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Dampfwerk Distilling (Season 5 Episode 26) Aug 11, 2023

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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 ta…

Full show notes at the publisher

Flicker and Fizz (Season 5 Episode 25) Aug 04, 2023

Show notes

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.

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

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.

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Teena Anderson is the Anoka Grilling Queen Jul 28, 2023

Show notes

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

Show notes

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 a…

Full show notes at the publisher

Courage & Clay (Season 5 Episode 23) Jul 07, 2023

Show notes

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

Show notes

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 F…

Full show notes at the publisher

Dabbler Depot THC (Season 5 Episode 22) Jun 23, 2023

Show notes

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.

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Tracey Medeiros author of "The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook": Homegrown Recipes from the Green Mountain State" Jun 16, 2023

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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” IngredientsBasil PestoMakes 1 3/4 cups 2 tightly packed cups of fresh basil leaves3 tablespoons raw pine nuts1/2 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 pepper1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil Salad 8 ounces baby spinach, preferably local2 medium strawberries, hulled, and sliced2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1 teaspoon lemon zest2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice1/4 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 Farm1/2 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 constant…

Full show notes at the publisher

Seeq Supply (Season 5 Episode 21) Jun 09, 2023

Show notes

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

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The Grater Good Mn (Season 5 Episode20) Jun 02, 2023

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🧀 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.

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

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