Meet Clove Monson of East Nashville

Today we’d like to introduce you to Clove Monson.

Hi Clove, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My earliest and most cherished memories are being in the kitchen with my Grandma. She kindled a love for baking and creating special treats for our family. I’m fortunate to still be able to cook with her and I savor those moments especially now. I’ve always had a passion for creating art. I started my first cake business in Arizona on the Navajo Nation about 18 years ago when I was 14. Growing up on the Navajo Reservation, I was active in the indigenous community providing cakes for weddings and other traditional celebrations. My parents left the reservation when I was 22. I started my journey leaving the reservation and traveling across the US eventually ending up in Franklin, TN. I worked at a local bakery. From there, I moved on to Publix as a cake decorator until I became a Bakery Manager. After years in the industry, especially after COVID, I needed a big change. I took some time off and got back to my roots of baking and creating for the joy of it. With a renewed passion for baking and the lack of vegan options in our community, I set out to create cakes and pastries that I wished were available. Dash of Clove was born of this desire to serve an underserved community with high quality, ethical products with a focus on inclusion for all.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The most significant challenges have been creating great tasting vegan recipes that I’m proud to share with others and building the finances to maintain and continue investing in my business while figuring out how I can best serve our community. My years of experience working in multiple bakeries were challenging, but has definitely helped sustain the drive needed to pursue my own endeavor.

In the every day, I try to be conscious of how I conduct business; to be a partner with our wholesalers and to help our wonderful customers celebrate and create their future special moments.
Ethical, Inclusive, Vegan is at our core and we’re so grateful to be able to share that with others.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a baker and cake decorator. I specialize in vegan cakes and pastries. I love being able to offer options that are not easy to come by. I take pride in my cake decorations and designs. I think what sets me apart is the ability to share tasty vegan treats that non-vegans enjoy eating just as much as any non-vegan pastry.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I welcome collaboration with other business partners, be it wholesale options or “grab n’ go” type opportunities, as well as partnering with other organizations in community events. We love to connect with other specialty bakers to share and learn from each other. To support me you can follow us on instagram and keep us in mind for your future celebrations.

Pricing:

• Cakes range from $55 and up

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dashofclove.com
• Instagram: @dashofclove