Meet Christie Ross | owner and purveyor of handcrafted confections + cocktails

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

Hi Christie, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
In 2011, I was working as the executive director of a very small non-profit. At the suggestion of a friend, I joined the Junior League to network. I had to bring a dessert to one of the first meetings I attended and found a recipe for from-scratch cupcakes on Pinterest, which was just starting to take off. The cupcakes were such a hit, that a friend at the meeting offered to pay me if I made the cupcakes for her son’s birthday the following month. I did and then her friends and their friends started calling, and my custom cake business was born. In 2020, when businesses closed down, so did I. I ended up re-branding to better serve how my customers were celebrating and my mobile dessert and cocktail bar, Tin Can Confections +Cocktails, was born. I had a 1967 vintage camper that I’d intended to renovate into the mobile dessert bar, but it was deteriorating, which led to having a custom vintage-style camper, affectionately named Sadie, made by a specialty trailer builder not far from here. Then 2 months ago, I added a second vehicle, a tap truck named Naveen, renovated from a 1967 Cushman Truckster, to the business.

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 own and operate a mobile dessert and cocktail bar. I serve handcrafted confections, cocktails + more, all across Northern NJ and the Hudson Valley of NY in a vintage-style trailer, affectionately named, Sadie. I also have a tap truck, Naveen, renovated from a 1967 Cushman Truckster. The business is somewhat unique in our area, though mobile businesses like mine are becoming more and more popular. I set myself apart by offering a completely customizable experience for my clients. I am very hands-on from start to finish and strive to create an unforgettable, unique experience for my clients and their guests. This has resulted in long lasting client relationships, who are not only repeat customers, but in turn, refer others to me. I am incredibly proud that I have built this business from scratch, almost exclusively through word of mouth. It definitely has not been easy. In fact, it has taken a lot of sacrifice and a tremendous amount of hard work that includes long hours, 7 days a week, for weeks a time without a break. It certainly has taken more work than I ever imagined. I am so proud of the boutique business I have built, the special memories I’ve helped create for my clients, and the long-standing relationships I have developed.

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?
My two best friends live 7 ½ hours away, so when we visit, I always love to share new things I’ve discovered in my area since the last visit. Currently, a few of my favorite restaurants include a very popular tapas restaurant, a funky hot dog restaurant located in a renovated caboose, and a very unpretentious Korean bbq restaurant. We generally prefer more laid back, spontaneous visits that don’t include much that is pre-scheduled. In fact, this commonality is a huge part of what makes us such great friends. We prefer sitting around on my deck, overlooking my pool while sharing a meal and catching up. These tend to be the most memorable trips, filled with lots of laughter. We do often enjoy spending time cooking, baking, and creating fun drinks that we can enjoy while spending time outside, especially this time of year. We usually each find a few recipes that interest us before the trip, then shop once we’re together. I have a few favorite local farms for ingredients and/or fresh fruit and veggie picking that make for a much more fun cooking adventure when friends are visiting. The trip would also likely include a visit into NYC to see a show, a trip to not-to-be-missed sunflower farm a hour south of where I live for loads of pictures, a visit to one of the local wineries north of us, or even a day trip with lunch to New England on a steam train.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have come so far with the unwavering support of my husband, daughter, son, and circle of close friends who have not only supported this crazy adventure from the very beginning, but also have pitched in to help and have often been sounding board when I have new ideas or am feeling defeated and uncertain. My husband, especially, does last minute grocery runs, washes dishes, does lots of heavy lifting, and is the best in-house tech support, extension cord wrapper, and trailer jacker around. He keeps me laughing and never bats an eye each time I approach him to say, “You know what I think I should do…?”

Website: www.tincanconfections.com

Instagram: tincanconfectionsandcocktails

Facebook: tincanconfectionsandcocktails

Image Credits
Only the first photo, of me in the trailer, should be credited to Jenny Berberich, Jenny Grant Photography.