Nicole Aufderfaur aka @TenThousandBakes Nov 15, 2024

Welcome to another episode of "Dishing with Stephanie's Dish," where we dive into the world of food with our guests from all corners of the culinary landscape. This time, we're delighted to have Nicole Aufderhar with us, known for her Instagram page @TenThousandBakes, where she showcases her incredible baking creations. Our conversation traces her baking journey from family traditions to competing on the Great American Baking Show, where she reached the final three and participated in the finale. Nicole shares her love for Minnesota State Fair Baking and her insights into balancing a creative passion with an artistic career. Join us as we explore her baking adventures, inspirations, and the sweet success she's found along the way.

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT:

Stephanie Hansen [00:00:16]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's dish, the podcast where we talk to people in the food space. And today, my guest is Nicole Ofterhauer, and she is at 10000 Bakes on Instagram. And we became friends, kind of funny, through the Jason show's hottest day on record at the state fair.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:00:36]:

Yes. Where we were all dying and couldn't think straight.

Stephanie Hansen [00:00:40]:

Yeah. We were just, like, sweating ourselves off, and you had made these super beautiful blueberry macarons. And you were there to talk about your experience that you'd had as a state fair baker, but also on the Great American Baking Show, which if people don't know because I still think people don't know that that show exists.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:01:01]:

They don't know. Even, like, my friends and family sometimes don't know that it exists. It's yeah. Everyone knows the British version, but surprise, there's an American one.

Stephanie Hansen [00:01:10]:

Yes. So The Great British Bake Off, spun off a great American baking show, and Nicole was a guest on it and did very well. Weren't you, like, in the final 3?

Nicole Aufderhar [00:01:20]:

Yeah. Yeah. I made it all the way to the finals.

Stephanie Hansen [00:01:22]:

Okay. So that's exciting. And I just wanna point out, I don't know when people are gonna listen to this because I'm probably gonna release it maybe this Friday or the next Friday. I haven't decided yet. But

Nicole Aufderhar [00:01:34]:

Mhmm.

Stephanie Hansen [00:01:35]:

If you haven't gotten a chance, please go right now to Nicole's Instagram page and look at 10,000 Bakes. Because, honestly, she has some of the most amazing spooky treats on there. Girl, I mean, those the skull truffles with the raspberry filling, are you kidding me?

Nicole Aufderhar [00:01:51]:

Oh, yeah. Thank you. Yeah. I I've always been kind of a Halloween nut. Like, always been my thing. The spookier, the better. And so for me, Halloween baking is kinda all about embracing kind of the quirky and weird. So I just go all in with it.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:02:07]:

It's always fun every year.

Stephanie Hansen [00:02:09]:

I mean, your stuff is real cool looking. Very beautiful. There was also a black was it what kind of a, cake was it?

Nicole Aufderhar [00:02:18]:

Yeah. So I made it was a peri breast, actually. So, like, a patichou base pastry.

Stephanie Hansen [00:02:26]:

Yeah. It looked like chew pastries stuffed or filled with, like, a cream of some sort.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:02:31]:

Yep. Yeah. So I used, black cocoa creme pat, and then there was also you couldn't see the picture, but there was, like, a raspberry gel as well. So kind of that dark chocolate raspberry thing kinda fitting with Halloween.

Stephanie Hansen [00:02:44]:

I mean, it was unbelievably fantastic looking.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:02:47]:

Oh, thanks. Yeah. Like I said, it's I get to be my weird artistic self this time of year, so it's kind of fun.

Stephanie Hansen [00:02:53]:

I like your weird artistic self. Take that and the listener kind of on the journey of how this whole thing started for you.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:03:01]:

So I have kind of been baking my entire life. You know, like, most people grew up mom in the kitchen, Nestle Toll House, Christmas cutout. You know, nothing, like, crazy, but just, you know, family baking. And as I grew up, I just kinda started to dive more and more into it. I'm kind of a shy person. So when I would go to parties, like, talking to people is stressful, but if I bring a bank, that gives me something to talk about. Sure. So, you know, I kind of started doing that more.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:03:30]:

And in college, I actually studied photography with, like, emphasis on food photography. And because I don't wanna take pictures of babies. So I decided to do the food route, and then I kinda decided that, well, if I wanna take pictures of beautiful things, I might have to learn how to bake some of these things. And so it's just kind of continued to grow and grow, and it's always been kind of my creative endeavor that's just for me and just for fun and really lets me express myself without the pressure. You know, I'm an artist full time, so I have that pressure there. So this is just just for fun, just for me. And when I saw that there was a great American baking show, which I didn't even know. You know, I've watched the British version for years, and then I saw online that they were casting for the American version.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:04:19]:

I thought, oh, well, let's let's see. Why not? You know? And I put my hat in the ring, and I made it all the way to the final round of 1st year, which I wasn't expecting. It's a very long process, and I just what I thought would maybe just be something that I'd enter and never hear from again ended up being this multiyear journey of traveling with baked goods and auditions. And after a couple 2 years of auditioning, I was cast on the show.

Stephanie Hansen [00:04:51]:

So yeah. So exciting.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:04:53]:

Yeah.

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Stephanie Hansen [00:04:54]:

So how long from the beginning of you arriving to start the taping to when you go home is that length of time?

Nicole Aufderhar [00:05:04]:

So you are there basically for an entire month. For us, it was the entire month of August. You do a lot of prep work stateside before you go, you know, coming up with your own recipes and stuff. But once you are there, you are there the whole time. Even if you're eliminated, then you just kinda get a London vacation, but you're there for the entire month.

Stephanie Hansen [00:05:24]:

So they do it in the Great British Bake Off same space?

Nicole Aufderhar [00:05:28]:

Yeah. So for the Great British Bake Off, there's 2 tents. There is a tent where they film the version everybody knows, and then there's a tent where they film, like, celebrity versions, and I believe it's coming from Janae Baycock is still there as well, but, yeah, there are 2 tents. We're in the the other tent, like so it's not the tent, but it's one of theirs.

Stephanie Hansen [00:05:51]:

Yeah. And Paul and Pru are still judges.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:05:55]:

Yeah. Yeah. It's the same judges. It's Paul and Pru. We have American hosts. You know, that's the difference. People always kind of, I don't wanna say, hate on the American version, but they always say, oh, we don't like it because they're hypercompetitive, and they don't have the accents and all this. And I'm like, well, yeah, we don't have the accents.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:06:12]:

Sure. And that's the baddest. Yeah. Yeah.

Stephanie Hansen [00:06:16]:

So there's that.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:06:18]:

Yeah. So, you know, I mean, if you wanna nitpick, but it's still, like, a heartwarming, friendly show. Like, once people sit down and watch it, they're like, oh, that's actually enjoyable. I'm like, yes. That's what I've been telling you.

Stephanie Hansen [00:06:32]:

It is funny that the perception of Bake Off and what people love and what attracted me to it too was just how kind and supportive everybody is. And we've gotten used to watching these, you know, chopped and these sort of aggressive male dominated, like, shows of competition. And it is funny because I do think America in general this is a very gross generalization, but I do think we're more competitive. We're very aggressively business focused, like, success focused. And I think what is nice about The Bake Off is there's a lot of people from all these different walks of life, and they just happen to make pastry too or they're bakers.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:07:20]:

Yeah. Yeah. That's exactly what it is. And that's when I auditioned because I talked a lot about my state fair, you know, competing background. And they purposely were, like, asking me, well, are you hypercompetitive? Are you how do you feel if you don't win? You know? And so I had to make sure that I expressed that I'm not competitive despite all that. Like, I love the community behind these competitions and the friends that I've made, and they are trying to seek out people for that show that are there to just be with other bakers and have fun and get this experience and aren't there because I wanna win. And, I mean, the prize is a cake plate. You know? Like, you're not getting $20,000 or a book deal.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:08:01]:

You know? You get a cake plate. So if you're not there to just have a good time, you know, they're not gonna put you in the tent.

Stephanie Hansen [00:08:09]:

You happen to mention the state fair. Can you talk a little bit about your state fair baking experience? Because you're pretty well known and traveled in the state fair scene too. Minnesota State Fair.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:08:23]:

Yeah. Yeah. Especially the last year, people have kind of, I don't know, found my like, I've always shared about my journey with it. That's kinda why I started my Instagram page was because I wanted to share this community and show how accessible it is. Like, you don't have to be an incredible baker to enter. You just start. You just start entering stuff, and you get to meet people on entry day. And sometimes you get feedback from the judges.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:08:48]:

Sometimes you get head scratching feedback from the judges, but, like, it's just a super fun thing. And so I grew up with a step grandma who competed and kinda taught me the ropes from a young age and was kinda harsh about it, but it served me in the long run. And, so then about gosh. It's been 10 years now, I believe, I started. I did my first contest. I just entered three things, you know, just to kinda feel it out, and all 3 of them ribbon. I got 2 seconds and a 5th, and I was like, oh,

Stephanie Hansen [00:09:20]:

okay. You know? That's either this is

Nicole Aufderhar [00:09:24]:

you know, I wasn't sure what to think. I'm like, oh, this is easier than I thought, or I might actually be kinda good at baking because your friends and family are always like, oh, everything's fantastic, but is

Stephanie Hansen [00:09:33]:

it really? You know?

Nicole Aufderhar [00:09:35]:

So it's kinda given me this avenue to try new things and meet new people. And over the years, you know, I've I've done pretty well, and I've made some really amazing friends, and I just it's something I look forward to all year round.

Stephanie Hansen [00:09:48]:

What do you remember what the three things you were that you made in the first?

Nicole Aufderhar [00:09:53]:

Yeah. They weren't even I'd call them baking light. Honestly, it was like a granola bar and then some granola, and then they used to do this thing called the recipe challenge Yep. Where everyone would get the same recipe. You know? So it's kinda like the technical on the makeup, honestly, which is what appealed to me is you all get the same recipe. You kinda have to interpret it. And so I got a second place on that. I got a second place on the bars, and then I got a 5th place on the granola.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:10:23]:

And the the funny thing with the cookies was I was always under this belief that you had to enter things freshly baked that morning, you know. So I woke up early to do my final round, and they didn't they failed. The dough, I don't know what I did wrong or if it was the heat, it failed. And so I'm crying in the kitchen. I'm like, what do I do? Well, I had ones that I had stored in the freezer, like, 3 weeks ago. I mean Yeah. I was like, I wanna save them just in case, and I'm so glad I did because that's what I ended up entering were 3 week old transfer cookies, and they still placed.

Stephanie Hansen [00:10:55]:

Yeah. And a lot of people do that. Like, I know another woman, and she enters, like, 82 contests. And some of her stuff comes

Nicole Aufderhar [00:11:03]:

in

Stephanie Hansen [00:11:03]:

the freezer, and she pulls it out the night before, and that's what they enter.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:11:07]:

That's what I and that's what I've been telling people this year, especially, people are surprised to learn that I did that. And I'm like, yeah. And they're like, well, but don't they taste them? Like, yeah. You know, you can kinda tell freezer goods from the fresh, but that's what everybody else is doing. So if you're the best of the freezer bunch Yeah. You know, and it works.

Stephanie Hansen [00:11:25]:

How many categories did you enter this year?

Nicole Aufderhar [00:11:28]:

This year, I ended up doing 12, I believe it was, which I'm not I mean, there's people that show up with laundry baskets full of stuff, you know, and max out at 20. I doing 12 was a lot for me. I usually, like, keep them in the single digits. But, yeah, it went really well. Half of them ribboned. I got a smoked steaks for the first time, so it was a lot of fun this year.

Stephanie Hansen [00:11:52]:

Yeah. And what people maybe don't know I mean, you said mentioned that you're an artist. You make, leather bound journals and leather goods. And, what's your website for that? Because I wanna make sure we tell people because your work's really

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Nicole Aufderhar [00:12:07]:

So my website is wayfaringgoods.com, and it's not wayfair like that big furniture supply place or whatever. It's spelled wayfaringgoods.com.

Stephanie Hansen [00:12:21]:

I love it. Yeah. Because you're not doing this in a professional scope.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:12:28]:

No. Baking is right now, you know, probably, you know, I don't know, forever. It's just for fun. I I love what I do with my leather business. That has been something I've been doing full time for 15 years. Like, that's really where my I don't know. I'm as passionate about baking as I am about leather, but I like keeping my leather as my business and my baking as my creative passion, which I think is important for professional creatives to have that thing without the pressure of selling.

Stephanie Hansen [00:13:03]:

And let's talk about that for a second because that's sort of uniquely American too. I think that this idea is like, oh, well, she's making all this stuff. She's in competitive realm. She's doing really well, so she must be planning a bakery because we, like, don't really just allow ourselves to have these creative outlets without making them into something. We feel the pressure from ourselves.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:13:28]:

Yeah. Oh, exactly. And I think I mean, it's so important to have that creative passion that you don't have that pressure behind. And I I think so I started my business right out of college. I could have either gone the professional photography router than what I did. And so I think because I started young, I learned how important it is to have that creative passion just for fun. I see a lot of my friends that have since pursued kinda similar art businesses, and I see them now struggling with this. Like, oh, well, I'm also good at this, so I should sell this and I should do that.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:14:05]:

And it's like, no. You don't have to sell everything you make. Like, if you're a creative person, you might be good at a lot of different creative things.

Stephanie Hansen [00:14:13]:

Yes.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:14:14]:

You know? And it stops being fun when you know, like, if I have a failure in the kitchen, I'm disappointed. You know? I get frustrated, but it's okay because it's not going anywhere. I don't have to worry about someone a customer coming. I don't have to, you know, it's a different kind of failure versus the feeling when you're struggling with the business. And so I I like having those two things very separate.

Stephanie Hansen [00:14:41]:

Yeah. I can see that too. And, also, like, this idea that because you're good at something or because you make something, then it's becomes less a hobby and then a job. And sometimes I struggle with that because I'm just cooking now between the cookbook and the show and the adjacent appearances and, my blog.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:15:02]:

I feel

Stephanie Hansen [00:15:02]:

like I'm just cooking all the time. And sometimes, like, I feel another like, I have to, like, videotape everything I'm doing. And, like, the other day, I was like, I'm not pulling out the video camera. I'm going to cook something that could I? Sure. But, I'm just going to make these apple muffins because I have apples and I feel like an apple muffin and I'm not going to videotape it and you know what? I'm not even going to write down the recipe. And I just was like I just sat in the moment. I enjoyed the bake. I loved the smell it made my house.

Stephanie Hansen [00:15:33]:

The muffins came out. I ate 1. I gave one to the dog and then I went and distributed them the neighborhood and got rid of them and came home and was like, oh, that was fun.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:15:43]:

Yeah. Isn't that's the best. That is those are that's the best feelings. And I know exactly even though, like, I don't do my baking on a professional level, just in the world of social media. Like you said, you have this pressure to film everything you do and turn everything that you do into some form of content. And that just sucks sucks the fun out of it. You know? Like, you know, sometimes it's fun, you know, but if you're not feeling it, like, don't do it. If Yeah.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:16:11]:

I don't know. You know, it's important to, like obviously, for you, it is part of your work.

Stephanie Hansen [00:16:17]:

But But is it I mean, also and I'm sort of like I don't know. I'm just sort of working through this too. Like, we give a lot away of ourselves as creators, as people in a social media space, and it's just demanding. And I don't wanna, like, sound not grateful because I am because you build a platform and people really dig your stuff and that's fun, but also, like, trying to recognize what's real and what's not real sometimes.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:16:50]:

Yes. Yep. Yeah. Because people see a version of you and and a version of what you do, and they expect that over and over and over again.

Stephanie Hansen [00:17:00]:

Yeah.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:17:00]:

And it can be exhausting. Yeah. And some days

Stephanie Hansen [00:17:04]:

you don't feel like delivering that.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:17:06]:

Yeah. I don't. You know? And and then sometimes I feel like, oh, I have to put it out there because I put everything out there, and then I do it and it doesn't do well or whatever. And then I stress out about that. It's like, why? Why?

Stephanie Hansen [00:17:17]:

Yeah.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:17:18]:

You know?

Stephanie Hansen [00:17:20]:

Well, you and I had coffee, and I think you well, we met at the hottest day of the year, and then you followed up. And you're like, would you ever wanna have coffee? I was like, yes. Of course. And I I also loved that you reached out to me because I do like bringing this creative online life sometimes into the real life of you and I just sitting and having a cup of coffee and talking about what we're into and what's fun. And I just I was I was appreciative that you reached out. And I I wish more people would do that kind of in a real space because I think that's how you grow and how you can help mentor others and help others find their path because so many people have helped me along the way. My goodness.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:18:04]:

Yeah. No. Yeah. And I I'm still so grateful you said yes because Sure. It is super important. And I think that people are kinda surprised when others are willing to do stuff in person and meet in person. And even for my tiny little thing that I do at the state fair, I met people online and they were worried about bugging me or asking me questions. And I'm like, why? Like, oh, I Yeah.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:18:27]:

I I and maybe not I love talking about that kind of stuff. If I can help somebody else, like, I go to competition. I'm like, so, like Yeah. Like, it's better for all of us in the long run, you know, if we're encouraging others to do it and get better and help the people where we can with stuff that we've learned along the way. And, like, I personally enjoy doing that. So that's why it was so exciting to Yeah. Get to sit and talk with you and, you know, meet someone else of the food, you know, yeah, and just learn from each other.

Stephanie Hansen [00:18:59]:

So what's next for you, Nicole? Have you thought about that?

Nicole Aufderhar [00:19:05]:

All the time. No. Again, after having done the show and now I've I've been very fortunate since the show came out with opportunities that have come my way. You know, you never know if anyone's gonna notice or pay attention or anything, and I've honestly been quite overwhelmed with the amount of stuff that I have done. And so people, you know, they expect the bakery. They expect us to expect that. That is not that's not on my realm. That's not what I'm thinking at all.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:19:36]:

I long term dream, short term dream. I don't know. I always tell people I would like to do a cookbook. That is something I thought of wanting to do years. I mean, that's kinda always been in the back of my head because Yeah. I enjoy the recipe development portion of baking. So that's kinda where my strong suit is. That's where I that's what I enjoy the most.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:19:59]:

So, you know, obviously, I'm gonna be continuing on with my leather business as always Yep. Gearing up for holiday season right now. So that's, you know, the main part of my life, but I'm just gonna continue to create recipes, share that, share the state fair knowledge, and just be willing to embrace and be open to whatever might come from it.

Stephanie Hansen [00:20:26]:

Alright. Let's do something fun. Are you ready for fun? Maybe. Always. I have, like, 5 to 10 questions. We'll see how it goes. Just random kinda rapid fire questions.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:20:40]:

Oh gosh.

Stephanie Hansen [00:20:42]:

They're not hard. They're they're all about you. They're not hard.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:20:46]:

Okay.

Stephanie Hansen [00:20:46]:

Oh, okay. Here's number 1. What is the first bake you remember making yourself?

Nicole Aufderhar [00:20:54]:

Cupcakes. Cute. Yeah. Like, as a kid? It's so basic, but that's yeah. Strawberry cupcakes with Swiss meringue buttercream. Yum. That was my first, quote, unquote, real bake that I did.

Stephanie Hansen [00:21:08]:

I love it. Okay. When you go to a potluck, what do you typically bring?

Nicole Aufderhar [00:21:16]:

Macarons.

Stephanie Hansen [00:21:18]:

Oh, fancy. Yes.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:21:20]:

They're easy to share. They look impressive, but they're pretty easy to whip up.

Stephanie Hansen [00:21:25]:

Okay. What is the first thing you eat from a Halloween candy bucket?

Nicole Aufderhar [00:21:32]:

That's funny. Snickers popped into my head first, but Reese's are my favorite, but I guess Snickers would be my first.

Stephanie Hansen [00:21:37]:

Okay. I love that. Reese's is the number one popular candy. You probably know that.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:21:41]:

Yeah.

Stephanie Hansen [00:21:41]:

Yeah. What, is the restaurant that you've been to more than any other?

Nicole Aufderhar [00:21:51]:

Well, green scene since moving up to Walker. That would be yeah. Okay. I love the green scene here in town.

Stephanie Hansen [00:21:57]:

And you live in Walker. I should mention that. Yes. What's your most used pan?

Nicole Aufderhar [00:22:05]:

I my little I have a little saucepan, and I will shove anything I can into it even if it's not supposed to fit. I love it.

Stephanie Hansen [00:22:12]:

I have one of those too, and it's funny. Yeah.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:22:15]:

Yeah. Yeah. Doesn't fit. Okay. I just did that last meal with some jam. It was poor decision but I think it worked.

Stephanie Hansen [00:22:21]:

But you still loved your pan. Okay. This is your last question in the in the final round of the rapid fire questioning. What's an existing cookbook you wish you had written?

Nicole Aufderhar [00:22:36]:

Oh. Oh. I'm looking at all my cookbooks. I know. It's a

Stephanie Hansen [00:22:41]:

hard one.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:22:42]:

That is a hard one. I can't I well, it's funny because I feel like picking any of them. I'm not worthy of any of them, but I have they're all old vintage ones. Like, I have this rose what's her last name?

Stephanie Hansen [00:23:03]:

Birnbaum Levy Birnbaum.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:23:05]:

I use a lot of her books. I wish I had the skill and the abilities to write something like that.

Stephanie Hansen [00:23:11]:

Do you know that that cake bible book that she wrote is having its 35th anniversary this year?

Nicole Aufderhar [00:23:17]:

I don't see that. I know. I can't believe it because except I have all, like, the real old vintage ones of it, and it's it's so cool that it still has stood the test of time.

Stephanie Hansen [00:23:27]:

Yeah. No. I love that you have those. That's amazing. Well, Nicole, I hope people will follow you on Instagram at 10000 Bakes. We're gonna for sure have you on, Jason's show next summer so we get a chance to connect with her there again. Wonderful. Also been doing reviews of Great British Bake Off with Bradley and Dawn on my talk 107.1.

Stephanie Hansen [00:23:50]:

Yeah. Yep. People should follow you, and you're making really cool Halloween stuff right now.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:23:56]:

Yeah. Thanks. Yes. We're having fun over here.

Stephanie Hansen [00:23:59]:

Yeah. It's amazing. Alright. Well, when you're gonna be coming down to town next or not downtown, down to town, next, give me a shout, and we'll have coffee again. It was fun.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:24:09]:

Oh, definitely. Totally.

Stephanie Hansen [00:24:10]:

Alright. Thanks, Nicole. I appreciate you spending time with us today. Yeah.

Nicole Aufderhar [00:24:14]:

Thank you.

Stephanie Hansen [00:24:14]:

We'll talk soon. Bye bye. Bye.

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Stephanie O'Dea on Slow Living Nov 01, 2024

This week, we're excited to bring you a thought-provoking conversation with the wonderful Stephanie O'Dea, bestselling author and advocate for slow living.

In this episode, Stephanie O'Dea dives deep into her journey from being known as the "crock pot queen," where I first connected with her (see her Slow cooker Brussels sprouts and Apricot Brie recipes below) , to embracing a more deliberate and slow-paced lifestyle. While we are in the month of Crocktober and Stephanie’s book, “Make It Fast, Cook It Slow,” is never leaving my shelf, I also was really interested in her new “Slow Living: Cultivating a Life of Purpose in a Hustle-Driven World” pivot.

Here's a quick look at what we talked about and… a recipe!

🌅 Morning Rituals & Solitude: Stephanie shares her love for early mornings, awakening as early as 4 AM to have personal time for journaling, yoga, and creativity. Her dedication to solitude helps her find mental space and clarity.

📚 Lifelong Learning: For Stephanie, being a lifelong learner is key to avoiding burnout. She emphasizes the importance of evolving and staying curious, contrasting repetitive tasks with the joy of discovery.

🌿 Redefining FOMO: Stephanie offers a new take on FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) by instead focusing on "Figure Only Myself Out." This mantra encourages self-awareness and individual happiness, away from societal pressures.

✨ Shift from Hustle Culture: In this hustle-driven world, Stephanie advocates for slowing down, unplugging from technology, and embracing authenticity in a world that often overvalues constant productivity.

📖 Slow Living: Now with her own podcast and new book "Slow Living: Cultivating a Life of Purpose in a Hustle Driven World," Stephanie inspires others to live intentionally and with purpose, championing quality over quantity.

We also touch upon the benefits of using a crockpot, societal expectations, and the importance of setting boundaries in both personal and professional lives.

If you're looking to slow down and cultivate a life filled with purpose and joy, this episode is just what you need. Make sure to tune in!.

Tune in to "Dishing with Stephanie's Dish" for more insights, and visit our website for past episodes. Whether you're sipping morning coffee or winding down for the day, we hope our conversations bring you inspiration and a fresh perspective.

P.S. We'd love to hear your thoughts on embracing a slower lifestyle. Reply to this email with your ideas or stories or favorite cookbook authors you would like us to connect with

Slow Cooker Very Best Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

1 pound brussels sprouts

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (ooh la la, fancy)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup water

Instructions

Use a 2-quart slow cooker.

Wash and trim the ends off of each Brussels sprout, and cut in half.

Toss into the cooker. Add butter, mustard, salt, pepper, and water.

Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or on high for 2 to 3.

Stir well to distribute the sauce before serving.

Slow Cooker Brie with Apricot Topping

Ingredients

1 large round or wedge of brie (the round I used was 13.2 oz)1/2 cup chopped dried apricots2 tablespoons brown sugar2 tablespoons water-1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary1/2 cup chopped walnuts (if you don't eat nuts, simply omit)

Instructions

You have two choices here: you can use a 2-quart slow cooker or you can use a 6-quart slow cooker with an inserted oven-safe dish.If your brie has a really hard rind, cut the top part off. Put the brie into the crockpot (or the oven safe dish).In a bowl, mix the chopped apricots, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, water and rosemary together.Spoon on top of the brie.Sprinkle on the chopped walnuts.If you are using an inserted dish with the brie in a large crockpot, you do not need to add water around the base of the dish.Cover and cook on high for 1-2 hours, or on low for about 3. Check after an hour just in case.When the brie is warm and as melty as you'd like, take it out. You aren't really cooking anything here, just melting it nicely.Serve with your favorite crackers or apple slices.

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

Stephanie Hansen [00:00:11]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's dish, the podcast where we talk to people that are cookbook writers, people that love food. And today, we have kind of a special podcast. It is, my pleasure to talk with Stephanie O'Day. And Stephanie and I first crossed paths, boy, probably maybe 12 years ago when I ran across your book. You were the crock pot queen at that time. You had 365 days of slow cooking, and you had a crock pot book that is still in my kitchen. And I've recycled a lot of cookbooks, but not yours. Make it slow, cook it fast.

Stephanie Hansen [00:00:49]:

And you became sort of this crock pot personality. And I'm was checking in with you on a couple of crockpot things for Croctober, which is my favorite month of the year. And you were like, yeah. I can do crockpot things, but really, I've evolved into this other whole being of slow living. And welcome to the program. I'm so excited to talk to you.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:01:12]:

Absolutely. Thanks for having me. The the crock pot lady was super fun. I I liked being the crock pot lady, and it worked really, really well until all of a sudden, it just didn't. And I started to feel a little fake and phony in my brain and my body. Because as you know, in order to write for the Internet, you have to consistently, like, pump out content.

Stephanie Hansen [00:01:40]:

Yeah.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:01:40]:

And and after a while, I kinda thought, well, gosh, Steph, how how, how many pot roast recipes does the world really need? And, and it was tricky because it because that first cookbook, the Make It Fast, Cook It Slow cookbook, it spent 6 weeks on the New York Times bestsellers list and did really, really well. So my literary agent, my book publishers, they wanted me to consistently create recipes and and tweak them. And as you know, in order to write a quote, unquote, new recipe for the Internet or for a cookbook, you really just have to change the name and change an ingredient or 2 and and write, like, some some beginning and head notes and end notes and and call it a day. But it it really started to to not kind of align with my ethics and morals, and I felt really uncomfortable. And then it legit came to a head in 2016 with the the invention of the Instant Pot. Yep. And and all of a sudden, everyone's like, you've gotta translate your recipes from the crock pot to the Instant Pot to the pressure cooker. And so I bought 1, and I goofed around with it, and I get it.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:02:51]:

The the tech part is fun. It's it's really exciting for some people to cook a frozen chicken in 45 minutes at 5 o'clock at night. For me, it it it I didn't like it. Yeah. I I just my brain, my body wants to put the food on in the morning, 6 AM, 7 AM. I'm fully awake. I'm highly caffeinated. I can push a button and walk away.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:03:15]:

The idea of having to cook at 5 o'clock when I'm already hungry, the kids are already, like, hangry and frustrated, just it didn't work for me. So, so I got fired.

Stephanie Hansen [00:03:28]:

You fired yourself, though, in effect.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:03:31]:

Well, sort of. It's so sort of, except for the publishers legit did fire me.

Stephanie Hansen [00:03:35]:

Yeah. Well, you know, publishers fire people all the time. That's not a big deal. Yeah. So you're not feeling consistent with your brand, this thing you've built, this thing you've created and put all this energy into. And how did you know that what you liked was the slow living aspects of it and make that transition because I imagine that was pretty hard.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:04:03]:

Yeah. So I I took some time off from the Internet, and and I actually got a real job, which is great. Because once you're not worried about making money, you can be creative again. And and that's what ended up happening. And I sort of had this, like, voice of God say, hey, just because you can do something fast, it doesn't mean you should. And I live in Silicon Valley and so everything is fast. Yeah. The the people drive too fast.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:04:29]:

I joke with friends that, like, Tesla's are pigeons here. They're they're everywhere, and they do not stop. And I don't think it's good for humans. And I certainly can see it firsthand with children that doing things in a rushed way or feeling like you're behind or you have to catch up. And it feeds this feeling of inadequacy and franticness in your body that's not healthy. And so I started to to really think about it. And, I did a lot of research, took up yoga, took up meditation, did a lot of research on, therapy practices, trauma informed practices, and and started the Slow Living podcast in 2021. And, and from there, my new book is Slow Living Cultivating a Life of Purpose in a Huzzle Driven World.

Stephanie Hansen [00:05:25]:

When you so you've got this whole brand now and all of these things. I imagine you had to, like, essentially start over and rebrand and become this new person that you always were this person, but leaning into that. And I'm it's funny that I'm talking to you today because I literally just had a con or a meeting this week about, like, oh, for SEO, you need to do this and you need to do that. And maybe we don't make so many recipes. Maybe we just do this. Maybe we like, exactly where the joy of what I do started, it has become a business. And I'm feeling that for you and myself. Like, this thing you love, this thing you start, this thing that feels so fun, and then you're just like, is this, like, am I just a bot here to just create all this stuff and have it literally just be like, okay.

Stephanie Hansen [00:06:23]:

I'm just a robot?

Stephanie O'Dea [00:06:25]:

Yeah. It's it's really something else, and and the Internet is not normal. And when you live and work on the Internet, you start to think that's real. And, and it it takes maybe some unplugging and some stepping aside. I really like nature. We're lucky in that our family has a cabin. And so just sitting on the porch and listening to the birds and watching the squirrels, I'm like, so that's actual real life. Yeah.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:06:53]:

This fake stuff is phony. And and so leaning into that, and then I have 3 children, and then I I'm just watching them and watching their wonderment, and and I want them to have hope and optimism for the future. And and sometimes, if you get sucked up in this kind of fast paced hustle culture, people think, oh, your kids will never be able to afford this or, oh, it like like, the world is going to hell in a handbasket. Like, I don't wanna raise my children with that thought process. So so deciding on purpose what it is you really want out of life, not the things you need to do, not feeding the Internet beast, but what is it you really want? What lights you up? Well, for me, it's, juicy afternoons where I can take a nap, plenty of time to garden, do yoga, being present when my children are talking to me and not feeling like, oh, I better answer this Instagram message. No. Probably the Instagram message is what you can put on pause and then paying attention to the babies in the room is what's important.

Stephanie Hansen [00:08:03]:

So let's talk specifically, about a couple of, I guess, we'll call them tips. I don't mean to simplify it to that level, but of how someone who wants to be more present can start moving into a slower living lifestyle. And then I wanna ask you because what's striking to me is we're talking about this slow living in a purpose driven life as it were, and yet you are recreating, like, this content again around this slow living practice with a podcast, with a number of books, with decluttering ideas, and ways to simplify your life. So it's sort of like this oxymoron too.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:08:46]:

Yeah. It's interesting. So I, the the the first tip and and my first suggestion would be to allow yourself to daydream and and to be to wander. Let your brain wander. Many people say

Stephanie Hansen [00:09:01]:

like, a deep breath when you said that because Yeah. It drives me crazy when, like, my husband does that because I'm like, we need to know where we're going. Like, what are you doing? What are you thinking? But for him, and he's a creative person. He's a writer. That's how he gets his energy.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:09:19]:

Yeah. Definitely for me too. Definitely. So so I am an introvert. And so I I love being alone in my brain. It's super fun in there. When I was little, I used to get in trouble for daydreaming, especially in class, and and doodling and all of that kind of stuff. But in order for me to have that brain space, I get up really early, and that's me time.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:09:44]:

So we're recording this 6:6 AM California time. I've been up since 4. And to many people, that sounds horrible, like like the definition of hustle culture, and and I get that. So how I marry the 2 is nobody wants anything from me at this time. It's me alone with my brain, my journal, my pot of coffee. I lay out my yoga mat. I stretch when I wanna stretch. I listen to my body.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:10:14]:

I write down ideas. Coming up with content for the podcast is a joy. There's so much I want to talk about and and and do it in in 20 to 30 minute segments that I don't see how that could get turned off, or I would feel burnt out because I'm a lifelong learner. I enjoy researching. I enjoy learning. I enjoy talking to you. Like, this is fun for me. This does not feel like work

Stephanie Hansen [00:10:44]:

Right.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:10:45]:

In in any way. Coming up with another way to make a a smoked jalapeno pot roast to does start to feel like work because I've already done that. Yeah. And and and I do believe in for lucky life is long, and and we continue to evolve and grow and change. My oldest is 23 today. And so this morning when I was journaling, I'm like, okay, well, where was I 23 years ago? What was I doing? What did I look like? What were my thoughts? What were my fears? And I'm so thrilled that I'm better, stronger, more confident than I was then. And that's what I would want for you and for your listeners is the idea that you have to cram it all in now. That's hustle culture.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:11:37]:

That's feeling as if you're behind or if what you're doing isn't good enough. If we're lucky, life is long. So where I am in 23 more years, I'll be in my seventies. Okay. Well, what does that look like? Well, I wanna continue to do yoga. I wanna garden. I wanna crawl around on the floor with my grandchildren. Well, in order to get there, probably, I don't need to work more.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:12:02]:

Probably, what I need to do is relax and make sure that I'm taking my supplements, and I'm drinking enough water, and I'm paying attention to my joint health and all of that kind of thing.

Stephanie Hansen [00:12:14]:

It is, it is a shift because I think, like, people unwind in different ways, but we're in this space where we don't really prioritize relaxation. You know? Like, there's always, like, places to go, things to do, closets to organize, meals to cook. Even, like, exercise has become, like, a hustle. Right? You know? Like, eve everything we do is framed in that I'll I'll call it the hustle culture like you did because I think people can really resonate with that. And it is hard to get off of that. And I find that the more I'm in it and the more I'm doing it, the less I even can observe what that would feel like. Like, I don't know how to relax. I used to.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:13:06]:

Yeah. And and it's tricky because not knowing how to relax first off, know what is it? Knowing is the first step. So good for you. Pay attention to that. Yeah. Because now you know what to work on. Unfortunately, what people do to turn off their brain is they turn to numbing techniques such as alcohol, drugs, endless mindless scrolling, and overconsumption. That isn't going to help your long term trajectory of a life well lived, of of life filled with kind of tranquility and peace, which in general, most people are actually chasing.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:13:47]:

They think they have to delay their happiness, their feeling of contentment because there's too much to do. So, so FOMO, fear of missing out, is what drives lots and lots of that. So this new book, is filled with acronyms, and that's because that's how my brain works.

Stephanie Hansen [00:14:05]:

Sure.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:14:06]:

And and my brain is super into acronyms because when I was about 7 or 8, my grandpa, who was in the military, told me that the word snafu had a bad word in it. So it's situation normal all effed up, but he actually said the word. So for me, like, my mind was blown that grown ups were hiding a bad word in another word. So, like, I've always rewritten acronyms. So FOMO for me and and for my readers is figure only myself out. Because when you know deep down inside who you are, what you stand for, what is important to you, and what makes you different is completely different than anyone else. So I'm glad that you brought up, like, exercise hustle. There are people at the gym hurting themselves because the the plan they're on says they have to do 25 reps, but their body needs to stop at 12.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:15:05]:

But they're they're pushing themselves, and they're actually creating damage in their joints because they're not listening to their own body. And and that's that's a problem that that you you have to decide what works for you when you're in a good mood and then consistently do that thing.

Stephanie Hansen [00:15:25]:

Yeah. It it's it's just interesting. You know, I think about this a lot that we've had the phone. I think we've had the phone for, what, like, I wanna say 15 years now, maybe 16. And it has changed so much in life, and I think about Steve Jobs sometimes. And just like, he put this amazing technology in our hands and in our pockets, And I wonder if he was still alive today, in some respects, how he would be ruing that day or how maybe he would be living intentionally differently. Because the phone is such a gift and the computer is such a gift. But at the same time, it can also be kind of a curse.

Stephanie Hansen [00:16:08]:

Are you good about, like there's different strategies for, like, time blocks. And, you know, like, you're gonna do this to this time and that to that time, and then you're gonna turn off your phone for this time. Like, in practice, do you do some of that to just give yourself space other than the early morning time?

Stephanie O'Dea [00:16:25]:

Yes. I so I do. I teach time blocking, and and I sort of liken it to a, like, a a classroom. Whereas this is circle time. This is recess time. This is that time. So, yes, I I can pay attention to that. And then I also wanna point out that, you're right.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:16:46]:

I don't think Steve Jobs would like this because he is a creative guy, and he would put on his calendar lots of brain breaks for himself to unplug and be alone with his thoughts, and he would go on long meandering walks. Again, I live in Silicon Valley, so I see this firsthand. And because of this, I am not an early adopter to any sort of technology.

Stephanie Hansen [00:17:13]:

Mhmm.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:17:13]:

I am hesitant and I am skeptical, and I wanna see how it works for other people and whether or not it's actually helping them or hindering them before I decide to go in. A great book that you might really like is, Harris Swisher's burn book, where it talks about the the early days of Silicon Valley and all of those kind of things. The the apps and the different sites are designed to addict you. And, you know this because I'm certain you have gone to to food blogging and and different conferences where they teach you how to keep the people on your site and and trick them into clicking this and doing this and and and wait. There's just wait. There's more. Yeah. And and that is is neat maybe, for the first little bit when you're learning how the tech works, but then later, it can really make you feel, uncomfortable.

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Stephanie O'Dea [00:18:18]:

And and I want people to gravitate towards me, not feel like they were duped into something.

Stephanie Hansen [00:18:25]:

Yeah. It's so funny to hear you talk about what we're all chasing in a way that is almost harmful and damaging, really. And, yeah, I just I was on a trip recently, for 2 weeks on a boat and going to Croatia and seeing all these beautiful things. And I still had to work a little bit. And every morning, you know, I would sit and I would do a couple hours worth of work. And my husband looked at me one day, and he's like, well, you know you're a workaholic. Right? And I was like, really? He's like and he was like, oh, yeah. Totally.

Stephanie Hansen [00:19:01]:

Like, you get all of your value as a human from your work. And you're framing your whole life in this context of the workout put you've and he was like, at this point in your life, Stephanie, you've worked more than most people. So, like, your quality and quantity of work, you've already reached it. What's next? It was so surprising and shocking to me, and he was just laughing. He was like, wait. Am I the first person that's ever put this into your brain? And and we work from home, and we have creative lives. He's an like I said, an author, and I'm doing this food thing. I'm a broadcaster.

Stephanie Hansen [00:19:39]:

You just it catches up where all of a sudden, like, everything is just this one big ball of thing.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:19:47]:

Yeah. Yeah. And and especially if you are an entrepreneur and you have no choice, because you have that that sort of intrinsic belief system of the harder I work, the luckier I'll get, which is, I guess, contributed back to Eleanor Roosevelt, who's a lovely lady, and she's great. But I want you and I would want your readers and listeners to know that you're worthy no matter what. And I think, I think what happens and and sometimes it happens in school and sometimes it happens with our parents is we believe not doing anything means that you're lazy.

Stephanie Hansen [00:20:29]:

Yeah.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:20:30]:

And you can be a lump on a log, especially if you work on the Internet. You can be a lump on a log and still get paid, because you don't actually really know where the people are coming from, how they found you. So so I like to, to kind of, if I'm coaching someone, I give them a a triangle or I have them draw a triangle on a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. And on the left, you're listing all of the things that you're doing. So you're sending out your newsletter. You're you're updating some images. You're doing this. You're doing that.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:21:06]:

And then when your day is done, your day is done. And then the other side is the is the belief system that that God or the universe or whatever you feels good in your brain and your body will meet you halfway. You've done your part, but you can't be a control freak about the other part because because it's legit out of your hands. Yeah. And and maybe maybe for you, that would be helpful or uncomfortable. Probably putting some parameters on yourself that my day is done no matter what at insert time here, whatever feels good. Be because there's always something more to do. There's always more tweaking.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:21:52]:

You can always find a dead link. God almighty, there are so many dead links.

Stephanie Hansen [00:21:56]:

I do think too, like, some of this is changing because of society. You know? When we left work at, you know, 5:30 or 5 or whatever it was and you drove home, you know, for people that was I think an average commute was 22 minutes, which is why podcasts are 22 to 30 minutes. You you would have that time to unwind, and then you enter into your family life. With all of us, you know, many of us, creative people for sure, working from home and this culture shifting of working at home, and also that you should be available 247 to your employer, to your listeners, to your readers, whatever your situation is. There's been so much scope creep into our personal lives.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:22:42]:

Yeah. So if someone writes to you if you send an email and you don't get a response or a day and someone says, I was out of town just seeing this now. Are you mad at that person, or is your thought, good for you?

Stephanie Hansen [00:23:04]:

Good for them.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:23:05]:

Yeah. So what if you shifted that and decided to be proud of yourself for taking time off?

Stephanie Hansen [00:23:12]:

Yeah. And, also, like, why do we have to preface it with an excuse? 24 hours is an incredibly normal time to be responding to someone. We don't I do think about people's lives. You know? Like, what is happening in your life, in your real life? You just don't know what people are going through. You don't know what people's challenges are. You don't know what's happening with their kids. You don't know where their mental health is at. There's just so much that's unknowable.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:23:39]:

Yeah. No. It's absolutely true. So when you get to know yourself and you feel confident that you're doing the right thing, then it it however someone else wants to perceive you is on them. So, so with this new book, the the acronym for slow, because, again, super huge acronym junkie, is to simply look only within. And so if you know you're making the right choice for you, who cares what other people think? That that that's a them thing.

Stephanie Hansen [00:24:13]:

I am so glad that I talked to you today. And I know you've been super generous about allowing me to share a couple of crock pot recipes, and I'll do that because people come to me for recipes probably first and foremost. But along the way, we get to discover cool things about ourselves, about others, about the group of society that we live in. Right? And food is just a way of nourishing and creating community anyway. So I feel like, you know, this is an extension of that. When you, when you're a mom, I think time becomes so fraught with challenges too because you're supposed to give all to your kids, and you maybe even want to give all to your kids. Like, I feel like that's pretty natural. Do you feel like moms have a harder time slowing down?

Stephanie O'Dea [00:25:03]:

Yes and no. It's interesting. It it it depends on probably how they frame their mind. So for me, I am a okay to sit on the floor and play Candy Land and read a story and do a puzzle. I have a background in early childhood education and development. I I used to run preschool centers for homeless children, so I actually know how helpful that slowing down and 1 on 1 attention is for children. So I know that it's actually helping them in the long run. And so me putting my, like, desire to check email or something on pause in order to give that to them feels completely natural.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:25:49]:

So it doesn't bother me at all. I can see for some people might think that it's a quote, unquote waste of time and sort of an iPad. Give me 5 more minutes. Give me 5 more minutes. Shoving your child off consistently, has detrimental effects. It makes them feel as if their wants and needs aren't important. They start to mask and start to think that the grown up in the room, their parent or something, is more important. And that creates long term feelings of inadequacy, feelings of unworthiness, and feeling less than, which in a sense is why then people turn to the Internet, turn to Internet strangers, look for validation outside of them because they don't feel strong and stable within.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:26:38]:

So pay attention to that. As far as too much to do and not enough time to do it, I I do think when you're taking care of other humans, that's tricky. And so, again, that's why I personally like to set myself up for success in the day. I fill my own cup first. Even when I had babies in the bed and and nursing around the clock, I would try and roll away very carefully to then go spend some time, usually in the bathroom all by myself.

Stephanie Hansen [00:27:09]:

Your 5 minutes.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:27:11]:

My 5 minutes. Yeah. And I think that's really why I was so into the Crock Pot is, I could front load my day because I never knew who I was gonna pick up from school. Are they in a good mood? Are they in a bad mood? Is soccer practice gonna run late? Did someone twist their ankle and now all of a sudden we're going to the emergency room? Knowing that dinner was hot and ready and waiting was such a stress reliever. It also helped us stick to our budget, and and and kept us out of the drive through

Stephanie Hansen [00:27:45]:

Yeah.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:27:45]:

Lane and and ordering out and all of that kind of stuff. So it was very, very helpful and useful practical tool at the time when I had little babies in the house.

Stephanie Hansen [00:27:57]:

It's really you know, we start out thinking about you as the crock pot lady, but where we are with you today is really satisfying and and not unrelated. Right? Because you have different moons and phases of your life that all of the things you did before kinda prepare you and lead you to that road. It this has really been super fun to talk to you. I'm gonna get your book, Slow Living.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:28:22]:

Okay.

Stephanie Hansen [00:28:24]:

You have your podcast. And where do you want people to find you? Do you want them to follow you? Do you want them to not follow you?

Stephanie O'Dea [00:28:33]:

So yeah. So I I have really good boundaries for myself. So anyone can email me at any time. I am a real person. The website is stephanieoday.com, and the book is Slow Living Cultivating a Life of Purpose in a hustle driven world. Thank you for having me.

Stephanie Hansen [00:28:50]:

Oh, for sure. And do you ever get to Minneapolis?

Stephanie O'Dea [00:28:54]:

Oh, so I am really trying to create a book tour. So I would like to go to all of the places. That's one nice thing about my children getting older is is it opens up a lot more room to travel and not feeling guilty.

Stephanie Hansen [00:29:11]:

Yeah. Well, if you get to Minneapolis, let me know. I'd be happy to help, promote the word that you're here. And if you need anybody to spend time with or interview you, there's a lot of good purpose driven folks in the Twin Cities that are thinking about some of the same ideas that you're thinking about. So

Stephanie O'Dea [00:29:27]:

That sounds great. And then I can hug you in real life.

Stephanie Hansen [00:29:30]:

Yes. And it's always just good. You know, I feel like I have been following you for a long time, so it's really fun to catch up and see this transition for you. I'm excited about it, and I'm excited to help share the story. Just simply only look within. Slow down. I feel like you were divinely in my day specifically right on time. So thank you for being here, Stephanie.

Stephanie O'Dea [00:29:54]:

Absolutely. Thank you so much.

Stephanie Hansen [00:29:55]:

Alright. We'll talk soon. Bye bye.

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Erin Clarke Cookbook Author @wellplated Oct 18, 2024

We had a lovely chat with Erin Clarke, from @Wellplated on Instagram and author of “Well Plated” and her new book, “Well Plated Every Day.” Scroll down for Erin’s pumpkin gingerbread squares with spiced cream cheese frosting recipe.

Cookbook Signing Event Details

Join Erin at ModernWell in Minneapolis on 10/30, 7:00pm-8:30pm, for her book signing event! The Well Plated Cookbook, Erin Clarke, and Lee Funke of Fit Foodie Finds!

Erin discusses her journey, from the influential blog Well Plated by Erin, to the creation of her popular cookbooks. You will sample one of Erin’s delicious recipes – and leave with a signed copy of Well Plated Everyday (Books provided by Valley Bookseller)

Thanks for reading Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter! This post is public so feel free to share it

Erin shared her Pumpkin gingerbread squares recipe from her new book, “Well Plated Everyday,” to give you a taste of the deliciousness in its pages.

Pumpkin gingerbread squares with spiced cream cheese frosting

Ingredients for the Cake

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1/2 cup canola oil, or melted and cooled coconut oil

1/4 cup unsulfured molasses (not blackstrap)

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

11/4 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 small orange

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions For the Cake

Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 350°F. Coat an 8 by 8-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Line the pan with parchment paper so that two strips overhang opposite sides like handles.

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and eggs until pale and foamy, about 1 minute. Add the pumpkin puree, oil, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cocoa powder, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Zest half of the orange directly into the bowl (about 1 teaspoon). Reserve the remaining orange to zest for the frosting. Whisk until smoothly combined.

Sprinkle the all-purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, baking powder, and baking soda over the top. Whisk until combined and smooth, stirring only as long as needed to incorporate all the ingredients.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Gently tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake the cake for 20 to 24 minutes, until it is puffed, the edges are starting to pull away from the pan, and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Use the parchment overhang to lift the cake onto a wire rack and let it cool completely.

While the cake cools, make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted recipe and ingredients continue

Ingredients For the Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

6 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, or Neufchâtel cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar plus a few additional tablespoons as needed

1/2 teaspoon orange zest (use the same orange from the cake)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie

Instructions for the frosting

With the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter at medium speed for 2 minutes or until very smooth and well combined. Add the powdered sugar, orange zest (zest from the reserved orange directly into the bowl), vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, until the powdered sugar is pretty incorporated. Increase the speed to high and pro tips beat until smooth, creamy, and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes more. If you’d like a stiffer, sweeter frosting, add two tablespoons of powdered sugar until your desired consistency is reached. Spread the frosting on the cooled cake. For easier cutting, transfer to the refrigerator for 20 minutes to allow the frosting to set up (or go for it). Slice into squares of desired size and enjoy.

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

Stephanie [00:00:16]:

Welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's dish, the podcast where we talk to cookbook authors and people obsessed with food generally. I am here today with Erin Clark. Erin is well plated on Instagram. She's also a best selling author of the well plated cookbook and the soon to be well plated everyday cookbook. You are gonna be having an event in the Twin Cities in Stillwater. I'm so excited for you.

Erin Clarke [00:00:42]:

I am thrilled as well. Can't wait. I worked to live, Yeah. Yes. So I lived in the Twin Cities at the very beginning of my career. I worked for Target, their corporate headquarters, so I just have a really big soft spot for the area, and I'm really looking forward to being back there again.

Stephanie [00:01:00]:

And do you live in Milwaukee now?

Erin Clarke [00:01:02]:

I live in Milwaukee now. Yes.

Stephanie [00:01:04]:

Okay. Because my family is all from Milwaukee, and I was looking on your Instagram. You make Milwaukee look more fun than I recall because we've been all over, like, the third ward, and you found some hidden gems that I was like, oh, she knows her way around here.

Erin Clarke [00:01:20]:

Yeah. I moved there about 10 years ago kicking and screaming because I married a Wisconsin boy and he's from Milwaukee, so we ended up back there. And I, like, I loved the city so much. I was like, I don't understand why I'm moving to still be cold and still be in the Midwest to this, like, random city. Minneapolis is great. And then I just fell in love with it. Like, it just has there it there's so much to do. The city has grown so much even just since I have been there.

Erin Clarke [00:01:46]:

We've got a great food scene. People are friendly. You're right on, like, Michigan. Like, it really has a lot going for it.

Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Stephanie [00:01:52]:

Yeah. I really my family is in Delafield, but we go into Milwaukee and spend a couple days during the holidays and during the summer. I really like it. So, okay. Well, you're on the verge. Is has your new cookbook come out yet? I imagine it's already out.

Erin Clarke [00:02:08]:

No. It is t minus 11 days. Not that I'm counting. I am absolutely counting every single day. Okay. I just cannot I'm just so giddy. I, like, cannot wait for people to have it in their hands. You are gonna have a 100 recipes in the book, but will you,

Stephanie [00:02:20]:

like, get people that maybe aren't familiar with your profile kinda what your point of view is?

Erin Clarke [00:02:29]:

Absolutely. So I grew up cooking and baking with my grandmothers in Kansas, like pure Midwest comfort food. And then after I graduated college and started living on my own, I realized that I wasn't going to be able to live on grandma's cinnamon rolls and cakes that she taught me to make. So I needed to learn how to cook, and that was where I really started going to farmers markets, like, really just kinda discovering the beauty of eating seasonally, which I feel like we talk about very, you know, it's just so, like, a part of the conversation now. But for me back then, it really wasn't. Like, in my family, like, corn and potatoes are the primary vegetables. So, you know, so I was trying to explore markets, learn how to cook, but I found myself to do this, like, really missing my grandmother's cooking. So I would call my grammy and be like, hey.

Erin Clarke [00:03:18]:

Like, can you tell me about, like, your recipe for enchiladas? And she would, like, in detail, tell me on the phone while I was taking notes. And then I started to think like, okay. Well, you know, I'm learning to cook. I'm trying to feed myself well. Maybe I can make grammy's enchiladas, but let's just do a couple of little swaps, like, that could make it healthier. Let's try it with Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Let's try a whole wheat tortilla. And then around that time, a friend had encouraged me to start a food blog, and I was like, what is a food blog? Like, I this is very, like, OG days, and I ended up posting the recipe, and I had a few friends from high school make it and love it.

Erin Clarke [00:03:57]:

And they're like, hey. Do you have any other recipes? And I was like, yeah. Like, I do. And so that it that just, you know, kinda sharing the lightened up versions of my grandmother's dishes just sort of started me off, and I still, like, very much keep the midwestern sensibility and unfussiness with my recipes. So if I could describe them briefly, it would be their easy, healthy with, heavy emphasis on lightened up everyday comfort food.

Stephanie [00:04:27]:

Which is perfect. I mean, honestly, that's what I love. I'm kinda more on the comfort food side, but I feel equally as comfortable cooking with kale, you know, as I would, I don't know, corn and potatoes. Right? And just

Erin Clarke [00:04:42]:

Yeah. And I think it's wonderful that people have gotten you know, those ingredients have gotten more main stream. And I really like the idea of finding ways to make healthy eating more accessible. So for example, in my cookbook, on my blog, I will not put an ingredient in there if it's gonna require you to go to a food store. I try to keep the spices, like, very streamlined. I get it. Like, we're all busy and sometimes you're not in the mood to cook. So how can we get to a result that's good for you faster, but it's still delicious? Because life is also just way too short for boring chicken breasts and rice, like, every single night of our lives.

Erin Clarke [00:05:23]:

So how can we have a little fun with it without, you know, making it a ton of work for ourselves either?

Stephanie [00:05:30]:

So how long have you had your blog then?

Erin Clarke [00:05:34]:

Going on 13 years.

Stephanie [00:05:35]:

I was gonna say it has to be about we've had a radio show about food for 15 years, and we kinda started right at the very beginning of, you know, food culture. And that was one of the lot of the bloggers were getting started. And do you still blog a lot, or are you kinda to the stage where you're repurposing recipes and relooking at some of your old content?

Erin Clarke [00:05:57]:

We are doing both. So I still publish about 3 new recipes a week to my blog, and then we're constantly going back especially to some of those older recipes and seeing, you know, if there are tweaks that we can do to make them better. At the beginning, I was the photographer with my, like, flip phone under the our, you know, awful, like, orange light in our kitchen. So some of those recipes, it's been fun to go back and spruce them up. And then as, you know, video has taken over social media and with me being the face of the brand, a lot of the we've been shooting videos with me in them, and that has actually been a ton of fun in the sense of just, like, rediscovering, you know, favorite recipes that I haven't made in years.

Stephanie [00:06:37]:

Yeah. And looking back on, what would you say are, like are there some that are you're known for or that are, like, your specialties?

Erin Clarke [00:06:47]:

I would say I definitely am known overall for 1 pot meals. Like, if I can one pot or one pan something, I will absolutely do it. Recent one that we did, and this is just top of mind because we did the video a couple of weeks ago, is a homemade version of Hamburger Helper. So I grew up, like, Hamburger Helper House all the way, and there's still something, like, very nostalgic and comforting about it. Except, I mean, this will sound hysterical to describe it this way, but it is a gourmet Hamburger Helper. There's just I always like to find, like, just a couple of little things that you can tweak. You know, first of all, it's from scratch. It's easy.

Erin Clarke [00:07:24]:

You don't need the box. And I add a little bit of hot sauce and a little bit of Dijon mustard. You cook everything together in the same pot so that as the pasta cooking liquid reduces and the pasta releases those starches, it makes this really, like, luscious silky sauce without the need for any cream, and everyone loves this recipe. My husband loves it. My nieces love it from Yeah. My nieces that are the age from, like, 4 to 6. They all love this hamburger helper. Like, it's something that the whole family can really sit down and enjoy.

Stephanie [00:07:55]:

I love it. And you really do have a very distinct point of view in how you're thinking about your individual recipes. So I'm guessing you don't have za'atar in any of your ingredients.

Erin Clarke [00:08:07]:

I don't. Even though I personally love za'atar I do too. You know, I love it. I cook with it at home, but I recognize that, like, every single person doesn't have the spice cabinet that I have. So while I'll do, you know, Middle Eastern inspired dishes, and I love to travel so a lot of my dishes are inspired by my travels, I try to do it in a way that brings it home to the Midwest and makes it just as attainable for people as possible.

Stephanie [00:08:34]:

Right. Where is the last place that you traveled to, just out of curiosity?

Erin Clarke [00:08:39]:

We spent a month in France this spring, which was just wonderful. I never I speak pretty good French, and I you know, you just have to go back to practice. Yeah. Really purely academic.

Stephanie [00:08:53]:

Where did you go? What region?

Erin Clarke [00:08:55]:

So each time we go, we try to visit a different region. This time we did Alsace, which is right on the German border, and it is just right out of a fairy tale. It's the some of the little villages around there are what inspired Walt Disney to design Belle's hometown in Beauty and the Beast. And it really was it was like stepping into a storybook. It was just so charming.

Stephanie [00:09:19]:

Are you able to as a content creator, are you able to take, like, a month off and fully unplug, or are you just working remotely? How does that work for you? Because I imagine you've got a team at this point.

Erin Clarke [00:09:32]:

I do. I have a wonderful team. They're just fantastic. Like, well plated would not be able to offer the content that we do without them. And I think that they would probably be more okay with me unplugging than I am okay with myself being totally off. You know, and this is just the reality of being a small business owner. Like, for us, even getting a full day off on the weekend is really, really challenging. And you kind of it kind of bites you the next day, you know, or Monday wouldn't get back.

Erin Clarke [00:10:02]:

I'm trying to be a little better about finding at least one day where we don't do any work. So even when we travel, we are always checking in. We put in a few hours here and there. We're often creating content while we're out there. But I also just view it as, like, wow. How cool is it that I get to yes. You could view it as, like, I'm in France and I'm working.

Stephanie [00:10:22]:

Yeah.

Erin Clarke [00:10:22]:

I view it as, like, how cool I can go to France while I work.

Stephanie [00:10:26]:

Yeah. And it is really like a change in lifestyle. Like, the creative culture has created so much flexibility for so many people. Do you get caught up and worried about, like, the algorithms and when things change and traffic goes down, and are you always kinda chasing that?

Erin Clarke [00:10:43]:

I mean, we are chasing it in the sense that, you know, it is our livelihood. Like, my site depends on traffic, and that traffic primarily for us comes from Google search. So I'm constantly, like, reading articles, trying to stay up to date. At the same time, ranking a friend of mine described it as, like, checking your rankings is, like, standing on the scale every single day. Don't do it. Just overall, you know, we're always looking for healthy growth, and the truth is, like, you are constantly you win some, you lose some. This is a particularly challenging time for online content creators just with AI. You know, no one is really certain of what what that's gonna lead to.

Erin Clarke [00:11:29]:

You're seeing AI appear in search results where independent content creators like myself and my peers used to have our recipes appear. Now it's AI. And just over really, especially the last 5 years, I feel like it's gotten supersaturated. And so Google is sorting through what's quality content and what's not. And so there's less there's just overall there's just less space to go around, and there's less content than ever. Or excuse me, less space to go around and more content than ever.

Stephanie [00:12:01]:

And this idea of low quality is sort of a you know, to get to these advertising tiers, people need to have high quality content. Google's just like, oh, we spotted some low quality content. And you're just like, what? Like, help me figure this out. I so many people have been caught in that kind of trap of trying to grow and not really getting direction very much from Google. And it is just changing the game, I think. And then I wonder, like, okay. As creatives, we're gonna find the next thing. Right? So is it like, I'm seeing a lot of people you mentioned video.

Stephanie [00:12:39]:

I'm seeing a lot of people on YouTube creating their own TV shows. I'm seeing substacks. Is that something that you're exploring? Any of those other alternative avenues?

Erin Clarke [00:12:50]:

It's one of those things where, like, if I could clone myself, I would try to do them all. Substack, I think, is really fun and intriguing to me because it gives people a way to directly support at a very affordable rate their favorite authors, creators. For us, I've but I feel like a key to making that work is to offer content that you can't get anywhere else without paying. Currently, Well Plated is free for readers to access, and we don't really have the capacity to create additional free content on top of that. So kind of the way that we have structured our strategy is to give away as much as possible. Not only are the recipes free, we do free meal plans. And my hope is that we'll make Well Plate as a resource for you and make it the place that you wanna go. And then, you know, for now, if by cultivating that loyal reader base, that can kind of be a foundation of our business that's not subject to algorithms.

Stephanie [00:13:51]:

Yeah. Like maybe creating modules or workbooks or, PDF content that can be about, you know, the top 30 things you need to have in your pantry and blah blah blah.

Erin Clarke [00:14:03]:

Mhmm. Yeah. We're always looking to offer resources right now. We're working on putting together updated super comprehensive Thanksgiving guide that gives you the realistic week of Thanksgiving prep list, not the like I mean, yes. It would be great. I know I can pre freeze pie crust 3 months in advance. I am not freezing my Thanksgiving pie crust 3 months in advance. I'm just not that person.

Erin Clarke [00:14:26]:

I admire that person. I'm not that person. So what say we start on Sunday. Like, how can we really get this done? Yeah. How are we gonna streamline our shopping list? Like, I'm always looking for ways to provide value. So we're really excited about that PDF that'll be coming out here at the end of the month.

Stephanie [00:14:41]:

How many people do you cook for at Thanksgiving?

Erin Clarke [00:14:45]:

I'm very spoiled on Thanksgiving day, and then I get to go to my mom's house. And she and my stepdad are fabulous cooks and take off, like, 2 days of work. And the turkey is like a masterpiece. But for about the last now going on almost oh my gosh. How many years has it been? Now going on almost 15 years, I've been hosting Friendsgiving. Oh, yeah. At its smallest, it was probably about 7 people. At 1 year, we got up to 35 people.

Erin Clarke [00:15:12]:

Now we're kind of somewhere in the sweet spot with around 20. So that every year is just really just it's like chaos, but in the most fun way. Now that, you know, when it started out, it was all adults. We set nice tables. Now my friends have families, so you have kids, like, running around all over the place.

Stephanie [00:15:29]:

Right. Do you do it at a certain time a year, or do you do it in the month of November? Some people I know do, like, it in February and call it febsgiving.

Erin Clarke [00:15:38]:

That's well, with how crazy busy holidays are, I completely understand. And, like, let's be honest, there's not that much to look forward to for most of February March holiday wise. We do we do November. So I guess I'm just lucky because I get I love Thanksgiving food. I'm like, this is great that I get to eat this more than once. I'm gonna eat it for Thanksgiving, and then I'm gonna go home and I'm gonna eat it on the actual holiday.

Stephanie [00:16:01]:

Yes. Super delicious. Okay. So let's talk a little bit more about your book. Like, do you have it organized in any certain way?

Erin Clarke [00:16:09]:

Yes. So I like to and I know cookbooks all take different approaches, and it's kind of fun to see how different cookbook authors differentiate things. For me, I think it's just like, I'm a very traditional cookbook girl in the sense of the organization. So, you know, we start out with breakfast, have appetizers and drinks, salads, and then the main dishes are really the meat and potatoes of the book, pun intended. Just because that is where I know that people need the most help. Like, everyone has to cook dinner. So having a robust assortment of recipes and then organizing those well is really important to me. So we actually ended up breaking the main dishes down into 3 different categories.

Erin Clarke [00:16:55]:

So there's an entire chapter that's just pure one pot meals. One pot, one pan. Boom. We have a chapter, that's mostly focused on lightened up comfort food. And then we have this 3rd chapter that I did not intentionally set out to make it a vegetarian chapter just because I never want vegetarian food to feel lesser than or like it needs to get singled out. But we just ended up with this really wonderful collection of vegetarian dishes. They're also pretty heavily globally inspired that ended up being their own chapter as well. So we call those the veggie mains with all the flavor.

Erin Clarke [00:17:31]:

And then you've got your, you know, your soups, your sides, and, of course, your sweets.

Stephanie [00:17:36]:

How do you find, like so you have a team of people. How do you find them? Do you just advertise for them and interview just like a normal company would?

Erin Clarke [00:17:46]:

It's really hard. It's really hard to find good people. Like, I feel incredibly lucky. I've worked with most of my team for 5 years or longer. Some of it has been word-of-mouth. You know, like, other bloggers will work with someone and say, hey. You know, my social media person you know, I might reach out to a friend and say, hey. I'm really looking for someone to help me with my Facebook.

Erin Clarke [00:18:08]:

And, you know, friends will generously say, like, hey. My social media manager is great. Why don't you reach out to her? You know, some of it has been we went through our when we hired our first full time employee, we did the whole post on Indeed, like, a really rigorous application interview process. And I actually ended up finding Brenna, our first employee, because I posted on my Instagram. And so she reached out, applied through Indeed, you know, and we'd really went through that formal process. But it is truly time consuming and exhausting. Yeah. It's hard.

Erin Clarke [00:18:38]:

And I think every business I don't exhausting. Yeah. It's hard. And I think every business, I don't find myself unique in that way. And I think the first hire or the first couple are also really

Stephanie [00:18:46]:

hard because you're probably getting to the point where you can monetize some things, but it, like, takes money to make money, and it takes more hands to make money. So

Erin Clarke [00:19:01]:

Mhmm.

Stephanie [00:19:02]:

How did you feel like you knew when that time was right?

Erin Clarke [00:19:07]:

When I just could not it just got to a point where I either had to be we either needed to hire someone or we needed to be okay with doing a lot less.

Stephanie [00:19:18]:

Yeah.

Erin Clarke [00:19:18]:

And I just could not you know, at that point, I had managed to outsource, you know, the recipe photography, the social media, But I really was so burned out, and I was like, I can't you know, I love what I do, but I can't do it at the right capacity. And I'm not enjoying my life. So how do I find someone that I really want to invest in? And invest is the word to use because as you said, it is not cheap to hire someone. Not only to pay, you know, if you wanna hire someone good, they deserve a great wage.

Stephanie [00:19:51]:

Yep.

Erin Clarke [00:19:51]:

And then also even expenses like setting up a 401 k, kind of thinking through some of those pieces. Like, that is administratively very time consuming, and it is costly. But it's worth it. Like, I that was, you know, one of the best decisions I've ever made for my business.

Stephanie [00:20:08]:

And things like health care. I mean, if you are employing people full time, they want benefits.

Erin Clarke [00:20:14]:

Yeah. Exactly. And you can choose not to offer benefits, but then you're not gonna get the quality of candidates that you're looking for. And also just personally, for me, like, building a company where I can provide benefits for people, like, that's something that I'm proud of and that we wanna be able to offer.

Stephanie [00:20:31]:

Yeah. It's funny that you mentioned that because I had a business before getting I'm mostly a broadcaster who happens to write some cookbooks that are regionally based. But before being a broadcaster, I did have a small business, and I was really proud of the fact that we always offered health care. Like, it just felt like, businesses. I didn't it's not the business's job, but it is the way our society is set up. So if that's the way it's gonna be, then let's participate. Let's do it. Let's take care of our employees.

Stephanie [00:21:00]:

At some point, I wish that everyone could have a single payer health care system and just pay into it, but that's my utopian fantasy as a freelancer out here still, you know, paying for health care on the open market. It's not cheap.

Erin Clarke [00:21:13]:

No. It's not. It's really challenging.

Stephanie [00:21:15]:

I know. And that someday we're all gonna get together. Like, there's a 150,000 creatives just in the state of Minnesota all buying independent health care. It'd be cool if we could find some way to all band together and bring everyone else's cost down too. Right?

Erin Clarke [00:21:29]:

Yeah. I love it. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:21:32]:

Can you tell me some of your favorite cookbooks? Like, do you, like, even look at cookbooks anymore, or are you just so focused on your own?

Erin Clarke [00:21:41]:

No. I just love cookbooks. I read cookbooks like people read novels, which is why, you know, if you read my first cookbook and my second one when it comes out, like, the writing is incredibly personal to me. I pour, like, so much of myself into that because food you know, the recipes need to work. They need to be rock solid. That's the number one thing with a cookbook. And we work incredibly, incredibly diligently on that. My whole team does.

Erin Clarke [00:22:06]:

But from there, like, I just want a cookbook with some personality.

Stephanie [00:22:10]:

Yeah.

Erin Clarke [00:22:10]:

And so, like, I just find it so inspiring to hear both the food, hear the stories. And then I can say, like, anyone can post a recipe online, and I absolutely stand behind the quality of the well plated recipes that we do online. But there is something special and a higher standard about a cookbook that, there it's just, like, sacred to me. Like, I feel like you're, like, getting a a piece of someone. And I have a lot a lot of cookbooks. I joke, but it's not it's actually quite true that Ina Garten taught me how to cook when I started. When I started my blog, my husband was in law school. We were on a budget.

Erin Clarke [00:22:49]:

Like, we were not going out to eat, And he had a voracious appetite. So I was like, okay. I gotta figure out how to cook food that tastes good because we enjoy you know, that we'll enjoy eating that, you know, makes a decent enough quantity to feed him, like, start hosting friends. And so I just checked out Ina's cookbooks from the library and would read them and, you know, work my way through them. So from there so the foundation of my grandmother's and then, like, moving on to Ina Garten.

Stephanie [00:23:19]:

Yeah.

Erin Clarke [00:23:19]:

Some of the and then I also, you know, now that I am a professional recipe developer, I also have taken lessons from the way that some of the best of the best write their recipes. So one person that always comes in mind to me is Dori Greenspan. I just think she has this beautiful way of writing recipes, and she's kind of who I learned. Like, don't you can't just don't just tell me the time on the stove. I need you to tell me what it smells like. I need you to tell me, you know, if the color's golden. Like, how do we appeal to all of these different senses to make people feel really confident? And that confidence aspect is really important to me too. So I want you to feel good the entire time you're making my recipe, not just be, like, pleased at the end that it turned out.

Erin Clarke [00:24:04]:

So, you know, if you're making a cake batter and it looks curdled, I'm gonna tell you it will it looks curdled. It'll be fine. And I feel like I picked some of that up from Dory Greenspan as well.

Stephanie [00:24:17]:

Oh, wow. Those are some of my heroes too. So it's fun to hear you say that. Have you I just started reading the Ina Garten memoir.

Erin Clarke [00:24:24]:

Oh, I'm listening to it. I'm about a third of the way through. It's just delightful.

Stephanie [00:24:28]:

I know. She's so great. I does she read it? I probably should have listened because I just find her so she's so funny.

Erin Clarke [00:24:36]:

She really is. Yeah. She it's just it's delightful.

Stephanie [00:24:39]:

Yeah. Okay. So people can come to your you can do a reading. You're gonna be at Valley Booksellers in Stillwater on October 13th.

Erin Clarke [00:24:48]:

We are doing the event at Modern Well. So it's in partnership with Valley. So it's in Minneapolis, and I will have a partner in conversation, Leigh Funke, from Fit Foodie Finds, who is a friend and just, like, a rock star food blogger who is also based in the Twin Cities. So she graciously agreed to do a q and a with me. We'll be having some snacks passed out from the book. It's just gonna be a really funny thing of conversation. Of course, everyone will leave with a signed copy of the book, and I'm just so looking forward to having that in person connection.

Stephanie [00:25:23]:

Yes. I'll go ahead and put a link for tickets in the show notes. I'm gonna bump up when I, release this podcast so that people have time to get tickets. It was super nice to talk with you and to meet you. I'm excited about your book. I have followed you on Instagram, so it's fun to get a chance to talk with you. And I loved hearing how thoughtful you are about your point of view on the recipes. It really shows in the work that you do.

Stephanie [00:25:49]:

You're doing a really good

Erin Clarke [00:25:51]:

job. Thank you so so much. That really just means a lot. I can't overstate how much that means because sometimes you just feel I mean it's hard.

Stephanie [00:25:59]:

You're in the void.

Erin Clarke [00:25:59]:

It's hard. It's a lot of work. Yeah. Mhmm.

Stephanie [00:26:01]:

Absolutely. Alright, Erin. It's great. Good luck with the book and I maybe we'll see you at Modern Well. Who knows?

Erin Clarke [00:26:08]:

Yeah. I hope so. It was great meeting you.

Stephanie [00:26:10]:

Okay. Thanks, Sarah.

Erin Clarke [00:26:11]:

Thanks again.

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Lauren McDuffie Oct 04, 2024

@Lauren_McDuffie, is the author of the beautiful and inspiring cookbook "Homemade-ish: Recipes and Cooking Tips That Keep It Real" Known for her knack of blending home-cooked charm with modern-day convenience, Lauren's work has been making waves in the culinary world. We'll dive into her creative process, chat about her beloved blog "My Kitchen Little," and get a glimpse into the life of someone who beautifully marries food, photography, and writing.

So grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and get ready to be inspired by the delightful Lauren McDuffie.

TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS:

Stephanie [00:00:15]:

Hi. Welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's dish, and I am here with the author Lauren McDuffie, Talking With My Mouth Full , and she is someone that I'm just getting familiar with. So Lauren, welcome to the program.

Lauren McDuffie [00:00:26]:

Thank you so much for having me.

Stephanie [00:00:28]:

Yeah. Your book, Homemade-ish, I think I saw it, like, on maybe a publisher's weekly list, and then I started paging through it. And you're I I hope this, like, hits you in the right way. You're kind of, like, sort of semi homemade ish, but not exactly.

Lauren McDuffie [00:00:48]:

Yes. No. That's you really hit the nail on the head with that. Okay. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:00:52]:

I used to watch semi homemade with Sandra Lee you. In the beginning of the Food Network days, and she's kinda gotten a bad rap. What I loved about her and what I loved when I was going through your book too is just this idea that we don't have to, like, make every single thing from scratch in order to put a decent meal on the table for our family.

Lauren McDuffie [00:01:16]:

Right. It's just that's just true.

Stephanie [00:01:19]:

And it prevents people sometimes from cooking at all. This idea that cooking is so complicated and so hard. And as someone who I mean, I'm just a home cook, and I feel like that's a great space where you can sometimes take shortcuts and also knowing the shortcuts to take.

Lauren McDuffie [00:01:38]:

Yes. Exactly.

Stephanie [00:01:40]:

So your book, Homemade-ish

Lauren McDuffie [00:01:42]:

Mhmm.

Stephanie [00:01:43]:

Is really lovely. And I felt like was the modern day version of sort of that idea because your food looks incredible. Your you must be a are you a a photo stylist? Because your food in your book is, like, amazing.

Lauren McDuffie [00:01:58]:

Thank you. Yes. I did the photography and the styling for all my books, and it's I just love that part of the process so much. So thank you for saying that.

Stephanie [00:02:07]:

I did laugh because you have a piece in there you, talk about, like, I just love this. This is my joy. And I'm in the middle of finishing a second book, and I'm not feeling that it's my joy.

Lauren McDuffie [00:02:23]:

I get that too. Yeah. That's fair. I was like, I'm all the time. So I under Yeah.

Stephanie [00:02:30]:

I have 35 pictures left, and I don't even wanna eat the food anymore because I'm so sick of it.

Lauren McDuffie [00:02:35]:

Yep. You've spent enough time with it probably. Yes. I get that. I do.

Stephanie [00:02:40]:

So catch my listeners up a little bit about you and who you are and your blog.

Lauren McDuffie [00:02:46]:

Okay. So I yes. I run a, a recipe website called my kitchen little, which I think it just turned 5, like, within the past week. So I I don't know. In blog years, that's not a baby anymore. So and and I run it as a business, which I really, I really enjoy. But prior to this website, I had a blog, which was very much a writing space. I love to write, and I started that, I don't know, maybe 12, 13 years ago, a long time ago back when food blogs were still sort of a novel thing.

Lauren McDuffie [00:03:19]:

Not everyone had one at the time. So I started I started that when my daughter was was a baby, and I just needed an outlet. And for me, cooking has always been my favorite sort of creative outlet. I love food. I love to talk about food, and a blog just seemed like a really nice way to gather together my creative interest with writing and cooking. And and, eventually, I fell in love with photography just by necessity because I learned that people want to see what you're talking about. Yes. So I grew a new love for that whole side of it too.

Lauren McDuffie [00:03:50]:

So so I had a food blog for a really long time purely as a hobby, but I I I met a lot of other people along the way who were in in food land just like me but in different ways. And, I had the opportunity to do my my first cookbook several years ago, which was kind of an homage to my Appalachian roots. And then I did another book a few years later, which is called Southern Lights. I lived in Charleston, South Carolina at the time. And

Stephanie [00:04:15]:

You did? My brother lives there. I love Charleston so much.

Lauren McDuffie [00:04:18]:

I love you. We moved to Portland a year ago from Charleston, and I was very sad to leave. But I love Portland too. So so it's it's been fine. But, yeah, I have a special spot in my heart for Charleston, and that book sort of was inspired by just my time living in, the low country and in the south, and I wanted to show off the healthier side of the southern table, which was a really fun book project. But, this book, Homemade ish, I just really enjoyed doing because I've found that a lot of my actual friends, like in my neighborhood and in my real life, are really drawn to things that are genuinely easy, truly low maintenance, and unintimidating. You know, I love a long cooking project with the best of them, something that takes all day and then I have to go out into the world to find really obscure ingredients. I like that because I'm a food nerd, and that's the kind of stuff that makes me happy.

Lauren McDuffie [00:05:11]:

But a lot of people, in fact, most people that I know, they're not like that. They they do, however, want to make food themselves in their home because there's a lot to be said for that, but they wanna do it with the least amount of fuss, you know, possible. And so that's really where the idea for this book came. And I also did use to watch semi homemade, and I appreciated kind of the heart of the show. The point of it made so much sense to me. So, yeah, I kind of wanted to breathe some modern new life into that concept. And because ready made foods and store bought foods have really come a long way since the nineties, and there's so much out there, that's that's really great fodder for jumping off and being creative and doctoring up into something new. And that was that's kind of the point of the book.

Stephanie [00:05:57]:

Yeah. So you take something that's maybe giving you a a a helping hand as it were, like pesto or deli meats or even, rotisserie chicken

Lauren McDuffie [00:06:08]:

Yes.

Stephanie [00:06:08]:

And then you kinda take it the rest of the way.

Lauren McDuffie [00:06:11]:

Absolutely. Yeah. I think that cookbooks really serve a wonderful purpose in just giving ideas also. I think sometimes just coming up with what to make for dinner can be, you know, a deterrent in and of itself. And so I'm I'm hoping that these recipes are also fodder for people's own just riffing and and their own interpretation. So, hopefully, it'll help people see their grocery stores kind of in a new light. Like, what do you mean for me? Yeah. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:06:38]:

You mentioned in the book, I think it's 5, like, of your favorite products that everyone should have in their pantry at all times that you always have a meal available. And maybe it wasn't exactly 5, but I think it was pesto was 1. Yep. Curry. I think prepared curry was the

Lauren McDuffie [00:06:58]:

paste. I love I love a curry paste.

Stephanie [00:07:01]:

And can you share a few more?

Lauren McDuffie [00:07:03]:

Sure. And I think that this list probably changes, a little bit, but for me, a rotisserie chicken is always a go to. I I tend to never get sick of finding ways to wield a rotisserie chicken because you can just do so much with them. But I think this is gonna you know, people scoff at at bagged salads sometimes, which is silly to me, but I do a lot in this book with bagged salads. I usually have one in my fridge to play on and and riff on. I think they're really valuable because it saves you time with chopping and Yeah. Procuring all of the individual things. I just there's something to be said for that.

Lauren McDuffie [00:07:41]:

So

Stephanie [00:07:41]:

Do you have bagged salad? Like, are you an Aldi person? Are you a Trader Joe's person? Are you whatever your grocery store is where you are? Because they apparently someone told me once that the bagged salads at Aldi that are $3 are really quite good, and I've never had

Lauren McDuffie [00:07:57]:

I haven't either. Although, I'm people I see people talking about Aldi more and more singing its praises. So I will have to check that out. That's really good intel.

Stephanie [00:08:07]:

I can't get past the quarter to get the cart.

Lauren McDuffie [00:08:10]:

Oh. Oh, yeah. I can't do that.

Stephanie [00:08:12]:

I'm like, come on. Like, it's a quarter, but people say it ensures that the people bring the carts back into the store.

Lauren McDuffie [00:08:21]:

I see. Okay. Okay. I'm just like, charge

Stephanie [00:08:24]:

me a dollar. I don't care. I just want I don't wanna have to fish around in my bag for a quarter.

Lauren McDuffie [00:08:29]:

Right. I know. That's true. I didn't know about that whole thing. Okay. That is interesting. But it's funny you mentioned Trader Joe's because I just went there last week for the first time in, like, 6 years for no reason other than that. I've moved a few times and COVID happened, and I just hadn't been in a while, and I forgot how much I love that store.

Lauren McDuffie [00:08:49]:

Yeah. And it it's perfect for this book because they have so many wonderful things that are already kind of made and started for you. But, yeah, I almost panic bought so many things when I went in there because I was like, oh gosh. It all looks so good.

Stephanie [00:09:03]:

You are my person because I'm a panic shopper. Yeah. Like, where I just and and during COVID, I mean, I have still nightmares about trying to go to the grocery store during COVID and just literally throwing things in your cart and running out. But I'm also a panic orderer at a restaurant because I want everything.

Lauren McDuffie [00:09:23]:

Oh, I know. I I feel you on that. I'm a little bit like that. I close my eyes and just play roulette and

Stephanie [00:09:29]:

Yes.

Lauren McDuffie [00:09:30]:

That's like your dog. No. I get that. But I did I got some salads there last week to your point that were very good. So but, yeah, normally, I I grocery shop so much just for my work that it's almost a daily thing. And, I do get delivered groceries, which people think is funny because I don't always pick out my own individual this and that. But for pure efficiency sake, again, which is sort of the heart of this book, I just shop at, like, my big local supermarket and and get all my bagged salads and sundries there and, you know, use them in a pinch. They're always helpful.

Stephanie [00:10:04]:

Every day, what does your day look like? Like, are you already working on the next book, and is that what you're doing every day?

Lauren McDuffie [00:10:11]:

Yeah. You know, I, I did this book right before we moved from Charleston to Portland, and I did it really fast. For me, it was it was fast. And it didn't burn me out, but it definitely gave me a nice kind of pause in in the the cookbook making because I had a book come out a year ago as well. So I had 2 come out pretty close together, which has been really fun. But I'm just kind of enjoying sitting back a little and looking at the stuff I've made, and and I'm actually working on a non food related book, right now just to see, if that can go anywhere. So but I've been focusing a lot on my my website and growing that. I just you know, as I said before, it's past the 5 year mark, and it's really nice to see that, coming more to fruition and and doing doing pretty well.

Lauren McDuffie [00:11:02]:

So I've just kind of thrown myself into the to that side of things, but I'm sure another book idea will will will surface because I love making them. But, like, you you were just saying, it's a lot when you're in it. It's like, woah. I'm I why am I doing this? But it's it's great when all is said and done, but, yeah, I took a little break.

Stephanie [00:11:19]:

There's been a kinda trend that I've been seeing with cookbook authors and recipe developers. I'm curious if you're thinking about this at all. We have a lot of people that have launched substacks, and Instagram and TikTok are just full of recipes. And we're in some respects, I feel like have reached this, like, everything is just like this free recipe, and people just comment like recipe, recipe, recipe. Yes. And Yes. With that, which is great because you build an audience and you build a community, there are some creators that are like, wow. I'm just putting all this time, energy, and money into this thing that the books aren't making money like they used to.

Stephanie [00:12:06]:

Podcasts have never really made money unless you're, like, the top 20. And so we have all these creators spending all this energy, and we're all chasing, you know, the few scents that you get when someone watches something on a YouTube. So I'm wondering if, like, we're almost at, like, some of the creators, Carolyn Chambers has talked about this, about taking all of her recipes off of her website and really funneling people only into recipe ways that she can monetize. Have you thought about that at all, or do you think about that when you're working on your blog?

Lauren McDuffie [00:12:41]:

Yeah. I do. Because sometimes it does start to feel almost futile when you really sit back and you think of I mean, and you just summarized it really well. I go back and forth. I mean, I actually started a substack, as well, and I've enjoyed that as a separate space for me to write more creatively because no one comes to food blogs anymore, as you know, to hear hear what anyone has to say about their life. I mean, that's a that's a big joke now. You know, get to the recipe already. And so my self stack became sort of that.

Lauren McDuffie [00:13:09]:

I think for me, it's been motivating because my own traffic on my website has grown exponentially over the last year, really, year, maybe year and a half, and that keeps me in the game. But I do sometimes wonder and I had someone ask me just last week about, another factor, which is AI is now a part of things as well too, which is so intimidating and it makes me wonder, is that where people are just going to stop, you know, for all of their their recipes? And are we gonna become obsolete? I don't know. It's scary actually to think about it. But but I have some very, very dear friends who are full time food bloggers and are very helpful resources for me and have taught me a lot about SEO, so I which is search engine optimization, and it's sort of how to play the game with Google so that you get your content in front of all the people out there who are googling things all the time. And it keeps me inspired and motivated when I talk to other people who have found real success in this. But I don't know. To your question, it is a little bit nerve wracking and and scary to think about what's gonna happen 5 years from now. I don't really know, but I just know that I enjoy doing it and I I'm enjoying the little wins and little successes that I'm seeing month to month right now, and that's keeping me going.

Lauren McDuffie [00:14:27]:

And and the books, like you said, you know, I don't know many people who write cookbooks to get rich, but, it's a wonderfully legitimizing thing to have. I love having a tangible representation of of my work, and it's it's just I I love them. I love that I've that I've done them, and it's it's valuable in other ways that aren't necessarily monetary. And and it all kind of works together as this little food machine and who knows exactly where it's going, but I I'm confident and optimistic that it'll still be, there's still a place for our blogs and recipe websites.

Stephanie [00:15:01]:

Well and to your point, I think what is also happening, which is sort of in your wheelhouse, I don't consider myself a writer. My husband actually is a writer, So I'm pretty careful about what that looks like in that space. I am a 300 words or less person. I am a bullet pointed list. I just that's how I think, and that's what works for me. But to your point, if you have, like, talent in the writing space and having your own personal points of view, I do think that there's always gonna be room for that where people align with your vision or your values or your lifestyle choices, and they get to know you and they wanna be more in your world?

Lauren McDuffie [00:15:44]:

Hope so. Yeah. I think so too. I really do. That that human element of the equation is special, and I think people like it. It's it's a really nice thing. And so I'm hoping in fact, you know, I've actually made a commitment to invest more into the writing in my website even though I'm not telling you a story about my life anymore.

Stephanie [00:16:05]:

Right. But you

Lauren McDuffie [00:16:06]:

can still weave your voice into how you explain food. You know, most of my my blog posts, I don't even really call it a blog anymore. It really is more of a recipe website, but there's still tons of words in there. And you could pick and choose which words you use, and I try to make mine as useful, but also entertaining and worth people's time to read, and that's one way you can separate yourself from the bazillions of other people who are doing the same thing. So

Stephanie [00:16:32]:

Yeah. So I'm talking with Lauren McDuffie, and her book is Homadish. Couple of other things in your book specifically that I really loved. I I don't know. I I was, was thinking about this today. I was, doing a TV segment with a friend and there was a laundry guy on and he was talking about, know, the 5 things you need to have in your laundry room. And I thought, wow. You know, there's blogs and I've got, like, kitchen essentials and you really broke it down this in in your book, some things worth noting about what you should the 13 things you literally need to have in your kitchen.

Stephanie [00:17:10]:

I've never seen a list so small and so spot on. So good for you.

Lauren McDuffie [00:17:15]:

Thank you. Yeah. I, I that list came to be because I was photographing the book, and, I realized I have I have rooms filled with props and things that I've used for years because I work as a food photographer and a stylist. But in, you know, in the name of keeping things real and, authentic, I just used the stuff that I genuinely cook with in my real life. So, yeah, it made it it made it very clear that you don't need a lot. I love minimalism. It makes me feel good, and so I wanted to kinda capture that.

Stephanie [00:17:47]:

Yeah. So it was a cutting board, a chef's knife, a large deep lidded pot, a large skillet, a medium lidded pot, large baking sheets, a muffin pan, which I might argue with you on the muffin pan.

Lauren McDuffie [00:17:58]:

Yeah. Yeah. I know. I had to sneak that in because there's 2 recipes in my book that require it.

Stephanie [00:18:03]:

Okay. Alright. A Dutch oven, a grater, a can opener, a large spatula or spoon, a blender, or and a strainer. And and, like, I guess because the one thing that the muffin pan is is you can't replicate a muffin pan, really.

Lauren McDuffie [00:18:17]:

Well, that's true. Well and I think, specifically, I was just trying to say that you can literally make every single thing in this book with just these 13 things, but I'd be willing to stretch that and say you could probably get by with cooking a lot more for a lot longer with just these things. You really don't need I mean and you're right. The muffin pan is very unique to the to the book. But, yeah, I I think in general, less is more. I'm not a big, single use kitchen tool person. I used to be, but we have moved so much. Like, my family, we've moved a lot, and that'll make a minimalist out of you.

Lauren McDuffie [00:18:52]:

Yeah. It had it had me. So, yeah, I wanted to weave that notion into this book because I think it's kind of

Stephanie [00:18:58]:

refreshing. So do you have an instant pot or a slow cooker?

Lauren McDuffie [00:19:01]:

I do have a slow cooker because I love them. They're so helpful, and I love a slow cooked thing. Like, we're getting into that season now, so mine's like, I've just dusted it off and it's ready to go. But, yeah, I I don't have an instant pot, and I'm sure I would like it. I mean, I'm sure I would like an air fryer. I don't have that either, and I I know people love them. But that's just me probably being resistant to one change. And then also, you know, if we move again, that's another thing I'm gonna have to pack and unpack.

Lauren McDuffie [00:19:31]:

So

Stephanie [00:19:32]:

Yeah. You don't need a air fryer. And the only thing I would say about the Instant Pot is the pressure cooking aspect is really nice, and it's a slow cooker too. Oh, yes. But there's something kinda homey about your ceramic slow cooker. You know?

Lauren McDuffie [00:19:49]:

Yes. And I love just I love a Dutch oven, like, old school just but I also work from home, and so I'm here to to do that. But for I used to not work in my house, and I loved a slow cooker because it just it made everything so easy.

Stephanie [00:20:04]:

Yes.

Lauren McDuffie [00:20:04]:

Yeah.

Stephanie [00:20:06]:

So as you're thinking about food trends and kind of new products, like, one of the, you have a recipe that's kinda like this. You know, we went through a shakshuka phase.

Lauren McDuffie [00:20:18]:

Yes.

Stephanie [00:20:19]:

Mhmm. Are there any, like, trends that you're seeing on the horizon that you're like, oh, I need to simplify that?

Lauren McDuffie [00:20:28]:

That's that's a great question. I well, one trend that I've literally been working on just this morning is I'm really obsessed with chili crisp, which is something I see all over the place. I like spice. And so I've been trying to think of ways in fact, I just shared in my, I think I shared in my news letter, or I'm getting ready to, ways to kind of make your own but using a store bought one as your just like with homemade ish, using it as a launch pad. So I took a chili crisp that I bought, from maybe Trader Joe's, and I turned it into a southern style chili crisp by adding something like candied pecans and a little apple cider vinegar and, like Yum. Like, so it it and brown sugar, I think, or or molasses is what it was. But, anyways, I southernized, an already store bought product, which is very much what this book is sort of all about. But I keep seeing chili crisp everywhere, and it makes me so happy because I love it.

Stephanie [00:21:23]:

I really wanna put that on a white bean or cauliflower or puree. I'm just hearing you talk about it.

Lauren McDuffie [00:21:30]:

That's the perfect idea. Yeah. That would be fun.

Stephanie [00:21:33]:

Do you like, some of the as I look at cookbooks Mhmm. Sometimes I see, like, that and this is why I'm probably not a very prolific person when I do this. I kind of plot along. Like, oh, I'm gonna make, you know, this, double stuffed something. And then they find 12 other ways to make the same thing, but just with different twists on it. Do you think like that?

Lauren McDuffie [00:22:01]:

I think I do now, but that's because I have to think strategically about how I publish recipes on and on my website, at least, because that's very that's very useful just for getting views and getting people. It's funny how how my brain splits into when I'm writing recipes for a book. It's a very different it's much freer, actually, creatively. But then, to your question, when I'm working on coming up with recipes for my, for my website, yeah, if I can split something off and offer variations, that serves me really well. So, yeah, I think my brain does work that way. Yeah. The more the merrier.

Stephanie [00:22:39]:

Yeah. And and I know I I'm always like, there's a reason people are doing it like this. And

Lauren McDuffie [00:22:44]:

Yeah.

Stephanie [00:22:44]:

I'm not doing it like that, but I know there's a reason why people are. And it never occurred to me that it was due to SEO, but that makes total sense.

Lauren McDuffie [00:22:52]:

Yeah. That's why I would do it at least. Yeah. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:22:56]:

Are there other cookbook authors that inspire you or that like, books that you just will never take off your shelf considering that you've moved, so you've probably pared down?

Lauren McDuffie [00:23:05]:

Yes. I really have. I donated some books that I'd worn pretty well. But, yes. I, I love Alison Roman's books. I I just I think the well, her food is a lot like the food that I just cook for myself, on any given day because it's very simple. It's nothing more than it needs to be, and I like that. But I really respect and appreciate anybody that truly innovates and carves out their own style.

Lauren McDuffie [00:23:32]:

That's really hard to do. I mean, I live in this very saturated world of, you know, recipe development and food. And so anytime someone comes along and has a very distinct and sort of fresh feeling, point of view, I just think that's great. I admire that. At it. Yeah. She's good at that. She's she's done that for herself.

Lauren McDuffie [00:23:50]:

So she's the first person that came to mind. And and I have her books. They're sitting out, and they have been for a long time. So yeah. Yeah. I love her.

Stephanie [00:23:59]:

When you is there, like, a classic recipe that you just find yourself coming back to that's maybe from your blog that you just love and

Lauren McDuffie [00:24:09]:

Yeah. I always say my, my most, I guess, well loved and well worn recipe, it's, I love Cajun and Creole, Cuisine, and I've got just this etouffee recipe that I have been making for a really, really long time, that's got shrimp and and chicken and andouille, and it's just so good. I've made it for, I think, everyone that has ever come to my house. It's just so tasty, and it tastes better the longer that it sits. Anything that can check that box, I'm gonna automatically be a fan of. But but I think that's my all time favorite, and I love, like, a Cocoa Van, as well. In fact, I'm sitting here today working on chicken stew collection, for my website, and that's just my favorite, I think, category of of food just in general. But my all time favorite would be the this like an etouffee, like a spicy one.

Lauren McDuffie [00:24:59]:

Yeah. I love them, and I make them all the time. So

Stephanie [00:25:02]:

Yeah. And that is super southern too. Like Yep. Something that you know, sometimes I think, like, oh, do I even need to, like, tell someone a recipe for this? Like, some of it seems so obvious.

Lauren McDuffie [00:25:15]:

Oh, sure.

Stephanie [00:25:15]:

That is something and and I guess you get accustomed. Like, I can make gravy like nobody's business. Yeah. Sure. But I you know, in the Midwest, we had grew up with gravy on everything, so it's Yeah. Sort of unique.

Lauren McDuffie [00:25:28]:

And appreciate that. I know. I I forget sometimes how, I I assume things are just, so easy and you don't need recipes for things, but then I'll have friends who just are like, Lauren, no. That's why I wrote this book. They're just like, you know, I don't know what I'm doing. My brain doesn't work that way. And so I always equate it to the way that I am with gardening. I don't know how to do anything with plants at all.

Lauren McDuffie [00:25:51]:

I'm so ignorant, and so I always just try to remember, like, how I am with plants is how some people are with cooking. It's just not your you wanna do it, but you just aren't super well versed in. So

Stephanie [00:26:01]:

yeah. Alright. Well, I'm gonna put a link to the book, obviously, homemade ish, in the notes here. I will also, remind me of the name of your blog again.

Lauren McDuffie [00:26:12]:

It's called my kitchen little, and so it's just my kitchen little dot com.

Stephanie [00:26:15]:

It's cute. And then, I'll find your substack, and I'll link to it too. Great. And we'll go from there. But it was really lovely to spend time with you. I Right. Really think the book is clever. I felt like I knew right away people in my life that would really get a lot out of this.

Lauren McDuffie [00:26:33]:

Good to hear.

Stephanie [00:26:34]:

And, it's beautifully shot, which is also I really admire that because I'm over here with my stupid iPhone, but it's, it's beautifully shot. It looks great, and I would recommend that people buy it. I when I really sat down with it and went through the recipes, I liked it very much. It's homemade ish. Recipes and cooking tips that keep it real. And I liked your 13 things you need in the kitchen probably minus the muffin pan.

Lauren McDuffie [00:27:01]:

That's fair. That's fair. I get it. Alright. Thanks, Lauren. Thank you so much.

Stephanie [00:27:06]:

Okay. We'll talk soon. Bye bye.

Lauren McDuffie [00:27:13]:

Bye bye.

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Jason Derusha Sep 20, 2024

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TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS:

Stephanie [00:00:15]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's dish, the podcast where we talk to people that are obsessed with food. And, Jason Derusha, I don't know how you feel about being introduced as being obsessed with food. I probably should start with that you're a very professional broadcaster first.

Jason Derusha [00:00:32]:

I'm pretty obsessed, though, so I think it works. I think it works.

Stephanie [00:00:36]:

Jason is the host of Drive Time with Derusha from 3 to 6 on WCCO Radio. And you may have known him from making the leap from being a TV news anchor to a broadcaster over in the audio space. You and I are are friendly. We, see each other at things and we chat and you've been super helpful for me in my freelance journey. But I just really wanted to chat with you about, like, how's it going? Most people, I think, see the idea of being on, like, the evening news and then going to AM radio as a step back. But I thought it was super fascinating for you, and I'd just love to see how it's going.

Jason Derusha [00:01:18]:

Well, thank you, and I appreciate you asking me. It is, I I had to get over my own sort of mental block as to whether or not this was a step back. And, also, like, is that even a relevant question? Like, who cares if it's a step back? Right? But, all of these things are sort of wrapped up in, oh, gosh. It just goes back to, like, when you're a kid. Right? Like, what was your vision of yourself? Is it okay to stop and say, like, I think I've achieved what I need to achieve? And that that sort of I don't know. It was an emotional decision for me because very much my identity was wrapped up in being the TV news guy.

Stephanie [00:02:03]:

Yeah.

Jason Derusha [00:02:04]:

And probably for my 1st year at WCCO Radio, when I would do events, I would I would, still, like, sort of struggle with how do I introduce myself. And even stuff like talking to my my, kids about you know, as an alum of Marquette University, when I was the morning news anchor, like, there was some prestige with that. When you are the afternoon radio talk show host on AM radio, It's just a little different for a younger generation. I will say this. Releasing yourself from sort of the burden of your own self expectations is incredibly liberating. And doing something because you wanna grow and you wanna challenge yourself and you want to be sort of okay at something and then get better, oh my gosh. Like, it has been so invigorating for me. I'm so glad I did it.

Stephanie [00:03:07]:

It's such a weird thing too because I came from radio and did then go to TV.

Jason Derusha [00:03:14]:

Yeah.

Stephanie [00:03:14]:

And and people act like TV is like the holy grail, but yet you've been doing something for 15 years over here. And the mediums are both broadcast, but the way you interact with people is super different.

Jason Derusha [00:03:28]:

Yes. Yeah. I've found you know, morning news and talk radio have a little more in common than when I was on the nighttime news. I remember when I was the Good Question reporter in the 10 o'clock news at WCCO TV. When I went to the morning show, all of a sudden, there was this much more personal intimate connection with the audience. And doing talk radio is like next level of that. Where on television, like, people got little glimpses into my life. And on radio, you know, all last week, and we're recording this in early September, but when when I was at the Minnesota State Fair, people were coming up to me wishing me good luck at dropping off my oldest at NYU because they knew this weekend I was going to New York to drop off my oldest.

Jason Derusha [00:04:17]:

Like, they just have that relationship with you, which is really fun. I mean, I think I've always had, maybe more of a personal relationship with the audience and, like, the traditional, you know, stand on mount anchor desk and deliver the sermon sort of TV news anchor that's never really been me. But it's just different when you have 3 hours to talk to people. You know?

Stephanie [00:04:39]:

One thing that's really struck me as a talk radio fan, and I have been for, I don't know, my whole life really from the time that my dad made me listen to WCCO in the 5th grade on the drive to school. I'm very impressed with how you handle this time that we're in where politics is so polarizing and people are just so feeling their feels all the time and really need to share those feelings with you. I just was noticing on, posts that you did that someone was mad that you weren't at the state fair on Labor Day and it's like, wow. People. But, also, I love the way that you you let people have their opinions, but you also don't let them abuse you, and I think there's a difference.

Jason Derusha [00:05:26]:

Yeah. Yeah. It's tricky. I mean, in TV news, I spent 25 years trying to get the audience to trust me. And part of that is, especially in morning news, you wanna be liked. Not that you shy away from asking tough questions, but you wanna do it in a likable way. That's what the audience wants. And here in in the talk space, it's it's hard.

Jason Derusha [00:05:56]:

It would be very easy if I were a left wing talk show host or a right wing talk show host, and then you just play the hits. You are essentially KDWB of political ideas. You play the top 40. You people know what you're gonna do, and you do it. And they like it. And people see in me what they want to see. So if they want to be mad at me and they are, Republicans and you're like you can make a line between Trump supporter I try to with Republican listeners. Like, look.

Jason Derusha [00:06:37]:

I am open to many Republican ideas. I'm not open to Donald Trump. Like, sorry. He's disqualified himself for me. That is not something I talk about a lot on the show because what's the point Other than making yourself feel, you know, good, I guess. I I I always think of my show as, like, the Thanksgiving table growing up where my uncle was, my uncle was a lawyer. He went to Madison. My grandfather was a hardcore Ronald Reagan Republican.

Jason Derusha [00:07:14]:

And everyone would duke it out, and everyone was welcome to join in. You're sort of expected to join in. And it was fine. Today, we've taken and I get it. Some of the issues we're talking about are very fundamental issues to different people. Right? It's it's a very white male sort of, privileged position to say, like, most of these issues for me are not life and death. But I also think it's not good for political discourse that we've turned everything into life or or death. And I don't I don't know that that what does that get us? Do we have better discussions? Do we have better participation? Do we have better policy because we've turned everything into a fundamental life and death, good or evil question? I I don't see a benefit to it.

Jason Derusha [00:08:06]:

So I try not to do that on my show.

Stephanie [00:08:09]:

I have noticed a change in you from when you first started broadcasting on the station, and I thought this was interesting because as a TV newsperson, you weren't supposed to have a lot of personality. You were supposed to be fairly impartial and just like a blank slate of

Jason Derusha [00:08:27]:

Yeah. The news for you. Star. Right? The news is the star, not me.

Stephanie [00:08:32]:

And I think it took you a little while to find your rhythm of how what to push, what buttons to push, how hard to push. And I'm really, pleasantly surprised and encouraged of the progress that you've made. I think you're just doing great.

Jason Derusha [00:08:48]:

It it's so nice, it's so nice of you to say that. I have had a tremendous coach at the radio station, and the thing I miss most about TV is the team. And I was more I don't know. I coworkers called me the CFO of our morning show. Mhmm. And that stood for chief feelings officer. My job was to sort of keep the trains on the track and make sure everyone felt heard and validated. And I didn't always tell people they were right, but they always were heard.

Jason Derusha [00:09:24]:

And so my job was to lift everybody else up. Well, in radio, it's just it's me and a producer. That's it. And we have a a brand manager who's, like, a program director of WCCO Radio, Brad Lane. And he's been tremendous, you know, and you can talk to any of my managers over the year. I've always have good relationship with managers, but I generally don't like to be told, what to do. Typical, media Broadcaster. Broadcaster.

Jason Derusha [00:09:55]:

Right? But in this case, like, I needed guidance. I needed coaching. I didn't really know how to do this. I I knew how to host, and I knew how to interview, but I didn't really know how to navigate talk radio today, which is different from talk radio 10 years ago. 10 years ago, if you could frame the issue well, people would call in. Today, people react to talk radio sort of like they do a a Facebook status update. They wanna know your take, and then they'll react.

Stephanie [00:10:24]:

Yeah.

Jason Derusha [00:10:25]:

Well, that took me a lot of work because, you know, do people really wanna hear my take? Is my take valid? Do I you know, it's all of those issues. And even as someone who's always had sort of an outsized personality in town, I still had that doubt of, like, do I really do I know what I'm talking about? Why are people really and he the the way Brad phrases it is he's like, what is your show about? What is your show about? And a lot of people ask me that. What is your show about? Which is such a funny question because you and I both, like, grew up listening to talk radio. So, like, I grew up in Chicago. WGN talk radio was part of my life. And then there was an FM talk radio, the loop in Chicago. That was more comedians, a little more edgy, a little younger. And you're like, talk radio is about well, fundamentally, it's about whatever the host wants to talk about.

Jason Derusha [00:11:25]:

So, like, you know, your show that you do, what is your show about? Well, like, the subject matter is food, but, like, it's really about your lens, what you care about. And that seems so egotistical. You're like, oh, it's all about me? Yeah. But it kind of is. Right? That's kinda what it is. So I it took a while for me to learn that. It took honestly, I would say it took a year of doing it 5 days a week until I really got comfortable with it. And I still feel like I'm good, not great.

Jason Derusha [00:12:01]:

Whereas after 25 years of TV, not being arrogant, but I think I was great. Yeah. And so it's kind of fun to not be great at something and learn it. I've enjoyed that.

Stephanie [00:12:14]:

Yeah. And I think it's revealed a lot about you as a person, that is hard to tap into and to be vulnerable and to let people see that side. Particularly, you know, we're performing these shows in a really polarizing time and in a time where people just they go after you. I mean, the amount of personal attack that hosts receive on something as benign as a food show, it's real.

Jason Derusha [00:12:46]:

I'm surprised by it, to be honest. And I'm a very online person, so I shouldn't be surprised by it. But, what's happened, and certainly you get it from people listening to you, but the people who actually listen, get it for the most part. Like, there's some attack, but mostly the listeners I don't know. All during the fair, I have people coming up telling me that, like, they disagree with me politically, but they really like how I do my show, which that's the best. Yeah. But part of the challenge with the digital world and the social media world is, you know, like, I I said this to someone this morning. How much of my energy am I supposed to spend on someone who doesn't listen and never will listen? So all day, every day, both the Republicans and the Democrats run against the media right now.

Jason Derusha [00:13:41]:

The media is the media where's the media? Why doesn't the media say this? Why is this the headline? Why are you framing it this way? Media, media, media, media, which is sort of interesting considering, supposedly, no one cares about the media anymore, and no one lets no one reads, no one subscribes, no one so you're like, but but it's a great boogie, man. Right? Like, if you run against the media, you don't have to confront the fact that your candidate maybe sucks. Right? Like, it's my fault. And that's been a bit of a challenge for me to figure out, like, obviously, I want to convince people to give my show a chance, but I think most of the people who are engaging in sort of a negative way, are not convincible. Right? Like, they're not so how much of my energy am I supposed to spend on that? I don't know. It's a bit of a challenge.

Stephanie [00:14:34]:

Well and I do think they listen. I think that people love to have feelings and emotions. And if they're not sure where to have them or they are in a place in their life where they're lonely or they're othered or whatever the case may be, I think sometimes people tune in just to feel something because they feel empty inside.

Jason Derusha [00:14:59]:

Yeah. Yeah. And you get I don't know. Like, I always try to remember that there are and the same is true of callers or texters on radio. There are a lot more people who are listening, who are lurkers. Right? Like, that's what we would call them on Facebook or Twitter, the lurkers. So by modeling sort of reasonable, friendly, but passionate discussion, I think there's some benefit to that for the people who are observing and don't wanna jump into the mess.

Stephanie [00:15:34]:

Do you ever think about getting off Twitter? I know a lot of media personalities have.

Jason Derusha [00:15:39]:

I do. I do. But, mostly, I enjoy it. Like, mostly, I get positive interaction out of it. I've started to curate it a little more. Like, I mute a lot of people that you know, if I feel someone getting my blood pressure rising, I'll just mute them. It's okay. Like, they don't need, like, block.

Jason Derusha [00:15:58]:

I don't need to do that. But, like, I and people who I have a policy, if you call me or my family a name, you just get blocked. Like, there's no I don't need that. So I I do think about it. It is one of those things where you're like, the upside of something like Twitter acts. The upside is you get a lot of audience. I have, I don't know, 80,000 followers there. Certainly, most people don't see all of that stuff, and who knows how many are are relevant.

Jason Derusha [00:16:33]:

But, you know, a a normal tweet of mine might get seen might get, you know, 10, 20, 30000. Like, that's pretty good.

Stephanie [00:16:42]:

It's also so immediate when you're on the air. Like Yeah.

Jason Derusha [00:16:45]:

You need. For show, it's amazing. Like, what I I never think about leaving. I think about and I have adjusted what I will post about, just because it's not really fruitful for the most part. And you think, like, is my voice needed on this topic? Not really. Like, so do I need to weigh in on a lot of political type things? Not really. So I I've sort of, cut down on that. But you're right.

Jason Derusha [00:17:15]:

Like, from a listening standpoint, from a breaking news standpoint, it's amazing. It's unparalleled, frankly.

Stephanie [00:17:22]:

Yeah. I would agree with that. You took a weight loss journey, and I think you lost £40 last I checked.

Jason Derusha [00:17:29]:

Yeah.

Stephanie [00:17:30]:

And you've always been someone in the food space. Did that feel conflicting for you to do the weight loss route and at the same time be championing and talking about all the food?

Jason Derusha [00:17:44]:

Yeah. I mean, people ask me all the time. They're like, how do you eat this much? I'm like, well, I'm, you know, I'm sharing. I'm taking bites or whatever. I do think about it. Right? I think the reason that I lost weight was so I could live, not so I could hide. And so I don't really feel conflicted about that. The truth is, though, could I have lost that weight by eating out 4 nights a week? Probably not.

Jason Derusha [00:18:13]:

Yeah. So it is a challenge of eating out. I certainly am a little more careful now in how I order. And the way we used to, you know, some of this, like, COVID has changed it, but a normal night for us back in the pre COVID days would be you go somewhere for drinks, go somewhere else for appetizers, go somewhere else for a main course, and go somewhere else for dessert and drinks. And thinking about that while I was on the weight loss journey, like, I was probably eating 4000 3 or 4000 calories a night just in that. Like, not lunch, not breakfast. And so that's not sustainable. But can I do that occasionally? Sure.

Jason Derusha [00:18:53]:

Yeah. Why not? So I I the biggest thing I was conflicted about is the weight loss journey that I took. You know, I've always been, like, sort of an organic whole foods farm to table type eater. But to lose weight, quickly and sustainably, it's difficult to do it on whole food. It just takes a lot longer. Now I was eating whole foods. It wasn't like a liquid diet or anything. But, like, it is success breeds success.

Jason Derusha [00:19:21]:

And when you start when you lose that £10 in 2 weeks, you're like, oh, I can do this and then do it. Like, for me, I needed that. Other people, you know, maybe you can lose £40 in 2 years and do it by eating more salads and be more careful. But, like, getting the protein you need and the nutrients and all of that, it's it's just difficult if you go on a severe calorie restriction diet. It's difficult.

Stephanie [00:19:45]:

It's interesting too. I think for what we're seeing in the media now, like, everyone not everyone, but a lot of people are on the weight loss drugs and taking the shots. Many people are talking about it, many people aren't. Some are talking privately. And as someone who's a bigger person, like I'm not obese, but I'm a size 12 or 14 usually. I think about like, can I manage my weight with a magic, like, pill and No? Do that? Like, that feels like it could be amazing. And then they're also finding that with the reduced inflammation, people are happier or less depressed Yeah. Or sex.

Stephanie [00:20:27]:

It's like, oh my gosh. Is this the miracle drug? But then at the same time, as people who champion the food space, can you make food the the devil in that situation and still talk about it? It's it's something I both my radio partner and I have talked about a lot.

Jason Derusha [00:20:46]:

It's tricky. Right? Like, I am cheering for small business. I'm cheering for creativity, for innovation. So I'm cheering for that. Food is and I love food. We love, eating out. We love the experience of it. But food is really I mean, food is the vessel for all this other stuff.

Jason Derusha [00:21:13]:

Right? So is it do I love, love, love the particular dish, or do I love the experience? So I think, like, you know, you and your radio partner, Stephanie and I, I think the 3 of us have sort of a similar approach as to what makes restaurants, fun and what makes eating out fun. And it's really it's more the social experience, the room, the way you feel, the people you're with. Like, yes, good food, technique, all of that matters, but the other stuff matters more. And so when I was losing weight, my wife and I, you know, we had to sort of radically reenvision what we're gonna do for fun. So because we knew, like, you know, what would we do on a Saturday if we had a day free? Like, go to a maybe go to a a tap room or maybe go to a bar. It's like we can't do that. So we're like, alright. Let's go for a hike or, you know, you're trying some different stuff.

Jason Derusha [00:22:17]:

It's interesting as you age too. Right? Like, it's I can't eat the way I did 10 years ago.

Stephanie [00:22:23]:

And, also, like, I became recently aware, which why it took so long, I don't know, of, like, that what I view as fun is always food related. It's always my go to thing, and I

Jason Derusha [00:22:36]:

don't Yeah.

Stephanie [00:22:37]:

I don't think about, like, oh, let's go have a bike ride. I think about let's go have a bike ride to this brewery or this orchard or it's like the destination, not the journey.

Jason Derusha [00:22:47]:

We're trying to, like you know, we went to a a show at the Guthrie a couple weeks ago. It's like, oh, and we loved it. And it's like, okay. Let's, like, let's remember to kind of, you know, Yeah. Sprinkle the other stuff into.

Stephanie [00:23:03]:

I want to, just thank you for some of the folks you've had on Derusha Eats. I was, thinking about Manny from Manny's,

Jason Derusha [00:23:11]:

Tortoise. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:23:13]:

25 years, Manny Gonzalez has been over there doing the work, and I was just really taken aback when he said he'd never been on the radio in 25 years. And I thought, well, good for you for having him on, and, wow, why did it take us so long? You just there's so many great voices out there and so much more to our food scene than the typical, you know, James Beard award winning chef. Right?

Jason Derusha [00:23:38]:

Yeah. Yeah. It that was a lesson I learned in my TV years of doing stories on restaurants. The audience resonated with, like, the neighborhood pizza place a lot more than the James Beard award type place. And, like, I don't know. I think about that often. Right? Like, people get more jazzed about mama's pizza in Saint Paul or Latah Latifs in

Stephanie [00:24:06]:

Plymouth. Yeah.

Jason Derusha [00:24:07]:

Where they've got, like, the diamond it's sort of the diamond shaped cut. You know, people resonate with that more, and that makes sense. Right? Like, it's the reason The Cheesecake Factory back in the day was, like, the biggest restaurant opening of that year. Yeah. Because, people don't like feeling dumb. They don't like looking at menus where they don't know what the ingredients are, or they don't know how to say it. And neighborhood pizza places are awesome. Right? Like, they support the softball teams, and they support the youth, soccer teams.

Jason Derusha [00:24:44]:

And so I've always tried to give those guys a voice. It is it is a balance of, like, how do you keep it? So what really helps me is my producer, Dan Cook, does not care about restaurants at all. He doesn't care. He is mister meat and potatoes. He doesn't know anything that I'm talking about. And so when I do an interview where he's like, oh, that was really interesting. Like, he loved the Manny Gonzalez in the interview. And you're like, okay.

Jason Derusha [00:25:13]:

That's really what I'm trying to do. So I I do think about that a lot. Like, I definitely light up with the classics more. So, like, the Bilkoslag from Jack's

Stephanie [00:25:26]:

Game Fair. That was a great interview too.

Jason Derusha [00:25:28]:

Like, the though those ones, always sorta get me going. So it's something that I think about. Like, this month, we're gonna have, Murray's, Tim Murray, and we're gonna have JD Hoyt's. But we're also gonna have a case, Johnson who just, has this, you know, chicken tenders type Yep. Restaurant. So, like, I try to think, you know, can we have more women on? Can we have more people of color on? Do we have the classics who don't get the love on? Like, I'm always trying to think of that stuff.

Stephanie [00:26:08]:

You do

Jason Derusha [00:26:08]:

have the new new the new new new, I always get nervous about on broadcast. Because if you're reading my stuff in Minnesota Monthly, you opt in. If you're going to a new place, you know. Like, Jason may love it, and you may go on another day, and it might be a train wreck. And that's sort of buyer beware. If you go to a place in the 1st 2 or 3 months, that's gonna happen.

Stephanie [00:26:32]:

Do you feel like a food reviewer? I mean, that's your title technically in Minnesota Monthly, but I feel like you carved out this other seat for yourself.

Jason Derusha [00:26:41]:

Yeah. I always feel a little awkward considering myself a critic. I mean, it it's the easiest way for people to understand it, but I'm not doing as much reviewing anymore. And part of the problem with reviewing versus recommending is that to really critically review a place, you need to go 3 times.

Stephanie [00:27:05]:

Absolutely.

Jason Derusha [00:27:06]:

You just do. It's not fair to roast somebody. And I can write a review and do the old, you know, crap sandwich with, like, this was good. This was good. Oh, this needs a little work. This was good. And I feel okay doing that on one visit, But, you know, mostly people wanna know where to go and what to order. And so, because I don't have the budget to really adequately review, you gotta do what you can do.

Jason Derusha [00:27:38]:

So,

Stephanie [00:27:38]:

like, I company is gonna send you 10 times like they used to send Ruth Reichl at the New York Times.

Jason Derusha [00:27:44]:

So I just try to carve out my area. I think people know that I'm honest. I'm not gonna deceive them. I'm not gonna puff up a place that's not good. But if I never talk about a place, you probably know why.

Stephanie [00:27:58]:

Yeah.

Jason Derusha [00:27:58]:

Like, I don't like it.

Stephanie [00:28:00]:

Yeah. And it doesn't help sometimes, I think, either to pounce on a place once everyone's identified that it's not great.

Jason Derusha [00:28:07]:

No. And there is I I think there is a space for, like, informed recommendation. Right? We have, like, the TikTok, Instagram world of, like, this is open. Whoo. Like, you have that. And that has its usefulness too. Like, people like to chase that. That's fun.

Jason Derusha [00:28:23]:

But I try to be like, alright. I'm gonna I'm gonna give you an informed recommendation. It's not quite a review. I don't know. I I I try I try. It's a it's a tricky thing. Right? Like, what does the audience want? Do people people always say they want critical reviews, but, like, just not about their favorite place. Yeah.

Jason Derusha [00:28:46]:

Exactly. People really want critical reviews. I I don't know.

Stephanie [00:28:51]:

I don't know. What's next for you? You've launched your substack. I've got 10 minutes left. And in that 10 minutes, I wanna know what's next and also the most embarrassing thing in your refrigerator.

Jason Derusha [00:29:07]:

So what's next? For for me, I am hoping to launch, like, a more unified brand. I have, like, all of these different things under my umbrella, and none of it looks the same. None of it has the same logo. Not you're like, what are we doing here? So I I like to unify things a little bit. You know, the Substack, you sort of inspired me to switch over to Substack from doing, like, a Mailchimp email I was doing. I've loved that outlet. So that's been really fun. You know, trying to figure out, like, Minnesota Monthly pays me to write.

Jason Derusha [00:29:47]:

Like, I gotta write for them. Like, I'm not saving it all for the newsletter. Like Yep. How do you make that work is something that I'm sort of working on. But I would like the other thing that I would like to launch, and I do release my restaurant interviews in podcast form. And over the next year, I I sort of wanna figure out, like, what is the right way to do that. Should I be you know, I experimented. I did an interview with Sameh Wadi where we taped it ahead of time instead of doing it live on the radio.

Jason Derusha [00:30:18]:

And so I spent 45 minutes with him asking questions, and so it was a longer podcast, and I think people like that. So trying to figure out, like, how do I do the radio? You know, I'm doing 3 hours of radio a day, so it doesn't leave as much free time as, you know, my family jokes that I work 3 hours, but you're like, well

Stephanie [00:30:38]:

An hour and a half of prep for every hour on the radio.

Jason Derusha [00:30:41]:

It takes a little bit of reading and planning and all of that. So that's you know, I I the the concrete plan is relaunch jason to russia.com. There's that website was built, like, 8 years ago. I'd like to freshen that up. So brand refresh, website refresh, those are the big plans for the next year. Try not to get fired during this political stretch. Don't get canceled. All of

Stephanie [00:31:10]:

those things. What's embarrassing that's in your fridge?

Jason Derusha [00:31:13]:

Oh, what is embarrassing that's in my fridge? There's currently a bottle of Kirkland, sparkling rose in my fridge.

Stephanie [00:31:23]:

But it is kinda good.

Jason Derusha [00:31:25]:

It's kinda good. I, you know, I mean, that's a little embarrassing.

Stephanie [00:31:30]:

That's funny.

Jason Derusha [00:31:31]:

Yeah. Yeah. That's probably that's probably the most embarrassing thing in there right now.

Stephanie [00:31:37]:

You know what else is kinda interesting about you? And I work for freelance myself. Mhmm. So I'm 1099 everywhere I work. And I see myself as my own company, my own brand. I also see you as seeing yourself like that, and that's interesting to me and a shift for you.

Jason Derusha [00:31:56]:

Yeah. At some point, that might be where it goes. I will say, like, as someone sort of new to the side hustle world, it's exhausting.

Stephanie [00:32:07]:

Yeah. It's really hard.

Jason Derusha [00:32:08]:

Like, you're pitching yourself all the time.

Stephanie [00:32:11]:

It's very hard.

Jason Derusha [00:32:13]:

And, you know, trying there's something to be said for, like, every 2 weeks. Like, the check comes. Yeah. The regular job. It's kinda nice. So when you're, you know, when you're pitching yourself a lot for a $1,000 here or for a trade out, like, oh,

Stephanie [00:32:36]:

okay. Free meal.

Jason Derusha [00:32:39]:

Yeah. You you know, I don't do a ton of that, but, like, it it does get exhausting. And then you have different you have different clients who have different needs. So, like, you know, one of the things I'm struggling with right now is there's a there's a restaurant owner who owns, I don't know, 5 or 6 different local restaurants. I love these restaurants. So he asked me about, like, doing influencing for him, doing a little digital campaign. And the trick is, like, at what point, like, if I'm getting if I'm getting paid, like, how many restaurants is that okay for? Like, do people start doubting my reviews? Does that or my recommendations? Like, how do you keep integrity in what you're doing, but also, like, keep the lights on so you can

Stephanie [00:33:30]:

do it? It's a it's a line, and I don't have the answer because I've struggled with it myself. All I can say is if you are approaching it with integrity, but I don't know. When someone sells an endorsement for you on the radio station, they're making $80 and, you know, you're making $5,000. Right. So

Jason Derusha [00:33:52]:

Right.

Stephanie [00:33:52]:

I I did an endorsement for Certix, which I know you've done. And people still I mean, people will associate me with Certix till the end of time.

Jason Derusha [00:34:01]:

Yeah. Yeah. And it's

Stephanie [00:34:03]:

great because I love the family and I that's why I did the project that I did because I really enjoy them as people and stewards of northeast. But, yeah, it does close doors, and, you know, was it worth it? I don't know.

Jason Derusha [00:34:16]:

Right. Yeah. It's a little tricky just trying to figure that out. And, like, if I were not writing for Minnesota Monthly, then I wouldn't even worry about it.

Stephanie [00:34:27]:

Yeah. It would be different for sure.

Jason Derusha [00:34:28]:

But, like, in the Minnesota Monthly thing is, opens a lot of doors for me. Right? When you say you're the food writer, I mean, how many food writers are there for regional magazines across the country? 15? 10? I know. There are not that many. So, like, so that's sort of a job where it's like it pays for itself. Like, who cares that I don't get paid that much for it? It opens so many doors. So but then if you're not gonna cash in on those doors opening, what are you doing? So, like, trying to figure it all of that stuff is I spend a lot of time thinking about that.

Stephanie [00:35:06]:

Me too.

Jason Derusha [00:35:07]:

Yeah. Just trying to keep integrity and also, like, make things worth your time.

Stephanie [00:35:14]:

And with that, as my free Zoom subscription is winding down

Jason Derusha [00:35:19]:

That's right. That's all that's all we're doing. How many free like, I edit my video on a free video editing? Yes, sir. We

Stephanie [00:35:28]:

have 3 minutes left to wrap it up.

Jason Derusha [00:35:32]:

That's right. I invoice using Google Sheets.

Stephanie [00:35:35]:

Yep. No. I I know.

Jason Derusha [00:35:36]:

My accounting is like my emails and try you know, it's all a train wreck.

Stephanie [00:35:41]:

Yes. It is. But it's been super fun to spend time with you and just to I wanted to just tell you you're doing a good job and Thank you. Tell you I've noticed that there's growth happening and that I think what you did took a lot of courage, and I've been a a fan. And I it's

Jason Derusha [00:35:58]:

fun listening. That means a lot, especially coming from you because I just respect kind of the way you have conducted your business and figured all of this out. And, I think both of us sort of follow what we think is fun and then hope the business type things sort of follow. Yeah. It's worked out okay, I think, for both of us.

Stephanie [00:36:19]:

So far so good.

Jason Derusha [00:36:20]:

We'll knock

Stephanie [00:36:21]:

on some wood that we're not both fired in

Jason Derusha [00:36:23]:

the middle of the day. That's right.

Stephanie [00:36:25]:

Alright. Thanks, Caitlin.

Jason Derusha [00:36:27]:

Thanks, Stephanie.

Stephanie [00:36:28]:

Okay. Where do you want people to follow you?

Jason Derusha [00:36:32]:

Instagram is good. Instagram or Facebook is probably the best way. Right? Like, they can get my my radio show podcast is everywhere, so we upload every segment and all of that. So those are probably the best.

Stephanie [00:36:46]:

Alright. Well, thanks for being on, and I really appreciate your time.

Jason Derusha [00:36:49]:

Thanks, Steph.

Stephanie [00:36:50]:

Okay. Bye bye.

Jason Derusha [00:36:51]:

See you.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Kelly Jaggers Sep 06, 2024

In this episode of "Dishing with Stephanie's Dish," we had a delightful conversation with the talented cookbook author Kelly Jaggers. She shared her insights about her latest creation, "The Ultimate Meal Planning for One Cookbook," and her journey as a cookbook writer.

Kelly's passion for creating recipes perfectly scaled for one person's enjoyment shines through her work, making her books a treasure trove for solo diners. She has 4 books currently in the “Cooking For One” series including:

Join us as we delve into Kelly's culinary background, her inspirations for writing cookbooks, and her love for food, hockey, and dogs. So, grab a cup of your favorite beverage and join us in this engaging conversation with Kelly Jaggers.

COOKBOOK GIVEAWAY

I have two copies of this cookbook to give away. To be included in the giveaway, send me any comment here, and I will contact the winner via email and mail the book to your home.

FINAL TRANSCRIPT:

Stephanie [00:00:15]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to dishing with Stephanie's dish, the podcast where we talk to cookbook authors and people generally obsessed with food. Today, we have a cookbook author, and it is Kelly Jaggers. Welcome to the program, Kelly.

Kelly Jaggers [00:00:27]:

Thank you so much for having me.

Stephanie [00:00:29]:

Yes. So you wrote something that I find really fascinating. It's called the ultimate meal planning for 1 cookbook, and you previously wrote the ultimate Mediterranean diet cookbook for 1. Mhmm. What got you into, like, cooking for 1 person? Because I did notice that you're now married.

Kelly Jaggers [00:00:49]:

I am married. So just because I'm married doesn't mean I don't understand the, ins and outs of what people who are solo might need. Yes. I do spend a few days a week at home by myself. My husband works. Sometimes he travels. And on those dates, I'm just cooking for me. I don't have kiddos, just me and the dogs.

Kelly Jaggers [00:01:06]:

So it was important for me to learn how to scale down recipes so that I could enjoy them just for myself without having excessive leftovers. And that just really parlays well into the book series that I've been working on, because it's kind of a I wouldn't say so niche, but kind of overlooked audience for cookbooks.

Stephanie [00:01:23]:

For sure.

Kelly Jaggers [00:01:23]:

Thinking right. They're thinking about families, married couples, people with loads of kids or planning for parties. But what about those people who are, for whatever reason, cooking for themselves because maybe they're single or they have a spouse or an SO or a partner who works multiple days away from home or maybe they're on a special diet from an SO. And so, like, they're planning just for themselves.

Stephanie [00:01:44]:

Yeah.

Kelly Jaggers [00:01:44]:

So lots of reasons why you might just be cooking for yourself. So it's not just because you're a single, although you probably maybe you are. That's also fine. Like, I don't judge. Whatever. So, yeah, it was important for me to kind of, kinda fill that gap and to help, to fill out that market a little bit.

Stephanie [00:01:58]:

I feel uniquely, interested in this topic after just having spent 2 weeks with my mother-in-law who's 92, and she still does all her own cooking. And every time I was gonna make something, she acted sort of horrified at my portions because she's used to cooking for just herself. So she's always really keenly in tune to not cooking too much so she doesn't have to eat the same thing for 5 days.

Kelly Jaggers [00:02:25]:

Exactly.

Stephanie [00:02:26]:

Yep. Because leftovers are a problem when you're when you're single.

Kelly Jaggers [00:02:30]:

I mean, leftovers are great for 1, maybe 2 meals, but, like, five meals of lasagna in a week or 5 meals of, whatever it is that you've made. Yeah. It can get a little get a little depressing. Right? And it makes you not wanna cook, make you wanna reach for a takeout menu, and that's so expensive. So you're wasting food, spending more on maybe delivery or takeout than maybe you've planned for in the budget. So why not think about meals that are scaled for 1 to 2 portions? I think that makes a lot of sense for people who are thinking about their budget, thinking about ways to reduce food waste, which is so important too. Right? Food is so expensive these days. If you go to the grocery store, it's so high.

Kelly Jaggers [00:03:09]:

I don't wanna be throwing that food away. I'm gonna eat what I bought. So I wanna plan for meals that I can make, just in the portions that I want.

Stephanie [00:03:16]:

Your book is beautifully done in lots of ways. So Thank you. First of all, the design of it

Kelly Jaggers [00:03:23]:

Yeah. Yeah. I love They did such a wonderful job with it. It's so, so pretty.

Stephanie [00:03:29]:

It's pretty. It's simple. It's easy to follow. You have pictures for most of the recipes. You also have, like, calorie counts, fat, protein, carbohydrates. So if someone is watching their calories, that's really helpful.

Kelly Jaggers [00:03:45]:

Yeah. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:03:45]:

We've got it also broken down into proteins, which we're kind of obsessing these days about if we're getting enough protein. So I loved that. Yeah. I also really liked the size of it and the paper, and it just feels like a manual I can pop in my purse and, you've got shopping lists, meal plans. It's really quite well done.

Kelly Jaggers [00:04:08]:

Thank you. Thank you. It's, it was a labor of love. I think that the most challenging part of the book was the meal plans is coming up with the 8 weeks of meal plans and the shopping lists because I wanted to make sure that the meal plans included a variety of recipes from the book. Nothing was too, like, Mexican every single night or, like, chicken every single night. I wanted to make sure there's plenty of variety. And to give an example for people who maybe have never sat down to meal plan before to say, like, this is what you can do. These are the kinds of recipes you can plan for.

Kelly Jaggers [00:04:37]:

This is an idea of what your week might look like, but feel free to plug and play. Right? Like, oh, I'm not such a big fan of this recipe. I'd rather have this. And you can just plug it into the meal plan and make it easy for you to customize and individualize so that as you start this meal planning journey, you have these great tools and you can just kind of utilize the week over week for yourself.

Stephanie [00:04:58]:

And the prep list too were really thoughtful. I think when you're cooking for because I do cook from 1 a lot, actually, 2. Mhmm. In my food life, because I'm doing recipe development, I'm, you know, usually making recipes for 2 to 6. Yep. But my husband in the summertime lives at our cabin for the most part. So I am cooking for myself a lot. And if I'm not eating recipe leftovers, which usually I end up giving to my neighbors because I don't really wanna eat what I just cooked.

Kelly Jaggers [00:05:29]:

I don't know why. Completely understand. I'm the same way.

Stephanie [00:05:31]:

I'm a

Kelly Jaggers [00:05:31]:

first creature. It. Cooked it all day. I don't wanna consume it. I get it.

Stephanie [00:05:35]:

I photographed it. I'm just saying

Kelly Jaggers [00:05:37]:

with it all day, and I just don't want it. Yes.

Stephanie [00:05:39]:

So I'm, like, always running around the neighborhood, like, who needs food?

Kelly Jaggers [00:05:43]:

Who's hungry? I have I have meals. Please take these foods from me.

Stephanie [00:05:46]:

Yes. So, like, then I'm just myself and I'm like, oh, well, okay. What am I gonna just make for myself? And I always end up making too much. So then I've got, like, food and I again, I'm very conscientious about food waste too. But so I really enjoyed, the way that the book was put together. How did you get into cookbook writing? Were you a blogger first?

Kelly Jaggers [00:06:08]:

I was. I was. So, I had a blog. It still exists out there. I'm not updating it, obviously, but it was evil shenanigans.com. The shenanigans are evil because they're good for your taste buds, but maybe not so great for your waistline. And I started working on that blog when I went to culinary school. I was going to culinary school to become a baker.

Kelly Jaggers [00:06:26]:

I wanted to open my own bakery. I had these really grand plans. And I walked into bakery pastry management, one of my last classes for my degree, and the teacher came in and she's I'll never forget. She said, first thing she said before she even introduced herself was 90% of bakeries fail in the 1st year. It's about a $1,000,000 total investment. And I was like, and with that, I'm out. I am risk averse. I I know how hard it is to earn my money, and I was not interested in that.

Kelly Jaggers [00:06:50]:

So now what do I do with this education I've acquired? I don't wanna work in restaurants. I didn't wanna have that kind of, like, you know, chef y lifestyle that that's not me.

Stephanie [00:06:59]:

The beer doesn't appeal to you?

Kelly Jaggers [00:07:01]:

No. No. I am a gentle soul. Soul. I don't think I could handle it. I would cry every day.

Stephanie [00:07:06]:

Yep.

Kelly Jaggers [00:07:07]:

So I I started writing a blog during my culinary school journey, and so I just kinda focused in on that for a while, trying to figure out, like, what am I gonna do? And about a year into working on the blog, I received an email from a publisher asking if I was interested in working on a book on pies. And I looked around and said, are you sure you mean me? And they did. And so I wrote my very first book, which was the Everything Pie Cookbook. And since

Stephanie [00:07:29]:

then had that. Yeah.

Kelly Jaggers [00:07:31]:

Yeah. Okay. Okay. Yeah. And so since then, I've written, a number of books for my publisher. I write roughly 1 a year right now. So I do the books and also the photography as well. So, on top of the books I write and shoot, I also shoot photography for other people's cook books.

Kelly Jaggers [00:07:46]:

So, so it's been a lot of fun. Yeah. Just like a nice little transition from, like, culinary school, I wanna be a baker, to now I write cookbooks and study food for a living, and it's the best, and I love it.

Stephanie [00:07:57]:

And you're not doing or you're not updating your blog at the same time, so your whole focus is really on your cookbook each year.

Kelly Jaggers [00:08:04]:

Yeah. Yeah. It it it's a labor of love. It's one of those things that, you've, I think, written a cookbook, so I think you understand. And developing recipes too. It's one of those things where I want them to be right. I want the recipes to work. So I do spend a lot of time working on the recipes, thinking about ingredients, studying what's trending, but also thinking about what will still taste good in 10 years.

Kelly Jaggers [00:08:25]:

So I want things to be up to date and current, but I don't want them to be so up to date that people are like, oh, we're so over this. You know?

Stephanie [00:08:31]:

Yeah.

Kelly Jaggers [00:08:32]:

So I spend a lot of time thinking about those things. So, yeah, that's that's what I do. I do photography. I do the cookbook writing, and then I also do, a little bit of light personal chef and catering work in town.

Stephanie [00:08:42]:

So Where do you live?

Kelly Jaggers [00:08:44]:

I live in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex.

Stephanie [00:08:46]:

Oh, nice. I just, I, I was just doing a cooking demonstration yesterday from 1 from my cookbook, and there's an recipe in there for king ranch chicken that was my mother in law's from Houston. And, you know, I know in Texas, like, everybody knows king ranch chicken is like our wild rice soup. Yes. Yes. Exactly. Was just so impressed with this King Ranch chicken. And I was like, people, I did not invent this thing.

Stephanie [00:09:12]:

You know? This has been being made in Texas for some time.

Kelly Jaggers [00:09:15]:

It's called the king ranch. Yeah. It's from the king ranch, and it's, yeah. It's very, very famous in the state. We I think everyone grew up eating it that I knew.

Stephanie [00:09:24]:

Yeah. And it is delicious. So you can Very

Kelly Jaggers [00:09:26]:

tasty. Yeah. No. It's it's for that.

Stephanie [00:09:28]:

It's one

Kelly Jaggers [00:09:28]:

of those things you kinda can't go wrong with.

Stephanie [00:09:30]:

So And, you know, they were asking me all these intimate questions about, like, the tortillas and what kind and how long they last. And I just I thought, oh, this is when you write a cookbook, you're writing it in your own vacuum, essentially. And these are the kinds of questions that cooks have that I wasn't thinking about when I wrote the recipe. Yeah. So I'll get better on the second book about thinking about some of that. But I think with each book, you get better. Don't you think?

Kelly Jaggers [00:09:55]:

Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. It's it's, the first book's a challenge. You you kinda don't I hate to say you don't know what you're doing, but, like, you write recipes. You know how to develop recipes. But have you written a book before? No. No. I ended up writing my first book over the course of basically a week.

Kelly Jaggers [00:10:11]:

We had a snowstorm in Dallas that year, and it basically shut the entire city down. All the roads were frozen over. We were actually hosting the Super Bowl that year too, so it was kind of like this thing where I was watching the news where the they were like, can we even have it? It's all snowed in, and I'm like, it's

Stephanie [00:10:26]:

a quarter

Kelly Jaggers [00:10:27]:

of an inch of snow. It's so small. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:10:29]:

And we were laughing at all of you. Just like, oh my god. What is going on in Dallas?

Kelly Jaggers [00:10:34]:

Well, we don't have the infrastructure in place, and, also, we can't we drive aggressively. Anyway, so I ended up getting stuck at home for week. And I'm like, well, I guess I'll just work on the book. And so I did writing and testing and writing and testing that whole week. And by the time the week was over, I had about a 110 pies in my kitchen and in the fridge and freezer, and the majority of the book done. Like, it just was one of those things. And I was like, oh, how how will I ever write another one of these? This has been such a ordeal. But as you get into it and you learn, like, your own process, you it gets easier.

Kelly Jaggers [00:11:07]:

And you also think about those questions. Like, what do I do with the excess ingredients of this? And what will they do with these leftovers? And could they turn them into something else? And what suggestions do I have for substitutions, maybe for our vegan friends or for people who don't eat these kinds of proteins? Maybe you don't eat shellfish or pork. Like, you know, you think about those things and, like, little tidbits you can include in your recipes to make it better for your audience.

Stephanie [00:11:31]:

Yeah. And you have a lot of that in the book too. Like, in at each page, there if you have some suggestions, like, here's some variations on ways to use grits. Yep. Here is a tartar sauce that goes with this crispy fried shrimp, like Yep. How to freeze seafood. Like, I like that. I thought it was really thoughtful too.

Kelly Jaggers [00:11:50]:

Thank you.

Stephanie [00:11:51]:

What are some of your favorite cookbooks that you find yourself getting inspiration from recently?

Kelly Jaggers [00:11:58]:

Basically, anything from Nigella Lawson. She is the domestic goddess and basically my favorite food person. I adore Nigella Lawson. I love any of the books that deal with, like, specialty one topic cooking. So I love to read books on, like specifically books on, like, vegan cooking or, like, how to cook with chickpeas or, like, specific culinary areas, like, say, books, like, on Israeli cooking or Russian cooking or, German cooking. I love to learn about different food ways. So, I spent a lot of time studying Asian food culture, and now I'm kind of getting invested in more of, like, my own background. So learning about Germanic, Austrian, a little bit of Northern Italian foodways.

Kelly Jaggers [00:12:43]:

And then, of course, I love reading cookbooks from my home state of Texas. So I have a number of cookbooks from people who are in the state who are just masters of their crafts. So books on barbecue, books on southern comfort food, books on Tex Mex.

Stephanie [00:12:58]:

Yeah.

Kelly Jaggers [00:12:58]:

And then even drilling down books on Austin cuisine, on Dallas cuisine. Like, these books are so interesting to me. So I love to I read them like textbooks. Like, I love to just study them. Right? I could just sit there and read a cookbook like most people read a novel. So yeah.

Stephanie [00:13:14]:

Same. I just I don't know why I'm even telling you this, but it's kind of a cute story. I was traveling, and a woman contacted me, and she was cleaning out her mom's house. And we do a cookbook swap every year, with my radio show. And she said, I've got all these books, and I know you have the swap. She said, can I bring them to you? I said, yeah. You can bring them to me. Here's my garage code.

Stephanie [00:13:32]:

Just put them in my garage. And she was like, wait. You're just gonna give me a garage code? I'm like, yeah. Just put the books in there. She goes, I can't believe you're just all she goes, can I do anything else while I'm at your house? Can I bring in the mail? I'm like, sure if you want to. So I've got home from the cabin and the books are in the garage. And I started looking at them and they were real, like, treasures. Like, a lot of old Lutheran church cookbooks.

Stephanie [00:13:57]:

And there was one cookbook that was Minneapolis Restaurants that I only knew of 3 of the restaurants in the book. So it's gotta be, you know, 75 years old. Yeah. And it was just full of treasures and her notes, and there was a box, a wooden box that has actual recipes written in it by hand.

Kelly Jaggers [00:14:17]:

Oh my gosh.

Stephanie [00:14:18]:

And so I'm just like and there's 3 boxes of this person's life, you know? And I just I feel like so honored that this woman gave me the boxes of the books, and I've been kinda paging through them at night, like, reading the recipes and thinking, okay. This has olio and shortening. Can I find a way to do something different with it? And how does that work? But, yeah, I get jazzed by the same things.

Kelly Jaggers [00:14:43]:

I have my old, I don't wanna date myself too hard, but I did grow I did grow in in the elementary school in the eighties. And, I had a cookbook that our PTA put together for our elementary school, and I still have a copy of that, like, construction paper bound

Stephanie [00:14:59]:

Yes.

Kelly Jaggers [00:14:59]:

Spiral bound cookbook from the elementary school, and the kids all submitted recipes. And most of them, the parents, obviously,

Stephanie [00:15:07]:

you

Kelly Jaggers [00:15:07]:

know, helped. But, occasionally, it was a kid who, like, made up a recipe for the cookbook. And I loved to read through the book, and just kind of, like, remember, like, all my friends and the teachers and, like, you you know, all that stuff. It's just it's such a treasure. Like, no one else appreciates it than me, but I love it. It's it's to me, it's priceless.

Stephanie [00:15:23]:

When you what one of the things I liked about this book too is that you have a lot of baking recipes. People don't think about baking for 1, and you I'm just looking. You have a whole cook book about baking for 1.

Kelly Jaggers [00:15:34]:

I do. I do. Yeah. My first book that I did in the series was the baking for 1 cookbook. I did go to culinary school for pastry. So my my background is, well, my education is in pastry. That's not to say that I'm not educated on other forms of cooking. I did take a bunch of extra extracurricular cooking classes for, like, American cooking, French cuisine.

Kelly Jaggers [00:15:52]:

I learned how to make the omelette, the whole nine. But, yeah, I I love baking. Baking is my passion. And so when they, were talking about, like, what books are you interested in? I said, I'd love to do some more baking books. And, like, what about baking for 1? And I'm like, I'm your girl. So

Stephanie [00:16:06]:

I mean, that's a cake for 1, creme brulee for for 1. These are not easy things to make. I love it.

Kelly Jaggers [00:16:11]:

Yeah. Scaling them down was a challenge, especially for things, you would think you just cut especially, like, things like cookies and cakes. Oh, you just cut it down by, like, a quarter. You don't. You really have to think about your ratios of fat, how the leavening is gonna work with these ingredients. Do I need to add less liquid, more liquid? It's it's a little bit challenging to scale down baking recipes. So that was a fun one to work on just from, like, my nerdy food science brain that, like, I really enjoyed sitting down and working on that book. That was a good

Stephanie [00:16:40]:

Yeah. The desserts look exceptional. Also, like beef short rib pot roast for 1. Great. I mean, everybody loves that recipe, but it's makes a huge quantity.

Kelly Jaggers [00:16:51]:

It does. And short ribs are perfectly portioned. Right? Like, you think of a short rib, generally, the kind you get in the grocery store have the bone on and a big chunk of meat on top, that's that's already portioned for 1 person. So that's a little bit of work, and then the extras can be wrapped up, stuck in the freezer, and you can braise them another day or make more pot roast or whatever you wanna do.

Stephanie [00:17:09]:

And, lobster mac and cheese for 1. I mean, Paul Lee's.

Kelly Jaggers [00:17:14]:

Mhmm. Yeah. I mean, if you're gonna have mac and cheese, why not have some too? Right?

Stephanie [00:17:19]:

Like Like, you're only if you just make it for 1, here's you know, because I'm always obsessed with how much I'm eating. Like, I can't overeat it. Right? I can't eat half the pan because I've only made the portion for 1, so I like that too.

Kelly Jaggers [00:17:32]:

But, like, you get the satisfaction of eating the whole pan. Yes. It's a shortcut. It is a shortcut. It's a little brain hack too. Like, I get to eat the whole thing, and then you eat the whole thing.

Stephanie [00:17:44]:

I love Yes. All by myself. Okay. Do you do social media?

Kelly Jaggers [00:17:48]:

I do. I do. You can find me on Facebook, evil shenanigans. I'm on x. That would be Kelly Jaggers. Instagram, Kelly Jaggers. On, threads, Kelly Jaggers. So you can find me on on all the major socials.

Kelly Jaggers [00:18:03]:

I I don't TikTok. I I'm on there, but I don't actually do anything on TikTok. So, you you know, it's not not for me, but that's okay. Not everything.

Stephanie [00:18:10]:

It, but it's it's I don't know. It's it's like I have a love hate relationship with it. When you are

Kelly Jaggers [00:18:15]:

I just doom scroll through to to TikTok all the time.

Stephanie [00:18:20]:

Yes. Absolutely. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. Okay. Hold on one second.

Stephanie [00:18:24]:

Mhmm. My dog is barking. So I'm just gonna pause one second. Alright. So when you open your, let's say, Instagram Mhmm. And a reel pops up from someone, who do you love to follow and love to, like, watch their stuff?

Kelly Jaggers [00:18:39]:

So I follow such a wide variety of people. My Instagram is is strictly curated to be food, hockey, and dogs, like my three favorite things in life.

Stephanie [00:18:49]:

Are you a hockey person? That's so funny because my social media state.

Kelly Jaggers [00:18:53]:

I I'm a huge hockey fan of the Dallas Stars. I also like the Calgary Flames. I have lots of lots of teams that I like to follow, but I'm a diehard Stars fan. So it was

Stephanie [00:19:02]:

I gotta be honest. Every time I hear someone say the Dallas Stars, it it still have, like, a pain in my heart because they were the Minnesota North Stars.

Kelly Jaggers [00:19:12]:

North Stars. That's right.

Stephanie [00:19:13]:

That's right. Still are, like I don't know. Just in my heart and in my, like, growing up childhood, and I don't know. I'm like, Mike Madonna and just I know. I know. They all come back here too.

Kelly Jaggers [00:19:27]:

I know. Well, Mike Madonna works for the wild now, so that's exciting for him. But we got it we have a statue down here

Stephanie [00:19:33]:

in Dallas anyway. He was my neighbor.

Kelly Jaggers [00:19:35]:

Was he really?

Stephanie [00:19:36]:

Yeah. He did live in Minnesota. But Mhmm. When he came here as a kid in I think it was probably high school or junior high to play Mhmm. He stayed at our neighbor's house. They, like, kind of helped raise him and knew his parents and actually dated my sister for a hot minute. So Oh, wow. Big fans of his and his wife, and they've done so much good work too.

Stephanie [00:19:56]:

That's crazy. Well, yeah, he's

Kelly Jaggers [00:19:58]:

he's he's he's kind of a great guy. We we like him down here too

Stephanie [00:20:02]:

a lot. So Oh, that's so funny.

Kelly Jaggers [00:20:04]:

Okay. So, yeah, so reels that I'd wanna see. So anything from, some of my favorite fiction authors. So like Deanna Rayburn, Tess Gerritsen, I love to see reels from the authors I love. I love to see reels from, like, New York Times Food, from Tasty. I love to watch those little quick videos where they put things together. I know it's unrealistic on the timing, and it makes it look a little easier than it is. Yeah.

Kelly Jaggers [00:20:27]:

Hands and pans. But I'm kind of addicted to watching them. They're so satisfying to watch it, like ingredients to completion. Obviously, I we talked about Nigella Lawson before. I will talk about Nigella Lawson until the end of time. I adore Nigella Lawson. But then, like, all of my friends, you know, people that I've known for years who work in food, I'm just thrilled to see what they're doing and the content they're producing. So bake at 360, my friend, Bridget, or 3 bake at 350.

Kelly Jaggers [00:20:53]:

I'm sorry. Bridget, she's one of my favorite, like, dessert bloggers. She makes the most beautiful cookies. And so, like, she'll post reels about, like, you know, dessert. She's making cookies. She's decorating. I love to see those kinds of things. Yes.

Kelly Jaggers [00:21:06]:

So, yeah, like, it it's just basically, like, all of my friends and people who work in food. And then, of course, dogs. We rate dogs is another one. Like, if if there's a cute puppy to be seen, I want to see the puppy. So Yeah.

Stephanie [00:21:17]:

Yeah. Yeah. I've sort of become obsessed with animals eating.

Kelly Jaggers [00:21:22]:

Mhmm. Mhmm.

Stephanie [00:21:23]:

Like Sure. The hamster eating a carrot or Oh.

Kelly Jaggers [00:21:26]:

The little crunch crunch noises. It's just oh my gosh.

Stephanie [00:21:31]:

Love it. Absolutely. It's so cute. Yes. And also there's one where there's, like, a monkey that's feeding a rabbit. And I don't know why, but that's what I've become obsessed with.

Kelly Jaggers [00:21:43]:

Yeah. There's there's one, Instagram account that I like to follow, and it's a person and they have these 2 very wild little beagles And they set the a table up, and they make food for the beagles. And then the beagles jump on the table and eat the food, and he's trying to stop them. And it's it's hilarious. And I know it's all set up, but every time, I I get sucked in and I laugh every single time. So

Stephanie [00:22:04]:

There's also the one that's like that where it's a pit bull that has hands with gloves, and it's made it. Yeah. Like, the food, but it looks like the pit bull's making it, and he has really funny kind of expressions on his face.

Kelly Jaggers [00:22:17]:

Yes. Yes. Yes. And see, that that combines 2 loves, the food and the dogs. So Sure.

Stephanie [00:22:22]:

You know?

Kelly Jaggers [00:22:23]:

Yeah. No. It's Absolutely.

Stephanie [00:22:25]:

The the

Kelly Jaggers [00:22:25]:

the stuff you see on there is is pretty wild. But, yeah, I

Stephanie [00:22:28]:

love fun talking with you.

Kelly Jaggers [00:22:30]:

It's been so nice to talk with you. Thank you for having me.

Stephanie [00:22:32]:

Yeah. It's the ultimate meal planning for one cook book, and your publisher sent me a couple. So I'm gonna do a giveaway with 1 when I put the podcast together. So I'll give, one away to someone, and it's been lovely to see you. When you get your next book going, give me a shout back. I love talking to cookbook authors and hearing about their process. And, again, I really thought your book was super thoughtful. You did a great job.

Kelly Jaggers [00:22:55]:

So glad you liked it. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

Stephanie [00:22:58]:

I did. Thanks, Kelly. I'll see

Kelly Jaggers [00:22:59]:

you soon. You. Take care. Bye bye.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

John Kanell Aug 23, 2024

"Preppy Kitchen Super Easy" is John Kanell’s follow-up to his best-selling cookbook “Preppy Kitchen.” In this episode of “Dishing With Stephanies Dish,” I speak with him about his success, the ease of his recipes, and his favorite tools to use in the kitchen.

Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Thanks for reading Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter! This post is public so feel free to share it.

PODCAST TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS:

Stephanie [00:00:15]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Dishing with Stephanie's dish podcast. I am here with John Cannell, and he is the author of the Preppy Kitchen cookbook. Now feel like Preppy Kitchen is such a complete statement because it makes me think of all the things about you right off the bat. Congratulations on a great moniker on on a well titled cookbook.

John Kanell [00:00:42]:

No. Thank you. Preppy Kitchen's super easy.

Stephanie [00:00:44]:

Yeah. And, like, do you identify with that just in terms of I mean, I'm looking at you. You're pretty cute. You seem like a preppy person.

John Kanell [00:00:52]:

I suppose I do. But, you know, I used to be a math and science teacher, and I dealt with all these kids. It's kind of a long story, but I dealt with kids who had all this math anxiety and science anxiety too. They thought, like, I am an English person or I'm I love history, but I cannot do it. My brain doesn't work this way. And I was teaching middle schoolers, and they already had the sense of failure ingrained in them, and it was heartbreaking. You know, like, later on in life, when I switched careers and I pivoted over, I saw the same thing for people in the kitchen. They're like, I'm a baker.

John Kanell [00:01:24]:

I cannot cook. Or I am fine on the grill, can't bake anything. Or I just use my credit card and call it a day.

Speaker C [00:01:30]:

No. You can send it

John Kanell [00:01:30]:

with my kids. Like, you can do it. Let's just be prepared. Let's have all the steps laid out and everything else. So it's kind of a play on words. It's about being prepared in the kitchen and having, like, a fun, easy time, not anxiety inducing train wreck where you're, like, halfway through a recipe, like, I don't have this ingredient. Why do I die? You know?

Stephanie [00:01:51]:

Okay. I'm just gonna back up for a second because your aesthetic is really appealing to me in lots of ways. Number 1, just talking to you and the way you have your background set. Awesome. Number 2, the photographs in the book and the photographs on your Instagram and on your sites are also incredibly beautiful. Are you doing all this by yourself? Do you just have this lifestyle persona hidden inside you as a math and science teacher? Come on.

John Kanell [00:02:18]:

Well, I used to do it all by myself back back in the day. But to answer part of your question, like, in pieces, I was an art major. So I wasn't a science teacher, but UCLA and had, like, a fine arts degree. So I was about color theory and putting things together and conceptual art. So my career path has gone all over the place. And now, you know, I find that as business gets busier and my kids get older, I have 2 7 year old boys, they're twins, that whatever someone else can do, they can free me up to, like, spend more time with my family or do things that only I can do, I'll outsource. So the book, book number 1 and book number 2 were both shot by David Meloche, who's a be like, a wonderful photographer. For styling here, like, I do like to collect antique copper and stuff like that.

John Kanell [00:03:09]:

But there's there's a community that comes together.

Stephanie [00:03:11]:

I love antique copper, and I also actually kinda like cooking with it, But cleaning of it and the maintaining of it is, like, a full time job.

John Kanell [00:03:20]:

If like, you have to just understand, like, most antique copper is tinned on the inside, so you might just have to get it retinned every once in a while. Or if you found a piece for, like, $5 at a flea market and it's falling apart, you're gonna say, okay. This is $5 plus the retinning cost, and then it'll be good as new. Because copper you know, old copper's is so heavy. It's gonna conduct the heat really beautifully. And part of being prepared and having the right tools, like, you know, having the nice a nice pot or pan, a nice heavy one that conducts heat conducts heat evenly because you could be following a recipe perfectly to the t. Everything is right. But you had one of those, like like, a sad pot that has paper thin walls that scorches everything.

John Kanell [00:04:02]:

And, you know, your food's kind of it's not ruined, but it's not as good as it could be just because of the tool you had.

Stephanie [00:04:07]:

You're speaking to the choir. I'm at my, summer place, and I'm working on a cookbook. And we got a new stove, like, last year, and we have to buy a our place is super little, so we had to buy this specific size stove. Yeah. And it is just the worst. Like, everything I cook for the cookbook burns. There's so many hot spots in it. It's 75 degrees off.

Stephanie [00:04:32]:

And I'm just like, okay. I don't know if I can cook a cookbook and all the test all these recipes with this horrible stove. No. So, yeah, it's been challenging. Not

John Kanell [00:04:44]:

cool. Not cool at all.

Stephanie [00:04:44]:

When you when you besides your fancy French copper cookware, do you have, like, anything that you recommend for just the basics?

John Kanell [00:04:54]:

You know?

Stephanie [00:04:54]:

I, like, I always recommend All Clad, but that's a kinda easy one. AllCloud.

John Kanell [00:04:58]:

Because it kinda just lasts it's, like, indestructible, lasts forever, and is you know, it's expensive, but I will have the All Clad until I don't know what happens to me.

Stephanie [00:05:08]:

Yeah. Same.

Speaker C [00:05:09]:

You

John Kanell [00:05:09]:

know, you just clean it with some steel wool. If it gets really singed, then it's fine. And then, also, you can find some, like, nice cast iron enameled, like Dutch ovens or something. You can get them secondhand. And if they're in good shape, they'll last forever. So those are, like, investment pieces that really make your time in the kitchen a lot easier.

Stephanie [00:05:29]:

Agreed. Now you're on your second book here. How did you can you give me the transition from math and science teacher to cookbook author? Did you just love cooking?

John Kanell [00:05:41]:

You know, I grew up in the kitchen with my mom. So I always had my mom taught chef, and my mom came from a very small town in Mexico where, like, everything was made fresh every single day. And she came to this country with a love of fresh flavors and ingredients and learning. She never wanted to stop learning. So she explored the world through her kitchen and cookbooks and recipes she clipped out. And, I got to be there on that journey with her and learn a lot from her. So and she was a teacher and retired as well, so I followed her by I just became a teacher. And, when my husband and I were planning a family, because it takes a lot of planning, we were thinking who's gonna be home? And, you know, my job had specific breaks, but you can't show up to school late.

John Kanell [00:06:29]:

So, if, like, you know, if your kid is sick or something happens, he really encouraged me to do a pivot. And he's like, you know, you love teaching, but you really are passionate about food. Like, that's what you kind of light up when you talk about. So he's like, you know, you could. I see people, like, having food blogs, and they can make that a career. So why don't we, like, try that out, and you can work from home and be there more often? So I really credit him for helping me do that because it was really taking a chance. Ended up working out pretty well.

Stephanie [00:06:59]:

And I I mean, congratulations on the books and your story of your mom is pretty inspiring. She sounds like a really neat lady.

Speaker C [00:07:08]:

She really

Stephanie [00:07:08]:

But that is, I think, how a lot of us get started and and the being a cookbook writer is probably more possible now than it was before because of digital creation and social media, to be honest. Yeah. Did you always have a knack for that too? Because many people are great with, like, the food or the recipes, but they're not so great at the digital side. And then there's people that are great at the digital side, but maybe their recipes aren't the best.

John Kanell [00:07:35]:

Part of you thinks I was horrible at everything when I started except, like, I could make a delicious dish. But and I the funny thing is I went to art school. But, like, my photography classes were conceptual art photography classes. And there was no skill. Like, if you wanted to have any skill earned, you'd speak to a technician. And the teacher was just there for the discourse of arts and, like, different references. And, you know, it's a lovely conversation. I enjoyed it, but it gave me zero preparation for shooting food and making it look attractive because it's very difficult.

John Kanell [00:08:07]:

It looked tasty even as in the I mean, it's hard. And if you went scrolled all the way back on my Instagram, you would see some very tragic looking things. And I was, you know, so proud of them at the time.

Stephanie [00:08:21]:

Yeah. And I do think, like, the authenticity of the not so perfect photos too. Certainly not for a book, but we kind of had these whole curated Instagram feeds and lives and I do feel like we're getting away from that a little bit in a way that appeals to me just because it feels more democratic for everyone else.

John Kanell [00:08:43]:

Yeah. I mean, I am a bit of a klutz. I'm gonna acknowledge this. So for me, that part comes out of my YouTube channel where I'm making things and, like, something falls or, like, the I made eclairs 10,000,000 times. It's my favorite thing, but I'm filming it and they fall down because I added, like, a little bit too much egg that day, or the eggs were a little bit on the larger side than I was used to. And I'm I will show that. I don't edit it out. So I'll say, like Same.

John Kanell [00:09:10]:

And but now, let's just come back and say, could you use these? Yes. They're still gonna be delicious. They're not gonna make someone French happy, but you will eat them, or we can remake them. And let me show you the correct amount of egg right now. You know? Or I

Stephanie [00:09:23]:

can Oh, I love that.

John Kanell [00:09:25]:

The fridge.

Stephanie [00:09:26]:

No. I absolutely love that. I have done 2 horrible videos. 1, I cut my head off, but I really liked what I made, so I kept it in. It's the headless shrub making. And then the second, I had a absolute whipped cream failure where it, like, just went like this all over my whole kitchen. Oh, no. And I just left it because I was like, well, I've done that once with soup where I Vitamix it and it was too hot and it blew out all over and now with whipped cream.

Stephanie [00:09:55]:

So I think people actually appreciate that because it makes them feel like they can do it too.

John Kanell [00:09:59]:

Yeah. And also, like, whipped cream is actually quite difficult because in the US, there's all these additives and every every brand is a little bit different. If you go abroad and you make a whipped cream with like a double cream or something else, it takes longer to whip. But when it does, it's a beautiful consistency. And depending on what's been additive or how it's been ultra pasteurized, it could become kind of chunky very easily.

Stephanie [00:10:22]:

Yeah. Okay. So yes. Also, cooking with well and your mom being from Mexico and probably you traveling all over too. Cooking all over in different places is weird. We travel a lot by boat. So cooking in a small space boat kitchen with, you know, butter from all over different goat butters and just like, oh my gosh. This is unique.

Stephanie [00:10:45]:

Let's talk about specific recipes in your book and give me, like, your top five that you feel really attached to.

John Kanell [00:10:53]:

Well okay. So on the back cover, I'm gonna start start sweet. In the book, I have the perfect birthday cake, which is like a beautiful vanilla melt in your mouth cake. But on the back cover is what I actually make for my birthday for myself. And it's a lemony Italian olive oil cake, Two layers with a crunchy sugar topping, and in between and on top, a mountain of mascarpone stabilized whipped cream with lots of fresh berries. It's, like, just perfectly sweet, has that wonderful consistency, and it's a very simple cake to make. So, you know, it's a good example of something delicious, something visually stunning. It doesn't have to be difficult.

John Kanell [00:11:35]:

It doesn't have to be time consuming. And you can really make it your own. One of the side dishes that I am very attached to to is part of my Sunday dinners growing up, and it's a Greek style, spicy tomato orzo. It goes with everything. Like, we would have it with a roast chicken or a big garlic studded leg of lamb in a salad. But you can have it a 1000000 different ways. It's silky. It's perfectly spicy.

John Kanell [00:12:02]:

It has a lovely play of flavors. It does take a little bit of time. And whenever you make something saucy and pasta y on the stovetop, you know, it's gonna burn on the bottom and you're constantly, like, stirring and scraping. So my time saving hacks for this were to start off by using Bloody Mary mix for the base because that gives you a perfect spiced tomato

Stephanie [00:12:22]:

Yes.

John Kanell [00:12:24]:

And saves a lot of time. And then we do a little work on the stovetop and then pop it into the oven and just bakes perfectly on its own. It's so silky, perfectly saucy, and goes with everything. There's, like on the cover, I have a a lemony chicken pasta bake, and it's a one pan meal. There's a whole chapter of 1 pan meals because, you know, we don't necessarily wanna feel like Cinderella every single day at the sink. And it is just a nice combination of pasta that's been cooked in a flavorful, like, white wine chicken stock sauce. Yum. It's made creamy with a little stir of ricotta, and then you have these beautiful, big, juicy pieces of chicken, lots of sweet cherry tomatoes, lemons, squash, and it's finished off with giant dollops of ricotta.

John Kanell [00:13:14]:

And it looks so good. It's delicious. It's decadent. And it's something you can just make really easily. And then for breakfast, there are these pear fritters where like, I make recipes for a living, and I enjoy all the recipes that I make because they're these pear fritters were so good. It was like, they're so easy to make. It's basically like if you haven't made fritters, which I'm sure you have, but they're it's like pancake batter holding a lot of fruit, and you deep fry it. So unlike a regular donut where you're you know, the yeast and the rising, it's time consuming.

John Kanell [00:13:49]:

You can just throw this together in a few minutes. And the combination of these lovely pears with just enough golden batter holding together, drizzled with a lemony glaze, they're like it's you will eat and inhale the entire batch of them.

Stephanie [00:14:06]:

I feel like you need to have a radio or a TV show too because one thing you're doing that's really working for me is you are making all of the food sound so absolutely delicious with your adjectives and your adverbs and just I mean, I wanna cook everything.

John Kanell [00:14:23]:

Oh, you're too sweet. Thank you. The book starts out, by the way, like, on the subject of being prepared with the pantry of convenience. Because a lot of us like, I'm a little scattered. I I will admit this. And I will go to the store. Do I have cinnamon? I'll buy cinnamon. I go to my pantry and there's 8 cinnamons there.

John Kanell [00:14:44]:

I am set. But I wanted to show people how you can set things up. Just talk about the different kinds of flours, the different kinds of sugars, like all the stuff that, you know, we might take for granted. But when you're making a recipe or setting yourself up, you need to know have them at hand, know what they do. And, you know, if we're talking about a chocolate chip cookie, there's a dry mix for chocolate chip cookies. So you guys have that in your pantry hanging out, the recipe is halfway done, and you can make as many cookies as you want. And it's like a time saver. Same thing for, like, like, a chocolate cake mix.

John Kanell [00:15:16]:

There's a pancake and waffle mix too. So you can have those in your pantry. And then also talk about, like, different ways to, like, treat butter, like, you know, European versus American butter. You know, I love browned butter. It's one of my flavor hacks. It goes in anything. Anything that has butter, you can sub in browned butter, which is butter that's been cooked and caramelized a bit and has lovely nutty flavor. And it gives you so much extra depth and makes everything just a little bit more special.

John Kanell [00:15:43]:

So, of course, I'm gonna talk about butter, browning it. The different types of butter have different amounts of butterfat in them, just so you know, and what that what that means for your recipes, and the list goes on. And I started you off kind of to set you up for success. And then from there, we have all these easy recipes with tons of variations where you can swap out different proteins, try different sauces. You could use different, like, flavor combinations with spices. Or if it's like a baked good, I'll show you how to make cupcakes verse like, the there's people who make either a batch of cupcakes, the 8 inch, the 9 inch layer cake, or a sheet cake, and it'll give you instructions for any of those. So you can

Stephanie [00:16:23]:

Right that alone is impressive because my number one failing as a cook is pan conversion.

John Kanell [00:16:32]:

It's a it takes actually, it takes some math. So many times

Stephanie [00:16:34]:

This is why I'm bad at it.

John Kanell [00:16:37]:

So many times I wish I could go back in time to my middle school math class and say, Listen to this. This is how we're going to use some math in everyday life. And, you know, the only other time that happened out of the kitchen was when I was calculating, how much flooring material to buy. And I do some geometry. I was like, I used the geometry in real life. It's a miracle.

Stephanie [00:17:00]:

Spatial spatial relationships. They're they're here. My daughter, we were working on a project that we had to map out where we were gonna put some boost in an event and she looked at me and she said, how did you do on the SAT and your spatial reasoning? And I was like, not good. Not good.

John Kanell [00:17:19]:

Sassy. She's

Stephanie [00:17:21]:

pretty funny. Could have inspired you. Like, you kinda give me a little bit of a Ina Garten vibe, and I say that in a very nice way because I feel like she's the the leader of high all high priestess of recipe testing. I mean, her recipes always work. They're always beautiful. They're fairly easy.

John Kanell [00:17:40]:

Yeah. Well, that's a very kind

Speaker C [00:17:42]:

the I grew up

John Kanell [00:17:43]:

in Los Angeles, so I'm not, you know, starstruck when I see people. However, one time in New York, I was with my husband, and I saw Ina and Jeffrey walking hand in hand in the park. And it was like, it's real. They're together. Like, he came down. I love her. For recipe testing, what some people don't realize, it's so important to test your recipes multiple times by multiple hands in multiple places. Because you can be in one, like my famous example for this is in the south, and in the south, and it was falling flat.

John Kanell [00:18:31]:

Or it was, like, it had a little bit of a concave, and it wasn't something was off on the texture. And I was like, oh. So I kept adjusting the recipe over and over again. I was like, it's working for me. I don't know what's going on. And, eventually, after some research, we found out that in the, like, in the 4 regions of the US, there's, like, 4 big flour companies. Each one of them uses a different amount of baking powder in their self rising flour. So if you just try to make a self rising flour recipe for something as finicky as a cake, where you're really trying to reduce the flour to give a melt in your mouth consistency, It's it's literally impossible unless you have in your notes everything for the different flour companies.

John Kanell [00:19:10]:

And there's, like, you know, sub brands and private labels, so it's we ended up just using regular flour with to make it work. And you would never have known that unless you recipe test things in different places, especially with different ovens and, you know, like, you have to give proper ranges. And, one of the goals is always to have things just past multiple hands, multiple places, multiple times before they make it into the blog or the cookbook. Because if someone's trusting you with a recipe, what they're really trusting you with is their time, their money, and their moments. You know, it's you're making something for your family to come together. It could be as simple as just dinner for yourself after a long long day, or it's a big celebration and it's like a supposed to be like a show stopping, meal, and that is very, daunting. So we I also wanna make sure it's just right and it'll be full proof.

Stephanie [00:20:01]:

It is kinda heartbreaking when someone texts you or sends you a message and they're like, I made your blah blah blah, but I'm a terrible cook and it didn't work out. And I always think, oh, no. Like, I don't. I'm sorry it didn't work out, number 1, but I'm more sorry that you think you're a terrible cook because of something you cooked of mine that didn't work out. Like, there are so many variables and

Speaker C [00:20:23]:

Yeah.

Stephanie [00:20:24]:

You know, you're trying to control all those variables, but also sometimes everything's just not controllable. Right?

John Kanell [00:20:32]:

There is not. The 2 things I will say on this podcast or the variables you can control. 1, just get a kitchen scale. It'll save your life for anything baking related. Or even if you're just making anything where you have to weigh things out, you will use less measuring cups, less little bowls, less everything else, and save all that washing up time if you're using a scale as dumping it

Speaker C [00:20:56]:

in, and you

John Kanell [00:20:57]:

will get accurate results. If you scooped up flour from a measuring cup, you are going to add maybe like 60% more flour just by packing it in. Most people don't know that if you're using a measuring cup, you're supposed to fluff the flour in your canister. Use a spoon, sprinkle it in like a gentle rain, and then level it off with a knife without compressing to get accurate results, which will give you that melt in your mouth delicious texture that

Stephanie [00:21:23]:

you A scoop and sweep.

John Kanell [00:21:25]:

Yeah. And that's a little bit more work, a little bit more finicky. So if you just dump it in using a scale, you're saving you time. And then the other thing is just do not overmix any batter unless you're doing a bread. So I always use the mixer until I see just a couple streaks of flour and then finish it off by hand with a spatula so I can scrape it down and fold it together. So you have ultimate control and everything will be a nice texture because the texture even changes how you've taste things. You know, if it has a gummy dense texture, those

Stephanie [00:21:57]:

Mhmm.

John Kanell [00:21:58]:

Your tongue just can't accept it and you miss a lot of the flavors.

Stephanie [00:22:03]:

So I think your advice is really solid, but I'm gonna just confess. And I know, like, my friend Zoey Bakes, she'll say the same thing about the kitchen scale.

Speaker C [00:22:14]:

Yeah.

Stephanie [00:22:14]:

She's like, and then you don't have to mess up another bowl and all the little dishes. But there's something about a kitchen scale that feels so mathy.

John Kanell [00:22:23]:

No. It's not. You just press the 0. Just press the 0 button when you're done, and it starts at 0. There's no adding involved. So just tear it out.

Stephanie [00:22:31]:

0 zero 1.

John Kanell [00:22:32]:

No math.

Stephanie [00:22:33]:

Just I use it for my sourdough baking, and I just always feel like, oh, again, with the math. Like, I gotta figure out how much the bowl weighs, how much the this weighs and everything.

John Kanell [00:22:45]:

Zero it out. Put the bowl on to zero it out. And I will tell you that you might just be an intuitive cook, and, like, my mother just doesn't use any measuring. She just throws things in, like, like, a handful of this. And I'm like, oh my gosh.

Stephanie [00:23:01]:

That's how

John Kanell [00:23:02]:

would I full?

Stephanie [00:23:04]:

Like, I have, like funny.

John Kanell [00:23:05]:

If I remember trying to get one of her recipes onto the blog or, like, use that as a starting point,

Speaker C [00:23:09]:

I will it's so frustrating for her because I have to stop her at

John Kanell [00:23:09]:

each point and then take take it, comes out anyway. So maybe you're that person. You're too

Speaker C [00:23:13]:

talented for this. Know. I don't know.

Speaker D [00:23:14]:

I don't know.

John Kanell [00:23:14]:

I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I comes out anyway. So maybe you're that person. You're too talented for this.

Stephanie [00:23:22]:

I don't know. I'll we'll see. Now you've competed on some food competition shows, haven't you?

John Kanell [00:23:28]:

So I was a judge on Disney's, Magic Bake Off, and part of the fun there was getting to do, like, a judges compete

Stephanie [00:23:37]:

Yeah.

John Kanell [00:23:38]:

Thing. And it was a I It was really the first time I had done that, like, in a high stakes environment, and it was quite fun. I was working with, another Disney actor who is absolutely not a cook or a baker at all. He's quite young. So I had a couple sessions giving him some, like, coaching moments, and he did his really did his best. And we pulled it together. I was so proud of our our creation. Didn't win, but that was fun.

Stephanie [00:24:04]:

Teacher too. Just like the way that you say that, which is so nice. Like, always lifting someone up.

John Kanell [00:24:11]:

Thank you so much. He was it was fun. I mean, I didn't, realize how invested I would get into it when I accepted the challenge, but I was, you know, really going all out. It was a very elaborate cake we ended up making with, like, have, like, marzipan decorations all over it. Wow. It was all had to be very timed out because normally, I have the luxury of time. Yeah. Well, this I can, like, finicky work on something until I am happy with it, and this was you know, the clock was ticking.

Stephanie [00:24:42]:

Would you do other TV competition shows that passed?

John Kanell [00:24:46]:

Maybe. I could do it. Like, if it was fun. I'm gonna do, Foodie Con in New York in the summer. And, one of the challenges which I have agreed to do is, like, handcuffed and hangry or I'll be handcuffed somebody else doing something, which is just fun and kind of like, you know

Stephanie [00:25:02]:

That is fun. Really.

John Kanell [00:25:03]:

So I would do that. Like yeah.

Stephanie [00:25:05]:

You're handcuffed too.

John Kanell [00:25:07]:

I'll be handcuffed to another food person, TBD, and I get one free hand. So I'm hoping my left hand is free.

Stephanie [00:25:15]:

If you had to pick someone to be handcuffed with, and it can be anybody

Speaker D [00:25:20]:

Mhmm. That

Stephanie [00:25:20]:

you have to cook something with, who would it be?

John Kanell [00:25:22]:

I know.

Stephanie [00:25:25]:

I mean, that's a solid bet. Right? Yes. Because you know whatever you did would be great. We are talking with John Kanell. It is the Preppy Kitchen. Super easy. A 100 simple and versatile recipes. When you think about, like, the legacy that you're gonna leave your kids, 2 7 year old boys, are you gonna teach them to cook?

John Kanell [00:25:45]:

They already know. I mean, honestly, they are very curious about what happens in the kitchen. And I love using my time in the kitchen as, like, bonding time, like my mom and I did. So, you know, we're all connected to devices as adults. My kids are, like, connected to the Legos. And being in the kitchen is one moment where you're really, really present. It's tactile. You're engaged, and you're making something that's memorable.

John Kanell [00:26:16]:

So, like, on Sunday, we like pizzas. Started off very simple with, like, them adding the toppings on. And now once they were 6, they were at the point where they could start off with just all I do is warm measure the water out and warm it. And then they, like, you know, bloom the yeast. They add the flour in. And they're using a scale, so they get to talk about numbers a little bit. Like, okay. Let's get close to that.

John Kanell [00:26:41]:

And it doesn't be perfect, but, like, let's get close. And then they need it, and they work on it, and they shape it. And, you know, it's like a nice afternoon where they can come and do a little bit of work, and then exit, and they love it.

Stephanie [00:26:52]:

Yeah. I love it. That's a great story, and I hope more people get in the kitchen with their kids because that is how you learn.

Speaker C [00:26:59]:

And it's

John Kanell [00:26:59]:

how people connect with food too. Like, it's easy to a picky eater. I understand some people are just naturally, like, super tasters or else, and, like, I won't take that away from them, but, like, my kids. And then I developed an appreciation for it. And just your palate changes over time, and you change. But the exposure is different. And when you're making something, you have a hand in it, and that really gives you more of an investment in trying it out and wanting to like it.

Stephanie [00:27:25]:

Yeah. And I think people do go back and try foods that you maybe didn't like as a kid and you have a totally different experience with it later.

John Kanell [00:27:32]:

Yeah. The brussels sprouts.

Stephanie [00:27:34]:

Yeah. Oh, gosh. We I made brussels sprouts for a dinner party once and one of my friends was aghast. Like, literally could not understand why I would be serving brussels sprouts and I was like, well, have you had them in a while? Go ahead and taste them. They're pretty great and he loved them, but he was just like remember that time when you had a dinner party and you made brussels sprouts? He just thought it was so risky. I was like, not too risky. Yeah.

John Kanell [00:28:00]:

One little face.

Stephanie [00:28:01]:

Yes. That's right. Well, I'm gonna put links to the book in the show notes and people will follow you. I'll put all that in the show notes. It was great to talk with you, John, and good luck on the book.

John Kanell [00:28:12]:

Thanks so much for having me over, and Yeah. Wait to see everybody on my book tour. It starts August 20th.

Stephanie [00:28:17]:

And will you be coming to Minneapolis by chance?

John Kanell [00:28:20]:

I will not. I think the closest I'll get is Chicago. But if you're in the neighborhood, come see me. We go to Los Angeles, Dallas, Seattle, Chicago, Atlanta, and New York, and not in that order.

Stephanie [00:28:32]:

How fun, though. Oh, I just I'm I hope I get to do a book tour sometime. Right now, my books are pretty regional. But someday, I'm gonna go on a book tour, I swear.

John Kanell [00:28:41]:

It's really fun. I I see that visualized in your future.

Stephanie [00:28:45]:

Yes. I'm manifesting right now. Thanks for being on the program. I really appreciate you.

John Kanell [00:28:49]:

Thanks for having me. Have a nice day.

Stephanie [00:28:51]:

Alright. Okay. Bye bye.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Nava Atlas Aug 09, 2024

Nava Atlas is an American cookbook author and illustrator known for her work on the groundbreaking and inventive “Vegetariana” and her “Vegan Soups and Stews For All Seasons,” now in its fourth edition.

Truly a pioneer in the culinary world, activism, literature, and art, Vegetariana first hit bookshelves in 1984. Now, 37 years later, Nava’s premier work encompassing recipes, food lore, and imaginative illustrations has been reborn for a whole new generation of compassionate cooks.

Nava’s “Vegan Soups and Stews For All Seasons,” features 120 Vegan Soup and Stew recipes that have been tried and true over the last 25 years. Nava’s vegan chicken noodle soup is one of her favorite recipes from the book. Here is the recipe from her blog, The Vegan Atlas and make sure to follow her substack newsletter at The Vegan Atlas

and Literary Ladies Guide is at

Whether you’re looking for a colorful global stew or a refreshing cold soup, there’s something for every soup lover in these pages.

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT:

Stephanie [00:00:11]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's dish, the podcast where we talk to people obsessed with food, and we do talk to a lot of cookbook authors, and I feel pretty honored today. I'm with, I feel like, a living legend, not only in the vegetarian category, but vegan category, and also a fellow soup lover, which is so exciting. Good morning, Nava. How are you? Welcome to the show, Nava Hatless.

Nava Atlas [00:00:35]:

Thank you. Thank you so much for having me. I'm really excited to be here, and I'll tell you why in a moment.

Stephanie [00:00:41]:

Okay. So let us talk because you have Vegetariana was one of your first books, which is

Nava Atlas [00:00:48]:

This is my first.

Stephanie [00:00:49]:

Okay. And it is a hoot. It has, like, these hand drawn illustrations, little bits of wisdom throughout. It is really a well done book, and it was reissued in the last couple of years and made all completely vegan. Did you go vegan later in life? Or tell me about that transition.

Nava Atlas [00:01:08]:

It was exactly, I would say, 20. I go by my son's age because he was 10 when he went vegan, and now he's 32. So it's always easy for me to keep track. So, yeah, 22 years vegan. I was vegetarian since high school. So I was kind of an early adopter, not necessarily on the veganism side of it, but, you know, I remember even in being a weirdo as a vegetarian back then. And also I was gonna say that, you know, I've really seen this whole progression from analog to digital and, you know, wanting to familiarize myself with you, your work, your podcast. I went straight to and, of course, I'm going to forget.

Nava Atlas [00:01:51]:

Oh, John Kung. Yeah. And he was talking about Detroit, and I was so thrilled because I grew up right outside Detroit.

Stephanie [00:02:02]:

My radio partner grew up outside Detroit too. And I really I love Detroit. I visited and had, like, 4 very memorable days in my life.

Nava Atlas [00:02:14]:

It is an amazing city, and it's an an amazing transformation. The last time I was there was not that long ago. It was maybe a year ago a year ago, June. Sure. And, my friend was showing me around central downtown, and then I saw an article. I'm not sure if it was in New York Times or elsewhere statistic that statistic that says that downtown Detroit is actually safer than San Francisco.

Stephanie [00:02:46]:

Oh, I believe that. Yeah. I absolutely believe that. It is a really cool place to visit. The farmer's market alone was just mind blowing to me. So many just sheds upon sheds of makers, and I've always loved maker culture and people that make products, and I have podcasts about that too. And really just enjoy the craft of people making food and how hard they have to work and how delicious it is.

Nava Atlas [00:03:15]:

And so many vegan restaurants, you know, for me, that's really my interest. And, one that had started when I was in college in Ann Arbor, I am a University of Michigan graduate, was Ceva, and now they have that beautiful place in downtown Detroit that is delicious. It is, you know, expensive on a par with New York, still very much worth it. But I, you know, I'm really glad to see the city thriving because the city has been through so much. Yeah. And I have to admit, I did not get to Eastern Market on my last visit because I also really wanted to save some time to go to Ann Arbor, my alma mater, and see how I haven't been to Ann Arbor for a longer time and how that has transformed. It looks like a little city now. And then Royal Oak looks like Ann Arbor did when I went to something there.

Stephanie [00:04:02]:

It's funny. Yeah. So veganism, I will say so I do eat meat, and I knew people that were vegans, and I knew it was a thing. And, obviously, being in the food world, you're paying attention to trends. And, obviously, eating plant based is super beneficial health wise. And then I started working on my TV show, and my executive producer is vegan. And I just really felt like I had my eyes opened to what it really means to, like, live a vegan lifestyle. And for her, she's been doing it like you for so long.

Stephanie [00:04:42]:

It's just like, oh, I just don't eat meat. It's really no big deal at all. And we are so fortunate now in that we have so many choices and so many options in our food world. Writing a cookbook that's vegan specific to soup, I thought was probably not as hard as people think because a lot of soups are vegan if you're using a vegetable broth.

Nava Atlas [00:05:03]:

Right. They're vegan. So many soups are vegan already, and soup is a very plant forward type of food, maybe second only to salad.

Stephanie [00:05:12]:

Yeah. Exactly. And that's kinda how I think about soup because I make a lot of soup, but I also make a lot because I cook a lot. So I have all of the vegetable scraps and the broths and the little dribs and drabs of things that I'm always throwing into a soup. When you put your cookbook together, was it hard for you to think about, like, okay, what recipes am I gonna put in? What am I not?

Nava Atlas [00:05:34]:

So this book, like Vegetariana, has a long history. What you're holding in your hands now is the 5th edition. I've heard. Yeah. So I think I published it. I I had an agent back then, not the same one I have now, and she said, oh, you know, publishers are saying this is just too niche. It's too specific. Couldn't find a publisher.

Nava Atlas [00:05:54]:

So I thought, you know what? I'll publish it myself. And at the time, it was it was actually so many more people are self publishing now, but it was easier back then like a lot of things. It was a very small, really diminutive hand drawn book, and it did very well. So once I had proved myself, it was picked up by Little Brown. Then it went out of print at Little Brown. I went back to self publishing it. That same editor went to Random House, so she picked it up again, and then it went out of print. It you know, none of the additions before this one had as many photographs and they weren't designed as beautifully as I would have liked.

Nava Atlas [00:06:38]:

So it was really nice to get the whole process back into my hands.

Stephanie [00:06:42]:

The book is really beautiful. So did you publish this version yourself?

Nava Atlas [00:06:47]:

This one I did because, you know, after the 4th edition, it's the likelihood of another publisher publishing something that's been in and out of print so many times is probably close to nil. Even though it has sold lots of copies, you know, people want to move on to the new thing, to the fresh thing, and it's understandable.

Stephanie [00:07:06]:

I'm pretty impressed by that. Not only that you're in your 5th edition, but as a cookbook writer myself who does publish the more traditional route, you're probably, financially, it's a much better, amount of money per book that you make probably publishing yourself than going through a publishing house.

Nava Atlas [00:07:28]:

I was going to say maybe per book for the copies that you're lucky to sell, but, you know, really at a disadvantage from the perspective of distribution. That's a big thing. Yep. I have a good distributor, but, you know, I I feel I felt like, you know, I just want a beautiful edition of this book before I leave this mortal coil. But as far as making lots of money, no. I would say to your listeners, that's not the way to get rich.

Stephanie [00:07:58]:

Yeah. No. I just see, I think about it from the perspective of, like, okay. A traditional book, the author probably makes anywhere from 3 to $7 a copy.

Nava Atlas [00:08:09]:

Less than that.

Stephanie [00:08:10]:

Okay. And then a published book that you publish yourself, people say that you can make anywhere from 15 to $22 a copy.

Nava Atlas [00:08:19]:

Oh, maybe connect me with those people. I'd like to see where they got that information. Because Okay. You know, you're not doing huge printing, so your per unit cost is not great. Right. And also, I didn't wanna print overseas because, you know, that's another thing in itself and the books have to be printed way ahead of time. Yes. And so I did it domestically, which I think they did a beautiful job.

Thank you for reading Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Stephanie [00:08:42]:

It is beautiful. But the per

Nava Atlas [00:08:43]:

unit cost is going to be a little bit more. But, you know, this was a, a labor of love, I would say, to get it into print in a fashion that I'm really happy with. Because I do like you, I absolutely love soup. I think that I would say it's my very favorite category of food and eating. It just it's so digestible. And like I said, with the title, soups and stews for all seasons, you make them every time. If your people think of it fall, winter, but I love a cold summer soup. There's nothing more refreshing for dinner than, you know, when it's a warm evening like the summer we've had this past summer to have a a really delicious cold soup.

Stephanie [00:09:26]:

And like gazpacho can be revelatory. Right?

Nava Atlas [00:09:30]:

Absolutely. And a lot of these soups also, I would say in my summer chapter, about half of them are no cook. So that's great for those times where you feel like you just don't wanna turn on a single burner. Watermelon gazpacho is one of my newer favorites.

Stephanie [00:09:45]:

I did not see that in there. I'll have to look back. That sounds really interesting to me. Chilled soup is always a little I don't get there. I get there when it's really hot. I just don't think about it unless it's super hot.

Nava Atlas [00:10:00]:

I have a few that are good hot or cold. Like, one that I made not long ago, it's called tangy cold potato spinach soup.

Stephanie [00:10:08]:

And that's literally just open to that.

Nava Atlas [00:10:10]:

Oh, yeah. That it that's really good hot or cold. That could be, you know, had in the fall, nice and warm or hot. And then the next one also, cold creamy leek and potato soup because you do think leeks is a little bit more of a fall or spring vegetable. And I would say sometimes I just I don't even pay attention to the chapters. If I feel like having a winter soup in the summer, I'll do that or vice versa. You know? Well, I wouldn't have a a summer cold summer soup in the winter. But reverse, yes.

Stephanie [00:10:39]:

Yeah. Same. I was just at my cabin. It was 80 degrees, and I made, chicken broccoli soup because I just was hungry for it. Yeah. Let's talk about some of the stews. And you it feels like there's some global influences kind of in here, some Thai influences, perhaps some African influences. How do you get your ideas for recipes?

Nava Atlas [00:11:05]:

Well, if it's a it's globally influenced, I'm influenced by what I have when I go out to eat. And if I go out to eat, I like to have things that I haven't had at home or don't normally make at home, but then it's so much fun to try to recreate it in your own kitchen. And now, you know, supermarkets are a veritable feast of international ingredients, which is great. One of my favorites, my absolute favorite, what I call my favorite food hacks because I'm really lazy when it comes to Indian cuisine Mhmm. Is, simmer sauce. Mhmm. Indian. Have you ever tried any of the those?

Stephanie [00:11:42]:

Yeah. I have. Yep.

Nava Atlas [00:11:44]:

They're amazing. They really take anything you put them on tastes like it came from the best Indian restaurant because I am just simply too lazy to do the grinding 20 spices

Stephanie [00:11:54]:

and For sure.

Nava Atlas [00:11:55]:

You need to you'd get those complex flavors. It's not just about dumping some curry powder into something. So that has been really wonderful. And then in the last couple years, I would say I've really fallen in love with kimchi. Yes. Me too. Just how good it is for us. So the kimchi

Stephanie [00:12:14]:

to get past the idea like it smells. Right? When you open that first jar

Nava Atlas [00:12:20]:

or first do. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:12:22]:

Just sort of like, ugh. It's just got that really heavily fermented smell. But then when you use it, it doesn't taste like it smells at all.

Nava Atlas [00:12:30]:

It definitely mellows. And, you know, there are 2 types of kimchi. There is a kimchi made with fish sauce and I'm not I'm just guessing that might have more of the aroma.

Stephanie [00:12:39]:

Yeah.

Nava Atlas [00:12:39]:

And so I get the vegan kimchi. And again, I have a kimchi soup here and the list might look a little longer. I'm not a big fan of huge long ingredient list, by the way. A little bit longer than my usual, but it's still so easy, and it's one of those soups that's on the table in 30 minutes.

Stephanie [00:12:58]:

And which one is it?

Nava Atlas [00:12:59]:

The kimchi soup on page 63.

Stephanie [00:13:02]:

Alright. I'm just gonna take a look at that while we're sitting here too. Alright. And then stews, was that purposeful to include stews or is that just because soups kind of are like sue stews too.

Nava Atlas [00:13:15]:

You know, I have always called stews soups with a chunkier texture and a little more attitude.

Stephanie [00:13:23]:

Okay. That's a good way to describe it. I like it.

Nava Atlas [00:13:26]:

Right. So I have here this Italian mixed vegetable stew with the gnocchi, and the gnocchi tend to absorb a little bit more of the broth, so it becomes more stew like. And then I think in one of the later chapters, I have a a Thai vegetable stew with a peanut base. They're just so adaptable. You can you know, if you don't like stew like textures, you just put a little bit more liquid or water and it becomes you're back to a soup.

Stephanie [00:13:54]:

When I was looking at this easy laksa soup, the Southeast Asian influence there, I'm gonna be going to Southeast Asia in January.

Nava Atlas [00:14:03]:

Oh, really? I've never

Stephanie [00:14:04]:

been, and I was

Nava Atlas [00:14:05]:

Oh, wow.

Stephanie [00:14:06]:

There's so many delicious soups in their culture.

Nava Atlas [00:14:09]:

Absolutely. In fact, my nieces and nephews were just telling me a story that they were in, I believe it was Thailand, and they said by the end of their visit, they didn't wanna see another noodle again. Yep. There are a lot

Stephanie [00:14:21]:

of noodles in the Thailand for sure.

Nava Atlas [00:14:24]:

I don't think it would I would ever tire of that though.

Stephanie [00:14:27]:

How did you get started in cookbook writing?

Nava Atlas [00:14:30]:

That is a very interesting story. In high school, like I said I was kind of the the oddball vegetarian both at school and in my family. Don't really remember what gave me that notion other than you know, I just never liked meat. My mom did this kind of bland Eastern European cooking. And I don't know, I think I was a little bit early for the hippie era, but I was kind of a wannabe. So I decided to go vegetarian. And my mom said, well, I'm not going to cook 2 meals. If you wanna be a vegetarian, you're gonna have to cook for yourself thinking that that would put a an end to it.

Nava Atlas [00:15:07]:

Yeah. But I really took to it. I really enjoyed it. And back then, we didn't have these beautiful supermarkets or whole foods or where these dusty health food stores.

Stephanie [00:15:18]:

Oh, I remember.

Nava Atlas [00:15:19]:

Yeah. Where it was probably 70% vitamins and potions and maybe a little bit, you know, and then brown things that you'd buy by the by the pound.

Stephanie [00:15:30]:

Yes.

Nava Atlas [00:15:30]:

But we just loved it. So I bought the the brown lentils and the brown oat groats and what not that we had, and I had so much fun with it. Then, when I got married rather early on in life, my husband really wanted to be a vegetarian, but he was absolutely no cook. Still isn't. You can make a good salad, but that's about it's his limit. So we would go out once in a while. We lived in New York City at the time, and I'd like to recreate things at home or just concoct. And he said, you really need to write this one down.

Nava Atlas [00:16:02]:

You need to write this one down, and I'll write this one down. And after a while, I found myself with a lot of recipes. I was, oh, I was a trained, never trained as a chef. In fact, sometimes people introduce me as a chef and I say, that's very nice of you, but it's an insult to chefs.

Stephanie [00:16:19]:

Yeah. I feel similarly. I'm just so well cooked.

Nava Atlas [00:16:22]:

Right. Exactly. I was a trained graphic designer and illustrator. And in fact, the book you're holding, one of them, Vegetariana, I designed and illustrated. And the design and the illustrations are very similar, identical, really, almost identical to the original edition, But with some additional new illustrations that I did, this was what I called my COVID project When we were inside for 2 years, I did a lot of new illustrations for it. And that's when I veganized it.

Stephanie [00:16:55]:

It's really it's a super lovely book. It's different than any other cookbook because it has just so much personality, but yet the recipes look super delicious too. It's like every page, I feel like I turn it, and it's a new discovery.

Nava Atlas [00:17:08]:

Oh, thank you. And I also call it the kind of cookbook that you can read in bed. Because there's a lot of stories and folklore and food lore and food history, which also kind of fascinates me. How I started writing was I did accumulate a lot of recipes. We were a starving artist couple in New York City back then. I remember going to a lecture by some well known graphic designer whose name, of course, I no longer remember, but he said, if you're a freelancer, unless you do something for yourself that's completely your own, you're gonna be just going from job to job to job. And I thought, that really resonated. So I thought why don't I try to put this together as a book.

Nava Atlas [00:17:53]:

And back then everything was analog. There was just phones. In fact, there was only landlines. And I was so shy. I was it was really a miracle that I was able to be a freelance illustrator and graphic designer because back then, the way to do it was to cold call and make an appointment with the art director and schlep the literal huge portfolio. So I had to make a, you know, what I thought was a proposal and make, you know, make a copy of it and send it off to and I sent it to 1 publisher, And they kept it for 6 months before saying no. And at that point, again, I read about how the publishing process worked. I was completely naive, and it said, you've got to find an agent.

Nava Atlas [00:18:41]:

I thought, how am I, one of the shyest people on earth, going to find an agent? So my husband actually took my my really rough proposal to a copy shop across from where our studio was, our art studio. And the guy behind the counter said, oh, what is this? It looks really interesting. And my husband told him, he said, oh, my girlfriend is an agent. So he gave me her number. But of course I had to call them on a landline with my hand and my voice shaking. And they said, well, you can, you know, mail it or you can drop it off, but we know we're not looking right now, and it could take several weeks or several months. And I said to my husband, I can't do this. Can you take it up? They were also in New York City.

Nava Atlas [00:19:29]:

Can you take it up there for me? So he did, and he came back and he said, oh, they weren't very nice, and they had a dog, and he was barking at me. And I said, well, this doesn't sound good. Well, the very next morning, my landline was ringing. And they said, oh, we love this and we wanna represent it. And I think within a few weeks, they'd sold it to one of the top cookbook editors in New York City. But, honestly, I was just too young and too dumb to really appreciate what, you know, synchronicity, luck, maybe some talent, of course. We have to own that about ourselves as women, but I didn't believe it at the time. And, it was, you know, the rest as they say is history.

Stephanie [00:20:13]:

It really what a great story. I love hearing that because anybody in the publishing world finding an agent is just like finding a needle in a hay stack, and then getting the book bought by the publisher is another needle. And even, you know, if you have good publishers, some people have bad experiences. The publishing industry has changed since COVID. It's just changed so dramatically.

Nava Atlas [00:20:34]:

Yes. I mean, there has always been, I would say, you know we always think everything back then was better not necessarily. You see in vegetariana the drawings are very delicate

Stephanie [00:20:45]:

Yeah. And

Nava Atlas [00:20:46]:

white. Well, when I first saw my book in print, I cried, but not from happiness. They had inked the drawing so heavily and that some of the pages were actually sticking together.

Stephanie [00:20:58]:

Aw.

Nava Atlas [00:20:58]:

So it was an epic nightmare. But they did they corrected everything for the second printing, and the book was actually very successful. And it led me to my second, and then I thought, well, this is a great way for a starving artist to make money. Yeah. And, you know, you know, I was very dedicated at the time to vegetarianism as much as right now, I'm even more dedicated to veganism for many, many reasons. But, you know, what you say is right. I feel like and I can't give the name on the air, but I've been so blessed with my agent.

Stephanie [00:21:29]:

Mhmm.

Nava Atlas [00:21:30]:

And it is, again, sometimes it's a matter of luck or timing and and persistence. Persistence is a very important ingredient.

Stephanie [00:21:39]:

And I love this story about you putting yourself out there because we're in this kind of weird age. And I I'm am I like the the where we're at, but it's different in that now, so many people that are getting, you know, 6 figure advanced cookbook deals are influencers or have a huge following on social media. And what I find more often than not, many of them are great, but also what you the skill sets that you need to be a good social media influencer are not necessarily the same skill sets that you need to be a good cookbook author. So you can do great hands videos and 5 ingredients or less or they the publishers now just look like how many social media followers do they have. Are they on TikTok? Are they doing these videos? And that's kind of how you get the deal. I hope that we still can have some of the other types of books that are more labor of loves and are single themed or are unique and different in that way. And I'm worried we might lose some of that, and it's all gonna be gonna come about a personality.

Nava Atlas [00:22:51]:

Yeah. All of what you say is a 100% correct. And in fact, when I was, listening to your podcast with John Kung, and he was saying he has 2,000,000 followers on TikTok. Well, I have 0 followers on TikTok because I'm not on TikTok, and I have nothing against it. In fact, I think it's great. I think when people can kind of build their own platform, it's just wonderful. But aside from doing cookbooks, I'm also a a writer, a nonfiction writer. I run 2 websites, and I feel like there's just so many hours in a day and just so many skill sets and hats that one person can wear.

Stephanie [00:23:26]:

Yeah. And some of the, I mean, some of the fast quick hand photography or videography or even just, like, doing videos on YouTube. Thank god for me because as a home cook, you know, I don't know. I don't have good knife skills. I am really just like your next door neighbor that's cooking you food and has a reasonably funny personality, but that's about all I got. So it's it's fun to be able to make a career with those skills. Yes. But I also I do understand that, you know, there are people like the Ina Garten's of the world who we need to make room for them too because even though maybe, you know, she does she has a lot of people on TikTok and all that now.

Stephanie [00:24:11]:

But in the day, she didn't. And her books are really well researched and really well put together. It's kind of an exciting time, but it's also a time where there's a lot for a lot of different types of people. And young people too. Like, what makes I mean, my daughter's 25, and she's really into cooking. But she cooks things I would never cook. Like, she will make her own bagels. I would no more near make my own bagel and boil it.

Stephanie [00:24:36]:

And I just, you know, that's not really what I do, but I'm so impressed that she does it. She'll do the 4 day project cooking, you know, the making the steamed bao buns and just doing all kinds of fun stuff.

Nava Atlas [00:24:49]:

That's wonderful, though. My daughter has become a really good seitan maker. Are you familiar with it?

Stephanie [00:24:55]:

Yeah. Yeah.

Nava Atlas [00:24:55]:

And and it's my recipe and I've really refined it. But I thought sometimes it just feels like such a project to me. I'm so glad that she likes to do it. Yeah. It's very useful.

Stephanie [00:25:07]:

So is your whole family vegan and vegetarian?

Nava Atlas [00:25:11]:

I would say, you know, yes. In fact, we went vegan at the same time. My husband has kind of gone in and out of having eggs. So when he has eggs, he's a vegetarian, but both of my kids, my kids were raised vegetarian. Neither of them, and they are not young anymore. Neither of them have ever tasted meat in their life.

Stephanie [00:25:31]:

Oh, that's so funny. I can't even imagine that because we just eat so much beef in the Midwest. What I will say, this producer that I was talking to you about that's vegan, she started raising chickens. And she had all these eggs, and eventually, she started eating the eggs. And then she ended up getting rid of the chicken, so she's off the eggs again. But it it it was interesting to hear, like, how she came to even incorporating eggs into her life. She was just like, I have all these eggs. I hate the waste.

Nava Atlas [00:26:02]:

Right. And, you know, when you have chickens, they're gonna lay eggs.

Stephanie [00:26:05]:

Yeah. So, you know, I

Nava Atlas [00:26:06]:

have a friend who raises backyard chickens and, you know, she's giving them usually to my a lot of times to my husband. And it's nice to know that they're eggs that are raised too mainly, you know, where they came from and everything.

Stephanie [00:26:18]:

If you had to say a favorite recipe for you in the vegan soups and stews book, you kind of already said, the one. I just before we wrap up, is there a book or is there a recipe that feels really personal to you or something that you feel like is a signature just of yours?

Nava Atlas [00:26:39]:

I just opened to 1, the mock chicken noodle soup. So chicken noodle soup with c h I c k apostrophe n. Yes. And subtitle is kinda like my mom's but without the bird. So this uses did

Stephanie [00:26:56]:

you get that flavor without the bird?

Nava Atlas [00:27:00]:

Well, I used vegetable or vegan chicken style bouillon cubes. Mhmm. And then the chicken chicken product also, they usually have their own flavor. And it's really, you know, it's really not that difficult. I feel like this is proof positive that pretty much anything can be veganized. And I'm going back to the beginning of the program saying that I really didn't like my mom's cooking very much, but yet I loved my mom. So this super reminds me not so much of my mom's cooking that I didn't particularly like, but of my mom. Yeah.

Nava Atlas [00:27:35]:

So even looking at it and the way it looks is just just brings me back to my childhood. And I think that's so much of what eating is about. And so much of what comfort food is about is that nostalgia and that comfort of, you know, our parents or our family and the safety. And I feel like that is just such a universal human need. I always think that we're not necessarily alike as humans, but I think that we all want the same things. We want love, security, our family, and food is just such a way to bring people together.

Stephanie [00:28:14]:

Yeah. I couldn't agree more. And boy, that's a great way to end it. I love that you shared that, story. And I was just you know, that we're just coming off of the Republican National Convention, and I've been feeling a little bit like trying to be open minded, but also feeling a little tribal in my belief system. And I do think about getting back to what do what are people wanting? You when you really get down to it, we do want a lot of the same things. We come out of different points of view, but it helps me to have empathy and understanding when I'm having a hard time feeling like, who are these people?

Nava Atlas [00:28:57]:

I'm glad you said it. Not me, but I I get I get it.

Stephanie [00:29:02]:

And yeah. And on both sides, really. I mean, I'm from Minneapolis, and believe me, we have a lot of left, real left, left, left stuff happening right now. And on the one hand, some of it's really exciting. And on the other hand, I just feel like it's too much, and you feel like you're kinda pulled on all sides and not sure where the real understanding is. And I'm just trying to find my own personal empathetic path as we Absolutely. Get walking up to this election regardless of what So

Nava Atlas [00:29:30]:

Find a way to meet in the middle and things that we all have as commonalities.

Stephanie [00:29:34]:

And it is always food and soup, isn't it?

Nava Atlas [00:29:37]:

Absolutely. I think food really brings us together for sure.

Stephanie [00:29:41]:

This has been such a delight. Thank you so much for spending a little time with me today. I appreciate it. And we'll get the podcast edited and posted. It is Vegetariana. That is the original book, A Rich Harvest of Whitlore and Recipes. And the new book that's not new, but in its 5th edition, but new with pretty pictures, vegan soups and stews for all seasons, Nava Atlas. Thanks joining me.

Stephanie [00:30:03]:

I really appreciate it.

Nava Atlas [00:30:04]:

Oh, thank you. If I could just, one more thing is that people can visit me as at the vegan atlas dotcom.

Stephanie [00:30:11]:

Okay. I think I went to your website once, so I'll put that in the show notes.

Nava Atlas [00:30:15]:

Oh, thank you so much.

Stephanie [00:30:16]:

Okay. Great to meet you.

Nava Atlas [00:30:17]:

Bye bye. Alright.

Stephanie [00:30:18]:

Bye bye.

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A Makers of Minnesota Edition - Mixly Cocktail Mixers Jul 26, 2024

Behind Mixly Cocktail Co. is a group of friends. Some met in college, others through work, but they all came together with their shared love of craft cocktails and thought they could offer a complex craft cocktail base that you could make at home.

Whether you are making Mocktail or Cocktails, any of Mixly’s 7 cocktail varieties or their new Spritz line will transport you to a craft cocktail bar experience at home.

Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT :

Stephanie [00:00:16]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to dishing with Stephanie's dish. This is a Minnesota maker edition, which are always extra special to me because it's how I got started in the podcast space. I'm here with Jonna Rosbach, and she is the founder of Mixley, which is a we'll call it a cocktail concentrate. Is that what you would call it, Johnna? I think Johnna?

Johnna [00:00:36]:

I think you could. I mean, we still refer to it as a mixer, but it certainly is more concentrated than typically what you find on shelf.

Stephanie [00:00:44]:

And what it is is this delicious fruit forward mixer that you can mix with mocktails. You can have it in a cocktail. You can have it with sparkling wine. You can just have it with, you know, soda pop, really. If you wanted to have it with 7 Up, it would be equally delicious. What made you think that, like, this was a place in the market that there was a hole that you could fill with this product?

Johnna [00:01:12]:

So there was a couple things. I think the the first area was, well, we all we started the journey, when we set out to you know, wanting to do our own business, and we love the idea of cocktails. Me and my business partners, we love cocktails, and just kind of the faucet making great cocktail. And then we went to the shelf to see you know, curious what our mixers like these days. Yeah. And we were shocked to see, oh, oh my gosh.

Stephanie [00:01:40]:

There's bad.

Johnna [00:01:41]:

Bad. Really bad. Bad ingredients, bad branding, bad flavors, same old flavors. And so we were just really excited. 1, I think just let's clean up the ingredient deck. Like, we all know in every other beverage category, we've evolved. So let's 1, step 1. 2, let's bring exciting flavors, like what you would want to see at a craft, you know, at a great bar, at a you know, getting a craft cocktail.

Johnna [00:02:06]:

And then I think 3rd, this was I was pregnant at the time. The kind of sober, curious, any movement was just coming. So, like, let's make this versatile. Let's make this for everyone. So whether you're drinking or you're not, you can really make it your way and, you're not no one's having to feel left out, you know, if they're not drinking alcohol.

Stephanie [00:02:27]:

I think a lot of products too thought that they were gonna deliver on that message, but then kind of few did. Because if you weren't having them with alcohol, some of them didn't have the flavor punch. Others, if you were drinking them strictly as a mocktail, they were a little too much. Like, you guys really seem to hit the right balance. So go through your flavor profile because you've been pretty consistent too.

Johnna [00:02:54]:

Yeah. It's really about a balanced cocktail. So you're gonna have you know, you want the balance of the sweetness. So obviously, or tartness. Right? So the fruit, whether like the strawberry, pomegranate, you're gonna have some of that tartness. We wanna balance that then with a honey. So we used a honey in our simple syrup base, and that is really just gonna create a more balanced sweetness versus cane sugar can be really intense. And then the benefit to a lot of people do, you know, prefer honey as a sweetener these days over cane sugar and then acid.

Johnna [00:03:28]:

So, obviously, it's lemon or lime in all of our flavors, and that acidity is, not only part of a great cocktail or can be part of a great cocktail, but also for us, that is what acts as our kinda natural, stabilizer. Right? So we are shelf stable, but because we, you know, lean into some of those, you know, to the using fresh lime and lemon, it allows us to be shelf stable longer without having to add preservatives. So I think right. It's like the sweetness or tartness and then a really good acid. And then we do have a lot of, bring in a lot of, earthy flavors as well. So we have, like, the pineapple basil lime. So we're adding in, you know, the freshness of the babel basil or the mint, cucumbermint lime has that, you know, really, refreshing element. And same thing too, like, one of my favorites we just launched, as part of our spritz line is the elderflower mint.

Johnna [00:04:26]:

And that again, it's floral. It's refreshing with the mint. It's, yeah. So it's really all about, yeah, that combo to create a nice balanced cocktail.

Stephanie [00:04:36]:

So I'm talking with cofounder at Mixley, Jonna Rosbach, and you mentioned that you have this spritz line. It is a new we'll call it an extension. Is that fair? And why did you rebrand it and make it somewhat different looking than the traditional mixed line? I was curious what the thought process was there.

Johnna [00:04:57]:

We were really great summer, you know, sipper. And we felt too that this was not only do we want to, you know, jump into the spritz, scene with our Mixley take, And it was a fun truly, like, Megan, our my business partner who's our designer is just so creative, wanted to have fun and and see, you know, how a kind of different branding would do. But I think it's also just, you know, it's an interesting test for us of how does a a mixer that's for a single a single type of cocktail do versus the versatility message we've had with Mixley where you can make it with rum or tequila or vodka. Like, how does that resonate with consumers when it's, like, really easy? It's a spritz. You mix it with sparkling wine, and there you go. So we wanted to distinguish it a bit, have fun with it, and then also it's just interesting to see, yeah, how it performs.

Stephanie [00:05:54]:

Can you talk a little bit about that? Because, clearly to me, that seems like people that have a marketing background that are doing sorta AB testing that are really as interested in the brand packaging and the messaging as the actual love of the cocktail itself. So what was your background and your business partner's background getting here? Because it seems sort of packaged goods focused.

Johnna [00:06:20]:

You are correct. Very much. Yes. So my background is all CPG marketing. Came up through the agency world and then spent, years in in corporate marketing at, you know, 2 different big food, CPG firms. And Megan, my business partner, the same. So, yes, we have that background. Her background's design.

Johnna [00:06:41]:

My background is more the marketing communication. So some ways, that's very helpful. In some ways, you have to take everything that you learned in your big CPG world and forget that you learned it because it doesn't apply.

Stephanie [00:06:53]:

Yeah. To yeah. That's really interesting too because I think that's one of the if I'm talking with people that are manufacturing products or talking about products and that's their background, I usually do tell them that. And you also don't have the depth of, staff or even the depth of resources or time. So you have to kinda move a lot faster than people are comfortable with.

Johnna [00:07:19]:

Yeah. Move faster. And I think even as you think about, like, the marketing tactics, things that we would do, it's like, it's so different when you already have brand awareness and distribution. Yeah. We made a lot of mistakes early on. I was like, oh, that lesson, that thing I thought I did really well. Like, that does not apply to Mixley to what we're doing. So

Stephanie [00:07:40]:

What's an example of that?

Johnna [00:07:44]:

I would say, for example okay. Spending on influencers. Right? Everyone wants to spend on influencers. And I'm not to say that's wrong. However, it is a very different game when you don't have, on shelf presence. Also, if you're just gonna do and true if you're truly going to invest in d two c, you have to do it right. So if you're having influencers drive to your website, you really have to be focused. And I think when we launched, we were trying to do too much.

Johnna [00:08:12]:

We were doing retail and a little d two c. So you're just your spend in a in a tactic like influencer marketing is really not gonna go far in the stage we were at, and that's where we learned to focus and prioritize early on. We launched we went heavy into retail, and that's what we did. So influencers at our stage of the game don't make sense. What makes sense is in store tastings. So that's where if I'm gonna spend a $100, I'm better spending in it on a brand ambassador doing an in store tasting versus

Stephanie [00:08:41]:

an ins

Johnna [00:08:41]:

you know, a a Instagram post.

Stephanie [00:08:43]:

Yeah. And I think too, maybe you can speak to this. I feel like the influencer world is changing, we're discovering that real influence is hard to come by and isn't always with the person with the 100,000 followers in a marketplace. Like, that maybe those micro influencers and doing an event or something that's different might have actual more influence than the gal that has, you know, 50,000 followers and hold something up, and her pretty smile just for lack of a better way of saying that. But do you know what I'm saying?

Johnna [00:09:25]:

Yeah. We're all become very savvy. I think we're very now we look at anyone who posts on and, again, it's not it's not putting anyone down, but we do look at that. I think we're all skeptical, or we know now. They're getting paid to say that. That's not you know, it doesn't feel authentic anymore. And I think too I think you're right in where the real influences, and I will say influence in as it relates to purchase for us has been in store tastings, has been, local media. So partners like you and whenever, you know, we get the opportunity to be on local media or do an interview, we see a direct correlation between that and sales.

Johnna [00:10:05]:

Events are also critical for us, not only in, obviously, you're in front of the consumer, but people word-of-mouth. Like, oh, I saw someone. They just told me to come down here. Like, these are really powerful tools that, you know, maybe to a sophisticated digital marketer, like, they may seem outdated, but they're tried and true. And for us right now, they work.

Stephanie [00:10:25]:

Well and you and I kind of I mean, originally, I think we met just through the cocktails and packaged goods in Minnesota Makers. But then, you come to the Stone Arch Festival. You come to a lot of these festivals that I program. And I try to explain to these packaged good culinary folks, and a lot of them are local and many Minnesota or Midwest made. You look at those events as an opportunity to sample, to trial, and create brand awareness. So, yes, selling your product there is awesome. And if you can get a return on your investment, that's great. That's what everybody strives for.

Stephanie [00:11:03]:

But that it's also a big marketing opportunity to get in front of so many people. And we see a lot of people that come to these events with their packages or their items and they don't sample, I'm like, oh, wow. You know, that is, like, you need to sample. Well, we just don't wanna give product away to the looky loos. It's like, well, those looky loos are also purchasers. You have to see them as the consumer that they are even though they're standing there with holding their kid's hand, who's eating a sweaty popsicle, and holding a beer. They still shop too.

Johanna [00:11:36]:

Mhmm. That's that's that's exactly it. And a lot of these events, you know, one, I I will tell you, like because we have, you know, 7, 8 different flavors. I love when people are like, can I try one of each one? I'm like, please. Yeah. Because then, like, I'm gonna upsell you on my bundle package. No. But I I do think too, like, some of these events, you know, we'll hear, well, you know, I don't wanna carry around glass right now.

Johnna [00:11:56]:

Do you have a card I can take with you? Like, where can I find you? And I really do believe that these people, they're taking a picture of our booth, that they're taking our card. It was a great interaction. They may not buy us now, but I think we're top of mind. And when they see us, you know, on shelf at France 44, like, hopefully, that's when they purchase. So

Stephanie [00:12:14]:

I was thinking about you guys recently because it seems natural with the launch of the spritz line that you might consider canned cocktails down the road. Is that something you're thinking about? Or I was even thinking about we're seeing now, like, Tattersall just launched a bunch of cocktails in a I call it a slap bag for lack of a better term. It just says the party girl in me. But the sort of canned, you miss the can, you miss the bottle, and it's just in this plastic thing that has a handle that you can carry around. You can put it on the boat. Are any of those packaging options something you guys might look at down the road or getting into the full canned cocktail?

Johnna [00:12:55]:

I think so. I think packaging, for sure. You look at other brands, mixer brands like Filthy, and right there in that bag. And it's really great for if you think about expansion into on premise and airlines. So I think for sure, packaging we would look at. In terms of ready to drink cocktails in a can, you know, the market's so saturated right now that I could see it maybe one day we've scaled and we're in thousands of doors, you know, retailers nationwide, and people want to see that from Mixley. But at this point, I think it it would just be too expensive to try to stand out in the noise. But I think that's really smart.

Stephanie [00:13:36]:

Yeah. I think that's really smart, actually. And, also, there is so many cool packaging options. Like, if you think of the Capri sun size or even if you think of the small canned, not cans, box. Small box like wine. I could just see that being a cool packaging idea for you. And, also, one of the things I love is you do have this rainbow sort of branding. And when you put all of the line together in a packaging item, it really feels like you're getting a lot.

Stephanie [00:14:05]:

I think you have the is it $45 for your do you call it your pride package?

Johnna [00:14:10]:

Rainbow package. Yeah. Okay. This month, we'll call it pride.

Stephanie [00:14:14]:

Yeah. And I always think of it as pride because I have

Johnna [00:14:16]:

to be

Stephanie [00:14:16]:

a daughter. So when I hear rainbow, like, I think, oh, okay. Right away. Yep. I thought that was a really clever way to market that because it gave you an opportunity to try all of them. Yeah. So the the jury is probably still out because the, spritz line is new. But so far, are you having fun with it? Does it feel like it was a good risk to take?

Johnna [00:14:38]:

Yeah. We are. We're having fun with it. We already flew through our 1st batch, like, what we produce, so that's great. Yep. So we're on track to, like, what we projected it to do for us, which is awesome. And, we launched it primarily as, you know, an event in kind of online product. We are in some boot in some shelves here in the Twin Cities, but we just wanted to kinda see again, like, how can we do this as a test and and do a smaller kind of more, you know, smaller launch, and then we'll see from there if it sticks with us for the long term.

Stephanie [00:15:11]:

I do love the idea of being able to have that on an airline as you're going on a trip. Like, I know Sun Country has had a good relationship with Crooked Water Spirits and our friend Heather Manley. But, like, I could see a spritzy kind of version of that and really covering all those warm weather destinations. And, well, that would be so fun, wouldn't it?

Johnna [00:15:34]:

Yes. From your lips to God's ears. Right? So, no. I agree. And that certainly I think, we know we can produce in 4 ounce bottles. We have that capability. And so, obviously, glass isn't ideal for our airlines. So back to your, you know, the packaging conversation, that's something that we're looking at and and how do we how do we break into that market? Because I agree.

Johnna [00:15:56]:

I think we've all been, you know, on a plane and wanting a good cocktail, and your mixers are pretty limited. It's, you know, a Coke, a Sprite, whatever they got, or a bloody, you know, a Bloody Mary. But, yeah.

Stephanie [00:16:08]:

Alright. So if anybody's listening, because we have a lot of fans, the Sun Country route, that would be great. And you could mix it with, they like to support local female driven companies, so that's exciting. So talk about you mentioned one of the spritzes is sort of an elderflower profile. What's the other one? It's orange. Right?

Johnna [00:16:26]:

Bitter orange cherry. So that's really, you know, reminiscent of, Aperol spritz. So, yeah. It's, it's, again, it's other it's another well balanced, mixer. And it really is just like this delightful summer sipper. And you can mix it. You don't need to add sparkling wine. You can just add, you know, soda water.

Johnna [00:16:47]:

Yep. And it still works. So, yeah.

Stephanie [00:16:49]:

Okay. So let me ask you. Are there any products or, like, packaged goods that you're using or seeing lately that you're just like and doesn't necessarily have to be food. That you're like, oh, I just love this product. It's so clever.

Johnna [00:17:09]:

Oh, the olive oil. The the, The green bottle? Yes. What is that?

Stephanie [00:17:16]:

Grossi, is it called?

Johnna [00:17:18]:

Yes. I mean, the branding, the packaging, the storytelling of the Spanish olive oil, it actually tastes good. Like, it is I'm obsessed, and that's another one too where I thought once I saw it, I go, yes. Another category that has really yet to evolve. And we're in packaging. Right? Like, I'm sure all you know, the olive oil is not all pretty equal equal. But just in terms of the design, I was like, this is so exciting.

Stephanie [00:17:46]:

And it feels super fresh and, like, you have to try it.

Johnna [00:17:51]:

Yeah.

Stephanie [00:17:51]:

Because everybody buys olive oil, but there is something about that product. And I actually haven't purchased it yet because I'm, like, the person who would be like, oh, that's just a marketing gimmick. You can because I'm just like because I'm cooking all the time. Yeah. But I do think it's super clever. And, also, when we look at, you know, who's coming back into the kitchen and learning to cook, It's a lot of millennials and date nights and kind of there's a more fun factor. And I think that olive oil has hit that right on the head. So that's a really good one.

Stephanie [00:18:20]:

I hadn't thought about that before. In town, are you, like, are you doing anything fun, or do you have any restaurants that you love? Or what do you do for fun?

Johnna [00:18:30]:

Oh my well, we you know, I will say this. For fun, I've got kiddos. So we're up Minnetonka. Minnetonka. Maynard's is, like, our standard. So if anyone from Maynard's is listening, I've been trying to get, like, Mixley on the menu. I'm like, I would love to enjoy my own mixer while I'm out here. But Sure.

Johnna [00:18:47]:

I feel like it just feels like that's the summer place out my way. But I did just eat

Stephanie [00:18:52]:

at Starling. Oh, did you

Johnna [00:18:53]:

love it? I loved it. I mean, the food was great and the cocktails were fabulous. What was so interesting is they had, some, like, cranberry Red Bull based cocktails, which I have not had. Tell about party days, vodka Red Bulls. Yeah. It's been it's been a minute since I've had that. But anyway, it was on their cocktail list and surprisingly, it was really, really quite delicious.

Stephanie [00:19:17]:

Okay. I might have to check that out because it sounds a little weird. I'm like, okay. I feel alright.

Johanna [00:19:24]:

Alright. I know. On this beautiful elevated space, we have Red Bull on the menu. I have to try it. So yeah.

Stephanie [00:19:30]:

I still feel like whenever we get something on the, like, west of Saint Louis Park I live in Golden Valley. So, you know, we're still building out kind of the scene on the west side. And there's always been a good kinda late culture party scene, but and and maybe, like, we don't maybe it's not even fine dining, but just getting something that's a step above the chains feels so welcome and so right on right now.

Johanna [00:19:58]:

Absolutely. Yeah. Like, I I mean so even like an Excelsior ley line, that's just been such a really nice addition to the Excelsior food scene. You know, I guess

Stephanie [00:20:09]:

Ivy and Hopkins is another one.

Johanna [00:20:11]:

Pink Ivy and Hopkins. Fabulous. Yeah. Amazing cocktails. And I would say to excellent food, and the value for what you get there is incredible. I love that space. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:20:21]:

Yeah. I do too. It's fun to see. And I'm excited for, the new, Grocers Table sister restaurant next door. I think that'll be fun.

Johanna [00:20:31]:

And Yeah. No. Same. That's it. And I just can't believe like, I'm so excited. You know, Lindsay has done so well with Grocer's Table. I'm excited for her to expand. Every time I go in that place, it is just buzzing.

Johanna [00:20:43]:

So I'm sure she's gonna do a great job, yeah, with the dinner concept.

Stephanie [00:20:47]:

Yeah. I think so too. Well, it's been super fun to catch up with you. I just I saw the spritz, and I thought, oh, I can't wait to talk to her about about them and why she did it the way she did it and what her thinking is. And I knew you'd have some really insightful thoughts about it. And I'm excited to try it too. I haven't tried it yet, but I promise I will.

Johanna [00:21:05]:

Okay. Well, I think I can hook you up if you need it. If you need a permit.

Stephanie [00:21:09]:

Guys soon. So Yes. Alright.

Johanna [00:21:10]:

Well, thank you, Stephanie. I appreciate it.

Stephanie [00:21:12]:

It's always fun to have you on. Thanks so much.

Johanna [00:21:14]:

Yeah. Likewise. Thanks. Bye bye. Bye.

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Lisa Steele Jul 13, 2024

Lisa Steele is a fifth-generation chicken keeper who shares her profound knowledge of poultry tips, egg facts, recipes, and more from her farm in Maine. Along the way Lisa has expanded her brand from taking care and raising chickens to mastering ways to use their lovely eggs. Lisa is the author of the "Fresh Eggs Daily" Cookbook, Blogger at "Coop to Kitchen" and host of the show "Welcome To My Farm."

Lisa talked about when she perfected omelets and souffles and how satisfied she felt! Having never gotten to that level of mastery, I can only say I am jealous! She has provided her recipe (see below) so you, too, can make your best omelet and savory souffles and get a taste of her delightful book. She also sent me this link from her new recipe website for another delicious version of said perfect omelet.

Gruyere and Tarragon Omelet

https://www.cooptokitchen.com/2024/06/gruyere-and-tarragon-omelet.html

Spinach Goat Cheese Omelet

This half fold omelet is bursting with flavor and one of my favorites to whip up. It seems like a lot of spinach, but the heat from the omelet will wilt it down pretty quickly.

2 eggs, room temperature

Pinch of Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 cups fresh baby spinach

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese, plus more for garnish

Heat a 9- or 10-inch skillet with sloped sides over high heat while you whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt in a small bowl until frothy.

Add the oil to the pan and tilt the pan to coat the bottom with the oil. Then add the butter, continuing to tilt and swirl the butter. Once the butter is melted and has stopped sizzling, pour in the eggs, and use a rubber spatula to gently move the eggs around in the pan, while continuing to tilt the pan with your other hand.

When the eggs are almost set, pile the cheese and spinach on one side of the pan, then tip the skillet and pull the egg away from the edge of the pan. Tilt the pan with the spinach and cheese closer to you and use a spatula to fold the opposite half of the egg over towards the middle, covering the filling. Slide your omelet out of the pan onto a plate.Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired, crumble some additional cheese on top and drizzle with additional oil.

Makes one omelet.

Savory Cheese Souffles

While the thought of making a souffle might be intimidating, they’re rarely found on restaurant menus, so you’re going to have to learn to make your own at some point! I find these individual souffles easier to make than a large one - and just look at it this way, what’s the worst that can happen? Your souffle will fall?

It will still taste divine. And once you’ve mastered the technique and made the perfect souffle, there’s such a sense of satisfaction. This is my standby recipe for a basic savory souffle with Parmesan cheese. It should come out light and fluffy and practically melt in your mouth if you’ve made it correctly.

Butter and cornmeal for dusting ramekins

6 fresh eggs, room temperature

1 Cup milk

1/4 Cup heavy cream

Sprig of fresh thyme

2 Tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour

3 Tablespoons sherry

1/4 Cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Fresh ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees with the rack in the bottom third. Butter six eight-ounce ramekins, brushing the butter in an upward motion and dust with cornmeal. Separate the six eggs so you have three of the yolks and the six whites separated in two bowls. Save the remaining three yolks for another recipe.

Bring the milk, cream and thyme sprig to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the milk foams and begins to bubble. Remove from the heat. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, then sprinkle in the flour, whisking constantly for about a minute until the mixture thickens.

Slowly whisk in the warm milk mixture and continue to whisk for another minute or two, until the sauce is bubbling, smooth and begins to thicken. Remove the thyme sprig, pour the liquid into a large mixing bowl and whisk in the sherry, Parmesan cheese, salt and nutmeg, then whisk in the three egg yolks. Let cool.

When the egg yolk mixture has cooled, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on low speed until foamy, then beat on high speed 1-2 minutes just until soft peaks form. The whites should still be glossy, not dry. Gently fold one-third of the egg whites into the flour/milk mixture with a rubber spatula, then carefully fold in the remaining egg whites until just combined.

Ladle the mixture into the prepared ramekins, filling each to within ¼” of the top rim, then gently smooth the top, run your thumb around the inside rim of each ramekin, place them on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 16-18 minutes, or until puffed and golden on top. Don’t peek! Don’t open the oven until the souffles have been baking for at least 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Note: for a higher rising souffle, you can make a collar to fit around the inside top rim of the ramekin out of parchment paper and slide it in between the egg and ramekin just before putting the souffles in the oven.

Makes 6 single-serving souffles.

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Tamron Hall & Lish Steiling Jun 28, 2024

We chat with Emmy Award-winning talk show host, journalist Tamron Hall and her good friend, award-winning chef Lish Steiling about their new book, "A Confident Cook."

When Tamron Hall and Lish Steiling first met while working at the Today show, they never imagined their friendship would lead to kitchen adventures filled with laughs. In the book, “A Confident Cook” they share that same empowerment and excitement with those just beginning to cook. This book guides beginning cooks and seasoned home cooks through delicious recipes.

Pre-order the book, “A Confident Cook” now for the September 3rd release and enjoy the Baked French Toast recipe from the book.

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Jeremy Intille - Minneapolis Pastry Chef Jun 07, 2024

When I first saw Jeremy Intille on the Jason Show, I knew we had to connect. He reminds me of the rock and roll pastry chef you want to see and hear what he is going to do next. He is sassy, funny, talented, and oh so sweet. Watch his segment here:

Jeremy won the first competition of the season in Episode 1 of the Food Networks, “Next Baking Master Paris,” Continuing to do very well on the show – watch episodes every Monday at 8 ct on Food Network.

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Jeremy’s specialty is visually stunning (and to-die-for) desserts. He is witty and full of personality – Jeremy’s led quite a fascinating and inspiring life, as you can read about here in a piece the Star Tribune published by my friend Sharyn Jackson.

Take a listen to the podcast and enjoy getting to know my new favorite reality TV food star.

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A Makers of Minnesota Edition May 31, 2024

I first discovered these fantastic chocolate bonbons from my friend Laurie at the Golden Fig. They are so beautiful and equally delicious. They are the creations of local chocolatier Denny Rain from Cocoa Flake Mn.

I was delighted to gift them to ZoëBakes Newsletter in our Mother's Day edition of “Taste Buds With Stephanie.” Listen to the podcast to learn more about this talented Minnesota Maker, and watch for her chocolate shop to open this Fall in Robbinsdale.

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Bentley Gillman, head Distiller at Tattersall Distilling, forager and cocktail book author May 03, 2024

We had a blast catching up with Bentley Gillman and talking about his new foraging cocktail book, "Cocktails in Bloom," which is available for pre-order. You can find ingredients to forage when heading into the woods or even your backyard. Bentley combines his love of the wilderness with his passion for distilling at Tattersall and making beautiful spirits, cocktails, and mocktails.

He shared a recipe with me for “Vermouth” that I tried with “Ground Ivy” or “Creeping Charlie.”

* Gather 1 cup of “Creeping Charlie”

* Add 1/4 cup sugar and macerate

* Refrigerate overnight

* Add a bottle of any variety of white wine and refrigerate for two more days

* Taste for sweetness and strain

* Use the “Vermouth” mixture for a martini or

* Makeva Spritz with 1.5 oz “Vermouth” to 3-4 oz sparkling water

Another recipe he mentioned in the podcast is his “Dandelion and Spruce Tonic” Recipe from the book. Pre-order now and get a custom bandanna for your own foraging adventures!

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Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup Spruce Tips

* 5g dried (or 25g fresh) dandelion root

* 1 cup water

* 2 cups sugar

* 1 stalk chopped lemongrass

* 2 limes, zested and juiced

Instructions:

Simmer water, sugar, dandelion root, and lemongrass until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, stir in lime zest, and allow to cool. Strain into a jar, add lime juice, and stir.

For a cocktail: Mix 1 ounce of tonic syrup with 1 1/2 ounces of gin. Pour over ice and add 4 ounces of soda water. Garnish with spruce tips and a squeeze of lime.

For a Mocktail: Mix 1 ounce of syrup with 3 ounces of cold brew. Pour over ice and add 2 ounces of soda water. Garnish with an orange.

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This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

A Makers of Minnesota Edition Apr 19, 2024

It was really fun to catch up with Dana Thompson, formerly co-creator of Minneapolis’s Owamni. and now founder of a new hemp-derived, low-dose THC/CBD cannabis seltzer featuring the Indigenous botanicals of North America called Heti.

“I am thrilled to announce the launch of Heti, a line of new botanical beverages that celebrate the plants around us,” said Thompson. Heti is launching four flavors—River Path, Woodland Edge, Meadow Cat Nap, and Marshland Harvest—which can also be purchased in a starter pack. Highlighted flavors include cranberry, sumac, dandelion, cedar, rosehip, wild mint, and black currant. The beverages are sweetened naturally with honey, maple, and agave.

Heti beverages are now available for preorder at hetiproducts.com.

Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Makers of Minnesota Edition Apr 19, 2024

It was really fun to catch up with Dana Thompson, formerly co-creator of Minneapolis’s Owamni. and now founder of a new hemp-derived, low-dose THC/CBD cannabis seltzer featuring the Indigenous botanicals of North America called Heti.

“I am thrilled to announce the launch of Heti, a line of new botanical beverages that celebrate the plants around us,” said Thompson. Heti is launching four flavors—River Path, Woodland Edge, Meadow Cat Nap, and Marshland Harvest—which can also be purchased in a starter pack. Highlighted flavors include cranberry, sumac, dandelion, cedar, rosehip, wild mint, and black currant. The beverages are sweetened naturally with honey, maple, and agave.

Heti beverages are available for preorder now at hetiproducts.com.

Last week, my friend Joy Summers wrote about Heti in the Star Tribune. I gifted this link so you can read their conversation here:

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Jon Kung Apr 05, 2024

Jon Kung grew up as a “third-culture” kid: born in Los Angeles, raised in Hong Kong and Toronto, and now living in Detroit. When the pandemic shut down his immensely popular pop-up, he turned to social media as a creative way to teach and inspire. With over 1.7 million followers on TikTok and over 550,000 on YouTube, his logical next step was a cookbook, and Jon Kung’s “Kung Food” is here.

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Dan Pashman, host of "The Sporkful" podcast is coming to the Twin Cities Mar 15, 2024

Dan Pashman has accomplished many things. Podcast host of the food podcast “The Sporkful,” pasta shape creator of Cascatelli that Time magazine named the best invention of the year. Now, he is going on the road with the Cascatelli story and his new cookbook, “Anything’s Pastable.”

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As a companion to the cookbook, he is hosting a live podcast he has deemed Mission: ImPASTAble, which tells the inside story of the cookbook's making. From the highs and lows of recipe testing to a research trip across Italy to the agonizing decisions over the design of the cover, by the end, you’ll never look at a cookbook the same way again.

Join Dan Pashman in conversation with local James Beard Award winner and restauranteur Ann Kim at The Amsterdam Bar on 3/24 at 6:30 pm.

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Tim Niver talks with us about the hospitalilty industry in the Twin Cities Mar 08, 2024

Tim started a podcast called Niver Niver Land, where he talks with other restaurant owners and compares notes on the state of the state, amongst rising food and labor costs.

We caught up with Tim Niver to get his thoughts on the state of the state after reading a New York Times article in which 30 top chefs shared their opinions on the current restaurant scene (the article is unlocked here).

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Snack Media Group Feb 16, 2024

Did you see this video from Billy’s Sushi pop up on your Instagram feed around Valentines Day? I did. And I knew it was the work of my “Dishing With Stephanies Dish” latest podcast guest, Hector Cortes, CEO of Snack Media Group.

It was really fun connecting with Hector a few weeks back to talk about social media trends and how video content creators are changing the media landscape for small businesses in the age of TikTok and Reels.

Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Did you see this employment video from Deans Home Services that featured some of the most recognizable Twin Cities small business founders? It’s unlike any recruitment video you have seen before.

Here is his Hector’s latest video that explains one of the strategies his content creators are utilizing to help Twin Cities businesses get a leg up in the world of social media.

Listen to the Podcast and hear more about how social media is changing the way we consume marketing messages and what curious content creators are doing to stand out in a crowded field. I loved hearing Hector’s point of view and think their team is doing some really fun social media marketing for some of my favorite local businesses.

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Heirloom Collaborative Jan 26, 2024

In this episode of "Makers of Minnesota," host Stephanie interviews guest Rachel Ingber, founder of heirloomcollab.com. Rachel specializes in helping individuals preserve their family recipes and heirlooms by creating personalized cookbooks. She discusses her journey of creating a cookbook for her husband's grandmother and how the positive reception from family and friends inspired her to turn this into a business. Rachel explains the process of collecting recipes from clients, collaborating on book design and content, and the option of including photographs. The episode delves into the emotional aspect of preserving family traditions and the practicalities of pricing and logistics in creating these heirloom cookbooks. Additionally, Rachel shares insights into her own passion for food, photography, and family, making the episode a heartwarming exploration of the importance of culinary traditions.

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS:

Stephanie [00:00:16]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's dish, the podcast where we talk to people about food, that work in food, that love food. And I'm here today with Rachel Ingber, and she is the founder of a company called heirloomcollab.com. And I'm super excited to talk to her because what she helps you do is she helps you put your family Peas, your heirlooms, your treasured grandma Jane's pie recipe into a format that You can use it either for just having this like a word document situation or she'll help you actually put it into a book. Rachel, this is so needed and so excited to talk to you because I feel like this is such a lovely thing that you can offer people. How did you get started?

Rachel [00:01:06]:

Yeah. I'm excited to talk to you as well. I actually started, By creating a cookbook for our family, I created, in 2019, a cookbook honoring, my husband's grandmother's recipes. She had, was about to turn 100. I gave it to her for her 1 100th birthday, and she was super renowned in the family for her cooking and baking. And, originally, I just wanted the recipes for myself, and so I started collecting them over the years and, had this idea of, like, taking pictures of each item and making it look like a real cookbook. And so after I had finished that book for her, The whole family wanted a copy, and I think we ended up having over a 100 family and friends, request to get a copy of the book. And she ended up passing away later, that following year, but it became this Really amazing tribute to her and so nice and lovely that we were able to cook her food whenever we missed her and have her cookbook sitting out with her picture on it.

Rachel [00:02:12]:

So Yes. The idea of starting to do it for other people and their families as well kind of spurred as this COVID, side hustle project, just to kind of to pass it forward.

Stephanie [00:02:28]:

What was one of the recipes in your grandma's cookbook that stands out to you that you love?

Rachel [00:02:34]:

Yeah. My favorite recipe, oh, it's Probably a tie. Her apple crisp, I make for, probably almost all of our family holiday gatherings, And my father-in-law even request it for his birthday these days. And then her chocolate chip cookies. Like, it's just Such a classic amazing cookie, and those are probably the go to. When we're missing her, we make her cookies, and they're just the greatest.

Stephanie [00:03:03]:

So people did how do they give you these recipes? Like, do they put them in a word document and then send them your way? Or, Like, what this is such a I write cookbooks, so it's such a challenging process. I'm I'm curious how you take, Like these heirlooms, and you condense them and get them into a form where these people can use them in a book.

Rachel [00:03:24]:

Yeah. So when I meet with a client. We have a consultation, and, it's actually quite simple. They can create a Google Drive for them to share their recipes with me, And it could be anything from something already typed up in Word if they keep track of that, or sometimes it's them just photographing their handwritten index cards. Especially a lot of my older clients aren't, like, savvy to retype them. So they'll drop those over me, and then I will type them all up for them and, collaborate with them on, you know, what sections they want, how many of the recipes they wanna include, Which ones they would like to be photographed? I do all the photography as well. And together, we collaborate to make that cookbook.

Stephanie [00:04:08]:

So last year, how many books do you think you made?

Rachel [00:04:12]:

I think last year, I made probably around 10 throughout the year. And I previously, we've been work doing this part time. As I said, it started with a side hustle, and then In late fall, just decided to sorta do this a little bit more full time. So hoping to ramp up even more business this year.

Stephanie [00:04:32]:

How have you figured out how many books you think you can do in a year? Because just the I I'm working on a book right now, and just the idea of writing 10 cookbooks, I'm like, oh, that's so much work.

Rachel [00:04:44]:

You know, I haven't had to put a number on it. So far, I haven't needed to turn anybody away. I've been really fortunate to be able to squeeze things in and make time, but, I think I'm fortunate in that A lot of the hard part is done because the clients are the ones that are supplying the recipe and supplying the the stories and the introduction that goes along. I know in New York, Cookbook is so beautifully written that must have, been such a labor of love to write out those stories and be really thoughtful. And, so I'm lucky that that that part of the work is on the client for me.

Stephanie [00:05:20]:

So when you It it seems like I just looked at your kinda pricing on your website, and I'm sure this varies depending on the complexity of the project. But, You know, like, you can get it looks like a pretty good sized book with some good family recipes, like, for under $5,000 all in with Pictures and everything. I mean, when you think about that to have it in your family and an heirloom like that, it's that's a that feels really reasonable to me.

Rachel [00:05:49]:

Yeah. I mean, it is a lot of work. Like I said, I go through and I edit every recipe. I try to translate it so that it's, so that future generations will be able to easily make it. Things won't need to be memorized. And then for all the items that are photographed, For folks that are local, they have the option. They can either make or cook the dish, and I'll come over and photograph them in a few different sessions, or I can do it all. And I that is what I do for, clients of mine that aren't local.

Rachel [00:06:19]:

So, The actual cooking of the dishes and the styling and taking shots of it, that can end up taking a lot of work. So, that's kind of what makes the price, the way it is. It is it's certainly not a cheap, inexpensive gift, but it's something that I have a lot of clients that Go in with, like, their siblings and give it together as as a, gift for their parents' birthday or anniversary.

Stephanie [00:06:45]:

Yeah.

Rachel [00:06:46]:

And it typically works out well that way. But, yeah, as you mentioned, it's, something that their whole family will be able to pass down and be able to share those with future generations, and order more cookbooks whenever they want. You can have unlimited number of copies of it.

Stephanie [00:07:03]:

Do you find that People more often than not make the recipe and have you photograph it, or do they want you to make it?

Rachel [00:07:11]:

Honestly, it's about 5050, of folks that want that control and wanna be able to make it the way that they make it, And that works out just fine. It's sometimes it's nice that I can even if I'm coming to their house or kitchen to photograph, it's in their dishes. So it's Set up the way that they always would serve it. Whereas when I'm the one doing it, I get to take a little bit more creative license, and make it You know, style it beautifully, and, it it turns out beautiful either way. But, it's about 5050 in what a client wants. And then we're separate to

Stephanie [00:07:46]:

Do you have to warehouse, like, dishes and different things for styling purposes?

Rachel [00:07:52]:

I do. Yes. I have, like a little mini prop studio in my house, and then I also have, like, backboards, and stuff that I travel with. So when I go to a client's home, it's not necessarily even taken in their kitchen. I find the place with the best light in their house, And I set up, you know, a fake wooden table or, different countertops, and take photos that way.

Stephanie [00:08:18]:

Yeah. It's people don't think about, like, all of the weird styling that has to happen for these books. When you are doing, like, a lot of our grandma's recipes have ingredients that people don't really have anymore, like one of the ones that comes to mind is olio. I don't know if you've ever come across any recipes with Olio, which is basically just like a Crisco or a lard. But do you just make substitutions on those then or try to modernize Sam?

Rachel [00:08:46]:

So I always ask. That's part of the collaboration, process, but I will ask the client, do you want me to say margarine or butter or Crisco, or do you want me to use the initial, original terminology? Same with, like I see a lot of, like, number 10 cans or whatever that of canned vegetables. So we always discuss that up front, and if they want it to be true to how it was originally written or modernize so that anyone can follow it in the future.

Stephanie [00:09:15]:

Has this set a fire in you to write your own book?

Rachel [00:09:20]:

I haven't really thought about doing that, yet. I I love cooking. I love cookbooks. I've been experimenting a lot with gluten free lately. My son, about a year and a half ago, was diagnosed with celiac disease. So That's been something I've been doing personally a lot is converting all of my favorite recipes to be gluten free for him. And so that's kind of been fun, but I haven't had the I haven't thought of yet making a cookbook of them.

Stephanie [00:09:50]:

It is. So, I mean, you're lucky in that, You know, somebody being gluten free so long ago, they didn't even know, number 1. Number 2, there weren't substitutions of flour and and different things like there are now. So that's so nice. And so many of the recipes, we know all the tricks to, like, translate things beautifully.

Rachel [00:10:11]:

Yes. I feel incredibly fortunate that, we're living in the age where it's so common, and, grocery stores have a lot of ingredients. So, and I'm lucky that I like to cook. So Yeah. It actually makes the the the eating at home is Quite easy. It's eating out at restaurants, so it is more challenging for us. But, but, yeah, he's he's lucky to have me are venting in the kitchen a lot.

Stephanie [00:10:36]:

Do you have some favorite restaurants that you go to that offer gluten free things?

Rachel [00:10:41]:

Well, because he's only 8 and has very kids like palate. His favorite right now is actually Redstone. Sure. He likes he's a big French fry lover, so we look for restaurants that have, like, a dedicated gluten free fryer. That's one of his main, prerequisites. But in terms of, like, more mature taste, I really love Colita. That Menu is a 100% gluten free, so is HiHi. So there's lots of really awesome options out there.

Stephanie [00:11:14]:

Yeah. You mentioned 2 of my favorites. My friend Jolene is working at HiHi and revamping and creating some new menu items that just look fantastic. It's incredible.

Rachel [00:11:26]:

I'm going there this week. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:11:28]:

It's super delicious. So when we talk about cookbooks, are there some favorites that stand out to you that you find yourself going to, Like or that you just love or think are so beautiful?

Rachel [00:11:39]:

Absolutely. I I'm a sucker for, like, color and herbs and stuff, so, I think that those Often will make photos really pop, just some added fresh herbs on top of dishes. But, yeah, I have a lot of favorites that I have kind of adopted over the years of doing this. Kind of one of the perks of doing it is I get to borrow people's recipes. But, yeah, we eat, a lot of chicken, a lot of salmon. I do meatballs at least once a week from scratch for my family. So we've had Lots of favorites.

Stephanie [00:12:19]:

I'm looking behind you, and I see my cookbook on your shelf.

Rachel [00:12:23]:

Yeah. It's up there.

Stephanie [00:12:25]:

I see it. It's so cute. But it's also next to, like, salad freak. Like, if you think about a book that is just so beautiful visually, like that book. And and I don't cook out of it as much as I would like to because I liked the recipes in there. I'm just like it's just such a beautiful book. And I'm a sucker too for, like There's a lot of Mexican and Indian cookbooks out right now that they're just so vibrant on the the front covers. Do you shoot the covers for your books too?

Rachel [00:12:54]:

Yes. So, typically, it is one of the dishes that I photograph that goes on the cover. Or, if the person that we're is still alive. I'll take their portrait. So I have, yeah, a couple a few words. The person that we're showing Picture on the front of the cover.

Stephanie [00:13:14]:

Oh, I just love this. I think it is so great. And, You know, there are services that do this where you can upload files and but the idea of you giving, like, a real personal experience and walking them through it and then also making the dishes, like and making it like a professional book. I just think it's So cool. So people can start out and get information about you at heirloomcollab.com, And you've got some, like, beginning price points there. I'm sure depending on the level of complexity, you'll figure out whatever needs to happen. Do you, like I would imagine that's kinda hard to figure out all the pricing. Like, were you upside down at first when you started just in time? I would imagine you would be.

Rachel [00:14:01]:

Yeah. So I actually give every single client a custom quote based on the things that they actually wanna include in their book. And the way that I price it is really just on number of total recipes and how many are gonna be photographed. That is the bulk of what indicate dictates my time. So all of the things other things I include, like taking photographs of those handwritten original note cards or incorporating family photos and stories, I do that. I just incorporate that into the project and know that's gonna coming. But that way, I don't have to a la carte every little thing, and you it can be a little bit more of a full service model. So I had just have, like, a equation that I use to kind of price those out, but the website is really meant to give people an idea, a starting point of the types of, like, packages, if you will, that we can provide.

Stephanie [00:14:56]:

And I love that because it allows you as a family to make a decision because it's an investment. But, Like, okay. How are we gonna work this out, and do we wanna do it? And I just yeah. I'm a big fan of what you do. You showed me one of your books. That's just so sweet. And if people are looking for this service, it sounds like Rachel can take on some more work. So go ahead and, I'll put your links in the show notes, and people can follow-up with you.

Stephanie [00:15:22]:

And let her know that Stephanie's dish sent you just because it's always good. I I'm just crazy about your service. Honestly, I found you online. I saw on Instagram, and I was like, wait. There's a lady that does this for people. This is amazing because it's an undertaking.

Rachel [00:15:38]:

Yeah. Thank you. I love it so much. Honestly, my Passions have always been around, like, food, photography, and families. So the being able to tie all 3 of those together in this thing called work is incredible.

Stephanie [00:15:51]:

Yeah. Oh, you're so great. It's nice to meet you too. Thanks for coming on the program. I really appreciate it.

Rachel [00:15:56]:

Nice to meet you too.

Stephanie [00:15:57]:

Alright. We'll talk soon.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Crooked Water Spirits Jan 19, 2024

Welcome to another episode of "Dishing with Stephanie's Dish." On February 6, at The Lexington in St Paul, we are hosting a Makers of Minnesota 4-course paired cocktail dinner featuring Crooked Water Spirits founded by Heather Manley.

This woman-owned, Minnesota-made spirits company is bringing luxury spirits to our bars and tables and, in the case of the “Manleys Old Fashioned”, our Sun Country flights!

Episode Transcript Follows:

Stephanie [00:00:15]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to the podcast. I'm excited to have you here with me today. I am talking with I call her my friend Heather. I call her my friend Heather on all the things. My friend Heather Manley, who is originally crossed my path as a spicemaker and has Heather dirty goodness spices, which I'm still crazy about. And then, she took her progression into her professional life with on demand group. And from there, decided, hey. I'm not busy enough.

2 companies, why not have a third? And started Crooked Water Spirits. And Crooked Water Spirits is women owned and is currently being produced in, Minnesota. So it's Minnesota maker. Minnesota. And You just have really let me Heather, welcome to the program. I I feel, like, so proud of you.

Heather Manley [00:01:11]:

Aw. Thank you.

Stephanie [00:01:12]:

Yeah. You just you, like, from the time I met you, have this maker spirit, this entrepreneurial spirit, And you let no grass grow. Like, when you wanna do something, you just do it, and I admire that so much. Where did you get that energy from?

Heather Manley [00:01:31]:

You know, I don't know. I think it's like a it's a work ethic, and, I'll tell you in college, I didn't know it was Funny to have 10 w twos a year. I didn't know that was funny. I didn't have a work ethic in college. I I I wanted to go party, work to party, Go party. Work again.

Stephanie [00:01:48]:

Yeah.

Heather Manley [00:01:49]:

And then the second I graduated, I think my parents my my my mom and my dad, they own their own business. An entrepreneurial grandfather, and, I saw how hard they work. I know I wanted their life for better. And the like, literally, the month I graduated, it was like a switch. And and then I just I wanted to work. I love to work. And, and all of a sudden, I didn't wanna sit still, and I just wanted to build. And and people build a lot faster and a lot better than I do, but I do it at my capacity and how I can do it and the pace I can do it, and, and I love it.

Stephanie [00:02:26]:

When you started in food and the food world, liquor world, what was it about that industry in particular that appealed to you?

Heather Manley [00:02:36]:

Well, my passions are family food and booze. I've said that since I was in college. So the the tech company is family. The Heather's Dirty Goodness is food and Crooked Waters is booze. And at some point, I'll love to make a wine because I wanna drink really nice wine at cost. But, like, I'm driven by all that. So and it's a very, sometimes, shallow life because I'm very easily pleased with, like, stunning food And amazing cocktails and, always the conversation has to be better than all of that, and it's like the perfect It's the perfect day for me. It literally fills my bucket.

Heather Manley [00:03:11]:

So from travel to how I spend my time to the businesses I started, they all surround that, and they're all definitely in varying levels of success, but all passion, which makes it all fun.

Stephanie [00:03:24]:

I love that you're unapologetic about saying that Because when you talk about, you know, like, someone said called it my hobby life. And I was like, yeah. I guess it is my hobby life, but it's also like my work life, my life life, like my everything life. It's what makes me get out of bed every morning is thinking about What I'm gonna eat that day or some cool new cheese that I know that someone's preparing or, The wine that I get to have later on because I'm going to a multi course dinner, like, it's not shallow. It's fun. It's not.

Heather Manley [00:04:00]:

It is. It's and it you know what? And we're curious. We're just curious in different areas than other people. Like, I love going to a grocery store. Literally, I will not go with my SO with Rhett because he will be like, we're on a time line. You said you needed 10 things. Why are you looking at this? This is not on the list. So I'm like, This is something new, and I'm very excited about it, and it's like affordable splurges.

Heather Manley [00:04:22]:

But I I was chatting with somebody again, And he really shared that, like, his work was a means to an end, and priority was family and, and some hobbies. And I'm like, I to me, it's like, Jesus. That's really hard when, like, 10 hours of your day and no doubt the weekends And your whole of what you're building and doing, if if it's not based on something you love or it's not a means to end, it is a job. That sucks. So I feel very lucky that I get to choose what I wanted. We all get the choice. I'm I feel very lucky that I've made that choice, and that I know what I love.

Stephanie [00:05:02]:

So let us because I can see, like, looking and thinking, oh, spices. Yeah. I've got these blends. Like, I can do that. I can buy bulk spices and but you, like, took that a lot further with Crooked Water and creating your own spirit company. And, I mean, how did you figure out what you were even supposed to do to get that started?

Heather Manley [00:05:25]:

Let's be clear, there's no money in spices. So we all know that. No one's ever I mean, it's just it's more expensive the higher quality, Less salt, the high the more expensive. People aren't used to spending that, and it's okay. You just gotta call it. I know I know what it is, And that was kind of my 1st POC, b to c, business to consumer, proof of concept. I learned a lot in that whole journey. So it wasn't even that failure in a lot of air areas brought a lot of wealth of knowledge on how to do it better.

Heather Manley [00:05:56]:

With booze, I mean, I still don't know what I'm doing. I just got off my the call with Johnson Brothers with Emery. And I'm like, what? I go, this doesn't exist, but what do you think of this? And he's like, I have no idea. And I'm like, yeah. I don't even know if I can legally do this, but let's maybe explore. Right? And it's and it's the curiosity That I think is a differentiator. Our ability to have the pallet in house. We don't outsource anything.

Heather Manley [00:06:21]:

Also makes it really Feasible to do something like this and the creative in house. So, you know, Rhett and I, knowing each other since art school, we Can make these beautiful labels. I I know how to, get corks made out of Germany that are fire branded and our investment back into the brand because we don't take any profits out of the brand. We still, in year, oh my god, 8? I mean, or 10? 10. We still reinvest every effing sent back into the company because I'm more excited to see how that money can make it grow than I am about putting it in my pocket. But it's also like I I know how to cook. And when you know how to cook, you know how to put flavors together. You work with people who are willing to also be curious or take chances or Give you the time to, create and innovate.

Heather Manley [00:07:11]:

And I started with just cold calling 10 distilleries and ended up with, At the end of the day now, 2 in Minnesota, but people that were willing to give me an opportunity to leverage their talent, leverage their infrastructure, Use my recipes, and it's just kind of evolved from there. But you don't need to know what you're doing. I mean, what's the worst? That you have a shitty liqueur that you give to all your friends for a year? I mean, it's True. Still alcohol at the end of the day. It doesn't suck.

Stephanie [00:07:39]:

True. But nobody else would think about it like that except for you, which makes me laugh. Because you're like, yeah. Like, everybody thinks like this. I'm like, no. No. They don't. Okay.

Stephanie [00:07:49]:

Take us through the 1st Crooked Water flavor all the way to where you're at today. So,

Heather Manley [00:07:59]:

when ODG when I came into it, it was broke. It well, not broke, but it Ten people. Right? Like, I think even after 4 months in the tech business, we were in the red, and that's where Sean and I said, okay. Let's strategize. What what are we doing? Where are we going? And in saying that, we needed to rebrand, knowing Rhett. We we weren't even dating that. Well, no. We weren't dating then.

Heather Manley [00:08:20]:

And I asked them to rebrand, but we had really no money for marketing or design services and all the iterations that need to happen in rebranding. So I paid them in a very high end scotch, And I had a really beautiful collection overdoing 2 to 3 bottles a month for a year. I realized, After, hearing about Gamel Ode and their beautiful De La Aquavit, it helped me understand the beaut like, the beauty of craft of micro versus macro. And when I sat and thought, what could I bring to market that nobody's doing? I looked up, and all of my favorite scotches and I drink I drank a lot of scotch in college, which is hilarious, hence the, you know, 10 w twos a year. And I realized that all my favorite scotches were Task finished, and nobody was doing that that I could find, in the country for Sherry and only 1 company for Port. So that's how I decided to come up with Kings Point In Lost Lake, I found a broker out of Colorado to find me a stunning $700 casks. I interviewed a dozen people, ended up at Yahara. We executed that.

Heather Manley [00:09:23]:

Sold out in, like, 3 days or or like and it was very small amount of bourbon. But it's sold out. We're I think we're the 1st to formally launch in the States, and from there, it was like, oh, s**t. This could be Business. I didn't really think about it. I was just having fun, and how stupid. Like, I didn't realize how liquor stores would be pissed off that I didn't have any more product for them because they made room to put my you on there. I mean, just very naive.

Heather Manley [00:09:48]:

I think there's beauty in being naive because you don't know what you can't do. Right? But definitely lessons learned. So Once I sold out of everything, I I was like, oh, okay. This could be a business. Now what do I need to do? I don't have any investors. I don't have any debt, But I slowly built my barrel program, so we're still small. We're like a couple 100 barrels. And while I was building that, I launched the aged vodka, which we don't even sell anymore, because it was just different fun.

Heather Manley [00:10:15]:

Nobody was doing it, and it it was more of an educational tool. And then I launched Sundog, which is our number one selling gin, citrus, forward. If you hate gin, you won't hate this because it's really like a citrusy vodka. Then we made Abyss, And then, you know, now we have QuadCast finished up with brandy, and espresso ready to pour. We're the 1st ready to pour to launch in Minnesota, which is insane to think about now. We make a boulevard EA that nobody knows about, apparently, from my sales records nor my Negroni. Very boutique y. Like, a 100 cases of each of those a year.

Heather Manley [00:10:48]:

I know about it. Yeah. Well, thank you. I haven't really pushed them because we we're we moved distilleries, but this year will be a big year of just evangelizing those because They're beautiful. I'm super proud of them, but I think we have really 12 or 11 SKUs, including the 50 mils that are on the plains and some 200 mils. And now it's really more about it's really noisy with the THC and, Bigger brands coming in with a lot more money, and a lot of SKUs can be very confusing. So now we're just focusing on maybe a subset of, like, 5 5 really core products, And then that's what we'll be really pushing in 2024 and 2025.

Stephanie [00:11:27]:

I like that strategy. It always tickles me when I'm on a Sun Country flight, And they asked me what I want, and I always say that I would like the manly old fashioned.

Heather Manley [00:11:37]:

Thank you.

Stephanie [00:11:38]:

And then I tell everybody around me, this is my friend Heather's cocktail. And they get really jazzed about it, and then they order it too. And then they, like, take their 1st sip, and they'll look over, and they'll be like, oh, this is really good.

Heather Manley [00:11:52]:

Oh, that just melts my heart. Thank you for that. I appreciate it. And, like, like, I mean, for that old fashioned I mean, I made it like Parler, like Marvel, like Constantine. I partner with Angostura. I partner with Bitter Q for their bitters. I use a 3 year, at least, Bourbon in there. A lot of times, foyer.

Heather Manley [00:12:11]:

I use demerara. I mean, there's all these things that there's no corner skirted. Even though Everyone's tried to persuade me to do that to save money. I will not because I wanna drink it, and I don't make s**t. And so I wanna make things that I'm proud about. If I wanted to build a company and sell it with a skinny girl b s product, I could have done that already, but I would not be able to look you in the face and say support me.

Stephanie [00:12:35]:

Yeah. And support you, I'm very proud to do. We are having a dinner, and we're coming out of the Dry January, which a lot of people I read that, like them. 33%, though, This year versus, like, 22% last year, and many people are doing, like, damp or moist January, which is fine.

Heather Manley [00:12:59]:

Moist. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:13:00]:

Moist. Yes. Very moist January. But we're gonna be coming out of dry January, rolling heavy and hard right into February 6th At the Lexington, we're having a 4 course dinner. You will be able to get, have we determined I don't even know if we Finally determine what the cocktail is that the Lex will be featuring all of February.

Heather Manley [00:13:22]:

Yes. Oh, no. I don't know. I'm I'm hoping it's The Sundog product because that's, like, one of my favorite patio pounding cocktails. He added mint to it as well, which I think would be beautiful and kind of we're all a little desperate for spring, so I'm hoping that's up the menu. But that will be the, I think, the first drink that we have on the tasting menu.

Stephanie [00:13:41]:

And do you know the other 3? I hate to put you on the spot.

Heather Manley [00:13:45]:

1 will be, coffee old fashioned, And 1 will have, 1 I have no idea, but I also know it has our rye in it. 1 will be a bourbon cocktail, And then, I think we said screw vodka because right? You mean

Stephanie [00:14:04]:

Yeah. You can do vlogging at home.

Heather Manley [00:14:07]:

I think it's 2 gins. Oh, it's a gin. It's a bourbon. It's our quad cast gavel brandy, and it's an old fashioned.

Stephanie [00:14:13]:

Perfect. Yeah. And we will be pairing each of those with courses that chef has designed for us. This is a $120 ticket, but you'll walk away with Four cocktails and a beautiful course meal. And what I think is so special about these dinners is People will get to hear you tell your story. They'll get to ask you questions. You're right there. The the attendance is capped at 50.

Stephanie [00:14:38]:

So it's a small intimate group in the Lexington. We're in kind of their, Williamsburg room, which is where they have the jazz normally. And it's just it's really pretty, and it's a nice opportunity to get in front of some of your favorite makers. When I've gone to dinners in the past and, you know, you have multiple courses, I love having one point of view from a spirit perspective because We kinda get to take, you get to take us on this journey all the way through all of your recorded water influences, How, you started with 1 and how you ended up with another, it's really a a fun thing to do. Is it more challenging in the environment with some of the taste changing with THC? Or is it just always kinda the same game and there's always something new and different?

Heather Manley [00:15:31]:

I think it's always something new and different. I think we're 25% down in off prem just because I think of THC and people not drinking as much, But then we're up 30% on prem. Right? And and the year before, we're up a 100% on prem and Up 30 you know, it's just it's always all over the board pending on what the trends are. You know, I think THC will probably get more regulated. I hope it you know, I don't I don't do it, so I don't really pay attention to it, but for sure, I know reps are saying that they're just seeing it kind of just fly off the shelves. I like to manage my buzz, and I think with THC, it's like you're in it, and you're in it for, like, 2 or 3 hours. Whereas And

Stephanie [00:16:15]:

that's how I feel too.

Heather Manley [00:16:17]:

Yeah. If I feel a buzz with alcohol, I can have a glass of water, and it's right back down within 15 minutes. So maybe that's the control freak in me. A little bit, type a, but, you know, I just I think it's I think it's exciting. I think the more that we can have freedom to do business in Minnesota, the better everybody will be. So

Stephanie [00:16:37]:

Yeah. Because whatever that ends up being, if we stop being what they call the nanny state, You know, where the state is governing all of your choices, that is better for business.

Heather Manley [00:16:49]:

Yeah. We're a fun sponge state.

Stephanie [00:16:51]:

Yes. Yeah.

Heather Manley [00:16:54]:

Yeah.

Stephanie [00:16:55]:

Can I ask you kind of a weirdly unrelated but related question? One of the things that I'm obsessed with in both your personal and your professional life is your tablescapes. You have the most beautiful tablescapes. You've also designed a house That just speaks to my heart so much because it's designed for entertaining. Like Yeah.

Heather Manley [00:17:20]:

Yeah. You walk in, and it's a the 10 foot table in your face. I realized, like, probably how odd that is, but I absolutely love it.

Stephanie [00:17:28]:

It it works for me so much, and it's part of why I love to come to your house. And You just every space in your home feels warm and entertainment worthy. You know what I mean? Like, Even your bathroom feels like you could hang out in there with a cocktail if you wanted to.

Heather Manley [00:17:45]:

Because there's a speaker in there. Everyone's just gonna move with a speaker in their bathroom just for privacy.

Stephanie [00:17:51]:

And there's just, like, beautiful smells in there. And, I mean, I say this with a 100% sincerity. You are one of my favorite, like, entertainers. And when I get invited to be in your entertaining presence, I'm so excited. And your tables. And What do you think like, people are kinda hesitant to entertain at home, I think. They just don't feel like they know how to put a menu together or that it's so much work. What makes entertaining feel effortless to you? Because it sure looks effortless when you do it.

Heather Manley [00:18:23]:

Oh, I love you for saying that. And second, I'll add you to even other weird events if I know you're willing to come out into the middle of nowhere.

Stephanie [00:18:30]:

Jeez. I'm closer than I used to be.

Heather Manley [00:18:33]:

I know who you are. You know, like, I we did a charity event on I think it's my my creative background, we did a charity event, with Smack Shack for Great River Greening, and I had nothing on the table and, like, even Dawn, the sous chef, she was like, so do you want help with this? I'm like, no. No. No. I'm just gonna go outside. And I went outside with scissors, and I cut all my hydrangeas, and it's, like, probably one of my favorite tables keeping I've ever done, though I did warn everybody it could go up at any moment. So, like, have your drinks ready. But, like, I just I love finding the weirdest things and making them beautiful, and it is stressful.

Heather Manley [00:19:10]:

Like, I mean, I I plan. I like perfection. Perfection doesn't exist, So that's my own problem. What I I think my my thing is that I'm trying to find joy in just the experience. Right? The joy of having friends that wanna come here. The joy of, Even having a table for 12 that I can you know? Like like, there's there's and and my expectations are my own. People don't come in with them, and they they just wanna be here. And I I will say, I think I even told you.

Heather Manley [00:19:38]:

Remember the party, like, 4 years ago? Or It might even been pre COVID or in COVID. I'm, like, I can't host, like, every every party. Everyone needs to have parties. Yes. Yeah. The like, for me, the biggest joy is to go somewhere else and not have to clean and not have to think about it. And I'm horrible, because sometimes I even forget the hostess gift, because I'm so ready to let everything go. And then I am so embarrassed when I show up that I have nothing.

Heather Manley [00:20:05]:

But I love it when other people host, and I think what people need to get into their head is it's never a competition. Get that get your inspiration from from Instagram, but Comparison is the thief of happiness. Right? So do it to what makes you happy, but don't compare yourself to anybody else.

Stephanie [00:20:22]:

Right. And, like, your friends just wanna be in your presence. You know? Like, you can even make hot dogs and beans. No one cares.

Heather Manley [00:20:30]:

And they they would effing love that if you made hot dogs and beans. Right? And and, like, and do it in the cutest way and all. I mean, they just really wanna hang out.

Stephanie [00:20:39]:

Yeah. I think for me, one of the goals I had for this year was to entertain more. I've gotten a little complacent since COVID. You know, we came out of the sorta Just we came out of COVID, and it was like, every everything's on again. But I was trying to find a good balance Of Yeah. I enjoyed some of the COVID things. So I wanted to come back and be more intentional about how I was spending my time. But Yeah.

Stephanie [00:21:05]:

I'm not entertaining as much in my own home as I wanted to.

Heather Manley [00:21:09]:

I'm not Stephanie, I'm not either. I actually, like, Turned into this, unexpected introvert in, quote, in COVID, which I loved because I was so out of balance Of being so social that I now kinda covet that or or need a little bit of that that private time that I I didn't really, I didn't need before, which is really interesting.

Stephanie [00:21:34]:

Yeah. And I always I felt very similarly, and I thought, like, woah. Is this age? But for me, I think, You know, the more that life gets lived out loud through social and through our work and, you know, the the radio show and now the TV stuff, and All of that is so energy, producing, but also draining that I need, like, a lot more time by myself.

Heather Manley [00:22:00]:

Yeah. It's kinda comforting to hear that because, like, even this year and last year, I made my holiday party at the American Legion, which is Insane because, like, my house is meant to have a party, but it's like it's almost like I don't I I wanna outsource the bartender to the bar. You know, spill your drink. I don't give an f. Right? Like, everyone get wild, have fun, and it's, like, it's so so interesting to have that mindset. Like, at some point, I'll have to have party here maybe this summer where we can kind of leverage all the spaces, but it like, it's even weird to be outsourcing my parties when I

Stephanie [00:22:33]:

I thought about that. I thought about that with you, but I think what I came to was, you know, you're probably doing like, at holidays, we might be entertaining multiple days in a row.

Heather Manley [00:22:44]:

Yeah. I last year, I did 4 Thanksgivings in 1 week, and I cried at the third one.

Stephanie [00:22:52]:

Yeah.

Heather Manley [00:22:52]:

Like, with all my YPO guys, all dudes, and I just lost it. And they're like, what's going on? And I'm like, like, I don't know. But I'm like, I'm f*****g exhausted.

Stephanie [00:23:03]:

And overwhelmed. Yes.

Heather Manley [00:23:04]:

And I had another Thanksgiving to do in 2 days, and they're so kind. But they're like, So maybe we don't do this next year in Thanksgiving week. And I'm like, yeah. I I think post COVID, I just have different Boundaries of, like or stress levels I'm willing to take on.

Stephanie [00:23:21]:

Well, I'm glad that you're willing to take on the event at the Lexington with me because we're gonna have fun.

Heather Manley [00:23:27]:

I'm I'm not gonna cry, and I'm super excited.

Stephanie [00:23:30]:

No. You're not gonna cry. We're just gonna be able to revel in your flavors, Your profile of your botanicals that you bring to the party, and I think you'll be really just impressed by the people that come and how fun they are and how excited they are to learn about your product. So

Heather Manley [00:23:46]:

We do a lot of these events, but I haven't done, like, a great tasting dinner in a while, so I'm really excited just to hang out and do something really fun, have amazing food, and and, have my spirits associated with them, so I'm really excited.

Stephanie [00:24:04]:

Well, thank you for joining me today, Heather. I'm gonna get this podcast posted right away so that people can hear the story And join us at your great event that we're gonna be having at the Lexington's Crooked Water Spirits, Heather Manley. We'll see you soon. Couple weeks.

Heather Manley [00:24:17]:

Love it. Love you. Thank you. Heather. Alright. Bye.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Makers of Minnesota Jan 18, 2024

Hello Subscribers to the Makers of Minnesota Podcast.

In 2024, I have decided to sunset the Makers of Minnesota Podcast in this format. After 6 years and 378 podcasts - this podcast will be bookmarked. The “Makers of Minnesota” will become a brand extension folded into my other work.

I’ll still be podcasting at “Dishing with StephaniesDish” and covering all your favorite food and drink makers. It just does not make sense for me to have multiple podcasts going with so many platform options and the new TV show “Taste Buds With Stephanie.” When I started Makers of Minnesota, I wanted a place to share Makers' stories in a longer format than the 10-minute segment on my radio show. I feel like I can do that now with television, “Dishing With Stephanie’s Dish,” and the newsletter in a fresh new way.

I look forward to continuing to Podcast at “Dishing With Stephanie's Dish,” where I will continue to chat with folks in the food space, as well as my radio show “Weekly Dish” on My Talk 107.1 and the Podcast “Weekly Dish.”

Please subscribe to “Dishing With Stephanies Dish” on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts to listen to what's new and what’s next.

I’ll drop a podcast with Heather Manley of Crooked Water Spirits tomorrow, and Don’t miss our two Makers Dinners happening at The Lexington. They will be epic with Peder Schweigert, Megan Dayton, and Heather Manley in attendance, sharing their brand stories.

Makers of Minnesota Dinners are back! Join me at the Lexington on January 31 and February 6 for two exciting events:

* January 31 at 6 p.m., enjoy a four-course meal with non-alcoholic wines for Dry January featuring Dry Wit.

* February 6 at 6 p.m., enjoy a four-course meal featuring drinks from Crooked Water Spirits.

.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Dry Wit is the Non Alcoholic Wine Company started by Megan Dayton & Peder Schweigert Jan 12, 2024

Welcome to another episode of "Dishing with Stephanie's Dish." On January 31, 2023, at The Lexington in St Paul, we are hosting a Makers of Minnesota Dry Dinner featuring Dry Wit, a Non-alcoholic wine alternative founded by Megan Dayton and Peder Schweigert.

Today, we're diving into the world of innovative nonalcoholic beverages with our guests Megan Dayton and Peder Scheigert. We'll explore the rising trend of nonalcoholic options, especially DryWit, a nonalcoholic wine, and its impact on the food and beverage scene. We'll hear Megan's journey from her personal need to quit drinking to creating this beverage and Peder's insights on embracing nonalcoholic options first at Marvel Bar. We'll also discuss the challenges and successes of introducing nonalcoholic beverages in a market where NA alcohol consumption is evolving. Get ready to uncover the unique flavors, trends, and potential for expansion in the nonalcoholic beverage space with Dry Wit.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Red Head Creamery & Cheese Grotto Dec 01, 2023

FULL SHOW TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS:

Stephanie [00:00:15]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to the podcast. We are talking with 2 powerful women today in the cheese world. We're talking with Jessica Sennett from Cheese Grotto and our friend Alise Sjostrom from Redhead Creamery. Alise fromRed Head Creamery has been on the program before. Jessica, this is your first time. Welcome.

Jessica [00:00:35]:

Alise

Yes. Thank you. Thank you for having us.

Stephanie [00:00:38]:

Okay. You guys are in collaboration. And tell us a little bit about your meeting and how this collaboration started.

Jessica [00:00:46]:

Oh, yeah. So so, yeah, it's probably the the fastest, collaboration known to man in terms of, us both Being on the same page, which which was awesome. I yeah. So cheese grotto a Little bit about what we do. You know, we we do have our cheese grotto, which is the namesake of the company. It's a humidor for storing and serving Cheese and we make them in the Catskills in New York as well as in, Ohio. There's, the bricks That humidify. These cheese grottoes are made in Ohio.

Jessica [00:01:24]:

And, essentially, they act as a humidor for prolonging the shelf's life of cheese. And we started, selling and partnering up with American Artisan Cheesemakers about 5 years ago. And once the pandemic hit, it really helped, you know, Bloom Art subscription program

Stephanie [00:01:47]:

Sure.

Jessica [00:01:48]:

As well as virtual tastings and gift boxes. And we focus on American artisans Because, you know, we really love to, to support what's going on regionally because there's, like, so many amazing cheeses now that are being made. And, you know, Redhead Creamery and Elise has, just all have been wonderful, partner in our Different cheese programs for a few years now and believed in us when we were first getting started on the cheese side as well. And so, you know, this year, we have been collaborating more, with different makers to create some unique, limited, edition products. And her her little Lucy Brie is is incredible. It's this Taller format breeze style that has a very unique way that it ripens. And so you get really nice varied texture both, like, A little bit of a denser center when it's a little bit younger and then, like, a beautiful cream line right underneath, the rind. And so I reached out to her about Potentially doing a holiday version of, the little Lucy Brie.

Jessica [00:03:00]:

And Yeah. Immediately, we were like, how about herbs? Because herbs are, like, such a huge part of, you know, the, holiday time and just Bringing a brightness and herbaceous quality to a lot of our foods, and also baked brie is a huge thing, this time of the year. And a lot of times, there's a lot of toppings of, of, of herbs that go into different baked Brie recipes. So, so, yeah, we we just went back and forth, very quickly via email and, decided that, Herbes de Provence, that would be a great thing to to feature. A nice varied eclectic mix that really represents the holiday season. And, and Elise did some testing with it. And, yeah, I'd love to hear more about like, so on Elise's side, I know that she, Tried a couple different test batches of the cheese, but first, we put the herbs on the rind, and then eventually it ended up being Infused into the pace, which is, like, beautifully balanced, though. I'd love to hear about how she got to that too.

Stephanie [00:04:09]:

Yeah. I would too because it was so, like, Natural. Like, when I had it, I was like, oh, yeah. Of course. I can't believe this hasn't that she hasn't done this before Because, Elise, you're so, like, revolutionary, I think, just in making cheese and the way that you view your Marketing of cheese, and little Lucy has been such a fan favorite for so long. So, yeah, I am curious how, like, All of a sudden, like, why hadn't we thought of this before?

Alise [00:04:40]:

Yeah. So I think the day that we were, collaborate collaborating back and forth. I was actually on a fall vacation with my husband up in Door County, And he was also working, and I had to I just sat at my desk for a little bit, and that's what we did all day is decide what we were doing with this herb brie, but I we've played with our little Lucy brie a little bit and didn't really go farther with it. We've tried a, Chipotle line in the middle or played with ash because it's just the cool thing to do. Yep. And I knew that herb would taste good. And so When we kind of brainstorm back and forth, I knew I had some on hand in our shop that I could play with immediately. And so That was a big reason why I recommended it right away so that we could act quickly.

Alise [00:05:31]:

And, yeah, it was really fun. So we Did 3 or 4 different varieties, to see what tasted best, and if they got heated up, which melted best. Some of them, We tried to do the the line in the middle of the wheel with herbs, and we smothered the mold after the cheese had ripened. We smothered that with herbs, and then the infused version, actually is the easiest for making it also. And I'm always trying to go for that because I hate when I create something and then everyone hates that we have to keep making it because it goes well. So we actually, put the herb dry herbs in with the curds and whey and then, mold you You know, pour the curd in the mold that way, and it all just evenly distributes within. We let it soak for a little bit just to Infuse that flavor a little bit, but, it's awesomely pretty simple on our end, and we are really excited about the results of it, and I'm always excited to do something fun and collaborate with other people, especially Jessica because we have, like, a fun relationship, and it's been cool to see where this goes.

Stephanie [00:06:48]:

So, Jessica, in addition to the storing of the cheese in your very, Scientifically beautiful wood grotto for the countertop. When you think about, like, a cheese subscription, Who do you think is the ideal candidate for it?

Jessica [00:07:06]:

No. It's a it's a great question. We we have a couple Subscriptions that we do on our website. So we have one that is more curated, monthly pairings. So you can opt to choose with pairings or without, and we we have a theme each month that we decide on, That helps us kind of curate and highlight specific styles of cheese from different makers. And then, you know, we find some really great pairing to kinda bring that to life. So, actually, the the herbs that we see is part of our December, holiday themed box, Which makes sense because we're also including a baked Brie recipe with that, so that you can, you know, Create a very, one of a kind, I would say, type of baked brie, than maybe what you have experienced before. It's a very It it looks like a popover almost.

Jessica [00:08:02]:

It's very, beautiful, but because it's a little bit on the taller side. So, You know, for the monthly, I would say, you know and really, like, with both of our subscriptions, we have a quarterly one as well. It's really about, My my my main thought about the best person, for signing up for a subscription is someone who is interested in in learning more and pursuing more, in the world of artisan cheese and exposing themselves to different styles of cheese that they might not have, necessarily opted for, on their own or maybe couldn't find in their local grocery store. And that's really what we're looking for is To curate, you know, unique, you know, palatable, but also diverse styles of cheeses from different makers so that you can get a really full spectrum of what, yeah, American and artisan cheese has to offer. I mean, we're we're in the thousands of different Cheeses, it's time now that you can explore, so there's definitely not, like, a cap in terms of how many cheeses you could try. So that's really, you know, somebody who's who's curious, who's, enthusiastic, but wants to get a little bit deeper into it. That's that's what what I'd recommend.

Alise [00:09:19]:

I love it.

Jessica [00:09:21]:

Yeah. And we the other one we have is a quarterly subscription, which we actually have done with Elise in the past as well. It's, meet the maker. So we did a session. We do 4 4 shipments per year where we actually Sit down live with the cheese maker, and they get to do a deep dive into 4 cheeses from 1 maker. So that's got a really cool immersive element on that as well. So even with the quarterly, I would say the, really just to kind of elevate and and and enhance your own understanding of cheese, it really is a great opportunity to do that and, pursue it a little bit more like a hobby.

Stephanie [00:09:58]:

Elise, I have a confession, and it's gonna make you laugh. So I do like to make a brie. Yeah. I like to make it on croute. Right? I like to wrap it in puff pastry, but I always would buy Cheap Brie because I felt so bad using, like, your delicious product in something Kinda so pedestrian, but I feel like this is giving me, like, a new opportunity to explore it. Because do you heat up your own Brie? I felt like that was almost like a sacrilege.

Alise [00:10:34]:

Well, here's what now you'll laugh at me because Sometimes in the rare occasion that I'm home alone, I'll be like, well, not making dinner for anybody, but I'll have random cheese in my fridge. And so I microwaved a brie and put jam all over it, and I was like, why didn't I think of this a long time ago? I could just microwave it. But so I like, more often than not, I eat it plain like, I don't cook it, but, Yeah. It's you know what? You do you.

Stephanie [00:11:05]:

Yeah. And there's, like, something about holiday time. You know, I do a ton of entertaining, and Just a brie warmed up with either preserves on it or uncrut and wrapped up is Really elegant, lovely, a nice way to serve cheese that's a little bit different that maybe people wouldn't do themselves that feels fancier.

Alise [00:11:28]:

Yes. Absolutely.

Stephanie [00:11:30]:

So alright. I feel like this has opened new doors for me. And I always do I am a person that has a holiday cheese vibe. So I will seek out, special holiday cheeses from local makers that only come out this time of year, And I'll, you know, pay a lot more to put them on my table because I know that they're special and they're custom. So this feels like this could be something that could really take off for you, and then you're gonna have that problem like you do with all your cheeses where you're gonna have to make so much of it.

Alise [00:12:04]:

I'm okay with that.

Stephanie [00:12:07]:

Elise, how's the store going? And get our listeners up to speed. You guys have expanded.

Alise [00:12:12]:

Yes. We're in the middle of expansion. I don't know if you can hear the rumbling at all in my background, but, Everything's going great. We're our expansion project's a little bit slower than we anticipated, but it always is. And so we're hoping that we will be, making spirits by February. Fingers crossed. But we'll have more so of a full restaurant and our distilled spirits with whey. So we're really excited to get everything up and rolling,

Stephanie [00:12:44]:

maybe when the

Alise [00:12:45]:

snow is gone.

Stephanie [00:12:46]:

Yeah. And you've got the store too.

Alise [00:12:48]:

Yes. We have a cheese shop, and we do dairy farm tours. And, we serve our pan fried curds that are extremely popular, especially when it's cold out. And we now have, robotic milkers for the last month, so that's a fun new thing to come check out if you go on our farm tours.

Stephanie [00:13:08]:

Does that Free up you guys because they always talk about how labor intensive dairy cows are. And

Alise [00:13:16]:

Yeah. It will eventually. The the onboarding process is tiring and difficult for both the cows and the humans getting them trained. But, yes, that is the end goal is that it will free up some of that time and allow us to be a little more flexible with how we spend our time.

Stephanie [00:13:35]:

And for those of you that maybe are new to the program or not familiar with Redhead Creamery, Elise is the daughter of dairy farmers, and She decided she wanted to take the cheese angle versus just the dairy angle and really has Created a whole more elaborate successful business for your family. How many people do you employ now?

Alise [00:14:00]:

We have about 12 employees.

Stephanie [00:14:03]:

And if you add, like, the restaurant and the distillery, that's gotta add, like, I'm thinking at least 40 more.

Alise [00:14:09]:

Oh, well, I don't think it'll add that many more. The distillery itself will add my husband will be our distiller, And we'll all kind of team up when it's bottling day. And then but we'll need the help for the restaurant side of things, serving, and all of that.

Stephanie [00:14:27]:

When is anyone else making, spirits out of whey?

Alise [00:14:32]:

There's about 9 to 10 other makers in the world that are making It's out of way. We will be one of the only that do everything on-site, having the cows, the cheese, And the spirit's all right here.

Stephanie [00:14:46]:

Oh, I'm so excited. Like, it's just that whole closed loop system that I feel like it's just the jazziest of jazzy food lore. Right? I mean, just what an awesome story. I cannot wait for it. You guys have been super fun to talk to. Are there any things that are happening in the food world that you're like, Oh, you gotta know about this, or I'm so excited about this right now. No. Nothing like putting you on the spot.

Stephanie [00:15:18]:

I mean, you're both just, like, staring Likely, like, I don't know. We're in holiday season. What are you thinking, lady? Surviving.

Jessica [00:15:27]:

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you know, I don't know. I mean, you know, I I think it's just you have to keep encouraging you to keep exploring locally what's going on food wise. Jessica.

Stephanie [00:15:39]:

I'm gonna help you out. Okay. So tell me the last delicious thing you ate or drank that was not your own product. And you weren't gonna eat a cheese grotto, so there's that. Yeah. Yeah.

Jessica [00:15:56]:

Let's see. What would you know, I'm really into, Pastis. Tell me about them. Yeah. We went to I mean, we went to France Back in September, and, basically, every single region of France has its multiple versions of pasties. But a lot of times, you know, there's, yeah, there's one, like, From the. There's one from all these different regions, and it is really just an amazing, amazing spirit that I, like, never really got into before. But, you know, I think actually a pastiche and cheese pairing would be Pretty fun too.

Jessica [00:16:38]:

You know, speaking of, you know, more of these more herbaceous, like, flavor profiles, like The the anise that you're getting from from the pasties is really amazing and, just, you know, the variety. But I'm also very curious, I have to say, about the flavor profile of the distilled whey. Like, what what is that like?

Stephanie [00:16:59]:

Yeah. And it has me thinking about, like, aqua vie too. Like, these seasonal, herbaceous, botanically spirits.

Jessica [00:17:08]:

Yes. Yeah.

Alise [00:17:09]:

So it's it is a a neutral spirit for the most part, but it it does have a creamy mouthfeel to it. I'm still not sure how to really fully explain the actual flavor of it. We have about, oh, what is it, maybe 10 gallons of spirit that a distiller has done for us out of our fermented way so that we have something when we actually open. But, Along the lines of, you know, Aquavit is something that we hope to eventually make and a gin and then a barrel aged version of it as well just because you can. But, but, yeah, it'll it'll be fun, and we're excited for our our restaurant cocktail room because every drink will come with A wedge of cheese with it, so we'll get to figure out how everything tastes with cocktail.

Stephanie [00:18:00]:

Have you ever had the sugar beet vodka?

Alise [00:18:05]:

I don't know. Well, Molly, I think I have. What's the name of the

Stephanie [00:18:09]:

b e t is the one that I know of that's made in Minnesota. And I would I would encourage you to check that out. Mhmm. The only reason I think of it is when you talk about, like, a creamier mouthfeel, There's a richness to that vodka.

Alise [00:18:25]:

Should I That nothing that I

Stephanie [00:18:28]:

is just something that feels, I don't know. It feels like a very different mouthfeel, and it is when you talk about, like, a creamy richness, it just sticks in my brain. And I'd like you to try that because I think maybe it would give you something similar just to think about.

Alise [00:18:48]:

Cool. Yeah. I'm gonna look it. My husband has probably tried it.

Stephanie [00:18:51]:

Yeah. It's just cool and it's made with sugar beets, which is a little bit different. You know, potato butts are a little bit different. So Mhmm. Well, you guys, have been great. Are you gonna have so how can people order the cheese? And if they wanna come down, will they find it at Redhead Creamery too, or can is it just in the subscription?

Jessica [00:19:11]:

Yeah. Right now, we just have it we have it, 2 different ways on the Sites on cheese grotto's website. So we have it, both in the subscription, the December box. We also have a set of 2 that you can just independently or really just add on to any cheese order. You know, my recommendation when you purchase Cheese online is just buy more because the shipping is a little is always a little bit more expensive. Right. Just because it has to go express, it has to be insulated. It's perishable.

Jessica [00:19:46]:

It has ice packs. And we do nationwide shipping. So, So that's my that is my main recommendation. Just try just try a little bit more, when you when you go to shop online.

Stephanie [00:20:00]:

So I love that recommendation. Nothing wrong with that. I actually ended up with a 100 pounds of cheese in my freezer right now Wow. That I had to, like, break down. A friend ended up getting a £1,000 of Gruyere and Jarlsberg instead of the 100 that she ordered, and it came from overseas. So they couldn't take it back. So she is like giving cheese to everyone she knows and I have like a literal half a freezer full of cheese right now. Not a bad problem to have.

Stephanie [00:20:32]:

Yeah. Yeah.

Jessica [00:20:33]:

Full of it. You're stocked. You gotta get your preserves back there. You got your cheese.

Stephanie [00:20:38]:

I'm all set. Or anything. Elise, are you doing anything for holidays that you want people to know about before we wrap up?

Alise [00:20:45]:

But, yeah, we have, along with what we're doing with Jessica, we also have our 12 days of Cheez Miss calendar That is our 2nd annual year of doing, and it's really exciting. It's partnering with Milkmaid Catering in Fargo. Megan is a friend of mine, and we collaborate on utilizing our cheeses for the 12 days and then pairing each Cheese with a fun side. So, there's Minnesota made beets and, honey butter and Other fun things that go really good with cheese.

Stephanie [00:21:18]:

Sweet. I love it. I'll put links to all of these things in the show notes. You guys, thanks for being my guest today. I appreciate it.

Jessica [00:21:25]:

Oh, yes. Thank you for having us.

Stephanie [00:21:27]:

Alright. We'll catch up soon. Happy holidays.

Alise [00:21:30]:

You too.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Northern Waters Smokehaus Cookbook, "Smoke On The Waterfront" Nov 10, 2023

Welcome to another episode of the “Dishing With Stephanie’s Dish Podcast” Podcast! In this episode, we dive into the culinary scene of Duluth with special guests Greg Conley, Ned Netzel, and Nick Peloquin, authors of the cookbook "Smoke on the Waterfront" from Northern Waters Smokehaus. The hosts discuss the ins and outs of creating the cookbook, the significance of preserving food in the northern climate, and the upcoming expansion of the Northern Waters Smokehaus Along the way, they share their favorite restaurants and products in Duluth, celebrating the vibrant food and beverage culture of the city. Tune in to learn more about the art of smoking, preserving, and creating delectable dishes in the northern waters of Minnesota.

Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS:

Stephanie Hansen [00:00:15]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to with Stephanie's dish, the podcast where we talk to cookbook authors and people in the food space that we just wanna spend more time with and get their stories. There is a restaurant in Duluth that is a sandwich counter, I guess, would be the best way to call it. And When you go to Duluth, people that I know actually will, like, beeline through the city, Navigate 35 just to get sandwiches at this place. I have been a fan for a long time, it is the Northern Waters Smokehaus, and they finally came out with a cookbook, Smoke on the Waterfront. And it's funny because I got this book In the summertime, I got an early advanced reader's copy, and I was so glad to get it in the summertime Because it's kind of seasonal, and it goes, like, by the seasons, and I happen to catch it right at the end of the summertime When it was pickling season, and you guys had some great recipes for canning and pickling things. So we have a group of folks with us today. We have Greg Connelly. We have Ned Netsell, and we have Nick Pellequin.

Stephanie Hansen [00:01:33]:

We are delighted to have you guys. I've never had 3 Authors, chefs, all in the same space talking about 1 cookbook. So imagine the talent that's in here.

Greg Conley [00:01:45]:

It's probably not a good idea, but we're doing it anyway.

Stephanie Hansen [00:01:49]:

Okay. And you didn't the funny part about this, and I don't mean to minimize it, it is, And you didn't start the restaurant?

Nick Peloquin [00:01:55]:

No. Correct.

Greg Conley [00:01:56]:

No. None of us started the restaurant. The guy that started the restaurant's name is Eric Gert. And he and his wife luckily handed off the project to us with his blessing and said, you know, I'm here as a resource for you. But, ultimately, our other collaborator, Mary Tennis. And these guys are great writers. And so, I think we all felt pretty honored that He just let us kinda take the reins and, go for it. So that's what we did.

Stephanie Hansen [00:02:24]:

What's cool about this cookbook to me Is it has a real sense of place. So you're located in Duluth and you're cooking from ingredients of the north, which appeal to me. But, also, it it doesn't feel like it's multivoiced even though I know it is. Like, it feels like you guys all have the Same intellect and the same voice and the same passion with which you're doing things. So it would be hard for me to tell, like, oh, this So and so's recipe or this is so and so's style, that's kinda cool. Like, you guys are all really aligned in this book.

Ned Netzel [00:03:02]:

Yeah. I think that came from us really writing it together. You know, like, maybe, initial parts of the process of compiling the recipes and, you know, reducing the size To the flow of it. You know? We we all, like, respected what everybody brought to the table and also, like, what they lacked. You know, kind of filling in the gaps. So, you know, an intro to a book or to a recipe might have been. Somebody wrote down what they thought made sense, and then we refined it together and talked about, What is really the story of this? Then we ask questions like, how how does it relate to, you know, the active food preservation? Or how does it relate to the city of Duluth or the region or in order to regionally sourcing things. It was all all very collaborative throughout.

Ned Netzel [00:03:42]:

So that that probably blends a little bit to it. And, moments where somebody really is Writing from their voice are actually directly called out

Greg Conley [00:03:48]:

in the book too. Greg's got some some moments in there.

Stephanie Hansen [00:03:51]:

Looking on another cookbook, and I've written one, and it's not easy. Did you, like, okay. You're gonna do the intro. You're gonna do the chapters. You're gonna pick the recipes. You're gonna write the intro to your recipes. Did you have all that work delineated, or did you have, like, meetings? How did this all flow?

Nick Peloquin [00:04:09]:

So we would meet weekly, just Us together, and and we we definitely parsed out some of the writing tasks, but it was really kinda all over the place as to, like, He's doing a recipe. He's doing an intro. And then we would come together and test together. And then sitting down and finalizing it was all together. So it was like a weekly meeting that we would all get together and and and review everything we had all written individually.

Stephanie Hansen [00:04:34]:

Other there's a lot of recipes in here. I keep thinking about, like, Thanksgiving time. Giving time. And you've got kind of a lot of things that would be on a Thanksgiving table, like the green bean casserole and the mashed potatoes, But you've also got, like, the the riettes. And then at the very end is sort of where you get into the sandwich sitch, Which is sort of what you guys are known for. So I was curious that it was very at the end, some of your, like, greatest hits.

Greg Conley [00:05:04]:

Yeah. You know, in our mind, sandwiches are not something you usually have a recipe for. Although, you know, we're pretty precise. Like, we're not like Some other places where you can come in and say, here's what I want on my sandwich. And, you know, they they do it. We don't do that. I mean, we'll put whatever you want on there Within reason, but we carefully craft those sandwiches. And so but I think that, you know, overall, it's like, we're kind of telling you how to do the recipes that lead to that Sandwich.

Greg Conley [00:05:33]:

You know? We're not trying to tell you, yeah, make this exact sandwich out of your smoked salmon. You know? You can do that if you wanna Do what we well, exactly what we're doing. But also it's like, use your own flourish. Use this for whatever you and here's a suggestion on how to use it, but use it however you want to. Yeah.

Nick Peloquin [00:05:50]:

And we kinda we kinda debated where to put that section to for a while. Yeah. It was kinda like, should it go in the middle and kinda be like this fold out highlight piece? Or, like, it make sense at the end or beginning or so it we went back and forth to where where that should live because it it is, like, a major part of what we do.

Stephanie Hansen [00:06:09]:

I feel like I should personally thank you specifically for the pork rillette recipe.

Nick Peloquin [00:06:15]:

Which one?

Stephanie Hansen [00:06:16]:

The well, the one that's your basic, and then I know you use it in the, the ricotta ravioli. The not so spicy is probably the one I'll start with. And you add more than 1. Riette is something that, like, you see it on a charcuterie board. And just speaking for, like, Maybe nonchefy people, like, you're kinda like, oh, I don't know. There's a little fat there, but then it looks like there's this Potted meat, which could be good, but I don't know. But once you, like, get turned on to that, it's like crack. Right? You just love it so much.

Stephanie Hansen [00:06:55]:

And I never felt like I could ever cook it, and I totally feel like I can do this recipe, and I'm gonna do it for Christmastime.

Nick Peloquin [00:07:04]:

Nice. Yeah. It's perfect. Like, gifting.

Stephanie Hansen [00:07:07]:

Yeah. And it, like, stays forever.

Nick Peloquin [00:07:09]:

I'm I wouldn't say forever. But yeah. We lead legally, we can't. It seems a lot more intimidating than it actually is. You know? It's it's almost more similar to a braise. You know? It's it's like a comb keying technique. Right? So it's just Meat, salt, and fat for a long time. You know? And and so it seems like it there's a big skill gap there, but it's it's It's very approachable.

Nick Peloquin [00:07:33]:

You know?

Stephanie Hansen [00:07:33]:

I loved it. One other recipe that made it in the book that's, like, a 6 pager that I had In my book, and then I took it out because I felt like I was posing and I wasn't the right person to put that in my book, And you guys were, was this whole, like, sourdough concept. Oh. Tell me about yeah. So tell me about why you felt like You wanted to devote time in your cookbook to sourdough when so many people have, like, written bread books and all of that.

Greg Conley [00:08:05]:

Yeah. Absolutely. And there are I think I even say in the Recipe that there are so many more comprehensive, probably better versions, than than my version of bread. But I think the whole idea of Putting that in there was initially, when we started writing the book, we had the idea of Calling it preservation because so many of the things that we're doing are not only, preserving food, well, you know, so it doesn't spoil or so it will last longer, or preserving yourself through the long winter months. So a breadwinner recipe seemed like kind of, Something that would round out the recipes that we already had, you know, because we do make sandwiches too.

Stephanie Hansen [00:08:47]:

Yep.

Greg Conley [00:08:47]:

It's like, oh, I guess we should tell people if we really wanna be holistic, Let's tell them how to make bread too.

Nick Peloquin [00:08:53]:

So I'm gonna eat it on. Right.

Greg Conley [00:08:54]:

So I think that was really the the impetus for that. But then sourdoughs are are really, Obviously, it's had a it's had a moment, for the last few years. But it really is a cool thing. It's it feels like you're making something out of nothing. It's basically you're just starting with flour and water, and you're attracting wild yeast to it, and you're feeding that, and you're making it into something. Then, really, the only ingredients are flour, water, and salt. You know? So it is really a cool and then one of the ultimate forms of preservation when, you know, people learned how to cultivate grains, and then they realized, oh, we can make this really stable food source for ourselves. So we felt like that just made a lot of sense in in the midst of everything else.

Stephanie Hansen [00:09:37]:

One other recipe that's in here that I was so glad that you included, but I'm a little intimidated by. And the first line of the recipe is the bane of our prep department's existence. It's Northern Water So why did you guys feel like you should include that other than the fact that it's super delicious? Because it is a little more requires a little more patience.

Nick Peloquin [00:09:58]:

I think it's just one of our mainstay, like, spreads in house, so it's it's something that go it pairs really well with a lot of the things we do. Like, the smoked fish, for example, it's it's perfect for.

Stephanie Hansen [00:10:08]:

Yep.

Nick Peloquin [00:10:08]:

It's difficult in how tedious it is just by picking just picking fresh herbs is really like the the thing that people get hung up on a lot because it takes time to do, but it's It's pretty straightforward. Once you get through that initial mise en place, that initial stage of the preparation, then it's you're just throwing stuff in a mixer and and whipping it together until it's a nice consistency. But it's yeah. It's really that just like tedious work upfront that really Throws people off, and it makes it less of a favorite project to start because you you know you're gonna be picking time for a good half an hour.

Stephanie Hansen [00:10:42]:

Yeah. Exactly. So are you all Duluthians?

Greg Conley [00:10:46]:

No. I'm from Northwest Wisconsin. So so he's close. So close. No cigar. It's

Stephanie Hansen [00:10:53]:

Yep. Much fun.

Nick Peloquin [00:10:54]:

Ned and I are both, Duluthians. So yeah.

Stephanie Hansen [00:10:56]:

What does it feel like to Be and I don't wanna, like, embarrass you or make it, like, this weird thing, but you really have Become, in my estimation as a TwinCidian, part of the home team For Duluth, like, people think of the restaurant, and people think of you and think of the sandwiches. And a while back, you guys had a more full Service situation and now are kinda more back to the deli side and it must be a source of pride.

Greg Conley [00:11:29]:

Yeah. Absolutely. And I think, you know, we, the 3 of us have worked for the business for a little while. And, But, you know, there's so many people that came before us. And, of course, Eric, who founded the business. And so we're basically just kinda building off of, a lot of what they've done and, I'm trying to preserve that too. You know? Trying to just do things the best that we can and really have that be our North Star of, like, really trying to Wow, people. So it's an it's an honor that people think of us when they think of Duluth.

Greg Conley [00:11:59]:

It's really powerful, I think. Certainly something we wanna cultivate and actively wanted

Ned Netzel [00:12:03]:

to cultivate with this book. Wanted to make this book, very much not about only, you know, Eric and his story and his recipes and the business that came from it, but also, the place where, You know, we reside in, what has made us who we are. So

Stephanie Hansen [00:12:18]:

Well, I would say the goal is accomplished. Also, like, I feel like we're Of the, people in Minnesota in particular, we're uniquely positioned about the preserving and the canning and because we have to get through these winter months. Right? And so we're preparing our vegetables and creating kimcheese and canning things and pickling things in order to get us through to the other side of the winter season. There's a lot of that in this book that I really loved. Is that, like, Something that is in all of the recipes at the restaurant. It sure seems like most of it has some components of that.

Nick Peloquin [00:12:57]:

Yeah. It's kind of almost, by necessity because of how we're set up as a restaurant. Because, you know, we don't have a full kitchen here, and we don't really have the that utility that comes with All those things. So we do have to kind of focus on things that we can prepare ahead of time and then something that's easy to and quick to serve that's not necessarily Gonna go on a saute pan or, you know, a a bunch of gas appliances because we're really restricted just in the old building that we're in. And so that aspect of the business. But then, yeah, also the just the the area we're in And and the the food that is kind of like the style of a deli is is gonna be geared towards kind of like Making things last longer than than they would otherwise crash.

Stephanie Hansen [00:13:44]:

You guys are undertaking a move, it sounds like, in the building. Do you wanna talk about that?

Greg Conley [00:13:50]:

Sure. Yeah. We're actually in the midst be in there by this Saturday. So we just or Friday even. So we just we're Really steaming steamrolling towards that. Yeah. We, you know, have existed in this building. At least our our deli proper has stood in a really a sliver of a space here.

Greg Conley [00:14:08]:

And, even when the pandemic happened and we had to close our doors, We ended up turning our entire space into a kitchen because it was the only way we could keep up with the increased business. Because we were on one of the only places open during COVID. We were open the entire time, and so we were we got a lot busier, and so we necessarily had to just turn that all into sandwich making. Once the pandemic kinda started to wane, then we have really no place to host anyone. So you could sit out on our deck, and you could sit in the hallway with in on some seats and, you know, 10 seats or whatever we have up there. So this move is really the culmination of a lot of dreams over the years of just having more space, being able to host people more effectively, and then also being able to just try, not only more food things, but also new ways of service and and beverages and all that stuff. So

Stephanie Hansen [00:15:01]:

How do you see it coming together? Do you see it, like, as maybe a, like, fast casual kinda thing?

Greg Conley [00:15:07]:

Yeah. That's exactly Yeah. Exactly what it is. Yep. It will just have, a little bit more space to do it with, A little bit more space to host people. The sticking point, for some customers in the past when they would wanna just get 1 piece of fish, but they'd have to get in a Half an hour line of all these other people ordering sandwiches. So it's really nice to separate out those those services.

Stephanie Hansen [00:15:31]:

As a customer, I love that.

Greg Conley [00:15:33]:

Yeah. You get way better service on both ends, so it's just a lot lot more convenient for people to do it that way. So it's really exciting.

Ned Netzel [00:15:40]:

Thing for Eric is to make it a a destination again. And when we were doing, you know, window service and you weren't able to, as a customer, walk in and see your piece of fish, That kinda, I think, soured that a little bit for some people. I mean, our loyal customers have been with us because they just you know, they know it's good food, but, now that we have A place to be in, like, a a location that you can kinda, you know, experience rather than just waiting in a line, you know, maybe during the winter. Hopefully, we'll we'll cultivate that again.

Stephanie Hansen [00:16:10]:

Well and I think a smoked fish purchase is kinda more straightforward maybe Then, like, you know, talking about sandwiches and people are sandwich nerds too. Like, they wanna talk about your sandwich.

Greg Conley [00:16:26]:

Yep. Well, I think the the the deli side of things too, that's really one of the funnest things for us is that people on that side really wanna Talk about the food too. Even if they just are getting a piece of smoked fish, they a lot of times, people really, really geeked about food. We love talking people about food. So when a customer comes in and wants me to tell them all about the white fish that we have, I'm really happy to do that. I love talking about food. So That part is so fun for us. And I think even more so than talking about sandwiches, just talking about the components of those sandwiches that we Make olives in house, so it's really fun.

Stephanie Hansen [00:17:05]:

There is 2 things to tell you. 1 is you inspired a recipe in my book, Which is a white fish trout spread.

Greg Conley [00:17:13]:

Nice. Sweet.

Stephanie Hansen [00:17:14]:

It the story that I attached to it was Actually, being with my niece who went to UMD for college, and she wasn't very adventurous of an eater. And she got the love of the smoked fish in Duluth as a college student, and we went to Fitger's and we were sitting there eating. And she said, does anybody wanna Let the smoked salmon dip, and I was like, what? Who are you? And then she was like, have you she wanted to, like, really talk about, like, have you had smoke trout at Northern Waters. I'm like, yes. I have. I've used it to make dip, and it's like a holiday staple. So you have inspired a lot of people with your smoked fish.

Greg Conley [00:17:56]:

Yeah. But, you know, that's kind of another thing too is that We really want people to come to us, you know? And that's part of being, like, Duluth, you know, is like Duluth is not a suburb of the Twin Cities. Duluth is The major metro in the northern part of the state, and we probably have kind of a chip on our shoulder about that, because we're not, like, You know, lane or something like that. Like, we are a a small city of our own, and we have our own thing going on that isn't Saint Paul or it isn't, Rochester or whatever. So we want people to come here and experience what we have to offer. We're not, You know? Like, you can get a lot of great food in the Twin Cities. We can get some great food up here, and we're part of that. So we want people to experience that as well.

Stephanie Hansen [00:18:43]:

Yeah. I'm glad you said that because I produce the Art in Bayfront Park Culinary Market that we do there. Yeah. And I really have, like, gotten front and center with a lot of cool Duluth makers both from the art side, but also the food side. And, you know, we hear a lot about Duluth and the cool, like, outdoor scene and the mountain biking and all the stuff that they're working on, but, damn, I mean, the beer scene alone and the distilleries and the craft that's happening in Food and ice cream and hot sauces and I mean, there's a lot of cool stuff happening, and I feel just It's so cool to be a part of that, and I'm glad that my work on that festival can bring people, like, Front and center with businesses that maybe they don't know about in Duluth because there's a lot of cool things happening.

Greg Conley [00:19:31]:

Yeah. Agreed. And and For us as a business that's pretty well established and pretty well respected, we also wanna foster other food businesses and help them as much as we can. Because all of that, strengthening of our food scene here just strengthens all of us. So we really want people to be Successful and to bring really cool new things to food and the world.

Stephanie Hansen [00:19:53]:

Okay. So we're gonna play a game. It's not gonna be hard, But it's kinda gonna be maybe, like, picking your favorite child or pet. So each of you, I've got an opportunity to have 3 of you in front of me. The game is, I would like you to tell me a favorite restaurant in Duluth, and it can be whatever, And also a product that's made in Duluth that you're obsessed with.

Nick Peloquin [00:20:19]:

Is it specifically a food product?

Stephanie Hansen [00:20:21]:

Not necessarily. No. K.

Nick Peloquin [00:20:24]:

Well, I think my favorite restaurant at the moment is Fuholic On central entrance.

Ned Netzel [00:20:29]:

Damn it.

Greg Conley [00:20:30]:

That's what I was gonna say.

Nick Peloquin [00:20:31]:

Yeah. Yeah. It's pretty it's pretty banging spot right right these days.

Stephanie Hansen [00:20:35]:

And serving pho, I'm assuming.

Nick Peloquin [00:20:37]:

Yeah. So they do pho and other Vietnamese stuff. It's it's so good. As far as the product made in Duluth, man, that's that's tough. I would say, honestly, the beer. It like, it's it's hard to choose 1 of the the breweries, but, like, we we're kinda spoiled for choice up here. I mean, Bed paddle is like a standby. You know? And it's funny to go down to the Twin Cities or even major metropolitans and, like, See Duluth beer on tap, but places that's a big source of pride.

Nick Peloquin [00:21:06]:

And I think because what people think of Duluth too, you know, is We're a big craft beer town. So

Stephanie Hansen [00:21:11]:

Yeah. I think that Ursa Minor too is starting to make inroads into the Twin Cities. Their beer, I had a lot of different versions this summer. It was really great, they have a great taproom too.

Nick Peloquin [00:21:21]:

Yeah. Totally.

Stephanie Hansen [00:21:22]:

Okay, Ned. That leads us to you.

Greg Conley [00:21:25]:

Oh my gosh. We might have to come back to me. Okay. I

Ned Netzel [00:21:29]:

think I probably eat out the least of anybody here. Yeah. I don't know. Greg, yes. Greg. Minutes.

Greg Conley [00:21:35]:

Sure. I probably would've said Faholic, but I'm gonna I'm gonna do a tut tut two way tie. There's a place called Oasis Del Norte. Love it. It's the only place that makes street tacos in Duluth. And so that's really a great thing to have. And then, In my neighborhood of Lakeside, there's a place called Lake Superior Brewing, oldest microbrewery in Minnesota at one point, the first established one. But they changed hands after a number of years, and then they moved to the Lakeside neighborhood.

Greg Conley [00:22:06]:

And they do pizza, smash burgers are kind of their main entrees, which they just do really good versions of those. They do, like, a brick oven style New York pizza that nobody in town does. So that's kinda cool. But they also do a lot of really nice thoughtful, appetizers and great wines to go with some of their Food along with the really, good beer that they're brewing. It's really great to have that nice option in my neighborhood. So I really I really appreciate that.

Stephanie Hansen [00:22:34]:

I love it. Alright. Ned, are you ready? That leads us to you.

Greg Conley [00:22:38]:

I think I think so.

Ned Netzel [00:22:39]:

It's it's really hard for me to pick a restaurant, because I do most of my eating cooked at home or, with my my free daily meal, when I'm working.

Stephanie Hansen [00:22:52]:

Sure.

Ned Netzel [00:22:52]:

But but one thing that kept coming up in my mind was Johnson's Bakery, which is a bakery down in, what would you call it? Lincoln Park area. It's like just behind really awesome bread. A lot of our specials back when we were open to the public, in the old space Used Johnson's Bakery Bread. So, yeah, Johnson's Bakery love their donuts. They're like, such a great deal. Please don't raise your prices, guys. So, yeah, Johnson's Bakery and then, something made in Duluth. The the coffee made in Duluth is really great.

Ned Netzel [00:23:23]:

In addition to, like, the The brewing scene, there's also a great, like, roastery scene. We love a lot of them. There's like Duluth Coffee Company. There's, Underwood Coffee who Most of what we, give to our staff to to see us through the day, is either Underwood or DreamCloud Roasters.

Stephanie Hansen [00:23:44]:

Wanna thank Ned Netzel. I wanna thank Nick Peloquin, Greg Conley for joining me. The book is Smoke on the Waterfront. It's the Northern Water Smokehouse Cookbook. What I loved is you guys just recommended all places that I have never even heard of, and I have spent quite a bit of time in Duluth. So way to go. I appreciate you being here. I'm excited about the book.

Stephanie Hansen [00:24:05]:

It is Smoke on the Waterfront. Make sure that when you head to Duluth, And you should head to Duluth this winter, there's so many cool activities that happen there. And of course in the summertime you can come and visit me at Arden Bayfront Park in August, And there's just a lot of cool music festivals that happen down in Canal Park and at the Bayfront area, and Lincoln Park is a whole new area to discover for a lot of people. So it's the Northern Water Smokehouse Cookbook. If you are into smoking or canning or preserving or you just love a damn good sandwich, make sure you pick up the cookbook. Thanks, you guys. I appreciate it. Thanks so much.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Mousse Sparkling Wine Co. (Season 5 Episode 34) Nov 03, 2023

Welcome to another episode of the Makers of Minnesota podcast, where we introduce you to cool people doing cool things. Today, we have a special guest, Josie Boyle, from Mousse Sparkling Wine Company based in Jordan, Minnesota. Josie shares her journey of working in the wine industry for over 15 years, including her experience at a Michigan winery specializing in sparkling wines. Discover how her passion for sparkling wine and her desire to work with Minnesota-grown grapes led her to establish Mousse Sparkling Wine Company. Josie also talks about the unique concept of their tasting room, which offers sparkling wine and cider. She explains the importance of the acidity in Minnesota grapes and how it complements the bubbles in sparkling wine. Lastly, Josie introduces their delightful advent calendar, aptly called the "12 Days of Bubbly," which allows customers to enjoy a variety of sparkling wines and ciders throughout the holiday season. Prepare to be inspired and uplifted by Josie's story and the beautiful wines and ciders she makes at Mousse Sparkling Wine Company.

FULL TEXT OF THE PODCAST FOLLOWS:

Stephanie [00:00:12]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Makers of Minnesota podcast. I'm Stephanie Hanson. I'm your host today. And on this podcast, we talk to cool people doing cool things, and something popped up in my feed this week. And it was a company I had never heard of, And it makes something that is one of my favorite things. So I was like, hey. I need to talk to these people. I am here today with Josie Boyle, and she is with Moose Sparkling Wine Company.

Stephanie [00:00:38]:

And, Josie, you are in Jordan, Minnesota. And how did I just find out about you today?

Josie Boyle [00:00:47]:

You know, we're a a pretty small winery. We've been open for about 3 years, little over 3 years. And, I don't know. I guess, we just need to get on more people's radars.

Stephanie [00:00:59]:

Yeah. Because you are doing 2 of my favorite things. You're doing cider. That's my 3 of my favorite things. Hard cider, sparkling wine, and using all Minnesota grown grapes.

Josie Boyle [00:01:11]:

Yes. Yep. Exactly. So, well, where should I begin?

Stephanie [00:01:17]:

All of it. Tell me.

Josie Boyle [00:01:21]:

Yeah. The the sparkling wine really came about, because I well, I've been working in the industry for about 15 years. And, I got my start, early on. I worked in Michigan at Mabee Vineyards, which only makes sparkling wines. So I worked there a few years, and, you know, that's where I learned the Process of making sparkling wines and, you know, all of that, because it is very technical. It uses different equipment. You know, when you add bubbles to a liquid and try to package it, A lot of things can go wrong, and there's a lot a lot of factors to consider. So, so that's why, you know, most wineries Don't also do sparkling wine.

Josie Boyle [00:02:16]:

It's it's a very specialized, type of winemaking. So, so I I worked at Mobby for a few years, and then I got homesick and moved back to Minnesota where I grew up. And this this was my dream to open Moose one day. So

Stephanie [00:02:33]:

So tell me about your, do we call it a a tasting room? Because we don't because you're doing cider too. So it's not are you a citery? Are you a tasting room?

Josie Boyle [00:02:45]:

Are you all the above? Kind of all the above. Yeah. I we're a tasting room. Yeah. But one one thing that's different about us also than other wineries is that we're actually right downtown Jordan. We don't grow any of the grapes ourselves. We we buy from local growers around Minnesota. But you're not gonna come to us and and frolic among the vineyards, because we're we're just right in downtown.

Josie Boyle [00:03:15]:

And that's kind of the feel that I wanted, to well, to convey sort of, we're more like a wine bar, kind of feeling. And we have a nice patio outside too, so it's beautiful, you know, on the nice nice summer days.

Stephanie [00:03:32]:

When you look at a state like Michigan, the terroir is somewhat similar to a Minnesota climate and Topography. So do your tastes run more towards those types of grapes? And Those types of grapes, I think, tend I don't know a ton, but I know a tiny bit, tend to be sweeter and maybe lend themselves more to a sparkling situation.

Josie Boyle [00:04:00]:

Well, it's really it's really more of In Michigan, we were using, mostly European varieties. The Traverse City area is right on Lake Michigan, so, you get the lake effect. They don't get quite as cold in the winter. So they can grow varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, And even, like, some Merlot. But So I was really using the European varieties. What drew me to Minnesota varieties and, like, coming back to Minnesota to to make wine was really because our grape varieties here, have higher acid. And the higher acid is can be really hard to deal with. And, you know, you you can struggle to make, like, a nice Dry wine when the acid is really high.

Josie Boyle [00:05:02]:

But in sparkling wines, You actually want a little bit higher acid because that acid will balance the bubbles really nicely. Like, bubbles and acid go go well together, in a wine. So so when I moved back to Minnesota, that's why, you know, another aspect of, like, making wine in Minnesota, I really really wanted to make sparkling wines because of just the the chemistry of our our grapes here.

Stephanie [00:05:32]:

So one thing that attracted me to you was this press release I got. I'm somewhat obsessed with advent calendars. I don't know why, but I just feel like they're so fun. And you have an advent calendar that really incorporates all of your products. Can you tell us about it? Because it's so cute.

Josie Boyle [00:05:52]:

Yes. So, so this this is a lot of fun. Like I said, we've been open for A little over 3 years, and we've actually done an advent calendar every year since the beginning. And I have I you You know, if you're watching the Zoom, we have an example from last year. This is last year's, box, but it comes in a little, like, fun gift box. But the idea is what we call it 12 days of bubbly. And it's it's a case of half bottles. And, basically, it's kind of it's a range of all of our sparkling wines and ciders that we make throughout the year.

Josie Boyle [00:06:30]:

So, you know, since last, basically, December or January, I've been putting bottling and putting away Half bottles for our 12 days of bubbly advent calendar, that we're gonna be releasing here, in November. But yeah. It's just it's a lot of fun. It's just a way to try a bunch of different types of sparkling wines that we make. Because since since we specialize in sparkling wines, we do, you know, Everything from maitre d' champenoise or the champagne method where it's bottled, fermented, and aged. We do Prosecco style wines. So those are tank fermented to create the bubbles. And then we also do some forced carbonated wines as well.

Josie Boyle [00:07:19]:

So and then we have a a hard cider in there. So yeah. It's, you know, people love it. It's it's fun to, like, open each line every day or every other day and, Get it get something new to try.

Stephanie [00:07:35]:

It's so smart too because, like, I don't know. Gimmicks work. Right? Like, I've never heard of you guys, and I was like, b, This headline color is real cute. B, it's a local company that I've never heard of, and they're making my favorite product. How did this happen? So when you look at your how did you get the marketing idea? Just

Josie Boyle [00:07:56]:

Well, just, You know, since I love advent calendars too, like you know? And and you have the Costco wine advent calendar that's super popular. And, you know, all kinds of things. You can get one for perfume and chocolate and and everything. And, you know, even as a kid, when you're You're opening the little door to get a little toy or whatever. I mean, everybody loves advent calendars. So it was just, Something that I I, yeah, thought of that 1st year and and, you know, I just I I love making them, and I it's it's fun to to release them every every holiday season.

Stephanie [00:08:35]:

Yeah. I think that's why I like it too because it As an adult, the holidays become sort of joyless sometimes. Like, it's more about, like, you gotta buy all these gifts, and you're trying to pack all the family stuff in and spend time with everybody. And I feel like the Advent Calendar is just like A small moment of your day that just gives you that little joy of surprise and delight that is really what the holidays are about. And when you're adult, you miss that a lot.

Josie Boyle [00:09:05]:

Right. Exactly. Yeah. It it the holidays, like, as an adult, they they can fly by so fast. And it's it is a time of joy. And like, it can be a time of just having having fun in it and enjoying the snow and enjoying the cold and cozying up inside. So it's, yeah, it's nice to have something to look forward to. You know? At the end of the day, you can open your your bottle of wine.

Josie Boyle [00:09:29]:

And and it's not a full bottle, so, you know, it I feel like the half bottles are a manageable size. So even if you're, like, by yourself Or, you know, you have a your husband and a wife or partner or friend or whoever you can, like, share it with, and, it's not overwhelming. It it's not an overwhelming amount of wine. Right.

Stephanie [00:09:50]:

Okay. So let's pretend that you are working for the Travel Bureau of Jordan, Minnesota. And you're gonna try to, like, create a fun day or outing for us to come to Jordan. If it was you and you were with a gal pal or your spouse or whatever, what would be, like, a fun, full day of things to do in Jordan, Including yours, of course.

Josie Boyle [00:10:15]:

Yeah. Yeah. Of course. So stop at Moose, of course. But we actually have a lot of of good stuff, and this is a great time to come to Jordan because we have, a couple of pumpkin patches. Down here, we have Minnesota harvest, which is a really great, apple orchard that, just, the Ferguson family just took it over a couple years ago, and so they kinda made, You know, made it all brand new. So the apple orchards, a lot of fun. We have Minnesota's largest candy store There you go.

Josie Boyle [00:10:50]:

Right down the road. So that's that's a big draw. And that's like even if you don't like candy, it's like it's just a sight to see. And then, of course, in downtown Jordan, we have some really nice boutiques. So if you are coming in with your, girlfriends, Bluff Creek Boutique, Sassy Cat, and Neon Orchid, and even the Vinery Floral. There's a nice florist that that has a little gift shop. So, there is some fun shopping to do for sure. And, and I should mention that we're For the deer opener on November 4th, we are, the the downtown businesses are having a little event.

Josie Boyle [00:11:33]:

So if you wear your blaze orange, You can, get some deals, for yourself. So you can make a day out of it, really. And, yeah, we have a lot going on.

Stephanie [00:11:44]:

Well, thanks. It was a pleasure to meet you, Josie. You sound like you know your way around to Sparkling, so I'm excited about that. And the Advent Calendar, this Podcast is gonna post on November 3rd so people can how do you want them to order it from you, and what are your socials so they can follow you and learn more?

Josie Boyle [00:12:03]:

Yeah. So our website is moose winery.com. That's spelled m o u s s e winery.com. And we have a special webpage on our site just for the advent calendars. So if you want, the best way to do it is just preorder. So you can either order for a pickup in our tasting room or you can ship it. Yep. And then, we are on Facebook at Moose Winery And Instagram at Moose Winery.

Josie Boyle [00:12:31]:

So Alright. We'll

Stephanie [00:12:33]:

put all of the links in the show notes here. And I just wanna say happy fall, happy harvest, and what a great idea. It's nice to see you. I hope to come to your taproom soon.

Josie Boyle [00:12:44]:

Yes. Please visit.

Stephanie [00:12:45]:

Okay. Thank you. Bye bye.

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Tim Mulligan Oct 27, 2023

Welcome to another episode of Makers of Minnesota! In today's episode, our host, Stephanie, sits down with the talented Tim Mulligan, author of the book "A Perfect Ten Party Edition." Tim's book is filled with 70 recipes that are perfect for hosting parties and making them a breeze. From delicious drinks and great recipes to fun games, Tim's cookbook is a must-have for anyone who loves entertaining. Join us as Stephanie and Tim discuss his inspiration for writing the book, his love for Palm Springs parties, and some of the most requested recipes from his collection. Prepare for a fun and informative episode that will inspire you to throw unforgettable parties. Let's dive in!

FULL TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS:

Stephanie [00:00:15]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to dishing with Stephanie's dish, the podcast where we talk to people in the food space many times Cookbook authors, and today, we have Tim Mulligan with us, and he is the author of a book called A Perfect ten Party edition. There's 70 recipes for making hosting parties a breeze. Tim, you look really fun.

Tim Mulligan [00:00:38]:

Well, thank you. I try try. Thanks.

Stephanie [00:00:42]:

Absolutely. No. You have, like, this whole book full of Fun party ideas, drinks, great recipes, suggestions. You even got some games. I just really thought this cookbook was a gas.

Tim Mulligan [00:00:56]:

Good. I'm glad.

Stephanie [00:00:58]:

Where are you from?

Tim Mulligan [00:01:00]:

I I live in Palm Springs, California. I I I work during the day in LA, so I'm kinda I'm pretty all over much all over Southern California, new bit. My home base is Palm Springs.

Stephanie [00:01:09]:

Okay. That's pretty awesome because Palm Springs has a lot of great parties.

Tim Mulligan [00:01:13]:

I I hope so. I I like to throw I like to throw a lot of them. So yeah.

Stephanie [00:01:17]:

Do you live in one of those cool Palm Spring houses in the movie district?

Tim Mulligan [00:01:21]:

It's close. It's, you know, I I love you know, we all have pools and, you know, live live live the life here. So, yes, definitely.

Stephanie [00:01:29]:

Yeah. All the beautiful houses and in case you don't know, I think my favorite story about Palm Springs and maybe you can confirm or deny is that The reason that so many celebrities lived there was because they were exactly, like, a 120 miles or whatever the distance was outside of Los Angeles, And the newspapers that paid their stipends for their entertaining didn't go as far as Palm Springs. So all the movie stars figured that out, and they could live a life without the pap paparazzi in Palm Springs.

Tim Mulligan [00:02:04]:

Yeah. I heard that. And they I mean, because you mentioned the radius in the distance, it wasn't too far that it was still within their contract. And so it just became like a a a a refuge and hideaway for the for the Hollywood set.

Stephanie [00:02:15]:

Yes.

Tim Mulligan [00:02:15]:

And it's you know, it still feels like it's timeless. It still still feels like the fifties, sixties here. You know? So it's it's it's understandable why it was so appealing. You know?

Stephanie [00:02:24]:

What was your history in terms of why you wanted to write a book, not only with just recipes, but kinda organized by themes and parties?

Tim Mulligan [00:02:34]:

Yeah. I mean, I've been, I've been cooking for years, not professionally trained. I did start my To my my working world career in hospitality, managing restaurants, bars, waiting tables, and and, And taking many courses and certifications over the years, I've never been a trained chef. I really am a a home cook. But, you know, during I I would say and and I worked during the day. I'm a I'm a lawyer. I'm a human resources officer, and I have been doing that for decades. But during it was COVID, you know, unfortunately, it was such a such a bad I am bit but, you know, if anything good came out of it, for me, it was the the the quarantining process and being, you know, Stuck in this house, I tried to use this as a positive way and say, what have I always wanted to do? You know? And cross off my bucket list.

Tim Mulligan [00:03:19]:

And for me, there's 2 things really. 1 was to write a Play. I love plays. So I spent the 1st year 2020 knocking out a play. I did it. That play got published. It's going to New York in April. That was an amazing thing.

Stephanie [00:03:31]:

That's so excellent.

Tim Mulligan [00:03:32]:

Yeah. Yeah. And then the second thing was I wanted to write a cookbook. You know, I, I really, I I've been I've been cooking forever like I said. I wanted to share with the world My favorite recipes that I've curated over the years. I'm a collector. I'm a curator. Some of these are recipes I've had since I was a kid.

Tim Mulligan [00:03:48]:

Others I've, you know, collected along the way. And these are recipes that I have made, countless numbers of times over the years, over the decades. I've tweaked the recipes. I've made them work for me, And I I really thought it'd be great to share that with the world and also write write a cookbook that was for, people like me who are busy, you know, who are who work maybe work all day or raise a family. I I had 2 kids. And, and and so that was the idea behind the cookbook. So I've I've that was my 1st cookbook. So that came out in 2020, 2 last year, and it was called a perfect ten.

Tim Mulligan [00:04:20]:

And to answer your question, I I'm an organized person. I like top 10 lists. So I decided that, you know, a good way to share my recipes was just to list them. And and so I wanted to write a book that so if you get if you are told You're going to a dinner at someone's house or enter they say you say, what can you bring? And they tell you, bring a, salad or bring a side dish or bring a dessert, a big entree, and then you kinda freak out to get, oh my god. What am I gonna make? I wanted to just provide a a a playbook. You can pull it out, and And so there's 7 meal periods. Everything from breakfast to salads to vegetable sides to entrees to dinners, Desserts that and it's my 10 kind of favorite easy go to recipes that I have, you know, are trying and tested and true in in my world. And that was the idea behind the 1st cookbook.

Tim Mulligan [00:05:07]:

And so that came out last year, and it just the response was really great. And I started a blog. I started blogging every week recipes and cooking, and And next thing you knew, I someone who had never even touched Instagram, now I have 18,000 followers, you know, so I I thought, well, I better write another one, you know, while I Well, I can. So as a follow-up, I I wanted to share another passion of mine, which is organizing, hosting, and throwing amazing parties. I've been doing that as long as I can remember. So I kept I kept the the perfect 10 idea going, and it's and I did instead of 7 milk periods, I did 7 types of parties. So I spent this year throwing these parties and and taking pictures and documenting and creating playbooks for what games could I throw at each party. And then I did a top ten list of everything from drinks to food to desserts, a couple of each for each type of party that you so if you're throwing any sort of party, you can pull this book out.

Tim Mulligan [00:06:01]:

You can make the whole recipe, the whole menu, all 10 of them. You can pick and choose. It's kind of a choose your own adventure for throwing a a party of any size.

Stephanie [00:06:09]:

I really liked the way that you organized it. It felt very, natural. And When you looked at each party, you know, there was kind of drinks for that party, apps for that party, mains for that party, sides for that party, and All of your recipes I think why this book probably did appeal to me right away is it felt like I'm a home cook too, and I also wrote a cookbook. And it felt kinda like the same philosophy of why I did it and why I wanted to do it. I'm a cabin entertainer, so I wrote a book about being at the cabin.

Tim Mulligan [00:06:42]:

Fun. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:06:43]:

And, you know, always being at the cabin's a party, and so it's somewhat similar. I really, appreciated too that your parties were kind of different. So a pool party is something that is probably something that they do a lot in Palm Springs. We don't see as much of that here. I like that you had an award show party because I think those are super fun. What are some of your, like, most requested recipes in this book that people are just loving?

Tim Mulligan [00:07:11]:

Well, a great question. I'd say for me, you know, I I do live in Palm Springs, so I'm pretty lucky with the weather. And so, I really chose and when it came down to what kind of parties to highlight, you know, there's there's, you know, unlimited types of parties. I thought about the parties I like to go to and that I throw. So living in Palm Springs, I think I've, I really kinda perfected the the outdoor brunch, you know, the, the pool party, happy hour. So things where I can kinda grab people outside of the weather, and we would in if we have to. But so I think that, For the recipes that people that people have been responding to, I think, you know, the thing about a party, you you'd appreciate this, I think, of writing a party Cookbook, a party menu is a lot different than a dinner, you know, a sit down meal because you have to have things that you can Eat while standing Yes. Better, you know, grab and go, their handhelds.

Tim Mulligan [00:08:05]:

And so it was pretty kinda challenging to say, okay, what are things that I could, yeah, there's 1 sit down. I did a holiday Traditional sit down dinner as well. The restaurant. Things you can, you know, grab and go from a table and talk and eat. And And so I did a lot of self serve stations. Those are really popular, I think, and those are people really like those. My mac and cheese station.

Stephanie [00:08:23]:

Oh, yeah.

Tim Mulligan [00:08:24]:

I've been doing that for years. I mean, I've been doing that for my staff. I've been doing it for families. I mean, you could throw a mac and make us make your own mac and cheese station, and you're gonna be it's the most Popular, you know, item of of of the night is that mac and cheese station. You know?

Stephanie [00:08:37]:

Yeah. My radio partner talks about having mac and cheese parties for graduation ceremonies. And, You know, there's different kinds of mac and cheeses that you can make from, like, the bechamel in a Dutch oven that's cooked to slow cooker. So you really can have, like, a variety of different toppings, and I thought that was a really fun one. Also, you have the walking taco that I'm familiar with in the Frito bag, but you did it in a bag with pita chips and did, like, the Greek pita fixings, which I thought was really smart.

Tim Mulligan [00:09:07]:

That was different. I like I love Greek food, so I and I and I like, like a Greek, kinda meat mixture. And so this it's a really great walkie talker with to take a bag of Pita chips, make a kinda oregano Greek spice infused turkey or you could just beef. You could you could do plant based, whatever. Throw it in a pita chip bag with some, you know, cucumbers and tzatziki and maybe a hummus sauce or something in it. It's awesome. People love

Stephanie [00:09:31]:

it. Yeah. Looked super great. I also, you did a recipe for a mole inspired tostada.

Tim Mulligan [00:09:43]:

Well, I think, you said so of the of the self serve stations that that I cover in this in this book, I think there's 4 self serve stations. And you can do, you know, little bowls, little jars. You I have mac and cheese. I have build your own tostada. So I think, you know, I I love a crock pot.

Stephanie [00:10:00]:

Yeah. Me too.

Tim Mulligan [00:10:01]:

So you can make a you can easily make a so I think in this cookbook cookbook, I did a mole inspired, you know, shredded Chicken dish. You just put out the little, you know, the smallest tortilla shells you can find and and then a whole bunch of sides and condiments, and that's a really fun party Activity also is making your own tostada. You know, it's really easy, and people always love it.

Stephanie [00:10:23]:

You also have, something that's very Midwestern in here with the, pretzel Jell O cups.

Tim Mulligan [00:10:29]:

I love those so much. I just did them the other day. I mean, you know what's great about the pretzel jello the pretzel salad cups is that, since the since the cookbook came out, I've been asked to do all sorts of kinda wacky things. Like, how would you do a football party? Or how would you do a Halloween bar? This or that party. And the thing about the Pretzel salad Jell O cup is you can do any colors you want. So you could do teams of the football, you know, football match. I mean, I did them in the in the book. I used it for the pool party, So I love we love Aperol Spritz here in

Stephanie [00:10:58]:

Oh, yeah.

Tim Mulligan [00:10:59]:

And so if you use, so I decided to use a peach flavored jello and make it really beautiful and vibrant orange, and it looks it looks awesome on a on an outdoor party table where you're also serving pitchers of, say, Aperol Spritz or something. So the, yeah, the jello the pretzel salad cups are very popular.

Stephanie [00:11:14]:

That's a big that's a big thing at in families' houses at Thanksgiving and Christmas around here. They do a pretzel salad, and we also are known for our snicker salad. We're green apple snickers

Tim Mulligan [00:11:30]:

then, like, what I love I love those kind of Midwest desserts. We don't have those over here. So I kind of was a, you know, a unicorn with my pretzel salad cups here in in California.

Stephanie [00:11:38]:

I love it.

Tim Mulligan [00:11:39]:

The one other thing that we have the one other I mean, I should have answered. The the the the one item that people are loving and And for a self a maker a a self a self serve station, it's my picadillo cups. They're really, really good. And you can also you just make a big, pot of that picadillo, which is and you can use any meat mixture you want in there. I use turkey, but you can also do plant based or you can do beef, But you really spice it up with the golden raisins and the olives and the and all the, tomato sauce and spices, and it's amazing. And you can make it in enchiladas. You can put it in dips. But it's really fun to just make it with the big pot of like a jasmine.

Tim Mulligan [00:12:16]:

I make a coconut rice, you know, cilantro infused, jasmine, and you give little little mason jars or bowls next to it. People to get a scoop of the rice. You can even make your own kind of beautiful trifle with it with rice rice picadillo. It's a handheld. It's delicious. It it it's people are really responding well to that that recipe.

Stephanie [00:12:35]:

Okay. So right now, on your shelf, we saw your Stanley Tucci cookbook. Are there, like, other cookbooks that you find yourself cooking from all the time or people that you just, like, really are inspired by?

Tim Mulligan [00:12:47]:

Yeah. I love Mollie. I love her do cookbook. I'm doing an ad for her, I guess, right now because I love Home is Where the Eggs Are. I have so many cookbooks here. I'm a real I'm a real Foodie, I surround myself with people that love food. We're always sharing cookbooks. That whole bookcase over here is full of cookbooks.

Stephanie [00:13:02]:

Oh, yeah.

Tim Mulligan [00:13:03]:

And these are ones that I've you know, like I said, I I'm a collector. I'm a gatherer. I know exactly what recipe I want out of each book. And I tried to and I I really kept that in mind to write these cookbooks. I think, wouldn't it be great if there was you know, that's why I like the top 10 list because sometimes it does get overwhelming when there's so many great recipes and all these cookbooks. You forget where you found them or where they were.

Stephanie [00:13:22]:

Yeah.

Tim Mulligan [00:13:22]:

I thought I would just do something really simple that you could just go to, and there's 10 salads, 10 desserts, 10 entrees. And then and then, know? And and, hopefully, it'll be that would be your go to for for when you're in a bind and you need something quick and good, let me help you. You know?

Stephanie [00:13:37]:

Yeah. No. I love that. Now when does your next come out. I can't believe you wrote 2 cookbooks already.

Tim Mulligan [00:13:44]:

I know. So I don't know. It's a great question. Right now, I'm, You know, I work by day. I'm a full time, you know, work worker during the day. And then at night, I've just been, you know, again, since, know, if you if you go to 20 early 2020 before, you know, before COVID and the pandemic, I had I had no cookbooks. I had no plays, no creative writing. I ran a leadership book years ago, but, you know, this has really just inspired me.

Tim Mulligan [00:14:07]:

So now since I think since, the pandemic started, I've now published the 2 cookbooks. I have if you go to my website, a perfect ten cook, you can see my blog, and there's tons of recipes there. There every every week, I do new recipes. I mentioned I've written this a few plays now. I have a graphic novel coming out. It's it's just really, kinda lit a fire of creativity that I knew was there, but I just hadn't had time. And I thought I'd kinda pass That stage in life, and and now I hear I am at 56, and it's finally coming out, you know, which is great.

Stephanie [00:14:37]:

It makes me so happy for you. I am also a late bloomer in the food space. You know, had a radio show and have talked about food for forever, but finally decided to put pen to paper and contribute my own items, and it's Let him do a TV show and all these other things that I

Tim Mulligan [00:14:52]:

need I need to get your cookbook. I I just made a note of that.

Stephanie [00:14:56]:

Yeah. I'm actually I'll send you an email get your address and I'll send you a copy. Thank you, Max. And I do travel to Palm Springs on occasion, so I can see looking you up and Maybe having a drink or coming to one of your parties at some point.

Tim Mulligan [00:15:09]:

Yeah. Please.

Stephanie [00:15:10]:

Super fun. Well, it's been great to talk to you. It's a perfect Ten, the party edition, and the other edition, you can keep your eyes peeled for. How do we find your blog? Could you throw out your, website at one more time?

Tim Mulligan [00:15:22]:

Yeah. It's a perfect ten, the number 10 cook.

Stephanie [00:15:25]:

Okay.

Tim Mulligan [00:15:25]:

And you can and you can find both cookbooks. So the 2 cookbooks, there's one that's just called a perfect ten, And then there's that that's the that's 7 different meal periods, 10 recipes each. The new one is called a perfect 10 party edition, 7 different parties, Ten recipes each, everything from cocktail to dessert and all the food in between. And you can get them both on Amazon, but they're both everything's on my website.

Stephanie [00:15:46]:

I love it. And I like that, Malier is from our part of the country, so we're big fans of hers too. She's been great. Are you watching any good food TV?

Tim Mulligan [00:15:58]:

Yeah. Every day. Like, I I'm a, you know, I love TV. I love pop culture, but for TV I mean, food wise, I mean, I watch all the Food Network shows, obviously. I'm super excited. The Great British Bake Off is back.

Stephanie [00:16:11]:

I look Me too. I I heard they started with a beaver cake. I don't know why, and I haven't watched it yet, but I heard it's hilarious.

Tim Mulligan [00:16:19]:

It's really funny. Yeah. So, yeah, I watch all those shows. I've I've been watching Chopped forever. You know? I I throw Chopped parties, which is really fun where Even if you get a couple of couples or even, you know, couples you partner people pair people up, you bring the weird ingredient items to make the basket, you peer pair let everybody else at the judges sit there and drink while they cook, and they get I mean, I I've done I've had some really fun shop nights doing that.

Stephanie [00:16:40]:

Oh, that sounds really fun. I love that idea.

Tim Mulligan [00:16:42]:

Yeah. It's great.

Stephanie [00:16:43]:

Well, thanks for spending time with us. It was really great, and I love the book. And I wish you tons of success, and I'll drop a copy of mine in the mail for you.

Tim Mulligan [00:16:51]:

Thank you so much. Okay.

Stephanie [00:16:52]:

Thanks, Tim. We'll talk soon. Bye bye.

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Mathew Batt, Author, "The Last Supper Club, A Waiters Requiem" Oct 20, 2023

Welcome to another episode of Makers of Minnesota! In today's episode, we have a special guest, Mathew Batt, the author of "The Last Supper Club, A Waiters Requiem." We dive into his book, which showcases his experience working at a renowned restaurant that unfortunately closed its doors. Stephanie, our host, chats with Mathew about his background, his time in the restaurant industry, and the memorable characters he encountered along the way.

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Du Nord Social Spirits - Season 5 Episode 33 Oct 06, 2023

In this episode, we have the pleasure of sitting down with Chris Montana, the founder of Du Nord Social Spirits. You may remember Chris from our previous interview when his distillery was starting a few years ago. But since then, his journey has been nothing short of remarkable. From surviving the devastating events surrounding the murder of George Floyd to expanding, rebranding, and retooling his business, Chris has experienced a renaissance. Join us as we hear from Chris himself about the evolution of Du Nord Social Spirits and the creation of the Du Nord Foundation. Discover how authenticity and a commitment to social impact have shaped the brand, and get inspired by Chris's candid approach to entrepreneurship. So grab your favorite drink, sit back, and get ready to be inspired by Chris Montana and his incredible journey with Du Nord Social Spirits.

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Amy Theilen Sep 30, 2023

Welcome back to another exciting episode of "Makers of Minnesota"! In today's episode, the incredible Amy Theilen joins us to discuss her latest book, "Company: The Radically Casual Art of Cooking for Others." Amy takes us on a journey through her writing process, sharing how the book evolved during the pandemic and the mixed emotions she experienced. Amy reveals her secrets to creating a relaxed and enjoyable gathering with delicious recipes and menu ideas. Plus, we'll explore the unexpected twists and turns of Amy's career, from fine dining line cook to making a name for herself in the culinary world on TV and becoming the author we know today. Get ready to be inspired, entertained, and hungry as we delve into the fascinating world of Amy Theilen on this "Makers of Minnesota" episode!

Preview the book here and join her on October 7 at the Minneapolis Farmers Market and October 9 at Cooks of Crocus Hill.

Thank you for reading Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter. This post is public so feel free to share it.

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Duluth's Best Bread - Season 5 Episode 32 Sep 22, 2023

Welcome to another episode of the Makers of Minnesota Podcast! Host Stephanie Hansen sits down with Robert Lillegard, the mastermind behind Duluth's Best Bread, in today's installment. Stephanie recently visited Art in Bayfront Park in Duluth and indulged in some of the incredible breads and pastries. Join them as they dive into the history of Duluth's Best Bread, learn about the baking industry, and explore the unique collaborations they have been working on with local breweries and cideries. Get ready to tantalize your taste buds and discover the secrets behind Duluth's most beloved bakery.

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Wet Dog (Season 5 Episode 31) Sep 15, 2023

Welcome back to another exciting episode of Makers of Minnesota! In today's episode, we dive into the world of pet products and meet a company that is making a splash in the industry. Say hello to Wet Dog, an online retailer that offers high-quality pet products and gives back to dog rescues with every purchase. We'll hear from Heather Johnson, the sales and marketing expert behind Create it's Wet Dog shampoo, as she shares insights into the challenges of the competitive shampoo market and the importance of sourcing ingredients locally. Plus, we'll discover how Wet Dog is expanding its brand and gaining traction in the marketplace. So, grab a comfy spot for you and your furry friend because this episode is all about pampering our pets and celebrating the special bond we share with them. Let's get started with "Wet Dog"!

SHOW TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS:Stephanie [00:00:12]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to the makers of Minnesota Podcast, where we talked cool people doing cool things and there's nothing cooler than your pets, right? Everybody's crazy about their dogs and their cats. I was just on a trip for 10 days away from my dog, and I got home, and he has not stopped, like, being by my side ever since. I think I'm giving them a complex because I keep leaving. But I am here at Heather Johnson, and she's from the company Create it. She does sales and marketing for a product that specifically for pets called Wet Dog. Hello, Heather. Thanks for joining us.

Heather Johnson [00:00:48]:

Hello. Thank you for having me.

Stephanie [00:00:50]:

So what do you think it is about pets and dogs in particular that we are so obsessed and have to buy, like, all these fancy products for them.

Heather Johnson [00:01:03]:

well, I think it's 1st and foremost the unconditional love. Pets just brings so much joy to us, and we wanna give them everything we can because they're they're just so loving to us, and they really enhance our lives.

Stephanie [00:01:17]:

Don't you think too? Like, I don't know. Maybe it's just because I had a dog for 18 years that died, and then I rescued another dog. And this dog is fairly, I'm just gonna say needy. not in a bad way. He just really likes me and really wants to be with me all the time, and my other dog was a lot more independent. And I also think like COVID, we spent 2 years with our free animals. And in a lot of instances, they were our only people that we interacted with or not people, but they just gave us so much joy during a time. Many of us spent a lot more time outdoors with our pets. It just really feels like coming out of COVID, people's pets mean more to them than ever.

Heather Johnson [00:02:00]:

Yeah. Definitely. I know the you know, you have extra bonding time. You're sitting on the couch. You're watching TV with them. there was a lot more walks going on. just a lot more time to, kind of enrich their lives with our presence as well.

Stephanie [00:02:18]:

Can you tell me a little bit about formulation about wet dog products in particular and why, it's cool that they're made here. I love that that they're made in Minnesota. But what is it like? I I don't even know, like, some people don't even wash their dogs, right? They just either take them to a salon or once a year, they get thrown into the lake?

Heather Johnson [00:02:42]:

Yeah. well, our our pet product is super cool. well, because we have flower power in it. And that just simply is the essence of rescue remedy. So during the bath, people get anxious too because we're not used to bringing our pet to the bathroom. And so they kind of feed off of that. So it's relaxing for both the pet owner and for the pet.

Stephanie [00:03:04]:

And you've got a shampoo, a conditioner. And is there another type of spray too?

Heather Johnson [00:03:09]:

Yep. We have a detangling spray and it's, like, a skin conditioner as well. So it helps for dry itchy or flaky skin.

Stephanie [00:03:17]:

When you have pets, like, how often should you be bathing them?

Heather Johnson [00:03:23]:

well, that's gonna depend upon your pets. Sometimes you have a guy that loves to get outside and roll around in the dirt and mud and just kind of be adventurous. those pets are product is safe to use on them as much as you'd like. because it is all natural. we've taken out all of the parabens sulfates, peanut wheat, gluten, and dye. And, so again, it's safe for your pet to use every day. It has a very high quality of oatmeal protein, so it's excellent for their skin and their coat. and then you could just have a guy that's real, you know, wants to be a laptop. I think at your own discretion, if you notice, like, that wet dog smell, maybe you might want to consider a bath. and those little, you know, we call it a spa day and make it real special for them.

Stephanie [00:04:11]:

Oh, that's cute. I never thought about that giving the old Stanley a spa day, but I suppose why not? Exactly. Is there a competition? Is this a competitive market this product?

Heather Johnson [00:04:24]:

I would say that shampoo in general is kind of competitive. It's kinda hard to, you know, reinvent the wheel for shampooing, so to say, But what really makes us stand out is that our product is a 100% sourced in the United States. as you know, in the United States, we have very standards when it comes to, what goes into products that we use on our body or and or consume. So you're guaranteed that you're gonna have nothing but high quality ingredients, and you're going to be supporting, a

Stephanie [00:04:59]:

family owned business in the United States and in Minnesota. So when you are going into your sales and marketing pitch, like, is it do you try to get this product on, like, you know, more boutique stores, or are you, like, trying to get it into the pet smarts of the world? And how challenging is it for a small business to compete with, you know, some of the bigger guys?

Heather Johnson [00:05:23]:

well, we're we're in the process of of doing a lot of marketing locally, we have partnered with, Jerry SUPERVALU. So we're working in local, family owned businesses at this time. but, yeah, it is a competitive market. And, you know, making yourself stand out is you know, something that you have to work on daily. You have to build trust with the consumer, and you have to back your you have to, you know, every day go out and, and give the best, the best to everybody. Or otherwise, you know, if you lose trust, you're not gonna make it very far.

Stephanie [00:06:01]:

Right. And is there other like product lines or extensions that you guys have explored? Or I love it that you're at Jerry super value. They do a really good job of supporting Minnesota makers. And, they're a great family business as well. But Can you, like, is it hard to get traction, or can you get traction with a couple of products and then expand the line, or is the goal really to just get this these three items in as many stores as possible?

Heather Johnson [00:06:30]:

you know what? We're always looking at growing our brand. we're always looking at, you know, what what do our pets need, you know, things evolve and, and we kind of we want to keep a pulse on the industry so that we can be competitive in the marketplace. So I would say we're always looking to grow. We're always looking to improve our And, you know, with that in mind, you know, we keep our eyes wide open in the industry. So we can, again, be competitive.

Stephanie [00:07:00]:

What's your biggest marketing challenge so far?

Heather Johnson [00:07:04]:

Oh, gosh. Our biggest marketing challenge so far I would say is, just really getting the word out, to all the people, not just in Minnesota, is growing our, our product brand throughout the United States. and by doing that, we have started working with, USA Made products. we're talking right now with the army and the air force reserves to be in their PX stores for American May products, as well as in the New York market. We're in the made in the USA store, which is pretty cool.

Stephanie [00:07:40]:

Yeah. That is cool. when you think about just how different it is like because you're not really marketing to dogs. You're marketing to the families of dogs. Is it women or men or who's your primary target?

Heather Johnson [00:07:55]:

Oh gosh. I think it's pretty equal between, men and women. it you would be surprised when we're at the state fair and that that civilian, that it's across the board. Anybody who loves their pet has a ton of questions for us. They wanna know about our product line, and they will spend 10 more dollars on their pet every single time if it's for the best interest of their pet.

Stephanie [00:08:21]:

Yeah. Probably more than they would spend on themselves in some cases.

Heather Johnson [00:08:26]:

Absolutely. I have definitely seen that.

Stephanie [00:08:29]:

Is the pet pavilion a sales opportunity for you, or do you use it as marketing or both?

Heather Johnson [00:08:35]:

I would say both. We've been, at the Minnesota State Bear since

Stephanie [00:08:40]:

2012.

Heather Johnson [00:08:43]:

we see a lot of repeat people that will come in that have to show us pictures of their pet every year, where they've been with their pet every year. And so the connection with everybody in Minnesota is fantastic. we love getting out and shaking hands and, you know, meeting everybody and hearing their pet stories. And then, of course, we all take the opportunity to sell our product and get it in the hands of, pet parents everywhere so that they can go home and, again, do the spa day with their fur baby.

Stephanie [00:09:13]:

If people wanna try a wet dog right now besides Jerry's, what's the best way for them to get it?

Heather Johnson [00:09:20]:

they can go online wet dashdog.com, and they can order from us. What's super cool about that is that with every online order, we give 5% back to a dog rescue every month. this month, it's pause for pause. and like I said, so if you order directly from us, we do give back to at charities. And also, you can find a list of all of our, retail partners on our social media as well as on our website.

Stephanie [00:09:51]:

I love it. And what's your social media handle so people can follow you guys?

Heather Johnson [00:09:55]:

It is Wet Dog, w e t d o g.

Stephanie [00:09:58]:

Okay. Simple is that. Alright. How's that? Yeah. Well, I'm excited. I'm gonna check out your products. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to get by your booth at the Fair. get to face to face. Yes. Yes. thank you for reaching out, and thanks for being a Minnesota maker. We're excited about it.

Heather Johnson [00:10:17]:

Thank you so much. I was so happy to be here and meet you today.

Stephanie [00:10:20]:

For sure. Thanks, Heather.

Heather Johnson [00:10:21]:

Thank you.

Stephanie [00:10:22]:

Okay. Bye bye.

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Nosh Posh (Season 5 Episode 30) Sep 08, 2023

On today's episode, we dive into snack foods with Nosh Posh. With a focus on unique and healthy products, Tatiana Freeman brings her passion for Bi-POC and Women-owned businesses into an innovative snack vending machine, corporate gift box, and snack subscription business. We will explore her experiences with social media, the importance of resilience and resourcefulness, and the plans for expansion and partnerships. Stay tuned for an exciting and inspiring episode of Makers of Minnesota with Nosh Posh’s Tatiana Freeman.

SHOW TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS:

Stephanie [00:00:12]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to the makers of Minnesota Podcast where we talk to cool people doing cool things, And this cool thing I saw for the very first time at Modern Well. I saw it at Modern Well. I walked in the door. I'm a monthly contributor there. And the first thing I noticed was this cool new space age looking vending machine called Nash Pache, and I'm here today with Tatiana Freeman, and she is the founder of Nash Posh. And I have to say the cool vending machine aside What a great concept to help Minnesota makers and BIPOC and women owned businesses get exposure by helping group them together into something that is more than the sum of their individual parts. Thanks for being here today.

Tatiana Freeman [00:00:59]:

Yeah. So excited, to be here, and thank you for connecting with me.

Stephanie [00:01:03]:

Yeah. How did you think of this idea?

Tatiana Freeman [00:01:07]:

so I was actually working in housing at the neighborhood house, which I really enjoyed that work, But I wanted something different. I was working in an office during COVID, and I just realized going back into the office space was not for me. and so I was, you know, kind of in transition. I was like, okay, what am I gonna do now? Like, I can't go back to sitting at a desk, 9 to

Stephanie [00:01:29]:

5.

Tatiana Freeman [00:01:30]:

and so I was actually and I know this is, like, not the impressive story that life people, I feel like, hope to hear, but I was at home, and it was dinner time, and I typically eat out pretty regularly, but, you know, spending 30 to 50 bucks, you know, every night for a salad was, like, not something I wanted to do. And so I was like, I just want a salad and why is it so hard? Like, why do I have to go to a restaurant to get a good quality salad? I went to the next day. I was just like, I'm just gonna start a business. I'm gonna, you know, connect people with the type of foods I wanna eat. And I started doing all this research and the rest of his history. So

Stephanie [00:02:05]:

-- And you kinda settled in on snacks and particular. And you have snack boxes that you can ship to people, you have subscription boxes, the vending machine, and then You have specific types of snacks in these boxes, so get more into the methodology of why you pick what you pick.

Tatiana Freeman [00:02:25]:

Sure. So, I knew when I first started, we were actually looking at doing, like, a convenience store concept. And so we're gonna host a pop up, get interest in that. but finding a venue was really hard. and so we started doing tabling and people were consistently asking for how they access the product. and so that's how we created the snack box.

Speaker C [00:02:45]:

and so we've kind of made some tweaks to

Tatiana Freeman [00:02:47]:

it over the last year and a half or so, but essentially, the target market right now is meeting boxes because we have a lot of corporate clients that wanna have, you know, tasty treats, especially in the morning that aren't pastries. And so we have, like, a morning tailored option that has, like, breakfast cookies, bars in it. And then we have, like, our favorite box that our favorite box that has some of our life best sellers in it. And essentially, like, you can have that shipped to your home or your work, and so that you can have access to those snacks without having to go to Costco or Target. and they're fun. A lot of products that we carry are not things that you would typically see. So I really enjoy, like, you know, scouring Instagram and constantly researching and testing all these new products to bring them all together for, NashBot shoppers.

Stephanie [00:03:33]:

Can you give me an example of some of the items in your favorites box? that are just one in different?

Tatiana Freeman [00:03:40]:

Sure. So we have our simply fruit bites. I don't know if a lot of people are familiar, but they make gum. and so they also create, like, different, candy items. And so they create this really nice fruit bite that's similar to, like, a fruit snack but way better. we also have the pit corn cheese balls in there, which if you're a big, you know, crunchy snack cheese ball person, they're favorites, kids like them, then there would also be like a bar in there typically. So like Blender bombs has a really nice selection of different flavors.

Stephanie [00:04:10]:

With all those different kinds of snacks that you pick and the research that you do, what are the characteristics that you're looking for from a vendor? we have a lot of makers that listen to this program, and maybe they would be a candidate for you.

Speaker C [00:04:23]:

Yeah. So I would say we've been really fortunate that, all the products seem to visually kind of fit well together. And so a lot of times people assume that I create them, and so it's really nice in terms of packaging and the see the colors and everything that it all kind of fits together because I want it to be synonymous with the brand. But other than that, we're looking for products that don't use artificial ingredients that are kind of niche. They can be kind of re, like, you know, innovative favorites. So maybe you take something that people are familiar with, but maybe you use different flavor profiles. we also like to appeal to people that have some dietary restrictions. So vegan, you know, paleo, kosher, some of those things that, just kind of create access for more people. But at the core, we wanna just make sure they're not using artificial ingredients, you know, if it can be organic, great. and then just trying to take that health aspect into consideration what type of ingredients are they using? No, you know, preservatives and so I think for us looking into the future, I definitely wanna, start sharing more information about the nutrition ingredients so that people are just better educated on how to snack well as well?

Stephanie [00:05:34]:

You have many different types of way to enter the business model. Right? You have the subscription box, you have meeting boxes. do you do like a holiday box too? Is that something that you're interested in? And then I'm specifically to 2 in the vending machine itself. Like, whether you bought one off the rack or whether you founded it.

Speaker C [00:05:54]:

Sure. So, we do have a holiday box last year was the 1st year we did it, and it went really well. and so that should be coming out in November and will be available through January. And so that's a great client gift. I think that, you know, a lot of people have their go to for who they purchase gifts from. And so we're really excited to kind of be more visible when people are looking at, you know, sending their clients, gifts, friends, and family. in terms of vending, So it was actually really tricky. I was actually gonna go with another company that had more of a refrigerator style configuration. but looking at snacks that didn't really make sense. and so we ended up, my uncle actually sent me the link for discount vending, and so they customized the machine, they wrap it in our design, and they can also, you know, custom fit product, the machine to fit the products that we carry. So that's been really great, because you think that just looking at a machine, everything is gonna work well and smooth. but that's not always the case. So being able to, like, send them the products and make sure that everything bins well has been really helpful.

Stephanie [00:06:58]:

And how many of these do you have around the Twin Cities and are you in other markets too?

Speaker C [00:07:03]:

Yeah. We're only currently in Minneapolis, right now. So we have 6 machines, and there are one at each of Coco's locations, the wilderness, modern well, FinnLab and then lucky shots pick a ball club.

Stephanie [00:07:18]:

Oh, and so co working is obviously a big piece to your business. Also, the pandemic in some respects might have helped you because people are still having all these Zoom meetings. And there's nothing exciting about a Zoom meeting, but a snack box makes it a little bit more.

Speaker C [00:07:34]:

Yeah. So, that was kind of the reason I went with the co working as the you know, the access point just because I knew we were in this changing work environment. And so I said, well, if you're not at home, you're likely gonna be kinda seeking out these coworking spaces. And so we've been really fortunate, you know, in the twin cities to build those relationships. And so I wanna continue to expand in the co working space, but then also start kind of moving towards more sporting facilities and luxury apartments.

Stephanie [00:08:01]:

Oh, that makes total sense. Now you were in an incubator group. that kinda helped with your launching. Can you talk a little bit about that experience?

Speaker C [00:08:09]:

Yeah. So I've kind of

Tatiana Freeman [00:08:11]:

I've kind of been

Speaker C [00:08:12]:

a part of a lot of the program locally, everything from, you know, women venture to NDC, META. but I did participate in lunar, which I think was probably the most beneficial program that I've done. And I would say just the name recognition that Looner has in the 20 cities is always super helpful as well as the 101 coach that you receive. I think that, you know, it's a network that you build and you can kind of come back to throughout your journey. And so that's also been really helpful. And then lately, I've been kind of plugging in with naturally MN. I went to the event the other day at, FinLab, and it was such a great experience. So you kinda have be strategic with your time in terms of, like, if I'm gonna go to something feeling like I'm getting value out of it. And so it's always rewarding. you know, if you can either connect with other founders or just get really useful information.

Stephanie [00:09:03]:

Can you tell me some people are knowledge seekers, which I think I would put you in that category. And then other people kind of try to figure it out themselves and go to the knowledge as the second piece. They wanna figure it out themselves first. What is it about being a knowledge seeker and what have you learned from networking with all these different types of groups? Have you gotten financing? Have you been able to make your journey to where you're trying to go move along faster?

Speaker C [00:09:32]:

Yeah. So I I've, I adopted kind of the mantra early on that if I could get someone to do something for me for less than what I would pay myself to do that. And so, you know, when you start running a business, I had no idea what I was doing. And so it's it's a lot of stress for me because I'm a person that wants to do well at things, but I knew that it didn't make sense to throw energy at things. I had no idea what is doing. So I did get a bookkeeper pretty early. I did bring on social media support pretty early. and so sometimes you just have to have that their real moment with yourself and say, I don't know what I'm doing. This is not my lane. And so to bring on the kind of support that you need to kind of carry that for you, but I'd say you always have to be willing to pivot and seek out additional resources because you cannot do it all on your own. And so I think really important to just con to continuously ask for support and not be afraid of saying, hey. I need help. and then also kind of piggybacking with other founders in terms of like, how can we help one another and and share even if it's just a text like, hey, I know Kobe co, Tasha, from Kobe co and I share resource time because you can't watch every newsletter and you can't go to every program. So just kinda building your network as well in terms of other founders and sharing what you find and and kinda bouncing ideas off of each other is always really, really helpful for me.

Stephanie [00:10:58]:

I think social media is a hard thing for people to outsource because you can do it yourself. really anyone can. And there are certain people that are better at it. Some people just feel like, oh, I gotta post. What Like, at what point were you like, okay, I know I'm gonna have to pay someone to do this for me well, but that, even though, like, I can't it's like hard to track. Like, you sold this bag of snacks from this post, but what made you decide to outsource that piece in particular?

Speaker C [00:11:32]:

Yeah. So I'm not a social media person. I mean, I post, semi regularly. I don't really use my my personal page anymore. I've kind of just transition to kind of focusing on the business, but I knew it wasn't something that was, like, natural to me. And so we brought on support pretty early because again, we were looking hosting an event. And so building like the awareness, you know, creating the name recognition was huge. and Honestly, it can be an expensive thing that you can't really see tangible results from, but you have to keep pushing that ball up the hill. And so I spent a lot of money you know, the 1st year, just monthly having someone do that. And some people would say, don't do it. Just do it yourself, but as a founder, you have so many things to do. that just wasn't the top of my list or something that I felt like was a strength. So that's why I, you know, made the decision to outsource. And, I mean, I bootstrapped, so This was money out of my own pocket that I spent, you know, paying someone else when I wasn't even getting paid, just because I thought I would be more valuable for the brand.

Stephanie [00:12:37]:

How many years have you been in business? A little over 2. A little over 2. And are you paying yourself yet? No. which is, you know, not uncommon, and I guess that's kinda why I asked because it takes a while Sometimes it takes people anywhere from 3 to 5 before they kind of start to pay themselves. and you have to just keep moving forward and figuring out the resources that you need. And you'll get there, but it does just take a while. And I like people to hear that because you have to save up some money or have some resources in order to take this journey. It's not for the faint of heart.

Speaker C [00:13:16]:

No. And, I mean, when I started it, I'm a person that's, like, by any means necessary. Like, we're gonna get this done. And so if that meant working 3 jobs, like, that's what it took. and so it wasn't like, you know, a fun thing to do, but, like, getting funding is so difficult. And so, you know, you get all excited. You have this do. You run to everyone. You plug in the resources. And most of the time, you're gonna be told no early on. And so I just didn't allow that to be, you know, something that tried me, it was like, okay. Well, I need $2000. I can earn $2000. So just continuously being, you know, resilient through You're gonna be frustrated. You're not gonna know what you're gonna do, but you figure it out.

Stephanie [00:13:56]:

Was, women venture or media or some of those places you mentioned helpful in establishing financing?

Speaker C [00:14:03]:

I would say women venture has been really good in terms of, like, events. we do their, women mean business marketplace every year. That's always fun. I really love Leanne as a leader of that organization. We didn't get any funding from them. we did get a grant in partnership with META. I think it was to elevate together, and I feel like META is added a lot of value as well in the the last year just in terms of we did the hackathon through 3M, some other other programming. So, While it hasn't necessarily always been direct funding, I I try to stay plugged into, you know, every organization because sometimes it's an event or you can, you know, leverage someone that you know there for recommendations, which I think in terms of building your clientele, the referral business is always like a key piece. And so that's kinda what we're getting back to now is who can I connect to to make you know, an intro for me to kinda, you know, build our business and our clientele.

Stephanie [00:15:02]:

People that are listening to this story they can help you? Like, are there things that top of mind that you need help with? Like, people could contact you if they wanna have a machine in their office space? What other kinds of things are you looking for that if people are listening, have resources they can connect you with?

Speaker C [00:15:19]:

Yeah. So I'd say our first priority is gonna be hiring an inventory support specialist, and so being able to kind of offload some of the tasks that I'm still doing, and inventory management is key. and then also if you know, you know, a small to medium sized business, 20 to a 100 employees looking for snacks in their space, whether that's a meeting box, or our workplace snack program. we are definitely interested in, expanding the number of locations we serve. and then, again, co working really would be nice to add, you know, probably 4 to 5 machines over the next year. and so super excited about doing that. We have a new catering partner So that's on the horizon. Tell me about that. Yeah. So we'll be working with Chopped and served. and so I'm super excited about that. Amani and I have been kind of connecting, modern world's owner, Julie is the one who actually connected us because I was like, I don't know who to connect with, what rest on to go to. I did know who was FEMA or BIPOC owned. and so that was really nice to check-in with Julian and say, hey, do you know someone? and so we'll be, doing a tasting actually at modern wall for that in the next month. And then we'll kind of test out those prepared items probably at 3 of our locations before that we expand into all

Stephanie [00:16:33]:

6. So these are gonna be taking you in a different direction, which is more, fresh ingredient type?

Speaker C [00:16:42]:

Yeah. So, I knew I always wanted that, especially in coworking. especially Minnesota where you might be locked inside for half the year. and so we've slowly been adding things. We had Galliant Tiger's Uncrustable Sandwich. we have life juices, cold pressed juice, and then we also have sunny. it's like an adult adult style lunchable. And so we'll be kind of adding like a grain bowl, some egg bites, those sort of things just to kind of give some more substantive items So that once you get to your space, you don't have to leave or DoorDash. and so I'm really excited to find, you know, a great partner that shares the values that I have and then gonna really pay attention to innovative and quality ingredients.

Stephanie [00:17:25]:

And can those items go in your same existing machine profile with the packaged goods?

Speaker C [00:17:30]:

Yeah. So, we're kinda modeling some of the packaging off of

Stephanie [00:17:34]:

1

Speaker C [00:17:34]:

of the, microwavable grain bowls that we have that's typically along the bottom. So, again, fingers crossed. You hope that everything will bend. We'll do a lot of testing, and that's why we're gonna kinda slowly roll it out. but I want people to, be able to go to the machine and get a full meal essentially and feel, you know, like, wow, I didn't, you know, have to bring anything today and, like, I didn't have to stop in Donald's or spend forty bucks for lunch. So I'm really excited, to be able to kind of continue to add value with what we offer.

Stephanie [00:18:06]:

Let me give you just a thought, these media companies. So the TV stations, the radio stations, they end up having people that are working 24 hours and can't in a news cycle, like, let's say something there's a storm or something's happening, people can't leave. So that would be a good resource. The, I work at 3 different media companies, and the lunchroom offerings at most are pretty sad. So this could be like a perfect type of, person to carry something that has some fresh items in it.

Speaker C [00:18:41]:

Cool. That's a great oh, and I have another thing that I'm noodling. I'm looking to do something with movie theaters. because I feel like every time I take my daughter out, like, the snacks are so depressing. so there are any theaters, you know, that I would love to partner so that we can do a snack pack. I'm so excited to start working on that and to launch that next summer.

Stephanie [00:19:03]:

Oh, yeah. Cause man theaters is local. And there's the Minnesota film, board or Minnesota, what is it, International Film Festival, someone owns the San Anthony Maine group, and that's Schoquel, and they are all invested in international and diverse filmmaking. So that could be a good fit for you. Okay. well, great. It was super nice to talk to you. I really am excited about your products. I will keep my eye on the modern well machine to see what's new and interesting. but it's been great to talk to you and you have a lot of great energy around this and I wish you the most success.

Speaker C [00:19:43]:

Thank you so much for having me.

Stephanie [00:19:45]:

Yeah. Thanks, Tatiana, and we'll talk soon. Alrighty. Okay. Bye bye.

Speaker C [00:19:49]:

Bye.

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Janet's Finest Compotes (Season 5 Episode 29) Sep 01, 2023

On this episode of Makers of Minnesota, we hear from Angela Comeck and Jessica Ammel, daughters of Janet Birkin, as they share how they turned their family recipe into Janet’s Finest Compotes, a successful company. They discuss the unique flavors of their compotes, the difference between jelly and compote, and how they maintain high standards of quality set by their mother. The guests discuss their unexpected success during the pandemic, their direct-to-consumer growth, and how cheeseboard preferences have changed. Tune in to hear their journey and learn how they became the premier jam brand for cheeseboards on Instagram.

SHOW TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS:Stephanie [00:00:12]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to the makers of Minnesota podcast, where we talk to cool people doing cool things. Today we have Angela comeck, and we have Jessica AMMEL, and they are the daughters of janet birkin, and the name of their product is janet's compotes. And I have to hear how you guys decided that janet's product was so worthy that you wanted to start a company behind it, because this has been like, a family recipe for a long time. So let's see how you guys got started.

Angela Kmeck [00:00:50]:

First of all, thanks for having us on. This is really she actually created the products in forever ago when we were teenagers, so we were her kind of little guinea pigs when she was just kind of, like, playing around in the kitchen. She just loved to cook. She's still around. She's still our best friend. That was real interesting. She kind of struck on gold in the 90s when spicy wasn't really that popular in the midwest, so kind of getting this sweet and spicy combination was unique and pretty cool at the time. Angel, I don't know if you want to give a little couple of minutes.

Jessica Amel [00:01:44]:

Yes. Hi. Thank you so much for having me. So she actually grew her business in a commercial kitchen. She moved out of our house, the one that we were growing up in. She lived in the house, but she moved the production out, obviously. And she really grew the business out of her commercial kitchen, which was just a few blocks away from our house. And she was shipping all over the country to gift shops and specialty food shops until she retired in 2017. And she said, if you want the recipes, you can have them. There's no pressure. Jessica and I were both doing different things at the time, and we both had kids, but we were like, yeah, we'll do it. Of course, knowing nothing about how much work was going to go into it. So we actually renamed the company after her because why not? We had the opportunity, the time to change. And we always say she's the finest. So janet's finest compotes makes sense, and it also not just sort of honoring our mom, but also being able to honor her legacy of what she had built, that she always did things the right way to the finest. And so even now, when we're doing things, it's like, that's not Janet's finest. We really make sure that our quality is high and kind of everything we do, we sort of set this bar from our mom.

Stephanie [00:03:11]:

A compote is different than a jam or a jelly in what way?

Angela Kmeck [00:03:20]:

I'll describe, a jelly really is made from fruit juices. The bulk of the fruit is strained out, and you're left with the juices, which are then processed with pectin, and it's delicious. A compo, however, is started with whole fruit, and it remains as a part of the ingredients the whole way through so what you end up with are the textural elements, like the seeds and parts of the fruit in there that kind of give it a little bit.

Stephanie [00:04:00]:

More oomph, if you will, and your current flavors. I know the Blueberry Jalapeno is a big seller, but you also have is it Raspberry Habanero?

Jessica Amel [00:04:11]:

Actually, all of our this is my sisters. We talk over each other. All of our compotes are just Jalapeno. We don't use any other kinds of peppers. We are still using just our mom's recipes. So that's what she used. Raspberry Jalapeno is our best seller. And then Cranberry Jalapeno is actually our second bestseller, which is something that a lot of people don't think about. We think it's super unique, but especially for the holidays and entertaining in the fall, it's just a really unique flavor that she came up with, which, of course, we always ask, how did you do this? And she's like, I don't know. Typical Midwestern woman. So humble, so true.

Stephanie [00:04:53]:

Now, as we've matured in our palate, since the Food Network came on board, we are having boards and cheese and Shakuta platters. But in the day, how were people using the compuls? Were they using it in the same way, or has it changed over time?

Angela Kmeck [00:05:15]:

It's funny how things have evolved. She always said it's best over a block of cream cheese. And so that was sort of the easy Midwest kind of cheese board back then, like in the she still loves it. A lot of people love it. We've kind of moved forward and we think that goat cheese and Gouda and some of the other cheeses that are more available now than back in the day are also really great pairings and what we see a lot more on the cheese board these days.

Stephanie [00:05:55]:

Were you able to retain a lot of Janet's original accounts? And then how did you build on that? Or how are you building on that moving forward?

Jessica Amel [00:06:07]:

Yeah, we have I mean, it took us a little bit of time to get back to her level. We did retain a lot of her accounts because it was so relational. She had so many amazing relationships with her customers. And for us, customer service is really high on importance. So the quality of our ingredients, the quality of our product, and then paired with just good old fashioned good customer service, we actually have retained a lot of her customers, wouldn't you say, Jessica? And then this crazy thing happened during COVID We had made this grand plan that we were going to grow, and here's how we were going to grow. And then COVID hit. And so, like everybody else, you take a few weeks to go, let's go watch Netflix for a little bit, and then now let's go assess how we're going to do this. I think we made plan B-C-D-E-F that year and what ended up happening. And I have to give a little bit of credit to Jessica here on this one, is that we sent samples to, I think, like, eight cheese board makers on Instagram. And we were pretty new to Instagram at the time. We're both in our 40s, full disclosure. So we hadn't been on Instagram before. That not a lot, at least. But anyway, so we met, for example, Kelsey from the board Loon locally, and then several others nationwide. And then out of nowhere, we became kind of the premier jam brand for cheeseboards on Instagram. And so we had built a website out, and we started selling wholesale off our website to these cheeseboard makers all over the country. And, I mean, that first year we sold I don't even know what percentage, like, so much more than we thought we would ever do. In fact, they asked, can you make smaller jars? Can you make mini jars? We need some for our small cheese boards. We need some for our medium size. And so our jar size actually changed. Our product changed because of this, which was such a shock. So, anyway, your long answer to your question of how are we growing, that was the next step, and it was not the plan. But it has been incredible, actually, because now we're doing kind of backwards where we're getting on shelves after having an explosive growth via straight to direct to consumer.

Stephanie [00:08:39]:

That is a pretty cool story. That probably couldn't have happened without the pandemic because cheese boards in general sort of branched out during the pandemic because it was one thing that you could buy or arrange or have or deliver to feel like you're having this communal experience because we were all having these weird food experiences, for sure. Can you guys talk about were you nominated or did you apply for a Good Food Award?

Angela Kmeck [00:09:11]:

We have not. We recently became a Good Food member just a few months ago. So we did miss the window for the Good Food Awards. Definitely one of our goals.

Stephanie [00:09:25]:

Yeah, because I can see your product is really a premium flavor and it's unique, and I can see that being a good next step for you.

Jessica Amel [00:09:34]:

We did attend the Good Food Awards, though, in April, and that was super fun just to be around that community and the people who care, really passionate about quality food. That was awesome.

Stephanie [00:09:45]:

Were there any products that you encountered there that you've just not been able to get out of your mind or you thought were excellent?

Jessica Amel [00:09:54]:

My gosh, they had the smorgasborg the first night for all of us. Yeah, we're both like remembering it. I mean, it was unbelievable. Like, the cheeses and just the chocolates and the way things all interconnected. It was overwhelming.

Stephanie [00:10:08]:

Stephanie, to be honest, I love it. That sounds amazing.

Angela Kmeck [00:10:11]:

It was. You should come with us next time.

Stephanie [00:10:14]:

Yeah, I think I'm angling for an invite here. Okay, so your mom is still around and are you guys making your own products in a commercial kitchen, or do you make them through a distributor at this point? Or a copacker?

Angela Kmeck [00:10:29]:

Yeah, right now we're using a copacker in Minneapolis northeast, and that has been a wonderful experience for us. We've been with them for about a year and a half. It feels really nice to contribute to the Minnesota community in that way. Sure. Long term goals are to have our own facility. We would love to have that. We're just not quite there yet. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:10:57]:

And I'm happy to hear you say you've had a good experience with your copacker, because in a product setting, some people don't have such a great experience right away. It takes them a long time to get their product refined in exactly the right way. But it sounds like your experience was pretty good.

Angela Kmeck [00:11:14]:

Yeah, knock on wood. Thankfully, right?

Stephanie [00:11:17]:

Besides the Internet, where can people find your products in Minnesota?

Angela Kmeck [00:11:25]:

Angela, want to take that one?

Jessica Amel [00:11:27]:

Yeah. So we recently joined the Kowalski's cheese counters. So every Kowalski's location has our compotes, and we are blown away by their support. A lot of times they're right up front. We keep seeing the displays when we're delivering. It's like, oh, my gosh. So we're having so much fun getting to know their cheesemongers because they are awesome. And it's not me, actually. It's Jessica who's doing that, who's been delivering. So I can't take any credit for that. And we're at cruise market also and looking forward to getting on some other shelves in the city.

Stephanie [00:12:04]:

Yeah, and selling wholesale to all these people making boards, which there is a lot of them. I just interviewed the greater good at Minnesota. I don't know if you guys work with her yet, but have we worked with greater?

Jessica Amel [00:12:17]:

I can't remember.

Stephanie [00:12:18]:

Yeah. She's cute.

Jessica Amel [00:12:20]:

Cool. We'll have to meet her. That's our people.

Stephanie [00:12:24]:

All right, well, it has been super fun to talk to you. Thanks for reaching out. I'm a big canner, and I like making my own stuff, so I think it's really cool that you're taking your mom's recipe and not even changing it. Just kind of helping spread the word. And also Janet's finest. I don't know that I'm going to get that out of my head. Like, what would Janet do? How you think about quality and just thinking about doing the right thing, because sometimes it's hard to remind yourself to do the right thing when there's shortcuts that you could take. My mom has died a while ago, so I think I might just adopt Janet for a while.

Jessica Amel [00:13:09]:

She's everybody's mom. Yeah, I love that idea.

Stephanie [00:13:12]:

Yeah. We all need a mom too, right?

Angela Kmeck [00:13:15]:

We do.

Stephanie [00:13:16]:

I love it. Guys, thanks for joining me today. It's been super on.

Jessica Amel [00:13:20]:

Thanks so much for having us.

Stephanie [00:13:21]:

All right, we'll talk soon.

Angela Kmeck [00:13:23]:

Okay.

Jessica Amel [00:13:31]:

Thanks

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United Goods (Season 5 Episode 28) Aug 25, 2023

Welcome back to Makers of Minnesota! Today, we have a special guest, Christie Johnson, the creative mind behind United Goods. Christie is a talented artist who shares her passion for illustration and collaboration in her work. Christie's journey in the art world has been filled with surprises and successes, from her notebook filled with ideas to her unique artwork that can't be found in big box stores. Tune in as we delve into her story, from her beginnings in greeting cards and event design to her participation in the Stone Arch Bridge Festival, where she connects with a community of fellow artists. We'll also explore Christie's love for drawing people's houses, pets, and landmarks while maintaining creative control over her prints. Stay tuned for an inspiring conversation with Christie Johnson, the creative force behind United Goods.

SHOW TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS:

Stephanie [00:00:12]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to the makers of Minnesota Podcast where we talk to cool people doing cool things. And today, I'm talking to Christie Johnson, and her company is called United Goods, and your company is a funny name because it doesn't sound at all like what it is that you do. Did you ever get that from anyone? I haven't,

Christie Johnson [00:00:31]:

because it fits more than what it was when first began, which was red shoes 26. Okay. I love this. So,

Stephanie [00:00:39]:

Christy, will you explain how you describe your company? Because you're an artist, you're a designer, and I have a couple of your pieces. And I just want I know when you describe it that people listening will know who you are.

Christie Johnson [00:00:53]:

So I make, what I call state icons. They're little, framed illustrations that focus on the US landmarks. So I draw anything from the really well known to the quirky ones that only the locals would know.

Stephanie [00:01:10]:

So, like, the Corn Palace.

Christie Johnson [00:01:13]:

Right. That's one. I have that one. Yep. First Avenue, you know, Paul and Babe and then some dive bars and things that have been closed for years that people miss. So they like to, you know, have that little reminisce moment when they see it hanging in there. Yes. I think I have the Monte Carlo.

Stephanie [00:01:33]:

That's on my dad's dresser. And he has since passed, but his wife keeps it on the dresser because that's where they met. we have First Avenue that someone gave me as a gift. You're just you really capture with your illustrations, the essence of a lot of these places. How did you get started originally?

Christie Johnson [00:01:54]:

I worked for a while at Minneapolis St. Paul magazine.

Stephanie [00:01:57]:

Oh, you did? I did I meet you there? I don't think so.

Christie Johnson [00:02:02]:

in special sections. So I did, writing and editing for the, advertising sections. And a coworker of mine, hired me to do her wedding invitations because I used to do a lot of that kind of thing. And, then after I left, she reached out to see if I could draw some they're, called they're little table cards, like escort cards, They were doing teacher in the wedding issue of the magazine. And I said I had never done them, but I would dream up with some concepts and send her ideas. So, I came up with this couple getting married in Minneapolis, and they were gonna have a Minneapolis themed wedding. So I drew these teeny little illustrations of spoon, bridge, and cherry, and the Fauci, and things like that. And I just really love drawing them, so I just kept doing it even after that hit the newsstands and everything.

Stephanie [00:02:56]:

So how long have you had this business?

Christie Johnson [00:03:00]:

It'll be 20 years in October. Wow.

Stephanie [00:03:04]:

And did you ever think, like, when you started doing illustration that this would be, like, a business versus just like a hobby?

Christie Johnson [00:03:13]:

No. I was doing greeting cards And like I said, a lot of the event and wedding stationery, so that was kind of the track I was rolling down and enjoying it lot of logos and branding and stuff too. So I was just sort of doing that as my main gig and then the illustration stuff on the side. And I said, I would never ever do art shows because that seemed like so much work, but I had a bunch of friends that did them. So I thought I'll just try one and see how it goes. And I did them for, well, I still do pop ups and things like that. But so, yeah, it snowballs. Yeah. And they became a business because people like them, I like drawing them, and it just kept growing and growing. I was doing art shows in other states, so then I would draw things from those states. And it throughout of Minnesota to be all US?

Stephanie [00:04:02]:

Yes. So you start with an illustration, and then do you make multiples. How do you tell me about your process?

Christie Johnson [00:04:11]:

Yeah. I draw everything with a mouse. So their digital illustration to begin with. And I actually draw them at the small size that they're printed, the finished product. I've always drawn really small ever since I was a little kid. So that was just sort of natural. And, so, yeah, I draw them with a mouse on the computer and then I print them from my home studio. I, like, have the control of the colors and everything. And then my parents make the little wood frames for them. So they think so, you know, and I collect them from them in shoe boxes. That's how we transfer the product back and forth. And then I, so I put my little prints in the frames, and then they're complete. How did that process of them making the frames begin? Well, I went to a big box store when first started because I was like, there's no way I'm gonna find frames for this small print. So I thought I was gonna have to make them bigger, but I did find a little frame that I liked, but then as it grew, the business kind of grew the that store couldn't keep up with me. I was driving around all over the twin cities trying to buy all the frames that they had on the store shelves. So I was frustrated by that and mentioned it to my dad who was just a part time for fun woodworker, and he was a electrical engineer by trade. And so he said, I'll try to make them for you, and it took off from there. They're still making them for me. My dad retired from his job.

Stephanie [00:05:43]:

like, 10 years ago now, but, I keep him very, very busy, and my mom hand paints every single one. Okay. I love this. So in their retirement, it's given them, like, something to stay active. And, I mean, that's so important. Right?

Christie Johnson [00:05:59]:

Sure. Yeah. Most things they like it. Most some things they don't.

Stephanie [00:06:04]:

Yeah. And plus communication with their daughter and helping her seed. That's so sweet. I love that part of your story.

Christie Johnson [00:06:10]:

It's so it's important to me that everything is handmade. I always wanted that, but I just thought I would never ever find anybody to make them. So good old dad. Yeah. Now do you ever beer from

Stephanie [00:06:24]:

landmarks into, like, I don't know, pets or other types of illustrations?

Christie Johnson [00:06:30]:

Yeah. I have done that over the years and only just recently started kind of advertising that I do it. so I'll draw people's houses. I really like doing that. And then pets have been something I've been doing. it's expanded a little bit into, like, I did a TV show landmark series last year and then a few movie landmarks. So that's something I might continue to do. And then every once in a while, I do something just that I want to draw pop culture, maybe, like, Bernie Sanders at the inauguration

Stephanie [00:07:04]:

and things like that. Yeah. And sitting in the chair with the mitten

Christie Johnson [00:07:08]:

looking miserable. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:07:11]:

Yeah. I love all that, and that's I think part of what makes your stuff so unique. too is there's amongst all of your landmarks. There's always like a little bit of a wink and a nod and a little bit of humor in some of it, which I really appreciate.

Christie Johnson [00:07:24]:

Yeah. I have people at shows say, oh, these are so cute. Oh, maybe I shouldn't say that. And I say, no. They're cute. It's fine. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:07:32]:

And it's also one of the things that I liked about it. It's an entry point price point. like it's not super expensive. So I think people get really wound up. First of all, one of the things I like to do, and this is a weird thing about me, but I like to walk around at night and look in people's windows. Now, I don't like to walk right up to their window and people, Thomas, but when I'm walking, I just like, look, and I like when people have lights on, I like to see, like, there are decorations, and I'm always stunned that people don't have more art on their walls. They're very, They might have photographs, but they real very few people have art, which I'm all about the art. Yeah. So I like the you're giving people an entry point that maybe feels accessible to them.

Christie Johnson [00:08:17]:

Yeah. It's the small size makes them fit just about anywhere too. So you don't have to commit to hanging it on the wall. Either you can just set it on a desk or a bookshelf or something. just have that little reminder of a place that you love or a funny story from your past or something. So, yeah, they're kind of a little gateway drug to figure art.

Stephanie [00:08:39]:

Now that this is a business, is it different? Because I feel like for me, you know, cooking and food has started as a hobby, and now that's becoming a business for me. And it feels different. Does it feel different for you?

Christie Johnson [00:08:56]:

I think I still have so much, creative freedom with what I'm drawing. I get requests a lot. I have a notebook that's filled with ideas from shows that I do still go through and, check something off if I've drawn it. But I do have so much freedom still that it doesn't really feel too much of a a job but there are some days when I'm doing, like, the business y stuff. Or if I've got to prep a hundred frames for an art show that weekend or something, then it kind of gets a little more sluggish, but for the most part, I still feels like fun. Now United goods, you your your first name was 2 red shoes, did you say? It was red shoes 26. It was my, nickname in college. I played softball in college, and I wore red cleats, so they called me red shoes. and my Jersey number for many, many, many years is 26. So I just crammed them together. Yep. It weird name, but eventually I thought Well, I have this United States connection. I like collaborating with people, so uniting. In that way, because I've made a few products with other, small businesses, which has been fun and something I really like to do. and then the goods just sort of kept it open in case things expanded. So since it's digital, I can print on so many different things. So that's where that name came from.

Stephanie [00:10:20]:

Okay. because tell me about a collaboration that you liked. You mentioned you've done some. Yeah. I'm,

Christie Johnson [00:10:26]:

with a woman who lives in Chanhassen, she does pet memorial candles. She is Nellie Goods. Nellie Designs. Nellie's studio. Oh my gosh. I I'm she's gonna kill me. I'm just screwing up the name. so we collaborated on a Paul and babe candle. so we'd sold those for many years, and I just sort of phase those out, probably right before the pandemic, I think. And I sold my very last one that I still had laying around at the at Arta World.

Stephanie [00:11:00]:

Oh, wow. And on your website, I'm imagining that you have all these items Is do you maintain your own website or for small businesses that can be a real challenge? So how does that work for you?

Christie Johnson [00:11:13]:

Yeah. I do control my own website at Shopify, so it's pretty easy plug and play even for somebody who's not super techie. so I update it as much as I can with where I'm going to be and new items that I have. It kinda acts as my catalog if people wanna see Since I have over 500 illustrations, it's kind of a good place I can just send them.

Stephanie [00:11:37]:

Was there any that you've drawn that really resonated with people that you were surprised by? Let

Christie Johnson [00:11:44]:

me think. Yeah. I have had a few over the years that have surprised me a little bit. I did one that comes right to mind was I did a contest at a show 1 year where could put an idea in a drawing, and I would pick it and draw it. And, it was the arches at Saint Thomas. There's this little archway that's known as a place where you, like, have a first kiss or something like that kissing under the art. So I drew that one, for her and just put it on the website just to see if anybody else would like it. And, yeah, that one has been more popular than I thought. And the terrorist chairs at the mat at Madison, University of Wisconsin Madison. I'd never heard of them. A friend suggested that I draw them, and that one is one of my top 5 most popular. Terrace chairs. Yeah. They're these really cool iconic metal chairs that are out on this, bar seating area by the water. And anybody who went to school there is just in love with these chairs. So that's been really fun. Oh, that's funny. My sister went there, so I'll have to ask her about that. I'm sure she knows about the chairs. Yeah. And just how, like, people see art in the regular every day is something that appeals to me. Yeah. And that's what I like about what I'm doing. You know, you can find a print of the Eiffel Tower, you know, just about any big box store, but where are you gonna find one of Matt's bar? Yeah. Exactly.

Stephanie [00:13:14]:

you do any food illustrations?

Christie Johnson [00:13:16]:

I have done a few, things like that. Yeah. That's something that would be really fun me. Anything I can draw small I wanna do? Yeah. That's so great. Well, maybe I'll think of something for you and we'll collaborate because it sounds like,

Stephanie [00:13:30]:

super fun And I just love I just love art. Like I just came off. I work on the Stone Arch Bridge Festival, and we just came off of that. It was yesterday. It was the last day. And There's just something so heart filling about being amongst a community of artists that are working so hard putting their blood, sweat, and tears into these pieces coming outside, setting up these tents braving the elements, the weather, the people. And you know, then the people walking through and looking for different pieces and It just really makes my heart full that that still happens in a place like Minneapolis where it's a big city. It's hard to put a festival on that attracts a hundred thousand people in the middle of a functioning city, but yet it does and it happens and everybody has a great experience, and then they go home. And it's just so weird that all of that happens in a span of like 4 days. And then when it's all done, you can't even tell that it happened.

Christie Johnson [00:14:30]:

They're wild, well oiled machines. The shows done in Minnesota are so seamless. All the volunteers that help out are so good. Yeah. I like doing all of those shows,

Stephanie [00:14:44]:

on that side of it, just seeing the well oiled machine and all the pieces coming together. Yeah. It's cool. Yeah. And it's just fun for people to be exposed to art and my sister bought something this weekend, and I don't think of my sister as an arp buyer. So when she came and showed me this thing that she bought, that really spoke to her and I could see why one that she held it up. I was just like, oh, this is so great.

Christie Johnson [00:15:08]:

Yeah. Introducing her to something she maybe didn't even know she liked. Yes. Exactly.

Stephanie [00:15:14]:

Well, Christy, it's great to talk with you. The company is United Goods. You can find her iconic art on her website. Unitedgoodsusa.com is where you can find her art. You can also find her on Instagram, she's a great follow. I've enjoyed following you and seeing what you're working on and seeing the picture of your dad on Father's Day was cute too. Who makes your frames? I loved it. Thank you. He's adorable. Yeah. He really is. So thanks for being on the program, and good luck. Thank you so much, Stephanie. Okay. We'll talk soon. Bye bye.

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Kul Mocks (Season 5 Episode 27) Aug 18, 2023

On this episode of Makers of Minnesota, Stephanie interviews Danielle Goss, the founder of Kul Mocks, a woman-owned beverage brand that offers non-alcoholic mocktails. Despite having no prior experience in the industry, Danielle and her husband were determined to provide a fun and social drinking alternative that caters to health and wellness enthusiasts. In this episode, the couple shares how they adapted to the pandemic's limitations by leveraging virtual meetings and social media to promote Kul Mocks, using micro-influencers and authentic content. They also discuss their challenges in building the brand, such as collaborating with distributors, developing beverages, and navigating through supply chain issues. Additionally, listeners will learn how the brand's success led them to focus more on the retail and distribution market, including grocery and liquor stores. Tune in to hear a unique entrepreneurial story that offers insights into creating a successful business in a crowded industry.

Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Dampfwerk Distilling (Season 5 Episode 26) Aug 11, 2023

On this episode of Makers of Minnesota, Stephanie talks with Ralf and Mary Loeffelholz, the founders of Dampfwerk Distilling Ralf and Mary share the unique story of how they found their niche-producing high-quality spirits, fruit brandies, and liqueurs. They also talk about the importance of having a strong team with diverse skills and how this has contributed to the success of their product. Additionally, they discuss the development of their cocktail lounge and the unique menu featuring collaborations with local personalities. Ralf and Mary highlight the importance of storytelling, packaging, and having a strong network in the industry. Tune in to hear about their journey and learn more about Dampfwerk Distilling.

Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

SHOW TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS:

Stephanie [00:00:12]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to the makers of Minnesota podcast, where we talk to cool people doing cool things. I'm here with Ralph and Mary Luffaholtz, and they are part of the family that owns Dump Work. Distilling and I have met your daughter Bridget. She's been on our radio show The Weekly Dish before. I've not met Christian, and it's fun to meet the two of you for the first time. Welcome to the program.

Mary Loeffelholz [00:00:40]:

Well, thank you, Stephanie. Thank you for having us. We're excited.

Stephanie [00:00:43]:

Okay. We've talked to a lot of Distillers, but you right out of the gate. Identify yourself as a German owned distillery, and that has different connotations for the way that you produce your products and the way you present them. Can you talk a little bit about your heritage and why that was important to you?

Ralf Loeffelholz [00:01:10]:

Well, I suppose that's my question. Right, so you hear from the accent. I'm German born, raised, and educated in Germany. I came over here a long, long time ago. One of my first impression, I was actually pre craft brewing, so I'm dating myself. Right. So at that time, I was really sad because there was no pop up beer, at least for German, and the only thing on the shelves were gigameister. Luckily, the craft brewing industry took off, and we have awesome beers, so it was really great, but still only gigameister. So that was kind of, for me, the notion to say, okay, you know what? There are so many different spirits, not only in Germany, but the surrounding areas, which we kind of I don't want to say forgotten spirits, but they didn't make it over here. And I always wondered why. And I still have different theories, but with my background in chemical engineering and having worked for the food and beverage industry, primarily brewing industry, I'm like, if I can't pull it off, then no one can pull it off. That's an exaggeration, of course. So finally, I think I got to the point where I said, you know what? I would like to try? My dear wife motivated me saying, okay, create a business plan and check it out if you can pull it off.

Mary Loeffelholz [00:02:33]:

And make me a good gin.

Ralf Loeffelholz [00:02:38]:

So that's kind of like the history of how I got started.

Stephanie [00:02:43]:

So gin is your spirit, Mary, and you have a very delicious barrel aged gin. But that probably wasn't the first one you started with.

Mary Loeffelholz [00:02:53]:

No. And the first one that Ralph started with, initially, he wanted to make fruit brandies. I mean, that is truly his passion. And we're grounded in really being driven by wanting to be known as one of the best fruit brandy producers, not just in Minnesota, but in the country. But if we're going to own a distillery, we need something a little bit more for me. So he started off, he made me this beautiful, beautiful London dry gin, which is very earthy. We're a craft distillery, so things evolve, but very kind of mushroomy. And it was just the life. I'm like, okay, you know what? If nothing else, I've got this great product, and you go make your brandies.

Stephanie [00:03:46]:

I think the first product I had from you was a pear brandy.

Ralf Loeffelholz [00:03:51]:

Oh, wow. Awesome. Thank you. What did you think about it?

Stephanie [00:03:55]:

I loved it, and I am not a big brandy person, but I realized it was because I hadn't probably ever really had a good one.

Ralf Loeffelholz [00:04:04]:

Yeah, well, we're now on the fourth generation, and I have to say, it's like with every craft distillery, we learn as we go, every single time, you realize what you could have improved on and the next time you implement it. So we have just released earlier this year, our last generation of pear brandy, which is phenomenal, much better than the first ones. And we have our supply chain lined up for this coming season, and I'm working on that tracking part, getting the product in. So very excited.

Stephanie [00:04:39]:

I was surprised when I had your peppermint schnopps. I don't know why I was surprised, but it was extremely delicious and also tasted different than other peppermint schnops that I had had.

Mary Loeffelholz [00:04:54]:

It was the story behind this.

Stephanie [00:04:58]:

Okay, I want to hear it. Because I'd had, like, crappy peppermint schnopps in hot chocolate on a ski hill, and someone gave it to me as a gift, and I was like, oh, okay, well, this is fine. And then now I'm just drinking it straight up on the rocks.

Ralf Loeffelholz [00:05:16]:

Yeah. So the story behind it, if you know Shatuzva, the French liqueur, bennet benic dicton kind of liqueur, one of the best liqueurs, I think in the world. I've been working on it for six years straight. And one day, one of my last prototypes I presented to the family, not actually explaining what I'm giving them. And my dear daughter says, oh, it's like a peppermint schnapps. And I had to admit it was very peppermint forward. So I'm like, nah, I'm not throwing it away. I'm making it a peppermint schnapps. So this is the most complex, most expensive peppermint schnapps you can make.

Mary Loeffelholz [00:05:59]:

It's so good.

Stephanie [00:06:01]:

That would explain why, because I just was sort of like, oh, peppermint Schnaps, whatever. But no, it's very complex, but also just lovely and refreshing and obviously minty, but not as cloyingly sweet as some that you would normally have, so well, good. I guess my palates may be better than I thought, because I noticed right away that it was like, oh, this is sipping Schnopps. This is amazing.

Ralf Loeffelholz [00:06:30]:

Thank you.

Mary Loeffelholz [00:06:31]:

Yeah, it is terrific. I mean, obviously, drinking it neat, we keep in the lounge here. We keep it in the freezer so you can have it frozen. But it's fantastic in cocktails. An espresso martini is dynamite. Dynamite.

Stephanie [00:06:49]:

Yeah. Okay, well, that's got my name all over it. You guys started a cocktail room. How long have you had your cocktail room? Now three and a half years gosh. Has it been that long? Wow.

Mary Loeffelholz [00:07:01]:

Yeah. November of 2019. Great timing is when we opened, and then we've had multiple opportunities to reopen over.

Ralf Loeffelholz [00:07:11]:

We got good at it.

Mary Loeffelholz [00:07:13]:

Oh, my goodness.

Stephanie [00:07:15]:

And you are in an industrial type space. So tell me about your location, why you picked the space that you did.

Ralf Loeffelholz [00:07:23]:

Yeah, so initially, when I started this business idea, I envisioned to have just a pure production site, so the least expensive production site I could find close to the home, because you'll be spending a lot of time in the distillery and falling back. And falling back. So this is just eight minutes away from home, a very good landlord, very attractive lease. And I was not thinking about a cocktail lounge. I'm not a mixologist, so I drink things neat. The most complex mixed drinks I make for myself have three components, and they contain ice. I mean, I count ice. That means it's a gin and tonic, it's a Jack and Coke. So well, it's simplistic and what we realized very quickly. So, first my son joined, then my daughter joined, and my daughter had the knack of taking awesome cocktail pictures and making awesome cocktails. And she really can run a cocktail lounge. I couldn't. So that's where Bridget came in. And then we really kind of mary and Bridget worked on this cocktail lounge, saying, okay, well, we are not in the perfect location.

Mary Loeffelholz [00:08:37]:

So we had a fantastic architect, snow crylic, and a great GC, which is mixed. And we developed this lounge space, which is really a brand builder for us because we don't have spirits that you look and like, oh, I know exactly what that is. Right. So they need to have a story around it. And this is a playground for the team to really showcase our spirits in ways that you wouldn't expect. Yeah, it absolutely is a destination. So, yes, we are in a very light industrial area. We always say, tell everyone, oh, where are you? You know where Bunnies is, and everybody knows where Bunnies is, and Methodist. And we're just back a little bit further.

Stephanie [00:09:31]:

You're like my neighborhood tap or you're my neighborhood distillery? Potentially over in Golden Valley.

Mary Loeffelholz [00:09:38]:

Very much neighborhood. We embarked on this project of building this out, and again, it really fits the aesthetic of our brand. And I think it was Dara Musk Grumdoll who described walking, and it was like going through this wormhole. And we love the reaction that we get when people walk into this space like, wow, I had no idea this was here. We need to make sure that more people know that we're here, but it is truly a destination. We love what this does for our guests.

Stephanie [00:10:19]:

So at this point, you have whiskey, you have gin, you have all these specialty liqueurs. That some that I've never even heard of until I've discovered them through you. Is that kind of your sweet spot?

Ralf Loeffelholz [00:10:37]:

I think so. That's part of our core competence, where the narrative ends. We will never make a rum or tequila, and we don't make bourbons because there are awesome bourbon makers in Minnesota and around the nation, and we want to stick a little bit to our narrative, something which kind of reflects what we drink ourselves and who we are. And sometimes it's a stretch, but we have to stay. I mean, you cannot be good at everything. At least I can't.

Stephanie [00:11:12]:

I feel like you're getting pretty close, though. I mean, things that you didn't think would be good, you're now tinkering along, and they're getting I mean, a barrel aged gin is not something that's easy to do, and it's fantastic.

Ralf Loeffelholz [00:11:27]:

Thank you. That's one of the products I'm very proud of, and actually, again, happened by accident. Longer story, but we always say this is all planned and well tested out in many things, in craft distilling or in any kind of a business. You find that your failures work out quite nicely.

Stephanie [00:11:47]:

Yeah, you're lucky in that way. Now, you guys are what I would consider a premium product. Is it harder to market a premium product, or is it just different?

Mary Loeffelholz [00:12:00]:

I would say it's both, and that's one of the reasons why we went the route of our packaging. Our packaging is very unique. Ralph keeps telling me that if I put another rabbit on a label, that I'm done. But it's part of the way that we really want people to aid notice us. We have this packed. We'll provide you a gorgeous package. What you put into it needs to be high quality, and to drive that repeat it is premium. It definitely requires a story, but at the same time, I think that's what our buyers that's what a lot of people like, right? I mean, there's there's always a place for, you know, a hand, you know, a handled vodka and and whatnot. There's always that place. There's a lot of room to really be something special, and that's really what we're trying to do. And quite frankly, what our niche is.

Stephanie [00:13:10]:

You're a darling of a lot of the mixologists in town. They're very fond of your products and use them a lot. How do you reach new people? I mean, you're doing this craft spirit in a way that is elevated, but is also in a way that you're making things that people don't even know what they are. So how does that continue to move you forward, and how do you keep getting the word out?

Ralf Loeffelholz [00:13:40]:

It's a slow process, and Mary will jump in here in a bit, but I think it's a combination of the different characters and skills and personalities. I can speak to the product. My daughter knows how to run it, what to do with it. I couldn't. So the combination works well, so I would never be able to explain how to make an old fashioned or Manhattan. Richard brings it to the next level, and that builds a reputation on premise, off premise, that gives the idea, okay, this is how it's being made, and this is what I can do with it.

Mary Loeffelholz [00:14:21]:

Yeah. Again, Bridget deserves a lot of credit and props. I mean, she's really built a network, a strong network. There's a lot of back and forth. Our latest menu that she launched for Spring Summer is this track menu. So there's there's nine, you know, so called tracks on the the menu. So she collaborated with Yevang, she collaborated with Kamal from Stepchild, our architect Marcos, and worked with them on their personality, their cocktail choice. And so it's featured on our menu along with what is the song that they envision. It's very intentional. We're not going to be out there mass producing. I would also say our distributor, the Wine Co, has really done a terrific job as well as a partner in this space. And it's a little bit smaller, but they're part of the story, part of the narrative as well. So I think it's a couple of different prongs there that we're trying to go after. And I appreciate you saying that. We're darling. I can't wait to tell Bridget that.

Stephanie [00:15:58]:

Oh, yeah. I've had the opportunity to spend time with Bridget, and I think that's why I know about your products, and I'm willing to always give them a try because I always know it's going to be good. It may not even be, like, my flavor profile, but I know when I get it that it's going to be an elevated spirit and the best possible iteration of that that I could have, and particularly in the local craft cocktail space, because we're getting pretty good now. But there was a period of time where it was taking a while for these products to get elevated, and I always knew I could trust yours. And it's also, like, the greatest gift item. I give it as a gift all the time because the packages thank you. I look forward to coming and seeing you guys this fall when I'm a little less gardening and a little home around the roost longer. But I just want to thank you for being my guest today. It's been fun to talk with you. It's Dump work distilling, and you can check out their distillery behind Bunnies and by Methodist in St. Louis Park, I guess, is officially how that would be classified and check out their products. I was in Ely this weekend where I have a cabin, and they were directing me to some of your products. So you've got all over the state.

Mary Loeffelholz [00:17:12]:

Yes.

Ralf Loeffelholz [00:17:13]:

Awesome.

Mary Loeffelholz [00:17:13]:

Thank you, Stephanie. We greatly appreciate you taking the time and having us.

Stephanie [00:17:17]:

Yeah, it's fun to talk with you guys. We'll see you soon.

Mary Loeffelholz [00:17:20]:

Okay, take care. Bye.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Flicker and Fizz (Season 5 Episode 25) Aug 04, 2023

On this episode of Makers of Minnesota, I interview Jessica Berglin, the founder of Flicker and Fizz. This candle-making company specializes in vintage glassware candles and cocktail pairings. Jessica shares her journey from hosting themed birthday parties to creating a successful business with the help of her passion for creative entrepreneurship. Listeners will learn about the different types of vintage glassware Jessica collects and her techniques for creating seasonal scents and cocktail pairings. Tune in to hear about how Flicker and Fizz is revolutionizing the candle industry with their unique products.

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Show Transcript Follows:

Stephanie [00:00:12]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Makers of Minnesota podcast, where we talk to cool people doing cool things. I first ran across Jess Berglin when I was at a festival outside side of Able Brewing, and right away I noticed these cool vintage glasses, and they were filled with different types of candles. And I was quick to discover that Flicker and Fizz is not only a candle maker but a fellow cocktail lover. Welcome to the program.

Jessica Berglin [00:00:46]:

Thank you. Thank you for having me. It's great to be here.

Stephanie [00:00:49]:

Yeah. Jess, this is a really cute and clever idea. So tell me how you got started.

Jessica Berglin [00:00:55]:

Yeah, so I think I have to start with my love of vintage glassware. I have been shopping for it, sourcing it, obsessing over it for years. And I joke with a lot of my friends because every time I go thrifting or antiquing, I'm like, I found these. Do you like them? Do you want them? I just need a reason to buy it, just because it satisfies this thing inside of me, for sure. And for myself, I usually buy it for theme parties that I throw, so I'm always looking for really unique glasses to fit the theme that I want to entertain around. And then I kind of realized that they could become these really cool candle vessels and that the cocktail pairing side of it really creates this neat, kind of at home curated experience for people to enjoy. And it's kind of my way of bundling this passion for theme parties into a concise gift, I guess, for lack of better term.

Stephanie [00:02:09]:

You sound pretty fun, so let's just start there. What kind of themed parties are you having and why? Just for fun.

Jessica Berglin [00:02:17]:

So every year on my birthday, I throw myself a wild themed birthday bash. So my birthday is February 1, and the only reason that that is important is that there is nothing else to look forward to in Minnesota, that time of year, it's like holidays are over, new Year's is coming, gone. You're a month into your New Year's resolution, nights are long, and you just need a reason to get out and gather in a fun and creative way. And it's something let's see, how many years have I been doing this now? 13, I think. Okay, yeah, I just turned 37 this year, and I think I started with my either 23rd or 24th birthday. And, yeah, it's just all of my friends now have just become gung ho over kind of picking out their ensembles, and none of them even dress up for Halloween. It's like, no, we don't do Halloween, but Jess's birthday, we'll go all out.

Stephanie [00:03:24]:

Is it always like, a vintage theme?

Jessica Berglin [00:03:28]:

Not necessarily. So this past year, I called it my art party, so everyone had to dress up as, like, a famous work of art or artist or something along those lines. For the glassware side of it, I had all these little vignettes and then the themed drinks to go with them. A lot of them were champagne based, so I kind of had done all my really cute turn of the century etched coops and colored ones. I actually these, like, blue, iridescent ones. Oh, yeah. Kind of really cool. So, yeah, I love that it kind of just runs the gamut of whatever I can find and however I can bring life to it.

Stephanie [00:04:18]:

Okay, so you buy this vintage glass, and then you make a candle, and you pair it with a cocktail. So is the candle smelling like the cocktail?

Jessica Berglin [00:04:29]:

No.

Stephanie [00:04:30]:

Okay.

Jessica Berglin [00:04:31]:

No. So I like to tell people that the pairing is more so meant to create a certain vibe or ambiance versus, like, this is an old fashioned candle. It smells like you're old fashioned. That's not really my goal.

Stephanie [00:04:46]:

You're not Yankee Candle?

Jessica Berglin [00:04:47]:

No, we're not Yankee Candle, but it's like, okay. I like to have, when I'm drinking an old fashioned or Manhattan, what's the vibe that I want to set for fiery? Just, like, chill and just warm. So like ambery cinnamon? Yes, exactly. They're meant to kind of go with one another, not smell and or taste like one another.

Stephanie [00:05:19]:

Got it. Okay. That's great. So you have different versions. How many of these do you have so far?

Jessica Berglin [00:05:29]:

So right now, for spring and summer, I have five main ones that I'm doing, and I just debuted a new one this year, and then I have some year round ones too, that kind of can sort of transcend season and be sort of popular year round. But yeah, for summer and spring, seasonal, I have a couple of really great bright citrusy ones that are paired with so actually, the candle is called citrus fig. And then the cocktail pairing that I have for that is a basil fig smash. So it's basically bourbon with basil leaves and fig jam that you muddle with lime juice. Then you top it with ginger beer. So it's a great patio party kind of drink. And same with the candle scent. It feels like summer to me.

Stephanie [00:06:32]:

Were you a mixologist, or how do you come up with this cocktail part?

Jessica Berglin [00:06:37]:

It honestly stems from just how much entertaining I do and wanting a reason to do this cocktail or this cocktail. And I have a couple in my back pocket that I've been like, all right, I really want to do this cocktail. When do I want to do it? What kind of scent do I want to build around it? And it's like I have to have everything aligned in my head to be gung ho about it.

Stephanie [00:07:09]:

So you have your website flicker and Fizz, and then I know you do pop up markets. Are you also in retail locations?

Jessica Berglin [00:07:15]:

Yeah, so I'm just starting to get into retail locations. I am the resident candle maker at Oleo Vintage in Northeast Minneapolis, and then I have a couple of retail partners where I've done some private label sort of stuff for them all. In the vintage glassware, I have these really cool big decorative pieces versus the cocktail glassware type stuff that I do for them. I'm sort of building my arsenal of retail partnerships right now.

Stephanie [00:07:50]:

Is this full time work for you? And were you an artist before, or tell me about that.

Jessica Berglin [00:07:56]:

Yeah, I've always been a creative it's not a full time thing, so I'm hoping I can build it up to that point. But, yeah, I've always had a creative side, and my dad was a high school art teacher for years and years, and so I think, yeah, that side of me has always been present, and I knew I wanted to be a creative entrepreneur for a long time. Like, that stirring was within me, and I just didn't know what it was going to be until I had this hair brain scheme for Flicker and Fizz. And honestly, as soon as lightning struck, I had it all pulled together in, like, ten minutes because it was just like, yes, this is what it needs to be. And it was like I was just waiting for that moment and that lightning to strike, and it kind of has just fallen into place since then.

Stephanie [00:08:53]:

So the lightning strikes and then did you have money set aside or how did you fund your business initially, and is it cash and carry as you go?

Jessica Berglin [00:09:02]:

Yes, I've just kind of bootstrapped from the beginning and just doing what I can and moving things forward.

Stephanie [00:09:14]:

You do a lot of shows. Have you had shows that have been like, a bust or that you didn't get the value out of them and have any advice for makers that how do you choose what to do?

Jessica Berglin [00:09:24]:

Right? It's honestly a lot of trial and error, and I've been really fortunate to make a lot of friends with fellow vendors and just building a network of support to ask, like, hey, I'm thinking about doing this event. Have you done it, would you recommend doing it again? That kind of thing. And just being able to have those open and honest conversations with my colleagues has been invaluable. Really?

Stephanie [00:09:59]:

What percentage of your business is between Thanksgiving and New Year's?

Jessica Berglin [00:10:03]:

Oh, my gosh. Probably a quarter of it.

Stephanie [00:10:06]:

Oh, I would have thought it would be more.

Jessica Berglin [00:10:10]:

Yeah. I mean, that is my bread and butter time of year, and so this is my I'm only entering into my second full time year of having the full gauge of seasons, but, yeah, I'd say in the realm of, like, 25% to 40%.

Stephanie [00:10:33]:

So if you have your full time work or your job, like, your paying job, and then this is we'll call this, like, you're on your way to being more than a hobby job. You work every day during the high season?

Jessica Berglin [00:10:47]:

Yes, pretty much from end of September through the end of the year. I am not available.

Stephanie [00:10:59]:

Hustle, hustle, hustle.

Jessica Berglin [00:11:00]:

Yeah, it is.

Stephanie [00:11:03]:

How do you source your glass? Or are you just on the vintage finds and people now know how to look for you?

Jessica Berglin [00:11:09]:

Yeah, I source all over the place. Honestly, I thrift a lot of it antique malls, estate sales. And I have started getting people who find me at shows, and they're like, I wish I would have known you exist, because we just cleaned out my grandmother's, my mother's, like, china cabinet if they have those family pieces. So I'm like, yeah, take my information. I'm happy to clear out all of these pieces because a lot of people just don't know what to do with it. We don't entertain with 16 piece glassware settings anymore.

Stephanie [00:11:54]:

I do.

Jessica Berglin [00:11:55]:

Sure, weird like you, but especially younger generations don't have space for it either, but having a pair of two, that's manageable.

Stephanie [00:12:09]:

So once the candle is burned out, do you help people figure out how to clean it out so that they can use the glassware and how do you advise them?

Jessica Berglin [00:12:18]:

Yeah, absolutely, because that's my whole goal, is I want people to then enjoy the pair of glasses afterwards. Every set I have comes with a little stationary pack that includes the vintage information specific to those glasswares, the cocktail recipe, and then instructions on how to clean that out. So I'm not leaving anyone stranded. But basically what I recommend is crumple a piece of tin foil and line the bottom of a baking dish and then do a low temp oven around, like, 150 or so and just turn your candle upside down so it'll drain out, and then you can wipe it clean after it cools down.

Stephanie [00:13:05]:

I love it. Okay, if I'm looking at your studio right now, is there one signature glass that you don't have trouble finding that always is, like, your staple?

Jessica Berglin [00:13:19]:

Yes. Let me grab a couple.

Stephanie [00:13:23]:

Sure. So cute. I'm just looking at all of her great items in the background, all of her scents that she's got. That was a glass that was in every ponderosa.

Jessica Berglin [00:13:46]:

Yeah. So this style so this is an amber version, but the line is called Park Lane. It's by a company called Colony Glass. And I can usually find that pretty readily available in a wide spectrum of colors. So I have a lot of the amber ones right now that I'm gearing up for. Fall. Yes, fall type stuff. But I've done them in blue a lot. I've done clear ones as well, but I usually always have those. And then this one is Wexford by Anchor Hawking, which was when was this produced? I think they started in 1968 and discontinued around, like, 1998 or so. But I actually found someone's this was a Facebook Marketplace find where I basically got someone's grandmother's entire collection. So I have I think I have, like, 24 in this is, like, the big wine glass. I have 24 of the small wine glass, 24 tumblers. Cute. Kind of the whole thing. And then the last one that I find pretty readily available is this is called Longshomp by a company called Crystal Diark. It's a French I'm butchering that, but it's a French company. This whole pattern started because it was made to be an affordable China for people who didn't want or couldn't afford the really fine stuff but wanted something upscale. So this was really a mass produced China starting in 1977 or so.

Stephanie [00:15:42]:

I feel like my mom has that whole set.

Jessica Berglin [00:15:44]:

Yeah, it was really common, and a lot of people so I have that in the wine glasses. I've got low balls of it. They make probably my favorite champagne coupe because it's, like, really wide and has a really squat base that is just fantastic for not only drinking, but also it makes a great candle shape too.

Stephanie [00:16:04]:

Yes. I love it. All right, well, it has been a blast to get to know you. If I find glassware, I will text.

Jessica Berglin [00:16:12]:

You and be like, Absolutely.

Stephanie [00:16:14]:

I see this. Congratulations on finding something that's not only, like, creative cool in my realm with the cocktails and the food pairings, but also that is a reusable situation. And you're just bringing joy with the candle and then the joy of the glassware and then the joy of the potential of entertaining and what that looks like.

Jessica Berglin [00:16:35]:

I love it, right? Yeah. Thank you.

Stephanie [00:16:38]:

Super cute. Thanks for being with me today on Makers in Minnesota, Jeff.

Jessica Berglin [00:16:42]:

Absolutely. I appreciate it.

Stephanie [00:16:43]:

Yeah, we'll talk soon. Bye.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Teena Anderson is the Anoka Grilling Queen Jul 28, 2023

Today we have a special guest joining us, Teena Anderson - the Anoka Grilling Queen from Anoka Meats! Teena owns Anoka Meat and Sausage, a full-time grill located outside her butcher shop. But her journey to becoming the Grilling Queen was not always on the menu. Teena reinvented herself after leaving the corporate world and living in a diner for 20 years. Now, she's a thriving entrepreneur in the culinary world. Today, we'll dive into Teena's fascinating story - from starting a small salad business to taking over Anoka Meat and Sausage. Plus, we'll explore her love for cooking, her passion for specialty ingredients. Get ready to fire up the grill and join us as we uncover the secrets of the Anoka Grilling Queen on this episode of Makers of Minnesota!

Here is the recipe for Teena's Cowboy Beans from her Blog

Ingredients

* 4 pound cooked ground hamburger 85/15

* 1 lb bacon or ends & pieces, loosely chopped

* 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained

* 1 (15 ounce) can butter beans, drained

* 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans

* 1 (15 ounce) can garbaonzo or black bean beans, drained

* 1 (15 ounce can) great northern beans

* 1 (15 ounce can) navy beans

* 2 (28 ounce) can pork and beans, drained

* 1 large onion, chopped

* 1 Tablespoon minced garlic

* 3 cup dark brown sugar + to taste

* 2/3 cup ketchup

* 1/2 cup vinegar

* 1/2 cup dijon

* 1 Tbsp Kosher Salt

* 1 Tbsp Pepper

* Optional: diced green pepper

Directions

* Heat a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir bacon, onion, and garlic until bacon is browned, about 10 minutes. Pour off excess fat.

* Brown hamburger with the salt and pepper until done. Combine the browned hamburger with bacon & onions in an electric toaster or large crock pot.

* Whisk together the brown sugar, ketchup and dijon then pour mixture over the hamburger.

* Make this in a large crockpot by adding all the ingredients together and cook on high for 1 hours, then turning to low until ready to eat.

* The electric roaster heats a little faster, so once all ingredients are combined, turn heat to 250-300 and warm to a bubble for 1/2 hour or so just to ensure all ingredients are hot and everything is thoroughly cooked.

* Cool and reheat the next day or serve right away.

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Soul Grain (Season 5 Episode 24) Jul 14, 2023

On this episode of Makers of Minnesota, host Stephanie speaks with Liza Jackson and Sylvia Williams, founders of Soul Grain. The pandemic led to an increase in new ideas and people in packaged goods, with social media playing a big role. The conversation focuses on their granola flavors which are a unique and healthier alternative to sugary products. The granola has a light, crispy crunch, and a unique Lemon Meringue High flavor, made with THC with more flavors in development. They also discuss the challenges of working with a partner in business and choosing granola flavors based on their cultural backgrounds. Lastly, the episode explores the importance of taste and the difficulties of making THC products taste good. Listen in for a fascinating conversation about the packaged goods industry and the creation of Soul Grain.

Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Stephanie [00:00:13]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to the makers of Minnesota Podcast, where we talk to cool people doing cool things. I'm here with Lisa Jackson and Sylvia Williams, and they are the owners of Soul Grain, LLC. Soul Grain is a granola product and talk about fantastic packaging. Welcome to the program, you guys.

Liza Jackson [00:00:34]:

Thank you. Thank you for having us.

Sylvia Williams [00:00:36]:

Yeah.

Stephanie [00:00:37]:

How did the whole granola idea start? Which one of you had it first?

Liza Jackson [00:00:44]:

Actually, I think it was a combination, actually. We started with bars. We shifted to granola. But I'm lisa. I'm a nutritionist. Sylvia is a pastry chef. So we wanted to combine our interest and come up with super interesting flavors that are inspired by both of our cultures and background.

Stephanie [00:01:02]:

So tell me a little bit about that and how the granola is different than some of your traditional flavors.

Sylvia Williams [00:01:09]:

Well, for these granola flavors, we decided to dig into our cultural backgrounds and grab something, some flavors that you might find at our grandmother's house or something. So we chose banana pudding, which is anytime you go to a cookout or anything like that, you're going to have some banana pudding. Thanksgiving, we're always going to have a sweet potato casserole. And then we used the flavors of the Caribbean for our cocoa, mango, and spice. Paradise has grains of paradise in it. And that is a spice that's commonly used in North African cooking, which is part of Lisa's ancestry.

Stephanie [00:01:55]:

So you guys, just for those of you that are listening, lisa and Sylvia are African American, thus talking about the culture and specific to where these flavors are coming from. I didn't realize that there weren't really these flavors on the market in a granola setting. But they're not. No.

Liza Jackson [00:02:19]:

That's where we come in.

Stephanie [00:02:20]:

Yeah. I guess because I'm white, I don't think about other cultures in terms of flavor profiles. And maybe we've learned to associate maybe hot things with the Latina culture, and there's, like, hot chili and some of those flavors that you'll see there. But I am really excited to try different flavors and experience food from different cultures. How has it been received?

Liza Jackson [00:02:49]:

Oh, my God. We had an amazing response. Banana pudding is our best seller. But all of them, really everybody's really loving them.

Stephanie [00:02:58]:

They're so different and really feel different in the flavor profile and more interesting. Way more interesting.

Liza Jackson [00:03:06]:

Way more interesting than you're a pumpkin spice granola. Right. So we wanted to make the granola business a little more interesting.

Stephanie [00:03:14]:

How has it been? Your packaging is really great. Which one of you guys worked on the logo?

Sylvia Williams [00:03:22]:

Yes. We came up with an idea, and then we contacted our friend Troy Gua, who is an artist who's known kind of wildly throughout this area, specifically because he makes a Prince doll, and he's real big on social media. So he came to our attention, and we became friends. And so I contacted him with our ideas, and he created this amazing logo.

Stephanie [00:03:51]:

It is an amazing logo. And now that you talk about the Prince doll, I know exactly what you're talking about because I think he's coloring book and some other things and clearly is Soul Grain a play on the Soul Train?

Sylvia Williams [00:04:04]:

Yeah.

Liza Jackson [00:04:05]:

Soul Train and Whole grain with soul, right?

Stephanie [00:04:08]:

Exactly. That's so great. I love it. Okay, so you decide that you're going to make this product. Did you right away start out in a commercial kitchen or did you go to a distributor?

Liza Jackson [00:04:19]:

We started in our kitchen, actually with a cottage food license and then made our step up to a commercial kitchen.

Stephanie [00:04:26]:

It's interesting because before the Pandemic Cottage Foods license were pretty limited and I think the amount that you could sell was like 7500, and now you can sell up to 75,000 and still have a cottage food license. And I don't know that people know that.

Sylvia Williams [00:04:44]:

Oh, wow.

Liza Jackson [00:04:45]:

We didn't know that.

Sylvia Williams [00:04:49]:

I think so. Also, just to be able to make it on a scale that we needed to make it, we had to be in a commercial kitchen because my oven can only make so much granola.

Stephanie [00:04:59]:

Yeah, exactly. So where's your commercial kitchen now?

Sylvia Williams [00:05:03]:

It's called Water's Edge Kitchen and it's in Maplewood. It's a gluten free kitchen because we're a gluten free product.

Stephanie [00:05:10]:

Are you finding a lot of camaraderie in the kitchen, too? Is that kind of an unexpected bonus of being in the commercial kitchen? Sure.

Liza Jackson [00:05:18]:

Amazing makers in there.

Sylvia Williams [00:05:23]:

I'm sorry?

Stephanie [00:05:24]:

I said I think you learn a lot from other makers.

Sylvia Williams [00:05:27]:

Absolutely.

Stephanie [00:05:29]:

When you thought about how you're going to bring this product to market, what were your steps and what did you think the market was and has that turned out to be the market?

Liza Jackson [00:05:40]:

Well, we knew the market, obviously, the granola market is very crowded, so that's why we came up with the different flavor profile first and then thought we would enter the market that way.

Stephanie [00:05:51]:

And how do you get the word out? Do you go to markets? Do you work with a distributor? Do you cold call grocery stores and food co ops yourself? Well.

Sylvia Williams [00:06:07]:

We'Ve had a lot of success just when we approach the stores and they try our product and we've gotten a lot of success that way, and it's just kind of been snowballed. And we go to another store and then some stores have called us.

Stephanie [00:06:26]:

How many stores are you in right now?

Sylvia Williams [00:06:29]:

We are in two kowalski. We're getting ready to expand to the rest of them. We're in Regions Hospital and their gift shop, and we are at Camden Foods.

Liza Jackson [00:06:43]:

The airport store.

Stephanie [00:06:44]:

Yes.

Liza Jackson [00:06:45]:

We are soon to be in a lot of places that we can't quite say yet.

Stephanie [00:06:51]:

I understand.

Liza Jackson [00:06:53]:

But we're definitely growing and that's super exciting. It's still just the two of us, so we try on the scale strategically.

Sylvia Williams [00:07:01]:

Yes.

Stephanie [00:07:01]:

Do you have other full time jobs as well?

Liza Jackson [00:07:06]:

Yes, I do.

Stephanie [00:07:10]:

Okay. So have you guys distributed the division of labor to be like, okay, this will be your area, this will be my area, or are you collaborating, kind of, on all those decisions?

Liza Jackson [00:07:21]:

I mean, we call it out, but I think things kind of naturally fall in place, which is, I think, beautiful about our relationship. It kind of just happens.

Stephanie [00:07:28]:

How long have you guys been friends? You're very relaxed about this whole thing, which I love. Oh, yeah.

Liza Jackson [00:07:34]:

We've been friends for, what, over 14 years now?

Sylvia Williams [00:07:36]:

Yeah.

Stephanie [00:07:37]:

Okay. So you kind of figure out, you know, what each other's strengths and weaknesses are. But in when you run a business, that's harder. Have you come up against any stumbling blocks? Like, I ran a business with my husband, and, boy, did I learn a lot about working together. Not always favorable, I got to admit.

Liza Jackson [00:07:55]:

So far, we've been great.

Sylvia Williams [00:07:56]:

Honestly.

Liza Jackson [00:07:57]:

We had no hurdles on that part.

Stephanie [00:07:59]:

Right.

Liza Jackson [00:07:59]:

The hurdles are the business, but not in our relationship now.

Sylvia Williams [00:08:03]:

Yeah. We just perfectly work together in sync. And it's the weirdest thing because there's never been an issue, and I don't foresee any issues.

Stephanie [00:08:16]:

That is a little weird, but amazing. How do you guys get people to sample your products?

Sylvia Williams [00:08:24]:

We visit stores and we do samplings. Yes.

Stephanie [00:08:27]:

And once we know that once people sample a product, the likelihood of them buying it I think I heard once it was as high as if you're good at it, 30%. If you're okay at it, it's still as high as, like, 20%. Has that been your experience?

Sylvia Williams [00:08:44]:

I would venture to say that our response has been greater than that. As soon as people taste our granola, it's so unique. It's unique in flavor and in texture because it has a really light crunch as opposed to a hard it's very crispy as opposed to really hard crunch. So when I go to the stores and we do these pop ups, usually I would say nine times out of ten, people will buy the granola.

Stephanie [00:09:12]:

I love it.

Liza Jackson [00:09:14]:

We sell out for sure at all the events we've done.

Stephanie [00:09:16]:

Is there any fruit in yours?

Liza Jackson [00:09:20]:

Any what?

Stephanie [00:09:21]:

Fruit.

Liza Jackson [00:09:22]:

We have two flavor that don't have fruit or nuts.

Stephanie [00:09:25]:

Okay.

Liza Jackson [00:09:26]:

And obviously cocoa. Mango has mango.

Stephanie [00:09:29]:

Oh, yeah, obviously. Sorry, I forgot about that one.

Sylvia Williams [00:09:34]:

But Neutral Nelly doesn't have fruit or nuts for anybody who has sensitivities. And Spice Paradise has nuts but no fruit.

Stephanie [00:09:43]:

Okay. So kind of a mix. Were you big granola eaters yourselves before you ventured into this product?

Liza Jackson [00:09:53]:

I don't like granola. I like mine, though. I like ours. Seriously? I'm from France originally, and it's not a big thing there. And when I came to the US. I don't know, I never got into it until we created this product. Now I'm a big granola fan. So grain granola.

Stephanie [00:10:13]:

And do they have musli in France? Yeah, a little bit different.

Liza Jackson [00:10:19]:

So different.

Stephanie [00:10:20]:

Yeah. When you go and you look at your event profile, do you do any events that aren't in grocery stores? Like, are you doing any markets? Are you doing any tasting and sampling out and about in the community?

Sylvia Williams [00:10:37]:

We've done a few. We just did a vegan festival in New Jersey. We don't have anything on the docket right now.

Liza Jackson [00:10:46]:

We have one coming up. It's like a little outside market, but it's for a realtor company.

Sylvia Williams [00:10:52]:

Yeah.

Liza Jackson [00:10:52]:

So we do stuff like that. Okay.

Stephanie [00:10:57]:

So people will try your granola because the flavor what do you want them to know about your company? Just about you. Are there people that you are finding along the way that have been helpful to you or what kind of resources do you need moving forward?

Liza Jackson [00:11:15]:

What kind of resources do we need? I mean, obviously, as most small business, capital is becoming an issue, but we're going to work through that, hopefully. What was the other question? Sorry?

Stephanie [00:11:31]:

Is there anything you want people to know about you? Like, from a standpoint? Do you need help with social media? Do you need help with connections? If people are listening to this podcast and like the granola and want to help spread the word, what can they do to help?

Liza Jackson [00:11:46]:

All of the above.

Sylvia Williams [00:11:47]:

Yeah.

Liza Jackson [00:11:47]:

Right.

Sylvia Williams [00:11:48]:

We are really new at this and we are very passionate about what we're doing, but we're also learning as we go, so we would love any help, any resources would be lovingly appreciated.

Stephanie [00:12:05]:

Yeah. And have you had inventory issues? Because it's hard to when you're starting out, trying to get capital, your product is probably a little expensive because of the nuts and the fruit, so having enough capital to make enough and then freshness can be an issue, too.

Liza Jackson [00:12:22]:

That's a good part about granola. Right. It has a shelf, the life of six to nine months. So we haven't ran into that because we sell out pretty quickly. Oh, that is get to that.

Stephanie [00:12:32]:

All right, well, I'm going to keep my ears peeled and if I know anybody, because I welcome you guys to the space. We have so many new people that have come into packaged goods since COVID right. Because a lot of people got rejuvenated and thought about new ideas and they had the time because we weren't necessarily going into work, so people had the time to think of new products. And I would think social media has been a traditional big platform for granola makers. Is that a big platform for you?

Liza Jackson [00:13:08]:

We try. Right. It's just us doing it. So I'm not great at social media. That would be a great help. We could use as far as marketing, but not too much as far as social media.

Stephanie [00:13:20]:

So just getting it in people's mouths is what it sounds like.

Sylvia Williams [00:13:23]:

Yeah.

Stephanie [00:13:24]:

And your packaging is lovely, which helps.

Liza Jackson [00:13:27]:

Thank you.

Stephanie [00:13:28]:

Yeah. All right. Are there other products that you guys are both jazzed about that you've seen that when you're out and about that, you're like, oh, I just love that person so and so.

Liza Jackson [00:13:40]:

Let me think. We're so focused on our own right now, honestly, right? Like, blinders on. I can't think of a new yeah, we have a new product, and you can cut that out if it's not appropriate. But that's hemp infused. We have a granola hemp infused. That's amazing.

Stephanie [00:14:00]:

Okay, so let's talk about that because it's legal, and hemp has been legal for some time now. We're into more consumables. So if you eat hemp granola, what is the effect that you would feel in most cases?

Sylvia Williams [00:14:15]:

Well, it is THC. So it's a 3.25 ounce bag, and it has 20 milligrams of THC in it. We tell our newbies to start with a quarter of the bag, and it has a very calming, relaxing feel to it. We have some clients who suffer from some ailments, some cancer patients, and some I have a client who has Ms, and she takes it, and it helps with her muscle twitches, and it helps her to sleep. And I have another friend who has trouble eating, and it helps him with his appetite. And everybody says it doesn't necessarily make you sleepy, but when you do go to sleep, you sleep like a baby. So we created this granola with these health benefits in mind for people who wanted something healthier than a gummy or some of the sugar laced. So we wanted to provide something that was healthy and also had these benefits with them as well. So we just have one flavor. It's called Lemon Meringue High, and we're going to develop some more flavors here shortly.

Stephanie [00:15:32]:

Well, that's super unique and really on trend and very valued in the marketplace right now. People are really hopping on the THC products, and taste is a big part of that. Right. They have to taste good, and it is hard to get some of them to taste good. Some of the seltzers just taste like dank bong water, if I'm being perfectly exactly.

Liza Jackson [00:15:54]:

That's what I was going to say for sure. So that's what we wanted to create something that tastes good. There's no aftertaste. You can't taste or smell it at all. THC at all. It tastes amazing. And it has no high fructose corn sugar. They really put high fructose corn syrup. They usually put in gummies and things like that. So it's clean and healthy.

Stephanie [00:16:14]:

I love it.

Sylvia Williams [00:16:15]:

Delicious. And people have a problem stopping. That's why I only put 20 milligrams in the bag, because I can eat a whole bag and be a okay. And most people can eat 20 milligrams and be okay, but you got to be careful when you're eating it, because.

Stephanie [00:16:32]:

I'm the person that would eat the whole bag and be catatonic for 4 hours, not a big THC consumer. So maybe I will be over time. I don't know. It's all new to me, too. Well, it's been super nice to talk to you. Soul Grain. And the product looks great. Tastes great. I'm excited to have you guys on the scene. Hopefully, I'll run into you at a pop up before too long and consider coming out to Stone Arch Bridge Festival next year, because that's a market that I do with folks and some of the vendors that I have. It's the market that kind of launched them. So I'll look forward to connecting with you guys next year.

Sylvia Williams [00:17:09]:

Okay, that sounds good.

Stephanie [00:17:11]:

All right, we'll talk to you soon. Thanks, ladies.

Sylvia Williams [00:17:13]:

Thank you. Bye.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Courage & Clay (Season 5 Episode 23) Jul 07, 2023

Our guest this week is Brittany Wisner of @courageclay, and she's a true master of sculpting with Sculpy polymer clay!⁠

Brittany shares her insights on all things market season, from researching potential events to how to stand out as a vendor. She also gives a behind-the-scenes look at her creative process, including how she mixes and colors clay, cuts out her designs and bakes the finished products.⁠

Check out the episode now on your favorite podcast app, and let us know what you think in the comments!

Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Trent Pheifer Is Cooking all of Ina Garten's Recipes from her book and website Jun 30, 2023

On this episode of “Dishing with Stephanie’s Dish,” Stephanie interviews Trent Pheifer, blogger and aspiring home chef from, “Store Bought Is Fine” who found inspiration from celebrity chef Ina Garten. From cooking their way through Ina's recipes to meeting her in person at a Paris restaurant, Trent shares his love for her simple and flavorful recipes, including a unique dish featuring roasted grapes and sausage. The episode also dives into content creation challenges and finding a balance between creating enjoyable content and striving for perfection. Listen to Trent’s inspirational journey of self-discovery in the culinary world through the books and recipes of Ina Garten. Follow @Storeboughtisfine on Instagram.

Make the Sausage and Grapes recipe from Ina Garten like Trent did here.

Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Here is the Episode Transcript:

Stephanie [00:00:16]:

Hello, everybody. Welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's Dish, the podcast where we talk to cookbook authors, people obsessed with food. And today we are talking to Trent Pfeiffer, and he is an Instagram influencer, I think we dare to say, and also a recipe cook and a man who is on a mission. Store bought is fine. It's his handle on instagram. And Trent, you are cooking all of the dishes from Ina Garten's Cookbook and her shows.

Trent [00:00:47]:

I am. It's been quite a journey. I think I've been doing it about seven years now.

Stephanie [00:00:53]:

Okay. You are my jam. I just want to hear all about how this started.

Trent [00:01:02]:

Yeah, so it was one of those things where I didn't know how to cook at all. I was around 30. I was dating someone at the time. I was kind of getting in the kitchen. Wasn't doing a lot of great cooking in the kitchen. And it was about this time that I read Julia Child's my Life in France. And at the same time, my roommates and I were binge watching The Barefoot Contessa. Not making any of the dishes, just binge watching. It's an aspirational lifestyle. I think it's great entertainment. When I started getting into cooking, I was making all of these recipes from online sources, from Ina, and the online source ones kept failing for me. And I don't think it was the recipe, the online recipe developers or anything. It's that I didn't have the basic skills in the kitchen. And the one person whose recipes had always kind of worked out for me, even though I didn't have the skills, were Ina's. So I thought maybe I would take a page from Julia and Julia and just cook my way through all of Aina's garden's recipes and in the process, hopefully get my cooking education.

Stephanie [00:02:12]:

I couldn't love this more because that trajectory of finding Julia Child through her memoir, her biographies, and then kind of going into cooking after that was sort of how it happened for me.

Trent [00:02:27]:

Oh, I love that.

Stephanie [00:02:29]:

I wasn't a great cook, and I'm a home cook, and I felt like Julia made things feel so accessible. So I went back and started to watch some of the shows, and then I stumbled along. Food Network twelve years ago, I think around that time, I in a garden show, The Barefoot Contessa, and I, too, was like I was trying to cook specifically, like, these beautiful Martha Stewart magazine recipes never worked out. I always was disappointed, and Ina's 100% always worked. And what's unique is the things she and Julia have in common is I think the two of them have tested more recipes in their books than anybody else. Oh, yeah.

Trent [00:03:12]:

And I think that's the secret to their success is Ina always watches somebody else make her recipes and then incorporates that feedback into the recipes. I think there are very few recipe developers or chefs that I will host a dinner party never having made the dish and know that it's going to be phenomenal for my guests. And Ina is that person where I'm like, I've never made this, but it'll be fine.

Stephanie [00:03:43]:

And you just have a huge level of confidence that she's tested it, so you know it's going to be good. And even her simple recipes and how she approaches food, too, really speaks to me because it's not, like, simple, but it's always elegant, just in its perfection and its simplicity. But it has just enough things and not too many things.

Trent [00:04:09]:

Yeah, and I think that she's just distilled it in a way that with simple ingredients, you can make these great things. I think one of the biggest lessons I ever learned was roast, eating vegetables. She has a lot of roasted vegetables where it's just salt, pepper, maybe squeeze of lemon juice. But how phenomenal that on itself can be. I grew up with boiled Brussels sprout and a lot of veggies that didn't have a lot of flavor. And I think that Ina has perfected that, making it as simple as possible. Some of them are complicated, making them as simple as possible, but still making them, like, showstoppers or something that your friends are going to after eating over at your place.

Stephanie [00:04:56]:

Where did you grow up?

Trent [00:04:58]:

I grew up in Ohio, so kind.

Stephanie [00:05:01]:

Of I'm from the Midwest, obviously. Minnesota.

Trent [00:05:04]:

You seem a little Midwest bound.

Stephanie [00:05:05]:

Where do you live now?

Trent [00:05:07]:

I'm in New York City. I've been here about 14 years now.

Stephanie [00:05:11]:

And what is your day job? Life. And do you do this all the time?

Trent [00:05:15]:

No, this is not my full time job. I actually work for the Advertising Council, which is a national nonprofit that does public service communication efforts to move the needle on some of our most pressing issues. A lot of people know us.

Stephanie [00:05:34]:

I'm in advertising.

Trent [00:05:36]:

Amazing.

Stephanie [00:05:37]:

We play your ads on my radio station all the time.

Trent [00:05:41]:

I love that. I love that. Yeah. So I'm on the fundraising team. We oversee our board of directors and our fundraising for the organization. So that's my day job. So this is just my side leg project, just my passion project. I really thought this would be something that I would do for a couple of months and then move on to the next thing, but I really found my passion and love for food throughout this project. So it's a balancing act, working a full time job and cooking as much as I do.

Stephanie [00:06:14]:

How much do you cook?

Trent [00:06:17]:

At a minimum, four recipes a week. That doesn't seem like much, but yes, it does. Well, if you're really thinking about okay, well, there are seven days in a week. How many, like, going out to eat, like, how many meals, lunch, dinner. So I try to do four and then two to three evenings during the week.

Stephanie [00:06:40]:

Okay. So what attracted me to your Instagram was an article that I saw that said ina Garten's biggest fan, his ten favorite recipes. Was that intentional, or did they just pick this up from you? Or how did this all come together?

Trent [00:07:01]:

Yeah, no, they reached out maybe a couple of months ago, and they were like, so I'm pitching this story. It's going to be Aina Garden's biggest fan. Spend all day, every day talking about Ina. It is near impossible to pick a top ten. I mean, she has nearly 1300 recipes between her books and show, but sometimes I just have to be like, you know what? This is my top ten for the day. It might change tomorrow. There might have a craving that changes something. Sometimes I forget that I made a recipe, and I'm like, oh, yeah, that's one of my favorite. It's not in the top ten, but next year could be a different list.

Stephanie [00:07:36]:

So you had, I think, two of my top ten. You had the coconut cake, which I won a competition on the local television station, competing against the host with basically an adaption of her recipe.

Trent [00:07:50]:

I love that.

Stephanie [00:07:51]:

And then you also mentioned, I think the roast chicken. Perfect roast chicken, because everybody needs that. I think the roasted carrots with the goat cheese might have made your list or it made my list.

Trent [00:08:07]:

I've been doing a bunch of top ten lists and ranking lists, and the carrots with goat cheese, I think is on my favorite salad list.

Stephanie [00:08:16]:

Is there a recipe that when you made it, you didn't think you'd love it, and then you loved it like you got surprised by it?

Trent [00:08:25]:

There's one that I always go to, and it is her sausage and grapes. It was probably the first year, maybe early in the second year of the project, and I looked at this recipe, and I'm like, roasted grapes. What's? I don't know, sweet, savory, but, like, sausage with cooked grapes, it just didn't appeal to me at all. I was like, you know what? Let me give it a try. And I absolutely loved it. It was that sweet, savory pairing. I feel like the roasting of the grapes concentrates their flavor, making it, like, almost like a wine that goes with the sausage and the balsamic vinegar that's in there. It's just such a fabulous dish. And I know that it's a great one because every time I mention this as one of those dishes, everyone's like, eh, that doesn't sound great. And then they're like, I tried it. It is phenomenal. It's just one of the, I think, hidden treasures in Ina's repertoire of recipes.

Stephanie [00:09:30]:

I love it. Now, as someone who's a creator, do you have anxiety about getting the perfect picture, or are you on the video train? You have a couple of videos, but are you feeling pressure to do more?

Trent [00:09:43]:

Yeah, I live by anxiety. I feel like that's what propels me in everyday living. So there's a lot of anxiety that goes with it, and I think what's happening? Well, I know what's happening is the algorithm, Instagram, Facebook, they're all trying to be TikTok and so they're pushing everyone toward video content. I enjoy doing some videos, but because this isn't my full time job so what I did is I was like, you know what? They're pushing us towards video. I'm going to do a whole Beyonce series where I do recipes inspired by her songs and I'll do videos for everything. And I did a whole month of them. And I can't tell you it was my least favorite month of the entire project. It was just too much work and I had to remind myself, why am I doing this? The following is great and the community that's been built is wonderful, but I am doing this because I enjoy it. And as soon as it's not an enjoyable thing for me, I need to stop doing it. So I went back to filming a video every once in a while, doing mostly photos and finding this balance that I can live with. Even though I've seen my numbers grow or drop. I mean, or kind of stagnate over time, at least I'm happy doing the thing I'm doing.

Stephanie [00:11:07]:

Yeah. And I do think that's sort of the bane of our existence as creators too. You start out because you love something, then you catch fire and you're just on the content churning wheel and it becomes a job and it's not as fun and so why are you doing it? None of us are probably getting rich in the content sphere unless you're maybe Mr. And Mrs. Original YouTuber. Yeah, I'm always like a day late and a dollar short on the latest format, so I'm never going to win there. How about I just enjoy my life and if I can inspire some people along the way or maybe drive a little traffic to my website with clicks. Great.

Trent [00:11:54]:

Yeah, that's how I feel. Do you do videos often?

Stephanie [00:11:57]:

I do, but I also find them exhausting. I call them the hands videos and those look simple, but they are hard to do with the stop motion and everything else. Then there's the like, I'm going to tell you all about my interpersonal feelings journeys videos that kind of nauseates me.

Trent [00:12:22]:

Yeah.

Stephanie [00:12:24]:

Mine are like the sloppy in betweens where I realize halfway through that I can't get the jar of something open because I haven't pre planned and opened it. So I do some too.

Trent [00:12:36]:

That's where I find that I get a little stressed because of the desire for perfection on video. If I forget to add something or something's not quite working for me. If I'm not filming myself, I can figure that out and I'm not worried about it. And the photo turns out great, but as soon as it happens on film, I'm like, oh God. Or what happens would like to admit is do I go to stop the recording and realize after ten minutes that I haven't been recording at all, and.

Stephanie [00:13:10]:

I've missed every I have done this a million times. I have done this a million times where I am in the middle of something, and all of a sudden I realize I haven't started the video. Yes, and you're halfway through making it, so you're not going to start again.

Trent [00:13:31]:

And that's the thing. I don't have the time. The thing that I've loved about this project is that it allows me to just keep trying new things. Yes, there are certain things that get in my regular rotation that I'm making all the time, but I love trying new things, and I don't want to repeat a recipe for a second time in two days or whatever it is just for a video. At that point, it's becoming a photo, and everyone will just be happy with that.

Stephanie [00:14:02]:

Someone asked my kid once what her favorite recipes were that her mom makes, and she just said she had one. That was embarrassing. It was like an Asian tuna salad. But then she said, my mom never makes the same thing twice, so I don't know.

Trent [00:14:18]:

Yes. And that's where I am. Somebody's like, oh, you must make that all the time. It's so good. And I was like, yeah, I made that that one time. I'm sure I'll make it a couple of years from now. The crazy strikes again.

Stephanie [00:14:34]:

So have you met Ina?

Trent [00:14:37]:

I have.

Stephanie [00:14:38]:

Tell me about that experience and how that came about.

Trent [00:14:42]:

So it was a pretty magical experience. Last day in Paris, we went to a restaurant, a tasting menu restaurant called vergu. And I walk into this restaurant, and it is a restaurant that's no bigger than a decent sized living room. I walk in, and immediately I look in the corner, and it's Ina and Jeffrey having dinner. And so blood drains from my face. My friends are like, what's wrong? And I go, oh, my God. Aina and Jeffrey are in the corner of this restaurant. So they see us at our table. We're across the room. Again, not a big room. And my friends are like, do you want to face her? And I was like, Absolutely not. I will not be able to concentrate on anything during this dinner if I'm facing her. So we faced away. My friends were in PR. They're like, okay, let's wait for them to pay the bill. And then we'll go over and say hi to her. So restaurant starts clearing out a little bit. We see they're paid their bill. We go straight over there, and I introduce myself. And I'm like, I am so sorry to interrupt your dinner, but I'm a huge fan, and I'm cooking my way through your recipes. And she nods, and Jeffrey nods, and I go, yeah, my Instagram account, store bought is fine. And she turns to me and she goes, oh, I heard you were in town, and then turns to Jeffrey and goes, oh, we've corresponded online before. I about died in that moment that she one knew I was in Paris and that she, too, remembered my experience. So we had a lovely conversation about how great the dinner was, our trips to France, and at the end, I was like, can I get a photo with you? She's like, yes, we just got a cab. We'll give you the heads up when it's here, and we get a photo outside. And she couldn't have been nicer. Her and Jeffrey were so unbelievably sweet. I think so often you worry about meeting the people you idolize because can they really ever live up to who you've built? They're all humans. Can they really live up to your expectations? And she did in absolutely every single way, got photo with her. She thanked me for what I was doing. It was just such a magical it was kismet. It was meant to be. She loves Paris. I love Paris. We both live in the city or near the city and have never run into each other here. I just think that it was meant to be, and I'm so thankful for that experience.

Stephanie [00:17:14]:

Well, I'm so thankful that you've spent this little moment with us today. All the listeners of my show know I'm a huge fan of ina. And so when I saw your Instagram and started following it, I was like, I have to talk to this man.

Trent [00:17:29]:

Amazing. Well, thank you so much for having me. This has been absolutely wonderful.

Stephanie [00:17:33]:

It's great. It'll take me a couple of weeks to share it, but when I do, I'll tag you. And thank you just so much for sharing yourself.

Trent [00:17:40]:

Yeah, no problem. If you need anything else, any other blurbs pictures, anything, feel free to reach out.

Stephanie [00:17:47]:

Store bought is fine.

Trent [00:17:49]:

Yes. Thank you so much. Awesome. Thank you. Talk to you soon.

Stephanie [00:17:53]:

Bye.

Trent [00:17:54]:

Bye bye. Our channel.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Dabbler Depot THC (Season 5 Episode 22) Jun 23, 2023

In this episode of the podcast, we dive into the world of THC-infused products and THC culture by visiting the Dabbler Depot THC Owner Matt Kenevan. Matt is a successful business owner and discusses the benefits and potential drawbacks of branching out into marijuana products like the already popular seltzers and gummies. The discussion ranges from the safety and quality control of THC-infused products to navigating the changing attitudes toward the potential benefits of THC-infused products for pain management and overall wellness. With engaging storytelling, insightful analysis, and helpful tips, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in exploring the world of THC-infused products.

Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

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Tracey Medeiros author of "The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook": Homegrown Recipes from the Green Mountain State" Jun 16, 2023

On this episode of Dishing with Stephanies Dish”, I chat with guest Tracey Medeiros to discuss her cookbook, "The Vermont Farm To Table Cookbook." Tracey talks about the inspiration behind the book and her passion for community-driven cookbooks. She emphasizes the importance of building a relationship with recipe contributors and provides tips for utilizing excess produce. The conversation then turns to the impact of supporting local farmers and the farm-to-table movement, with Tracey sharing two recipes from her cookbook. The episode closes with discussing the importance of educating the next generation and supporting local farmers to strengthen the community.

Vermont is known for its maple syrup, goat cheese, and farm-to-table spirit. The recipes and stories of ‘The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook” bring a little piece of that Vermont spirit into your home kitchen. After 10 years, author Tracey Medeiros has revised and fully updated this cookbook to highlight the dedication of Vermont’s farmers. Readers can indulge in the comforting seasonal recipes and farm-fresh flavors this beautiful state offers while experimenting with their garden produce, CSA, or Farmer’s market finds, regardless of geography.

Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Here is the Burrata Salad Tracey talked about from the ‘The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook”

Ingredients

Basil Pesto

Makes 1 3/4 cups

2 tightly packed cups of fresh basil leaves

3 tablespoons raw pine nuts

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 2 ounces)

3 medium garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad

8 ounces baby spinach, preferably local

2 medium strawberries, hulled, and sliced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

2 (2-ounce) balls fresh burrata cheese, cut in half, preferably Maplebrook Farm

1/2 cup shelled pistachios, salted and roasted

1 to 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar, or to taste

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

* To make the basil pesto: Place the basil and pine nuts into the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times.

* Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano, garlic, salt, and pepper, then pulse several times more. While the processor is running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream until well blended and fairly smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

* To make the salad: In a large bowl, toss together the spinach and strawberries. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, salt, and pepper until well combined. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste.

* Drizzle over the salad, tossing until well coated.

* To assemble: Smear the basil pesto onto a platter. Place the salad in the center of a platter. Place the burrata on top.

* Scatter the pistachios on and around the salad. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar on top and around the salad. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at once.

Here is a transcript of our interview.

Stephanie [00:00:15]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's Dish, the podcast where we talk to fellow cookbook authors, food lovers, and anyone interested in the food space in the same obsessive way that I am. And Tracy Madeiros is actually, like, right in line with all my obsessions. She is the author of The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook. And Tracy, you are having your 10th anniversary with this amazing book. How exciting, ten years later, to get, like, a rerelease.

Tracey Medeiros [00:00:46]:

I was so happy when I received the call asking if I would be interested in revising the first edition, and I said yes.

Stephanie [00:00:58]:

When you think about your original writing of the cookbook, tell me about that process and why you decided to write it.

Tracey Medeiros [00:01:05]:

Sure. Well, I was writing a column for the Essex Reporter in Colchester Sun, and I just felt the dedication and the energy from these folks wanting to be in that column. And I thought, why not? Why don't I write another Vermont cookbook? So I asked my editor at the newspaper her thoughts on me turning my column into a book. And years prior, the publishing house, that Countryman Press, had approached me, and they asked me if I ever write another cookbook again, please let them know. So I called the gentleman up who had approached me about writing a book for them, and I said, hey, I'm thinking about turning my column into a book. What are your thoughts? And he said, I love the idea. And I sent him some sample recipes and some profile examples, and he gave me a contract. And that's how the first edition came about.

Stephanie [00:02:18]:

How many recipes were in the original cookbook?

Tracey Medeiros [00:02:21]:

The original cookbook had 150 recipes.

Stephanie [00:02:25]:

Okay. And I had a cookbook that had 170. So about the same amount. How long did it take you to put it all together?

Tracey Medeiros [00:02:33]:

It takes me, I just work nonstop. The second I get a contract, I just run Stephanie, and it's just all consuming, and it's my life. And I would say about a year. I have that same yeah. So you're like me. You just okay, I get the contract. Because it's a little daunting when you get that contract. It's exciting, but it's daunting because you have that pressure to produce and because you have so many people involved, and people have lives, and they're busy, and farmers are extremely busy. You just have to work nonstop. So I would say about a year.

Stephanie [00:03:21]:

Your cookbook. The Vermont farm to table cookbook reminds me in some respects. So two things. One, I think Vermont and Minnesota are familiar climate wise. There is a rural aspect to Vermont, but also then you kind of have this liberal city in Burlington. So I feel like my daughter went to college there. So I feel like I have some a bit of a touchstone with Vermont. But when I relooked at all of your recipes in this latest 10th edition, I really got that vibe that I got ten years ago or twelve years ago when I kind of fell in love with cooking as an adult in this farm to table movement. Like buying these really cool ingredients at farmers markets and then seeing what I could turn into them.

Tracey Medeiros [00:04:16]:

Vermont has always been ahead of the curve food wise. And I just find that the people in this realm are just so inspiring. And like you said, and I hope when readers open this book, they will just feel the love and the dedication. These contributors are just so dedicated, so passionate, and it's just such hard work and they're just so inspiring. And they really do this for community wellness, because being a farmer, it's not a lucrative business.

Stephanie [00:04:55]:

Right, like writing cookbooks.

Tracey Medeiros [00:04:57]:

Yeah, exactly. You have to have a love and a passion for it. And these folks really do. And I'm just so fortunate that they trust me with their profiles and their recipes. And I always make sure to send the materials back and I tell them, anything you want me to add or omit or edit, please do. Because my books are really a community cookbook and I want them to also, when I feel their love, I want them to feel my love back to them, my thank you for doing what they do. And like, you obviously you love doing cookbooks and you love food. You have to just love these folks because they help you and inspire you to do what you do and do it well. And I always want them to feel my appreciation, and I'm just so grateful for them over the last all these years doing what I've done.

Stephanie [00:06:09]:

I think the reason your cookbook really appeals to me too, is because I think I'm a good cook. But I am a home cook and I am always attracted to newspaper columns about recipes because I feel like you have an aesthetic and a point of view that is like you're imagining me standing in my regular kitchen like I don't have all the special supplies. And I felt like when I was reading the cookbook too, that it was super approachable and like food that everyday people can cook. And I know that sounds silly, but a lot of cookbooks, they're more aspirational and beautiful. Yours is like, I can do the things. I can make the Vermont Cheddar soup, I can make these salad dressings.

Tracey Medeiros [00:06:56]:

Well. That's what's so important to me when I do any of my cookbooks. Exactly what you have stated, Stephanie, that I want someone who doesn't cook that often but wants to cook at home once in a while. So, for instance, I have this wonderful Lebanese salad in there. And I think also when you're trying to educate and the importance of the whole farm to table movement and the reason why you should support your local farmer and the importance you want to have that net as wide as possible, you want to educate and entertain as many people as possible so that movement continues to grow and flourish. And that's why too, when I create these books, they're a recipe book, they're also with the profiles, they're interesting reads. So maybe someone might not try a certain recipe, but they're still learning about that farm and also a travel guide too to entice people to come to this state, but say you can't come to this state, you're still learning about our state.

Stephanie [00:08:22]:

Yeah, I did feel that because I felt like those farm stories, when you read about a goat cheese farmer, for instance, I might not have access to that person specific goat cheese, but it brings me back to a local goat cheese provider in Minnesota that I know has the same aesthetic or works, that same belief system. And it reminds me like, oh, I need to revisit so and so's farm.

Tracey Medeiros [00:08:50]:

Exactly. And that is my goal. Too you're walking through the farmers market and you tell yourself, oh, I saw this wonderful recipe utilizing goat cheese. I can't get the Vermont in my town, but I'm going to support my local farmer at this farmers market. And that's the goal, just to keep these farmers on the land and also to inspire the next generation, just to keep this growing and strengthening this, because it really is so important, the local farmer and what they do is just so connected to, again, to community wellness, to our health. And it's just really important to let them know that we appreciate them, we know what they do, we know that their work is hard work and it's just inspiring. It is really inspiring. Too if you think about it, every year, you don't know what you're going to yield.

Stephanie [00:09:52]:

Yeah.

Tracey Medeiros [00:09:52]:

And it's just hope and resilience at the end of your growing season what you will yield, and you hope that you will yield a lot, but they still every year are just so dedicated to the so dedicated to the community and year after year not knowing what they're going to yield. And it's pretty amazing how resilient they are.

Stephanie [00:10:18]:

I think this book speaks to gardeners, too, because I'm also a gardener, so I'm just coming up on starting to thin the beets and thin the Swiss yard and the radishes are finally poking their heads out of the ground. And I'm really feeling inspired with this book to carry it as a companion from my gardening season.

Tracey Medeiros [00:10:43]:

I love that. That is my goal. Too absolutely. And those who are members say of CSAs, where they exactly, yeah, an overabundance, say of potatoes or leaks that they can go through my cookbooks and say, you know what, this is a great way to use all these potatoes, or this is a great way to use all these tomatoes. So that's my other goal. Too or your garden. Sometimes you yield a lot of zucchini or whatever you're growing in your garden and you can't always give your neighbors extra ingredients that you grow, and that's my goal too. And I know you do a lot of canning. You're a big yes, and that's another wonderful way to utilize extra ingredients.

Stephanie [00:11:40]:

Yeah, sometimes your neighbors see you coming with that extra bushel of zucchini, and they're not so happy to see you anymore.

Tracey Medeiros [00:11:48]:

They're like zucchini again. I love zucchini. Zucchini is great, and you can certainly do a lot with that. But it is funny because they're like, oh, no, let me guess. They're excited in the beginning, but after.

Stephanie [00:12:00]:

The fifth visit, yes, I totally concur. Now, what would you say what I also think is interesting about cookbooks is, like, I can tell you the three most popular cookbook, the recipes in my book, just because I get asked about them all the time. What would you say are your top?

Tracey Medeiros [00:12:19]:

Well, for instance, in the cookbook, there is oh, my goodness, this Maple Brook Farms Burrata Salad. And it uses local spinach and strawberries, which are in season or soon to be in season where you live, basil pesto and pistachios and aged basalmic vinegar. And what I love about the burrata, especially the one from Maple Brook Farms, they use this old world technique, the stretching of the curd, and they put it into the mozzarella and the filling with some cream, and it's just like this luscious texture. And then you have the texture from the pistachios, which is the crunch, and then you have the sweetness of the strawberries and the spinach. I mean, that is by far one of my favorites because it's very easy to make. And visually, it's beautiful, I have to say, because I'm so fortunate, and I live in such a foodie state, when I get these recipes, I'm just so excited. I feel like it's Christmas, because I'm like, oh, how are they utilizing this? Or, I cannot wait to test this. It's just a joy because they take food very seriously, and it educates me as well, and it's just exciting. And then there's this wonderful Stephanie, let me tell you, walnut tart that you can find towards the end of the book when I tell you I could eat the whole tart, it is so good. It's sinful, but it's just like it's so amazing. And you have the walnuts and then the silkiness of the texture. I mean, it's just wonderful. I just love that dessert, and so many people love it, and it's just divine.

Stephanie [00:14:24]:

Okay, one more question before I let you go. In the broader context of cookbooks, and just, like, your experience as a recipe developer and a writer, are there one or two cookbooks that have inspired you, just, like, in your career, of, like, they're always on your shelf. You never take them and put them away?

Tracey Medeiros [00:14:44]:

Well, I love anything that Martha Stewart does. I think she is a genius. I really love I'm inspired by her. I think what she does is amazing. And what I find interesting about her, she's just constantly evolving.

Stephanie [00:15:07]:

A swimsuit model now, so let's just go there.

Tracey Medeiros [00:15:10]:

Oh, I know. Fabulous.

Stephanie [00:15:12]:

Beautiful.

Tracey Medeiros [00:15:13]:

I love the orange. I love the COVID Fabulous. Of course, julia, I mean, anything that Julia had done, she actually was my inspiration as a young child watching her. And so anything from her, I'm inspired by. So I would have to say definitely those two women. Julia just watching her and just being so animated and really when I say not caring, but just wasn't restricted by the camera. She was who she was in front of the camera. Whether she dropped something or didn't have something, she was her, and it was great. And again, with Matthew just an innovator and constantly cutting edge and creative and having the longevity of that career, it's just so inspiring.

Stephanie [00:16:15]:

Well, I've enjoyed connecting with you. Tracy madeiros the Cookbook is the Vermont Farm Table Cookbook, and it is in its 10th anniversary. You have over 3004.5 and a half or greater reviews, which is pretty awesome, too.

Tracey Medeiros [00:16:33]:

Wow.

Stephanie [00:16:34]:

Yeah. I mean, for Amazon, I just think that's amazing so people can find your book there. Also, I'll put a link to it so that people can directly find you on your website. Are you on social media, too, Tracy?

Tracey Medeiros [00:16:49]:

Yes. Facebook the Vermont Farm table cookbook. Facebook. And then I have my website, which is tracymaderis.com all right.

Stephanie [00:17:00]:

And I'll go ahead and put links to that in the show notes. Thank you for spending time with me today. It's been really fun.

Tracey Medeiros [00:17:07]:

Thank you so much. And I hope you have a wonderful day.

Stephanie [00:17:10]:

Thanks, Tracy. Bye bye.

Tracey Medeiros [00:17:11]:

Thank you. Bye bye.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Seeq Supply (Season 5 Episode 21) Jun 09, 2023

Looking for the next big thing in protein? Look no further than this week's episode of our podcast! Our guest, Hannah Perez, a former elementary education teacher student turned marketer and entrepreneur,

shares the story of how Ben Zaver created a protein supplement that is not only packed with protein but is not milky but tasty and juice-like that comes in fresh fruit flavors. Hear about their journey from idea to catching Mark Cuban imagination from Shark Tank Fame. Learn about their vision for the future of protein supplements. Tune in now to hear their inspiring story.

Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber at stephaniesdish.com

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

The Grater Good Mn (Season 5 Episode20) Jun 02, 2023

🧀 Meet our latest Makers of Minnesota podcast guest! Christine Leonard from The Grater Good Mn🐄 Whether she's milking cows, creating cheese boards, or sharing her knowledge of cheese-making, she loves all things cows and dairy. With a degree in food science and technology and experience at Redhead Creamery, her passion for farmstead artisan cheeses shines through in her creations. But her love for routine and structure is just as important to her, so she finds comfort in milking her cows and providing them with a familiar schedule.

In our interview, she dives into the challenges of using social media for business, the process of making different types of cheese, and how she tries to make cheese boards that provide an impactful eating experience. Plus, she shares her tips for pairing different cheeses with jams, honey, nuts, and more! Listen to our latest episode to hear all about it, and follow her on Instagram for content about her love of cheese.

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This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Koru Kombucha (Season 5 Episode 18) May 26, 2023

Hey Podcast listeners! In this episode, we discuss the journey of Jessica Kohanek, a single mother who turned her passion for kombucha into Koru Kombucha, a thriving craft business, all while balancing the demands of raising a family and teaching full-time. Our guest started making kombucha as a way to improve her health and well-being, but quickly fell in love with the process and the benefits it provided. She began brewing large batches and supplying local businesses until her business grew to what it is today. Through trial and error, she refined her recipe and now brews her delicious kombucha at St. Paul Brewing Company.

Stephanie [00:00:13]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Makers of Minnesota podcast, where we talk to cool people doing cool things. And I'm here with Jessica Kohanek, and she is the founder of Koru Kombucha. Did I say that right?

Jessica [00:00:26]:

Yes. Perfect. Thank you. Hi, thanks for having me.

Stephanie [00:00:29]:

Yeah, thanks for being on the podcast today. We're in some audio trouble, but we're all situated now.

Jessica [00:00:36]:

Perfect.

Stephanie [00:00:37]:

Jessica, tell me about your foray into kombucha making my foray into?

Jessica [00:00:43]:

Okay, well, back in 2017, I want.

Stephanie [00:00:49]:

To point out too, that you're, like, in a classroom.

Jessica [00:00:52]:

Yeah, I teach full time. Okay. So I'm here, the kids just left, and I just had my end of the year meeting with my par person, so that just got done. And now I'm doing this, and I'm super excited. And when we're done, I'm going to go flavor some kombucha, go shopping for some ingredients and get that. It's a busy day. Busy week, always busy. Yeah, I like being busy. It works out for me.

Stephanie [00:01:16]:

What made you start deciding to make kombucha?

Jessica [00:01:21]:

Okay, I'll try to make it it's a long story, but I'll make it short. Basically, back in 2017, I teach high school now, but back then I taught little kids Montessori for second 3rd graders. So I had about 36 to 6789 year olds in my class, so I'm doing that full time. I was working towards my K through twelve art license back then, so I was going to school at Bethel four nights a week. And my son I'm a single mom, and my son was in hockey in the goalie. So I had all this going on, and I'm like, I'm so tired, like, going to class that night and getting everything done. And my body doesn't do well with caffeine or sugar, so I'm not a pop drinker. And coffee makes me ill, so, I mean, I love the taste of it, but it doesn't do well with my body. So a friend of mine at the time said, I heard kombucha is really good for energy and this and that. It's a healthy wave without getting all your sugar and caffeine and whatnot, but it works. So he kept bringing me kombucha, and after about two weeks, I'm like, oh, my God, I was going to class that night without yawning, and I could get through the day a lot easier. I dropped a few pounds. I just felt really good. I just felt really good. I'm like, this is magical stuff. I need to learn more about it. At the time I've heard of it, it was like a California thing or East Coast thing and what is this? And so I started researching and buying a bottle at $4 a pop when you're a single mom wasn't a good idea on a teacher salary. So YouTube, how do you make kombucha? And did it. And then I started making and having fun with making flavors and getting it to the PH that I liked and the flavors that I liked, and I could personalize it. And I'm like I like mine. It's a little bit better than the store stuff. Anyways, this is great. So I went from two gallons, and then I went bought another two gallon. And so I was going through it, and I'm like, mom, sister, friends, you guys got to try this stuff. This is freaking amazing. Like, all the benefits that's coming out of this. And so I started making more, and then I had, like, glass jars all over the house. So I'm like, okay, well, I went and bought a 30 gallon fermenter and then another one, and then story keeps going if you want to keep yeah, okay. So I went what was it? I wrote a teacher's grant to go to Hawaii to study the flora and fauna of Hawaii and won it. So I went to Hawaii for almost a month with my son at the time and met all these amazing people. And it just so happened when I was there, I met these people that were making the Hawaii Kombucha, and I saw what they were doing and how they were doing it. I can do that. So I came home and did it, went down to Kansas City with the brokery kombucha thanks, guys. And bought 490 gallon fermenters from them. And I'm like, yeah, I'm doing this commercially. I got to share this kombucha with the world. Let's go. Let's do this. And I started looking at shared kitchens, and I'm like, I can't afford this. I can't afford that because my stuff takes up too much space, and it wouldn't be logical to do this. A friend of mine, Ryan, who was one of the owners at Stack Deck Brewery downtown St. Paul, he said, Just come here and brew. I'm like. Okay. Thanks, man. So we tried it out. I took a break from school to do this. March of 2020, everything shuts down the month I moved in there. But I just really focus on making it commercially and getting in. My goal was just to be really local, really like coffee shops, people in St. Paul. I just wanted to kind of invert Grove, where I'm from, and supply my people right, that were around me and at least do that. And I'm still teaching full time, so I didn't want to get all crazy big. And so that worked out really great for a while. Stackdack is no longer and so I spent a lot of time emailing breweries from all over the Twin Cities. Hey, do you have space for me? Do you have space for me? I probably got 15 to 20. No, I'm sorry. Good luck in your adventure. We don't have that much space. And when I finally went to Eleven Wells Distillery and talked to the guy there, he's like, we don't have what you need. Why don't you go talk to the guys at St. Paul Brewing. I'm like, I swear I did, but I checked my emails and I didn't. But I went over and talked to Bob, who's the head brewer over there. Awesome guy. Everyone there is awesome. And he's like, yeah, we can make space. Let's do this. I got to talk to Rob, the owner, and they made space for me, and I'm like, at the time, I was ready to in my mind, I was ready to start my own shop and be done with teaching. But I'm still there, and it's been almost two years, I think, now, but I really learned I'm in a different teaching job that I absolutely love. I'm teaching at an alternative high school. I'm the electives teacher, so I get to do art and cooking and careers and teaching about the real life stuff. So I'm doing a really good job of balancing both things, and I'm still taking in a few new what's the word I'm looking for not clients, but just places to sell kombucha. Thank you. Real Taylors. Yeah, I just got into Red Rabbit on grand, and, yeah, it's just fun, just an adventure, and I don't know what I'm going to do in the future, but just keep growing as it comes. Organically, I guess.

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Stephanie [00:07:19]:

Yeah. And so how much kombucha? Like, you sent me six flavors, and they're all really interesting lemongrass. There's some berry. How much kombucha is the normal amount to drink per day for gut health benefits? Because I don't think people know.

Jessica [00:07:39]:

Good question. I suggest when people come to me for kombucha first, I ask if their body is used to probiotics in the first place, because some people will take pills or powders or whatnot or eat fermented foods, so I kind of figure out where they're at. If your body is not used to probiotics at all, I would suggest a third of the bottle throughout the day, a third in the morning, a little bit in the afternoon, in the evening, just to kind of see how your body feels, because everybody is different. And when I first started, I would drink the whole bottle, and I was fine. Some people have issues that kombucha is known to help out, so it might have more effect on your body. And kombucha is known to kind of I always say it's kind of like cleaning out a junk drawer, right? And so the probiotics and the kombucha, well, you got to get everything out of there, all this yucky stuff, and get it out, and it kind of flares up, and it's like a mess. What did I do? This is a huge mess. But then you kind of put back what you need, and it kind of helps in that I compare it that way. So to answer your question, I would start if you're not used to it, like a third of the bottle, maybe 3oz at a time. Okay. If you're nervous, start with 1oz because it is a detoxifier. Right.

Stephanie [00:08:55]:

And then is it started with plain distilled vinegar or do they always use cider vinegar?

Jessica [00:09:03]:

I don't use any vinegar, so I use gunpowder, organic green tea, and I use cane sugar. So I make my tea, add the sugar, let it cool down, add like 15% of previous batch, how many gallons you're using? It's kind of like starter fluid, like when you're making. So I call it starter fluid and then add that. And then you add your SCOBY, which is your symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast. This living organism that's going to eat most of the caffeine and the sugar that's in there and ferments it. You know how, like, cabbage turns into sauerkraut? It's like you got your sweet tea turning into kombucha. So I don't start with any vinegar, but if you let it sit long enough and ferment long enough, the acidity gets really low. So it tastes like vinegar. Yeah, it gets to that point.

Stephanie [00:09:58]:

So you're fantastic to me because I love that you're so passionate about this and just found it on YouTube and you mentioned being a single mom. And I don't know unless people are single moms or single parents that they can really put themselves in that space, which is you're trying to provide for your family, whatever that looks like to you. You also are the only person that can parent whatever that requires. And so you have to be super strategic in your decision making, yet you want to have a good life for yourself, right? And it's kind of a process of trial and error and it takes a village so that you go out and just ask everybody for help and figure these things out is so true of how I feel like single moms have to be or single dads, because you can't do it all alone.

Jessica [00:10:53]:

You have to be resourceful, that's for sure. Smart. Good decision making, like you said. Great. Jonas came around with me quite often. He was old enough. He's 17 now. When I started, he was 13, he went to Hawaii and he's watched this whole process. And it's definitely a process, man. I started with buying old bottles from this awesome lady out in Minnetonka, like, driving almost an hour just to go get used bottles. And I'd wash them, sterilize them, delabel them, relabel them in five gallon buckets in my kitchen with oxyclean stuff, and then just for how much things change. And then he'd help and he's learning about businesses and how to run it and how to save money and how to use your money wisely and have just bank accounts and all the things. So it's been a total learning experience for both of us. And I wanted to involve him. And he loves it and he loves helping. He'll help me bottle and deliver, and he's driving now, so it's awesome. It's great. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:11:50]:

Are you making money yet?

Jessica [00:11:54]:

Yes, I have the separate bank account where I'm keeping I'm trying to build it so when I am ready for my shop, I'll have a down payment. I am doing certain things like paying my phone bill with it and making double payments on my car so I can be done with that. But I really keep the personal business separate so I can be wise about that with later on with money.

Stephanie [00:12:18]:

And is your hope to open a kombucha shop, and is there such a thing?

Jessica [00:12:24]:

They're sporadic. They're all over the west coast. East coast? Albuquerque. I'm going to go visit one this weekend. There was one up in Duluth. It's no longer, but yeah, it would be awesome to have a kombucha shop. And I have amazing, beautiful female friends that are doing small business things that I'd like to collaborate and keep the community alive. Have classes. I love art. I teach art classes. I have a beautiful friend who's an acupuncturist who specializes in Chinese herbal medicine. I'd love to work with her to make kombucha is medicinal as it is, but even to make it more specific for different ailments, using her knowledge in the Chinese herbal medicine with that. I worked in the restaurant since I was 15 years old, so I have the feeling of those and customer service. And it would be awesome just to have a place to read and have plants and books and music and live music and a place to gather. And I think that would be amazing.

Stephanie [00:13:23]:

Yeah, well, and some of the best coffee shops are coffee shops that are also record stores or coffee shops that are bookstores. I could totally see that with kombucha and even at some point because it makes a great mixer for distilled and non alcoholic cocktails too.

Jessica [00:13:41]:

Oh, for sure. Yes. And it's a fancy glass, and all of a sudden you're having a little mocktail. It's some fruit, and it's fabulous. I love it.

Stephanie [00:13:52]:

So right now, to find your koru kombucha, where would we shop right now to find it?

Jessica [00:14:00]:

Generally? Okay, so I'm pretty local, but I'm also, like, at Northern Grounds up in Ilia making a delivery in a couple of weeks.

Stephanie [00:14:08]:

Yeah, we talked about that. That's where my cabin is, and I'm looking forward to maybe I'll see you.

Jessica [00:14:13]:

Up there this summer.

Stephanie [00:14:14]:

Oh, if the ice ever goes out, it could be Memorial Day. But yes.

Jessica [00:14:19]:

Yeah, well, that's what Jones like. Can you get here before Memorial Day? But yellowbird is awesome. Over on Selby in Lexington, the corner store in inverter of Heights. That's the little gas station that I used to go to when I was a kid to buy my candy. So I love that. Of course, St. Paul Brewing Company represent Utopols goes through more kombucha of my kombucha than anyone. Urban growlers. Another brewery. So it's like, go get something. They all have amazing food and pizza too. So it's like, grab a pizza grab a Kombucha on tap if you're not feeling like drinking or mix. Half beer, half kombucha is another thing. So if you don't want as much alcohol, but you want and you add a little fruit flavor to your beer yeah.

Stephanie [00:15:03]:

Like your own sour, almost.

Jessica [00:15:05]:

Yeah. That's great.

Stephanie [00:15:06]:

And Urban Growler won the best fish fry in the Twin Cities, so if people want I'm not surprised they know.

Jessica [00:15:14]:

What they're doing over there. They're awesome.

Stephanie [00:15:16]:

Yeah. Well, it's super nice to meet you and to talk with you. I'm going to keep my eye on you, because I can just tell sometimes you talk to people and they got the thing, or they don't have the thing, and you have the thing. I just think you need the time to get all your resources together. But I think your product is tremendous. I loved the labeling. I liked the packaging. I thought it tasted super great. Thank you. Yeah, I'm all about it.

Jessica [00:15:43]:

Love goes in there. Thank you so much.

Stephanie [00:15:45]:

Yeah. Koru. Kombuchi. Kombucha. Not kombucha.

Jessica [00:15:51]:

It's like when a kid pronounces something wrong, it just sounds adorable. Like, people do that all the time. Like, it's cute.

Stephanie [00:15:57]:

Yeah, it's almost cuter in some respects. But it's great to talk with you, and I'm sure we'll run into each other. Again. Thanks for being awesome.

Jessica [00:16:04]:

I'm looking forward to it. Thank you so much. Appreciate it. Bye.

Stephanie [00:16:06]:

Bye. Bye.

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Judith Tschann, Author May 19, 2023

Stephanie [00:00:16]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's Dish, the podcast where we talk to people that have written unique, amazing, and in this case, super fun books about food. I'm here with Judith Chishon, and she is a friend of a friend sister, which is fun to talk with her, too. Susie Mindrum is her sister, who's a good friend of our families and has been so kind to me and my stepmom. So it's fun to talk with you, Judith. She reached out and said, Would you ever want to talk to my sister? She has this funny book called “Romaine Wasn't Built in a Day”.

Judith [00:00:53]:

Sister in law.

Stephanie [00:00:54]:

Okay. Sister in law. It's amazing.

Judith [00:00:58]:

Yeah.

Stephanie [00:00:59]:

So do we call you? Is it an entomologist? The person who studies the nature of words?

Judith [00:01:08]:

Yeah. Etymologist no, n otherwise people might think it pertains to bugs.

Stephanie [00:01:16]:

Yes, that's right. So etymology is the derivative of words.

Judith [00:01:22]:

Yeah, right.

Stephanie [00:01:24]:

How did you think of putting this book together? Because why don't you describe it in your own words? Okay.

Judith [00:01:31]:

A somewhat short answer as to how it came about. I specialized in Old English and Middle English in graduate school, and as a professor, I had the great good fortune to teach history of the language, which, of course, included many discussions about the immense vocabulary of English and where all those words came from. And over the course of many, many years, I had amassed a huge pile of notes about interesting word histories. And then when the Pandemic hit, I put them all together into a book.

Stephanie [00:02:17]:

Isn't it amazing how many books were spawned by the pandemic?

Judith [00:02:22]:

Yes, really, it is.

Stephanie [00:02:26]:

And do you have a personal love of food or why this focus specifically on food words?

Judith [00:02:33]:

Yeah. Well, that's a good question. Yes. I love food. I am very interested in the history of food. I taught a course once long ago on food and literature, and often even in other courses, talked about the role that literature, that food played in a book. But the first love, I guess, was words. Even as a kid, I mean, all kids love to play with words, rhyming and punning and doing Dr. Susan kinds of things. And if I can indulge in one anecdote that's popping into my head right now about a love of language, even as a kid, I don't know how old I was maybe seven, eight, something like that. We were sitting around the table at my grandmother and grandfather's house, and he was holding forth with an anecdote, the punchline to, which was in Norwegian. And everybody burst out laughing, probably including me, though I didn't understand what he had said. I had a few words of Norwegian, that was it. But it really stands out in my head that a kind of moment of paying attention to the medium, perhaps, rather than the message that it was funny for everybody, maybe because literally what he said, but also because he said it in another language. We call that code switching now, and I wouldn't have articulated the whole business the way I am now, but it was a fun moment of awareness of I'm going to call it the ludic quality of language meaning the playfulness and all the things that we can do with language. Like tell jokes.

Stephanie [00:04:39]:

Yeah. And the lyricism of it. Right.

Judith [00:04:42]:

Yes. And I was a dictionary reader even at a young age. I don't know why exactly.

Stephanie [00:04:50]:

It makes me laugh that you just said that, like we're all dictionary readers. You read the dictionary as a young kid.

Judith [00:04:58]:

Yeah. I remember looking up words and making marks in the book. And I love the word pugnacious. Who knows why?

Stephanie [00:05:09]:

Right.

Judith [00:05:10]:

And naughty words were sometimes in there. Although I admit I was using a very old punk and wagon's dictionary, which did not have very many naughty words. Yeah. I've just always really loved digging around in the dictionary.

Stephanie [00:05:28]:

Have you by chance read and I think the book is called The Book of Words. It's about the writing of the dictionary from the female perspective.

Judith [00:05:39]:

Well, I've read a number of books like that. Is it the one by Corey Stamford? Word by word?

Stephanie [00:05:48]:

Maybe. Oh, I just read it, and I'm sorry that I don't know the name of the author. I will try and find it.

Judith [00:05:57]:

Okay. I've got it sitting here in this big pile of books.

Stephanie [00:06:03]:

Yeah. It was basically just this idea of how the dictionary came to be and how they chronicled and cataloged the words. And it was fiction.

Judith [00:06:15]:

It was fiction.

Stephanie [00:06:17]:

It was but I think it was based in historical fiction, and it was just something go ahead.

Judith [00:06:25]:

No, that sounds fantastic.

Stephanie [00:06:27]:

Yeah. It was just something I had never really thought about. Here's the name of it. It is called lost words. I'm going to find it. Sorry. I just think you would really like it. And it was absolutely very beautifully written. The Dictionary of Lost Words is what it was called. And it was written by a woman named Pip Williams. K. Okay. Pip Williams. And the idea was they sort of chronicled this historical fiction of the creating of the dictionary. But also what was unique about the book was this idea that women had their own language and women of the aristocracy, their language was different than women that were working in the homes or were working in the markets and were lower caste women, as it were. So she became enamored with chronicling and cataloging the words that women use that didn't make it into the original dictionaries.

Judith [00:07:35]:

Interesting. Well, I definitely want to read it. And she was talking about English, or was she talking worldwide?

Stephanie [00:07:43]:

It was in England, and it was the Oxford Dictionary compilation.

Judith [00:07:49]:

Okay, so it's a story about The OED.

Stephanie [00:07:51]:

Correct.

Judith [00:07:53]:

Okay. Yes.

Stephanie [00:07:54]:

I think you'd like it.

Judith [00:07:55]:

Yeah, I read the Madman story about the OED, but I haven't read this one specifically. Do you know if she has a lot of food words?

Stephanie [00:08:06]:

There is some, but it's not a lot that I could pick up because I think I would have recalled that. And when we were talking about preparing for this book, you were talking about the funny. We talked about rhubarb in particular because I'm obsessed with rhubarb. What is the origination of the word rhubarb?

Judith [00:08:27]:

It comes from a Greek word that means, well, the vegetable. But it means barbarous, too. So it's a foreign thing. That word foreign. And barbarous is in there. That's the barb part of rhubarb, which seems to me kind of fun and funny.

Stephanie [00:08:47]:

Yeah.

Judith [00:08:49]:

So I'm curious about your obsession with it. Food so often, of course, has emotional associations. And my association with rhubarb is a very positive one. Not only because my husband likes to make rhubarb pie and I love rhubarb pie, but it makes me think of my grandmother and her backyard in Northfield, Minnesota and a big rhubarb patch and the admonition that we should not ever even think about eating those leaves.

Stephanie [00:09:26]:

Yeah. Because they're poisonous.

Judith [00:09:27]:

Poisonous. And you'll die. But in spite of that, I mean, that only made it all more thrilling.

Stephanie [00:09:34]:

I think what I am fascinated by with rhubarb is that it's sort of this ugly looking weed in a lot of respects, and then it's not. If you just pull a stalk and eat it without a ton of sugar, it's not awesome. And then when you cut the leaves off and you boil that down or you cook it in a pastry and you add sugar, you make something completely transformative out of what is, in a lot of sense, zoeed I think that's what appeals to me, yes.

Judith [00:10:03]:

Well, wow. That is the magic, the transformation, right. That we can eat that stuff, but then it has to be cooked. Yeah. And when I think of rhubarb, I think of recipes that promise this transformation. I just love recipes, though I am not a recipe writer. I mean, I'm certainly not a cookbook writer. So I'm full of admiration for anybody who has written books with lots of recipes in them and all that that entails. But I just love the idea that you can have a list of rules and ingredients that promise transformation and something tasty and wonderful. And I think of it, too, in another way that's maybe kind of odd. I think of recipe cards that I have in my little old recipe card thingy holder, and I think of the handwriting that's on them. So in some cases, it's my mother's very neat handwriting. The Palmer method, that was not long ago. And in other cases, it's my grandmother's handwriting, the one who had rhubarb in the backyard. And hers tended to be shorter. I mean, she wouldn't give well, this doesn't account for the length of the recipe, but she wouldn't give a precise number for the oven setting. She would say hot oven or the precise measurement of, I don't know, flour is just scant. And somehow I liked that, that they were kind of abbreviated because she assumed you knew what to do.

Stephanie [00:11:52]:

Yeah. That's so funny, because in a lot of the recipes that my grandma left behind when I was writing a cookbook, trying to decipher what scamped was or what simmer, and just thinking about okay, like, a gas oven operates different than an electric oven. And so much of cooking can be intuitive. And I'm pretty good about intuiting, but I try to write it for my sister, who, if you don't say, ten minutes at 425 and test it with a toothpick, and if there's crumbs on there, keep going. She just has no idea. She has no intuition at all when it comes to cooking.

Judith [00:12:34]:

Yeah, well, I'm a little bit more in that category.

Stephanie [00:12:38]:

Yeah. And you have to spell it all out when we talk about some of the words in your book. What are some of your three to five favorite food words that you covered?

Judith [00:12:50]:

Okay, let me think for a minute, because those words change as to which is the favorite. At the moment, I am thinking of the word barbecue because I don't know a bunch of reasons. It comes from the Caribbean Arowakan word that means a frame that has many uses, but one of them is for roasting food. But there's a common theory about what barbecue means, that it comes from the French for barb, a cou, meaning beard to tail, presumably referring to the way you would spit the pig. Not a very pleasant idea.

Stephanie [00:13:40]:

Yes, you'd spirit from tip to tail.

Judith [00:13:42]:

Right. But there isn't any evidence for that, whereas there is evidence for this derivation from the Arawakan language. And to me, I just like to remember both. I'm very interested in false etymologies, or if you don't want to call them that, stories about words, because they suggest something interesting, too. I mean, in this case, it's a clever idea. It's based only on sound similarity. Sounds, of course, are incredibly important in trying to figure out the etymology, but that's not enough. And for dictionaries, there has to be written evidence, too. So I like the word barbecue. I like the word zydeco. I've been thinking about that a lot. The music from southern Louisiana. It's the Louisiana Creole pronunciation of lasarico, the French words for beans. The beans. And it apparently comes from a song title written by Clifton Sheny. And the title, or anyway, it's a line in the song, is something like Lazarico, pronounced zydaco son Pasale are not salted. I don't know what that means. I've dug around trying to get translations and explanations, and somebody said it means it's when you're serving just the beans and there's no meat or something.

Stephanie [00:15:19]:

Yeah, potentially, like a salt pork is missing.

Judith [00:15:23]:

Yeah. So I think that's fun. Zydeco means beans. That music. And I associate the word, then with the instruments, some of which are stringed instruments. I think of them as green beans.

Stephanie [00:15:36]:

Then I think about the actual artist named Buckwheat Zydeco, who sings zydeco.

Judith [00:15:41]:

Okay. I have to look.

Stephanie [00:15:43]:

Yeah, he's pretty great. He's from Orlando.

Judith [00:15:47]:

First name?

Stephanie [00:15:48]:

Yeah. He's just a great musician.

Judith [00:15:52]:

Okay. Thank you for that. And I like the word marathon because it's a toponym. The race named after a place in Greece where there was a famous marathon. And I like it because it has food hidden in the word. I mean, hidden to us, if we don't know Greek, it means fennel. In Greek, maratho. So it's food connected and toponym. That's interesting. Named after a place. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:16:20]:

What is a toponym? I've never heard of that term before.

Judith [00:16:24]:

A word that's named after a place. Okay. And there are also lots of eponyms words named after people, like, say, sandwich, which is a famous one, of course. Sandwich, just to confuse the issue, is also a place. Yes. And there's no evidence, really, that he did what he supposedly did, which was right. Hold a big sandwich, put all the meat and stuff between two pieces of bread, and hold it while he gambled with the other hand. So, in this case, it's a story. It's not the actual etymology. Nevertheless, it's clear that the word goes back to his name, his title. So, yeah, it's a word named after a person. I like words that have food hidden in them, too, like, seersucker, which comes from the Persian. That means milk and sugar.

Stephanie [00:17:26]:

Okay. And originally were suckers made with milk?

Judith [00:17:33]:

No, I think it's a pure coincidence that it sounds like sucker. Okay. It's from the Parisian, and I'd have to look up the precise words and pardon my inability to pronounce them, but it's like sugar and sugar. I mean, it's a word that means that means sugar, but in this case, it refers to the look of the material. Those words just got mushed together. Sucker. And the material looks like an alternating pattern of colors and maybe ones that have little bumps up and then the flat one, because Searsucker has those little material.

Stephanie [00:18:24]:

How long did it take you to research romaine wasn't built in a day, or were these just from the notes, and you had them all handy?

Judith [00:18:32]:

It's both. I did have notes for virtually all these words, but I checked them all. So it took day and night for a little more than a year, which seems to me pretty fast, but it was like day and night, and there's so much more I wanted to write, but I had a word limit.

Stephanie [00:18:52]:

Yes. Okay. One other question for you. You mentioned early on that you have taught classes about food literature and food books. Can you share with us, like, three of your favorite pieces of food literature or food books?

Judith [00:19:09]:

Okay, so this is just off the top of my head. I might have a longer and better answer if I thought about it. But I love The Odyssey for the references to food, much of which is all about being pious and giving food to the gods. They are constantly stopping to have what we would call a barbecue.

Stephanie [00:19:35]:

Sure.

Judith [00:19:35]:

It sounds as if they eat nothing but cow meat.

Stephanie [00:19:40]:

Yeah.

Judith [00:19:41]:

But it's all about piety and being civilized. And on the other hand, creatures they encounter, we might say people they encounter who don't do this. But somehow, invert the whole process of being host and guest, they are marked then as uncivilized. Like Polyphemus, who eats his guests.

Stephanie [00:20:07]:

Right.

Judith [00:20:10]:

And so many of the Greek myths that are just so fantastic about food and their use of food. But also, of course, The Canterbury Tales, because I love Chaucer.

Stephanie [00:20:23]:

Sure.

Judith [00:20:23]:

So in The Canterbury Tales, food is part of the original impetus for talking. They are about to set out on a journey, these nine and 20 in a compenia, these pilgrims. And at the end of it, there will be a meal, which is their reward, or it's especially a reward for the person who tells the best tale. So it's a competition and a thing that draws you on. And the thought of eating that makes you talk. Of course, they never do get to that meal. Yeah, that's a different story. What else? Well, I love the food in Tom Jones, that famous scene between him and the woman he's what, maybe for a second, thought to be the son of. And it's famous in its film version, the original film version, where she's eating oysters in seductive way and lots of 20th century literature. Can I think of even one? Salman Rushdie's book, Midnight's Children has fantastic interesting uses of food like pickles. And so that after a while you question, what does it mean to be pickled? Yeah, so many books.

Stephanie [00:21:54]:

I love it. Well, I never have thought about that book in that way. So I like that you got me to think about that. Your book has had a lot of interest. I was looking just at your reviews on Amazon and people are really loving it. It is. Romaine wasn't built in a day, and it's by Judith Chishon. And I'm impressed. I think it's really a fun book. And I love talking to you and thinking about all the things like COVID was such a weird time for so many of us, but also so prolific in the creative aspects.

Judith [00:22:31]:

Yes. When you had to be shut off from the world, at least somewhat. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:22:38]:

We found other things to do with our time. So do you think you have another book in you?

Judith [00:22:45]:

Yes, I feel like I have a bunch. I have many unfinished books, and I can't even say what's on the horizon. I have to hurry up and decide.

Stephanie [00:22:59]:

I understand. Well, it's been fun to talk to you. Thanks for spending time with me today. Talking about Romaine wasn't built in a day. It's real sweet.

Judith [00:23:08]:

Thank you. Thanks, Judith.

Stephanie [00:23:10]:

We'll talk soon.

Judith [00:23:11]:

Okay, bye.

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45th Parallel Distillery (Season 5 Episode 19) May 19, 2023

Paul Werni and his son Anton created a grain-to-glass family distillery called 45th Parallel. With a production facility in Wisconsin but a cocktail room in Stillwater, they built their reputation by sourcing the best crops from a local farmers and convincing them to become suppliers. He runs a distillery production facility that has expanded into an event center, restaurant, and bar, representing half of his business. With his expertise in farming and cocktails, Paul has become a respected figure in the industry.

Stephanie [00:00:12]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to the podcast. We are here with Paul Werney and Anton Werney, and they are the co-founders of 45th Parallel Spirits and Distillery. And they are located in New Richmond, Wisconsin. And in the meantime, they've opened a cocktail room in Stillwater, Wisconsin, and they make some very delicious products. I think the first product I ever had of yours was the vodka because obviously that's where most people start. Right. But you were like I felt like the second person that I heard use the term grain to glass, the first person being Gina Carver at J. Carver Distillery.

Paul [00:00:54]:

Yeah, we were the first distillery in the region. And at that time, I was a little naive. I thought that everybody started with the raw materials and actually made their own stuff. But that is somewhat rare with some disorders.

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Stephanie [00:01:11]:

Yeah. And a lot of people will buy product and then make something with the byproduct, not unlike you see in the wine industry. Let's face it, very few people are actually growing their own grapes. They're buying grapes and then making their wine from that. But you guys really started with that grain to glass philosophy. And tell me about that. Like, literally seeing the grains and going, this is what I want to do.

Paul [00:01:37]:

Well, because of where we live, grain is what's available. You don't have a lot of fruits here or any other type of sugar sources, so you have to start with starches from grain, break them down. Fortunately, here in the Richmond, we're in a rural area, there's a lot of farmers here, so we have access to just about any grain that we want. And we get all our grain for our products is put on fire just on the road.

Stephanie [00:02:04]:

And did you know those people? And is that like, how did the first germ of an idea of like, hey, let's start making cocktail?

Paul [00:02:15]:

Well, as far as the farmer goes, I went to the local mills. When you have a farming community, you're going to have a mill. And so I went to the mills and I asked them who's going to have the best crops? And both mills gave me the same mail. And so I was able to convince that farmer to be a supplier. He's not a very large farm, about 500 acres, just a few employees, and that's it. As far as making cocktails, the industry, we started out as pretty much a production facility, and that's really what we are. However, the industry is changing. So small Distilleries really have to make money on site. So a few years ago, we added an event center, restaurant and bar. And now that's half of our business.

Stephanie [00:03:05]:

It'S not surprising to me because I did an event with you guys, and I've done lots of events at Distilleries, but I felt like you really has a loyal clientele. They were very into what we were doing that day. We did a bloody Mary tasting and also the whole restaurant side of it. You weren't just, like, offering Shakoori plates and had a food truck outside, like a lot of folks, you had, like, a full on restaurant, and the food was good.

Paul [00:03:33]:

Yeah. Well, I think you know who Scott Davis is, and he's and he's a friend of mine. We've known each other for 30 years, and he runs the kitchen over there, and he has a lot of experience in the Minneapolis area with running kitchens over there.

Stephanie [00:03:51]:

Yeah, it was clear that this wasn't and I don't mean to say that in a negative light, but for some folks, it's kind of an afterthought, right? They're trying to get you to stay around longer. They're trying to provide more amenities, but it wasn't what they started out to do. And you guys feel like you had an intentional way of going about that. And there aren't a lot of restaurants in that area. You're kind of in the middle of a field next to the liftbridge production facility, too, so I imagine people kind of come from all over.

Paul [00:04:25]:

We offer something different than a lot of the places in a small town. We have an Italian pizza oven, and we have a chef that has experience in the downtown Minneapolis market. We're not really trying to be your average and I don't mean this in a bad way bar food. We're trying to offer something different. New Richmond is a growing community. It's over 10,000 people now, and there are a lot of people in that region that are looking for something.

Stephanie [00:04:57]:

I really was impressed with your event schedules. You do a lot of events, but also they look fun and interesting and the kind of have a little twist to it. It seems like events are just a huge part of what you do to because your calendar is just full.

Paul [00:05:13]:

Yeah, there's a temptation to go with weddings, but weddings are a lot of work, so we wanted something different. Plus, being in a small town, you don't really have a lot of opportunities for, like, a comedy show, for an art show, stuff like that. That's what we're trying we're trying to bring in a variety of events to a small community so they don't have to drive 50 miles to get to.

Stephanie [00:05:37]:

Yeah, I liked it. Let's talk about so you've got the vodka, then you have a gin, and then you have referent, which is infused with horseradish. I'm assuming that came about because you're a big Bloody Mary guy in Wisconsin.

Paul [00:05:56]:

Actually, it came about when a couple of Russians came into our building in about 2009. And they have a place in St. Paul, Moscow, on the hill, and Russians like Porsche, so they asked us to make it, so we make it. And the son of the owner over there, he started his own business. And the are the owners of that brand. We don't own the brand.

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Stephanie [00:06:23]:

Oh, so you just produce it?

Paul [00:06:25]:

We just produce it. It's funny you say because you were here for the Bloody Mary.

Stephanie [00:06:32]:

I was.

Paul [00:06:33]:

You said gin, horseradish vodka, and regular vodka. However, 90, least 90% of our production is whiskey.

Stephanie [00:06:44]:

Yeah. And you have three that you're selling on shelves that I am aware of. You might have some specials, too, or special barrel ages that you're doing.

Paul [00:06:55]:

We do. The three base ones are bourbon, rye, and our wheat whiskey. And each one of them has different finishes, different types of cast that we finish in. But those are our base whiskeys.

Stephanie [00:07:09]:

Which do you think is your best seller or know is your best seller? And is it the one that you like?

Paul [00:07:16]:

It is the one I like. It's bourbon and bourbon. By far, bourbon is the hottest whiskey out there.

Stephanie [00:07:24]:

Is it because people don't understand about wheat and rye whiskeys?

Paul [00:07:28]:

Yes. Well, it's some of it. I think the profile bourbon is going to be a little bit sweeter, and I think it's gonna be for the more the the general palate. Where is a rye whiskey? If a bartender or a brewer comes into our facility, they're going to sit down and say, I want a rye. I think it's a little bit spicier. I think of it as like a real strong cup of coffee. It takes a more advanced palate for it.

Stephanie [00:08:02]:

And then you also are contracted to brew or to make the Gamaliode aquavi.

Paul [00:08:10]:

Yes.

Stephanie [00:08:11]:

I love that product. It's very underrated. I think it's so complex and just makes such delicious cocktails. But again, it's a product that a lot of people have to sample it and get familiar with it because dill. Yeah, it's obvious in the Bloody Mary, but there's a lot of savory side cocktails that really can be delicious uses with that.

Paul [00:08:36]:

Yeah. Bartenders, especially in urban areas, love the Aquavites because they can do so many different things with them. There's a lot of great things out there that the general public just doesn't know a lot about. I try it once, but you have your meat, potatoes, you have vodka, gin, rum, and whiskey. All these other things like lacurs and brandy's and ODA bays. They have their audience, but it's a small audience.

Stephanie [00:09:15]:

I think that's why people like to go to bars, because I think they don't feel confident buying those products and experimenting with them at home. But the will take a chance on a cocktail at a bar.

Paul [00:09:27]:

Yes. The Aqua beach, it's kind of a different animal. I mean, if I were to go out to California or New York or any other state, they would be interested in aquaman. That's what they're looking for. They're not looking for vodka, they're not looking for gin. They can get those pretty easily. But that's something unique.

Stephanie [00:09:51]:

Yeah. And the flavor profile is different. And maybe because of the Scandinavian sort of story. There is a lot of story to it and you can get different variations. I know you guys have a holiday. And then there's the dill. And there's different versions too.

Paul [00:10:06]:

Yeah, there are. They each have a little bit of a different profile, but they all have that base dill.

Stephanie [00:10:17]:

I'm going to kind of switch gears just a little bit and ask a question about we're on the verge this weeks. Likely we're going to see the legalization of marijuana in Minnesota. Likely maybe we'll see the bills at the house. With that said, it feels to me like we're seeing a shift in younger people and that they're not drinking as much cocktails and beers and that they are adding this whole THC profile to their repertoire and to their going out, and it's creating a whole different consumer. And I wonder how distilleries will deal with that, because I know the breweries are creating THC products and seltzers. Will that be different for the distillery environment?

Paul [00:11:10]:

As of right now, we can't combine it with distilled spirits. I think a lot of small breweries might go into seltzers and that they can add it to, but has far as adding it to Baca, that's just not going to happen right now. But that whole movement, it hasn't affected us yet. I know it's affected wineries, it's affected breweries quite a bit. But spirits are still a growing category, the only one that's still growing.

Stephanie [00:11:52]:

Okay. Because I hope that continues to be the case. And certainly maybe there's room for everybody once we kind of settle out where the dust is going to land. And maybe too, I don't know. Is it time for some consolidation in the spirits industry, potentially?

Paul [00:12:09]:

Consolidation in the spirits industry? Well, it was an industry that was extremely consolidated when we started up. There were maybe 50 distillers in the whole country. All the growth has happened in the last 15 years, and now there's probably around 25 to 100 to 3000 distilleries. I know what you're saying. Like, breweries kind of got a little saturated. I'm not sure if distilling is there yet.

Stephanie [00:12:42]:

Okay. Yeah. And it takes such a maturation, too, of the product, right. Because many of where people shine is in the craft. And it takes a while to have a crafted whiskey, obviously, because of the length of time to make it vodka. I think there's craft in vodka, and I bet you think there's craft and vodka, but people underestimate the craft that's involved, right?

Paul [00:13:08]:

They do. I think you hit it on the head. It takes a long time for whiskey distillers to come out with good product. I would say five to ten years before a distillery really knows what they're doing and really can put out some well aged stuff. It's probably closer to ten because they got to make money and you start releasing stuff a little earlier, five. So we're just getting to the point where you have distilleries around the country, small ones, that started 1015 years ago that are coming, but with products that are capable of competing on a world stage. And so I think you're going to have really interesting and nice whiskeys popping up over the next five to ten years.

Stephanie [00:13:56]:

Do you think? We'll see the same with rum because it's a category I personally really enjoy, but it's hard to drink local craft rums because they're not great.

Paul [00:14:11]:

The thing is, it's the way whiskey was maybe seven years ago. A lot of young whiskey out there. You have a lot of young rum out there and servicing materials is a lot trickier and more expensive, too. Yeah, I don't know, at least for a startup distillery, it's a lot harder to jump right into that and sit on it and make it quality right away, where if you're already established and you can add that into your portfolio and sit on and not really rush it, you're probably going to come out. Well, there's another aspect to it. A lot of whiskey producers, a lot of the new ones have a lot of money, so they're able to produce and sit on it or buy, purchase well aged whiskey and put it out there in the market. They have large investors, a lot of cash flow. So you're seeing that in whiskey, you're not seeing that in rum. A lot of the rum producers, they're brand new, small micro distilleries. They don't have a lot of money, they don't need a lot of equipment to ferment it because it's a sugar base.

Stephanie [00:15:23]:

Right.

Paul [00:15:24]:

Fermentations are easy. Distillations are easy, but they need cash flow because they're not starting up with a lot of cash. They got to make cocktails with it, they got to sell it. That's why you're seeing so few. A lot of early ones are like super dependent on their cocktail room to make money. And so you want that rum right away to have a diverse cocktail.

Stephanie [00:15:44]:

Right.

Paul [00:15:47]:

We wanted to do forever, but just never really committed to it until recently. We are making rum, but you won't see it for a while.

Stephanie [00:15:57]:

Well, when it's time to see it, let me know, because that means it passed your muster, so I'll be interested in it. And I do think, like Skullvin Distillery, they made this Habanero white rum that stood out right away because it was so different and it is a different product because you can use it in cocktails and we put it in Bloody Marys too. It's different than most rums and for that reason we do buy it. But I'm waiting for the craft to come to that category because I think, like whiskey, you can really have a lot of nuance and there can be a lot of variety.

Paul [00:16:32]:

Well, it's going to take some time because I'll tell you what, in 2007, I went to a whiskey. I mean, I went to a Distillers conference and the theme of that conference was rum. The next wave. That was 15 years ago.

Stephanie [00:16:48]:

Okay. All right. I'll keep holding my breath over here.

Paul [00:16:52]:

There's definitely quite a few distilleries sitting on surround right now in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Stephanie [00:16:59]:

Okay. All right. And I know the barrel age gins, obviously, are kind of a way to experiment with some new flavors there. Do you guys do a barrel age gin too?

Paul [00:17:08]:

We do, but it's not really distributed yet. Okay. There's a lot of things that we work on that we'll work on for a few years before we actually put them out.

Stephanie [00:17:19]:

Yes. And you are straddling not straddling the line, but you have businesses in both Minnesota and Wisconsin. I know you're not Soothsayers, but do you think that some of these breweries and moving into Wisconsin to increase production has put any fear of God into the Minnesota politicians, or is it just status quo, in your opinion?

Paul [00:17:41]:

It does. It needs to change. When we were submitting for our permits in Minnesota, the state was very helpful. They really wanted to make the process easy for us. Even. That being said, it was still much more difficult at doing Wisconsin. But their comments to me, they're the only one that's trying to move into Minnesota. Everybody else wants to move out.

Stephanie [00:18:12]:

Yeah.

Paul [00:18:13]:

I hope that they do learn something from that, because it is a good state. It is a good market. It should be a little easier. You shouldn't be losing your biggest distilleries.

Stephanie [00:18:28]:

We shouldn't.

Paul [00:18:29]:

Yeah. And you shouldn't be losing breweries. You got a significant brewery being built in Huntsville right now, sort of based.

Stephanie [00:18:41]:

All right. I know that means the answer is people are trying, but not hard enough, and sometimes it just takes some time. Right?

Paul [00:18:49]:

Yes.

Stephanie [00:18:50]:

Well, it's been really fun to talk to you guys again. I did an event with you, and I was really impressed with your staff. I thought your facility was great. And the people I talked to that were from the town that came to the event, they were like, such diehard supporters of you. They were sweet.

Paul [00:19:06]:

Well, we appreciate it, and thank you for stopping by.

Stephanie [00:19:09]:

Yeah, it was great. All right, have a good day. Thanks for spending time with me. I appreciate it.

Paul [00:19:15]:

Thank you.

Stephanie [00:19:15]:

All right, we'll talk soon. Bye.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 53: Julie Jo Severson author of "Oldest Twin Cities" May 05, 2023

Stephanie [00:00:12]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's dish. We talk to people that have written cookbooks or books or food adjacent things because I can't get enough about talking about food, and and today we have a great guest. She is julie joe sieverson. She is the author of Oldest Twin Cities a Guide to Historic Treasures. And I had read about this book, and I thought, oh, that's cool. I wonder if she has stuff in there about restaurants and breweries, because we have so much history in the Twin Cities. And indeed she does. Welcome to the program.

Julie [00:00:47]:

Thank you for having me here. This will be fun.

Stephanie [00:00:50]:

Yes, it will be fun. So how did you decide? Are you like a born and bred twin Citian, and how did you decide to undertake this project?

Julie [00:00:59]:

Yes, I'm a fourth generation Minnesotan, and I've lived in the Twin Cities most of my life. I first wrote a book called Secret Twin Cities a Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure, and that came out in 2020, arrived March, mid March, right when the cities were shutting down. So good timing on my part. I shoved them all in the corner for a couple of weeks because I thought, who's going to want to buy a travel guide right now?

Stephanie [00:01:24]:

Right?

Julie [00:01:25]:

It turned out okay for secret Twin cities. They had a lot of social distancing ideas in it, coincidentally. But anyway, all this Twin Cities evolved from that book. About a year later, the publisher asked if I'd like to write another one. And I really wanted to do one of more of a historic nature because I just think with COVID and the really tough year that the Twin Cities had in 2020, including the murder of George Floyd and the Civil uprising and businesses shutting down, burned down. I just felt like I needed a reason to fall back in love with the Twin Cities. And I was feeling a loss of community and a loss of connection. And for me to feel connected to the region I live in is very important to me. I need to feel part of the fabric. And so I just stopped focusing on enduring places in our midst and places that hung in there and have endured and have reopened, providing us continuity, kind of a comfort that was good for my soul to focus my energy there. So that's why I kind of went in this direction.

Stephanie [00:02:43]:

Well, and one of the selections in the book is the Oldest Best Bar, which is our friend Tony Zacardi, who bought it from our friend Lisa Hammer. I knew Lisa and Keith, and they had shepherded the bar, and then they sold it to Tony Zacardi. And it's from 1906.

Julie [00:03:03]:

Apparently.

Stephanie [00:03:04]:

It's an institution on Cedar Avenue. And you talk about sort of that pandemic and that coming back to life. Tony is a good example of someone that really he had just bought the bar and all of a sudden it has to close, and they're trying to hang on. And a lot of these bars and restaurants and distilleries really were in tough shape. So I was so glad that when we came out of the pandemic that Palmers has come out of it. And tell me a little bit about the history of Palmers in particular.

Julie [00:03:40]:

Yeah. And Tony really was he was really propelled into the national spotlight during that time. Yes.

Stephanie [00:03:48]:

He was an African American man who.

Julie [00:03:51]:

Owns this in the heart of he spray painted black owned business in hopes to protect his business, to deflect potential looters. And he was really a spokesperson and a comfort, I think, for the twin stage community during that time. We needed absolutely.

Stephanie [00:04:10]:

And the music community, too, because Palmer has had such a history in steeped in music.

Julie [00:04:16]:

Yeah. What a gem this place is. It's so unique, with an Islamic mosque on one end and then that iconic Mustachioed man against it on the other one. And as I write in the book, you rarely leave this place without a story to tell. Kind of rough edge place. Maybe not everybody's going to feel comfortable there, but you're very welcome there, no matter who you are. And you'll be invited to play a game of Scrabble or get into a conversation, unless you're a jerk. Because if you're a jerk, you're going to get plastered on a poster note on the back wall, and you're not going to be welcome there at all.

Stephanie [00:05:00]:

That's funny.

Julie [00:05:02]:

Yeah.

Stephanie [00:05:02]:

Another institution that is in downtown Minneapolis specifically, and I didn't realize that they had had a fire in 1989, but this was Glicks, the oldest downtown bar.

Julie [00:05:20]:

Yeah. Lots lots of damage. It seems like most of these places have endured fires over the years. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:05:30]:

You can imagine that. Yep.

Julie [00:05:32]:

Yeah, they they really came back from that. In fact, there was a moose in there. They have these animal heads mounted all throughout the restaurant. And the moose in the back room had been stolen from during a fraternity party there. And I think this group, whoever had stolen it, felt so bad because of fire that Reopening day, they anonymously returned it, leaning it against the front door. Welcome, everybody back. But yeah, my daughter was just there the other day. She's like I'm a glicks. I'm like, do you know that's in my book? No, I didn't even know that.

Stephanie [00:06:05]:

I had no idea either. Now, the Monte Carlo has been near and dear to my heart for some time, and my mom and dad got divorced, and my dad moved downtown. And that was really like, wow. Because we were suburban girls. And the first weekend my dad had us, he took us into this CD alley, and he went through this back door that had this weird sign above it and brought us in. And I thought he was bringing us into a pool hall. And I was like, oh, my gosh, my dad has really tipped over here, and it turned out to be the Loveliest bar inside. It was actually the Monte Carlo, and he was kind of a regular there. What's the historic nature of the Monte Carlo?

Julie [00:06:47]:

Yeah. Well, yeah, the hum of the neon sign is going to remain a constant in the North Loop Bar. It's really exquisite in there with this mirrored wall behind the bar. One's kind of an elegance to it, to it all. But the whole North Loop area, the warehouse district is where the Milky Way candy bars and cream of pasta and pop up toaster were invented. This was a real industrial place. The neighborhood has more than 60 buildings that are over a century old. A lot of them have been repurposed. Some of them. A few of them are rehearsal spaces for the Minnesota Opera, and a lot of them are faded. Business signs are repurposed. You see the old signs, ghost signs, sort of. But the Monte Carlo Bar and Grill have stood the test of time. It used to be mostly only for men, but then when it changed ownership, mr. Rimsick, who owns a number of places in the Twin Cities, he kind of turned it into a destination for all the patty, is a great happening place. Now, Beijing style wings, they're really famous for.

Stephanie [00:08:06]:

Yeah, the dry rubbed wings are my favorite. Yeah, a kind of funny one that I didn't expect would reach me and grab me, but it did. So I work on the Stone Arch Bridge festival and I curate a culinary market that happens underneath the Hennepin Avenue Bridge. And underneath that bridge, we have 38 ten x ten booths of vendors that produce Minnesota made food products. And as I was looking through your book, it's the oldest bridge relic at First Bridge Park, which is where I am during these two days of the festival from 1855. Underneath that bridge, there's these giant anchors, and I sit on those anchors. That's my chair during the two days of the festival. So I didn't realize they were so old.

Julie [00:08:56]:

Well, yeah, those don't date back to the very first bridge to cross the Mississippi River anywhere. Right there at St. Anthony Falls. I mean, prior to that bridge back in 1855, people were crossing over the falls to get to the other side. That first bridge didn't last real long, and then they created another one and another one. So anyway, these archaeological excavations revealed anchors from the original bridges, and so now they are under the Hennepin Bridge. Now you can see and sit on them if you want. There's plaque. So cool. Really interesting history at that park. Yeah. Right down from Melrose Park.

Stephanie [00:09:42]:

The oldest island venue in 1893 is the Nicolette Island Inn, which is still operating as a hotel, as a restaurant. It is a beautiful, gorgeous spot. If you ever just want to pop in for a drink or they have delicious food, too. Yeah, that's a great spot. And I didn't realize that David Shea was kind of responsible for bringing that back. He's designed so many restaurants in the Twin Cities.

Julie [00:10:08]:

Yeah. I didn't realize he was connected to that either until I started research. Talented guy. Yeah. That place I learned a lot about. I didn't really know a lot about that fire that had kind of spread through Nicholas Island and all northeast Minneapolis. A very ravishing fire, and only one of two structures, industrial structures, on the island to survive it. A fire started by some boys smoking. And so, again, these places that have endured. And at one point, it was a men's shelter, salvation army men's shelter. So I really and, you know, I can't help but continue then to learn about and read about Nicholette Island.

Stephanie [00:10:52]:

Right.

Julie [00:10:53]:

So many storied history there. Couple donkeys, Pearl and she. But I really focused on that island and my secret Twin Cities.

Stephanie [00:11:01]:

Who would have known that the oldest bowling alley was the Bryant Lake Bowl?

Julie [00:11:08]:

Yeah, I mean, that's a legendary spot in the Lin Lake neighborhood, and that's really evolved over the years. It used to be a Ford garage, and apparently it's haunted by a mechanic who was crushed by a car there. But at the heart of it is the eight lane bowling alley. Old school. But around it now is a really funky groovy restaurant that you never super funky for. A bowling alley and a cabaret with these red leather seats from Stillwater Junior High School, where you can go to all kinds of events there. And there's a really cool drone video that went viral in 2021 that they created to support businesses struggling through the pandemic. It's a cool right up our alley. You can Google it went viral. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:11:57]:

In 1964, Boca Chico became the oldest Mexican eatery, which is interesting, because I know that the Silva family opened El Burrito Mercado a little bit further down the street in the 70s, early seventy s. I didn't realize Boca Chica was that old. And it's still run by the family, isn't it?

Julie [00:12:17]:

Yeah, it sure is. Grandma Fria seasoned pork tamales are still on the menu. Yeah, this place was a really delightful surprise. Walking into you can go there after visiting the Wapisher Caves, the gangster tours there. That's a great place to go to afterwards. You just walk in and every wall tells a story of the family's heritage murals. But, yeah, Uramo Frias and Gloria Coronado, who's a petite, spunky lady, they fell in love and started this little place. She was actually linked to a dynasty, cultural dynasty in Minneapolis. Her parents owned the first Mexican restaurant in St. Paul, and then in Minneapolis called the Casa Coronado, but that has long closed.

Stephanie [00:13:10]:

And there's the oldest family Italian restaurant in St. Paul. Yuruso's.

Julie [00:13:15]:

Yeah. Yuruso's and giant meatballs. And again, that's family owned. Same family. And what I love about that place are giant murals of Sweet Hollow especially. It is located right across from Sweet Hollow. You would never know that across the street there is a hidden valley below street level. Right. We're former immigrant shanty town and in the book I give directions on how to get there because it's a little kind of windy but you can find it.

Stephanie [00:13:50]:

Yeah.

Julie [00:13:51]:

Yes.

Stephanie [00:13:53]:

When you were writing the book, what was one of your favorite discoveries?

Julie [00:14:00]:

Well, I fell in love with the New York Life Eagle. And that's a Summit overlook park in the Summit neighborhood. It overlooks the river valley.

Stephanie [00:14:09]:

I lived right there. It's right across from the University Club on Point of Land.

Julie [00:14:16]:

Maybe because of a mother. She's a mother. She's there taking her tail ons into a serpent, digging in there, protecting her nest of eaglets there in that pose she was almost discarded. She used to be on the third story entrance of the New York Life building in downtown St. Paul. And when that was removed, she really was nearly forgotten and discarded. And she was kind of put on a pedestal in front of a parking lot for a while until she found her new home here. And now she's in all her glory. There a nice spot while you're mansion goggling over mansions there in that area.

Stephanie [00:14:54]:

Yeah. I had no idea about Newman's being the oldest bar in the state.

Julie [00:15:00]:

Well, that's the big question because it's a tie between Newman's and the Spot Bar in St. Paul. The feud. I'm sure St. Spot fans will be mad at me for including Newman's, but I included the Spot bar in secret to the city, so I had to be fair. But those two kind of feud over. They both have very good reason but different reasons to want to claim that title. So yeah, Newman's is famous for their frog tank in the window.

Stephanie [00:15:30]:

What is the story of the frog tank? Do you know?

Julie [00:15:34]:

You ask people there and the Tank of Frogs has just been there as long as anybody can remember. It's just a tradition that they keep going and I guess the frogs have disappeared every now and then. One was found in a pitcher of beer. But this place has a hidden door behind the Tank of Frogs. It's only used for special events, but they used to hide have kind of speakeasy up there during prohibition and that's where you could speak up there and have a legal hooch. And there was like a phone that connected upstairs to the main bar to let the bartenders know when the cops were coming sniffing.

Stephanie [00:16:13]:

That's hilarious. Yeah. I love it. You go into all this detail like 1972. The oldest food co op is the Seward food Co op. Who knew that that was I mean, I don't know. The Twin Cities co op movement has been so strong, but who knew Seward was the first? I didn't. I thought the wedge was the first.

Julie [00:16:36]:

Yeah, no, they were really kind of the first, and now the most enduring. And what I didn't know was what a violent struggle the food co op went through in those early years. It sounds kind of like stuff going on these days with, you know, there was a takeover yeah. That tried to take over with steel bars and fire bombs, but they failed because there was such a difference of philosophy. And these were really some veteran radicals really disagreed with what they called the white bourgeois elitism. That's kind of how the opposing group.

Stephanie [00:17:21]:

Those bourgeois co op people.

Julie [00:17:25]:

And there's a new documentary about that called The Co op wars that was created in 2021. Super interesting to learn about the whole early Twin Cities.

Stephanie [00:17:34]:

Yeah, that sounds neat. Well, this is a great book. Your second book, Julie. Joe Sieverson Oldest Twin Cities a Guide to Historic Treasures. Are you already working on your third?

Julie [00:17:44]:

Not yet. Promoting this is full time right now.

Stephanie [00:17:49]:

Yes. Well, it's fun to visit with you and to hear the story and to just get more history about some of these great spots. Pick up the book and then take your own kind of historical tour, right?

Julie [00:18:03]:

Yes.

Stephanie [00:18:04]:

I love it. Thank you, Julie Joe. And thank you for highlighting some of our relics. Treasures, a fabric of a community is always about the history. That where you come from. Right. And it's good to be reminded of some of these great spots. I sat on that anchor all summer, last summer, and I never knew. So I love it. Thank you so much for joining us. I appreciate you.

Julie [00:18:29]:

Absolutely. Thank you.

Stephanie [00:18:30]:

All right, we'll talk soon. Okay, bye.

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Recap 33: Peace Coffee (Season 5 Episode 17) May 03, 2023

Lee Wallace worked is bringing Peace Coffee, a fair-trade coffee company started in Minneapolis nationwide. We revisit her nearly 4 years after our first visit (Season 1 Episode 97)

Stephanie [00:00:13]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to the makers of Minnesota podcast. I am your host, Stephanie Hansen, and I'm here today with a guest that I had, boy, probably back in year one of the podcast. I'm here with Lee Wallace. She is the CEO of Peace Coffee. And we talked such a long time ago, lee, it's like it may as well have been a different universe because you were just launching coffee shops at that point. And like any evolving business, your whole model has probably shifted again. So let's just go from pre pandemic. You had some coffee shops you guys were selling in stores and get us caught up on what is happening with Peace Coffee now. And welcome to the program, first of all.

Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Lee Wallace [00:01:01]:

Yeah, thanks for having me. I'm happy to be here. Sure, absolutely. Somebody was asking me a question the other day and I was trying to put things together and I was like, oh, timelines are so weird now, and it's so hard to reconstruct everything, but yeah, in 2019, we had four coffee shops. We had three in downtown Minneapolis and one in the Longfellow neighborhood. And we were working on beginning to think about, okay, we've always been sold all across the country, but really we're beginning to take our first big steps toward what does it look like to begin to scale more nationally and then COVID hit and closed the shops immediately. Well, after we learned that we had to close the shop. March 15 ish yeah, March 15 ish closed the coffee shops. And the good news about being in coffee is it's not like people are going to stop drinking coffee just because of a pandemic. So what happened was really our business shifted quite dramatically. So prior to the pandemic, our number one product was five pound bags of coffee. And those were going to colleges and universities, offices, bulk sets and co ops, bulk sets and specialty grocery. Everything that went away during the pandemic. Right, that's mainly where those five pound bags of coffee are going. And then our second most best seller would be a twelve ounce bag of coffee. Well, all of a sudden, everybody's drinking coffee at home, and so those twelve ounce bags of coffee just started disappearing. And so then we pretty quickly realized, wow, it takes just as much work to bag put £5 of coffee in a bag as it says to put 12oz of coffee in a bag. So we added a second shift. So we were able to bring some of our coffee shop employees back in because we had to add a second shift just to bulk up on the amount of twelve ounce bags we were able to produce. That was a really good sign. The other thing that started really taking off was online. Like everybody else, our peacecoffee.com business just exploded because it's a super safe way to shop. So I think that business grew 300% and we're still continuing to grow that platform. But all of a sudden we have this sizable ecommerce business. So food service went away, but people started getting their coffee in other ways and it was a scramble. But we figured it out and I consider us to be talked to my friends in restaurants during that time. The struggle was real. We needed to I always call it log. Like it feels like log rolling, right? When you're an entrepreneur, you're just trying to stay on the log. Right?

Stephanie [00:03:59]:

Good analogy.

Lee Wallace [00:04:01]:

We just had to do some log rolling during that time. But yeah, and then as time went on and our growth continued and we began to get into more national accounts and we began to grow into more of a national business, the decision seemed pretty clear. Like, let's focus on this part of our business. Let's not reopen the coffee shop. So we had shops for about ten years, learned a ton, but we're focusing on our wholesale business now.

Stephanie [00:04:35]:

So how did you leapfrog from a Minnesota based coffee maker company to national? Was it simply because of the online activation and really being more robust there that people in other markets found you or how did that work? Was it intentional?

Lee Wallace [00:04:55]:

It was intentional. I bought the business in 2018 from the former owners and part of my desire to do that was to be a little bit more aggressive on the growth front. And I will say it probably all tracks back to Target and we have done a really good job and we've built a really good partnership with them and they've done a really good job. From our first meeting with Target years ago, they were saying, look, walk before you run. And that always has been my growth mentality. So I know it's so easy. We're entrepreneurs and it's so easy to be like, yeah, I want to be in every Target store. Well, some really big businesses have done that and they failed. So with us it's been incrementally growing our store count every year with Target, the coffee buyer there's great and just helping work with him to say, okay, here's some new geographies where we see we've done well in a small grocery store chain or things like that. And if we can prove ourselves in a new geography, then typically in our next review meeting with the coffee buyer, Target, he'll take that information and work to expand our store count. So we have yet to learn what our growth is going to be this year with Target, but we have a pretty solid track record of just going into new geographies. So at this point we're like Michigan down into Denver and then Oklahoma, Texas kind of that's our path with growth with Target. And then we've also had really solid growth in the Natural Channel. That's a great home for us. So we got into all the sprout stores which go from California to Maryland in the past two years. And so then you can use that case study. We're very strategic in terms of demonstrating a good case study and then using that to find other retailers that we want to be in.

Stephanie [00:06:53]:

So you mentioned earlier, and I've heard stories about people, they get into Target and it's super exciting. And then you realize just because you're in Target doesn't necessarily mean people will buy your product and it's harder to get that pull through. I have a sneaking suspicion that your packaging has a lot to do with people's brand trial of you. And then they like the product and they're like, oh, this is good, I'll buy it again, what do you attribute that first purchase a piece of coffee to when someone's standing in a Target aisle looking at coffee?

Lee Wallace [00:07:29]:

I think you're right. I think ideally, your packaging is going to work really hard for you. And we've made a very intentional decision with our packaging to a try to put the most important information and make it really easy for people to find the most important information. We have not done that well on previous versions of our package. So I think we've learned over the years and iterated over the years and I think it's important to update your packaging as you learn things. Two, I think the way we position the brand stands out in the coffee category. I think a lot of coffee companies tend to come across as very serious. And what we know about coffee and the consumer research on coffee is coffee is very emotional for people. It's me time, it's their morning ritual. I don't know, I don't need to be really serious during me time. It's okay for someone to say, you be you enjoy yourself, have a good time. We're doing all the hard work for you. And I think we're not saying to folks, drink this cup of coffee and it's going to change your life. We're saying drink this cup of coffee because it does good things for other people. And I think that stands out as well.

Stephanie [00:08:52]:

And we know, and you were so early adopting in this the brand from the get go. We know that people like to make purchases that help the community, help the environment, give back. And you've made it real easy and it's been a huge platform for you from the get go. And it's almost like it's baked into your company logo, your persona, everything about peace. Coffee feels like that give back movement. So it was very timely and prescient that that was the brand ethos from the get go because you didn't have to work so hard to create that after the fact.

Lee Wallace [00:09:36]:

I give consumers credit, right. I think they can tell the difference between a brand that was built around the sets of values versus a brand that was reverse engineered to try to appeal to consumers. They're smart. It's been interesting over my career to go from being kind of the outlier to now being mainstream. Right. I've been doing the same thing the whole time, but somehow my sets of issues have become mainstream now, which is great. I love it. Super fun. Yeah. But yeah, I think people can sense that in the brand.

Stephanie [00:10:15]:

How many people are in the company now?

Lee Wallace [00:10:17]:

We have about 55 employees.

Stephanie [00:10:21]:

Yeah, it's not small.

Lee Wallace [00:10:24]:

Yeah, smaller than when we had all the shops. Right. Then we had like 80 some staff members. So interesting. We're not a small company. We still feel like a small company. I still feel like I run a small company. But then yeah, I also forget that I've been doing this for a while.

Stephanie [00:10:45]:

So let's talk about the Keurig pods, because you guys have gone into that technology too, and it's so convenient to do a Keurig, and it's such a huge part of wholesale, obviously, with hotels, and it's really handy. But there is a lot of talk about the pods themselves and are they disposable and how do you compost them and how does that work? Tell me about your specific trajectory in that profile.

Lee Wallace [00:11:14]:

Yeah, obviously pods have been out there for a long time, and obviously we have not participated in that segment of the market for a long time as specialty coffee has become more mainstream, if you will. And as people have said, oh, I'm interested in exploring beyond Starbucks and exploring local brands or exploring smaller brands than Starbucks or more unique brands. We've seen people kind of work their way into the category. And I just began reflecting on is there an opportunity, if we can find the right product, is there an opportunity in the pod space to similarly introduce people to specialty coffee? What consumers tend to do, and you can see this with Starbucks, right? So as people start to explore coffee, and a lot of times now it's happening when people are teens, right? But they start with sweet and creamy and then they kind of ladder up into a different experience. And I began thinking, there got to be pod people out there who love a K Cup but want a different set of things alongside that. Maybe it's a higher quality coffee bean, maybe it's a more eco friendly way of getting that kind of coffee. And so it just seems like the right time to explore. Is there a consumer in that space whose needs aren't really getting met in terms of both quality and the sustainability of the solution that we're offering? So we began searching for solutions to reach that consumer. And one of the really interesting things about coffee is that one of the biggest sources of waste associated with coffee is actually the coffee that gets poured out of the pot at the end of the day. And so when I really began reflecting on that and specialty coffee sort of traditional belief that the pod person doesn't want a really premium coffee experience. And again, thinking, I think we're missing part of the equation here, because I know I don't brew a pot of coffee anymore, but when I did have a pot of coffee, I would pour a lot of coffee away. And there is space for that single cup experience, and there's space for people who are really busy and have a bunch of kids and just need to make their darn cup of coffee, right? And then it's like, okay, well, if we're going into that space, we've got to do it the piece way, which is to do it in a sustainable way. So we found a solution. There's no plastic cup. The bottom is just mesh, so it can be composted the same way your coffee filter can be composted. And then the ring that supports it is made out of a combination of mainly wood and corn, which is fully compostable in commercial composting settings. So not in your backyard, but if you either drop your compost off or get it picked up curbside, you can put it in there. And so that to us, felt like this is an expression of who we are and we can launch this product.

Stephanie [00:14:33]:

I love that you talked about the last bit of the pot getting thrown away because I think about that because my husband and I are just two people and we're big coffee drinkers. And there is it seems like either we drink the whole pot and then we make another half and there's that last bit. I have ice cube trays and we make ice cubes and we try to repurpose and reuse. But no matter how you do it, sometimes you just end up pouring out some coffee. So it's interesting, we've talked about a single cup mostly, I think, for the afternoon and the evening coffee drinking too, where you're going to have a decaf maybe, or you're going to have something that feels like a little elevated experience that you're just going to have the one I don't know. It does feel very different than your morning pot to me.

Lee Wallace [00:15:20]:

And it's interesting how many people own both. So I got Reese Consumer Research that said a lot of people own both a single cup brewer and a larger brewer. Whether they're holding the larger cup brewer for when they have company over or they use the single cup during the week and they use the larger cup on the weekends. So yeah, a multi cup on the weekends. So yeah, people own both, which was totally new to me.

Stephanie [00:15:45]:

Okay, so Peace Coffee has a huge reputation as being a great local Minnesota company. Now you're in I'm just going to throw a market out there, let's just say Maryland, where you don't have this huge Minnesota following. You don't have that touchstone. When you are introduced to a market like a Maryland, how do you do the marketing and what do you do different? Because it has to be a completely different approach for getting pairs of eyes on your coffee inside the store.

Lee Wallace [00:16:20]:

I think the key is really to understand the retailer that you're in and then the way that they run promotions. Your biggest tool as a growing brand, because I can't market to the entire state of Maryland in a Florida, right, of course, right. What we find is, okay, we're getting to Sprout stores out of the population of Maryland. How many of them reasonably go to Sprouts? I mean, we can do good business in Sprout stores, but you can't use the shotgun and say right. So I think your number one tool is really get those sale tags up. Right. I mean, first make sure you get on shelf, properly support the product, make sure the execution is right. Then it's really have the correct promotional strategy to really drive trial. So people say, oh, this is new. Oh look, that packaging is cute. Oh, it's fair trade and organic. Obviously you've got a really good product in the bag that I would say put out because if people buy it once they don't like it, you're done to the beginning. But then I would say, yeah, number two is making sure you have the right promotions. And then we have expanded our investment in digital marketing quite a bit. So finding our consumers, whether that's finding our consumers and running promotions specifically targets to them. So people who like Fair Trade organic coffee, then I would say also we're investing in the retail platforms themselves. So different platforms, consumer. Yeah, and then the last piece would be just supporting with digital marketing as it makes sense. But I think the best lever that brands have really is promotions.

Stephanie [00:18:10]:

And I think sometimes people are afraid of those because they're pretty expensive in a store. And I guess it makes so much sense. Like here is this brand that has welcomed you into their store and they are giving you all these mechanisms with which to reach their customers, but they all cost money. I mean, that's kind of the hidden part of it that maybe consumers don't know. But why wouldn't you be totally investing in those platforms? Is it just because they're too expensive or people? I can't imagine why you would think that. You don't need to do that.

Lee Wallace [00:18:46]:

I mean, the reality is that it's the best way to get people to try your product for the first time. And if you can't grow the number of people who are repeat purchasers of your product, then it makes it really hard to stay on shelf. And that also is very expensive. It's very expensive to fall off a grocer shelf in terms of a it sets you back, you're not bringing that revenue anymore. B, there's going to be a bunch of products that has to be discontinued, things like that. So I get it. And we look very carefully at retailers before we go into them. It's not like we're sitting here and people are coming to us. I don't want to give anybody the impression that we're just sitting here and people are coming so we're saying, no, we don't want to be on your shelves.

Stephanie [00:19:33]:

But you're more mature.

Lee Wallace [00:19:35]:

Yeah. We're thoughtful about who we're trying to partner with. And one aspect of things that we analyze is how expensive is it to do business with this retailer? Do they require a ton of free product? Do they require slotting fees? Are they going to have minimum or maximum expectations for promotions? How does that fit within? We have a certain percentage of sales that we want a certain percent of our revenue. I mean that we say, okay, we're going to budget x percent of revenue for trade support. And so we really need to understand what retailers expectations are.

Stephanie [00:20:12]:

I see. So being really thoughtful and maybe not moving too quickly into a retailer even though it looks like it'd be a great opportunity because if you can't afford to market properly while you're there and then you get yanked again, I've never thought about that. And that's a really good thing for emerging brands to think about. Even though you get invited to a retailer, make sure that you are prepared both emotionally, psychologically with your team, but also financially to be able to support the launch in that retailer.

Lee Wallace [00:20:47]:

Yeah. Look. Peace coffee. I have a friend who always jokes that Peace Coffee is the 25 year old overnight success. Right. There are some companies that are designed to be rocket ships and good for them. And sometimes you just have to recognize that it's a slog and incremental growth. Steady incremental growth is a way to do it. And it's been our approach. And I think we're finally to the point where we can say we have a banner in every part of the country that you could go in and find Peace Coffee. And then you get to that point. Then it makes it that much easier with, oh, you can find us here or you can find us here.

Stephanie [00:21:30]:

Yeah, I have a van and I travel around the country in my van for fun and I have seen your coffee in way more states all of a sudden and I'm like, oh look, they're carrying Peace Coffee. I was in Palm Springs the other day and a local salsa was on the shelf. I was like, oh look. It's fun to see other Minnesota brands making it out in the big bad world, as it were.

Lee Wallace [00:21:51]:

It is so funny. I was just in Fort Lauderdale visiting family and my sister in law said to me, where can I get Peace Coffee? And I said, actually, you can get peace coffee at Sprouts. And it was fun to be like at this point where I'm like, oh yeah, I can help most people find our coffee at this point in time.

Stephanie [00:22:08]:

I can refer you. Okay, totally. Random question. If you were going to launch a product today and it's brand new, is there, like, a product that you're like, oh, I wish that that would be a fun product to work on, or something that just you think, oh, that would be really fun.

Lee Wallace [00:22:29]:

I am such a food person at this point in my life. It would have to be food, because that's really what I know. And Stephanie, I have these thoughts all the time, but then they just, like, tumbleweed.

Stephanie [00:22:49]:

And I knew it would be, like, a weird, oddball question, but sometimes people are like, oh, I wish I could work on that.

Lee Wallace [00:22:57]:

Yeah, well, if I wasn't, I mean, I'm also a beverage person, so I would say probably it'd be totally different. But I would love to work on a high end craft spirit kind of launch. I think that would be super fun. And working on growing something in that segment would be a ton of fun just because it's sort of the counterpart to coffee, right? Yeah.

Stephanie [00:23:24]:

Maybe you and my friend Heather Manley at Crooked Water Spirits need to do a coffee collaboration because yeah, very delicious.

Lee Wallace [00:23:32]:

Yeah, it could be very delicious.

Stephanie [00:23:35]:

All right, well, it's great to catch up with you, Lee. Thanks for getting us caught up on where you're at. And good luck as you continue to have your United States domination of peace coffee. It's been super fun. We'll talk soon.

Lee Wallace [00:23:49]:

All right. Thanks, Stephanie.

Stephanie [00:23:50]:

Thank you. Bye.

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The Coven (Season 5 Episode 16) Apr 28, 2023

The Coven is a network of radical spaces where changemakers connect, learn, and grow, currently located in St Paul, Mpls, and coming to East Lake Street. The Coven’s Twin Cities spaces focus on providing spots and networking opportunities to women, trans, and nonbinary people. The Coven has launched a franchise model and will franchise nationwide this year. Alex West Steinman attributes a large portion of the growth to the friendships and professional networks people make at The Coven

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Episode 52: Tamar Adler Author of "The Everlasting Meal Cookbook" Apr 21, 2023

Stephanie [00:00:15]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's Dish, the podcast where we talk to people that are cookbook writers obsessed with food or otherwise food at Sent. And I'm very excited to talk to someone today. Her name is Tamar Adler and she has written this book called The Everlasting Meal Cookbook leftovers a to Z. And I first read about it, I think, in maybe the New York Times. And then I got a copy of the book, and you guys, people that know me know I'm obsessed with my freezer. I'm obsessed with Mason jars. I'm constantly repurposing things. I'm like an old housewife from the 1920s. I can't throw a thing away. And this book is like the guide to how to make sense of all this chaos, of all these leftovers and these little dribs and drabs that you have. I just am so impressed with you. Thank you for coming on the show.

Tamar [00:01:13]:

Oh, my gosh, I'm so happy that I'm talking to a soul sister and saving.

Stephanie [00:01:18]:

So how did you have you been like this since you were a little kid and finally just wrote this? I mean, it's a tome.

Tamar [00:01:26]:

And I wanted it to be longer. My publisher cut me off at some point. I haven't been like this. I mean, I've always liked saving things, and I've always been sort of into things that had age to them or stories. But I think that this actually came from being a professional cook, because I think, contrary to what a lot of people think would be true, professional cooks are amazing at using all of everything and both what is done. In restaurants and certainly what's done for diners but also what's done to serve the staff of a restaurant is always a version of either thinking ahead, so cooking something partway and then finishing the cooking or making sure that you're cooking something in a way that lets you use it over the course of days or making sure to eke all of the flavor out of anything that you have. So it was being a professional cook that kind of helped me realize that I could if I could put down on paper what so many of us already knew but from years of professional cooking, then I could kind of hand some of it off to home cooks.

Stephanie [00:02:50]:

Yeah. During the pandemic, many people sort of rediscovered cooking and certainly their pantry and maybe things that their mom did or dad that they hadn't thought about, that now all of a sudden you're at home and you can't run to the grocery store every day unless you're going to have the survival gauntlet. Because it was kind of a grim time. So we went back to some of this. Like an example in here, you talk about moldy cheese. Well, my mom just cut the mold off the cheese, and we just kept going. She never missed a beat with it. But you take it further in zest and different. Any ingredient that you have, you can literally look up in this book, you guys, and she tells you what to do with it.

Tamar [00:03:42]:

I mean, my theory was, if you have it, why not use it? And I think remembering the pandemic is a really sort of smart point of orientation for how to use this book and also how I wrote it, because that was a time during which all of our outlooks was, if I have something, I'm going to use it, because the stakes of going out to get a new thing are just too high. And so the stakes feel different now, and they are different, but they're still stakes, right? It still takes a lot out of every person to go to the supermarket. I find it takes a lot of energy, and it takes, like, personal energy and planning and gas for the car and the standing and the line, like, the whole thing. Plus, it costs money. So it's like, if you have it, why not use it? And that is what I was trying to help people do in this book.

Stephanie [00:04:41]:

And I'll just like an example that I talked about on this podcast a while ago that I overcooked quinoa for a TV segment I was doing, and I had all of this quinoa, and I froze it in these little cubes right in the freezer. And I've been making bowls, and I've still got all these cubes left, and I looked it up in your book, and I can make a savory tart with the quinoa crust. I would have never thought of that.

Tamar [00:05:05]:

Oh, yeah, that's great.

Stephanie [00:05:07]:

Yeah. And then obviously a quinoa salad, but you talk about making it crunchy by adding all of these other elements to it, and it just like I looked up quinoa, and I was like, who would have thought to make a crust with that? That's how useful your book is. And it is called the Everlasting Meal Cookbook. I just want to make sure I repeat it. When you thought about organizing the book so that somebody like me who's got a cup of white beans left, and what do I do with that? Or right now, I'm awash in ham from Easter and trying to get creative ways to eat ham other than a ham sandwich and pea soup, because I've already done those. How did you think about how to organize things?

Tamar [00:05:50]:

Okay, before I answer the organization question, I just want to shout out to Emma McDowell, who is the person from whom I got the quinoa crust recipe, just because I just don't want to take credit. I thought so brilliant, and I definitely got the idea from her. And she, I think, has a book out, and she has recipes on the Internet all the time, and she's super great. But I at first wanted to organize the whole book alphabetically. I thought that would be easiest. So just A to Z and you would look up quinoa under Q and beans under B probably, although then it's like or do you look them up under cannellini and ham under H? But I did that for the first draft. Maybe two drafts of the book were just purely alphabetical with no other organizing principles. And I had a friend who always reads my draft who said that it made for some really inflicitous neighbors. He didn't like reading the word anchovy next to apple peel. He felt like it just made him want to close the book up and just not worry about either the anchovies or the peels. Yeah, nothing. He was like, at first I sort of booked, and I was like, but the whole point is that it's like a reference book. And then I calmed down a little bit, and I thought, that's true. And that maybe a new it's also not. You do kind of want there to be a category that you're searching in, because that is often how we use reference books, too. And so I decided to create larger leftovers categories, which it still can be, I think, confusing to somebody because we're so used to searching any culinary text by what we want to make, not by what we have. And I have had to remind people, if you look up a roast beef sandwich, I am not giving you a recipe for a roast beef sandwich. I'm telling you what to do with the soggy half of roast beef sandwich you have left.

Stephanie [00:08:06]:

Yes.

Tamar [00:08:09]:

But creating those larger categories is how I ended up organizing it. So the first chapter is vegetables, and it's leftover vegetables. The second is fruits and nuts, and it's overripe underripe, et cetera. And leftovers of all, there's leftover bread, leftover rice and grain. I mean, rice and beans. Leftover stuffed dough's was kind of a hard category to come up with, but it kind of made sense to me. There's leftover drinks, leftover sweets. Oh, leftover snacks. So stuff like the dust at the bottom of a pretzel bag or cheetos.

Stephanie [00:08:48]:

Which that dust is amazing. If you're like going to bread something or put a little sprinkle on a little pile of soup that you're eating.

Tamar [00:08:59]:

It'S like extra good salt.

Stephanie [00:09:00]:

Yes, extra good spicy salt. And even like, I make Caesar salads all the time, and I like to use real anchovies in the dressing. How did I not think about using the anchovy oil? And I've just been throwing that away.

Tamar [00:09:16]:

I'm glad that you now have ideas for it.

Stephanie [00:09:19]:

Yeah, it's such an obvious one, like, oh, yeah, this is that delicious flavored oil. Why aren't you doing something with it? And also something I discovered during the pandemic is brine from pickle juice.

Tamar [00:09:33]:

Oh, yeah.

Stephanie [00:09:34]:

I was just not salvaging my brine, and now I'm hoarding it.

Tamar [00:09:39]:

Yeah, because if you're going to do a whole chicken or a bunch of pork chops, you actually need kind of a good amount right. You need to be saving the pickle juice from two jars because you need a lot.

Stephanie [00:09:54]:

And frying chicken and brightening the chicken before you fry it in. That pickle juice is a secret of many chefs. Was there something that you did not know what to do with it like pistachio shells. Let's use that as an example.

Tamar [00:10:16]:

Well, we have always used those for fire starters. Those are pretty good for starting, like a wood stove or a fireplace. No, that was okay. But there were a bunch I didn't I mean, cherry stems, a lot of them I had to look up and then do some experimenting with, and I hadn't known that one could use.

Stephanie [00:10:40]:

What do you do with a cherry stem?

Tamar [00:10:43]:

You make tea. And it's supposed to be really good for you. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:10:47]:

See, this is, like, the joy of the discovery of this book I've been reading. It like a Bible in bed at night, like, hoarding, ten pages at a time. I've never been so excited about a book before. I'm in love with it now. Where do you go from here? You mentioned that your publisher cut you off. Could you do a whole other?

Tamar [00:11:14]:

I don't know if I have enough for a whole other, but I'm still collecting the ones that aren't in there. So I wonder if they would ever let me do, like, a five if I could break up the letters so that each one could be a little bit shorter, like A through E or something like that. A bunch of volumes. That would be one thing. Another is I could just, at some point in the future, reissue it with everything that got left out. I don't know. Anything that seems outdated. I don't know.

Stephanie [00:11:45]:

When you go out to eat, like, you have a recipe or an idea for leftover French fries that I'm assuming you're bringing home from a restaurant. When you go out to eat, do you bring everything leftover home?

Tamar [00:11:58]:

Yeah, I think so. Let me think. Yeah, I do. I think. I was like, well, do I really? And I'm like, no, I totally do. Because everything is good in fried rice. Or everything is good in, like, a lunchtime, some constellation of eggs and rice. And I do I keep pasta for salad. And the other day, this was for a TV show, which I only mentioned because it's like you're doing it on the spot, so it really has to work. And I made Caesar salad stuffed boiled eggs, kind of like deviled eggs, but with Caesar salad chopped up. And then combined with the yolks and a little bit of anchovy and parmesan and garlic. And they were so good. And I had to make a bunch of them. It still looks beautiful on TV. And my husband and I just ate them all. They were so delicious.

Stephanie [00:12:55]:

It's so smart because leftover salad is hard because it gets soggy obviously pretty quickly. And some people love a leftover salad. I'm not a huge leftover salad person, but that's brilliant because the texture isn't necessary, but the taste is still carried through.

Tamar [00:13:10]:

Exactly. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:13:12]:

Oh, that is so amazing. Who inspires you? Like, do you have some cookbook authors that are your go to?

Tamar [00:13:20]:

I get the most inspiration from cooks from other cultures. So it's when I read, like, Thai Cookbooks and Indian Cookbooks, and there's a really beautiful I think it's Senegalese Cookbook I forget the name of. But I really like a big book of Indian pickle. Indian Pickles. That was self published. I think it's called usha's pickle. That's where I get the most sort of like, oh, my God, that's a great idea. And, oh, yeah, that flavor. I used leftover Caesar salad dressing to make something Thai recently because I realized that fish sauce is just pressed anchovies and garlic and everything, and it had lemon instead of lime. And I was like, oh. So I used it as the beginning of Yamun Sen, a Thai noodle salad. I just added all of the ingredients to that. And so that's the kind of thing that I think comes to me from flipping through those other cuisines recipes and.

Stephanie [00:14:41]:

Getting inspiration, too, because I think sometimes people just cook the same stuff and you want to branch out a little bit. Strawberry leaves. Who knew that you should be eating those in salads? I did not.

Tamar [00:14:56]:

I did not, either. My friend Wes told me that. He's like, that's what I always do. Yeah. I had no idea.

Stephanie [00:15:01]:

And so much of this, too, is forageable, like, a strawberry leaf. There's wild strawberries all over my woods, and I could not always get the strawberries because the bears get them first, but I could get the leaves and make something cool out of that. So that's fun.

Tamar [00:15:17]:

Yeah.

Stephanie [00:15:19]:

Well, I am just obsessed with this book, and I'm hoping that we can get you on our radio show, too, because we talk a lot about leftovers and how to repurpose things and just how to be a good home cook and good meaning not like, fancy. Good meaning just like, being able to get a meal on the table for your family in a reasonable amount of time that makes sense for your schedule and your life.

Tamar [00:15:43]:

There's just so many ideas. Totally. I would love to, and I love how much it seems like you're reading it.

Stephanie [00:15:55]:

I get it.

Tamar [00:15:56]:

I really found you. I'm so happy.

Stephanie [00:15:57]:

Thank you. It found me. There's more than 1500 recipes ideas in here, and it's economical, too. My daughter is a starving 24 year old person, and I was like, you have to look at this book when you come over. I'm like, you can't have it, but I'll get you one because you'll never waste anything again. And there's so many great ideas. Tamara, I just love it. Thank you so much.

Tamar [00:16:21]:

Thank you so much.

Stephanie [00:16:23]:

Absolutely. And pick up the book. The Everlasting Meal Cookbook. Do you have a newsletter, too? I think I saw.

Tamar [00:16:28]:

Maybe I don't. I just cookbooks on instagram.

Stephanie [00:16:33]:

Just books and Instagram is plenty, right?

Tamar [00:16:36]:

It's a lot to keep for now.

Stephanie [00:16:37]:

Yeah, exactly. All right. Thank you for being my guest today. I appreciate it.

Tamar [00:16:42]:

Thanks, Stephanie. Bye.

Stephanie [00:16:43]:

Okay, bye.

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Re-Cap: 32 Safer Plate (Season 5 Episode 15) Apr 19, 2023

Safer Plate is a meal option free of the top 9 allergens. Their delicious allergy-aware meals are now available in select grocery stores in the Twin Cities area!

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Perky Plant (Season 5 Episode 14) Apr 14, 2023

Like many others, our team got into plants during the pandemic because we were stuck inside and felt our mental health declining. We've always believed that your environment affects your mood, but it wasn't until we bought half a dozen plants that we realized the power of having living things in your environment. Almost immediately, we were much happier! Thus the birth of Perky Plant.

Perky Plant is a fertilizer brand on a mission to improve people's mental health through plants, awareness, and events that reach young adults at the most at-risk time of their lives. Since our launch, we have donated 2,500+ plants to college students as part of our biannual Buy A Bottle, Donate A Plant campaigns.

We’ve donated 2,500+ plants to college students as part of two different Buy A Bottle, Donate A Plant campaigns during Mental Health Awareness month and Suicide Awareness month. On our social channels, we’ve built a community of plant people who care about their own mental health and the mental health of the community around them.

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Episode 51: Stephanie Thurow (@MinnesotaFromScratch) and Michelle Bruhn (@ForksInTheDirt) Apr 07, 2023

With over thirty-five years of combined experience, homesteaders Stephanie Thurow (@minnesotafromscratch) and Michelle Bruhn (@Forksinthedirt) have taught thousands of people across the globe how to garden, preserve food, tend backyard chickens, cook from scratch, and care for their families with natural homemade alternatives. Their homesteading knowledge and instruction can be found in one place with Small-Scale Homesteading.

In this sustainable guide, learn how to grow your own food, tap maple trees to make gallons of homemade syrup, successfully raise a small flock of laying hens, and more. Other topics include:

* The benefits of small-scale homesteading and its local impacts

* Soil health and composting

* Keeping chickens

* Planning a vegetable garden using annuals and perennials

* DIY recipes and projects for the home and garden

* Seed saving and planting tips

* Handmade candles, soaps, lotions, and cleaning solutions

* Companion and succession planting

* How to extend your growing season

* Explanation of approved food preservation methods and supplied needed

* Maple sugaring

* And so much more!

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Kaitlyn Luhm (Season 5 Episode 13) Apr 05, 2023

Kaitlyn Luhm, of Luhm Studios, is a Minneapolis-based artist, who has been working on her sculpting skills since elementary school, but more seriously in high school. Her love for art has varied throughout the years but has continued to circle back around to sculpting and creating work at a smaller scale. Kaitlyn sculpts miniature realistic food with 10% of her profits going towards @communitykitchenmpls.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

St Croix Chocolate Co. (Season 5 Episode 12) Mar 30, 2023

Chocolatier Robyn Dochterman left a career in journalism to study fine chocolate techniques and eventually start St Croix Chocolate Co. Using a balance of science and art. She creates award-winning confections that speak to the senses. Her creations are visually stunning with deliciously dreamy flavors and are well-reviewed and well-awarded. Her Easter Collection is amazing. Here is her story on the Makers of Mn Podcast.

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See a typical Easter collection from Robyn in a Reel I made.

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Episode 50: Ryan McEnaney Author of "Field Guide to Outside Style" Mar 24, 2023

Ryan McEnaney is the Marketing and Communications manager for Baileys Nurseries and its consumer brands: Endless Summer® Hydrangeas, First Editions® Plants, and the Easy Elegance® Rose Collection. Ryan just published his first book called, "Field Guide to Outside Style: Design and Plant Your Perfect Outdoor Space." We catch up with Ryan and discuss how to plan your outdoor living space.

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This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

14 Spice (Season 5 Episode 11) Mar 24, 2023

14 Spice was created as a steak and burger seasoning, but it has since shown its versatility and has become the ultimate everything seasoning. A few fan favorites include using it on pumpkin seeds, roasted veggies, pasta, steak, or roast chicken and pork. The hot honey collaboration between 14 Spice and The Salsa Collaborative is popular among foodies.

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This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Flackers Crackers (Season 5 Episode 10) Mar 15, 2023

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For over 10 years, CEO Donn Kelly Flackers’ Co-founder and CEO has been dedicated to the heart of the Flackers mission: to create and innovate the future of clean snacking using ingredients that are good for us and kind to our planet.

Flackers is crafting delicious, nutrient-rich snacks that are good for you and kind to our planet. With organic, whole ingredients you can see in every cracker, each batch of Flackers is filled with nutritious, crunchy, delightfully flax seed-y goodness.

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Panache Juices (Season 5 Episode 9) Mar 08, 2023

Panache Beverage infusions are rooted in the south Asian ayurvedic traditions, the food science behind yoga, tested by generations. From their juice infusions to their cidre every bottle is crafted with the best that nature offers. Panache celebrates the diversity of the apple with every product. They are uniquely crafted to improve the body’s functions naturally and are tested by generations of family recipes.

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This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Patti's Granola (Season 5 Episode 8) Mar 01, 2023

I enjoy granola, whether it’s homemade by my friend Chaz or purchased at Kowalskis Market, like Patti’s Granola and Nuts, which I featured on this week’s Makers of Minnesota Podcast.

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This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 49: Sylvie Bigar & Morgan Baum Feb 24, 2023

In Cassoulet Confessions, Sylvie travels across the Atlantic from her home in New York to the origin of cassoulet – the Occitanie region of Southern France. There she immerses herself in all things cassoulet: the quintessential historic meat and bean stew. From her first spoonful of cassoulet, Sylvie Bigar is transported back to her dramatic childhood in Geneva Switzerland. Not only did she discover the deeper meaning of her ancestral French Cuisine but she found the family stew that saved her soul. Sylvie takes us on a journey of Cassoulet with words and recipes.

Morgan Baum, from the gallery and pottery studio of Clay Coyote in Hutchinson, Minnesota, partnered with Sylvie to make her the perfect cassole. Listen to the Makers of Minnesota Podcast episode about her cookery from season 4 here.

Together they will share their story at Alliance Francais with a conversation moderated Panel discussion with Sylvie Bigar, Vincent Francoual, and Morgan Baum.ModeratorLynne Rossetto KasperCassoulet tasting- made by Chef Raymond Espuche!

Ticket price: $60 - price includes entrance fee, Sylvie Bigar’s book, and cassoulet tasting Tickets are $60 and can be had by calling 612-332-0436 or here Monday, February 27th

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*Contains Affiliate links

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Social Mixers (Season 5 Episode 7) Feb 22, 2023

Social Mixers are a botanical-forward premium syrup perfect for cocktails, mocktails, coffee, tea, and natural sodas. Kat Duvic creates small batches by hand, featuring responsibly sourced, organic, and non-GMO ingredients. I had the opportunity to make a mocktail with her product last January, and I loved it, so I decided to record a podcast to hear more about her flavor profiles and product.

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This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 48: Russ Henry Feb 17, 2023

Giving Tree Gardens is a full-service organic gardening company in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I first learned about Russ Henry, owner of Giving Tree Gardens and Minnehaha Falls Landscaping, from this Star Tribune article highlighting his entire yard as a garden designed for urban food foraging.

Giving Tree Garden started with a few tools and a dream of creating enchanting organic urban gardens. Giving Tree Gardens is an eco-friendly garden landscaping services company. Their hardy gardens, perennials, trees, shrubs, and self-seeding annuals are the backbone of a sustainable garden. They use native plants to attract wild birds, butterflies, and animals. Today Giving Tree Gardens services residential and commercial clients throughout the Twin Cities metro area. Their Bee Lawn is a popular way to start your eco-conscious lawn care.

Subscriber Bonus:

As a bonus to this episode, I wanted to include the recipe for my June Berry Drink Syrup that I get from the Serviceberry trees in my Golden Valley yard and Ely. I make the syrup and use it on pancakes or in a June Berry Martini Cocktail or Mocktail.

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June Berry Drink Syrup

Each Spring, I look for Serviceberry trees to make June Berry syrup. Note: This syrup could be replicated with blackberries, blueberries, or raspberries. Adjust the sugar as needed based on the sweetness of the berries you pick

Ingredients

3 cups fresh June Berries from your local Serviceberry tree. Washed, rinsed, and stems picked

1 cup water

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 Tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

In a medium heavy-duty saucepan, place berries with 1 cup water and 1/3 cup sugar.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the berries are very soft and juicy. About 5 minutes.

Set a fine sieve over a bowl. Pour the berry pulp into the sieve and allow the juice to drip through. Press the pulp with a rubber spatula to extract as much juice as possible.

Add 2 Tbsp lemon juice.

Transfer to a mason jar or cruet.

June Berry Martini Cocktail

Ingredients

1 .5 oz June Berry syrup

1 oz vodka

1 oz orange liqueur like Grand Marnier or Cointreau

Lemon twist peeled and squeezed into the drink to release the lemon oil

Instructions

Fill a shaker with ice.

Add the syrup, vodka, and orange liquor and shake to combine.

Strain into a martini glass

Garnish with a twist of lemon

June Berry Mocktail

Ingredients

1 .5 oz June Berry syrup

3 oz lemonade

1 oz sparkling water

Lemon twist peeled and squeezed into the drink to release the lemon oil

Instructions

Fill a shaker with ice.

Add the syrup and lemonade and shake to combine.

Strain into a rocks glass

Top with soda water

Garnish with a twist of lemon.

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Yoga Pops (Season 5 Episode 6) Feb 15, 2023

YOGA POPS® is a unique better-for-you snack made from Asian water lily seeds created by Co-founder Nalini Mehta. These snacks are inspired by Ayurveda, bringing the experience of yoga through food. These ancient super seeds are known for their health benefits and have been used for centuries as part of Ayurvedic medicine. Yoga pops are hand-roasted, spiced, and packaged in small batches. Yoga Pops are a great alternative to popcorn.

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CheeseCake Funk (Season 5 Episode 5) Feb 08, 2023

Owner and head baker Vanessa Drews started Cheesecake Funk™ in 2003 to share her love of cheesecake with family and friends. In August 2019, Vanessa made the life-changing decision to step away from her legal career and step into a new path of growing her Cheesecake Funk™ business full-time. From home kitchen to commercial kitchen and onto wholesale with various restaurants. Vannesa turned a hobby into a thriving business with her unique and delicious cheesecake enjoyed by none other than Prince himself, who was credited with helping name her business.

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This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Willa's Oat Milk (Season 5 Episode 4) Feb 01, 2023

A message from Stephanie about the Makers of Minnesota Podcast.

Please upgrade your subscription to the paid version ($5 a month or $50 for the year) to get future Makers of Minnesota podcast video episodes along with your free audio file.

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Willa's Oat Milks has a simple mission: to create oat milk that tastes as good as it is good for you and Mother Earth. The company prides itself on the taste of its products and the sustainability of its zero-waste packaging. Willa’s is based in Minnesota, and what started as a plan to distribute to co-working environments was upended when Covid hit. It was a happy accident as they retooled their marketing strategy and distribution.

Find Willa’s at your favorite co-ops and these locations and consider the health benefits of Oat Milk by adding it to coffee, traditionally cream-based soups, or these muffins. Find other recipe ideas for Willa’s here.

HEARTY BANANA NUT MUFFINS

Ingredients

* 2 cups oat flour, gluten-free flour, or almond flour

* 2 tsp. baking powder

* 1 tsp. cinnamon

* 1/2 tsp. baking soda

* 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

* 1/4 tsp. salt

* 2-3 ripe bananas

* 1 cup brown sugar, packed

* 1/3 cup Willa's Oat Milk

* 2 eggs or your egg substitute of choice

* 4 tbsp. butter or vegan butter, unsalted and melted

* 1.5 tsp. vanilla extract

* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

* 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Instructions Here…

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Episode 47: Jasmine Weiser Jan 27, 2023

Local Chef Jasmine Weiser, the Executive Chef at Edwards Dessert Kitchen (EDK), owned and operated by Schwan’s Company spent time with us talking about the Twin cities pastry scene and her appearance on the Zoë Bakes show on the Magnolia Network (on Discovery +).

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Publish Her (Season 5 Episode 3) Jan 25, 2023

Publish Her is a female-founded and focused publisher dedicated to elevating women's words, writing, and stories. Chris Olsen is passionate about amplifying the voices of women of color, women with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community and aims to make publishing an attainable, exciting, and collaborative process for all.

Publish Her offers writing circles, guided self-publishing, and one-on-one book circles to help you get closer to telling and publishing your story.

Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Currently, Publish Her has published a handful of books, including “Emily’s Fresh Kitchen” (Listen to the Dishing With Stephanie’s Dish Podcast with Emily Maxson here)

Other books published by Publish Her include “Her Path Foreward 21 stories of inspiration and transformation.”

Follow Publish Her Press on Instagram, and their sister business Publish Her Story on Instagram.

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Marigold (Season 5 Episode 2) Jan 18, 2023

Marigold is an alcohol-free bottle shop started by Erin Flavin The new shop is off Nicollet Avenue and West 36th Street in south Minneapolis, connected to Favin’s Honeycomb Salon next door. Inside you will find over 200 alcohol-free beverages to support your sober curious, or alcohol-free lifestyle.

📸: @zpff

Mixly is one of the brands carried in the Bottle Shop. Listen to the podcast we recorded with them about a year ago here.

Get the recipe to make their coconut ginger lime colada mocktail I created, or watch me make it.

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This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Chief of Staff - Lived and Loved (Season 5 Episode 1) Jan 04, 2023

Kathryn Montbriand is a former Fortune 500 leader who took a career sabbatical in 2021 and formed two businesses - a Chief of Staff practice and a service called Lived and Loved that helps people tell their stories.

If you have story ideas, send them to shansenmarketing@gmail.com

Support the show

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Episode 46: Lets go to Spain Dec 31, 2022

Happy New Year! I am very excited for 2023 and have many trips planned after wrapping up a grueling Fall book tour, including a “Taste of Spain” trip in October.

Listen to the Podcast above, then Sign up to join us. and you will get $100 off your booking fee here. It’s going to be one of many trips I host in the coming years, so make sure you sign up - I have also started a Facebook group for Culinary travelers here, so join us on the trip!https://tvlleaders.com/taste-of-spain/

In 2019 I went on a Riverboat cruise in France through the wine country on a 52-foot houseboat. There were over 100 locks and damns as Kurt piloted, and we navigated our way on the Sein through the wine country of France. The boat was great, and the wine and countryside were terrific, but riverboat traveling is something I would only do once. It’s a very slow and frankly arduous mode of travel waiting to pull up the locks, enter the locks, fill the locks and release the locks over 100 times in 5 days. That said, each of the towns we visited was picturesque, and my best day was spent riding my bike along the river, getting to the lock in advance of the boat to prepare them and speed things up for our travel.

From there we went to Barcelona. I loved Barcelona. The town is full of art and history. The architecture of Gaudi is fantastic, and there is a beach right in this crazy busy and lively city. The food was excellent, from Tapas to pizza, and the wine was fantastic. I loved walking through the markets and smelling and seeing all the cuisine, cheese, seafood, and local specialties, and I vowed I would return.

Here is a video I took in the market on our way to shop for Paella at a cooking class.

This brings me to our trip! One of my goals in 2023 is to create more experiences with fans of Stephanies Dish, and we are kicking that initiative off in a big way with a trip to Spain. We leave on October 1, 2023, and come home on October 9, 2023.⁠

* 2 nights Madrid

* 2 nights Seville

* 1 night Granada

* 1 night Valencia

* 2 nights Barcelona

Total of 8 nights in Spain!

Listen to the Podcast above, then Sign up to join us. and you will get $100 off your booking fee here. It’s going to be one of many trips I host in the coming years, so make sure you sign up - I have also started a Facebook group for Culinary travelers here, so join us on the trip!https://tvlleaders.com/taste-of-spain/

On this trip, we will take a Paella Class. Here is chef Kurt getting ready for the calamari.

Coincidentally Ellie bought Kurt a Paella pan for Christmas this year so that he may continue his culinary success we learned on the trip!

Here are a few other pictures from that trip to get you excited about joining us.

One of the last places we visited was Park Güell. Park Güell is an enormous garden with stunning and distinct architectural elements designed by the renowned Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. The Park is named after Eusebi Güell, a wealthy entrepreneur and count that had a great passion for Gaudí's work and who became his patron. While walking through the park, we saw these handsome musicians practicing for a show they had later that night. It was magical.

Listen to the Podcast above, then Sign up to join us. and you will get $100 off your booking fee here. It’s going to be one of many trips that I host in the coming years, so make sure you sign up:https://tvlleaders.com/taste-of-spain/

What’s up in 2023? A Paid Substack Option

I'm excited to announce a new paid version of my email newsletter will be available in 2023. Our first email for paid subscribers is coming out in January! This is exciting news, as it will allow me to get paid for my work, connect me with all of you in a new way, and offer new types of content and exclusive content and recipes for paid subscribers.

Subscriptions are $5 a month or $50 for the year. As a subscriber, you will access full episodes of my podcasts, exclusive videos, exclusive recipes, and access to my fill archive of recipes, maker recommendations, giveaways, custom restaurant suggestions, and fun, exclusive subscriber benefits throughout the year.

All subscriptions get a 7-day trial, and I will ALWAYS offer some free content and recipes, so there is no pressure! However, if you dig my work and want to support it, I would be grateful.

Subscribe before the end of 2022, and you will be entered to win a FREE “True North Cabin Cookbook”

Stephanie’s Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Dashfire (Season 4 Episode 50) Dec 28, 2022

Lee Egbert and his wife Dawn started Dashfire Bitters nearly a decade ago, making small-batch bitters and cocktail tinctures. Now Dashfire has moved the entire distillery from Minnetonka to the Thorpe Building, and finally, after nearly a decade making bitters, bottled Old Fashioneds, and canned cocktails their cocktail room is open.

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Pacifier Kids (Season 4 Episode 49) Dec 21, 2022

Alissa Montbriand bought Pacifier Kids in 2018, focusing on expanding the footprint of the already successful local business when Covid hit. The business has since recovered and thrived. Pacifier Kids opened a new warehouse and storefront location in Wayzata, bringing the store locations up to 4. Alissa's expertise in the digital market space has helped her propel the business forward, capitalizing on the online marketplace. Alissa is also a teacher in Digital Marketing Strategy at the Carlson School of Management.

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Episode 45: Gemma Stafford Dec 09, 2022

I had a really enjoyable conversation with Gemma Stafford about her second cookbook, “Bigger, Bolder, Baking Every Day.” This cookbook is really beautifully shot and has over 120 accessible, rustic, delicious recipes.

I was just on the heels of baking pies for Thanksgiving and had suffered the slumpy crust, so Gemma shared her pie recipe with me that features full fat Greek yogurt to enrich the dough. Also enclosed is her tasty gooey jam tart that uses this pie crust.

Are there other Cookbook Authors or Food Folks you would love to hear from? Drop me a note so I can connect with folks for 2023. Happy Baking.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Fulton Beer (Season 4 Episode 47) Dec 07, 2022

Ryan Petz, CEO and co-founder of Minneapolis-based Fulton Beer, led with consistency and quality when it came to making a cannabinoid beverage. Fulton’s Breweries' take on the THC bubbly, “Sparkling THC Water” is available in the taproom and stores. Each bottle of non-alcoholic beverage contains 4.20 mg of THC. The first batch is lime flavored; blood orange is planned next.

One major difference between weed bubbles and beer? The beer and hard seltzer industries are highly regulated. Meanwhile, THC manufacturing hardly has any rules in the state of Minnesota. But beer companies like Fulton are used to following rules and applying that mentality to their THC processes.

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NorSari (Season 4 Episode 46) Nov 30, 2022

NorSari was created in Northfield, Minnesota. One frigid December morning, Gwen Daniels, grabbed a blanket off the couch and wrapped it around her waist to stay warm as she headed out to face the day. Instantly, she had an idea she wanted to share with others. She worked to create an adjustable wrap that would secure easily over any type of clothing for an added layer of warmth that everyone could wear. They still make a heritage limited-edition handmade NorSaris in Northfield, Minnesota as well as their traditional NorSari and SunSari's. - The SunSari has a performance rubber shell that deters the water and protects from the sun, lined with a 100% cotton soft terrycloth that is of pool towel quality.

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Gift Trails (Season 4 Episode 45) Nov 23, 2022

Mark Rustad has created a new game that takes families on an adventure in their homes called Gift Trails.
The game is a battle of wits, a clash of imaginations played out amongst two opposing forces in your home. One plays the role of Host. The other plays the role of Hunter.

The Host is the event planner who designs the game in advance of play. Their job is to stump the Hunter. Using the tools of GiftTrails, the Host works to construct a secret hidden trail inside the home. A trail marked with riddles, puzzles, tasks, and challenges.

The Hunter is caught by surprise and presented with the challenge.. They set out to blaze through the trail, slay the clues, and claim their prize at the trail’s end.

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Debbie Wolk Designs (Season 4 Episode 44) Nov 16, 2022

Debbie Wolk is a ceramics artist in the Twin Cities. She has been on the journey of hand-painting ceramics for over 20 years. Through the years as her tastes, inspiration and travels have evolved with her work she has created custom pieces for gifts to family and friends.
Her work is a treasure.

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Sip n Bloom (Season 4 Episode 43) Nov 09, 2022

David Kisan is a third-generation florist and founder of Sip N Bloom, a floral design event company that teaches you how to make your own floral arrangements. Follow them on Instagram

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Better Berry Pie Company (Season 4 Episode 42) Nov 02, 2022

Crystal Osman and her partner Andy have formed, The Better Berry Pie Co! They make meringue crust, gluten-free cream pies that they sell at local farmers' markets. Pies come frozen in teeny, mini, or whole sizes.
Order your Thanksgiving Pie today here or through Market Magon Twin Cities

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Sideshow Bloody Mary Mix (Season 4 episode 41) Oct 26, 2022

In 2015, Pete and Kelly Holzer teamed up to make a Bloody Mary mix that would capture the hearts and taste buds of Minnesota.

They incorporated Sideshow Bloody Mary Mix in 2015, and in 2016, they “hit the streets” with their product, Pete Holzer said. Over the years the product has grown from “mom and pop stores to Hy-Vees,” liquor stores, and distributors.
Look for their holiday gift baskets at your favorite makers shows

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City Mom Collective - Twin Cities Mom.com (Season 4 Episode 40) Oct 19, 2022

Steph Flies started City Mom Collective by blogging for other moms looking to find community. Now City Mom Collective is the nation’s largest collection of hyperlocal mom influencers including Twin Cities Mom Collective. Each Hyperlocal site connects moms to resources and parenting perspectives unique to their communities; by supporting women in their growth.

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Episode 44: Emily Maxson Oct 14, 2022

I have a chance to catch up with Emily Maxson from “Emily’s Fresh Kitchen.” The last time we spoke with Emily (March 2022 - Episode 30) her cookbook was just being released so I circled back to reconnect and also to offer an apology. Take a listen and order her cookbook here

NO-BAKE PEANUT BUTTER CRUNCH BARS

When my daughters came home from college during quarantine, I made a lot of treats. I think it was my way of trying to make their newfound circumstances more fun. Each week I put together a batch of peanut butter bars, experimenting with different ingredients. I would keep a pan in the refrigerator and we would all slice off pieces to nibble on throughout the day. If you just take little bite here and there and don’t take a full bar at once, you are eating less, right?

This recipe is the version we all liked best. I love that they are gluten free and dairy free and sweetened with pure maple syrup. They remind me of Special K bars but are made with healthier ingredients. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups natural peanut butter

3/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 cup puffed quinoa (I like nuts.com brand)

1 cup salted peanuts, chopped

1 1/2 cups dairy free chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate

1/4 cup natural peanut butter

DIRECTIONS:

* Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper.

* In a medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups peanut butter and the maple syrup.

* Add the the puffed quinoa and the chopped peanuts. Mix well.

* Spread the peanut butter mixture into the parchment lined pan and smooth.

* Add the chocolate chips or dark chocolate and 1/4 cup peanut butter to a bowl and melt in the microwave, or over a sauce pan filled with simmering water.

* Spread the melted chocolate mixture on top of the bars and smooth.

* Place in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours until set.

* Cut into bars and store in the refrigerator.

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Babas Hummus (Season 4 Episode 39) Oct 12, 2022

Baba’s is the brainchild of founders Khalid Ansari and Rana Kamal, the adult children of “Baba” Jamal Ansari, the owner/operator of Mediterranean Cruise Cafe in Burnsville. These second-generation immigrant children are modernizing the Mediterranean cuisine of their childhood. From the Minnesota State Fair to your grocery store aisle, these makers are ones to watch.

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Episode 43: Gavin Kaysen Oct 07, 2022

“At Home” by Gavin Kaysen, features more than 100 recipes ranging from quick weeknight dinners to show-stopping weekend projects, as well as utilitarian pantry staples, kid-friendly meals, and family favorites all organized by season, including:

* The Perfect Pot Roast with Kale and Squash Salad

* Watermelon and Tomato Salad with Sumac Vinaigrette

* Grilled Branzino with Brown Butter, Tomato, Olives, and Bread Crumbs

* Pappardelle Pasta with Pork Ragu

* Swedish Pancakes

And more!

Try Gavin’s Pot Roast as we discussed excerpted from the book “At Home” by Gavin Kaysen

Pot roast is a very nostalgic dish for me and by far my most published recipe (you can find versions of it all over the Internet). It was one of my grandmother Dorothy’s two signature dishes, and she’d make it anytime we visited her, no matter the season. It was also one of the first recipes I ever cooked from start to finish as a kid, and the first dish I put on the menu at Spoon and Stable, where you’ll still find it today. The great chef Sean Brock always says that in the South, nothing can compete with your grandmother’s corn bread, and I feel the same about pot roast in the Midwest: Dorothy’s is the best, and every time I eat it, I feel like she’s giving me a big hug. Pot roast certainly works as a meal by itself, but I like to pair it with a salad made with the contrasting textures of raw and roasted kale, dressed with a tangy buttermilk vinaigrette.

The Perfect Pot Roast

2 pounds boneless beef top blade roastfine sea saltfreshly ground black pepper2 Tbsp. canola oil2 Tbsp. unsalted butter1 medium red onion, quartered2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces2 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces1 small rutabaga (about 8 ounces), peeled and cut into 12 to 16 pieces4 cremini mushrooms, halved1 parsnip, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces1 head garlic, top trimmed to expose cloves3 Tbsp. tomato paste1 bay leaf1 sprig rosemary¾ cup red wine, preferably cabernet2 cups beef broth or stock

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Season meat generously with salt and pepper.

2. In a large Dutch oven or other heavy ovenproof pot with a lid, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add meat and sear until a dark crust forms, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

3. Reduce heat to medium and add butter to pot. Melt butter and add all vegetables and garlic, stirring frequently and scraping bottom of pot, until vegetables start to color, 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until it darkens slightly, about 5 minutes. Add bay leaves, rosemary and wine, and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to a thick gravy consistency, 5 to 7 minutes.

4. Return meat to pot. Add broth, cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook until roast is very tender and starts to fall apart when you lift it, about 2 hours and 20 minutes.

5. Let roast sit at room temperature at least 10 minutes. Transfer meat to a cutting board and carve into 1½-inch slices. Skim fat from surface of stew. Discard bay leaves and rosemary stems. Squeeze any garlic cloves remaining in their skins into stew and discard skins.

6. To serve, lay slices of roast in shallow bowls along with vegetables and a generous amount of cooking liquid ladled over top. Serve with Kale and Squash Salad (recipe follows).

Kale and Squash Salad

Buttermilk Vinaigrette

¼ cup buttermilk2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar1 tsp. Dijon mustard1/3 cup olive oilfine sea salt

Salad

8 oz. Tuscan kale, washed, dried and stems removedolive oil, for drizzlingfine sea saltground white pepper1 large acorn squash, quartered and seeded½ tsp. light brown sugar½ tsp. ground cinnamon½ tsp. ground cloves½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature¼ cup Marcona almonds, toasted and lightly crushed

1. Make the buttermilk vinaigrette: In a blender, purée buttermilk, vinegar and mustard until well combined. With machine running on low, stream in oil until smooth. Season with salt. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Make the salad: Preheat oven to 220°F. Line a sheet pan with foil. Arrange 1/3 of kale in a single layer, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt and white pepper. Transfer to oven and bake until crispy, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

3. Meanwhile, put remaining kale in a large bowl, add a pinch of salt and gently massage kale about 2 minutes to tenderize it. Increase oven temperature to 375°F. Line a second sheet pan with foil. Lay squash skin-side down on lined pan. In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp. salt, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper. Rub butter onto squash flesh and sprinkle evenly with spice mix.

4.Transfer sheet pan to oven and bake until squash is tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven, and once cool enough to handle, peel squash and cut into 2-inch cubes. Add crispy kale to bowl with raw kale. Add almonds and some of buttermilk vinaigrette and toss well. Divide onto plates and top with squash. Drizzle with more vinaigrette and serve.

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Bauhaus Brew Labs (Season 4 Episode 38) Oct 05, 2022

Matt Schwandt and his family founded Bauhaus Brew Lab.
Bauhaus Brew Labs is a family of musicians, scientists, artists, and above all, beer lovers, aiming to reinvigorate the spirit of the family brewery. Bauhaus crafts classic German-inspired beer styles, skewed slightly by a sense of play and adventure. Their flavor-forward, sessionable beers and hard ciders are crafted to surprise and delight.

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Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
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Milk and Honey Ciders (Season 4 Episode 37) Sep 28, 2022

Milk and Honey Ciders are made from American heirloom and cider apple varieties. Their taproom in St Joseph Minnesota showcases the ciders and the orchard and all its beauty.
Get tickets to the October Lexington Dinner featuring Milk and Honey Ciders
Makers of Minnesota Dinner Series: presented by Stephanie Hansen and The Lexington

This month we will feature four local woman-owned businesses and include their goods and products in a special 3-course menu. Enjoy a special evening celebrating our local makers and their creative spirit.

Guests are invited to enjoy cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres in The Williamsburg Room from 6:00-6:30 pm and a 3-course dinner created by Chef Nick O'Leary utilizing products from these local makers.

Our October Dinner will feature products from:

- Mrs. Kelly's Tea

- Olive Oil on Tap

- Taking Stock Foods Bone Broths

- 3 Bear Oats
- Milk and Honey Ciders

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If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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Indeed Brewing (Season 4 Episode 36) Sep 22, 2022

Indeed Brewing Company is celebrating its 10th year of brewing in the Twin Cities. We talk to Tom Whisenand, Co-founder and CEO of Indeed Brewing Company about their recent developments and move into Wisconsin.
Well-known as an engaged and community-oriented brewery, Indeed’s taprooms are warm, welcoming, and home to Indeed We Can, the company’s employee-driven charitable giving program, which donates 100% of taproom net profits to an employee-sponsored local nonprofit every Wednesday of the year. Their diverse offerings are anchored by their flagship Day Tripper Pale Ale, driven by new hits like Flavorwave IPA and Pistachio Cream Ale, and elevated by its series of wild barrel-aged beer. They are now moving into the THC space as well with beverages infused with THC. Find more to explore at www.indeedbrewing.com.

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Episode 42: Meg Cowden Sep 16, 2022

I have been obsessed with Meg Cowden and her container gardens for some time. I follow her on Instagram @seedtofork, and there was a drone overhead shot of her yard that I watched ten times. I am heading out on a book tour in my van for a few weeks and will be bringing this book with me and obsessing about my Ely Hilltop Garden improvements for next year.

If you are still harvesting, here is a great rice side dish that uses a ton of cherry tomatoes. You can also make this butter tomato sauce that you can freeze in a mason jar.

It’s apple season, so the Star Tribune featured my Chicken, Wild Rice, and Apple and Pecan recipe in their orchard round-up. It made me hungry for it, so I made it again! Try your hand at the Tarte Tatin apple recipe below that my Mother In Law Dolores has perfected.

Tarte Tatin

Ingredients

* 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

* 3 tbsp sugar, divided

* 1 tsp kosher salt

* 1 tsp baking powder

* 8 tbsp chilled, unsalted butter, cut into ½-in. cubes, divided

* 2 tbsp cream

* 1 large egg, lightly beaten

* Four large Honeycrisp apples (1 lb. total), peeled and cored, each cut into 6 wedges

Instructions

* Preheat the oven to 375°F. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, the salt, and the baking powder. Add 3 tablespoons butter and the shortening and, using your fingers, rub the fat into the flour mixture to form coarse, pea-size pieces. Add the cream and egg, and stir until just combined. Press the dough together with your hands and refrigerate until firm to the touch, 30–35 minutes.

* When ready to cook, thickly coat the bottom of a 10-inch heavy ovenproof skillet or tarte Tatin pan with butter. Sprinkle sugar evenly on top.

* Cut one piece of apple into a thick round disk and place in the center of the skillet to serve as the “button.” Arrange the remaining apple pieces, each one standing on its flat end, in concentric circles around the button. Keep the pieces close together so that they support one another, standing upright. They will look like the petals of a flower.

* On a floured surface, roll out the pastry about 1/8-inch thick. Place an upside-down bowl or pan on the pastry and use the tip of a sharp knife to cut out a circle about the same size as the top of your skillet. Lift out the circle and drape gently over the apples. Use your hands to tuck the pastry around the apple pieces, hugging them together firmly

* Transfer to the oven and bake until the crust is golden and apples are tender when poked with a knife, 40-45 minutes. (If the edges begin to brown before the fruit is tender, cover them with strips of aluminum foil.)

* Let cool 5 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a round serving plate by placing another plate over the top and flipping it over. If any apples remain stuck in the pan, gently use your fingers or a spatula to retrieve them and rearrange on the pastry shell. Cut in wedges and serve warm with heavy cream, crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream. Set the tart aside to cool at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Chicken Wild Rice and Apple Pecan Salad

Ingredients

Ingredients for Vinaigrette

* 2 large cloves of garlic micro planed

* ⅓ cup rice vinegar

* 2 Tbsp soy sauce

* 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

* 1 Tbsp fresh orange juice

* 1 tsp orange zest

* 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger on a micro plane grater

* 1/4 cup sesame oil

* 1/4 cup olive oil

* 1 tsp kosher table salt

* 1 tsp pepper

Ingredients for the Salad

* 2 boneless chicken breasts

* 2 cups wild rice

* 4 1/2 cups chicken stock

* 1 cup cubed honey crisp apple

* 2 celery stalks chopped with leaves

* 1 cup scallions chopped

* 1/2 cup red onion chopped

* 1/4 cup chopped Italian Parsley

* 1/2 cup toasted pecans

Instructions

* Place all vinaigrette ingredients in a mason jar and shake until emulsified.

* Place the wild rice in a saucepan or pot. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on top of the rice.

* Add 1 tsp salt to the chicken rice mixture and cover with 4 1/2 cups broth. Bring the stock to a boil. You'll see some white scummy foam collecting on the surface of the stock as it comes to a boil; it's fine to leave it..Reduce to a simmer, cover, and let the chicken and rice simmer.

* Cook the chicken for 15 minutes and fish out of the pot and set aside to cool and continue cooking rice for another 30 minutes.

* Meanwhile, toast pecans in a cast iron skillet over medium, heat until fragrant and brown, and set aside.

* Cut chicken into 1/2 inch cubes

* Take the rice off the stove and drain in a colander, and cool

* In a large mixing bowl, add apple cubes and toss with vinaigrette. Add cubed chicken, rice, celery, scallions, red onion, parsley, and toasted pecans. Toss again until all the ingredients arewell-coated.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Recap 29: Jillian McGary (Season 1 Episode 111) Sep 14, 2022

We catch up with Jillian McGary from Mostly Made (Season 1, Episode 111) as she seeks to reinvent her packaging and enhance her brand story with the help of a local agency and valuable consumer insights. Mostly Made is a lasagna, gumbo, and enchilada filling that is, Mostly Made. Hear how Jillian McGary researched her way into creating a product to help busy moms get dinner on the table fast.

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Recap 30: Bizzy Coffee Catch Up Call (Season 2 Episode 53) Sep 14, 2022

We catch up with Alex French co-founder of Bizzy Coffee, who we first talked to in August of 2020 (Season 2 Episode 53). Alex launched Bizzy Coffee cold brew concentrate and has since created product extensions and multiple flavors as the category has grown throughout 2022.

Support the show

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If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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Minneapolis Cider Company (Season 4 Episode 35) Sep 07, 2022

Minneapolis Cider Company is a craft cidery and Pickle Ball court destination started by Jason Dayton as a college course. Located in the Marcy Holmes neighborhood, fresh-pressed apples are used to make flavorful hard ciders, including their Blanc, Mango Habenero, and a new line of 100-calorie light and dry ciders, as well as the newly introduced "Trail Magic" cannabis-infused cider in Berry Basil or Hop Water flavors.

Support the show

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If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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Quill and Cue (Season 4 Episode 34) Aug 31, 2022

Quill & Cue is a subscription card service that inspires you to do something simple but impactful – send one handwritten card per month. The local company, sends customers a cute blank card, envelope, stamp, and writing prompt every month.

“The idea is to spread unexpected joy,” says founder Alyssa Toft. “It inspires people to do something simple that makes an impact: sending one handwritten card a month.”
Hear more about Alyssa's inspiration on this Makers of Minnesota Podcast

Support the show

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Glitter Glamper (Season 4 Episode 33) Aug 24, 2022

The Glitter Glamper is owned and operated by Gretchen Fleener from Paintertainment, LLC, an artistic entertainment agency that has served happy clients in the Twin Cities for over 25 years. The Glitter Glamper delivers temporary body bling ( think glitter beards, glitter tattoos, festival face glitter and even 3-dimensional unicorn horns ) to the Twin Cities metro area by way of Gretchen's mobile studio on sweet, retro wheels: a 1963 Shasta travel trailer!
Look for the Glitter Glamper at this year's Minnesota State Fair.

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Episode 41: Jessie Sheehan Aug 22, 2022

I had a lovely chat this week with cookbook author Jessie Sheehan. Her cookbook, Snackable Bakes: 100 Easy-Peasy Recipes for Exceptionally Scrumptious Sweets and Treatsis fantastic. This is the kind of baking book that I love because it mirrors the way I cook. Rustic, one bowl, easy baking recipes that are so delicious they jump off the page into your saved recipe files of things you want to make. Snackable Bakes is full of recipes that minimize time but maximize fun. Jessie’s warm, easy approach made me her fan right away, and I promptly ordered the book for my niece and followed her on Tick Tok and Instagram.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Lip Esteem (Season 4 Episode 32) Aug 17, 2022

Tameka Jones founded Lip Esteem during the pandemic. After decades as a makeup artist, she used her downtime during the pandemic to rethink her path. The result? A line of her own, Lip Esteem, a Black woman-owned beauty start-up specializing in plant-based and gluten- and cruelty-free lip products.

Jones’s line consists of lipsticks, glosses, and liners, Plus, she’ll sell an assortment of lip care products fit for combating harsh winters—an exfoliator, vitamin E stick, and moisturizing lip balm. In addition to the products that Lip Esteem sells, Jones also offers makeup tutorials and one-on-one makeover sessions.

Support the show

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If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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Giften Market (Season 4 Episode 31 ) Aug 10, 2022

Martha Krueger started Giften Market - an online gift shop featuring thoughtfully curated products from inspiring small businesses including many from Minnesota Makers. Shop hundreds of products produced by emerging and underrepresented entrepreneurs, small artisan studios, and specialty retailers, or create a completely unique gift box that you hand pick the products online.

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Sacred Space Gardens (Season 4 Episode 30) Aug 03, 2022

Maddie Poling of Sacred Space Gardens joins me to talk about her company's sustainable garden services to commercial and residential customers, including designing, installing, and maintaining gardens as well as her new franchise model for gardeners around the United States to join in the first organic gardening business franchise.

Support the show

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Clay Coyote (Season 4 Episode 29) Jul 27, 2022

Morgan Baum is a second-generation potter at Clay Coyote in Hutchinson Minnesota. Clay Coyote specializes in pottery that you can cook with including the flameware line of clay that can go from refrigerator to stove top and their popular line of pizza stones and grill baskets made of out pottery that can withstand high heat.
Join them and a host of other potters at this year's Minnesota
Pottery Festival in Hutchinson Minnesota on July 30 and 31, 2022. Find more details here.

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Episode 40 Dennis Littley: Jul 23, 2022

Dennis Littley is the founder and CEO of Ask Chef Dennis Productions where he runs one of the most successful food blogs in the world.

He has been blogging for more than 12 years and now, with over one million followers on social media and almost 10 million page views annually, he has built a loyal following that use his easy-to-make step-by-step restaurant-style recipes and cooking tips to make them feel more comfortable in their kitchen, and helps them find the joy of cooking. Find his most popular recipe for Tiramisu here:

Follow Chef Dennis on Pinterest or Instagram @askchefdennis

Chef Dennis also works with travel companies and cruise lines showcasing their travel opportunities as he shares his travel adventures and the deliciousness he's enjoying as he travels the world.

He has been featuring on CBS, Everyday Health, NBC news, The Wall Street Journal, Talks at Google and many more.

Dennis’ webpage: https://www.askchefdennis.com/about-chef-dennis/

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Pawn Man (Episode 4 Season 28) Jul 20, 2022

Evan Kail or "Pawn Man" as he is affectionately known is blending his social media know-how and entertaining personality to promote his business St Louis Park Gold and Silver. Hear his literal rags to "riches" story and how as a content creator he is moving his business forward.
Follow Pawn Man on Instagram
Follow Pawn Man on Tik Tok
Follow Pawn Man on You Tube

Support the show

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If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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Kaleidoscope Table Settings (Season 4 Episode 27) Jul 13, 2022

Amy Leyden has started a tablescape company that will rent you completed place settings from 2-12. Whether it's a baby shower or an intimate dinner for two she has you covered and there is no washing after just rinse, wrap and return.
See her designs on Instagram here:
@kaleidoscope_mpls
Order at https://www.k-tablesettings.com/

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Episode 39: Meredith Deeds Jul 08, 2022

Meredith Deeds has spent the last 20 years writing and teaching about food all over the country. Besides being a food consultant, writer and an occasional host of my radio show, The Weekly Dish, She has co-authored six cookbooks, among them are the James Beard Award finalist The Big Book of Appetizers (Chronicle Books), her best selling, The Mixer Bible (Robert Rose, Inc.), and 300 Sensational Soups (October 2008, Robert Rose, Inc.), which was chosen by Good Morning America as one of the top 10 cookbooks of 2008.

Meredith is now a columnist at the Star Tribune publishing tasty recipes each month and getting ready to spend a healthy dose of time in Spain.

Try her chilled Avocado and Soup with Crab Salad

Chilled Avocado Soup with Crab Salad

Serves 6

Soup

4 small avocados (about 2 cups)3 c. buttermilk1/4 c. basil leaves2 tbsp. fresh lime juice1/2 tsp. salt

Crab Salad

8 oz. lump crab meat, picked over1/4 c. finely chopped red bell pepper1/4 c. finely chopped red onion2 tbsp. finely chopped basil1 tbsp. fresh lime juice

Directions

Puree all the soup ingredients together in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the soup so it does not discolor. Chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

In a small bowl, gently combine the crab salad ingredients, trying not to break up the crab too much.

Taste the chilled soup and re-season with more salt and lime juice, if necessary. Divide among 4 serving bowls and top each with some of the crab salad.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

From The Diner (Season 4 Episode 26) Jul 06, 2022

Dawn Cleveland left her nursing job to start, From The Diner, a custom, hand-crafted charcuterie company specializing in boards, boxes, tables, and much more!
Take a class or order a board at From The Diner.com or follow her on Instagram @from.the.diner

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Feminist Book Club (Season 4 Episode 25) Jun 29, 2022

Feminist Book Club was created by Renee Powers. Her academic background in feminist theory and her penchant for being an early adopter of subscription boxes, podcasts, and online communities paired with her love of reading, her passion for toppling the kyriarchy, and the desire to lead a team of people much smarter than her - launched Feminist Book Club in Minneapolis. Now Feminist Book Club is the premier online hub for intersectional readers around the world.
The Clubs give-back model donates a portion of all sales to a different social justice organization each month, with an emphasis on smaller non-profits where our money can make a big impact. Previous beneficiaries include the Trans Women of Color Collective, Native Women’s Wilderness, Soul Fire Farm, Safe BAE, Rights4Girls, and more.
Subscribe to the Book Club here:
https://www.feministbookclub.com/shop/subscribe/
Listen to the Feminist Book Club podcast here:
https://www.feministbookclub.com/category/shownotes/

Support the show

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Safer Plate (Season 4 Episode 24) Jun 22, 2022

Angie Nelson is the founder of Safer Plate. Safer Plate is a meal kit service for people that have allergies. Each kit comes complete with Recipe cards and meal kit ingredients aside from household staples.
Safer Plate's goal is to create a bounty of incredible, well-balanced meals free of the most common allergens, so you can feel confident about what you’re eating (and feeding your family.) No need to worry about cross-contamination, reading labels, contacting manufacturers, or second-guessing
Learn more and start your order here:

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Episode 38: Beth Dooley Jun 17, 2022

Beth Dooley is a James Beard Award-winning food writer who has authored and co-authored over a dozen books celebrating the bounty of America’s Northern Heartland. Her first cookbook, written with Lucia Watson called “Savoring the Seasons of the Heartland,” is one of my favorite regional cookbooks. Her latest cookbook is “The Perrenial Kitchen,” and she co-wrote Will Steiger and Rita Mae Steiger’s recipe and a story collection called “The Steger Homestead Kitchen, Simple Recipes for an Abundant Life.”

Her column appears monthly in the Star Tribune, and she helps people connect with food through the “Bare Bones Cooking Classes” she hosts with her son Kip.

Try Beth’s Curry potato salad below

and find other recipes from Beth Dooley’s kitchen on her website featuring local ingredients here:

CURRY POTATO SALAD

Serves 6.

• 1 1/2 lb. red, fingerling or new potatoes, scrubbed

• 2 tsp. salt

• 1/4 c. mayonnaise

• 3 tbsp. whole milk yogurt

• 2 tbsp. curry powder, or more to taste

• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice, to taste

• 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Place the potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover by several inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, add the salt, and reduce to a gentle boil. Cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain into a colander. Allow to cool enough to handle, then cut into 2-inch chunks.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, curry powder and lime juice. Place the potatoes into a large bowl along with the bell pepper, add the dressing and toss to thoroughly coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Spitfire Gourmet (Season 4 Episode 23) Jun 15, 2022

Holly George used her son's chronic Lyme Disease condition as inspiration to create healthy, wholesome marinades and mixes. Spitfire Gourmet consists of Holly’s 5-generation recipes made easy with her three pre-mixed seasoning packets, each with whole spices and ingredients to support a variety of healthy game dishes from one-dish dinners to soups, and salads, pasta, and sides.

Spitfire Gourmet enables you to Cook tender juicy sustainable meats & veggies for family dinner. Mix with oil & vinegar to marinate meat, and drizzle some on veggies, pasta, rice & salads. Or choose from our easy gourmet recipes

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Minnesota Awesome's Minnesota Brewery Shirt Club (Season 4 Episode 22) Jun 08, 2022

Minnesota Awesome, the local, family-owned Minnesota-themed apparel and accessory company, has just launched the MN Brewery Shirt Club. This is a monthly membership box that is designed to promote local Minnesota breweries and encourage Minnesotans to visit a variety of breweries that they may not normally venture to. Each box contains a t-shirt featuring that month’s brewery, along with a sticker, a printed bio of the brewery, and a coupon to use in their taproom.
Minnesota Awesome partners with each brewery to come up with the contents of the box each month. Once colors and designs are finalized, the contents of the box are printed, packaged, and sent from Minnesota Awesome’s facility in Edina, MN. The boxes are $28 and ship for free. In order to ensure a fun surprise each month. the featured brewery is not revealed until all boxes have been received by its members.

Order your box here:
https://minnesota-awesome.com/

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Episode 37: Emily Vikre Jun 03, 2022

Emily Vikre owns the Vikre Distillery in Duluth. This is one of my favorite places to spend an evening in Duluth as I am a huge fan of her various Gin varieties. In addition, Emily is the Cookbook Author of "Camp Cocktails" and the new "Family Camp Cookbook"

The family camp cookbook recipes are accessible, and fun and really make planning a delicious outdoor camping trip pretty seamless.

Try this Strawberry Fields recipe from her Cocktail Book to get ready for the great outdoors this Summer!

Strawberry Fields

For 1 cocktail1 grilled strawberry*Camp Cocktails2 oz. silver tequila3/4 oz. fresh lime juice1/2 oz. St. Germain (or other elderflower liqueur)1/2 oz. simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water, dissolved into a syrup)

Gently muddle the grilled strawberry in a shaker. Add the tequila, lime juice, St. Germain, and simple syrup. Fill the shaker two-thirds full with ice, seal, and shake until well chilled. Double strain into a cocktail glass. I usually serve this drink up but you can also serve over ice. Garnish with a fresh strawberry, if you’re feeling fancy!

*To grill strawberries, thread whole strawberries onto a skewer and place them over a heated grill. Grill over medium-low heat, turning occasionally until the berries are softening and juicy. (This can take anywhere from 2-10 minutes depending on how low you are keeping your heat.) Allow to cool before using.

Camp Cocktails has a Bees Knees recipe that’s great and there are other Vikre Distillery cocktail recipes here

BEE'S KNEES

Shake 2 oz. Boreal Spruce Gin, 3/4 oz. lemon juice, and 3/4 oz. honey syrup* with ice until well chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a cherry.

* To make honey syrup combine equal parts honey and water and stir until the honey dissolves.

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Good Morgan Foods (Season 4 Episode 21) Jun 01, 2022

Margie Morgan took her "Covid Casualty" lay off and turned it into Good Morgan Foods. Her granola is not too sweet and has a pinch of salt that takes it over the top. Find Margie at various Farmers' Markets around town or order her original, blueberry or peanut butter granola here.

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Third Street Brewhouse (Season 4 Episode 20) May 25, 2022

Third Street Brewhouse is brewing Minnesota Gold Lager, a sessionable, 88 calorie ,1.4 grams low carb beer in Cold Spring Minnesota. We spoke with Lindsay Wallace about bringing this low-carb, full-flavored lager from Minnesota to market.

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Episode 36: Tricia Cornell May 20, 2022

Tricia Cornell was my second farmers’ market cooking inspiration. Deborah Madison was my first and if I know anything, I know Tricia would be pleased that my brain works like that. First, “What would Deborah Madison, author of 14 books on local cooking do?” with this pile of green beans, and second … “What would Tricia Cornell, master of Minnesota veggie season and CSA seasonal cooking, do” with this stinking Kohlrabi? You see, Deborah Madison is the national icon for cookbook authors who cook local food nationally and Tricia Cornell is my Minnesota icon for cookbook authors who cook local food.

They are both great companions when staring down a pile of seasonal vegetables. The cookbook that turned me onto Tricia was Eat More Vegetables, suggested by my first CSA. Her second book, Minnesota Farmers Market Cookbook also helped me make great food with produce I wasn’t always sure how to use up.

I hope you enjoy the conversation and a recipe for Garlic Scape Pesto Pasta (it’s almost in season again). There is also a great Makers of Minnesota producer who makes a beautiful Escape Garlic Pesto that you can find at Lakewinds Coop from Seven Songs Organic Farm.

Garlic Scape Pesto Pasta

From StephaniesDish.com

Serves 2

Ingredients

* 6-8 garlic scapes

* ¼ cup pine nuts

* ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

* ¼ cup Parmesan cheese

* 1/4 cup basil leaves

* 1/4 cup Italian parsley

* 2 teaspoons lemon zest

* 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

* 1 teaspoon kosher salt

* 8 oz spaghetti pasta

Instructions

Pesto

* Place the garlic scapes in a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds.

* Add the pine nuts and olive oil and pulse for 45 seconds.

* Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

* Add the Parmesan cheese and pulse until the ingredients are combined.

* Add the basil, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt, and process until reaching the desired consistency.

Pasta

* Boil water in a medium saucepan. Cook your pasta according to the package directions.

* Before draining the pasta, reserve 1/4 cup of the starchy pasta water.

* Drain the pasta and put it back in the pot.

* Toss in the pesto and mix with the pasta until thoroughly coated.

* Use the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce if it’s dry.

* Finish everything with a big squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Corn Pudding

From Eat More Vegetables by Tricia Cornell

Serves 4

Ingredients

* 2 tbsp butter

* ½ medium onion, minced

* 1 tsp kosher salt

* ½ jalapeño pepper, seeds and ribs removed, thinly sliced (optional)

* 3 cups corn kernels (about 3 ears)

* 4 eggs, separated

* ½ cup grated cheese (2 ounces; fontina is a good choice)

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 1.5-quart soufflé pan or other deep baking dish. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Soften onions in butter, with salt, about 5 minutes. Do not brown. Add jalapeño, if using, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in corn kernels. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Beat egg whites to stiff peaks. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks until smooth. Stir cooled corn mixture and cheese into egg yolks. Fold in beaten egg whites. Slide into prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes, until firmly set and barely golden brown on top. A toothpick will not come out clean, but the top should not jiggle.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

KLN Family of Brands (Season 4 Episode 19) May 18, 2022

KLN Family Brands is a manufacturer of pet foods and candy based in Perham Minnesota.
We talk with Mike Hamilton who leads up the Tuffys and Nutrisource Pet food brands and Jadi Anderson who heads up Kenny's candy division including Wiley Wallaby Australian licorice and Sweet Chaos popcorn, about being a manufacturer from a family-owned company in Minnesota.

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Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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Episode 35: Amanda Paa May 13, 2022

I had a delightful conversation with Amanda Paa. Amanda is a food stylist, the author of the “Smitten With Squash Cookbook” and prolific food blogger at HeartbeetKitchen.com, a truly wonderful blog that more recently has featured her exploration into Sourdough Bread baking.

Take a listen and you can order her starter here:

In Amanda’s words, “Trying to create a sourdough starter on your own can be difficult and take the course of 2-3 weeks. Instead, acquiring a sourdough starter from someone that is strong and mature is the easiest and most effective route! You can buy part of my mature, organic sourdough starter (wild yeast) that has been lovingly cared for and fed for over 15+ years, with original heritage from Australia! You’ll be ready to bake within a week.

You’ll also receive detailed instructions on how to feed and maintain your starter to create the wonderful sourdough bread you know and love.”

Follow Amanda on Instagram @HeartbeetKitchen or subscribe to her newsletter for all her latest recipes.

Here is a Recipe for : Zucchini Cauliflower Summer Gratin

From “Smitten With Squash Cookbook”

(serves 4)

1 large head cauliflower

kosher salt

1 1/4 pounds zucchini, coarsely grated

2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or gluten-free all-purpose flour)

1/4 cup milk

1/3 cup heavy cream

2/3 cup grated parmesan, divided (or more!)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Prepare the cauliflower by removing the core and breaking the rest up into smaller pieces. Then, using a food processor (or a sharp knife), pulse the cauliflower until they are tiny pieces that resemble rice grains. Be careful that the mixture doesn’t get mushy. You may have to do this in batches. You should yield about 3 1/2 cups.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a shallow baking dish with olive oil and set aside. Stir 1 teaspoon salt and grated zucchini together, then place colander set over a bowl to drain. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat, add onions and a big pinch of salt, and cook stirring, until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, squeeze handfuls of zucchini over a bowl to catch the juices, removing most of the water from the zucchini, yielding 2/3 cup shreds.

When the onion is softened, reduce heat to medium and stir in the cauliflower, garlic, zucchini, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and pepper. Cook for about 7-8 minutes, until the vegetables are softened. Sprinkle flour over the mixture and stir to combine. Gradually stir in reserved zucchini water, milk, and cream, maintaining heat at medium so dairy does not curdle. Cook for 2-3 minutes so liquid absorbs slightly. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/3 cup parmesan, rosemary, and parsley. Pour into the prepared dish and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top with remaining cheese (or more, if you like). Return to the oven for another 10 or so minutes until gratin is brown and bubbly. Sometimes I put the gratin under the broiler to brown up a bit faster for the final minute or two.

I've been nominated for the Star Tribune’s Readers’ Choice Minnesota’s Best awards! Yep, your favorite foodie has been nominated as a Mn Flluencer. I join the ranks of my heros (@pinchofyum, @zoebakes @eatdrinkdishj @hungrygirl_mpls and @SvenSundgaard) If you could vote that would be great. Look for me listed in the Minnesota Fun tab. Help us me home the win by voting daily until May 18th—casting your ballot just takes a few seconds!

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Minnesota Monthly's Grill Fest (Season 4 Episode 18) May 11, 2022

Taste your way through Minnesota Monthly's 10th annual Grill Fest! Find all your favorite grilled foods and a range of Minnesota Makers while sampling wines and specialty beers. Test out the hottest grills, gather recipes, and learn how to barbecue like a pro with Minnesota made products like:
Face Punch Foods
2 Dads Bloody Mix
Bare Honey
Here's the Deal Spice
Hooch Booch Kombucha
Kickled Mary
Mixly Cocktail Mix
Muddle and Mint
Summer Lakes Beverage
Get your tickets for the 5/21 event at CHS Field here

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Delicacies Jewelry (Season 4 Episode 17) May 04, 2022

Nicolle Nelson, founder of Delicacies Jewelry, wanted to continue to spread the message of female positivity and encouragement through her love of food and she did it by creating Delicacies Jewelry. If you're stumped about what to give the food-lover in your life, I recommend Delicacies jewelry.
Whether you are the Tomato lady like me or obsessed with your favorite dumpling or noodle their line of jewelry has something for everyone.
Cute jewelry also can create a giving opportunity!
Delicacies donates 10% of every sale toward combating hunger through its partnerships with the Minnesota-based nonprofit Loaves & Fishes and the Yucatán, Mexico-based El Renacer del Mayab AC.
Follow Delicacies Jewelry on Instagram!

Support the show

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Episode 34: Yotam Ottolenghi Apr 29, 2022

What a treat it was to interview Yotam Ottolenghi last week for our Weekly Dish radio show podcast. Yotam will be in town on May 5, at 7 p.m. for Voices 22, the speaker series at Temple Israel. Get your tickets here. Stephanie and I really enjoyed talking with him about hospitality, cooking, covid, and where he likes to vacation.

I loved chatting with him about his “Covid Cooking.” Here is a link to his mushroom polenta dish that I have made that is great. Cakes? He also mentioned he still loves making cakes. Here is a lemon pound cake recipe he inspired and his best chocolate cake.

My favorite part of the conversation, the part I really related to, was where he talked about cooking during Covid and how you didn’t dare throw anything away, including every scrap of stale bread (sourdough baking anyone?). He used up his bread and veggie and cheese scraps by making savory bread puddings. I do this too.

The bread puddings are super versatile and you can use any leftover veggies, meats, or cheeses. Breakfast bread puddings with fruit or even chocolate chips are always a hit. Add some frozen hashbrowns and onions to a basic bread pudding recipe and in the midwest, we call it egg bake.

Here is the recipe for my savory bread pudding - a newsletter exclusive to say thanks for following along. I appreciate you.

Exclusive Newsletter Recipe

Savory Bread Pudding

Ingredients

* 2 Tablespoons butter

* 5 eggs

* 2 cups milk

* 1 cup cream

* 2 cups Gruyère cheese

* 1 cup Mozzarella cheese (1/2 cup reserved)

* ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

* 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

* 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated on a micro-plane grater

* 2 cups spinach

* ¼ cup fresh dill

* ⅓ cup fresh chives, chopped

* Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

* 1 loaf stale crusty sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

Instructions

* Grease a 9x12-inch casserole dish with butter.

* In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until lightly beaten.

* Whisk the milk and cream into the eggs until combined.

* Add 1 cup of the Gruyere cheese along with the 1/2 cup Mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, mustard, garlic, spinach, dill, and chives to the egg mixture, and stir until combined.

* Season the custard with salt and pepper.

* Add the cubed bread to the custard and gently toss the bread until each piece is fully coated.

* Transfer the bread mixture to the casserole dish. Cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap and place the pudding in the refrigerator to chill for a minimum of 1 hour or overnight.

* When you’re ready to cook the bread pudding, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

* Remove the casserole dish from the refrigerator and sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of Mozzarella cheese over the top of the bread pudding.

* Place the baking dish in the oven and bake until the top is golden brown, and the pudding is set, about 40 minutes.

* Remove the pudding from the oven and allow it to cool for 15 minutes before slicing into individual portions and serving warm.

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Recap 28: Simpls (Season 3 Episode 13) Apr 29, 2022

When we last talked to Ryan Rosenthal and Mike von Fange (Season 3 Episode 13) they had left their jobs to pursue a convenience store model that stocked, healthy, nutritious, convenient foods including prepared soups and salads.

Post-Covid a soup subscription business was born. From there they have added high-quality "Chefy" frozen pizzas, bread, and cookies with the hopes of continuing to add upon and expand their sustainable home delivery model.

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3 Bear Oats (Season 4 Episode 16) Apr 27, 2022

3 Bear Oats was born from its founder, Therese Moore's love of cooking and her many years in Europe. Having relocated to Minnesota, Therese began experimenting with steel-cut oats in ways common to Northern European meal routines. Whether savory or sweet Steel cut oats provide the base for the original grain bowl.
3 Bear Oats embraces the bounty of local farms in season, while supporting local farmers through their commercial kitchen, The Good Acre.

In the Twin Cities area find 3 Bear oats in the freezer case at Lakewinds Co-op locations, Linden Hills Coop, The Wedge Lyndale, Lunds & Byerlys, Jerry’s Foods, Kieran’s Kitchen, Fine Acre and Whole Earth co-ops in Wisconsin.

Support the show

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If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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Episode 33: Jenny Breen Apr 22, 2022

Jenny Breen is a Twin Cities champion of food. From the moment we started talking about food systems, cookbooks, the imposter syndrome, and social media, I was hooked. Jenny really understands food systems and is passionate about eating local, sustainable food and regenerative agriculture.

In 2012, Jenny published the cookbook, “Cooking Up The Good Life” because she wanted to contribute healthy, nourishing recipes that could be served at the family table. Try your hand at the Peanut or Sesame Sauce recipe below and then see an example of a recipe that uses the sauce with her Thai Noodle Bowls from her Transforming The Table Blog.

Jenny has many additional recipes here and can be hired for healthy eating consulting, as an educator on nutrition, or as a caterer in your home. Connect with Jenny on Instagram @jennybroccoli 51 or at her website to learn more about her teaching and her services.

Peanut or Sesame Sauce

Ingredients:

1/4 cup rice vinegar1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil1/4 cup peanut butter, tahini, or other nut butter1/4 cup fresh lime juice2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce3 cloves garlic, finely minced (or equivalent in garlic scapes - about 3)1-inch ginger, (peeled with a teaspoon) finely minced 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or sriracha chili sauce

Instructions:

Whisk together vinegar, oils, nut butter or tahini, lime juice, tamari, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes or sriracha in a small bowl. Set aside.

Find more recipes from Jenny Breen’s recipe box.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Bright Planet Pet (Season 4 Episode 15) Apr 20, 2022

Katherine Ellison, founder of Bright Planet Pet took her sales experience from the Pet Food Industry and turned it into Bright Planet Pet which makes plant-based, vegan dog treats, that taste just like meat!
As they describe on their website they use sustainable ingredients to lower your dog's carbon pawprint but really, their treats create up to 90% less carbon emissions and use up to 68% less water than a comparable meat-based treat! In addition, every time you buy a bag, they make a donation to plant one tree.
As we "humanize" our pets we want them to eat like us and "Better Burg'r and Better Chicken" plant-based treats are waiting for your pet.
Help Katherine meet her sales goal at Petco by shopping there before the end of April.

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Recap 27: Julie Stellar from Stellar Handmaid Goods (Season 1 Episode 52) Apr 15, 2022

Originally we met up with Julie Stellar from Stellar Handcrafted Goods on an episode where we featured Arc's Value Village (Season 1 Episode 52) and showcased how Julie's products are made from upcycled wool sweaters.
After a pandemic mask-making detour, Julie is back in a larger workshop in NE Minneapolis and is featuring other Scandinavian products in her storefront. She is hard at work preparing for another year at the International Bazaar at the Minnesota State Fair.

Support the show

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Star Tribune writers, Sharyn Jackson and Joy Summers pick 10 iconic products made by Makers of Minnesota (Season 4 Episode 14) Apr 13, 2022

What exactly are the iconic dishes on the Twin Cities food scene?
They are the culinary game-changers and true originals that have made the Twin Cities — and Minnesota — a food destination. They are the must-haves of food writers Joy Summers and Sharyn Jackson of the Star Tribune.,

They selected 10 iconic Minnesota Makers that you can get in local markets to stock your pantry, fridge, or freezer, whenever you’re hungry for a taste of home.

Support the show

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If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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Episode 32: Robin Asbell Apr 08, 2022

What a delight to spend time with my new friend Robin Asbell, Chef and author of 11 cookbooks. We talk about writing Cookbooks and how she makes her videos for her youtube channel Robin Asbell, the plant-based chef. Follow and subscribe here

Watch Robin on Twin Cities live on April 12 showing you what to do with leftover Easter Eggs and try some of Robin’s recipes including this Ooey Gooey Monkey Biscuit recipe that would be great for Easter Brunch or these cute little ramekins of Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble.

All of Robin’s books can be found here including her latest Vegan Meal Prep Cookbook which will help you save money, eat better, and prep meals like a pro with 125 healthy and delicious vegan recipes for every meal of the day.

Follow Robin on Instagram or Facebook for all her content.

Robin’s 10 minute Stove Top Mac & Cheese

Before my friend Elizabeth Ries went on maternity leave with baby Heathcliff, she and Robin Asbell created an easy and tasty dinner recipe for 10 minute Mac and Cheese that Robin shared on Twin Cities Live that you can make instead of that Nuclear orange powdered boxed Mac and Cheese.

Give it a try.

Makes 4 cups

1 1/2 cups whole milk1 1/2 cups water1/4 cup minced onion1/2 teaspoon salt8 ounces macaroni, 2 cups1/2 cup frozen peas4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Place milk, water, and onion in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a full boil, then stir in the macaroni. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce to keep at a simmer. Stir frequently for 10 minutes. Start testing the pasta. When just al dente, stir in the peas, and when they are heated through, stir in the cheese and keep stirring until melted and creamy. Serve hot.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Re Cap 26: 3 Cricketeers Cricket Farmers Apr 08, 2022

We catch up with the cricket farmers from 3 Cricketeers Farm (Season 2 Episode 30). Claire and Chad Simmons have expanded their urban cricket farm and are adding cricket chocolate, snack bars, and protein powders to their product line.

Support the show

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Dueling Grandma's Shortbread Cookies (Season 4 Episode 13) Apr 06, 2022

Ken Velky loved being in the restaurant business, but his first venture wasn’t meant to be. He kept the dream of having a food business alive for many years and finally realized it with Dueling Grandmas Shortbread Cookies. These shortbread cookies are fantastic and based on a family recipe. Hear how he got started, what product innovations he is undertaking, and where he plans to go from here.

Support the show

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JoMomma's Salsa (Episode 4 Season 12) Mar 23, 2022

For Minnesota native Wayne Kemper and his friends Tim Roche and Tony Ullman, the love of hockey runs deep. Not only because they love the game, but because of the memories of gathering at each others’ homes in high school to bond over food. As they got older, they all played “old-man hockey,” where they’d play and then gather with their families for food and drinks.
It was at these gatherings that Tony started bringing some of
his homemade salsa for the guys and their families to try. What started out as one tub of homemade salsa to share, turned into entire weekends making hundreds of batches of salsa in a one-gallon Ninja blender to take to hockey rinks, where players and their families would voraciously devour bowl after bowl. The Salsa was an instant hit. and, JoMomma’s Salsa was born.

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Episode 31: Scott Graden Mar 21, 2022

It’s another episode of Dishing with Stephanies Dish this week. In this episode, I talk with the author and owner of the iconic New Scenic Cafe on Duluth’s North Shore about their second cookbook, The New Scenic Cafe, The Second Cookbook.

This book is beautiful. The photography and the recipes follow the seasons of Duluth as cooked through The New Scenic Cafe. This is one of those cookbooks that is full of fantastic foodie recipes for the seasoned chef but also is like a travelogue of the North Shore in Duluth capturing each season in its beautiful entirety.

This is my third interview with Scott. In some respects, this is the culmination of the New Scenic’s pandemic story. My first interview was on the Makers of Minnesota podcast, right after eating at The New Scenic, a few days into the state of Minnesota’s closure of restaurants. Once Scott established the New Scenic as an outdoor restaurant in an Airstream trailer, Scenic 61, we talked again. This third interview and the publishing of the book come as the restaurant is open for indoor dining and about to embark on a Summer where many travelers are putting Covid in the rearview mirror.

Take a listen and let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Do you have a favorite North Shore memory? One of the best parts about this new newsletter format is you can comment below and we can have a 2-way conversation. What are some of your favorite places to visit on the North Shore?

Kurt and I are nostalgic about the Pickwick Super Club and are huge fans of the Duluth Grill. Each year I produce the culinary market at Art In Bayfront Park, August 20 and 21. If you know of any makers that would want to see products there, the application for that is here.

Here is the recipe for my favorite Duluth Grill Recipe, Red Flannel Hash, from the Cookbook, Duluth Grill Cookbook. I love this hash under eggs or mixed in with sliced and roasted chunks of Andouille Sausage. I add the sausage to the sheet pan about 8 minutes before the final hash is complete.

Duluth Grill Red Flannel Hash

Ingredients:

* 10 cups diced sweet potatoes (around 4 lb.)

* 2 cups diced beets

* 1 1/4 cup diced carrots

* 2 cups diced green peppers

* 1 cup diced onion

* 1 teaspoon white pepper

* 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

* 1 1/2 teaspoon thyme

* 1/2 cup olive oil

Directions:

* Boil beets until tender, then drain and peel.

* Peel carrots and sweet potatoes. Dice all ingredients in 1-inch cubes.

* Toss all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, spread on a sheet pan and roast in the oven at 450° for 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Yields about 10 cups.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

"The Barrens" with Co-Authors, Kurt Johnson and Ellie Johnson (Season 4 Episode 11) Mar 17, 2022

Kurt and Ellie Johnson are co-authors of a new book called, "The Barrens" based on a fictionalized account of Ellie's real 40-day journey in the subarctic of Canada in a canoe. A part adventure story with white water rapids and grizzly sightings and part coming out and coming of age story, The Barrens will transport you.
Join the authors on May 18 at Lush Lounge and Theater with Magers and Quinn Booksellers for a reading and launch party with a Q and A hosted by My Talk 107.1's Lori and Julia. Tickets are Free but must be reserved:
The book is available for pre-order here:

Support the show

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The Salsa Collaborative (Season 4 Episode 10) Mar 09, 2022

Nikki and Brian Podgorski created The Salsa Collaborative. Born out of their curiosity for flavor and creativity. The Salsa Collaborative is a collaboration of ideas and tastes which inspires their recipes. Every sauce/salsa is made from scratch and in small batches and bottled by hand.

Support the show

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Episode 30: Emily Maxson Mar 03, 2022

Hello friends. I am really excited to launch my Dishing with Stephanie’s Dish podcast on Substack. In this episode I talk to fellow cookbook author Emily Maxson. Emily is a new friend I met at Modern Well, a coworking space I joined in January 2022. I talk with Emily about co-working and her new cookbook Emily’s Fresh Kitchen and what it’s like to write a cookbook.

Emily’s book is published by the new publishing company PublishHer.com, started by Chris Olsen and Julie Burton, who are also coworkers and friends at Modern Well. Publish Her is a female-founded hybrid publisher dedicated to elevating the words, stories, and writing of women. Look them up if you have a book manuscript that you are looking to publish.

Here is Emily making her Yucatan Shrimp on Kare 11 Saturday

Here is the recipe for you to try at home

Spicy Baked Yucatan Shrimp

Prep time - 7 minutes

Cook time - 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, or specific carbohydrate diet-friendly ingredients:

* 2 pounds of or 21 to 25 raw peeled and deveined shrimp

* 1/2 cup ghee

* 2 Tablespoons garlic, minced

* 3 to 4 teaspoons chili garlic sauce (Maxson recommends Yai's Thai brand since it doesn't have any added sugar.)

* 2 teaspoons salt

* 1 teaspoon black pepper

* 4 large limes, juiced

* Fresh chopped cilantro for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

* Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

* Arrange the shrimp in one layer in an oven-proof baking dish, with only the tails overlapping.

* In a medium saucepan, melt the ghee.

* Add the garlic, chili garlic sauce, salt and pepper and simmer for one minute.

* Pour the seasoned ghee over the shrimp.

* Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until pink.

* Top with the fresh lime juice and cilantro.

Thanks for listening and feel free to drop me a line here or at Stephanie@StephaniesDish.com with any future podcast guests or authors you would like to see me talk with.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Kind Lips (Season 4 Episode 9) Mar 02, 2022

Josh Neumann went from being in real estate to the founder of Minneapolis-based Kind Lips.
His goal was to create a lip balm that actually works. The longer you use Kind Lips the less you need to apply, leaving your lips nourished, hydrated, and protected all day long. He truly discovered less is more, so he created a formula with a minimal number of the absolute highest quality ingredients that deeply nourish and moisturize dry lips using soothing ingredients.
Kind Lips has an incredible mission to end bullying and support mental health by donating 20% of their profits to anti-bullying and mental health organizations. Each tube of Kind Lips is a reminder to be kind. The product is natural, organic, and gluten-free. Join their mission here.

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The Sleek Belt (Season 4 Episode 8) Feb 23, 2022

Mary Scott Riviere, Co-Creator of The Sleek Belt®! is convinced if more people knew about the awesome belt she has created the world would be a better place!
The Sleek Belt® is a creation resulting from her personal frustration with sagging pants and bulky belts. She loves fashion and always try to look her best and knew there had to be a better way when it came to keeping pants in place. She thought to myself, “alright, how do you keep your pants up?” and “ugh, the belt ruins this outfit” She began to explore buckleless belts and other offerings on the market for a belt without a buckle but found only plastic and elastic options.

With the support from and collaboration with her husband, George, she introduced the women’s The Sleek Belt® in 2016. Here is her story on creating the belt .

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MINNEØATS (Season 4 Episode 7) Feb 16, 2022

Allie Billeadeau and Maria Sharperson are Minnesota gals who share a love for food and specifically, oats. In 2017 they put a modern twist on a breakfast classic (oatmeal) and started MINNEØATS. Their apartment at the University of Minnesota operated as a “cafe” where they served friends and family fresh bowls of oatmeal. Since serving their first bowl, their mission has been to share wholesome food and meaningful community.

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Surly Brewing Co (Season 4 Episode 6) Feb 09, 2022

Surly Brewing founder Omar Ansari wanted to make great beer. The first beer was Bender, an oatmeal brown ale. That opened the door. Furious, an aggressively hopped IPA, kicked it in, transforming the way Minnesota thought about craft beer. Word spread, especially among the Twin Cities craft beer community. Best-of lists and Brewery of the Year honors followed.
As this idea started to gain momentum, Omar was perplexed by a Prohibition-era Minnesota law that prevented production breweries from selling their beer onsite. He worked with Minnesota legislators, and the vocal, passionate Surly Nation, to change that law. The so-called “Surly Bill” passed on May 24, 2011, and scores of new breweries and taprooms bloomed. Minnesota’s proud brewing history, unchanged for so long, finally got another chapter, one that’s still being written.
In December 2014, the Brooklyn Center taproom poured its last pint and Minneapolis’ Prospect Park neighborhood officially became home to the Surly Destination Brewery. The 50,000 square-foot facility hosts a brewhouse, beer hall, beer garden, company store, event center, pizza restaurant, and Festival Field concert venue.
We talk with Omar about how Covid has impacted the brewery and what's next on the horizon.

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Episode 29: Carline Bengtsson founder of @Dine4Dinners Feb 03, 2022

For years family and friends have said that Carline Bengtsson should open a restaurant or write a cookbook. Both suggestions were the furthest thoughts in her mind, but something clicked in her 2013 and she decided to pursue a cookbook. From there she published – “Carline’s Fork & Cork Simply Delish!”.
She established “Dine4Dinners®” to combat hunger in partnership with organizations that provide meals for those in need of daily nourishment through dependable, reliable, and sustainable sources. You book a "Simply Delish" private event in your home and a portion of the proceeds go to charity

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Muddle and Mint (Season 4 - Episode 5) Feb 02, 2022

Muddle & Mint is crafted for you by Haley Turner and Micah Pace. Whether you are alcohol-free, sober curious, or looking forward to a booze-y beverage after work, our cocktails are exactly what is missing in your life. Our products were conceived to fill a gap in the beverage market. Particularly for those evenings when we wanted to be social but didn't necessarily want booze, there was no product we wanted to drink. Sparkling water and tea weren't dynamic. Soda and juice are made for better mixers than served on their own.
Muddle and Mint offer alcohol-free drinks for adventurous cocktail lovers. Raise a glass and raise your spirits with(out) the spirits . Hibiscus Sage, Green Tea Mint, or Grapefruit Rosemary are dynamic stand in's in place of a cocktail or added to it.

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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Coco Bee and Nut (Season 4 Episode 4) Jan 26, 2022

Kathryn Nelson has experimented with food from her earliest days, making her own "green goulash" out of whatever she could find in the cupboards of her kitchen. It wasn't until college, while working at a small coffee shop in St. Paul, Minnesota, that she discovered the joy, and the art, of making granola. Fast forward a few years, and, when a friend was looking for a lower-carb alternative to grain-based breakfast cereals, Coco, Bee & Nut was born.

At Coco, Bee & Nut, our goal is to help others while promoting healthy, whole food living. This is at the heart of everything we do, from beginning to end: Our granola has a base of wholesome mixed nuts, seeds and dried fruit, wildflower honey, and organic coconut oil, all blended together with various spices that make up each flavor.

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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Keepers Heart Whiskey (Season 4 Episode 3) Jan 19, 2022

Keepers Heart Whiskey is an American whiskey distilled in the Irish style from O'Shaughnessy Distilling in Minneapolis. The distillery, opened last Spring by cousins and lifelong friends, Patrick and Michael O’Shaughnessy who teamed with Master Distiller Brian Nation who moved to Minnesota from Ireland.
Join us on Tuesday, February 15th at The Lexington for a one-of-a-kind, multi-course whiskey dinner. Sample newly released Keeper’s Heart Irish + American whiskey from O'Shaughnessy Distilling as world renowned Master Distiller, Brian Nation, explains each component that goes into making this unique whiskey. Guests are invited to enjoy cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres in The Williamsburg Room from 6:00-6:30 pm followed by a multi course dinner with whiskey paired courses created by Lexington Chef, Nick O’Leary.
Space is limited so get your tickets today.

* Taxes, fees, and gratuity additional

Presented by O'Shaughnessy Distilling , Stephanie Hansen, and The Lexington

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Mixly (Season 4 Episode 2) Jan 12, 2022

Dry January? Sober curious or just looking for great mixes that stand up to Spirits or can be mixed without? Let me introduce you to Mixly.

“There’s nothing quite like a handcrafted cocktail,” said Johnna Rossbach, Founder and President of Mixly. “That’s why we created Mixly — to bring the cocktail experience right to your home. All you have to do is pour, mix, and drink! Our goal was to take down the misconception that a delicious cocktail or mocktail takes a lot of time, effort, and money.”
Mixly’s unique flavors and trend-forward approach make it easy to mix based on your unique taste or what you have on hand. So whether you’re in the mood for a cocktail or a mocktail, Mixly’s flavors will create a delicious drink and are meant to be versatile, pairing with multiple spirits or just soda water. Mixly starts with high-quality, natural ingredients, fresh-squeezed juices, and natural sweeteners, making it a unique and refreshing cocktail experience.

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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Quebracho Empanadas (Season 4 Episode 1) Jan 05, 2022

Quebracho Empanadas, a wholesale manufacturer of frozen empanadas, was born from the ashes of - Quebracho Charcuterie & Pies –a small-scale pop-up and catering company specializing in her grandmother's empanadas.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced Belén Rodríguez, to shut down her business. She was faced with the decision of either closing the business for good or pivoting and finding a way to continue sharing her family's recipes during such unprecedented times Quebracho Empanadas was born.
Her new concept allowed her to keep the company's essence alive while still doing what she loved and, most importantly, being accompanied by the same team –the same family it all started with. Quebracho Empanadas is now a wholesale manufacturer of frozen empanadas that people can take home and finish cooking in just under 20 minutes for an authentic, homemade family meal.

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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The Daily Page (Season 3 Episode 65) Dec 29, 2021

The Daily Page is a woman-owned, family-run, small-batch paper goods studio launched by Dani Bruflodt. She creates products with simple, minimalist designs to help organize your day while also prioritizing yourself.
Founded in 2010, she partners with a Minnesota-based, women-owned printing press to produce her thoughtful collection of paper goods. Her team ships them to you using locally-sourced, recycled packing material from her Midwest-based studio.
She completed more than 19,050 sales through The Daily Page Etsy Shop—which was ranked among the top 1% of Etsy shops in the world (!) before opening an independent shop in 2021.
Her Team's mission is to help people reclaim their time, increase their energy, focus their efforts, and have more impact on the world.
Use code MakersofMN to save 10% on your Daily Page order.

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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Episode 28 - Debra Arbit of @ForTheLoveofCookbooks Dec 22, 2021

Debra Arbit is cooking her way completely through various cookbooks - cover to cover- and documenting her journey on @ForTheLoveOfCookbooks on Instagram. Follow her delightful page and hear her story.

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This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Dapper Barons (Season 3 Episode 64) Dec 22, 2021

Jeff Roslund, Charlie Guan and Ryan Boudreau are all interested in the Keto, Low Carbohydrate Lifestyle and developed delicious alternatives to traditional high-calorie, sugar-loaded liqueurs. that they call Dapper Barons.
Their Coffee, Amaretto, Triple Sec, Creme de menthe, and Creme de Cacao have all the flavor without all the sugar.

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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T-Rex Cookies (Season 3 Episode 63) Dec 15, 2021

Tina Rexing was once told by Mr. Wonderful, on Shark Tank, that her business was "all over the place." However, precisely because of having multiple facets to her business she is poised for growth in 2022. The "T-Rex" size 1/2 lb and 5 lb cookies have brought her 2 retail locations, frozen cookies in Kowalskis and Target, and over 50 foodservice accounts that keep Tina Rexing and her monster size cookies growing and thriving despite the pandemic.
Besides her business successes Tina mentors other entrepreneurs and has a super fun podcast called Cookie Jar Confessionals that you should check out here.

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Get Down Coffee Co. (Season 3 Episode 62) Dec 08, 2021

Houston White and Hayley Matthews-Jones join me to talk about the opening of the Get Down Coffee Company located in the Camden Town neighborhood of North Minneapolis.
Houston is the owner, founder, and designer of Houston White Men’s Room, a barbershop and apparel store also located in Camden.
Hear about Houston's 100-year vision and his hope to use the Dogwood Coffee Collaboration to help create racial equity and build generational wealth for Black citizens of the Twin Cities.

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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Episode 27: Lisa Patrin author of Eat Your Words Dec 08, 2021

Lisa Patrin is a Minnesota-based recipe creator, food writer, and author of The Empty Nesters Kitchen blog. She is passionate about promoting local food producers and she is a food justice and sustainability advocate. Lisa created the Eat Your Words Food & beverage-themed puzzle book to satisfy our voracious appetite for culinary knowledge. Whether you are a novice or an expert, this book is a feast for the hungry mind.

You can follow Lisa's blog at www.emptynesterskitchen.com You can also follow Lisa's local and global food & travel experiences on Twitter at The Empty Nesters Kitchen and Instagram @emptynesterskitchen

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This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Sweethaven Tonics (Season 3 Episode 61) Dec 01, 2021

Leah Treleven started Sweethhaven Tonics in New Ulm Minnesota. She dubbed herself
the founder of “The 30 Second Craft Cocktail.” Because shouldn't you be able to make an awesome drink in 30 seconds? With her beautiful tonics, you can.
Whether it's Apple Thyme and Cardamom, Ginger Lime and Peppercorn, Grapefruit Mint and Basil or Lemon Basil and Lavender her easy cocktail kits will have you feeling spirited in no time.
Check out her Recipe page to find your new favorite way to spend half a minute making delicious mocktails or cocktails.

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Makers of MN Holiday Box Partner: Gustola Granola Nov 26, 2021

We talk to Angela Gustafson owner of Gustola Granola who is a featured maker in the Makers of Minnesota Holiday Gift Box for 2021 with their Cherry Almond Granola.
The Makers of Minnesota Gift Box is filled with maker products curated by Stephanie Hansen of StephaniesDish and the MakersofMinnesota Podcast. Each box is $65 and can be ordered here but hurry! There are a limited number of boxes available.
Get products from:
K Mama Sauce - (Season 2 Episode 50)
Bt McElrath Chocolates (Season 1 Episode 103)
Annie B Caramels (Season 1 Episode 103)
Heathers Dirty Goodness (Recap 6 2018)
Bare Honey
Cheryl's Nut Butters (Season 3 Episode 9)
Lost Capital Foods Hot Sauce (Season 3 Episode 10)
Isadore Nuts
Sota Crackler Candle (Season 3 Episode 30)
Gustola Granola - (Season 1 Episode 54)
Brightbox Lab Sponge
Makers of Minnesota Sticker
plus...
Zambezi Biltong - (Season 3 Episode 52) Bonus Bag in the first 150 boxes sold

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
Please subscribe to My newsletter at https://stephaniehansen.substack.com/ so you don't miss an epiosde of the Makers of Minnesota

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Vikre Distillery (Season 3 Episode 60) Nov 24, 2021

Emily Vikre is the owner of Vikre Distillery in Duluth. Emily makes beautiful spirits and canned cocktails. She is also the author of Camp Cocktails, a book about making cocktails that are fun and easy in the great outdoors.
We are excited to showcase Vikre's spirits in a special 3-course Makers of Minnesota Dinner at the Lexington in St Paul on November 30th. . Get tickets here Guests are invited to enjoy cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres in The Williamsburg Room from 6:00-6:30 pm followed by a 3-course dinner created by Chef Antonio utilizing products from three local makers.

Our November Dinner will feature products from Vikre Distilling plus past Makers of Minnesota Podcast Guests including
- R & R Cultivation Mushrooms

- Isadore Nut Co

- Red Head Creamery

You will be our exclusive guest at The Lexington and get to talk to the makers, as well as order your first-ever Makers Of Minnesota Holiday gift box that I have curated. Get your tickets now and join us on November 30 for a fun night celebrating the wonderful Makers of Minnesota.

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
Please subscribe to My newsletter at https://stephaniehansen.substack.com/ so you don't miss an epiosde of the Makers of Minnesota

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 26: The Cookbook Collection at St Paul College with Nathan Sartain Nov 24, 2021

We talk with St Paul College Culinary Arts professor and Chef Nathan Sartain about the cookbook collection they are amassing at the college. From Sue Zelickson's collection to Jack Reibel's donated books and the Weekly Dish Cookbook swap the collection has grown by leaps and bounds.

Support the show (https://paypal.me/StephanieKHansen?locale.x=en_US)
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Makers of MN Holiday Box Partner: Annie B's and BT McElrath Nov 19, 2021

We talk to Justin Henke owner of Annies Caramels or BT MCElrath who is a featured maker in the Makers of Minnesota Holiday Gift Box for 2021 with their Salty Dog Chocolate Bites and Annie B's Caramels.
The Makers of Minnesota Gift Box is filled with maker products curated by Stephanie Hansen of StephaniesDish and the MakersofMinnesota Podcast. Each box is $65 and can be ordered here but hurry! There are a limited number of boxes available.
Get products from:
K Mama Sauce - (Season 2 Episode 50)
Bt McElrath Chocolates (Season 1 Episode 103)
Annie B Caramels (Season 1 Episode 103)
Heathers Dirty Goodness (Recap 6 2018)
Bare Honey
Cheryl's Nut Butters (Season 3 Episode 9)
Lost Capital Foods Hot Sauce (Season 3 Episode 10)
Isadore Nuts
Sota Crackler Candle (Season 3 Episode 30)
Gustola Granola - (Season 1 Episode 54)
Brightbox Lab Sponge
Makers of Minnesota Sticker
plus...
Zambezi Biltong - (Season 3 Episode 52) Bonus Bag in the first 150 boxes sold

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
Please subscribe to My newsletter at https://stephaniehansen.substack.com/ so you don't miss an epiosde of the Makers of Minnesota

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Fermentation Station (Season 3 Episode 59) Nov 17, 2021

Fermented foods and beverages are older than recorded history and integral to culinary traditions in almost every part of the world. Chef Jim Taugher is the owner of Fermentation Station and started with “quick pickles”.
At the most basic level, quick pickles are hot vinegar and sugar poured over an item. In an effort to expand the pickle department, he began to study “old school” fermented pickles. Being passionate and a bit obsessive, he devoured books on the subject, followed famous fermenters, and found any videos he could on the subject. He then combined his new skills with his years of studying flavors and BOOM gourmet, creative, unique pickled items were on hand. Customers and friends alike all said, “You should sell these”. A lot of hard work, research, and personal expense later, and Fermentation Station was born.

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
Please subscribe to My newsletter at https://stephaniehansen.substack.com/ so you don't miss an epiosde of the Makers of Minnesota

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 25: Travel to Costa Rica with me and Borton Oversea's Travel Nov 12, 2021

Are you someone that loves traveling and learning about different cultures? Then join me on a Farm to Table tour of Costa Rica!
I am super excited to be hosting a culinary food tour to Costa Rica! April 3-10 with Borton Overseas!

Experience the tastes, aromas, and chocolate Plantations in Costa Rica. Not only does this destination boast itself as a prime ecotourism destination, with its volcanoes, rain forests and pura vida lifestyle, but it is also famous for its farm to table culinary experiences and will teach you everything you need to know about the Epicurean delights of Costa Rica along with Me!

Get all the details here and sign up for this intimate group trip!

https://www.bortonoverseas.com/tour/culinary-delights-costa-rica-2022/

Support the show (https://paypal.me/StephanieKHansen?locale.x=en_US)
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Makers of MN Holiday Box Partner: K-Mama Sauce Nov 12, 2021

We talk to KC Kye owner of K - Mama Sauce who is a featured maker in the Makers of Minnesota Holiday Gift Box for 2021 with his "Korean Ketchup the K-Mama Sauce".
The Makers of Minnesota Gift Box is filled with maker products curated by Stephanie Hansen of StephaniesDish and the MakersofMinnesota Podcast. Each box is $65 and can be ordered here but hurry! There are a limited number of boxes available.
Get products from:
K Mama Sauce - (Season 2 Episode 50)
Bt McElrath Chocolates (Season 1 Episode 103)
Annie B Caramels (Season 1 Episode 103)
Heathers Dirty Goodness (Recap 6 2018)
Bare Honey
Cheryl's Nut Butters (Season 3 Episode 9)
Lost Capital Foods Hot Sauce (Season 3 Episode 10)
Isadore Nuts
Sota Crackler Candle (Season 3 Episode 30)
Gustola Granola - (Season 1 Episode 54)
Brightbox Lab Sponge
Makers of Minnesota Sticker
plus...
Zambezi Biltong - (Season 3 Episode 52) Bonus Bag in the first 150 boxes sold

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
Please subscribe to My newsletter at https://stephaniehansen.substack.com/ so you don't miss an epiosde of the Makers of Minnesota

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 24: Chef Michelle Gayer Nov 10, 2021

I catch up with my friend local chef and entrepreneur Michelle Gayer.

Support the show (https://paypal.me/StephanieKHansen?locale.x=en_US)
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Minnesota Bound (Season 3 Episode 58) Nov 10, 2021

Our friends and hosts of Minnesota Bound Laura Schara and Bill Sherck reflect on this history and the legacy of the show as they celebrate their 1000 episodes with a special on Sunday, November 13.
Watch episodes here.
Interested in the deer camp? Watch here.
Follow Minnesota Bound on Instagram

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
Please subscribe to My newsletter at https://stephaniehansen.substack.com/ so you don't miss an epiosde of the Makers of Minnesota

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Makers of MN Holiday Box Partner: Sota Cracklers Nov 05, 2021

We talk to Laura Muhm owner of Sota Cracklers who is a featured maker in the Makers of Minnesota Holiday Gift Box for 2021 with her hand-poured soy candles with wooden wicks, which produce a beautiful white flame and a soft sizzle & crackling sound as they burn while smelling of the Northwoods with Balsam Pine & Cedar.
The Makers of Minnesota Gift Box is filled with maker products curated by Stephanie Hansen of StephaniesDish and the MakersofMinnesota Podcast. Each box is $65 and can be ordered here but hurry! There are a limited number of boxes available.
Get products from:
K Mama Sauce - (Season 2 Episode 50)
Bt McElrath Chocolates (Season 1 Episode 103)
Annie B Caramels (Season 1 Episode 103)
Heathers Dirty Goodness (Recap 6 2018)
Bare Honey
Cheryl's Nut Butters (Season 3 Episode 9)
Lost Capital Foods Hot Sauce (Season 3 Episode 10)
Isadore Nuts
Sota Crackler Candle (Season 3 Episode 30)
Gustola Granola - (Season 1 Episode 54)
Brightbox Lab Sponge
Makers of Minnesota Sticker
plus...
Zambezi Biltong - (Season 3 Episode 52) Bonus Bag in the first 150 boxes sold

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
Please subscribe to My newsletter at https://stephaniehansen.substack.com/ so you don't miss an epiosde of the Makers of Minnesota

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Isadore Nut Co (Season 3 Episode 57) Nov 03, 2021

Tasya Kelen is the maker of Isadore Nuts, the award-winning snacks, and gift that is more than just delicious and good for your body. Tasya had long been passionate about the power of good food. She also believes hiring inclusively is the most important step to offering opportunities to all workers. She believes her nuts can change the world by being sustainable and providing opportunities.

We are excited to showcase their nuts in a special 3-course Makers of Minnesota Dinner at the Lexington in St Paul on November 30th. . Get tickets here Guests are invited to enjoy cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres in The Williamsburg Room from 6:00-6:30 pm followed by a 3-course dinner created by Chef Antonio utilizing products from three local makers.

Our November Dinner will feature nuts from Isadore Nuts and products from past Makers of Minnesota Podcast Guests
- R & R Cultivation Mushrooms

- Vikre Distilling

- Red Head Creamery

You will be our exclusive guest at The Lexington and get to talk to the makers, as well as pre-order your first-ever Makers Of Minnesota Holiday gift box featuring Isadore Nuts that I have curated. Get your tickets now and join us on November 30 for a fun night celebrating the wonderful Makers of Minnesota.

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
Please subscribe to My newsletter at https://stephaniehansen.substack.com/ so you don't miss an epiosde of the Makers of Minnesota

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Makers of MN Holiday Box Preview: Heathers Dirty Goodness Oct 29, 2021

We talk to Heather Manley, owner of Heathers Dirty Goodness, ( and Crooked Water Spirits and On Demand Group ) who are a featured maker in the Makers of Minnesota Holiday Gift Box for 2021.
The Makers of Minnesota Gift Box is filled with maker products curated by Stephanie Hansen of StephaniesDish and the MakersofMinnesota Podcast. Each box is $65 and can be ordered here but hurry! There are a limited number of boxes available.
Get products from:
K Mama Sauce - (Season 2 Episode 50)
Bt McElrath Chocolates (Season 1 Episode 103)
Annie B Caramels (Season 1 Episode 103)
Heathers Dirty Goodness (Recap 6 2018)
Bare Honey
Cheryl's Nut Butters (Season 3 Episode 9)
Lost Capital Foods Hot Sauce (Season 3 Episode 10)
Isadore Nuts
Sota Crackler Candle (Season 3 Episode 30)
Gustola Granola - (Season 1 Episode 54)
Brightbox Lab Sponge
Makers of Minnesota Sticker
plus...
Zambezi Biltong - (Season 3 Episode 52) Bonus Bag in the first 150 boxes sold

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
Please subscribe to My newsletter at https://stephaniehansen.substack.com/ so you don't miss an epiosde of the Makers of Minnesota

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

R & R Cultivation (Season 3 Episode 56) Oct 27, 2021

R&R Cultivation is a local grower in the Twin Cities that specializes in growing organic, gourmet mushrooms.
Owner Nick Robinson and Lance Ramm started their first grow in Nick's basement. In two short years, Nick and Lance took R&R Cultivation from a small, basement operation to a fully-scaled urban farm. Today, they supply their fresh, gourmet mushrooms to most co-ops and farmers' markets and all Lunds & Byerlys locations in the Twin Cities.
We are excited to showcase their mushrooms in a special 3-course Makers of Minnesota Dinner at the Lexington in St Paul on November 30th. . Get tickets here Guests are invited to enjoy cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres in The Williamsburg Room from 6:00-6:30 pm followed by a 3-course dinner created by Chef Antonio utilizing products from three local makers.

Our November Dinner will feature mushrooms from R & R Cultivation and products from past Makers of Minnesota Podcast Guests

- Vikre Distilling

- Red Head Creamery

- Isadore Nuts

You will be our exclusive guest at The Lexington and get to talk to the makers, as well as pre-order your first-ever Makers Of Minnesota Holiday gift box featuring Isadore Nuts that I have curated. Get your tickets now and join us on November 30 for a fun night celebrating the wonderful Makers of Minnesota.

Support the show

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515 Productions (Season 3 Episode 55) Oct 20, 2021

Lynn Melling and Ian Planchon met on the set of a TV News organization and started 515 Productions, a production company designed to help brands tell their stories through award-winning video production.
From scripting to shooting and editing, and everything in between, they collaborate with clients throughout the production process, to create impactful videos that capture attention and build connections with consumers.
Their current project, Freshwater, just won Ian a 2021 Upper Midwest Emmy for Best Director after being previewed at this year's Catalyst Film Festival in Duluth

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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October Lexington Dinner Series Maker: K-Mama Sauce (Season 3 Episode 55) Oct 13, 2021

KC Kye knew from an early age he had a mind for business. KC turned his mama's Korean sauce that she made at home into K-Mama Sauce. KC call's K Mama Sauce the Korean ketchup and after debuting at Farmers Markets and events around the Twin Cities 7 years ago he is now in 50 Target stores and also selling through Amazon.com.
K Mama sauce will be a featured Maker at the second Makers of Minnesota diner at the Lexington in St Paul on October 26th. Get tickets here
Each month we will feature three local vendors and include their goods and products in a special 3-course menu. Enjoy a special evening celebrating our local makers and their creative spirit.

Guests are invited to enjoy cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres in The Williamsburg Room from 6:00-6:30 pm followed by a 3-course dinner created by Chef Antonio utilizing products from three local makers.

Our October Dinner will feature products from:

- Stickney Hill Dairy's The Humble Goat Cheese

- K-Mama Sauce

- Sweetland Orchard

You will be our exclusive guest at The Lexington and get to talk to the makers, as well as pre-order your first-ever Makers Of Minnesota Holiday gift box featuring K-Mama Sauce that I have curated. Get your tickets now and join us on October 26 for a fun night celebrating the wonderful Makers of Minnesota.

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
Please subscribe to My newsletter at https://stephaniehansen.substack.com/ so you don't miss an epiosde of the Makers of Minnesota

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

October Lexington Dinner Series Maker: Sweetland Orchard (Season 3 Episode 54) Oct 06, 2021

Sweetland Orchard is owned by Mike & Gretchen Perbix and operated with the help of their families and friends. Located in Webster Minnesota Sweetland is a Wild Orchard with over 50 varieties of apples. They are becoming sage experts at growing, pressing, and fermenting apples. And they do it well. They take pride in their transparent growing practices, their impressive varieties of apples, and their platform to share knowledge and information on the process of making cider.
Schedule an apple and cider flight by visiting the orchard or join us at the second Makers of Minnesota diner at the Lexington in St Paul on October 26th. Get tickets here
Each month we will feature three local vendors and include their goods and products in a special 3-course menu. Enjoy a special evening celebrating our local makers and their creative spirit.

Guests are invited to enjoy cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres in The Williamsburg Room from 6:00-6:30 pm followed by a 3-course dinner created by Chef Antonio utilizing products from three local makers.

Our October Dinner will feature products from:

- Stickney Hill Dairy's The Humble Goat Cheese

- K-Mama Sauce

- Sweetland Orchard

You will be our exclusive guest at The Lexington and get to talk to the makers, as well as pre-order your first-ever Makers Of Minnesota Holiday gift box that I have curated. Get your tickets now and join us on October 26 for a fun night celebrating the wonderful Makers of Minnesota.

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
Please subscribe to My newsletter at https://stephaniehansen.substack.com/ so you don't miss an epiosde of the Makers of Minnesota

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Comcast RISE Grant Program with Kalyn Hove from Comcast Twin Cities (Season 3 Episode 53) Oct 01, 2021

Our guest today is Kalyn Hove Senior Vice President at Comcast Twin Cities talking about the Comcast RISE program.
Comcast RISE is a broad initiative that launched in 2020 to provide eligible small businesses owned by people of color including Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, and Asian Americans, with the marketing and technology resources and tools they need to grow their businesses and thrive for years to come.

The Comcast RISE Investment Fund is giving the Twin Cities $1 million in grants to give 100 small businesses owned by people of color each $10,000. The Comcast RISE Investment Fund is focused on small businesses that have been in business for three or more years with 1-25 employees. Businesses eligible include those in the seven-county Twin Cities metro. (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington Counties).
Beginning on October 1- 14, eligible businesses in the Twin Cities can apply for a $10,000 grant at www.ComcastRISE.com. A total of 100 grants in the Twin Cities, will be awarded in late November 2021.

Please share and spread the word about applying for the grant today at www.ComcastRISE.com
*Sponsored Episode by Comcast Twin Cities

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Zambezi Biltong (Season 3 Episode 52) Sep 29, 2021

Zambezi Biltong is made from only the best 100% farmed beef marinated with six timeless ingredients that are then air-dried and thinly sliced to perfection. The result is a truly authentic "Minnesota Made" meat snack. Hailing from southern Africa, the founders of Zambezi Biltong Mwila and Ranga are inspired by methods and recipes passed down for countless generations. Here is how they are taking the Twin Cities snack world by storm in this Makers of Minnesota episode.

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If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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Lutunji's Bakery (Season 3 Episode 51) Sep 22, 2021

Back in 2018, Lutunji Abram, met with the Pastor of a historic church in South Minneapolis to discuss the Charter School for teen parents she developed in partnership with her organization, Voices of Effective Change. Lutunji blessed him with her signature peach cobbler as a sign of respect and gratitude. He took one bite, and Lutunji’s Bakery was born.. Now Lutunji is selling Peach cobbler at events and restaurants around the Twin Cities while she works toward her own brick and mortar Lutunki's bakery and Cafe location at 1400 Park Avenue in Minneapolis
Lutunji's Bakery Gourmet desserts are available at Lunds & Byerly's, North Market, Minneapolis Farmers Market Annex, Seasoned Specialty Market, Handsome Hog, and Pimento Kitchen.

Support the show

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If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Lexington Dinner Series Maker: Aliment Pasta Co (Season 3 Episode 50) Sep 15, 2021

We get a chance to talk with Aliment Pasta company, a family business; founded by chefs and brothers-in-law Alex Dayton and Matt Kappra to create and share exquisite fresh pasta. Aliment is located in the Food Building in North East Minneapolis and will be one of the featured makers at our First ever Makers Of Minnesota Dinners at the Lexington on September 28. Get tickets here.
Get your tickets here and join the folks from Aliment Pasta, Alemar Cheeses, Red Table Meats, Bakers Field Flour and Bread, and Marco Zapias 3leche as Chef Antonio from the Lexington use their products in a 3-course meal that he feels highlights all of these wonderful Minnesota made products from the Food Building in North East Minneapolis.
You will be our exclusive guest at The Lexington and get to talk to the Food Building makers, as well as pre-order your first-ever Makers Of Minnesota Holiday gift box that I have curated. Get your tickets now and join us on September 28 for a fun night celebrating the wonderful Makers of Minnesota.

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
Please subscribe to My newsletter at https://stephaniehansen.substack.com/ so you don't miss an epiosde of the Makers of Minnesota

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Lexington Dinner Series Maker: 3 Leches (Season 3 Episode 49) Sep 10, 2021

Marco Zappia, Dustin Nguyen, and Adam Witherspoon are the founders of Tres Leches at Food Building in North East Minneapolis. Tres Leches will be launching soon inside the food building with fermented botanicals, mixers, and various cocktail companions with an event and tasting space.
Tres Leches will be one of the featured makers at our First ever Makers Of Minnesota Dinners at the Lexington on September 28.
Get your tickets here and join the folks from Alemar Cheeses, Red Table Meats, Bakers Field Flour and Bread, and of course, Tres Leches as Chef Antonio from the Lexington use their products in a 3-course meal that he feels highlights all of these wonderful Minnesota made products from the Food Building in North East Minneapolis.
You will be our exclusive guest at The Lexington and get to talk to the Food Building makers, as well as pre-order your first-ever Makers Of Minnesota Holiday gift box that I have curated. Get your tickets now and join us on September 28 for a fun night celebrating the wonderful Makers of Minnesota.

photo credit @growlermagazine - Nina Perkins

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Lexington Dinner Series Maker: Red Table Meats (Season 3 Episode 48) Sep 08, 2021

We get a chance to talk with Mike Phillips from the award-winning food company Red Table Meats located in the Food Building in North East Minneapolis. Red Table's Meats will be one of the featured makers at our First ever Makers Of Minnesota Dinners at the Lexington on September 28.
Get your tickets here and join the folks from Alemar Cheeses, Red Table Meats, Bakers Field Flour and Bread, and 3leche as Chef Antonio from the Lexington use their products in a 3-course meal that he feels highlights all of these wonderful Minnesota made products from the Food Building in North East Minneapolis.
You will be our exclusive guest at The Lexington and get to talk to the Food Building makers, as well as pre-order your first-ever Makers Of Minnesota Holiday gift box that I have curated. Get your tickets now and join us on September 28 for a fun night celebrating the wonderful Makers of Minnesota.

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
Please subscribe to My newsletter at https://stephaniehansen.substack.com/ so you don't miss an epiosde of the Makers of Minnesota

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Recap 25: We reconnect with Lift Bridge Brewery on their Farm Girl Beer re-launch Sep 03, 2021

We re-connect (Season 2 Episode 29) with Brad Glynn, co-founder, COO, and Sales and Marketing lead for Lift Bridge Brewing Company, a Minnesota-based craft brewery located in Stillwater that has opened a second taproom in Wisconsin and has redesigned their flagship beer, Farm Girl.

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
Please subscribe to My newsletter at https://stephaniehansen.substack.com/ so you don't miss an epiosde of the Makers of Minnesota

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Lexington Dinner Series Maker: Alemar Cheese (Season 3 Episode 47 ) Sep 01, 2021

We get a chance to talk with Alexandra Adams from the award-winning food company Alemar Cheeses located in the Food Building in North East Minneapolis. Alemar will be one of the featured makers at our First ever Makers Of Minnesota Dinners at the Lexington on September 28.
Get your tickets here and join the folks from Alemar Cheeses, Red Table Meats, Bakers Field Flour and Bread, and 3leche as Chef Antonio from the Lexington uses their products in a 3-course meal that he feels highlights all of these wonderful Minnesota made products from the Food Building in North East Minneapolis.
You will be our exclusive guest at The Lexington and get to talk to the Food Building makers, as well as pre-order your first-ever Makers Of Minnesota Holiday gift box that I have curated. Get your tickets now and join us on September 28 for a fun night celebrating the wonderful Makers of Minnesota.

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
Please subscribe to My newsletter at https://stephaniehansen.substack.com/ so you don't miss an epiosde of the Makers of Minnesota

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Recap 24: We reconnect with Scenic 61 from the New Scenic Cafe on the eve of their State Fair Foodtruck debut Aug 27, 2021

15 miles up the North Shore from Canal Park is one of Duluth's most celebrated restaurants rebranded as an Airstream food truck called Scenic 61 due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. Chef/owner Scott Graden, has pivoted his Nordic cuisine multiple times to meet the changing restaurant landscape.
He is about to embark on the Minnesota State Fair with his Sashimi tuna tacos, a dream he has had for over 20 years. We catch up with Scott before his State Fair debut.

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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Cookbook Authors Claudine Arndt and Katie Cannon "The Farmer and The Chef" (Season 3 Episode 46) Aug 25, 2021

"The Farmer and the Chef " cookbook features more than 90 chef-driven recipes reflecting the life of food and farming in Minnesota's farm-to-table community. Photographed by Katie Cannon and Written by Claudine Arndt in conjunction with the Minnesota Farmers Union this book captures the long history between the farmer and the chef.

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Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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Recap 23: Lexington Dinner Series Maker: Bakers Field Flour and Bread in the Food Building (Season 2 Episode 25) Aug 20, 2021

We get a chance to have a catch-up call with Wes Gardener from Bakers Field Flour and Bread located in the Food Building in North East Minneapolis. We last heard about Bakers Field Flour and Bread (Season 2 Episode 25) and they are going to be one of the featured makers at our First ever Makers Of Minnesota Dinners at the Lexington on September 28.
Get your tickets here and join the folks from Bakers Field, Alemar Cheeses, Red Table Meats and 3leche as Chef Antonio from the Lexington uses their products in a 3-course meal that he feels highlights all of these wonderful Minnesota made products from the Food Building in North East Minneapolis.
You will be our exclusive guest at The Lexington and get to talk to the Food Building makers, as well as pre-order your first-ever Makers Of Minnesota Holiday gift box that I have curated. Get your tickets now and join us on September 28 for a fun night celebrating the wonderful Makers of Minnesota.

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
Please subscribe to My newsletter at https://stephaniehansen.substack.com/ so you don't miss an epiosde of the Makers of Minnesota

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Zestful Designs (Season 3 Episode 45) Aug 18, 2021

Kira Vanderlan owns Zestful Designs. The company provides staging for homes but also provides organizing and decluttering services as well as design. Now that we have spent 18 months in our home listen to how Kira provides a process and a plan for making it beautiful.

Support the show

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Episode 23: Hank Shaw Author of the Hook, Line and Supper Cookbook Aug 16, 2021

Hank Shaw is my guest as we talk about his 5th cookbook "Hook, Line and Supper". Order the book here and check out some of his amazing recipes featuring fish. If you would like to learn more about his other cookbooks and hear more about squirrel hunting subscribe to his podcast here.

Support the show (https://paypal.me/StephanieKHansen?locale.x=en_US)
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Recap 22 with Kristy Boike Author "Rise Up Little Bluebirds" from Rudolph's Bluebird Houses (Season 2 Episode 6) Aug 13, 2021

We had the opportunity to catch up with Kristy Boike who with her father Ron, developed Rudolphs Bluebird Houses, a Bluebird House-making company. The Bluebird House making was a way to process the grief that Ron was feeling from the loss of his wife from Breast Cancer.
(Listen to that episode here: Rudolphs Bluebird Houses Season 2 Episode 6)
Fast forward two years as Kristy Boike releases her book on children's grief called "Rise Up Little Bluebirds", published by Makers Of Minnesota past guest Wise Ink Publishing (Season 1 Episode 29).
Order the book here.
https://riseuplittlebluebirds.com/

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Grass Fed Cattle Company (Season 3 Episode 44) Aug 10, 2021

Jared and Valerie Luhmen are grass-fed cattle farmers. They also provide an opportunity for people in the Twin Cities metro area to purchase high-quality, honest, affordable, and delicious 100% grass-fed beef in bulk – from the farm to your plate with a convenient pickup location in Minneapolis. Grass-Fed Cattle Co does all the hard work, simplifying the process to make it quick, easy, and affordable to enjoy a safe and delicious meal, all the while knowing exactly where your meat came from that is local, free-range, antibiotic-free with no hormones. Order their beef here.

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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Greater Fergus Falls with TC Chocolates (Season 3 Episode 43) Aug 04, 2021

Greater Fergus Falls finishes their "Meet the Maker" series to promote the burgeoning maker's scene in Fergus Falls. In this episode, we meet Kristin and Josh Mohagen from TC Chocolate. TC Chocolates are a favorite of chocolate fanatics and have won many awards and are manufactured right in Fergus Falls.
Greater Fergus Falls is underwriting a few Makers of Minnesota episodes this Summer to highlight their maker community. Check out Greater Fergus Falls on Facebook and see what they have to offer makers and businesses in their community.
Enter Promo Code: Inspire15 to save 15% on your TC Chocolate order

Support the show (https://paypal.me/StephanieKHansen?locale.x=en_US)

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
Please subscribe to My newsletter at https://stephaniehansen.substack.com/ so you don't miss an epiosde of the Makers of Minnesota

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Latitude Studios Co (Season 3 Episode 42) Jul 28, 2021

Andy Berg worked in the corporate office setting for more than 15 years as an engineer. And then, 2020: cue the pandemic. Latitude Studios is a solution born from a problem, as all the best ones are. Andy and his wife Sarah were thrust into work-from-home life, as many of us were, in 2020. and they needed a separated workspace that was, in fact, not in their home. Thus, the idea of building studios out of shipping containers was born. The new shipping container - workspace studio allowed Andy to “go” to work in the morning but still lock the door and leave work at the end of the day. He and Sarah’s wheels started turning, and soon, Latitude Studios was born.

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Lakes Supply Company (Season 3 Episode 41) Jul 21, 2021

Larry Sickman started Lakes Supply Co (@lakessupplyco) to bring custom-crafted designs directly to those who love lake life: cabin owners, lake homeowners, anglers, watersports, and camping enthusiasts, or anybody that has fun on or around their favorite lake.
It all started when his family went to the North Shore and he wanted a unique shirt to commemorate the trip. All of the shirts felt cookie-cutter, and when he found one that he liked when he returned to work after his trip, a co-worker had the identical shirt.

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Betty And Earls Biscuits (Season 3 Episode 40) Jul 14, 2021

Jason Matheson launched Betty and Earl's Biscuits after his friend and business partner Jen Lueck convinced him they were something special that needed to be shared. Adrienne Odom, their partner, and baker joined the team, and they started making the flaky, delicious biscuits that northerners and southerners alike dream of at Potluck in Roseville. What's next for Betty and Earl's? Listen to the podcast and find out where they will be popping up next.

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Greater Fergus Falls with Du-Ha (Season 3 Episode 39) Jul 07, 2021

Greater Fergus Falls kicks off their "Meet the Maker" series to promote the burgeoning maker's scene in Fergus Falls. In this episode, we meet Dan Ouren from DU-HA . Du-Ha is the first vehicle storage system designed to fit conveniently out of the way, under the back seat of your pickup and it is designed and manufactured right in Fergus Falls.
Greater Fergus Falls is underwriting a few Makers of Minnesota episodes this Summer to highlight their maker community. Check out Greater Fergus Falls on Facebook and see what they have to offer makers and businesses in their community.

Support the show

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Brand Builders Marketplace (Season 3 Episode 38) Jun 30, 2021

Kate Labrosse is a consultant that took her years of expertise and created the Brand Builders marketplace at Keg and Case in St Paul. Each quarter brands will be mentored on packaging, pricing, strategy, and also get real-world experience by being on the shelves at Keg and Case market. Launch parties, influencer campaigns, and video meet the makers series are all part of helping get Makers launched.
Currently, the market is recruiting for the October-December holiday season. at Keg and Case Brand Builders market. They are offering Makers of Minnesota listeners $500 off the $5000 quarterly brand builders package so make sure you let them know you heard about them on the podcast.

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Recap 21: We catch up with our friends at Smude Oil (Season 1 Episode 38) Jun 25, 2021

Our friends at Smude Sunflower oil Jenni and Tom have been busy creating new oils, improving their packaging for their popcorn, and launching a co-packing business.
Hear their original episode here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/279181/episodes/1157849

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Sta Active (Season 3 Episode 37) Jun 23, 2021

Founded by four proven entrepreneurs – two physical therapists and two fitness industry veterans – Stā Active is a new company dedicated to keeping active people active. They have developed the Fiix Elbow. This is a first-ever machine to automate a proven, clinical process for people to treat lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) at home for maximum convenience, value, and long-term success.

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Recap 20: We catch up with Lost Capital Foods (Season 3 Episode 10) Jun 18, 2021

We caught up with DJ and Anastasia Bocchetti hot of their Zest Fest 2021 Silver medal Award Winning and on the Eve of the Stone Arch Bridge Festival in Minneapolis this weekend.
Catch their original episode here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/279181/episodes/6538654

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Bella Virtu Organics (Season 3 Episode 36) Jun 16, 2021

Claire Powell is the founder of Bella Virtu Organics. Claire is originally from England and now lives in Minnesota.. After 25 years of working in corporations, she wanted to find a company she could be positive about and use the brand as a way to share positive messages around beauty and aging. Bella Virtu believes inner beauty is the most important kind and any beauty routine should be a moment of joy and self-love, not a damage-control regime.

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Friendship Beverage (Season 3 Episode 35) Jun 09, 2021

Graham Petersburg is creating functional beverages at Friendship Beverage company with his new product lines Juni and Chirp.
Chirp is a bright, delicious flavored water full of energy and no bitterness in flavors like watermelon, blueberry, and mango. Juni is a juice brand full of botanicals that have the power to impact your health with formulations like calm, immunity, focus, and glow.

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Greater Fergus Falls with Creative Handmade Goods and BC Woodshop (Season 3 Episode 34) Jun 02, 2021

Greater Fergus Falls, kicks off their "Meet the Maker" series to promote the burgeoning maker's scene in Fergus Falls. In this episode we meet Brian Christensen from BC Woodshop and Jan Werkau founder of SoapWerks Naturals and Creative Handmade Goods, a store in downtown Fergus falls that features the products of over 40 makers within a 25-mile radius of the store.
Greater Fergus Falls is underwriting 3 Makers of Minnesota episodes this Summer to highlight their maker community and invites you to check out what Fergus Falls has to offer makers and businesses in their community by checking out the Greater Fergus Falls website and the programs they have available for businesses.

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Stephanie Hansen on the Makers of Minnesota with Tyson Schnitker (Season 3 Episode 33) May 26, 2021

Upon completion of my interview with Skaalven Distillery founder Tyson Schnitker, he suggested that someone should interview me, to hear my story and get the background of how the MakersofMn podcast came to be. It sounded fun so Tyson and I switched chairs for this unique episode where the Interviewer becomes the interviewee.

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Elderberry Queen (Season 3 Episode 32) May 19, 2021

Lindsey Christianson is the "Elderberry Queen". She started making batches of her immune-boosting Elderberry Syrup in her home kitchen and has since expanded to internet sales and health and wellness stores throughout the midwest. Hear how she brings this ancient syrup formulation based on the Elderberry Flower into our homes.

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Pryes Brewing (Season 3 Episode 31) May 12, 2021

Jeremy Pryes is brewing "prize" winning beer at Pryes Brewery on the banks of the Mississippi River near the North Loop in Minneapolis. This is one of my favorite taprooms. The taproom is dog friendly with a huge outdoor patio and a menu full of delicious pub favorites Pryes is not only doing it right in the beer department but in the people department. Hear their story here on this @Makersofmn episode

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Sota Cracklers Candle Company (Season 3 Episode 30) May 05, 2021

Laura Muhm created the "Minnesota Candle" the Sota Crackler!
Actually, the name of the made-in-Minnesota candles is partly derived from the crackling wooden wicks they use! Laura is hometown proud and names her scents after places & things that are uniquely Minnesotan, like the piney Northwoods scent, or the Mosquito Bite scent made with citronella & mint. Sota Crackler's are high-quality naturally smoke-less soy wax candles, beautifully designed poured by hand, in small batches.

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So Good So You (Season 3 Episode 29) Apr 28, 2021

Rita Katona and her husband, Eric Hall, co-founded So Good So You Juice Company in 2016. The company provides immune-boosting, probiotic, plant-based juice shots that are cold-pressed with natural ingredients known to improve immune system health. In the past 18 months, So Good So You has grown more than 380 percent.

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Red Head Creamery (Season 3 Episode 28) Apr 21, 2021

Redhead Creamery has been making ridiculously good, artisan cheese on their family dairy farm since 2013. The dream for this sustainable and eco-friendly creamery has been a dream of the founder (natural redhead) Alise Sjostrom’s since she was 16. Today you can tour the creamery, host your event in their private space on the farm, or simply hang out to sample some cheese and have a pint in their cheese shop!
Hear their story about making award-winning cheese with milk from their own cows.

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Craftmade Aprons (Season 3 Episode 27) Apr 14, 2021

Kate Meier started Craftmade Aprons when her chef son asked her to sew him an apron. After her first attempt, she started working with her other two chef sons to tweak the design and create customizations that fit the diverse needs of the culinary community. Together with Trent Taher, her business partner, they have weathered the pandemic and are moving into chef's coats in a collaboration with US Foods.

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Hobby Farmer Canning Company (Season 3 Episode 26) Apr 07, 2021

Jeff Cerise and his partners at Hobby Farmer Canning Company are passionate makers of delicious, hand-crafted foods and beverages. Their products are based on family recipes and adapted to today’s tastes. What started with pickles, beets, and other vegetables has kept going with Switchels and now their new Hard Switchel.

Switchel has been considered an amazingly refreshing health elixir for centuries. Like their popular N/A Switchel Fizz, Hobby Farmer Hard Switchel is gluten-free, made with all organic ginger, ACV and honey, but this new one comes in at a very drinkable 5% ABV. and has one the very prestigious Good Food Award.

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Ruth's Gourmet Meatballs (Season 3 Episode 25) Mar 31, 2021

Bruce Bacon is a serial entrepreneur having moved back to his hometown of Two Harbors Minnesota to launch Ruth's Vegetarian Gourmet Meatballs
Ruth’s meatballs are filled with the cleanest ingredients not soy, fillers, dyes, nitrates, MSG, or corn syrup,. The meatballs are made in small batches from real ingredients you can find in your very own kitchen and Ruth's gives back 20% of the family's profits to charity. Buy Ruth's online here or find them at your local HyVee, Jerrys, The Co-ops, Cub, and Lunds Byerlys, or other stores here.

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Harmony Cricket Farm (Season 3 Episode 24) Mar 24, 2021

I talked with Harmony Cricket Farm founder Tammy Mann as she works through her product line up on her quest to bring the goodness of cricket nutrition to the Twin Cities.
What’s the deal with all the excitement around crickets and cricket farming? It’s pretty simple. Crickets are a very complete protein. They mature quickly, can be farmed without a lot of natural resources, and can be ground into powders and flours, making them easy to add to baked goods and smoothies, thereby upping the protein content in whatever you are making. Athletes and people looking for ways to up their protein intake without upping their meat consumption can look to crickets as an effortless way to do this. Crickets have more protein than beef, and they are full of healthy fiber and Omega 3’s. When crickets are ground into flours and powders, you don’t have the unpleasant antennae stuck in the throat problem, and it makes people less squeamish about eating them when they are “hidden” in your food.
Shop for all of Tammy's products here including Tammys Cricket Flour for baking or Cricket Protein Powder for smoothies.

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Earl Gilles Distillery (Season 3 Episode 23) Mar 17, 2021

Jesse Held has been a fixture on the Twin Cities craft cocktail scene heading up numerous cocktail programs around town at some of our most prestigious establishments. Now it's his turn to embarking on this next phase by opening the Earl Giles Distillery in North East Minneapolis.
The new space gives Earl Giles Distillery the opportunity to add spirits to their wildly successful cocktail mixers, elixirs, and syrups menu. from Earl Giles Bottling Company. Look for the Distillery to make everything in-house in their cocktails including the vodka, gin, and rum to start; eventually adding whiskey, brandy, and a full line of liqueurs.

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Recap: 19: Rob Bathe from Folly Coffee Roasters (Season 2 Episode 18) to talk about the new Folly Hot sauce Mar 12, 2021

Rob Bathe has been killing it the last 5 years with Folly Coffee (Season 2 Episode 18) so imagine my surprise when I saw Folly Coffee Hot Sauce featured in my local Lunds and Byerlys magazine. We catch up with Rob and talk about his hot sauce, Folly Coffee, his podcast, and the imposter syndrome.

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Episode 22: Sick of Cooking with Myles Jacob Mar 10, 2021

Have you had enough of Pandemic cooking? So have we.
We talk about the Bon Appetit article ways to get out of a cooking rut and Cabbage Planks

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Green Wagon Foods and SteamMates (Season 3 Episode 22) Mar 10, 2021

Peter Erickson and George Abide are the founders of Green Wagon Foods. Their mission is to help consumers eat more whole plants including vegetables, fruits, nuts, and grains.
The first product from these former General Mills folks is Steam Mates vegetable seasonings.
SteamMates is designed to keep vegetables from being boring. SteamMates come with a paper bag and a bag of seasoning. All you have to do is open the paper bag, take the bag of seasoning and toss it in, add vegetables, add a tablespoon of olive oil, fold up the bag and shake it up, then toss it in the microwave for about three and a half minutes.
Hear how these guys are bringing a new grocery product to mark during the Pandemic.
Buy Online here or find in stores here

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Arctic Denim (Season 3 Episode 21) Mar 03, 2021

We talk with Salvia Lani about her Arctic Denim.
Imagine a pair of cute, stylish, made in Minnesota jeans or jackets that have a bonded liner to keep you warm (not sweaty) outside in the Minnesota Winter. Hurry while we still have some Winter left and pick up a pair! Shop here.

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Episode 21: Engagement Chicken with Lindsay Guentzel Feb 25, 2021

Lindsay Guentzel, local gal about town, introduces me to engagement chicken.
Here is Lindsay's recipe and her cooking it on The Jason Show.
Engagement Chicken Recipe

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Paddle North (Season 3 Episode 20) Feb 24, 2021

Do you live for paddling and enjoy being on the water? Then look for Paddle North Paddle Boards, Wake Board, and Floating Utility Docks and accessories made in Minnesota. We talked with Peter Mogck about their company and how they are expanding in the hopes of getting more Minnesotans out on the lakes.

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Crud Cloth (Season 3 Episode 19) Feb 17, 2021

Crud Cloth is the shower in a bag invented by serial entrepreneur Tim White. The product is composed of water, soap, and essential oils and it is made locally in Hermantown Minnesota.
Crud Cloth is vacuum-sealed to keep the ingredients fresh and ensure it doesn’t dry out. There are no artificial chemicals, no artificial smelly fragrances, or thin wipes that fall apart or push the crud around. Crud Cloth can be recycled and re-used around the house.

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Recap 18: Gustola Granola with Angela Gustafson (Season 1 Episode 54) Feb 12, 2021

We catch up with Angela Gustafson from Gustola Granola who was a @makersofmn guest on episode 54 of Season 1 (Listen here).
With 200 grocery stores in the Twin Cities Metro area and greater Minnesota as customers,
how is this granola company faring in the pandemic? What's next on the horizon for this tasty maker?

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Nordic Waffles (Season 3 Episode 18) Feb 10, 2021

The Nordic Waffles concept was brought to America by the waffle queen, Stine Aasland. She launched in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2016. For the next two years, the freshly-made waffle concept expanded into coffee shops, convenience stores, and amusement parks. When the call came from Minnesota State Fair in 2018, they served over 42,000 Nordic Waffles in just 12 days.

November of 2019, Nordic Waffles opened a retail location at Potluck Food Hall. Just as they were preparing for their next phase of growth, the global pandemic shuttered their doors. Nordic Waffles would soon regroup and enter grocers' freezer doors with their most popular item: The All-Day Breakfast. Nordic Waffles now has two varieties sold in 160 grocery stores and rapidly expanding outside of Minnesota.

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Alora Ambiance (Season 3 - Episode 17) Feb 03, 2021

Therese Gibbons and her sister started Alora Ambiance after coming back to the United States from Italy, and not finding any home fragrances on the market that they loved. From room diffusers and eventually, to candles, Alora has been making our homes smell wonderful for over twenty years from their manufacturing facility on West 7th Street in St Paul where they hand-assemble every package.

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Road Food with Myles Jacob Jan 29, 2021

What do you eat on the road when traveling in a Van, with a band, or on a sailboat. We talk with Myles Jacob about his time on the road with Los Lobos and Stephanie talks about #Vanlife in the @WonderbreadVan and Sailing.

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Skaalven Distillery (Season 3 Episode 16) Jan 27, 2021

For the past five years, Skaalvenn Distillery owners Tyson and Mary Schnitker have produced their popular line of spirits in a Brooklyn Park. This year, as Covid descended they opened a Japanese-inspired cocktail room. Known for their Nordic graphics on their bottles their vodka, rum, aquavit, habanero rum, and straight bourbon are all being featured in the taproom. Make sure to try the Habenero Rum in a Daquiri - it's delicious.

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Hairless Dog Brewing Company (Season 3 Episode 15) Jan 20, 2021

The idea for Hairless Dog Brewing Co. occurred, appropriately, over a cup of coffee. Jeff Hollander and Paul Pirner had been friends for many years but had recently reconnected at a holiday party at which both were abstaining. Though the pair had been fans of the craft beer scene, they realized that there really wasn’t much to enjoy in the NA realm so they decided to rectify that and started Hairless Dog Brewing.
Hear their story here and...
Grab yourself the Dry January Survival Kit here.
Find the Hairless Dog Spotify list here:

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Stickney Hill Dairy (Season 3 Episode 14) Jan 13, 2021

Frankie and David Lenzmeier met at a street dance in River Falls Wisconsin and are now heading up Stickney Hill Dairy, makers of Stickney Hill and Humble Goat Cheeses.
From a cheese made at the bottom of Stickney Hill to bringing the new Humble Goat cheese to a National market, they are expanding their family business in Covid times.

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Simpls (Season 3 Episode 13) Jan 06, 2021

Ryan Rosenthal and Mike von Fange, left their jobs to pursue a convenience store model that stocked, healthy, nutritious, convenient foods including prepared soups and salads.
Simpls Minneapolis was born to be the 7-Eleven for the healthy, organic, and local sustainable foodie. Eventually, they expanded to three locations, including one in the downtown Minneapolis Target and one at the University of Minnesota.

Then came COVID, and like every other food business, they had to, re-evaluate how and what they were going to do. because their business was asked to close by the Governor of Minnesota and the workers and students were all staying home. After some scrambling, a soup subscription business was born.
Hear their story of Simpls survival on this episode of @Makersofmn.

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Episode 19: Christmas Eve with Myles Jacob Dec 23, 2020

Christmas Eve is going to look a little different this year. ARghhhhhh Aren't you sick of hearing that? My friend Myles and I talk about our family Christmas Eve Tradition that has been happening for 51 years.

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Girl Friday Creative (Season 3 Episode 12) Dec 23, 2020

Carly Van Veldhuizen, the founder of Girl Friday Creative is a leader in the experiential marketing world. Known for her "wow factor" with her creative installations at Potluck in Rosedale and the Galleria in Edina as well as beautiful private events, Girl Friday surprises and delights their clients with one-of-a-kind décor.
So we asked Carly how she is leading her business in an industry that is currently not hosting events and she answered with....Girl Friday To Go that can help you celebrate your special events.

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Sunrise Flour Mill (Season 3 Episode 11) Dec 16, 2020

Sunrise Flour Mill mills heritage wheat superior stone-ground flours grew out of a love of bread by founders Darrold and Marty Glanville from North Branch Minnesota.
In retirement, Darrold decided he wanted to branch out into bread baking. He was trying to recreate the wonderful European bread he and Marty had eaten on their travels. He wanted whole wheat and the first 6 months saw most of the bread go in the trash as hard, tasteless, and pretty much inedible. The more we looked into the history of modern flour milling and bread making, the more convinced we became that it was time to return to the basics.
Thus Sunrise Flour Mills Heritage wheat flour was born. These flours aren’t just for those who experience problems with gluten. Many people use Heritage Wheat because it truly tastes like wheat and results in delicious pastries, loaves of bread, pasta, and pizza.

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Lost Capital Foods (Season 3 Episode 10) Dec 09, 2020

DJ and Anastasia Bocchetti have been making hot sauce since 2017 when Lost Capital Foods was born. Lost Capital Foods slowly ferments peppers, primarily sourced from local farms to create bold, complex flavors and textures. Lost Capital makes everything by hand in small batches and with total disregard for our financial stability, from their kitchen in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. Lost Capital packs more produce into each bottle of sauce, using less water and vinegar than your usual hot sauce to achieve flavors not often found in a bottled product.
Find any of the Lost Capital Hot Sauces (there are 7 currently) at their website at www.LostCapitalFoods.com

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Cheryl's Nut Butters (Season 3 Episode 9) Dec 02, 2020

Cheryl Gendler started making nut butter in 2012. It wasn't long before Cheryl's Nut Butters had over 20 flavors and the reviews were pouring in about the deliciousness and freshness of her product. . Cheryl has never received less than a 5-star review and she is very proud of the fact that she doesn't add any junk or sugar to her nut butter . Check out her holiday offerings here while you listen to this episode.

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Episode 18: Cookbooks for Gift Giving with Myles Jacob Nov 27, 2020

My friend Myles Jacob and I talk about some of our favorite Cookbooks for the gifting season. We also highlight a few apps including:
Cook Your Books which makes a great gift at $30 a year.
and
The New York Times Cookbook App.
Take a listen.

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Recap 17: We Catch up with Lauren Vanscoy founder of Essence One (Season 1 Episode 88) Nov 27, 2020

During this catch-up call, we speak with Lauren Vanscoy, founder of Essence One. who was our guest in Season 1 episode 88. She now has two retail locations , some delightful holiday gift boxes, and a new gift subscription box.

Please consider shopping local this season and supporting your @MakersofMN.

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Mall of America and Urban 29 (Season 3 Episode 8) Nov 25, 2020

Jill Renslow, executive vice president of business development and marketing for Mall of America, talks about how the Mall is serving Twin Cities businesses affected by the events of 2020, including the Murder of George Floyd and the Coronavirus pandemic.
In addition to pivoting for their traditional holiday season, the Mall of America has created a space for Community Commons. Community Commons serves as a temporary space for the exchange of goods and services for 16 businesses affected by the events of 2020.
Joyce Saunder's business, Urban 29, burned down during the unrest in May. The Mall of America, by way of Community Commons, is helping her rebuild.
Shop from an assortment of neighborhood brands and join us in supporting passions and livelihoods as we rebuild our Twin Cities from within.
The 17 businesses that will open in Community Commons are:

Urban 29
4 The Love
Art Piece Soul Gallery & Studio
Belle & Virtue Collection
Butters by Jay
Candy Colors
Captain Rebel
Dauren Worldwide
Ebony Gifts
Fabulous Diva Boutique
Herbal Alchemy
Heritage Tea & Beverages
La Michoacana Purepecha
Llakta
The Peach Eatery
Twiggy Fresh
VIP Section

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North Coast Nosh (Season 3 Episode 7) Nov 18, 2020

James Norton has brought back the Heavy Table. Twice a week subscribers to Patreon (subscribe here) to get the heavy Table newsletters to get caught up on all the makers and food purveyors in the Twin Cities. As part of the Heavy Table relaunch, James is reviving Noth Coast Nosh with the help of Jill Colella at Food Building in North East Minneapolis.
The North Coast Nosh is the Upper Midwest's premier artisan sip-and-sample event. It features purveyors including cheesemakers, chocolatiers, bakers, brewers, and more sharing samples of their food and beverages and telling the story behind its making. This year, The Heavy Table and Food Building are teaming up to produce a new at-home edition of The North Coast Nosh sip-and-sample hosted by me, Stephanies Dish.
The virtual festival invites guests to pick up sampler boxes from noon to -6pm on Friday, December 4, at the Food Building. Ticket-holding guests will swing by, pick up boxes filled with more than 15 different items of food and drink created by local makers, and then head home to join a Zoom event from 6-7:30 p.m.
Get tickets for this year's Nosh here and join us for this fun event that highlights leading Minnesota food artisans

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Episode 17: The Thanksgiving Conundrum to Feast or not to Feast with Myles Jacob Nov 15, 2020

The Feast is going to look a little different this year. Is it an intimate dinner for 2 or a socially distanced gathering of 10 or less from three separate households? My good friend Myles Jacob joins me as we talk through many families' discussions on how to handle Thanksgiving.

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True North Basecamp (Season 3 Episode 6) Nov 11, 2020

True North Basecamp is Six Waterfront Cabin Rentals & 23 Wooded Campsites set in the heart of Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area in Crosby Minnesota. True North Basecamp was started in September 2013, when friends Jeff Bajek and Dan Jurek were camping, biking, and adventuring in Cuyuna with their sons Jack and Aiden. Their first night was dank, rainy, and frighteningly cold. It took a little of the wind out of their sails. while having a need to keep up with the modern world so they decided to create an outdoor lodging solution that would meet the needs of the modern outdoor adventurer.

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The Great Scrape (Season 3 Epidsode 5) Nov 04, 2020

After accidentally ingesting wire from a metal grill cleaner, Andy Stadick teamed up with his brother and fellow grill guy Nathan Thompson to create an all-natural solution. Made in the USA of solid hardwood coated with a non-toxic, food-safe mineral oil, the Great Scrape cleaner actually molds to your barbeque grates forming grooves customized specifically to your grill.
Hear how they went from the Minnesota State Fair to Costco with their simple and useful invention that is a great holiday gift.

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Wildflyer Coffee Company (Season 3 Episode 4) Oct 28, 2020

Wildflyer Coffee Company is a nonprofit coffee company started by Carley Kammerer, that works to end youth homelessness by offering dignified employment support to youth aged 16-24. Through a 6-month employment and life skills training program, youth develop the personal and professional skills they need to find employment and housing stability. They are supported in their journeys out of homelessness for good.
We visit with Carley on the eve of their new Minneapolis Coffee shop announcement.
Support Wildflyer's mission by buying coffee or donating.

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Up North Longhorn (Season 3 episode 3) Oct 21, 2020

Up North Longhorn Smokers is a business venture started by Chris and Sandra that features a way to teach their son Austin life skills for independent living.
At Up North Longhorn Smokers, smokes over 12 varieties of finishing salts in their "old timey" wooden smokehouse using the same tried and true methods developed generations back. They take pride in handcrafting an all-natural product focused on three basic ingredients...sea salt, hardwood smoke, and time that they package for resale in
Minnetonka, Minnesota.

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Seven Sundays (Season 3 Episode 2) Oct 14, 2020

Hannah and Brady Barnstable have a muesli company called Seven Sundays. They first discovered muesli on their honeymoon in New Zealand. Not long after returning home, they were craving that New Zealand-style muesli. and could not find it so they created their own. Their first bag of muesli was sold at a Minneapolis farmer's market in the Summer of 2011. Now they are in Targets and Whole Foods nationwide as well as on Amazon.
Towards the end of the podcast, you will hear about some exciting new product news announced here first!
Seven Sundays O business has grown a bit since then, but their humble roots continue to shape their business today.

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Honey and Rye Bakery (Season 3 Episode 1) Oct 07, 2020

We had an opportunity to open season 3 with Anne Andrus, the owner, and baker at Honey and Rye Bakehouse. Anne talks about what life is like, 6 months into the Pandemic, and what her plans are moving forward.
If you would like to purchase cakes, Monkey Bread, Croissants, or the delicious scones and quiche from Honey and Rye click here https://www.honey-and-rye.com/
or go to https://honeyandrye.square.site/

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Luv a Foodie (Season 2 Episode 54) Aug 12, 2020

Michelle Mazzara, founder of Luvafoodie Michelle Mazzara’s company, Luvafoodie, started out in 2014 as a dating website where single foodies could meet. From there it quickly evolved into a love affair with food, starting with chocolate and caramels and moving into spice blends, Ice Tea Mixes, and even Spicesyou sprinkle on your pet's dry food to reduce inflammation. Michelle is a passionate foodie who is turning her Luv of food into her life work.

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Recap 16: Salad Girl Salad Dressings (Season 1 Episode 61) Aug 07, 2020

We revisit with Pam Powell (Season 1 Episode 61), the creator of Salad Girl Salad Organic Dressings. We talk with Pam about the launch of her new line of organic dressings including Salad Girl Dude Ranch, Sweet and Sassy, and Creamy Lemon Caesar.

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Bizzy Coffee (Season 2 Episode 53) Aug 05, 2020

Alex French is the co-founder of Bizzy Coffee, a cold-brewed coffee. He and his co-founder, Andrew started Bizzy in 2016 with the idea of bringing convenient cold-brewed coffee products to market. Bizzy Coffee is now available as course ground coffee, ready to drink and as a concentrate. Alex has learned many lessons along the way that he shares in this podcast.

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The Grocers Table (Season 2 Episode 52) Jul 29, 2020

Lindsay Pohlad's inspiration behind The Grocer’s Table was to offer the community a go-to neighborhood establishment that could meet their needs in a warm and approachable environment. The idea of a community table, deli and marketplace has turned out to be exactly what the community needed in Covid times. From Curbside pick up the outdoor patio or indoor wine bar, the concept has lent itself to product innovations like ice cream sandwiches, homemade ice cream, and bottled bootleggers.

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Freak Flag Foods (Season 2 Episode 51) Jul 22, 2020

Fred Haberman owned an advertising agency that worked with a lot of organic foods. He decided to try his hand at creating a brand and did so with Freak Flag Foods. He fell in love with marketing and creating vegan and dairy-free organic master sauces, broths, pestos, and sauces that were flavorful, creative, and delicious with organic plant-forward ingredients. His Kale pesto and Chimi-Verde sauces caught on and now this Minnesota Maker will be selling in your local Whole Foods Market.

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K-Mama Sauce (Season 2 Episode 50) Jul 15, 2020

KC Kye is the founder and CEO of K-Mama Sauce. KC grew up eating his mom's spicy Korean food. He realized how hard it was to find quality Korean food and sauces after he moved to Minnesota. After 100 variations, he perfected K-Mama Sauce.
K-Mama Sauce is a rich and spicy Korean hot sauce that adds deep and complex flavor to a variety of dishes. By perfecting and selling K-Mama Sauce, KC can give 30% of his profits to local and national charities.

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Recap 15: Mary Leonard is selling chocolates curbside, Chocolat Celeste (ep 68) Jun 17, 2020

When we first talked to Mary Leonard in Season One, Episode 68, she was making her lovely chocolates at Chocolat Celeste in St Paul creating new techniques and flavor profiles.
With Covid19 stalling retail, Mary has moved to curbside chocolate sales for two of her biggest holidays, Mothers Day and Easter and is forging new relationships including Hope Chest for Breast Cancer. When you purchase a box of these special chocolates, $25 will go directly to the Hope Chest for Breast Cancer. Mary's goal is to sell 600 boxes and give $15,000 to the Hope Chest.

When Mary was diagnosed with Breast Cancer she received a grant from the Hope Chest and this is her way of giving back.

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Minnesota Ice (Season 2 Episode 49) Jun 10, 2020

Minnesota Ice believes ice should enhance the visual impact and overall taste of cocktails and drinks. They craft beautiful cocktails so you can entertain in style whether you are a bar or restaurant or consumer buying ice at your favorite liquor store.
When the global Covid19 pandemic hit - these clients shut their doors and Director of Sales, Erik Eastman, got creative creating a local Minnesota Made pantry delivered by your local iceman.

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Alex Lodner (Season 2 Episode 48) May 27, 2020

After two decades as a food and lifestyle writer for various publications in the Twin Cities, Alex Lodner decided to parlay her connections and experience into a career of connecting the right social media influencers with the right brands to create social media influence marketing connections for both parties.
Influencer marketing taps into the power of these social media influencers to promote the brand in an authentic, organic way and is a growing part of overall marketing strategies.
Connect with Alex Lodner and catch up on her blog posts containing industry insights.

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SK Coffee (Season 2 Episode 47) May 20, 2020

SK Coffee is a specialty coffee roastery in Saint Paul, Minnesota led by Sam Kjellberg, the company’s namesake.

Kjellberg laid the foundation for SK Coffee, a subscription coffee business, while he was living in Boston. SK Coffee is an e-commerce coffee subscription service, a strategy that allowed them to thrive during the Covid 19 pandemic.

SK Coffee’s beans originate from small-scale farmers in African and Central American countries. SK Coffee explores single-origin coffee through four flavor categories: SMOOTH (blue), BOLD (green), SWEET (pink), and UNIQUE (yellow).
Order a subscription here and sit back and listen to the podcast about how they got started.

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Josie Lewis Art (Season 2 Episode 46) May 13, 2020

Josie Lewis is an artist, speaker and author who empowers others to explore their own creativity. Josie shares her process via @josielewisart on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok, with over 2 million unique followers and more than 1 billion video views.

Josie received an MFA from the University of MN and in 2019 she presented at TEDx Minneapolis.

Shop her color book or her watercolor tutorial or see more of Josie's work by subscribing to her YouTube Channel or follow along on Facebook and Pinterest.

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Crisp and Green (Season 2 Episode 45) May 06, 2020

Steele Smiley, the founder of Steele Fitness, got into the restaurant business in 2016 with the opening of the first Crisp & Green. The chain offers fast-casual salads, both curated and customizable, as well as grain bowls and smoothies.
With the Cronovirus closing all restaurants in March, hear how he is pivoting Crisp and Green by adding Crisp @ Home as well as many other initiatives like virtual wellness classes and what he is looking towards for the future.

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Episode 16: Baking Sourdough Bread with Bradley Traynor May 01, 2020

Bradley Traynor is perfecting his Sourdough starter and Bread Loaf during the Covid 19 Pandemic. He watched You Tube videos and found a starter process he really liked at Marys Nest - You too can make Sourdough Loaves. Click here to see his loaf.

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Here's The Deal Spice Company (Season 2 Episode 44) Apr 29, 2020

When Tom and Nicole Dokman married in 2017, Tom created a universal spice blend for their wedding. They used it on their food and guests received spice jars as a wedding favor.

"Long story short, everybody wanted more and more and we thought they were being nice and really, they really loved it," Nicole said. "So we really felt like we had something here."
The couple launched Here's the Deal Spice Co. in November 2019. Here's the Deal Spice Co. has four spice blends: BBQ Rib Rub, 127 Blend, Wing Blend, and Togarashi. All of them are gluten-free and three of them are also organic and vegan.

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Episode 15: The Socially Distant Dinner Party Apr 23, 2020

My girlfriend Molly King had an epic 50 birthday party and she loves to throw theme parties. Her idea on how to stay connected during the Coronavirus with a distanced dinner party is brilliant. Take a listen here.

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Iron Shoe Farm (Season 2 Episode 43) Apr 22, 2020

Carla Metz was on a roll at Iron Shoe Farm selling microgreens to restauranteurs in the Twin Cities. Her Spring plans included expanding her business and creating a farm dinner series when the Coronavirus hit. In one day she lost a $16,000 crop and had to figure out how to re-imagine her farms' offerings to sustain her and her customers in the time of Coronavirus. Her pivot included going direct to consumers and creating a pantry of farm products from her farm and trusted vendors.

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Well Rooted Teas (Season 2 Episode 42) Apr 15, 2020

Rachel Banken harvests local organic herbs + foraged botanicals native to Minnesota. These infusions of herbs, roots, leaves, fruits and berries are the basis of Well Rooted Teas. Well Rooted Teas nourish the body and are grown and harvested in a manner that supports the health of our environment as 10% of our profits are given to local organizations working to protect and promote our environment.

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New Scenic Cafe (Season 2 Episode 41) Apr 08, 2020

15 miles up the North Shore from Canal Park is one of Duluth's most celebrated restaurants called the New Scenic Cafe. Chef/owner Scott Graden, grew up in the region and co-founded the business with his aunt, Rita Bergstedt. He has been working there ever since and took on full ownership by buying Rita out in 2005.
Known for its "Nordic" cuisine and its deft hand with vegetables the New Scenic has been on the must-eat list of most regional foodies and has received accolades for its beautiful space and food.
This podcast intro was recorded after the Cornovirus closed local restaurants - the podcast itself was recorded in the very early days of the Coronavirus crisis.
Take a listen

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Worker Bee Wellness (Season 2 Episode 40 ) Apr 01, 2020

* Programming note - this episode was prerecorded before the Coronavirus outbreak*

This week's Makers of Minnesota guests are Michael Sedlacek and Rachel Romanelli co-founders of Worker B Wellness. Worker B Wellness is a therapeutic wellness center near Keg and Case market on West Seventh Street in St Paul that focuses on holistic services grounded in a belief in apitherapy (bee therapy).
Worker B wellness offers an array of holistic services, many of which include the use of sustainably-sourced artisanal skincare products made by their sister company, Worker B.
Right now through April 10th. All services prepaid over the phone are 50% off.
You can call 651-998-8866 to take part in the sale and prepay for services you'd like to use once we reopen!
They recommend services like "Infrared Sauna", "Salt Therapy", "Lymphatic Massages", and "Reflexology Facials" for cleansing your systems once we can go outside again!

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Meal Magazine (Season 2 Episode 39) Mar 25, 2020

* Programming note - this episode was prerecorded before the Coronavirus outbreak*
Meal Magazine is a new, independent print publication featuring thought-provoking food writing that is based in Minneapolis and published bi-annually. Peter Sieve is the editor and co-founder of the magazine. As a writer, musician and generally creative dude living and working in Minneapolis Peter had written about food, liked food and felt like there was an opening to tell unique food stories.
How did Meal Magazine take shape and what was the impetus for starting a new National food magazine based out of the Twin Cities? Listen to this episode and consider making a Patreon donation to subscribe to Meal Magazine.

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Humble Nut Butter (Season 2 Episode 38) Mar 18, 2020

*Special Programming Note:
This episode was recorded before the Coronavirus outbreak.
John Waller and his wife Jess were looking for a healthy, savory, snack so Jess went into the kitchen and blended up some raw nuts and spices and like magic and lots of trial and error, Humble Nut Butter was born.
Countless batches and plenty of feedback later, they launched three signature flavors at Farmers Markets across the Twin Cities. Now their three flavors are available at Lakewinds Food Coop or on Amazon.com.
Look for:
SUNDRIED BASIL CASHEW

Creamy, a little tangy, a little spicy, a lot of flavor. Sundried Basil Cashew is great on vegetables raw or roasted, crackers, and sandwiches.

TRUFFLE HERB WALNUT

Salty and savory, Truffle Herb Walnut is really like nothing else out there. A great addition to a charcuterie plate and glass of wine.

SPICED MAPLE PECAN

Warm turmeric spice and the subtle sweetness of maple blend together perfectly in Spiced Maple Pecan.

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Recap 14: Sara's Tipsy Pies (Season 1 Episode 62) Mar 11, 2020

Sara Haydens Pie Company, Sara's Tipsy Pies have taken the Minnesota State Fair and the Food Building by storm with their boozy hand pies. We catch up with Sara from her new production facility and coffee shop in Stillwater Minnesota to talk about running a forward-facing retail outlet, at 823 4th St S, Stillwater, and the launch of her Savory Pies.

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BLNCD Naturals (Season 2 Episode 37) Mar 04, 2020

Allison Vaillancourt and Daniela Serra are two of the founders behind BLNCD Naturals, a women-owned and operated Minnesota-based CBD health and wellness brand. BLNCD is making its first step into the beverage space partnering with Big Watt Coffee to produce a line of CBD-infused sparkling waters.
In addition to water, BLNCD Naturals has CBD face, body and wellness treatments designed to promote health and healing with CBD. All CBD BLNCD products are formulated with all-natural, non-GMO, responsibly farmed hemp, and organic and wildcrafted premium-quality ingredients. They’re currently made in small batches in their own GMP Compliant ISO 9001 lab in Minneapolis, MN, ensuring consistency and quality.
Find all their products here at https://blncdnaturals.com/

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Recap 13: Taking Stock Foods (Season 1 Episode 51) Feb 26, 2020

We check back in with Molly Clark from Taking Stock Foods on the re-launch of Taking Stock Bone Broth. Taking Stock has new packaging, has moved to the shelf-stable aisle and is now at a co-packer. Hear about what led Molly to these decisions and how she is moving forward in her new landscape.

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Lovejoy's Bloody Mary Mix (Season 2 Episode 36) Feb 19, 2020

Charles Lovejoy is a pioneer in the Twin Cities Bloody Mary community. His "Lovejoy's Bloody Mary Mix" and "Burn Yo Face-Off Hot Sauce" is a recipe he has been perfecting throughout his bartending career in the Twin Cities. While employed at the now-closed Happy Gnome, he began bottling his mix and hot sauce.
Charles Lovejoy's Bloody Mary Mix gives $2 from every bottle sold to help youth in the Community through https://face2face.org/ an organization that provides a variety of services to young adults and teens.
Currently, Charles is selling to other Twin Cities Establishments and planning to pop up at some Summer festivals like the Stone Arch Bridge Festival Culinary Market.
Buy his mix and hot sauce here:
Follow On Instagram here:

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Twin Cities Collective (Season 2 Episode 35) Feb 12, 2020

Jenna Redfield is the founder of Twin Cities Collective. Twin Cities Collective is a place to connect with businesses, creatives and other like-minded people in Minnesota. The collective is designed to help each other grow their networks with networking events, social media coaching and a podcast called the Twin Cities Collective.
In this podcast episode, we learn about how Jenna started and how she has evolved this tribe of engaged and influential group of Twin Cities creatives.
To join the Twin Cities Collective Facebook Group go here.
To Follow the Twin Cities Collective on Instagram follow Jenna here.
To listen and subscribe to her fantastic Twin Cities Collective podcast - go here:
Jenna is an emerging leader in the Twin Cities Social Scene - to engage her coaching services email her at jenna@twincitiescollective.com

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Spoonful Apparel (Season 2 Episode 34) Jan 29, 2020

Susan Elwer connects her passion for fighting childhood hunger with a mission-based apparel business. Spoonful Apparel features inspiring messages on garments that can be purchased as well as supplying corporations with their garment and logo merchandise needs. Each item purchased through Spoonful Apparel results in 50% of the profits going to a community organization dedicated to fighting hunger in the neighborhood where you live and work.
To date Spoonful Apparel and its customers have donated over 121,000 meals.
If you are responsible for ordering merchandise for your company check them out. They are very competitively priced and your purchase provides meals for kids in Minnesota.

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The Face Foundry (Season 2 Episode 33) Jan 15, 2020

Michele Henry and Ali Nanne co-founded The Face Foundry, a quick, convenient, full-service spa-like experience for facials, waxes, and lashes that could be completed in less than 40 minutes. The first location opened in March 2019. Then, just eight months later, a second location opened up. Now, these serial entrepreneurs have their eyes set on the future with a skincare product line and plans for two more locations before the end of the year.

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Lily Shaw connector with Co-Starters (Season 2 Episode 32) Jan 08, 2020

Lily Shaw works to support and connect the worlds of entrepreneurs, businesses, and communities through access, content and support. She is the community lead for 1 Million Cups Saint Paul, the trainer, and facilitator for Co-Starters, a 10-week program presented by the James J Hill Foundation designed for entrepreneurs to develop and fine-tune their ideas and determining next steps to bring that idea to fruition through real-time feedback. Participants leave the program with a deeper understanding of how to create a sustainable business, articulate their models, and repeat the process. Lily is also the Director of Customer Experience at Startup Space and works with diverse startups to promote inclusive access to resources and tools that help all people build more businesses without barriers.

Click here to learn more about the Co-Starters curriculum structure

For questions regarding the program visit the CO.STARTER MN information page click here.

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Foody Channel (Season 2 Episode 31) Jan 01, 2020

Eli Ailloni is 16. He is also the content creator and influencer behind foody channel with over 262,000 followers on Instagram and over 1.6 million followers on Tik Tok. Eli is making his way in the world of influencer marketing in Minnesota.

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3 Cricketeers Cricket Farmers (Season 2 Episode 30) Dec 25, 2019

Claire and Chad Simons operate 3 Cricketeers, an urban cricket farm, in a warehouse in St Louis Park. The couple began by raising crickets for their own consumption, as a protein source three and a half years ago in the basement of their Edina home.

Now, they have 1 million crickets with plans to be at 5 million by soon as they have expanded to the 3,500-square-foot warehouse in St. Louis Park, which also has an industrial kitchen to prepare the crickets for the market.
The Simons crickets are ground into protein powder that is sold and used in baked goods and smoothies. Currently, they are developing cricket snacks, cookies, and recipes that optimize their crickets' texture, flavor and protein power.

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Double Take Salsa (Season 2 Episode 29) Dec 18, 2019

Bernie Dahlin and his wife Adina are running a family-owned manufacturing plant in Eden Praire for their Double Take Salsa Company. The company's growth has been slow and steady over four years. Double Take Salsa started in Bernie's backyard in Edna with peppers and tomatoes he grew. This year, Bernie bottled over 20,000 pounds of peppers and has found his way onto the shelves of Midwest Target due to his delicious flavor profiles and sales tenacity.
This is a great podcast to listen to if you are wondering how to scale up and how to get your product into retail.

Support the show

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The Lonetti Sisters (Season 2 Ep 28) Dec 11, 2019

The 3 Lonetti Sisters' big Italian family has always connected through food. Specifically, Grandpas Italian Meatballs that were the signature item at all family gatherings. Grandpa Lonetti’s house actually had a second kitchen in the basement where he would go to fry his meatballs and cook his red sauce! Ann, Steph, and Katie are carrying on that tradition by packaging the meatballs famous secret recipe in the 3 Lonetti Sisters ready to use meatball mix.
In addition to local retailers, you can find the 3 Lonetti Sisters Meatball Mix in the Meat Raffle or Foodie Sota You Betcha Box.
Use our exclusive coupon codes to save:
Steph2 and you save $2 on the Meat Raffle Box
Steph10 and you save $10 on the Ultimate Foodie Sota box

Ultimate Foodie ‘Sota box!

The ultimate gift for your favorite foodie, home cook or favorite clients and employees! This limited-edition curated selection of Minnesota’s very best, award-winning foods from artisan makers across the State. This fantastic, one-of-a-kind collection also includes exclusive recipes using these products from well-known Minnesotans like James Beard Award Winner Beth Dooley and Stephanie Hansen! And, if that’s not enough, it’s all packed in this quality Duluth-made Frost River Trading Co. canvas lunch/picnic tote. This gift is sure to ‘Wow!’

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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Episode 14: Feast Local Food Show in Rochester Dec 08, 2019

It had been a while since I recorded so I got caught up with you all while on my way back home from the Feast Local Food Show in Rochester

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You Betcha Box (Season 2 Ep 27) Dec 04, 2019

Katie Sterns liked the idea of creating an ecosystem that supported makers in the State of Minnesota. From the idea of creating a fundraising initiative for local makers, the You Betcha Box concept was born. Currently, there are over 15 different You Betcha Boxes to order including the Ultimate Foodie Sota box and various standard sizes chock full of Makers of Minnesota.
Use our exclusive coupon codes to save:
Steph2 and you save $2 on any standard size box.
Steph10 and you save $10 on the Ultimate Foodie Sota box

Ultimate Foodie ‘Sota box!

The ultimate gift for your favorite foodie, home cook or favorite clients and employees! This limited-edition curated selection of Minnesota’s very best, award-winning foods from artisan makers across the State. This fantastic, one-of-a-kind collection also includes exclusive recipes using these products from well-known Minnesotans like James Beard Award Winner Beth Dooley and Stephanie Hansen! And, if that’s not enough, it’s all packed in this quality Duluth-made Frost River Trading Co. canvas lunch/picnic tote. This gift is sure to ‘Wow!’

Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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Hello Cookie (Season 2 Ep 26) Nov 27, 2019

Pat Wright started Hello Cookie when she wanted to find a way at her corporate job to create connections and welcome new team members. What started as cookies in her home became a cookie delivery business designed to help people give thanks, make connections or simply make someone's day. Beautifully designed and packaged cookies are welcome anytime you want to say, "Hey Hello Cookie."

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Baker's Field Flour and Bread (Season 2 Ep 25) Nov 20, 2019

Bakers's Field Flour and Bread is a commercial bakery and flour mill that is milling heritage grains in the Northeast Minneapolis’ Food Building. Steve Horton is the miller, baker, and man on the hunt for sourcing heritage grains throughout the Midwest. His team mills the grain into flours — primarily a whole-grain wheat flour and bread flour — half of which are supplied to restaurants including Restaurant Alma, The Bachelor Farmer, and Spoon and Stable. The rest is used for Baker’s Field’s own loaves of bread as well as retail sales.

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Fox Run (Season 2 Ep 24) Nov 13, 2019

Our guest this week on @makersofmn is Tia Scott, founder of Fox Run Mobile Marketplace and The Market at Fox Run.
Fox Run's Mobile marketplace is a new way to shop for impeccable, artisan-quality designs at affordable prices. We bring it to you – a collection of home decor and accessories that are thoughtful, eco-friendly, and heirloom quality. A 240 square foot “on-the-truck” shopping experience, featuring 13 Minnesota-local artisans. Proud to support our community by collaborating with charitable organizations doing amazing work here in Minnesota!

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Lucia Botanica (Season 2 Episode 23) Nov 06, 2019

Jana Soiseth and her 14-year-old daughter Olivia and her husband Luke founded Lucia Botanica. Lucia Botanica is a clean ingredient, plant-based, natural skincare formulated with carefully selected ingredients to help calm and rejuvenate skin.

Lucia Botanica grew out of a desire to provide holistic wellness for Jana's family, including products made with the benefits of essential oils in skincare, As a serial entrepreneur with her design business, Mod and Co Jana is helping her daughter Olivia get real-world experience in formulating and marketing her own product line.
Find Lucia Botanica online or at the Minneapolis Holiday Boutique, November 8, 9 and 10 at TCF Bank Stadium or at Grand Makers Market, a Free event on 11.23 featuring 25 local makers.

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Fruitful Fertility (Season 2 Episode 22) Oct 30, 2019

Elyse Ash is the co-founder (with her husband Brad) of Fruitful Fertility a free mentorship matching program that connects those in need of emotional support with those who have experienced infertility firsthand. Because no one should have to go through this crap on their own.

Support the show

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Fulton Beer Brew and Moo Event Recap (Season 2 Ep 21) Oct 25, 2019

I had the opportunity to preview the Brew and Moo event at Fulton Brewery. My guests are are Margret Johnson, dairy farmer and Tanner Luke from Fulton Brewery. Hear what makes this beer and cheese event unique and how it highlights sustainability.

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Episode 13: Twin Cities Film Festival Oct 23, 2019

I recap some of the best movies I have seen at the Twin Cities Film Festival including:

Get tickets to the Festival here
Become a member here

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Minneapolis Craft and Vintage Markets (Season 2 Ep. 20) Oct 23, 2019

Hayley Mathews Jones has brought the Minneapolis Craft Market and the Minneapolis Vintage Market to the Twin Cities. What is this Tastemakers secret to creating vibrant, fun markets and what's next? Hear all about it on this MakersofMN episode.

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Recap Call: We catch up with Tom Smude, founder of Smude Oil, Popcorn and flavored oils as they launch a vanilla baking Smude Oil. (Season 1 Ep 37) Oct 18, 2019

We first visited with Tom Smude from Smude Sunflower Oil back in April of 2017. (Season 1 Ep. 37) when he and his family started harvesting sunflower seed oil as a way to diversify their crops and provide a protein source for their cattle. Before long, Smude oil was a cooking oil, flavoring, base for Smude Microwave popcorn and now they are introducing a seasonal vanilla baking oil to their line of products.
We catch up with Tom at the culmination of a wet growing season.

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Big Watt Coffee (Season 2 Ep. 20) Oct 15, 2019

Big Watt was created under the roof of Five Watt Coffee, a thriving neighborhood coffee shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founders Lee Carter, Jason Westplate and Caleb Garn combined their powers and passions as three coffee and beverage industry veterans with similar philosophies.
The partnership has grown into having four 5 Watt Coffee shops and is now moving into the space of developing the Big Watt brand by creating more caffeinated canned beverages. From cold press, caffeinated seltzers and CBD oil-infused beverages to whatever is next on the horizon, likely Big Watt will be there.

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Sara Schultz (Season 2 Ep. 19) Sep 25, 2019

Sara Schultz is a graphic designer, brand builder and community creator at SaraSchultz.co. Along her entrepreneurial journey, she found community by co-founding the MerryHour.co and if that wasn't enough this serial entrepreneur founded www.thisfem.com a web site for merchandise that represents equality in MN. I have admired Sara for a while now. Her energy and enthusiasm for her business make you feel like you can do it too!
Take a listen to this inspiring, cool, chick.

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Folly Coffee (Season 2 Ep.18) Sep 17, 2019

Rob Bathe started Folly Coffee when his passion for coffee and third-wave coffee roasters got the better of him. From concept to roasting and packaging and marketing and delivery, they are growing the third wave coffee movement one cup at a time. Winner of a 2019 Good Food award they are expanding intro grocery store and restaurants near you.

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Episode 12: Girls Trip in Boston Sep 10, 2019

Looking for a great place to go on a girls trip? Boston can fill the bill for a 2-4 day trip. Flights are usually pretty reasonable to get there and there are plenty of historic hotels and also VRBO's to choose from.
Here is a recap of my Boston trip.
Restaurants included:
Daily Catch
Legal Seafood Harborside
Union Oyster House - Bostons oldest restaurant

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Visit Cook County Art Along The Lake Fall Studio Tour (Season 2. 17) Sep 10, 2019

Sponsored Episode:
We had the opportunity to talk to artist Neil Sherman as we discussed the upcoming Art Along The Lake Fall Studio Tour in Cook County September 27-October 6. Fall in Cook County is a time of beauty, so take some time to explore the colors and meet artists during the Fall Studio Tour! Stops include home studios as well as galleries with guest artists. All locations will be open daily, from 10am-5pm, with a few special Fall Studio Tour events scheduled outside of these hours.
Find Restaurants, Lodging and more information at Visit Cook County.com

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Teach Kids To Cook (Season 2 Ep. 16) Sep 03, 2019

Jill Colella is the founder and editor of TeachKidsToCook.com . She produces loads of content designed to turn kids onto food including, Ingredients Magazine and the newly launched Butternut Magzine for 3-6-year-olds. Listen to this podcast episode to hear how this self-professed picky eater has found herself loving the lane she has fallen into and nurtured into a profitable business that helps kids.

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Episode 11: Preparations and Onion Jam Aug 29, 2019

Stephanie is making preparations to put the Ely garden to bed and head out on the road in the Wonderbread Van (follow the @WonderbreadVan on Instagram)
Here is the Onion Jam recipe. I use this as a topping for pasta, mix it into risotto, use on bread with cheese or use it to make a quick pan sauce for chicken.
Ingredients

1 tablespoon Olive Oil
4 large onions or 8 small, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon of salt
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet (use a skillet with a lid).
Add onions to skillet and pinch of salt; cover with a lid and cook over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally. You want dark brown color and the onions to carmelize but not burn.
Remove lid and continue to cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden, stirring frequently.
Cook and stir over medium heat until liquid evaporates; about 1 minute.
Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
Serve.

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eyebobs Eyewear (Season 2 Ep.15) Aug 28, 2019

We had the opportunity to catch up with eyebobs and their CEO, Mike Hollenstein on the eve of their launching a maker advertising campaign. The creative campaign highlights local Minnesotans in their eyebob frames that reflect their personal style. Hear about the campaign and the launch of eyebob stores throughout the country in this @Makersofmn episode.

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Episode 10: A Walking Preview of Minnesota State Fair Aug 22, 2019

I had a sneak peak of the 2019 Minnesota State Fair.

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Dinosaur Hampton (Season 2 Ep. 14) Aug 22, 2019

Benjamin Kelly is the founder and designer at Dinosaur Hampton, who tracked down a vintage chain stitch embroidery machine and taught himself to use it to create original works of textile art and clothing designs that he sells through Instagram and original commissions out of his Minneapolis Gallery

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Super Stretch Yoga (Season 2 Ep.13) Aug 13, 2019

Jess Rosenberg is a yogi, teacher, co-founder of Gorilla Yogis and the founder of Super Stretch Yoga, an edutainment brand designed to connect kids to the practice of yoga.
Super Stretch for kids is a world-renowned app designed to encourage "Breathe, stretch and play as a part of every day" Kids have fun & get fit learning yoga moves from animated characters right out of a cartoon, storybook, app, and flashcards.
Hear how Jess is launching her socially conscious business while meeting her business needs.

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Ellie and Ott (Season 2 Ep.12) Aug 06, 2019

Rachel Nearhood is the founder and CEO of Ellie and Ott, a series of books for babies and their parents. Ellie + Ott is changing how parents learn about their baby’s development. They give parents a month-by-month game plan to enhance playtime and hone their parenting chops through the books, flashcards and researched insight into play and development.

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Urban Growler Brewing Company (Season 2 Ep. 11) Aug 01, 2019

Urban Growler Brewery was started by Front of the House expert Jill Pavlak and Brew Master Deb Loch. Urban Growler is women-owned and operated and has great food that goes with their award-winning beer. Their taproom is a warm, inviting, giant community room where all are welcome.
Listen to this podcast to hear an inspiring entrepreneur story from two business owners that really are getting it right as they celebrate their 5th anniversary.

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Episode 9: Being a Tourist in your own Town Jul 29, 2019

We always plan our restaurants and sightseeing spots when traveling but what about taking that same mentality to your own town? We spent three days in the Twin Cities recently being tourists.

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Big Raven Yoga (Season 2 Ep.10) Jul 23, 2019

Joleen Emery, the founder of Big Raven Yoga, made lemonade out of lemons when a car accident left her struggling to get back to her beloved sport of yoga. After a mat mix-up at the yoga studio, she decided to make yoga mats that inspire practice and creativity with their thoughtful and artistic designs.
Big Raven Yoga mats is a Minnesota family business with Joleen, her husband and her kids all chipping in. Hear how she markets her yoga mat business with her other company, Big Raven Media, and how she stands out in a very competitive environment on this episode of @makersofmn.

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Episode 8: The Garden Jul 22, 2019

Having a blast in the Ely Garden.
The Cookbook I refer to is Savory Sweet by Beth Dooley.

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Lift Bridge Brewing Company (Season 2 Ep 9.) Jul 17, 2019

This episode we talk with Brad Glynn, co-founder, COO and Sales and Marketing lead for Lift Bridge Brewing Company, a Minnesota-based craft brewery located in Stillwater.
Lift Bridge is Minnesota's 6th largest Craft brewery, well known for its flagship beers Farm Girl Saison® and Hop Dish® IPA. They have currently released a line of Hard Seltzers with Juice Box being a number one seller featuring Cranberries and Apples.

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Episode 7: Summer in Ely Jul 16, 2019

Summer is here in Ely. If you want to see the Van restoration follow our Instagram @wonderbreadvan or follow @StephaniesDish for gardening pictures.

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Jinx Tea (Season 2 Ep.8) Jul 10, 2019

Jennifer Wills co-founded Jinx Tea with Chris Eilers and his son Sam Eilers. They started with a Tea Truck in 2017 and developed a Brick and Morter location at 45th and France that opened in late May.
While bubble tea is a specialty, Jinx Tea serves a range of carbonated and nitro-infused teas, and a line of non-alcoholic tea cocktails like Woke Punch, a carbonated hibiscus tea. They will also serve hot tea and sell a small selection of loose-leaf teas. Most of the tea is sourced through Verdant Tea in Minneapolis, which works with farmers in China.

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Lake Monster Brewing (Season 2 ep 7) Jul 02, 2019

Craft Notes sponsored this episode with their friends at Lake Monster Brewing in St Paul. Hear about how the folks at Lake Monster got started and don't forget to pick up your Craft Notes book here to learn about & tour the best local artisans and craftsman in the Twin Cities with fantastic offers.

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Rudolphs Bluebird Houses (Season 2 ep.6) Jun 26, 2019

Father and daughter pair Ron Rudolph and Kristy Boike never dreamed they would end up selling bluebird houses to find their way through grief. After losing his wife Pat to Breast Cancer, Ron started building bluebird houses as a way to stay busy as he worked through the grief of losing his wife.
The birdhouses resonated with others who wanted to honor their loved ones and have inspired hope and healing along the way as well as a robust business utilizing Facebook's Marketplace.
Click here to see their appearance on the Today Show or here for their People Magazine article and head to their Facebook page here to order a bluebird house.

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Live at Stone Arch Bridge Festival (Season 2 - Ep 5 ) Jun 19, 2019

We had the opportunity to Live Podcast last weekend with three makers of Minnesota at the Stone Arch Bridge Festivals Culinary Market about what it takes to be involved in selling your products at a festival.
We chatted with @ThumbsCookies @petwantsmpls and @angrytomatosalsa about how best to prepare and what to expect when marketing at an outdoor Summer festival.

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Vamos Vino (Season 2 Episode 4) Jun 05, 2019

Bella and Laura Meschini are Twin Cities sisters who are bringing their families Argentinian Wine Company, Familia Meschini, into the new world of canned wines with Vamos Vino, their canned Malbec. Listen to what it's like for these two young women to market their wine in a can.

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Sharab Shrubs - (Season 2 - Ep 3) May 28, 2019

Alex Zweber started Sharab Shrubs in 2016 as a way to improve his cocktail life. Available in 3 flavors including Strawberry, Apple Rosemary, and Asian Pear plus a seasonal flavor he is making his way into larger distribution.

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Episode 6: Twin Cities Patio Tour May 24, 2019

Summer is coming. Really we pray that it is but in the meantime I take you along on a Twin Cities Patio Tour to Revolution Hall in Rosedale, Bardo in NE Minneapolis, Fhima's in Minneapolis and Lat 14 in Golden Valley. After all that, I still found myself eating pizza The Fitz in Cathedral Hill.

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7 makers to watch (Season 2 - Ep 2) May 22, 2019

A Makers Of MN update and a Preview of 7 New Makers to Watch. I had the opportunity to emcee a fun event with Auri and Midwest Pantry as part of the Women Chef Conference.
We gave feedback and previewed these new makers products:
1. Planet Princess Grain Free Breads - Alisa Dale
2. Afric Stew - Florence Karp
3. Sailor Mercy Syrup - Dani Dirks
4. 3 Bear Oats - Therese Moore
5. Mighty Jom - Emma Marshall-Cerqueira
6. Add Bubbles Fruit Yogurt - Gayle Malcolm and Suyin Kennedy
7. Heavenly Treats Lactation Cookies - Kathy Carton

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Episode 5: Mothers Day May 13, 2019

I miss my mom. Talking about her and the foods she used to make gave me some good memories this year. Happy Mothers Day.
Find the adapted Baked Rice with Confit Tomatoes and Garlic recipe that I describe in this episode from Ottolenghi's Simple Cookbook on my blog at www.StephaniesDish.com

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Chicken Thighs, Roasting Chicken and 5:2 fasting May 09, 2019

Chicken thighs are so easy and versatile. I tell you some of my favorite ways to cook them as well as roast chicken. Also, I get into a bit of my 5:2 fasting results and successes.

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Episode 3 - Homage with Travail at Auriga Apr 25, 2019

Had a great experience at a multi-course meal at the Auriga space on Hennepin as a pop-up Homage restaurant by the folks at Travail. Get tickets here but HURRY they are limited:

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Episode two - Dining in Las Vegas Apr 21, 2019

My Husband, Kurt Johnson, lived in Las Vegas for 5 years. Each year we like to go back and visit some of our favorite spots and it being Vegas there is always something new to do and see. In this podcast episode, I walk through our latest trip.

If you are interested in Kurt Johnsons' book you can find it here at Las Vegas Turnaround.

Other spots we visited:

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Episode one - Introducing Dishing with Stephanie's Dish Apr 11, 2019

We preview what it was like to visit the Live taping of Sporkful, with Dan Pashman and Ann Kim, at the Amsetrdam Bar in St Paul Minneapolis

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Craft Notes (Season 2 ep. 1) Apr 09, 2019

Matt Dowgwillo is the architect of the The Minnesota Craft Notes passport. The passport is a curated guide to all the local spots that are making it happen. When you purchase the passport for just $25 and you get a complimentary drink at 12 great spots around Minnesota. Hear how Matt went from Thrifty Hipster to creating a curated guide of unique artisan finds around town with the Minnesota Craft Notes Passport.

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Roller Girls (ep. 135) Mar 31, 2019

Minnesota Roller Derby athletes Jen Plum (aka Oh Geez) and Dana Johnson (aka Val Kyrie) take us into the world of the Minnesota Roller Girls and what it’s like to be a professional Roller Derby athlete creating an entertaining sport with all volunteer athletes and staff.(ep. 135) Support the show

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Timber and Tulip (ep. 133) Mar 26, 2019

Brianne Boettner is the founder and lead designer behind Timber and Tulip, a custom furniture design studio located in St Louis Park.(ep. 133) Support the show

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Carmine Jack (ep. 134) Mar 19, 2019

Ryan Buonamia, from Carmine Jack Leather Goods, taught himself how to sew hand-made leather goods on You Tube and has been making belts, bags and small leather accessories to order since. (ep. 134) Support the show

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Pranko (ep. 132) Mar 11, 2019

Ryan Walther and Arik Nordby were invited on Shark Tank to “prank” the Shark’s with a prank item featured in their real live prank gift box from their very successful prank gift box business called Pranko based in North East Minneapolis. This Podcast is wonderfully weird! Support the show

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Coconut Whisk (ep. 131) Mar 04, 2019

Coconut Whisk is a vegan + gluten-free baking mix company founded by Bella Lam and Myles Olson. Lam and Olson began testing recipes as students at Minnesota State University Mankato. They entered the resulting product in their college’s Big Ideas Challenge, an entrepreneurship competition and won the food and beverage division which came with a $3,000 prize. Now they are making their way to Lakewinds co-op and selling online. (ep. 131) Support the show

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My Founder Story: Dre Barthel founder of the Covey Events. (ep. 130) Feb 25, 2019

Another great My Founder Story on deck with Dre Barthel, founder of luxury full service event management and production company, Covey Events, and Chris Olsen from My Founder Story. My Founder Story, empowers female leaders to lead with their WHY and communicate it with conviction, providing the foundation for entrepreneurial success. Dre Barthel has developed her love of entertaining and creating inspired events into helping others do the same. From the invitation to the thank you note Dre and her Covey Crew will craft each event detail with intention. MakersofMN welcomes My Founder Story as a podcast sponsor and we will feature a Founder story once a month. (ep. 130)Support the show

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Recap 11 Amy Quale of Wise Ink Publishing (ep.29 Feb 20, 2019

Recap 11: Amy Quale of Wise Ink Publishing (ep.29) has helped over 400 books get written and published since she joined us back in 2016. What trends are they seeing in the world of self-publishing and content creation now?Support the show

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Puris Pea (ep. 129) Feb 18, 2019

Tyler Lorenzen is president of his families business, PURIS that produces plant-based pea protein, non-GMO sustainable food ingredients to promote healthier eating through practices that are safe for animals & the environment.(ep. 129) Support the show

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Tattersall Distilling (ep. 128) Feb 11, 2019

Dan Oskey took his love of hospitality and spirits and turned it into Tattersall Distilling with his lifelong friend Jon Kreidler. Their Bitter Orange Liqueur Won gold at the American Craft Spirits Association this year. (ep.128) Support the show

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Recap 10: Laura Roos is the founder of the gift box company Minny & Paul (ep 22) that features exclusive Minnesota Makers. How has the Maker world changed? Feb 05, 2019

Laura Roos is the founder of the gift box company Minny & Paul (ep 22) that features exclusive Minnesota Makers. How has the Maker world changed with the backdrop of all the maker pop-ups in the last few years? Hear Laura’s thoughts as we recap her business – and Get a Promotional Code for Valentine’s Day for free shipping on a box..Support the show

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My Founder Story: Junita’s Jar (ep. 127) Feb 04, 2019

My Founder Story empowers female leaders to lead with their WHY and communicate it with conviction, providing the foundation for entrepreneurial success. The founder, Chris Olsen joins us with Junita Flowers, founder of Junita’s Jar cookies who developed her mission driven business to bake hope into every cookie purchase helping women live their best lives and put an end to domestic violence. MakersofMN welcomes My Founder Story as a podcast sponsor and we will feature a Founder story once a month. (ep. 127) Support the show

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Creed Interactive (ep. 126) Jan 28, 2019

Creed Interactive was founded by Jonathan Anderstrom and his wife after the 2007 recession to help create smart, interactive technology that is highly developed and looks great.(ep.126) Support the show

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1/22/19 Special Feature Part 2: MEND Jewelry LIVE from Fourpost at Mall of America (ep. 125) Jan 21, 2019

Jordyn DiOrio went from being a project manager in the tech industry to making gorgeous, intentional gemstone jewelry. Find out how this 25 year old secured venture capital funding for her business.(ep. 125, pt. II)Support the show

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1/22/19 Special Feature Part 1: Create Laser Arts LIVE event from Fourpost at Mall of America (ep. 125) Jan 21, 2019

We had the opportunity to speak with Celestine Pueringer LIVE at her pop-up store in Fourpost at Mall of America where she is selling wood, plastic, leather and paper products made with a high tech laser she mastered at the University of Minnesota.(ep. 125, pt. I)Support the show

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Hagen and Oats (ep. 124) Jan 14, 2019

Hagen and Oats founders Nikki and Anna are sisters who found their love of crafting and power tools were the makings of a Minnesota Made business. (ep. 125) Support the show

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Modern Well (ep. 123) Jan 07, 2019

ModernWell was created by Julie Burton as a women-centered collaborative work space that balances your personal needs of creating community with your work life-balance.(ep. 123)Support the show

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Animales BBQ (ep. 122) Dec 31, 2018

Jon Wipfli’s catering and food business, The Minnesota Spoon, helped him incubate the techniques and recipes that have become the hottest barbecue truck in town, Animales Barbeque. (ep. 122)Support the show

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Deluxe (ep. 121) Dec 29, 2018

Amanda Brinkman and her team at Deluxe Corporation have championed the Small Business Revolution as a way to help small businesses grow and enhance their communities.ep. 121Support the show

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Recap 9: Kelly McManus is transitioning her fresh noodles, Dumpling and Strand,(ep 58) Dec 19, 2018

Recap 9: Kelly McManus is transitioning her fresh noodles, Dumpling and Strand,(ep 58) to the frozen food section in the local grocery store when we catch up with her. (ep.58) A commercial kitchen, transitioning to frozen and continuing to build her Minnesota Noodlery are what is keeping her going in year 3.Support the show

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Leonetti Confetti (ep. 120) Dec 17, 2018

Kylee Leonetti is a serial entrepreneur having created three companies including Girl Creative, Kylee & Christian Creative and her latest, Leonetti Confetti.(ep. 120) Support the show

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Acme Made (ep. 119) Dec 12, 2018

Mike Noer purchased Acme Made, a designer bag company, and developed new product lines that could be manufactured at the 100 year old Minnesota fabric Company Airtex in Minneapolis. (ep. 119)Support the show

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Recap 8: We catch up with Susan Langer, Founder of the technology company Live, Give Save (ep 36) Dec 05, 2018

Recap 8: We catch up with Susan Langer, Founder of the technology company Live, Give Save (ep 36) that is launching the Spave app that allows you to save and donate a percentage of your purchases each time you make them. We revisit them after the app has gone live and is available for download through the app store.Support the show

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Jen's Jars (ep. 118) Dec 03, 2018

Jen Alexander wanted to create healing, comforting plant-based soups and spreads as a way to help people eat a healthier plant based lifestyle for their health and overall wellness. Jens Jars are plant -based soups and spread packaged in mason jars and available at Farmers Markets and Lakewinds Coop through the maker to market program. (ep.118)Support the show

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Dearest Baker Macaroons (ep. 117) Nov 26, 2018

Cynthia from Dearest Baker Macaroons started making macaroons because she liked that she could create unique flavors like Lychee, Lingonberry and Birthday Cake. With her family and husband Fue’s help the business grew. Over time the macaroons grew into a sustainable business that could be found at retail markets, pop ups and creating hand crafted character macaroons emerged. (ep.117) Support the show

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CuddleMutt (ep. 116) Nov 19, 2018

CuddleMutt makes cozy dog blankets and vegan leather dog collars. All purchases made with CuddleMutt enable a rescue dog to get a blanket of their very own. (ep.116) Support the show

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Excelsior Candle Co. (ep. 115) Nov 12, 2018

Heidi Mueller has taken Excelsior Candle Company from her basement to a commercial space where she still pours and packages her own candles in less than 2 years. (ep. 115) Support the show

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Recap 7: We catch up with Micah Svedja as he prepares to move Bootstrap Coffee Roasters to a larger space (ep.43) Nov 07, 2018

Recap 7: We catch up with Micah Svedja as he prepares to move Bootstrap Coffee Roasters (ep.43) into a larger facility in West St Paul that will give more space for roasting but also a full-service coffee bar that will be open to the public by Spring 2019. Support the show

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Chronicles of Yarnia Inc (ep. 114) Nov 05, 2018

Chronicles of Yarnia Inc is Taylor Laurich business that makes and designs custom knit hats for local businesses. (ep.114) Support the show

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VanGo (ep. 113) Oct 29, 2018

VanGo Automotive refurbishes and rents VW Vanagons RV’s to offer customers a blast from the past for their retro glamping adventures behind the wheel of a classic ride. Support the show

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Recap 6: Catching up with Heather Manley from Crooked Water Spirits and Heathers Dirty Goodness Seasoning Oct 23, 2018

We catch up with Heather Manley from Crooked Water Spirits and Heathers Dirty Goodness Seasoning. Heather Manley launched Crooked Water Spirits in September of 2014 and is already at 9 varieties of spirits. Much has changed since her visit with us 2 years ago. We catch up with her growing businesses. (ep.18) Support the show

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Northstar Crickets (ep. 112) Oct 22, 2018

Eric Palen has a cricket ranch in his basement as he harvests live crickets to make cricket protein for Northstar Crickets. Support the show

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Recap 5: Cathy Skinner is getting traction and funding for Thrivors, the Cancer wellness app. Oct 17, 2018

Recap 5: Cathy Skinner is growing and receiving grant money and funding from the National Institutes of Health for the Thrivors mobile app. Thrivors, is an individualized exercise, mental health, and nutrition self-managed wellness program for Cancer patients on a mobile app. We catch up with Cathy as she has pivoted her market and is starting to gain traction and funding from our last visit on @makersofmn (ep.2) Support the show

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Mostly Made (ep. 111) Oct 15, 2018

Mostly Made is a lasagna and enchilada filling that is, Mostly Made. Hear how Jillian McGary researched her way into creating a product designed to help busy moms get dinner on the table fast. Support the show

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Recap 4: J Carver Spirits is growing fans and favorite spirits brands. Oct 09, 2018

Gina Holman was the first podcast guest of @makersofmn and no grass has grown under her feet in the last 2 years. Hear about all the new creations and awards being won by J Carver Distillery’s grain to glass movement. (ep.1) Support the show

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Triple Crown BBQ (ep. 110) Oct 08, 2018

Andy Wright bought a Minnesota State Fair award winning, organic, BBQ Sauce Company that he loved with the idea that he could gain traction and sales in a competitive category. Hear how he is bringing Triple Crown BBQ Sauces to the masses. Support the show

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Make MN (ep. 109) Oct 01, 2018

Kara Larson highlights local maker stories in the magazine Make MN. Support the show

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Beyond Words (ep. 107) Sep 17, 2018

Personal grief was the impetus for Catherine Hinz to create comfort boxes that go beyond words for people suffering a tough time. (ep.107)Support the show

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Her Spirit Vodka (ep. 108) Sep 17, 2018

Kjersten Merila wanted to have a business that gave 50% of its net profits back to women entrepreneurs so her and her husband started @herspiritvodka as well as a podcast called “It’s All About Her” to help spread the word about female entrepreneurs and empowerment. Support the show

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Recap 3: Revisiting Midwest Pantry’s Chad Gillard who is co-creating the NE Food District with his team. Sep 11, 2018

Chad Gillard from Midwest Pantry (ep.10) is part of the team growing an entire food manufacturing hub Minnesota with the NE Food District and a Working Travel business with Work Around for entrepreneurs to take vacations but work along the way in a co-working setting.Support the show

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Boottique (ep. 106) Sep 10, 2018

Lindsay Sokolowski went from being an attorney to an inventor by developing useful closet storage solutions including her best seller the Boot HangerSupport the show

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Dusty Signs (ep. 105) Sep 04, 2018

Dan Madsen is a 3rd generation sign painter dedicated to the craft of hand painted signs based in Minneapolis. (ep.105) Support the show

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Recap 2: Revisiting Chinese Herbalists Dao Labs who have 2 new sleep formulas Sep 01, 2018

We revisit John McGarvey from Dao Labs, our guest from episode 71. Dao Labs has increased the offerings in their line of Chinese Herbal Drink mixes to introduce two new sleep formulas as they tweak and refine their sales approach.Support the show

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8/30 BONUS: LIVE from the Minnesota State Fair with Arc's Value Village! Aug 30, 2018

We take @makersofmn LIVE on the road from the Minnesota State Fair with a Re-Use event put together by Arc’s Value Village, featuring Patrick Stinnett from Robinwood Reclaim who makes home furnishings out of reclaimed wood and metals. Support the show

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Grow North (ep. 104) Aug 27, 2018

Lauren Pradhan is bringing resources to entreprenuers to grow their businesses from innovative farmers to booming brand builders at Grow North. (ep.104) Support the show

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8/26 BONUS: LIVE from the Minnesota State Fair with Arc's Value Village! Aug 26, 2018

We take @makersofmn LIVE on the road from the Minnesota State Fair with a Re-Use event put together by Arc’s Value Village, featuring Julia Moss from Julia Moss Designs who hand dips old silver pieces in bright colors to give them new life.Support the show

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Annie B’s Caramels and BT McElrath Chocolates (ep. 103) Aug 20, 2018

Justin Henke purchased Annie B’s Caramels and BT McElrath Chocolates two family owned brands that needed capital and marketing muscle to move into the next phase of their growth. (ep.103) Support the show

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BONUS Content- Live on Location at Hoops Brewery in Duluth Aug 20, 2018

We take @makersofmn on the road and check in with Dave Hoops, owner and brewer from Hoops Brewery in Duluth.Support the show

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Recap 1: Nearest You Brand Locator Aug 14, 2018

We revisit Ryan Furness, Founder of Nearest You brand locator, our guest on episode 9. He is finding success in niches and has grown to 4 employees in our first Makers Of Minnesota recap episode.Support the show

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BET Vodka (ep. 102) Aug 14, 2018

Ben Brueshoff is making premium Vodka using Sugar Beets from a farm co-op (ep.102) Support the show

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Superior Switchel (ep. 101) Aug 07, 2018

Melina Lamer is making Superior Switchel is a hydrating drink brewed with fresh, organic ginger and apple cider vinegar—delicious on its own or as your favorite cocktail. (ep.101)Support the show

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Revol Greens (ep. 100) Aug 03, 2018

Revol Greens fresh Minnesota made salad greens are coming off the hydroponic farm to your grocer in 21 days from seed to shelf (ep.100)Support the show

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Bollitos (ep. 99) Jul 23, 2018

Zach Cizek knew from an early age he wanted to be a food entrepreneur. When he tasted the Bollito sandwich in Italy, with Calabrian peppers, his sauce company was born. (ep.99)Support the show

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Gipson Shoemaker (ep. 98) Jul 17, 2018

Gipson Shoemaker is making string guitars in his Minneapolis workshop out of cigar boxes and unusual objects. (ep.98) Support the show

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Peace Coffee (ep. 97) Jul 11, 2018

Lee Wallace worked at Peace Coffee, a fair-trade coffee company started in Minneapolis. This year she bought the company to continue the work of being a good company that does good. (ep.97) Support the show

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Mac's Fish and Chips (ep. 96) Jul 03, 2018

Tom Flanagan and his Dad took over Mac’s Fish and Chips and with a little ingenuity and a talking fish they have grown to 3.5 stores. (ep.96)Support the show

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Sweetland Orchards (ep. 95) Jun 27, 2018

Turning Minnesota grown apples into delicious ciders is Sweetland Orchards specialty (ep.95) Support the show

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Puros Pies and She Cooks Design (ep. 94) Jun 18, 2018

Packaging can make or break a brand and She Cooks Design’s Shellagh Mullen worked on the new healthy treat Puros Pies to help them break into the grocery market with the right branding. (ep.94) Support the show

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Fast Mary's (ep. 93) Jun 12, 2018

The idea behind Fast Mary’s Bloody Mary Enhancer came from the owner, a chemist, who developed the product while working as a bartender. (ep.93)Support the show

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Special Episode MakersofMN with FIT Graduate Harrison Collins Jun 08, 2018

When a clothing designer graduates from the Fashion Institute of Technology - How do they take what they have learned and put it into practice in the "Real World."Support the show

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Stunt Puppy Pet Products (ep. 91) Jun 05, 2018

Stunt Puppy is making products for active dogs and their adventurous owners who right here in Minnesota. (#91) Support the show

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Muddy Mouth Cards (ep. 90) May 29, 2018

Muddy Mouth Cards makes cards for sarcastic, funny people who may like their greeting cards a little sassier than normal. (ep.90) Support the show

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Julie Meyer Handbags (ep. 89) May 22, 2018

Julie Meyer makes handbags out of raw material found in nature including cow hides. (ep. 89)Support the show

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Essence One (ep. 88) May 15, 2018

A personal episode of anxiety and depression left Lauren Vanscoy inspired to find new ways to ease these symptoms with natural remedies leading to her company Essence One (ep.88) Support the show

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Local Crate (ep. 87) May 08, 2018

Local Crate helps you make chef inspired meals with 100% local ingredients in your own home with this Minnesota made meal kit. (ep.87) Support the show

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Bra Bridge (ep. 86) Apr 30, 2018

Judy Samson from Bra Bridge. Support the show

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Cookie Creative (ep. 85) Apr 23, 2018

The Cookie Creative is Cori Robinson who can make virtually any shape into a beautifully decorated royal icing cookie.Support the show

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Funny Bunny Organics (ep. 84) Apr 16, 2018

Funny Bunny Organics founder Cody Miller and his wife Emily, sneak vegetables into products like Jam that kids will like.Support the show

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Pettit Pastures (ep. 83) Apr 09, 2018

Jake Pettit researched and started a grass fed beef farm called Pettit Pastures with his dad.Support the show

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Jonny Pops (ep. 82) Apr 02, 2018

Jonny Pops is making frozen fruit treats fun. As they launch their delight line they add chocolate to some of their delicious pops giving us more to love.

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Riffs Smokehouse (ep. 81) Mar 26, 2018

Riffs Smokehouse in NE Minneapolis is making pork products and single serve candy bacon that is about to hit your favorite convenience store.

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Work it Co-Working (ep. 80) Mar 19, 2018

Work It Co-Working combines a co-working community with an exercise gym.

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Velvet Bees Honey Butter (ep. 79) Mar 12, 2018

Velvet Bees Honey Butter is an amazing product made with only 5 ingredients that is spectacular - Find out how it came to maket. Support the show

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Ombibulous of NE Minneapolis (ep. 78) Mar 02, 2018

Ombibulous is a new store in North East Minneapolis that specializes in craft beer, wine and spirits but only if its made in Minnesota.

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Anywhere Apparel (ep. 77) Feb 26, 2018

Anywhere Apparel is a new start-up based in St. Paul that aims to make clothing that is as versatile and practical as it is stylish.Support the show

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Sue Kakuk with Kakookies (ep. 76) Feb 20, 2018

Sue Kakuk perfected Kakookies, a healthy grab and go cookies in her kitchen before introducing them to cycling teams and retailers that needed a healthy boost.Support the show

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Thumbs Cookies with Robyn Frank (ep. 75) Feb 12, 2018

Tiny Thumbs Cookies got their start in the Frank’s kitchen with Barb Frank showing her daughter Robyn how to roll these buttery Thumb Cookies. Robyn Frank decided to make the favorite family cookie a business.

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Laurie Crowell of Golden Fig (ep. 74) Feb 05, 2018

Laurie Crowell makes her own spice blends, drink mixes, flavored salts and sugars and markets them at her store the Golden Fig on Grand Avenue. Support the show

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Jacob Beasley of DotComGuy (ep. 73) Jan 30, 2018

Richfield resident Jacob Beasley is the Chief Technology Officer at DotComGuy, the Uber of tech support services in your home. DotComGuy is now Beta testing in the Twin CitiesSupport the show

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The Handy Paint Pail (ep. 72) Jan 22, 2018

It all started with a coffee can! The Handy Paint Pail was created in 2001 in classic do-it-yourself style. Mark Bergman was doing some painting around the house using the standard coffee can paint container so when Mark's hand began to tire, he designed a strap out of duct tape, and the Handy Paint Pail was born.Support the show

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Dao Labs (ep. 71) Jan 15, 2018

Dao Labs is bringing Chinese herbal medical formulas direct to consumers in a drink powder to support your digestive, immune, and emotional health.Support the show

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North Mallow Marshmallows (ep. 70) Jan 08, 2018

North Mallow Marshmallows are premium flavored marshmallows made by Mike Nelson right here in Minnesota for your next s'more adventure.Support the show

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Du Nord Craft Spirits and Cocktail Room (ep. 69) Jan 02, 2018

Chris Montana and his wife Shanelle opened Du Nord Craft Spirits and Cocktail Room in 2013 and have been developing award winning spirits ever since.Support the show

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Chocolate Celeste (ep. 68) Dec 26, 2017

Chocolate Celeste has been making beautiful bon bons and truffles that taste good but also look wonderful in their beautifully packaged designs.Support the show

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WholeMe (ep. 67) Dec 18, 2017

Mary Kosir is the CEO and founder of WholeMe, delicious and nutritious nut clusters that she developed after her husband was diagnosed with diabetes.Support the show

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Bee Free Honee (ep. 66) Dec 11, 2017

Bee Free Honee is a plant based honey alternative dreamed up by a Minnesota Maker when her apple jelly failed and became Bee Free Honee instead.Support the show

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Bachman's (ep. 65) Dec 04, 2017

The Bachman family has been growing Poinsettias in the Twin Cities for over 100 years. Find out what it takes to get 70,000 flowers from farm to flower.Support the show

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Darling Pickle Dip (ep. 64) Nov 27, 2017

Britt and Sara have been best friends since high school and together founded Darling Pickle Dip. Their dip is made from zesty pickled vegetables, herbs and spices that are mixed into a smooth cream cheese and white bean blend. You can find them at most Twin Cities farmers markets and Kowalski's.Support the show

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Five Vodka (ep. 63) Nov 20, 2017

Five Vodka is infused vodka made in Minnesota with only 5 ingredients. Whether it's their Cranberry Orange or Lemon Ginger, once you try it, you will find a million ways to use it in your cocktails.Support the show

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Sara's Tipsy Pies (ep. 62) Nov 06, 2017

Sara's Tipsy Pies have gone from the farmers market, to The State Fair, to your grocers freezer.Support the show

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Salad Girl (ep. 61) Oct 30, 2017

Pam Powell is Salad Girl Salad Dressing. Her designs and her flavor combinations make this organic, fresh, dairy free vinaigrette a crowd pleaser at both grocery stores and co-ops around the Midwest.Support the show

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Larissa Loden (ep. 60) Oct 23, 2017

Larissa Loden became famous for making jewelry that invoked a sense of place with maps. From there she branched out into geometric shapes and more modern pieces that are distinctly Larissa Loden.Support the show

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One Day Design (ep. 59) Oct 16, 2017

One Day Design is the interior design business of sisters Liz Knutson and Kathy Keehn who will recreate your space using your own furnishings.Support the show

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Dumplings & Strand (ep. 58) Oct 09, 2017

Kelly McManus and Jeff Casper are the exceptionally curious noodlers behind Dumpling & Strand, fresh noodles that use ancient grains and surprising shapes to bring new versions of fresh noodles to Twin Cities noodle lovers.Support the show

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Namakan Furs (ep. 57) Oct 02, 2017

Molly Morgan Katt and two friends launched Namakan Furs as a way to add a removable fur collar to any jacket or hoodie. Hear how they created a pattern for their thoughtful designs.Support the show

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Step One Foods (ep. 56) Sep 25, 2017

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas from the Minnesota company Step One Foods has developed 7 convenience foods that when eaten 2X a day as a replacement for other snacks and meals is proven to lower cholesterol.Support the show

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Cannon River Winery (ep. 55) Sep 18, 2017

What does it take to make good Minnesota wines? Rose Arntz from Cannon River Winery tells us about their latest crop of Minnesota grown wines.Support the show

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Gustola Granola (ep. 54) Sep 11, 2017

Gustola Granola started with natural and whole ingredients to fuel a family of 6 and has moved from local farmers markets, to co-ops, to your favorite grocery shelves.Support the show

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212 West (ep. 53) Sep 05, 2017

212 West is a custom jewelry company founded by Claire, teen maker and entrepreneur who inspires to change the world, one word at a time.Support the show

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Arc's Value Village (ep. 52) Aug 23, 2017

We visit with Julie Stellar of stellargoods.com and Terralee Armbruster from punchymagnolia.com to talk about their upcycled hats, bags, and mittens that got their start as used items at Arcs Value Village.Support the show

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Taking Stock Foods (ep. 51) Aug 14, 2017

Taking Stock Foods co-founder Molly Clark is on to discuss how she created a food manufacturing company which creates healthful, tasty broths. We talk about her story and how she gives back to the community that has brought her success.Support the show

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Bad Larry's Coffee (ep. 50) Aug 07, 2017

Matt McGinn, founder of Blackeye Roasting Company talks nitro cold brewed coffee and how he decided to add alcohol to it create Bad Larry's Cold Hard Coffee.Support the show

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Bailey Nurseries (ep. 49) Jul 31, 2017

Bailey Nurseries are a 5th generation company located in Woodbury. We talk to Ryan McEaney about what it is like to be in a family owned company and how they keep reinventing themselves with new products like the Endless Summer Hydrangea.Support the show

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Bootstrap Coffee (ep. 48) Jul 24, 2017

Micah Svedja and his Bootstrap Coffee Roasting Company bring their favorite coffee beans to life from roasting to creating the perfect cup.Support the show

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Vistabule (ep. 47) Jul 17, 2017

Bert Taylor and his group of 10 makers are creating the Minnesota made Vistabule Teardrop Trailer. The trailer is a small but spacious camper giving you all the amenities of home while fulfilling your need for adventurous travel.Support the show

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Belly Flopz (ep. 46) Jul 10, 2017

Gina Green had the idea to make pregnant women more comfortable on their pool floats, thus the start of Belly Flopz - an inflatable with a hole designed specifically for pregnant women.Support the show

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The Chank Company (ep. 45) Jun 26, 2017

Chank Diesel founded the Chank Company, a Minneapolis based art studio where he crafts fonts for companies and brands all over the world. Hear about how he got started and what's next for the founder of the infamous "liquor store" font.Support the show

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Wee House (ep. 44) Jun 19, 2017

Geoff Warner created the concept of these unique small homes and makes them comfortable, stylish, and energy efficient.Support the show

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Tony Nelson's Puzzle Twist (ep. 43) Jun 05, 2017

Tony Nelson is the Minnesota puzzle twister who works with his wife to create jigsaw puzzles with a "twist".Support the show

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Jodi Livon (ep. 42) May 29, 2017

Jodi Livon uses her intuition and psychic ability to coach entrepreneurs how to listen to their intuition and grow their business.Support the show

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Adam Turman (ep. 41) May 22, 2017

Adam Turman's illustrations have defined some of the iconic imagery associated with Minnesota. Find out how he got started and what inspires him in his work.Support the show

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The Maker Faire (ep. 40) May 15, 2017

How do you get people excited about engineering ideas and making things? You start early. The Maker Faire is happening June 3, an event that will surely capture the imaginations of future @makersofMNSupport the show

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Maddy & Maize (ep.39) May 08, 2017

Brett Striker, founder and CEO of Maddy & Maize wanted to start a popcorn company with all natural ingredients. How did he pull it together to come with flavors like raspberry layer cake or coconut curry? Listen here to find outSupport the show

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The Perfect Soap Molecule (ep.38) May 01, 2017

Paul Dauenhauer, Associate professor at the University of Minnesota is a chemical Engineer who has helped create the "perfect soap molecule"Support the show

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Smude Oil (ep.37) Apr 24, 2017

Tom Smude and his family started harvesting sunflower seed oil as a way to diversify their crops and provide a protein source for their cattle. Smude oil is now sold as a cooking oil, massage oil, and will soon find its way to your grocery store as microwave popcorn.Support the show

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Live Give Save (ep.36) Apr 17, 2017

Susan Langer is engineering a new app that lets you Live, Give, and Save while making your everyday purchases. Susan shares her experience of getting an app to marketSupport the show

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Muntz Angling (ep.35) Apr 10, 2017

Andrew Muntz is "angleineering" custom lures for the largest fish on Minnesota lakesSupport the show

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Love Your Melon (ep.34) Mar 23, 2017

Zachary Quinn started Love Your Melon for an entrepreneur class at St. Thomas with the idea of starting a company that can do some good. He has given every pediatric cancer patient in the country a Love Your Melon beanie and started an amazingly successful companySupport the show

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The Food Tributarian (ep.33) Mar 15, 2017

Ben Rients is on the verge of helping to launch a collective restaurant company called the Tributarians - all while cooking on the line at Lyn65 in Richfield. If successful he and his fellow Tributes will incubate concepts, create chef partners and provide living wages for all with benefits and paid time offSupport the show

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The world of wine, with Leslee Miller from Amusee (ep. 32) Mar 12, 2017

How did a gal who grew up in Wisconsin learning to make grasshoppers in the neighborhood tavern become a dually certified Sommelier through the International Sommelier Guild and the Court of Master Sommeliers. Leslee Miller is the sole owner of wine consulting firm, Amusee, based in Minneapolis. Whether it be a celebration, an opportunity to entertain business associates or a wine pairing she can help you navigate the world of wine.Support the show

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Wood From the Hood (ep. 31) Feb 27, 2017

When Cindy Siewert had to cut down an old Ash tree in her yard she knew that hauling it off to a landfill was not an option. Instead the idea for Wood From The Hood was born. The idea was simple: reclaim discarded trees from urban neighborhoods and create beautiful wood products.Support the show

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Ashlee Olds of Sweet Science Ice Cream (ep. 30) Feb 20, 2017

Ashlee Olds, found her joy by making ice cream, having ice cream socials in her backyard, and eventually partnering and marketing her ice cream to yummy people in the Twin Cities. Hear her story on the eve of her expanding her Sweet Science Ice Cream brand into her 1st location in the Schmidt Brewerys Keg House.Support the show

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Amy Quale of Wise Ink (ep. 29) Feb 13, 2017

Amy Quale, Co-Founder of Wise Ink Creative Publishing with Dara Beevis, helps mission driven authors get their stories published, marketed and into the hands of consumers.Support the show

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Urban Undercover (ep. 28) Jan 31, 2017

Sairey Gernes surprised her girlfriends one day when she told them she was going to start a company designing and making comfortable underwear. After some hard fought lessons and trial and error she did just that and the company is moving into travel and active wear for chic city girls on the go.Support the show

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The Bath Bird (ep. 27) Jan 28, 2017

Making bath bombs and body scrubs for friends fired up the entrepreneurial engine in Laura Ochoco to start The Bath Bird body products all hand made in her kitchen in St. Paul, MN.Support the show

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Don Roper of Honeybear Brands (ep. 26) Jan 17, 2017

Don Roper, VP of Marketing for Honeybear Brands, introduces us to the Pazazz Minnesota apple that their cooperative of Minnesota farmers has grown for your favorite retailer. What does it take to bring a new apple to your favorite produce section?Support the show

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Belly Up (ep. 25) Jan 08, 2017

Serial entrepreneur Dave Ostlund has struck again with a craft beer and cocktail club called Belly Up. Join the club and choose a membership for 25 of the Twin Cities hottest beer or cocktail spots. Find out how he launched Belly Up and how he will work on getting proof of concept for his start up.Support the show

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Mud Modular (ep. 24) Jan 02, 2017

Amy Lokken was a shopping mall merchandiser when her idea for a modular marketing system struck. The pieces had to be simple, light and be able to be setup by one person. These simple displays became the locally produced Mud Modular systems.Support the show

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A Look Into (ep. 23) Dec 20, 2016

Colby Wegter is a kindred soul to the @makersofMN podcast. He started a website that takes "ALookInto" the stories of the unique creatives and makers that make up our community. Beautiful photos and the written word help us to get to know these unique stories.Support the show

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Minny and Paul gift boxes (ep. 22) Dec 06, 2016

Laura Walden curates gift boxes with products exclusively from Minnesota makers. Learn how she selects her talented makers and compiles the perfect gift mix.Support the show

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Salsa Lisa's Lisa Nicholson (ep. 21) Nov 29, 2016

Lisa Nicholson went from local farmers markets to your grocery store produce section with her Salsa Lisa's Fresh Salsa. Find out how she made the leap from a case of salsa at a time to a large scale commercial kitchen in St Paul while maintaining that farmers market freshness.Support the show

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Two Mikes Green Fin Plant Care (ep. 20) Nov 22, 2016

If I told you that there are two guys, in a boat, in the dark, with a bow, on a Minnesota lake shooting Carp and hauling them back into the boat and turning them into organic fertilizer - you would have the story of the Two Mikes
The Two Mikes were childhood friends who turned their love of fishing into a business turning Carp into Organic fertilizer sold under the name "Two Mikes Green Fin Plant Care." Hearing this story is not just another fish tale in fact it's a story of how to turn the invasive carp into a money making endeavor.Support the show

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The "Mayor" of Minneapolis, Scott Mayer (ep. 19) Nov 15, 2016

Scott Mayer didn't see himself as an event promoter. He did see himself as someone who was interested in bettering his community, who liked talking with people and who saw a need to bring the "party" to some underserved industries who rarely took time to celebrate their achievements. First it was the Ivey Awards that served the theater industry. From there he brought about the Charlie Awards for the restaurant business and now he is working on the "One Man Project" dedicated to bringing exceptional men together in their communities to champion a cause and work together on a service project in their community.Support the show

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Making your passions work in business and life (ep. 18) Nov 08, 2016

From IT Recruiter with On Demand Group to Heathers Dirty Goodness Spices and Crooked Water Spirits, Heather Manley is a serial entrepreneur who has made her 3 loves all work for her in business and in Life. When you ask Heather Manley how she started her companies she will tell you she structures her life around three things: family/friends, food and booze. Her first endeavor was growing her families business On Demand Group. From there she created Heathers Dirty Goodness Spice Blends that she sold into grocers. The final feather in her cap came with the launch of Crooked Water Spirits Company. Hear about her journey and how being a woman business owner who isn't afraid to pick up the phone has served her well.Support the show

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Meet the couple that is helping secure the Bee future of Minnesota (ep. 17) Nov 01, 2016

Chiara and Tony Bolton fell in love with bees first then each other. This husband and wife entrepreneur team learned the bee keeping trade from Chiara's experience on a farm in China. Once bitten by the love of bees, they started mating queens and genetically selecting them for the best characteristics for Minnesota to create more thriving bee colonies. From bees to their bee by-products of Bolton Honeys to the Finalists in the Minnesota Cup their bee story is fascinating.Support the show

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Canvas Back, the manufacturer keeping your car clean from your dirty dog (ep. 16) Oct 26, 2016

Manufacturing in Minnesota is alive and well on the shores of Lake Minnetonka where we found Brooks Chandler and her growing company, Canvas Back. Canvas Back makes custom bed liners for your car. Dirty dogs, leaves or wood logs can all stand up to the wear and tear of these waterproof and durable liners custom made for cars in Minnesota.Support the show

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Mark Levine and his self publishing success story (ep. 15) Oct 19, 2016

Mark Levine can see a good opportunity when it happens. After helping a client self publish a book he realized there were not very many good resources or "how to manuals" so he created one and it propelled him to be the self publishing expert! Hear his story hereSupport the show

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Dean Phillips on vodka, gelato, and entrepreneurship (ep. 14) Oct 12, 2016

Dean Phillips comes from a long line of successful entrepreneurs. In his world, that success comes with responsibility. From his early days of college he worked in his families distillery and gradually worked his way up to be on the team that reimagined many of Phillips recipes from the 1950's including the flavored vodka line we now know as UV Vodka. Other brands followed like: Revelstoke Whiskey and Prairie Vodka as the grain to glass movement took hold. After the death of his father, Dean joined the Talenti Gelato Company that eventually was sold paving the way for his current pursuit, Penny's Coffee. Penny's Coffee shop specializes in high end coffees with sweet and savory crepes opening soon in Downtown Minneapolis and Linden Hills.Support the show

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Laura Hlavac Design (ep. 13) Oct 04, 2016

Laura Hlavak started designing clothing when she was 10 years old. Throughout her career she designed active wear for Rollerblade and NordicTrack before she started her own retail store and designed children's clothing. After running the store for 5 years, where she designed, manufactured and sold her clothes she took a break to have her third child and closed the store. She felt she needed to regroup and go a different direction. That direction was the competitive women's clothing market! Laura creates, manufactures and sells her designs directly to local boutiques and stores. Laura Hlavac Designs are currently in over 250 stores.Support the show

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How Julia Moss turned old possessions into a new business (ep. 12) Sep 25, 2016

We have all heard of upcycling or re-using possessions in new creative ways but Julia Moss did it and turned it into a business and a retail shop in Uptown. Do you have plated silver in your buffet that you haul out every Thanksgiving or Christmas and beg the kids to polish so you can eat off it? Julia Moss did too until she found a way to powder coat it in fabulous colors that allow you to repurpose your family heirlooms in a way that you will use them for years to come and actually enjoy looking at them in your dining room. From a creative idea to a store front Julia Moss designs are a one of a kind way to bring your heirlooms back to life!Support the show

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How Nick Kosevich became a player in the craft cocktail industry (ep. 11) Sep 18, 2016

Nick Kosevich went from Town Talk Diner bartender to hospitalitarian to Minnesota maker. As a partner in Bittercube he helped create and launch the 8 flavors of Bittercube cocktail bitters. What started out as improving on the craft cocktail scene became a movement as they expanded the Bittercube brand identity of these products and helped refine and define the evolving craft cocktail movement in the Twin Cities and beyond.Support the show

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How Chad Gillard helps food producers get to grocery stores (ep. 10) Sep 11, 2016

Chad Gillard was a food carney turned entrepreneur who saw so many great food products being produced but very few making it to supermarket shelves. How could he take the knowledge he learned about packaging and marketing and help food producers scale their products for the grocery store? Maybe if they collectively shared their ideas and brain space they could shorten the time to get to market. This was the genesis of his food distribution cooperative called Midwest Pantry.Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
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From selling pencils to helping people find their favorite products (ep. 9) Sep 04, 2016

Ryan Furness started his entrepreneurial career selling pencils from his school locker. A frustrated foodie who had a hard time finding his favorite local products, he began noodling on store locators and their platforms. He created the web site and store locator NearestYou to help answer the age old question, "Where can I find your products?"Support the show

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How Jennifer Cermak reshaped the bathing suit shopping experience (ep. 8) Aug 28, 2016

Jennifer Cermak was trying on bathing suits in anticipation of her honeymoon. The experience left here in tears. Did trying on bathing suits have to be awful? Could she re-engineer the bathing suit shopping experience to make it fun and helpful and dare we say even fashionable? Hear how she did just that by opening Nani Nalu and eventually manufacturing her own bathing suit line for D-GG cup women called Jenna Sea.Support the show

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How Melissa Farris launched a successful organics business (ep. 7) Aug 21, 2016

Melissa Farris went from living in London and going to school to importing French medical grade essential oils and packaging them in her garage in Bloomington. Today her essential oils, Veriditas Botanicals, can be found in over 100 stores in Minnesota but also nation-wide. Melissa knows her organics and the importance of how you use and prescribe essential oils. Learn more about essential oils, their uses and how she was able to create and market her amazing Veriditas Botanicals.Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
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Phil Roberts, CEO behind some of MN's top restaurants (ep. 6) Aug 14, 2016

When you think of pioneers in the restaurant business in Minnesota you think of Phil Roberts, Co-Founder and CEO of Parasole. Buca, Oceanaire, Manny's, Muffaletta, Mozza Mia, Burger Jones, Chino Latino and Figlio are all Parasole restaurant concepts. In this episode we revisit some of his successes and failures along the incredible path he has forged on our restaurant scene. Phil shares his unique idea generating process and even throws in a few travel stories as we talk about his company and his career.Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
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The story of Storm Sister Spatique (ep. 5) Aug 07, 2016

Becky Sturm was from three generations of hairdressers when she decided she would pursue her passion and break out of the salon business and create new beauty products. From retail store to online website, Storm Sister Spatique was born. From creating a line of lipsticks to a 3-way beauty bar she has forged a path through the competitive beauty products industry by offering niche products that she has created as well as sourced in her online boutique.Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
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On Midwest tiny living and portable homes (ep. 4) Jul 31, 2016

Ryan Ott is has a big vision for crafting unique spaces, having founded Midwest Tiny Living to build Tiny Homes and Camping Pods. Through Ryan's ability to build and craft unique environments, he is helping people fulfill their big dreams of Tiny living, camping and traveling with their portable homes.Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
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Makers of MN, ep. 3: 'Don't die with the music still in you' Jul 24, 2016

Tracy Dyer had a great job at Best Buy. On her corporate travels, she discovered women wanted fashionable laptop bags. She envisioned the perfect laptop bag but could not get anyone to manufacture her vision. In 2008, she took her father's advice, "don't die with the music still in you" and founded Urban Junket to create bags and totes for women. In this podcast the founder of Urban Junket, tells us how she got her start and what led her to start Maiden Minnesota, the woman maker shopping event.Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
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Makers of Minnesota, ep. 2: The process of bringing health app Thrivors to market Jul 14, 2016

On this episode of the Makers of Minnesota podcast, host Stephanie Hansen chats with Cathy Skinner, Minnesota Cup semi-finalist and creator of Thrivors, an individualized exercise and nutrition self-managed program on a mobile app. How did Cathy bring this app to market? What were the challenges? And what is it like to compete in the Minnesota Cup start-up competition?Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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Makers of Minnesota, ep. 1: The story behind J Carver Distillery Jul 14, 2016

On the debut episode of the Makers of Minnesota podcast, host Stephanie Hansen sits down with Gina Holman, founding partner of J. Carver Distillery -- a grain to glass micro-distillery located in Waconia, and makers of J Carver Spirits. Stephanie Hansen pulls back the curtain to find out how Gina helped grow this company.Support the show

Follow the Makers of Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MakersofMN. Send story ideas to Stephanie@stephaniesdish.com
If you appreciate the work we do here, please subscribe on Patreon
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