I Don’t Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, but I Do Know Why She’s on Our Logo

You may be wondering why there’s a bird on the Jake’s Cakes logo. That’s Aree, Jake’s cockatiel. He has been obsessed with birds forever, and when he finally got her for Christmas a few years ago, he was overjoyed. Rapturous is not too strong a word.

And when she flew away one bitterly cold January day, devastated didn't begin to describe him. Jake was heartbroken, and we all prayed for a miracle. I prayed to the spirit of our dear departed cat, Pugsy, to help us find Aree. I figured that with all the bird lives she’d snuffed out (she was quite the hunter), she owed us one.

We searched for three days. So many friends and neighbors came out to help, even people we didn’t know. We had kids on bikes searching and people going door to door. One woman—whom we had never met before—made fliers and blanketed the neighborhood with them. It was one of these fliers that caught the eye of a young man several blocks over, just as he was getting home from work. Minutes later, he heard a scratching at his window, and there she was, the little white bird from the flier.

She was scared, exhausted, starving, and filthy from her time on the mean streets. But otherwise, she was okay. It was miraculous. We celebrated her return and quickly implemented the “Aree Protocol” (frequent wing-clippings, making sure she is locked safely in her cage before opening any doors, etc.).

So, why is she on our logo? It’s simple, really. She’s family. And that’s what Jake’s Cakes is all about.

While JoAnn and I are the ringleaders, our whole family is involved. Our namesake, Jacob, brainstorms product ideas (and happily taste-tests them). My brother-in-law, Jim, takes photos for the website, does research, and tracks down people for us to talk to. Our sister, Lizzie, who DOES. NOT. BAKE., tried her hand at almond flour muffins and macarons. Our friends and fellow bakers have gotten into the act, too, providing everything from ideas and feedback to connections and moral support.

Just like when we were searching for Aree, we could not do this on our own.  It also would be a much lesser experience. We are blessed and so grateful for the love, support, and community of our friends and family. Thank you all.