or
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: baking in general (03:57):
undefined
Yeah, yep.
Cliff Duvernois (03:57):
Yeah, talk to us about that.
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: Yeah, my twin sister and I, I think (03:58):
undefined
it was 1968, could have been 1969.
We got an easy bakeoven, the turquoise one.
I think kids are still getting them.
I know my granddaughter has one, so yeah.
And I was just mesmerized.
And, I have three older brothers.
And I always tell this story.
And it's so true.
I didn't, you know how they had the littlebrownie pack, and you had the light bulb,
(04:23):
and you would look, and everything smelledgreat, and it tasted good, as a kid.
You need any type of baked goods Exactly.
And I remember my three brothers comingout of nowhere and saying what's that?
what's baking?
What's happening?
And, and we would, I remember my mom,would be burning hot from that light bulb.
And my mom cutting itin five little pieces.
(04:45):
And my brothers were nice to me, for thefirst time, for the first time in my life.
And I really, I really at a young agereally realized the love, and probably
with my brothers more so appreciation,for, For baking and giving, I'm,
I love to give it away if I can.
You know what I mean?
I love to be able to,to make people happy.
(05:06):
that's what always been my quest in life.
And, so it all just came together,full stop at one point, that this
is what I need to do full time,
Cliff Duvernois (05:15):
Now, was your mother a baker?
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: Oh, yeah. (05:16):
undefined
Oh, they all were.
My Aunt Margie, My cookbookhas all the stories about it.
And I really wanted, and I know I'mprobably jumping around here, but
this, each of the pies have a story.
I wanted to, pay tribute to, these people,whether they were school teachers, or
secretaries, or stay at home moms, orpresidents of corporations, whatever it
(05:38):
was, that their lives were, importantand worthy for, baking and cooking
and making meals and making familydinners and traditions important.
And that's what I grew up on andwhat I wanted to continue doing, not
only for all my customers, but therewas all sorts of ways to do that.
(06:00):
And that's why kind of thedifferent media things took off.
Because I feel that's, a reallyimportant tenet in life that
sometimes gets forgotten betweensoccer games and cell phones and
all the things that can distract usfrom the real essentials of life,
Cliff Duvernois (06:18):
things took So, you're a little girl, you're experiencing mom,
grandma, and Aunt Margie, baking away.
So what is maybe like some of the, whenthey're teaching you, what is some of the
key pieces of advice that they gave you?
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery (06:33):
maybe like I Margie's farm and, my twin sister
would stay a week there and we literallywere like Tom Sawyer painting the fence
and doing the whole farm life, feeding thechickens and same with my Grandma Farrell.
And they were the, so farm life and thatI was very, I knew that was my dream.
And then professionally baking was itwas not anything that entered my life
(06:57):
at a young age, but I was certainlyinfluenced my I remember mom having, pies.
She's always baking pies.
And I remember there we'd get homefrom school and again, she was
a high school English teacher.
So she wasn't there right away, andI remember there'd be this pie in
the refrigerator that said do noteat For church circle tonight, and
I'm like no way I always said, Ialways when I teach baking classes
(07:20):
or whatever television whenever doingalways bake two pies You know what?
Never one.
Because someone else needs that.
And anyway, so that was,it was always around.
We always had Sunday dinnersafter church, we had all of those.
But one of the, I think, ofthe big catalysts really was, I
married my high school sweetheart.
And he, we were talking aboutcoconut cream pie was his favorite.
(07:42):
We were, I was probably 19 or so.
And, I was gonna bake him hisfavorite meal and have a picnic.
And, I remember trying to make this crust.
I was independent.
And mom had, of course,gazillion cookbooks.
And she was teaching afterschool, she wasn't home yet.
And I was just in tears,because my crust wasn't working.
And, And I wanted to make this pie andhave it be super special for my boyfriend
(08:06):
at the time, she walked me throughit, And, I, just the little things.
Like the crust doesn't have to be perfect.
It doesn't have to be this pizza dough,You can piece it and make it together.
And then when you put it in, you don'tknow it and it's like a perfect pie.
There's so many things about,just the analogy of pies, in life.
That really...
or real and true, that, the crust andall the wonderful flavors inside, are
(08:31):
another testament of, the more the better,I always fill the pies to the very top.
So we're not being scant in the senseof, you need to live your life really
full, and, I, I just think, her, she wasalways, a perfectionist cook and baker.
But she also never used recipes.
And and there was always somethingdelicious, on the stove, even if
(08:52):
she had conferences or whatever.
And I just really felt, super,super connected to that.
When mom would get, her Good Housekeepingmagazines, Family Circle, Country Living,
all of it, I would get it before she did.
And I remember being 10 yearsold and going, Family Circle used
to have a menu in the middle.
It was like a papermenu of the whole month.
(09:13):
And I would cross thingsoff and put things.
And then I just started experimentingwith flavors and Just, I always loved
trying to make, a lot of our, all of ourthings here are based on vintage recipes.
Whether it be my own orfrom vintage cookbooks.
And then, My job, I thought,is to, aren't we always trying
(09:34):
to make the next generation
better than we are in some way, right?
We want them to be, I don't, I guessbetter may be the wrong word, but
enriched, and have a richer life, notin money, but, or as rich as possible.
As we have and blessedand all of those things.
So I always thought it was my jobthat they, these pioneers of cookbooks
(09:59):
from the turn of the century.
I even have a couple of those,that I based some of these on.
But I wanted to make them my own, too, andI wanted to make them even more flavorful
and even, better than, so I reallyexperimented with that and kept doing that
until I was called to have my own pie shop
Cliff Duvernois (10:18):
Sure, and before when you're talking about cookbooks, I was
just thinking that one of my mom's mostprized possessions is like a Betty Crocker
cookbook that has been used so many times.
The pages
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery (10:30):
are
falling.
Yes,
it's
got
the
red
yes, That's one of my all time favorites.
Yes.
Actually, yeah, that, is actuallya better home and garden.
And then the Betty Crocker is just thered, not to get technical with you,
but I have the, I have, no, because thebetter, is the red and white chalked.
Cause that's the one I, my highschool girls when they graduate
(10:52):
and they go on to college, I alwaysget the reproduction one like that.
You can still buy it.
Oh, really?
Yeah, because you can't beat therhubarb pie, the bread and butter
pickles in there, are still someof my scalloped potatoes, yeah.
Cliff Duvernois (11:05):
we're going to have a hard time stopping this interview.
I can tell that right now becauseI absolutely love this topic.
for our audience, we're going to takea quick break and thank our sponsors.
When we come back, we're going totalk about Linda's meteoric rise.
And, when it comes to, baking pies,we'll see you after the break.
Are you enjoying these amazing stories?
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(11:27):
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(11:47):
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(12:11):
Hello, everyone, and welcome back to TotalMichigan, where we talk to ordinary people
doing some pretty extraordinary things.
I'm your host, Cliff Duvernois.
Today, we're talking withLinda Hunt, owner of the
Sweetielicious Bakery and Cafe.
Linda, before the break, wewere talking a lot about pie.
And I am so hungry right now.
the question that I got for you is,when we left off on your life's journey,
(12:32):
that you had gotten your degree ineducation, you were now working in
politics, you had a full time job.
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: children (12:37):
undefined
Cliff Duvernois (12:38):
With children now?
Yes, you married yourhigh school sweetheart.
idyllic.
Benny?
Any stretch of the imagination?
anybody would just be like,perfectly content with that.
But, something came up.
Why don't you share with usabout what was happening?
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: out of nowhere, I got depression. (12:50):
undefined
And it back then, I'm so gladthat it's talked about now.
And we just, no, it's still mental health.
No mental health monthwas September, I believe.
but.
But back then you didn'treally talk about it.
So I certainly didn't share.
And I was always known, and still am,as the happy one, and the positive one.
(13:12):
And I, that's who I felt who I was.
So this was like this slapon my face when it came.
Slap on my face.
in bed bawling my eyesout of feeling unworthy.
Unworthy of God's love andworthy of anyone's love.
And, especially his, and, so I wouldsneak to therapy on, my lunch break.
(13:37):
And, so no one knew and Ijust, my family didn't know.
I didn't want them to have any burdenof, so would cry on your way to
work and cry in the shower and allthe typical things that one does.
But one day, I have, and still do,a stack on my nightstand filled with
(13:59):
cookbooks and spiritual books, bible,every kind of spiritual, but just,
poetry, just everything that inspiresme, And I had read this particular
one my friend had sent me, and it wasbasically saying faith is, and all
the wonderful things that faith is.
And one of them had said, and I had readthis book many times, and read this quote.
But I'm going to butcher it, but itsaid something like, pain is knowing
(14:22):
That, all the pain in your life is alla part of God's perfect plan for you.
The minute that I read that, Igot this warm, it was a flood.
Yet it was slow.
this flood of warmth and love that wentfrom my toes all the way to my heart.
(14:49):
Through my body and the messagewas you are loved and special.
And you need to love people.
And I can't, it didn't say the masses.
But it was very clear, that's thecool thing about the Holy Spirit.
I.
Just even saying it in words,it doesn't seem worthy.
(15:11):
But I always get teary when ithappened, because I can't believe
to this day that happened to me.
little me.
Cliff Duvernois (15:17):
Like God reached down and touched you.
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: Yeah, in such a way. (15:18):
undefined
And when that happened, all ofthese, and he had tried giving, these
little hints to me all this time.
And I just ignored them.
I just didn't even put them togetherof, and when it happened, it was almost
like flashing your life and all thethings like a puzzle piece or I always
(15:41):
refer to it as One of those things thenumber things where you when you're
a kid and you connect the numbers.
That's exactly what it felt like.
Every single things like flash inmy life of what was important to me.
But not only that I had gifts.
I never thought I was good at anything.
I never thought I was special.
I never thought that, and that's onereason I love to share this story to
(16:04):
people to, to let you know that if I'mspecial at something, so are you, and it
doesn't mean you have to open a pie shop.
But it does mean that youare gifted and that God gives
us these gifts for a reason.
So when that happened,I never turned back.
I had to quit my job.
(16:25):
All of this was a huge financial burden.
but I knew that when I connected thedots, that, I didn't say this and I
forgot to say it, but on my honeymoon in1985, we were at a pie shop in Cape Cod.
And I said aloud to my husband,this is a dream of mine someday.
(16:49):
But I never ever thought I'd get there.
Because back then, when you graduated backthen, if you were to own a business, you
obviously had to go to business school,
That was really what was, exactly,that's what it was taught.
I never ever thought I wasever smart enough to do this.
and I never thought that I was,whatever, this would ever really happen.
But when the Holy Spirit talksto you, then you don't give up.
(17:11):
So that's where my drive came from.
I don't have to say inmy shop, God loves you.
I just hope that they getthat when they walk in.
From not only the aromas, the smellsand the food itself, but the people
that wait on you, the smiles, thegenuineness, but that's all love,
(17:33):
and I've had so many stories.
I wish I would have writtenanother book on that.
How that, has made adifference in people's lives.
Our little teeny pie shop.
And again, we're not moving mountains.
We're just, moving little hills.
And, but that's all any of us need to do.
You know what I
Cliff Duvernois (17:52):
Sure.
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery (17:53):
So
Cliff Duvernois (17:53):
So.
you've had this experiencewith God, you've had this
epiphany, you've quit your job.
Now you're going all in on pies.
Now did you open up your store thenor did you run it on your home.
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: ran it out of her little farmhouse. (18:06):
undefined
I had a little actually That pie safeover there was on my back porch, and I
had an old refrigerator just like that.
And I had a little bucket, and people usedto, feed my chickens and wander around.
If I wasn't there, they wouldjust put the money in the bucket.
I started the farm market here as well.
And so I did it at the farmmarket and high end restaurants.
(18:27):
And these are those things,like I would have to call
these really nice restaurants.
With, asking God to help me, to say,drop off a pie, are you interested?
The whole media thing, I would,there was a radio personality here.
And he, I went to his office and brought apie and I said I had this brilliant idea.
The ideas were, like, crazy.
(18:49):
The thoughts and concepts and pierecipes would never stop in my mind.
I had a really hard time sleeping andevery morning, woke up just energized to
do this, and get this opportunity, likewhen you ask, you know what my story is.
And, and we talked about Godprior to us talking right now.
(19:11):
And you ask if I'd mind if I shared.
And I said, I want to share.
when I have this opportunity, I likepeople to know, like what I just
said, that we're all important, we'reall a part of his plan, which is
sometimes really painful and hard.
But, just opening the door for somebody,acting, lovely to somebody, buying
them a cookie, that happens all thetime here, people are constantly buying
(19:33):
things, just like before when we gothere, they're, yeah, you I think,
when you have that kind of energybehind you, it, it just can't stop.
There's so many times that we almostdidn't make it not only through
COVID, but our, we were supposedto do QVC and the all planned.
I went to QVC school in Philadelphia,to make sure I was good for television.
(19:57):
It was supposed to be our big break.
And then the freezer broke downthe night before with all 900 pies.
And I asked God, right then I said, Idon't know if I can keep doing this.
I remember, cause I had to call QVC.
And of course, I didn't have enoughmoney to pay for any of that.
So I'm like, where are wegoing to get this money?
And weirdly, every single time I wouldget a weird inheritance from, I'm
(20:21):
not kidding you, a weird inheritance.
Or somebody would, somebody from thestate or something would stop by and
say, Hey, you might really apply for,you need to apply for this grant.
I don't know if you know about it.
But every single time.
And so I've always known that God wantsus to continue no matter what, and I
love, we get to the people that work here.
(20:43):
They just, everyone always said,how do you get these people?
I had this gentleman.
we do the Capital Farm Market, andhe ran across the capital lawn.
You're not even supposed to do that.
And he came up to me and said, I'vebeen trying to, talk to you for years.
He said, how do you do it?
How do you?
Every time I go into your shop,everyone's so delightful, and the food
(21:04):
is so good, and how, what are you doing?
the atmosphere, what?
And I said, that truly is a partof God's plan for me, they come to
me and then they love what they do.
And they, so it's been this, themedia, I know you talked about that.
that was the I would knock on doors,so the radio personality, I went
(21:25):
in with a pie and said, I had thisreally good idea that I'll tell a
story about a pie, and then yourlisteners have to guess what pie it is.
And they would call in, andI had a little pink princess
phone, do you remember those?
So that was my phone at the time.
And I would crawl down there.
And I had a big sign up hereon the case, the pie case, that
(21:45):
said, I'll be right with you.
I'm on live radio show.
and, The people would come in.
And then from that gig,I would get others.
I would go to the television peopleand say, from Grand Rapids in Detroit,
we didn't really have a local one.
And then they liked it.
And then that's how I won the21 first places at the Crisco
(22:06):
National Pie Championship.
I hated competing.
I hate competing.
I hate it.
But I knew I had to do that formore people to know who we were,
because it is a destination.
It was designed as a destination.
Not everyone flies by, Dewitt everyday, but that allowed more people to
come for me to share love with people,and then once you get, You know the
(22:29):
Steve Harvey found out about us.
And then he you know the we won thebest pie in Michigan Detroit Free Press.
We're Mitt Romney came And then we did wewere on the front of the New York Times,
and the Washington Post and William SonomaI used to get that catalog all the time.
I'm like what a dream You know I wouldlove to be able to have my pies, and
(22:51):
then they called me up and said youknow We would love to have your pies,
which ended up being a nightmare.
I know, because, but it was a, soit's all one thing leads to another.
The cookbook, I really worked,I've always dreamed, because
cookbooks were my favorite.
My mom had gazillion.
And, I always dreamed of writing one,and so I, back then, again, it's not
(23:13):
like it is now, where you can't evenfind out who, literary agents are.
so I'd go in the back of cookbooksI liked and try to find out who they
were and I would write them and lotsand lots of no's and then out of
nowhere someone believed in me, And sothen I had my cookbook of my dreams.
And then that won theMichigan Notable Book Award.
And so then, honestly, it,when I look back at it's hard
(23:37):
to believe that's happened.
But I think when you have astrong purpose, then things, and
you're true about it, obviouslyit's not about the money for me,
because there's not any money.
Cliff Duvernois (23:53):
Smiles
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: but we pay our bills, And I get to meet (23:54):
undefined
people from all over, just like you Cliff.
And I get to the stories that I've hadwith people have just been unbelievable
that it would never have happened.
and the best part, to be honest,is people take these pies and their
cookies or whatever it is, all over.
(24:14):
I hear it all the time.
This is going to our reunion in Kentucky.
This Thanksgiving pie is going to Denver.
people take them on planes,people take them everywhere.
And that, That piece of pieis part of all of our legacy,
the pies that we grew up on.
There's nothing, we don't putanything artificial in them.
It is exactly like your momor your grandma, your aunt
(24:37):
or your wife or whoever.
That's what they taste like.
That's why everyone loves it.
Cause because they're.
It's like eating a piece of,I say delicious memories,
And continuing that on.
And, there's, there's gettingless and less of the hometown
bakers around, the bakeries.
(24:58):
So I feel honored honored thatI've been able to do this.
Cliff Duvernois (25:02):
And I know we just covered a lot right there, talking
about, you starting your shop,getting out there, all the different
opportunities that have become as of it.
I'm taking advantage ofthat, which is extraordinary.
I wish we had more timeto go into all that.
But I do.
You made the comment.
I want to explore that for a little bit.
Because you've now been in thisparticular location for how many years,
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: It'll be 19 next month. (25:24):
undefined
Cliff Duvernois (25:25):
19 next month.
You were talking beforeabout the hometown bakers.
talk to us a little bit about the legacy
that's here.
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: My daughter Ellie started doing (25:32):
undefined
the pies with me when she was 12.
We did our first wedding acrossthe street at their farmhouse.
And, granddaughter was getting married.
I have a picture of it somewhere.
and she, graduated from Michigan Statein 2000 something, in food science.
And so she went to work for MarieCallender and has the little pies and
(25:57):
little cakes that are in your freezer.
She developed and Banquetand, she came back.
She ended up marrying a, local guy,which my daughter just married.
His brother.
So it's sisters marrying brothers.
It's the cutest
thing.
It
Cliff Duvernois (26:13):
old fashioned right there.
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery (26:15):
is.
Oh, and they're justsuch a delightful family.
So blessed.
But, so she ended up doing that.
And I had some health issues.
And, she ended up taking over.
And, it was a gradual thing.
And.
I've often told her, I said, she couldbe making four times what she makes
here, literally, as a food scientist.
(26:36):
And, I said, I never want you to everfeel like George Bailey in It's a
Wonderful life, that you have to do this.
Because, no big deal, Ican close shop, sell it.
I just don't want you to everfeel this is a burden to you.
And, she told me with,we're, I was crying about it.
(26:56):
I don't remember how we got on thesubject and She started crying and
she said mom, but this is my dream,too You know, you might have started
it, but I want to continue it.
You know, I have lots of thingsthat I want to do different.
I want to finish writing your cookbooks,you know I want to write the cookie one.
And all of those things.
I can't get over how Blessed Iam, and what a wonderful spin
(27:20):
she's doing on things herself.
Making it her own.
At the same time, we have all theregular goodies are still here.
And we would never change that.
at the same time as well, she's adding,wonderful spins on things and adding
new cookies and adding youth, anddifferent, through Instagram and all
(27:41):
sorts of different kinds of social medialike that, bringing different people
in and celebrating different holidaysthat I wouldn't have even thought of.
It's a absolutely beautiful thing, andI can't believe how blessed I am that
it will continue, for, during COVID.
I didn't know if we were gonna survive.
people rallied around and kept coming in.
And even with the prices goingup with everything, people
(28:03):
are still willing to do that.
And I know I keep saying the wordblessed, but I am really blessed.
I'm really blessed that it's stillhere, and that Ellie will be able
to So now, I she has two kids.
So I get to be grandma.
I get to be homemaker.
And I get to still come up here.
I'm the runner.
I still bake pies andthat kind of thing too.
Today I did dishes.
(28:23):
But I get to greet everybodywithout pies burning.
I used to always be out heretalking and there'd be pies burning
in the Not literally, but I didburn some lemon meringues once.
I will say that.
But I get to greet everybody, whichis one of my favorite things and
just talk to people and enjoy them.
Cliff Duvernois (28:40):
Sure.
I bet you they reallyappreciate that as well.
Linda, if somebody'slistening to this episode.
And they want to come and check out yourawesome smelling bakery, maybe partake
in some of the goodies that are here.
what's the best way forthem to connect to you?
How do they find you?
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: we're Instagram people, which (28:56):
undefined
I know not everybody's on.
But I love it because it's more pictures.
Facebook got too political for meand just to and we didn't get as many
people on that as far as business.
so yeah, Instagram.
You get on our website.
You can, you can spend hours on that ifyou want to get into all the pie stories.
(29:16):
but Yeah, we're in DeWitt.
You can't miss us when you ifyou're looking for downtown DeWitt.
Yeah, I used to have arunner that would run.
It was 20 miles.
He would run here.
And he was trying to lose weight.
And he said he would keep going aroundthe building over and over smell
all the food at five in the morningbecause that's, that's our bakers hour.
(29:39):
So that's when pies were really rough,wafting through the whole neighborhood.
Yeah, we love, our hours are 7.
30 to 2 during the week.
And 8 to 2 on Saturdays.
And we also have lunch.
People love our lunches.
homemade everything,my mom's chicken salad.
Cliff Duvernois (29:54):
I see I got quiche on the menu.
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: you got quiche quiches. (29:56):
undefined
I think we made 10 today for folks.
all different kinds of quiche.
And that's an, oh, theflavors are just amazing.
And, yeah, we have.
We have.
I have this one.
These two gentlemen.
One comes from Metro Detroitand one comes from Holland.
And they've I think they've beenhere for started coming 18 years ago.
(30:17):
So they meet here and somehowthey saw me on TV of some sort,
and they've come here ever since.
And it's just been such a joy to see them.
So we have a lot of people that,just love to come sit around.
Listen to Frank Sinatra music.
I have, I also listen to Bing.
we listen to anything old.
and then, just enjoy the clitter clatterof dishes and all the wonderful aromas
(30:41):
that come from an old fashioned bakery,
Cliff Duvernois (30:43):
And for our audience, we'll make sure to have all those
links in the show notes down below.
Linda, no pun intended.
it's been a treat havingyou on the show today.
I really appreciate it.
Linda Hundt, Sweetie-Licious Bakery: No pun intended. (30:52):
undefined
You're so sweet, Cliff.
Cliff Duvernois (30:56):
And for our audience roll on over to Total Michigan, you can
click on Linda's interview and get allthe information she mentioned there.
Join us next week when wetalk to Michigander doing some
pretty extraordinary things.
We'll see you then.
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