FAQs

How did you get started?

I first started trying to make cute food around 2012 for my sister's baby shower - let's say it didn't turn out particularly well, but it made me determined to keep practicing so I could surprise my friends and family. As I experimented, I would make the occasional Pokémon treats just for fun, though I didn't really have an audience for it. Once I heard about in-person meetups at my local park for Pokémon GO in 2017, I decided to start bring treats for trainers who might appreciate them. The response was so lovely that I decided to keep doing it as often as I could, and the rest is history!

Do you sell your creations/have a bakery?

Nope! I've gotten this question countless times over the years, and while it's flattering that so many people would like my treats, I prefer to make things for fun. As I state on my socials, I don't sell or do commissions and have no plans to do so. Baking is my hobby and creative outlet, and the logistics of selling would be so much hard work and pressure that I'd lose all joy for creating if I turned it into a business. So I have a completely unrelated day job, and bake in my free time!

Do you plan to write a cookbook?

Also no, there is so much hard work and time that goes into a good cookbook, plus I'm not a recipe developer and I of course don't own most of the characters I make (i.e. Pokémon).

If you'd like to know how I make or decorate things though, I often show my process on my Instagram reels and stories. See also my notes in Recipes.

What do you do with all your treats?

I usually give them away to friends or coworkers, or I freeze them for later if I have the space. When I can, I also like to bring my treats to local meet ups to give away to trainers, especially for Pokémon GO Community Days.

What's the meaning behind your username?

There's no great reason or meaning behind it, "mao" isn't part of my name or anything. I just picked the name on a whim when I first created my Instagram account since I'd just planned to post miscellaneous snapshots about my random hobbies + the word mao (猫), which means cat in Chinese. Basically I'm a miscellaneous cat!

Over the years, I've thought about changing my name as my account evolved since it's rather long and harder to spell (sorry to my niblings), but I never came across a name that called to me enough (and was still available) to warrant rebranding, and now it feels too late since I feel like I'm known as and identify as miscellaneousmao now. Ah well!

Can you make “x” Pokémon?

I’ve made nearly 200 unique Pokémon/forms over the years, and while that’s far from the full National Dex, there’s a good chance I’ve made what you’re looking for before. See Pokédex for more on that and a link to my WIP spreadsheet!

Aside from that, I’m curious to hear what everyone wants to see, but I admittedly have an already unwieldy list of treat ideas to make, so in-game events or other sparks of inspiration are what I typically gravitate towards when I have the energy for a baking session - so many Pokémon to make and eat, so little time!

If you have a fun idea for your favorite though, I hope you try making it yourself, and please tag me so I can see it! It always makes my day to see other Pokémon foods in the wild, especially if I helped inspire them.

Are you really planning to make ALL Pokémon?

Not really, I'm realistic enough to know I'll likely never make them all, especially at the rate that Pokémon has been releasing new ones. And I have to confess there are a few complex designs I'm not very particularly interested in making without a really compelling reason. But I'm sure going to try and make as many Pokémon treats as I can, because it’s fun!

For my own curiosity, I've been tracking my progress in a spreadsheet (see Pokédex) if you’d like to see what I’ve done before, though I only update it yearly so please do check my Instagram or other socials for my latest creations!

Are you a member of Team Rocket?

Who's asking, are you with Officer Jenny or something? Scram, twerp!