What a treat
Published 7:01 am Monday, October 6, 2014
Mary Wencl sits in her kitchen with her homemade, ready-to-make recipes along with her husband Dennis’ custom wooden box designed to hold lights or candles. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Mary Wencl didn’t know what a treat she had until last year.
The 55-year-old Blooming Prairie woman is a lifelong cook and baker with plenty of experience creating tasty confections. Yet she never thought to market her wares until her sister-in-law suggested a homemade business.
Some of Mary Wencl’s products can be purchased at the Willow Cove on Main Street North in Austin. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
“She’d taste things and say, ‘Mary, you’ve got to sell this,’” Mary said. “She kind of inspired me.”
That’s how Mary came up with Mary’s Homemade line of treats, snacks, mixes and other products. Along with her husband, Dennis Wencl, Mary has found a niche creating everything from sweets to ready-made mixes.
“ I always wanted to try something that I could do from my home,” she said. “In the winter, you can’t do anything outside, so I’ve kind of been doing it that way.”
Mary has brought her goods to several community events in the area, including Blooming Prairie’s Village Affair. She has a large variety of goods, including things such as peanut brittle, cashew crunch, chocolate covered cherries, peanut butter balls, caramel chews, peanut clusters and Christmas cutout cookies.
“I also make a coconut peanut brittle,” she said with a laugh. “Dennis doesn’t like that one, so I usually get it to myself.”
She also creates soup mixes and seasoning mixes for things like chili, tacos, pasta sauce and more. Mary even makes strawberry pies when strawberries are in season.
An example of the ornate wooden boxes made by Mary’s husband Dennis. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
“I have always liked to cook,” she said.
Dennis gets in on the fun through luminaries, a custom wooden box with angels and other adornments that people can put lights in to create a fun lantern during the winter months. Other family members get in on the fun too, like when Mary and Dennis’s son, Craig, comes home to help with cutout cookies.
Residents can pick up Mary’s Homemade goods at Willow Cove in Austin, where people can also leave special orders for people to pick up. Though Mary doesn’t deliver goods, she can work out arrangements with customers.
“All they have to do is just give me a call and say ‘Hey,’” she said.
For more information on Mary’s wares, give her a call at 507-583-7739 or email marywencl@hotmail.com.