Meet Thirza Wilson | Dutch Baker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Thirza Wilson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Thirza, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I started my bakery, Zoet+Sweet Dutch Bakery, in May of last year. I specialize in Dutch baked goods including a deep dish Dutch Apple Tart, Stroopwafels and much more. I was born and raised in the Netherlands and moved to New York in 1999 with my (American) husband.

My upbringing had a big impact on me as my grandfather was a pastry chef. Growing up, I remember sitting in my grandfather’s kitchen waiting for things to come out of the oven. The smells captured my full attention, not just because my mouth was watering as I waited to taste the goodies, but more so because I had watched him mix the ingredients, prepare the dough, and make the intricate items that went into the oven.

And, in case you wondered, in Dutch, Zoet means Sweet.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I think I am the only ‘Dutch Bakery’ in the Phoenix area, so this sets me apart. I am very proud of what I have developed this past year in launching Zoet+Sweet including our branding, website and ongoing social media efforts.

So far. it has been a pretty smooth road, at least nothing that has kept me up at night (except when I’m thinking about new goodies I would like to offer) I loved this past holiday season as I met many new people who discovered my goodies! I kept really busy the last couple of months and now I need to remind people that my baked goods are not just seasonal but you can have my Dutch goodies any time of year!
Little things can cause some anxiety as a small business owner but overall it’s great to just jump right in, work hard and enjoy what you are doing.

Some of the lessons I have learned include: it’s important to take things one at a time, don’t try to rush things, stick to your plan, be patient and don’t take shortcuts.

I want the world to know, that I love baking for my customers, I enjoy making the perfect strawberry tart, a delicious apple tart or caramel stroopwafels. I hope that people will get the chance to try something different if they have not tasted Dutch baked goods from Zoet+Sweet.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
When my best friends come to the Phoenix area, I love to take them to the Scottsdale farmers market in old town. It’s fun to try some of the local offerings. After the market, we will stop at Schmooze for coffee. Tony and his team at Schmooze have a wonderful park-like garden area that reminds me of Europe. If they play golf, we might tee it up at one of the many golf courses, I love McCormick Ranch or Rancho Manana Golf Club in Cave Creek. Or another one of my favorite things to do is to go hiking and again, there are so many options. No matter your age or experience, there’s always a beautiful trail in the area. I also love to ride my bike, its another great way to discover the area (we Dutch love our bikes!).

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Baking has always been a passion of mine and I have to give my grandfather recognition as I am sharing some of his original recipes here in the valley of the sun. Also to the many friends, I have made through the Dutch Connection group here in Phoenix, who have encouraged me and said I should start my own bakery. I also need to give my husband credit for supporting me, helping me and of course for his expertise with the dishes and kitchen clean up! Baker’s can be messy.

And I want to give a big shoutout to my customers! It is very rewarding to get their happy comments and feedback after they have tasted my baked goods. Hearing how much they enjoyed a true Dutch apple tart or other goodies is wonderful and makes me want to bake more! I think the balance between adhering to the original recipes, using natural ingredients and maintaining high quality is a successful combination that puts smiles on my customer’s faces when the take the first bite.

Website: www.zoetsweetbakery.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoetsweetbakery/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZoetSweetBakery/

Image Credits     
Zoet+Sweet Dutch Bakery