Thanksgiving Menu Ideas

Less than two weeks to go until Thanksgiving! Are you still looking for menu ideas? I am sharing some of my favorites below.

Appetizers-

Roasted Butternut Squash bruschetta

A fall charcuterie board

Turkey Cheese Board

Fall Nachos

Apple Cider Sangria

Pumpkin Dip

Side Dishes-

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Root Vegetable Stuffing (trying this for the first time this year)

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Sweet Potato Casserole with marshmallows, pecans and cornflakes

Haricot Verts with hazelnuts and dill

Balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts with pancetta

Spiced Cranberry Sauce

Beaujolais Nouveau always comes out just in time for Thanksgiving and I really enjoyed these two last year. It goes nicely with the turkey and all the sides.

Dessert-

Last but certainly not least is the Apple Crumb pie from Smith’s Orchard Bake Shop. I look forward to it all year and can’t wait to serve it warm topped with vanilla Haagen-Dazs ice cream. The perfect ending to a delicious holiday dinner.

In addition to the Apple Crumb pie, I like to make something else as you can never have too much dessert. Below are a few that I have tried in the past or plan on making this year.

Pumpkin Roulade with Ginger Buttercream

Pumpkin-Caramel tart with toasted hazelnut crust

Cinnamon Roll Pie Crust

Pumpkin Tiramisu

Need some ideas on what to do with all of those leftovers? My absolute FAVORITE is making waffles out of stuffing to use as the bread for turkey sandwiches the next day. Divine!

Stuffing Waffles

Wishing you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Saratoga Gluten Free Goods

I sat down with Robert to discus how they started their GF bakery when it wasn’t as widely popular and how they have been able to stay in business for so many years. Check out the episode below.

The Tiny Diney

Situated in a charming little spot in Cohoes, The Tiny Diney is continuing the legacy of their new space at 300 ½ Ontario St as a diner which has been the case now for 100 years! I sat down with Robilee, who is as colorful as the decor to discuss her entrepreneurial and creative drive. New episode of Bite Me is below.

How long have you owned the Tiny Diney?

Since December but I opened on Valentine’s Day.

What made you pick this adorable spot here in Cohoes?

My friend and I had come over to look at some spaces on Remsen. St. and there was an Eat On The Street event going on. We couldn’t park on Remsen St so we parked out in front of Uncle Jon’s Diner which was for sale. We pulled up and went “Ahhhhh what is this? Look how cuuuute!” The next day I said to my friend “What do you think about the space?” And she said “All I can think about is slinging eggs.” So I said “Ahhh me too!” Now we’re slinging eggs.

Did you have to do a lot of work to get it up to speed and have it to your liking?

The primary work was the ceiling and I spent probably 100 hours on it.

Have you always been entrepreneurial?

I’d say so?? I wouldn’t say I’m a business person but imaginative. Creativity is my super power. The business side is well, you know. Luckily there are people that handle that kind of stuff so I don’t have to know every single thing there is.

What do you serve at the Tiny Diney?

We have homemade breakfast food. We hand make our sausage gravy and corned beef hash. I also use a jumbo, brown organic egg. I’m making everything from scratch and I’ll have specials some days. Today I’ve got mini pizzas and occasionally I’ll pull out a pastry or two, muffin or a cake and it’s usually boozy. Right now I’ve got a cinnamon RumChata muffin that’s soaked in cinnamon schnapps and has a RumChata glaze. We have found that a boozy dessert has been everyones favorite. It’s sometimes an appetizer. I will cut it in fours and cook it up on the griddle top with some maple syrup.

We’re having a great time. Our goal was to stay friends, we want to have fun and serve great food. If we make a little money and keep the thing open, that that would be great.

The Tiny Diney is located at 300 1/2 Ontario St Cohoes, NY.

Hours are Thursday-Sunday 7AM-1PM

All The Juicy Things

Want the juicy details on how a Christmas gift from 2017 was the jumping off point to starting a business? Check out the latest episode of Bite Me below where I talk with one of the owners at Unified Beerworks about a home brew kit being the impetus to starting their own brewery, and how “All The Juicy Things” IPA has had a following since the beginning.

Tell me how you got started brewing beer

I bought my husband a home brew kit for Christmas back in 2017 and that’s kind of where it all started. We both completely fell in love with it. He loved making New England style IPAs and I loved the brewing process so much. I also love sours and I said “I’m going to start making my own” so he took care of the New England IPAs and I took care of all the sours. My husband also does stouts and then we just branched out after that.

How long after the initial kit did you then decide to launch Unified Beerworks?

It was October of 2018 when we opened our doors.

How’d you come up with the name Unified Beerworks?

Interestingly enough, our original name was supposed to be Good vs. Evil Brewing because Jeff and I like two different styles of beer but we actually ran into some trademark issues. It worked out because I think Unified is much better. Jeff came up with the name, Jeff actually comes up with all of the names for our beers. He's very creative that way. Unified Beerworks- I feel like it’s much more fitting because we come together with our styles in order to bring them out into the community. Unification is definitely a good theme for the past year and this coming year and our future.

Do you focus mostly on IPAs and Sours?

That was our original focus and we definitely wanted to have a stout because we love stouts so we always have one on tap. I also like to do some of the more traditional German style beers. I will do an Oktoberfest and my husband actually brews our “A Glimpse of Bavaria” which is a typical German style lager.

Were you always entrepreneurial or did you do something else before this?

My husband and I both worked for corporate America for a long long time. I had been getting the entrepreneurial bug for a while, I just wasn’t sure what it was going to be or what I wanted to do. We sort of stumbled into craft beer and that world and I absolutely fell in love with it.

Is there a beer that represents Unified Beerworks?

There are a couple of different beers like “All the Juicy Things” which is one of our most popular New England style IPAs. That’s one of the first ones that Jeff brewed at home and wrote his own recipe for which came out amazingly. It’s definitely one that we are very proud of and almost always have on tap.

What’s in the future for Unified Beerworks?

Surviving the pandemic is key and I would say that’s number one. There are so many question marks out there right now for a lot of people, obviously not just us. We’re definitely thinking about what the future is going to look like and we invested in a new canning line this year. That isn’t anything that we thought we’d be getting into right now but because of the pandemic, it just made sense. It’s difficult to think too far ahead because we are thinking more about the immediate future and making sure we can keep up with that. We are always thinking maybe a 2.0 down the road or maybe a different location? We’ll see!

Unified Beerworks is located at 7 Stonebreak Rd Malta, NY 12020

Tacos are cheaper than therapy

When I first discovered there was a new taco stand at the Spa City farmers market last summer, I was thrilled.

It was so new in fact that there wasn’t a huge line (yet) but as word started to spread, the line for these tacos got longer and longer.

Thankfully La Capital Tacos recently decided to open a permanent location in Troy, so now they are available all year round! If you’re looking for fresh, authentic Mexican food, La Capital Tacos is the spot. Check out a new episode of Bite Me below.

So tell me about how you started your business

I started my business at the Troy farmers market and after that I went to Glens Falls and Saratoga. Last year was my first year at the Farmers Market.

Where are you originally from?

I’m from Mexico City and I was raised and born over there. I came over here when I was 20 years old.

What brought you to the Capital District?

I opened a restaurant in Glenville and that’s how I ended up here.

Where do your recipes come from?

Some of the recipes are from my family and I combined the recipes with all the experience I’ve been getting from working with people. I’ve worked with really good chefs in my past.

What makes your tacos so special?

It comes from my heart and you have to work hard. I don’t try to do shortcuts because that will ruin the whole meal. I always try and do everything from scratch.

Do you have a favorite?

My favorite is al pastor. I like that you roast the pork with the gas and that’s like a fire. You cook the meat with the flame and it has different flavors like smokey, juicy and spicy.

La Capital Tacos is located at 161 4th St Troy, NY. They are open Monday-Saturday 11-8 and Sunday 12-7

Life is Sweet at Sweet Sue's Copper Pot

I sat down with Sue to talk with her about the business she’s owned for 11 years and how her passion for art and baking have come together resulting in beautifully designed baked goods. Check out the new episode of Bite Me below.

Tell me about your business and how you got started.

I actually started as an artist. I went to school for fiber and ceramics but I’ve always worked as a chef from the time I was 15 years old. I found that I wasn’t making any money as an artist so I decided to make chefing a full-time career and went back to school at Schenectady County Community College. I found that pastries were really my strength, probably because of the art background.

How long have you owned your business?

This will be my 11th year.

What do you do at Sweet Sue’s Copper Pot?

We started off doing all of my treats but we decided to expand to breakfast, lunch and a catering menu. So we pretty much do everything now except dinner.

Tell me about the Troylet paper cake

We came up with this idea to do the Troylet paper cake. A lot of chefs at the time were doing little rolls of toilet paper and we decided to take it a step further and create a label that said Troylet paper on it and wrapped it up in a tissue paper roll. I thought we would sell maybe 100, but we ended up going on the national news and sold a little over 1000 of them and it was just me making these.

How are you able to create such beautiful designs with frosting?

As I began playing more with buttercream as an art form and using the different types of tips like the Russian, Korean and American tips, I began to really fall in love with it.

What is the difference between a Russian tip and a Korean tip?

So Russian tips are blunt and have different kinds of holes so that you can pipe out something like an entire flower. A Korean tip is a really thin tip where you can do really thin rose petals. You’ll see the roses on a Price Chopper cake which is an America tip but a Korean tip is far more gentle.

How has the past year affected you?

Some interesting things did happen as a result of this past year. A lot of businesses had to come together and help each other in ways that we wouldn’t have before. We had to lift each other up and work together and I made some really wonderful strategic networks and relationships. One of them was with Stack’s Espresso Bar in Albany and we get along really well. Right now we have a great relationship where I do the baking for them and we talk about what the future could look like if we combined ourselves. Instead of being a small outlet specialty shop, what would it look like if we merged?

Sweet Sue’s is located within the River St Marketplace at 433 River St in Troy.

Always put on your Sundaes Best

I sat down with Katie, the owner of Sundaes Best Hot Fudge to talk with her about how she was bitten by the entrepreneurial bug and where their delectable hot fudge recipe comes from. Check out the new episode of Bite Me below.

How did Sundaes Best get started?

“Well I think is started when I came out of the womb. I’ve always been a chocolate lover and as a little girl, my favorite thing was always hot fudge sauce. My mom has a sweet tooth, I have a sweet tooth and my grandmother, God love her, she lived to be 96 and the last week of her life she was still eating hot fudge sundaes. As a little girl after church, if we were good, I was able to go get a hot fudge sundae. That’s when Stewart’s used to have the little sit down make-your-own sundaes and it was the perfect treat. I have always loved hot fudge.”

Where does the original recipe come from?

“It is my husbands mothers so my mother-in-law, it’s her recipe; Marilyn Shinaman. She perfected the recipe probably in the late sixties in Skaneateles, NY. When Jeff was a child she would make it for church goers, friends and family members and it used to be a huge process. When the recipe started we only had a small little double boiler on the stove that would make 3 jars so my father-in-law, he was a big thinker, he went and invested in a bigger double boiler. They would go to the church kitchen and use the church burners and make the jars of hot fudge one batch at a time.”

How did you come up with the other 12 flavors you now carry?

“We have so many flavors. The first couple of years that we did it, we made it with one jar, one flavor and one price- it was easy once we figured out how to make it in big batches! Then 4 or 5 years in, we decided “oh wouldn’t it be fun to have some flavors” and people were like what’s new, what’s new? I said OK, lets start some flavors. The flavors we decided on first were something I wanted to be recognizable so we started with raspberry and chocolate which is perfect, especially this time of year. Then we went to mint so those were our two flavor introductions.”

What’s your favorite flavor?

“I am an original. I like the bittersweet but I also love the java. I mean I never met chocolate that I didn’t like but I love my chocolate plain. I do like them all though.”

How do you recommend people enjoy your fudge?

“I think spoons. I make these little fried wontons that are pretty delicious for a treat. You take the wonton wrappers and instead of putting in sausage and vegetables, you put a little chocolate sauce in there and fry them up then sprinkle them with powdered sugar. People are very creative. Although it is also funny because as a marketer, I always struggle with hot fudge because it’s immediately ingrained in your head that it has to go on ice cream. Customers at shows and festivals say “oh you can eat it on a spoon” and the more conservative people look at them like “really?” I am like yup, try it! It’s the best way and that way you don’t get as many calories because all of the calories are just in the chocolate.”

Where can people find your products?

“Up until the pandemic, we sold nationwide and we still sell nationwide but we sell online mostly now. We’ve really changed our swim, our stroke. We’ve gone from wholesale and retail direct shows like the Philadelphia flower show or craft shows but now we sell online at SundaesBest.com”

In addition to the hot 12 hot fudge flavors and chocolate cake mix you can get online, keep an eye out for their all natural fruit and pretzel dip in the refrigerated section of your local grocer.

Next time you are out and see a jar of Sundaes Best, pick up some “Joy in a Jar.” You will be so happy you did!

Let's talk tikka!

I have always been a huge fan of Indian food and was thrilled to find out that Nani’s Indian Kitchen was opening in Ballston Spa. I reached out to the owner Nafeesa Koslik to find out how she was bitten by the entrepreneurial bug and what some her most popular dishes are. Check out the latest episode of Bite Me below.

So tell me a little bit about Nani’s Indian Kitchen and how it got started.

“It got started because I lost my job. I was one of the casualties of the pandemic when they laid off 2500 people. I’ve always wanted to do something food related and I’ve had my LLC forever and thought I was going to do farmers markets or a food truck. I had all these plans but never had the time because I was always on the road, but then I had to make a pivot because I lost my job so I thought “let’s open a restaurant!”

Where do the recipes come from? Are they family recipes?

“Nani is my mom and the grandma to my children. You know I’m her prodigy and I learned to cook from her since I was 8 or 9 years old. I’ve always loved cooking for people and having tons of parties”

Is there a dish that is really popular or something that represents you and your business?

“The most popular dish here is the chicken tikka masala. People just love it and I can’t have enough. My favorite dish is lamb korma and it’s something I’ve worked on my own and have gone with a different recipe than most restaurants in the area so it’s a different sauce. I love a korma dish though, so that’s probably one of my favorites.”

Nani’s Indian Kitchen is located at 256 Milton Ave in Ballston Spa. Their hours are as follows;

Tuesday and Wednesday: 4:00-8:00 PM

Thursday: 11:30 AM- 7:30 PM

Friday: 11:30 AM-2:30 PM and 5:00-8:00 PM

Saturday: 4:00 PM- 8:00 PM

Sunday: 4:00 PM -7:00 PM

Newly opened places in the 518

There are 2 new breweries, and an Italian and Indian restaurant that are new to the area. See below for links, info and locations.

Nani’s Indian Kitchen in Ballston Spa- “Nani's Indian Kitchen serves lunch and dinner. The rest of our menu features recipes made with love, that my mother taught me. At Nani's you'll enjoy specialties from Hyderabad, the region where my family is from in India.”

Nic’s Trattoria in East Greenbush - ”Wood-fired, Italian-inspired plates featuring a seasonal menu and craft bar.”

Warbler Brewery in Delmar - “Our family brewery is proud to serve our community exceptional hand-crafted beer to enjoy in our taproom or at home. Created by Head Brewer Chris Schell, our beer is brewed with the finest materials and ranges from the clean and crisp Parula Pilsner to the bold and hoppy Wolfjaw Double IPA. We strive to offer a diverse and robust taplist with options to suit a wide variety of tastes.”

Mixed Breed Brewing - “Expertly crafted beers using the best available ingredients. Experience the superior taste and quality. Join the Mixed Breed revolution.”

Thanksgiving Favorites

With just two weeks to go until Thanksgiving, I wanted to share some of my favorite recipes in case you’re still looking for something to make this year.

Apple Cider Sangria is the perfect fall cocktail to sip on while enjoying appetizers with family and friends.

Looking for a festive cheese board? Check out this Turkey Board that is sure to impress. Not a fan of raisins? Swap them out for dried mission figs. The options are endless as long as the final product resembles a turkey (at least somewhat :) The kids would love this!

One of my favorite appetizers to make is Butternut Squash Bruschetta. It really encompasses the flavors of fall and is light enough not to spoil your appetite.

How about trying something unique like Fall Nachos? You can always add your own twist to these too.

Butternut Squash Hummus is the perfect make-ahead appetizer and would be nice to have around all season long. I bet it would be great with both plain and cinnamon sugar pita chips.

Side dishes

In addition to the canned jellied cranberry sauce which I will always be a fan of (don’t judge me:), I like to make a fresh one as well. The Spiced Cranberry with Orange and Star Anise is always a go-to.

I religiously makes these Creamy Mashed Potatoes and always get compliments. It probably has to do with the 1 1/2 sticks of butter and half pound of cream cheese that make these so good.

Oyster Stuffing may not be on your radar as a Thanksgiving side, but this is a holiday favorite for many. Especially in the south.

Another top pick of mine is Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese. My only recommendation would be to add more butternut than it calls for. ADDICTIVE!!

Cornflake, pecan and marshmallow-topped Sweet Potato Casserole is a fun twist on the traditional sweet potato side.

You can’t got wrong with Cornbread Stuffing from Ina Garten

Another pick from Ina is her Twice-baked Sweet Potatoes

If you haven’t tried stuffing waffles yet, you’ve been missing out! I usually make them the day after Thanksgiving with leftovers adding eggs and chicken broth to the stuffing before popping the mixture into the waffle iron. It serves as the bread for turkey sandwiches and it is orgasmic. Probably one of the best parts of Thanksgiving in my opinion.

Dessert

Besides the classics like apple and pumpkin pie, it’s fun to add another fall dessert into the mix. This Pumpkin Tiramisu is a great option and could also serve as a centerpiece.

Try this Pumpkin Caramel Tart in place of pumpkin pie to add a little pizazz to the dessert table this year.

Elevate your apple pie with this eye-catching Cinnamon-Roll Pie Crust.

Last but certainly not least, the Pumpkin Roulade with Ginger Buttercream has all of the flavors of fall and will end your Thanksgiving meal with a bang.

Wishing you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving!

2020 Holiday Gift Guide

Hard to believe the holidays are essentially here and it’s time to start thinking about gifts for friends and family.  Now more than ever it’s important to support our local businesses so I put together a gift guide featuring products from the area. Many of them offer curbside pickup or delivery as well.

Saratoga Olive Oil has 4 locations or you can order online. For the fall I love combining the fig balsamic and butternut squash oil on a salad. It almost has a PB&J vibe to it. In the warmer months, the strawberry balsamic paired with basil olive oil is light and refreshing.

Hot Crispy Oil- New to the scene and taking off in popularity, HCO is great on so many things like pizza, eggs, bread, pasta, sandwiches or just about anything you top with it.

Sundaes Best Hot Fudge- It’s a good thing they sell some of their jars with spoons because you’re going to want to dive in immediately. Have it warmed on top of ice cream or use it as a dipping sauce for pretzels and graham crackers. You’ll be tempted to start ordering this by the case!

Tara Kitchen Sauces- I love their restaurant but could never duplicate anything they make so having the sauce to use at home takes the guesswork out of making dinner. The Moroccan Apricot & Prune is the perfect balance of sweet and savory. I marinate chicken in it, then skewer the chicken with fresh apricots and onions to throw on the grill. The sugars from the sauce and fruit produce a nice glaze.

Chocolate covered Peppermint Pig -Always a crowd pleaser, the Peppermint Pig is a holiday tradition for many. The Muddy Pig which has half its adorable pink body and snout covered in dark chocolate is the way to go in my opinion. We like to crack it open on Christmas Eve with a bottle of prosecco.

The Whistling Kettle- Check out one of their 3 locations in the Capital Region for breakfast or lunch. While you’re there, peruse the wide selection of loose leaf tea which comes in multiple sizes and is the perfect gift for the tea drinker in your life.

Mrs. London’s- I think the Nebula is one of my favorite desserts in the area. It is milk and dark chocolate mousse over flourless chocolate cake covered with a chocolate glaze and white chocolate swirl. Makes a great hostess gift or dessert for your holiday dinner.

Saratoga Peanut Butter Company- Saratoga Peanut Butter Company makes a nice gift because of their large and exciting list of flavors. I love both the Adirondack Jill and Adirondack Jack which is essentially trail mix in a jar of peanut butter. Keep an out out for their holiday flavors coming soon!

Saratoga Chocolate Co- From bars to bark, truffles and hot chocolate, you can’t go wrong with a sweet treat from this chocolatier. They now have a retail store in Saratoga too.

Detox Box Delivered- Give the gift of health with these local, organic, non-GMO smoothies and cold pressed juices. You can have a box delivered once or sign up for a weekly subscription.

Moving on to Libations

One with Life Tequila- This smooth organic tequila not only tastes great over ice or in a Paloma, but encourages a lifestyle of living in the moment and being “One with Life.” Gift this to your tequila loving friend this holiday and hopefully they will share :)

Druthers Beer- You can’t beat grabbing a 6-pack or growler from Druthers. The All-In IPA and Brevity Wit are always a couple of my go-tos.

Single Cut- Stop in to listen to whatever album they’re spinning and sample a few beers at the northern location of this Queens based brewery. Cool can designs and great selection make Single Cut an awesome choice to bring to a holiday get together or give a 4 pack to your beer loving friend.

Yankee Distillers Whiskey- After you sampled some beer at Single Cut, head next door to Yankee where they offer a selection of whiskey as well as rum and vodka.

Blue Line Gin-  This beautifully designed bottle outlining the Adirondack Park contains a smooth gin with notes of white pine and other botanicals complimenting the juniper.

Sparkling Rosé from Galway Rock Winery- They offer both the standard 750 ml and a 6 oz mini. This dry, crisp wine will add a nice sparkle to the holidays.

Pick 6 Vodka- It is gluten free and distilled 6 times for a crisp, smooth taste. If you have a Saratoga fan in your life, they’ll appreciate the label art on the bottle too.

Adirondack Winery- If you’re looking to get out of the house, stop into one of their two locations for a tasting. Grab a bottle of wine or a gift certificate which would be the perfect stocking stuffer!

Although the holiday season will be different this year, let’s get out, support our local community and purchase the wonderful products they produce!

Interview with Galway Rock Wines

I’ve always been a fan of the Sparkling Rosé from Galway Rock Winery and recently they opened a beautiful tasting room in Ballston Lake. I spoke with the owner about how the current situation is affecting them and why they love doing what they do. If you’re in need of some wine and want to support a local business, they are still taking orders for pickup, delivery and shipping.

When were you bitten by the entrepreneurial bug?

I have always thought I might open a business.  I’ve worked for a lot of small businesses and saw what it takes.  When I was young I thought my dad and I would open a greenhouse, or garden center.  

Is there one product you sell that represents you or “started it all”?

I would say the Saratoga Sparkling Rosé.  It wasn’t the first wine we started with, but it was the brand that I wanted to create from the start.  Because sparkling wine is harder to make and more technical we started the Galway Rock brand first.

Any advice for someone thinking about starting their own business?

It’s going to take more work and time and money than you actually planned for, but if you really want to do it then you should.  Plan, plan, plan and save, save, save.  But definitely do it because it’s a lot of fun too.

What makes you passionate about what you do?

Wine.  Also science.  I geek out on both.  If I didn’t have the winery to channel my passion into I’m sure I would drive my friends and family nuts.  

If you had it to do over again, is there anything you would do differently?

I’m sure I would do A LOT differently!  I’ve made a bunch of mistakes, but learned from each one.  We don’t have time machines yet though, so all you can do is take that hard won knowledge and do better in the future.

How has COVID-19 affected you?  

We have had to partially close our tasting room. Right now we are only open for bottle sales.  You can also buy online for local pickup, delivery, or shipping.  We had a cool list of events happening in the tasting room this year and I’m bummed that we didn’t have a chance to do them.  But people are still buying wine and we are grateful. 

Interview with Unified Beerworks

I miss visiting tasting rooms in the area but know that soon we will all be convening again and toasting to better days ahead. I interviewed the owners of Unified Beerworks about their business. Hope you enjoy! Stay well.

When were you bitten by the entrepreneurial bug?

My husband Jeff and I had worked in corporate America most of our lives, and the older we got, the more we had an itch to do something on our own, and for ourselves. We had no idea what that 'thing' would be, until craft beer really started to take off in NYS. Not only did creating delicious craft beer appeal to our artistic and scientific sides, but the strong community network within craft beer that extends to the customer base within each town or city...that was the icing on the cake. No other industry is quite like craft beer, and we're so happy to be part of it.

Is there one product you sell that represents you or “started it all”?

Well, for Jeff it was one of his New England style IPAs he'd been working on perfecting in our early home brewing years, and for me, it was the first sour I ever made...both actually came out pretty good, even for home brew! Those were our roots, where everything we now have in our taproom stemmed from. It's crazy to think that the random 5 gallon kettles, kitchen equipment, even a sleeping bag were the beginnings of our little brewery.

Any advice for someone thinking about starting their own business?

Make sure you're passionate about your idea. Once you dive in, it's 100% 24/7. There's not much for vacation, sick time, sleep, or exercise, but it sure is satisfying having something you've poured your blood, sweat, and tears into, and have people become your faithful customers because they believe in you as much as you believe in your creation. Also, NEVER QUIT. There will be A LOT of hurdles, some small, some the size of Everest, but remember, where there's a will, there's a way!

What makes you passionate about what you do?

The people. Everyone from our customers to our staff, to our industry friends and vendors...we're all in this together, and if someone is really in need, we're there, or someone is there for you. Don't get me wrong, we absolutely love brewing beer, and creating something that makes someone's eyes light up, but if it wasn't for the people, our brewery wouldn't exist.

If you had it to do over again, is there anything you would do differently?

Not a thing. We've grown from every hurdle encountered, and every mistake we've made.

How has COVID-19 affected you?

This pandemic has been such a strange time for our business. We had to immediately shift from a taproom where friends and family gather to share beer and food from our food trucks, laugh together, and enjoy live music, to an eCommerce outlet for curbside pick-up and deliveries. It has been difficult for us to lose face to face contact with our customers who've become friends, but we're trying to stay in touch with everyone through social media, emails, Zoom and Facebook happy hours, or by simply waving out the window. We are very much looking forward to this being over, and we hope everyone does their part to wear masks, wash hands, and socially distance, so we can all go back to normal soon. This isn't easy for any of us, but if we stick together and support one another, we'll get through it!

Interview with Nine Pin Cider

I’m a big fan of Nine Pin Cider in Albany and love the variety of flavors they have to offer. My favorites are the ginger and rosé although it’s hard to narrow it down to just two. The tasting room is a lot of fun with plenty of games to choose from and it’s a great opportunity to try a large selection of cider flavors. They also offer snacks/small plates as well as featured food truck nights during the warmer months. I spoke with the owner about how he got started and why he is passionate about what he does.

When were you bitten by the entrepreneurial bug?

In 2010 after learning that I grew up surrounded by the most diverse and second biggest apple crop in the entire country!

Is there one product you sell that represents you or “started it all”?

Our signature cider - it was the only cider we had when we first started - it still my favorite and every year we work the hardest on making it better and better.

Any advice for someone thinking about starting their own business?

You need way more money than you think you do.

What makes you passionate about what you do?

Knowing how our business supports NY agriculture.

If you had it to do over again, is there anything you would do differently?

No

How has COVID-19 affected you? 

It’s been brutal, thankfully we have a good team and we were able to adapt to a direct ship business quickly which has been a lifeline.

Hope to see you at Nine Pin once these small businesses reopen!

Interview with Cookie Therapy

The cookies from Cookie Therapy sell out within minutes and the only way to get them is to follow their social media account to see when they are available . It’s usually at 8:00 PM and I highly suggest setting an alarm because you will miss out otherwise. I scored a box this past Sunday and can’t WAIT to try these delectable treats. I interviewed the owners about their business and how they recently got started.

When were you bitten by the entrepreneurial bug?

Faye & I have both been entrepreneurs for years... we like to consider ourselves serial entrepreneurs! My other business is a corporate & portrait photography studio, Ashley Brown LLC, which I've been running full time since 2007. Faye has been running Upstate Crate, a curated gift box company, for several years as well. We always knew we wanted to do something entrepreneurial and love trying our hand in different arenas!

Is there one product you sell that represents you or “started it all”?

Cookie Therapy is still a baby and has grown so fast, which is exciting and overwhelming all at the same time! We're still growing our product line, but our "original RX" (our box of 6 cookies) is our standard product and what we started with. Our cookies are all unique flavors and stuffed or topped with inventive ingredients.

Any advice for someone thinking about starting their own business?

Jump in. This doesn't mean to be impulsive or to not do your homework (super important), but the fear of failure or hesitation in getting started holds so many people back from their entrepreneurial dreams. With Cookie Therapy, we had to build a business backwards because of the rapid growth, and while it's been a lot of work and chaos, I'm glad we saw an opportunity and took it. A leap of faith is a critical piece to success.

What makes you passionate about what you do?

 We love all of the ins and outs of running a business! The satisfaction we get of growing something from scratch, and knowing that every man hour we put in directly translates to that growth, keeps us passionate about our work. 

If you had it to do over again, is there anything you would do differently?

We learn new things every day, but I wouldn't start over in any of my businesses. All of the successes, failures, bumps in the roads, etc. taught valuable lessons that you have to experience first hand to get the value from.

How has COVID-19 affected you?  

COVD-19 actually was the catalyst for the birth of Cookie Therapy. Faye was laid off from her FT job, and my photography business has been temporarily shuttered (non-essential, and it's a face to face business that can't operate remotely). We took this "downtime" opportunity to launch Cookie Therapy, knowing that we had to be inventive in order to bring in income during this time. We've also had a captive audience of customers who are home all the time, and seeking comfort food and something to look forward to. So, while COVID has been really difficult as a whole, it has opened up some opportunities for us that we wouldn't have had otherwise.

Interview with Juice Factory in Troy

Troy continues to have so many new and fun places to check out. I spoke with the owner of Juice Factory and asked her about how she got started. Check out the interview below. #biteme #localequalsgood

When were you bitten by the entrepreneurial bug?

I’ve always wanted to write and follow my own rules, once laid off of my corporate job, I decided I would be just that and open a Juice Bar.

Is there one product you sell that represents you or “started it all”?

My smoothie products that I sell represents me because they come in a variety of flavors which represents the sweet side of me. 

Any advice for someone thinking about starting their own business?

My advice would be for you to do your homework, and research as well and writing down and organizing what your place of business will be, stand for, and what culture/age group are you targeting. Make sure to know the demographics. 

What makes you passionate about what you do?

What makes me so passionate about what I’m doing is the master the craft of mixology. I love staying current as well and staying ahead of the trends. 

If you had it to do over again, is there anything you would do differently?

If I had to do it all over again, I would purchase my own building and put all 3 of my businesses in one location that would thrive off of each other. 

How has COVID-19 affected you?  

Yes indeed! Who hasn’t been affected by this? I’ve adapted to the mere fact of things never really going back to normal, adapting to servicing my customers, staff as well as myself in a safe environment that is semi-welcoming. It’s not the cozy warm feeling you get when you look to the left or right if you with people with masks on. 

Interview with Detox Box Delivered

If you’re looking for a delicious and healthy way to start the day, check out Detox Box Delivered. They offer a wide range of flavors and everything is organic and non-GMO. Use code BiteMe for 10% off your first order. Below is an interview I did with the owner, Laura. Cheers to your health!

When were you bitten by the entrepreneurial bug?

When I ended my career to be a stay-at-home mom to my first son (about 5 years ago). Up until that point I was always working and studying for my second degree, so when I started my time at home I immediately got antsy. That’s when I began planning how I would start my next “project.”

Is there one product you sell that represents you or “started it all”?

Smoothies are our life! I’ve been making smoothies regularly since I moved out on my own at 21 years old. Right before we had our first son we wanted to bring something healthy and easy to the community so we started our little mobile smoothie business, The Smoothie Shoppe. It really became our life and people were referring to us as “the smoothie guys.” We loved it and embraced it, and it was genuinely a fun time for us to be out in the community serving something healthy for everyone to enjoy.

Any advice for someone thinking about starting their own business?

Go for it and don’t look back! Have a plan, but don’t overthink every little detail. Improve things as you go, listen to your customers, and ask for feedback. My husband and I read a lot of books, listened to business podcasts, and even took a few classes, but actually DOING it was the best learning experience! I would recommend The Lean Startup by Eric Ries for anyone looking to just get started. 

What makes you passionate about wholesome ingredients/health?

I was always into healthy eating and exercising, but it wasn’t until my brother was diagnosed with cancer when I was 21 years old that I started really taking my health seriously. I went out and bought my first blender and juicer, and made my health a priority. I do believe that food is medicine and that it can completely change your life. One day of healthy eating can change my mood, how I view myself, and can affect other choices surrounding my health that day (such as choosing to work out or read a book instead of mindlessly scrolling social media). It’s like a domino effect.

If you had it to do over again, is there anything you would do differently? 

I would have started so much sooner! I did a TON of researching and months of trying to plan it out “perfectly,” and all it did was delay the process. 

How has COVID-19 affected you?

Thankfully we are food delivery only, so I set the business up to help people eat healthy in their own home. We have been a little worried about our suppliers not having certain products if this continues for a long time period but I try to just focus  on the fact that we are still going strong! 

Restaurants offering takeout and delivery

We are in the midst of a pandemic and our small businesses need us now more than ever. I have compiled a list of restaurants by town/city that are offering takeout or delivery service during this time of social distancing. Another great way to help support these businesses is to purchase gift certificates. I know there are a lot of places I missed so send me a note and I will add them. Let’s band together and help each other as much as possible during this challenging time.

Saratoga

• Pallet Café

• The Wishing Well

• The Brook Tavren

• Taquero

• Traverna Novo

• Thirsty Owl

• Walt & Whitman

• Flatbread Social

• The Bread Basket

• The Olde Bryan Inn

• Wheatfields

• Hattie’s Chicken Shack

• Gennaro’s Pizza

• Beer Wine Pizza

• The Local

• Kru Coffee

• Ravenous

• Spring St Deli

• Henrys Irish Tavern

• Saratoga Tea and Honey

• Mrs. London’s

• Hamlet & Ghost

• Three Vines Bistro and Bar

• Prime at Saratoga National

• Morrissey’s (half off sushi)

• 9 Miles East

• By the Bottle Shop

• Tatu

• Harvest & Hearth

• Putnam Market

Troy

• Lucas Confectionary

• Peck’s Arcade

• The Ruck

• The Daisy

• Brown’s Brewing

• Slidin’ Dirty

• The Whistling Kettle

• Bespoki Bowl

• The Daily Grind

• Tara Kitchen

• Manory’s

• Alexis Diner

• Defazios Pizza

• The Snowman

• Franklin Ally Social Club

• Burrito Burrito

• Nighthawks

• Liza’s

• Quang’s Vietnamese Bistro

Albany

• Druthers Brewing

• Albany Pump Station

• Ama Cocina

• Cheesecake Machismo

• 677 Prime

• Restaurant Navona

• Nine Pin Cider

• The Cuckoos Nest

• Umana Restaurant & Wine Bar

• Fin you Fishmonger

• Toro Cantina

• 3 Fish Cafe

• Albany Ale & Oyster

• Crave

• Bake For You

Clifton Park/Round Lake

• West End Bagels

• Fruitloop

• Wheatfields

• Leah’s Cakery

• Halfmoon Sandwich Shop

• Vischer Ferry General Store

Lake Placid/Saranac/Schroon Lake/Lake George/Glens Falls

• Campfire Adirondack Bar & Grill (Saranac Hotel)

• Sticks & Stones (Schroon Lake)

• Liquids and Solids (Lake Placid

• Top of the Park (Lake Placid

• Lake Placid Pub & Brewery

• The Log Jam (Lake George)

• Farmacy (Glens Falls)

• Radici Kitchen & Bar (Glens Falls)

• Green Goddess Natural Market (Lake Placid)

Ballston Spa/Malta

• Charleton Tavern

• The Whistling Kettle

• Front St Social Club

• Henry’s Tavern

• Juicy Burgers and More

• Brix Wine and Liquor

• Iron Roost

Schenectady/Cohoes/Latham

• Caskade Kitchen

• Druthers Brewing Company

• Grano

• Slidin’ Dirty

• Tara Kitchen

• Malcom’s

• Innovo Kitchen

• Mad Jack Brewery

New Restaurants in the Capital District

Looking for a new restaurant to try? Here is a list of some newly opened places in the area.

Seneca Saratoga - Located just behind The Downtowner in Saratoga, Seneca offers a nice selection of small plates, appetizers and main courses. The woodfired swordfish with hazelnut romesco, swiss chard, Himalayan red rice and citrus butter has certainly piqued my interest.  It would go perfectly with their Parker House rolls.

Grano Schenectady - Italian restaurant using fresh ingredients and homemade pasta. Any place that highlights Vespas as part of the décor has won my heart.  (Image from of Granoschenectady.com)

Tatu Saratoga - The menu focuses on food from the Yucatan Peninsula region of Mexico. Everything looks incredible and I like that it’s not filled with an overwhelming amount of typical Mexican fare. The Pescado Frito which is crispy yellowtail snapper with mojo de ajo (garlic sauce), cinnamon rice and grilled chayote sounds unique and the Salbute con Pavo which is a puffed tortilla topped with black bean turkey stew, pickled onions, and a hard boiled egg makes choosing just one thing difficult. It will take several trips to get through all of the menu items I plan on trying. (Image from tatuny.com)

Farmacy Glens Falls - They don’t have a menu online but follow them on social media for the most up to date offerings.

The Shaker & Vine Schenectady - Large cheese plates, a big wine selection and a beautiful outdoor patio are just a few of the reasons to put this on your short list. (Image from Shaker & Vine FB page)

Quang’s Vietnamese Bistro Troy - Offers a nice selection of banh mi sandwiches, spring rolls and pho. I tried the pork belly spring roll at the Troy Asia market which occurs every Thursday on Ferry St. in Troy and it whet my appetite for more! Can’t wait to try a sit down meal soon!

Okipoki in Albany- Finally a place that offers Taiyaki (fish-shaped cones)! I have seen this on Instagram plenty of times coming out of larger cities like New York and now the Capital District has finally caught up. Looking forward to tasting and posting about this!

288 Lark Wine and Tap- Tableside Cacio e Pepe! That is all :) (Photo from 288 Lark Wine and Tap)

Have you had a chance to try any of these places? I would love to hear your thoughts.  Also, if you know of something that I missed, send me a note so I can add it to the next post.

Adirondack Wine & Food Festival 2019

I always look forward to the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival as it marks the beginning of summer and it’s a great way to kick off the season of fun in the sun. This year the event will be held on June 29th and 30th at the Charles Wood Festival Commons on the beautiful shores of Lake George. You can choose from General Admission or VIP tickets which gets you extra perks like early entry and some of the items pictured below.

I partnered with the  Adirondack Winery to showcase a few of the vendors that will be featured at the festival and also shot a video promo with both the winery and The Boathouse Restaurant discussing the sliders they will be serving at the event. Look for their tent where they will have ground beef sliders topped with cheddar and caramelized onions served alongside a horseradish sauce that I definitely recommend trying. We paired it with the Adirondack Winery Cabernet Sauvignon which was a nice compliment to the beef.

Another product to keep an eye out for is the cheese from Nettle Meadow Farm. I love their Kunik and the Fig & Honey fromage frais has a nice salty-sweet combo that is sure to please. Top a Saratoga cracker with it and you have a locally made match made in heaven. My cracker flavor picks are Sea Salt, Three Cheese Travers and Cinnamon Sugar.

While strolling around the festival grounds, look for the Savor cookie tent. They feature an array of interesting and unique small cookie varieties with flavors like lavender, dried shallot, coconut lime & hot pepper a.k.a the Emma Jean among others that may pique your interest.

If you’re looking for some interesting hot sauces, check out Horseshoe Brand. I can’t wait to try marinating chicken in their Caribbean Hot Sauce.

Chef William will also be there serving up his sauces and saucy personality as well. Looking forward to topping burgers and fries with his Srirachup this summer.

You can’t go the festival without stopping at the Adirondack Winery tent since they put the whole event on and will be pouring lots of samples for you to try-before-you-buy.  They also have two tasting rooms in the Lake George area as well if you can’t make it to the festival.

This is just a small sampling of the 120 plus vendors that will be in Lake George later this month. It’s a great way to discover new purveyors or take home some of your favorite treats. Hope to see you there!

Info on the 2019 festival can be found HERE.