You don't know me, and I was unaware of your existence until earlier today, and that's only because I'm a small business owner that works every day of the week.
After a hard week of baking, I sit down on the weekend with a bowl of homemade guacamole (from scratch) and a bag of shop bought nachos (see, even I'm halfway home-making!) to power me through working on my website. So today I was surprised to see a major spike in my website hits and thought the worst again...some revival of blogger blackmail or negative press rearing its ugly head.
We dug around looking for what this could have been and found your Facebook post with a photo of our Alice in Wonderland cake displayed at Selfridges in London.
While I am flattered by your kind comment on how beautiful the cake is (despite all the finger pokes) I am more insulted by your choice of conjunction following said compliment - you see, nothing complimentary ever follows a big BUT. Furthermore, you chose to use my work as comment bait by throwing it out there to your following as a "ooh let's have fun guessing the price" game. You did nothing to research the brand, the work, what goes into making this cake, the size, where you found it or anything of any constructive merit. You simply got a rise out of people and used my work as bait for Facebook interaction fodder. And that's cheap. Much like your supermarket angel sponge cake. And much like my dig just then.

Apparently you're a Food Network "star", some authority on achievable and affordable fabulous food. Whatever you are, you have a certain level of influence and that influence gives you some power. It's not fair to use that power to abuse those who aren't in possession of the same, i.e. lil ol' me. It's belittling, and crass.
It's no surprise that my post on your page has gained you the most interaction you have seen in a while - negativity spreads like hot butter. But why do you want to do that? To reinforce your own "cheap and cheerful" ethos? Could you not have done that without using my product as a sacrificial lamb to the slaughter? Think you and I both know that the answer to that is no. And that dear Sandra, is really really sad.

I've been told I should thank you for your kind comments and to request you to tag me. I think I'll pass as I've got what I could've hoped for from this exposure - some lovely new followers, Google juice, and a hilarious YouTube video on Kwanzaa cake. Plus, I also got to indulge in the most narcissistic thing in digital comms after the selfie...and that's writing an open letter ;) so thank you.
Yours truly,
Reshmi (no xoxo for you)
Michelle
September 17, 2017
Well done for calling this woman out, but even more kudos for doing it with style and flair!