Lowcountry Cuisine Fall/Winter 2019-20

LC 10 www.LowcountryCuisineMag.com | www.MountPleasantRestaurant.com | www.CharlestonRecipes.com lowcountry cuisine B eing an 18-year-old who just graduated high school in May 2019 and already owning a successful baking business sounds a bit far- fetched, I know. Throw in the facts that this 18-year-old also works a part-time job at Wonder Works in Mount Pleasant and just started college courses at the Culinary Institute of Charleston. This is all a reality for Cora Hanak of McClellanville, who said her baking business really started taking off two years ago. “Most of my business comes from the Mount Pleasant and Daniel Island areas, but we can deliver anywhere,” she said. And they do. With the help of her mother, Juliet Hanak, they deliver cupcakes, pies, cakes, cheesecakes, cookies, tortes and chocolates to wherever her dessert-loving customers require. Her aspiration is to become a baker, but her inspiration comes from somewhere quite different. Hanak explained that her family had the privilege of adopting her sister Charlotte, who is now 3 and has a rare developmental condition called septo-optic dysplasia. Charlotte has delayed brain development, underdevelopment of the optic nerves and pituitary hypoplasia. “I started this business to promote awareness for my sister,” Hanak proclaimed. “She is amazing to me and she is honestly my best friend.” Hanak realizes that many children with developmental disabilities grow up with little opportunities in the workplace. “That is something I want to change because they have so much to offer,” she said. “My business will hire people like my sister, and we’ll all do this together. It will be an accepting environment where we will all encourage each other’s strengths.” For now, Hanak said she is focused on school. She is excited to learn the fundamentals of cooking. “It’s exciting to learn the science of it all and to focus on my technique. I am learning how to stray away from strict recipes and be creative.” BY THERESA STRATFORD Cora (left) finds inspiration from her sister, Charlotte (right). A Young Baker’s Inspiration Kids in the Kitchen Photos provided by Cora Hanak. Cora mixing ingredients.