Tour of @HotBreadKitchen

Hot Bread Kitchen may be easy to miss when closed. La Marqueta, which serves as a place to purchase and view their freshly baked breads, is shuttered. The black of the evening and the lack of street lights make it an easy miss when going past 115th Street and Park Avenue. Hot Bread Kitchen (HBK) is under the Metro North rails and bookended by apartment complexes on either side. It's a large metal box of a place. But, delve further to the back entrance on 114th. This is the entryway into the behind-the-scenes action. Make sure to wear your cap once you enter and soon you'll be hit with the varying smells and the aromas of the array of goodies being made inside. You'll pass by smaller kitchens, caged racks of ingredients ranging from canned to bottled goods to everyday condiments. There's the rustle, bustle, and hustle of a 24-hour operating machine with staff preparing items for shipments, slicing breads that have cooled, making & packaging of injera or cookies. Pass the ovens and the proofing stations, the heat hitting you like a wall when you walk by the convection ovens, slipping past the tortilla making station hidden in a corner as you make your way to the office. Give a hearty handshake to head chef Ben Hershberger, then into the meeting area with a glass door separating it and the prep station with baking trainees slapping dough onto counters as they knead and shape them. Once in the meeting room, after all your senses have been piqued, you'll be met by the smiling faces of Robin, HBK's business manager, and Twee, HBK's marketing manager, along with fellow food bloggers Maggy, Sara, and Emily.

Founder Jessamyn Rodriguez started Hot Bread Kitchen in her Brooklyn kitchen years ago. Since then it has expanded to Spanish Harlem and has incorporated many women of various backgrounds with knowledge of food preparation (or really foods that are innate to their background) arming them with the opportunity to work in a commercial kitchen to expand on a family dish, learn more about the culinary industry, and move on to create their own business. This model has not just expanded for the baking trainees that have started their own businesses and branched out to become recognized names in NYC, but includes smaller, somewhat established companies with the help of HBK's LIFE program for low income food entrepreneurs initiated through the HBK Incubates Program for those looking to expand their culinary business. These programs provide help on the business/organizational side that may have your brain ready to explode if your main focus is on the product and not so much the administrative and financial aspects of it. HBK's programs are becoming widely known in the foodie community as more businesses start small or solely online and seek to branch out to meet growing demand. In addition to that you can rent a kitchen space should your home not be enough at hourly rates and those who are not as fluent in English can get conversational help onsite from vetted volunteers.

The basis for HBK's beginnings is empowering those with little or no work experience, yet they may have a great knowledge of the foods they've been making since their youth, specifically breads. By fostering this gift of presenting a family dish or item that signifies one's home country provides more diversity in the availability of good, natural, and often healthy, locally made items to the mecca of New York City. Businesses such as Taste of Ethiopia, Broadway Baker, Itizy, and Nina's Empanadas can be found throughout the five boroughs. The originators of these businesses share spaces in Hot Bread Kitchen while HBK staff mills around prepping doughs to be baked and breads for distribution around New York City at hotels like the Waldorf Astoria as well as the chain Chop't, Whole Foods, and farmers markets throughout Manhattan.

After learning Hot Bread Kitchen's mission we sampled some of the bread they had to offer and steadily fell in love with one even more than the next to the point that a grocery list was building in all our minds of what we'd purchase once the tour ended.

M'smen is a flaky Moroccan bread that may, from first sight, make you think of naan but is actually lighter and more buttery. It's a Moroccan pancake of sorts and may best be compared to the lightness of a crepe but with layers. Plain is great with honey or on its own. We also tried a stuffed version with caramelized onions, kale, and cheese that is a wonderful savory treat and good enough to have for dinner. There was also nan-e barbari, a Persian flatbread with a crispy crust and chewy interior that is superb alone (actually everything is superb by itself) or with butter and cheeses as a spread or for flatbread sandwiches. It's more than a foot long so would be ideal for parties. Mexican conchas you may see in different variations in stores. It's a sweet topped bread that is also slightly sweet in the bread itself and super soft. We tried ones with chocolate and vanilla toppings. And last you have the staple of ciabatta often seen in your fancier or chain salad/sandwich shops for sandwiches and as a side for soups and such. All were served right out of the oven. (You're drooling at the thought, aren't you? I figured as much.) In your palm was the warmth of freshly baked bread that was the perfect taste in your mouth melting on your tongue like chocolate. Each had it's own distinct flavor that was enhanced with it's temperature making you roll your eyes with a kind of "Good God is this what heaven is like in bread form?" pleasure.

Our tour included some tasting of pepita multigrain bread that was still hot, so much so that when breaking it in half the steam rose from the bun. The pepita seeds had that crunchy nutty flavor with the multigrain that was a nice hearty treat you'd want to curl up in bed with.

Our last taste, and one we were all anxious for once we heard about the cultural background of this sweet bread, was the pan de muerto (a new item available now until November 3rd at farmer's markets). This bread is reminiscent of challah in look and texture but has sesame seeds and a kind of cross with a ball in the middle marking the bread representing bones and a skull. It's a nice sweet item to eat in the morning with tea or coffee and is absolutely delectable when warm. It also holds heat well. When I warmed mine in the oven and brought it to the office (hour subway ride) and finally delved in there were still traces of heat inside. Delicious meet delicious.

If you'd like your own insider look at Hot Bread Kitchen and La Marqueta see Mike Colameco's segment on them on Real Food. He visits with Jessamyn, Ben, and some of the bakers that utilize the HBK space as well as baking trainees. Everyone is all smiles, which was also the case during my visit. A hard-working and focused staff that does what they love and is making food to not only exert their own creativity but to bring people pleasure and closer together is and has always been the aim of food. Hot Bread Kitchen is helping people to continue this tradition with the understanding that everyone has a specialty, and it may be food-related.

Interview with @IvyBakery (Celebrating 13 years of butter gooies, cupcakes, and a growing menu for a great bakery in lower Manhattan.)

I got my first taste of Ivy Bakery from my Pie Party a couple years ago. Someone brought the buttermilk pie, which I had heard tons about. When I tasted it it was creamy deliciousness and I added Ivy Bakery to my list of "must try" bakeries. I started following Daniellan Louie on social media and had heard about her anniversary event last year, unable to attend I was all ears for the next event. But a few weeks later Hurricane Sandy landed with a vengeance and many businesses were hit, especially those in lower Manhattan. I kept updated with anything Daniellan may need and was glad to hear of the patronage and aid from those in the community and throughout NYC. I also brought some canned pumpkin her way since it was unavailable and couldn't help but indulge in her butter gooies and pumpkin goods while there. Daniellan was so sweet and she puts a lot of effort to expand Ivy Bakery's menu and atmosphere to be a welcomed spot for everyone. There are games along with sweet & savory treats for purchase, so you can just lounge and absorb the homey atmosphere as well as the lovely aromas coming from each and every homemade good Daniellan presents. Ivy Bakery is one of those NYC gems that I hope you've already discovered or will.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What inspired Ivy Bakery and the items you make? On your website you say “(an) experience at Ivy Bakery is a journey back home, when things were less complicated, less processed, and just tasted real and good.” Many of the bakers I’ve spoken to mentioned a deep connection to home, family, and comfort when it came to their decision to focus on baking full-time and this seems to be the aim when customers taste your goods as well.

I really just like to cook/bake, feed people, and always wanted to create a place where people felt comfortable, safe, and relaxed. You could come in your pj's or in a suit and feel at ease. Walking into my shop should feel like walking into your past when the smell of fresh baked cookies put a smile on your face. I'm not looking to force those ideas of home, family, and comfort on people, it just seems to arise when people experience my desserts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You are a baking Super Woman with a capital ‘S’. Whenever I see your Facebook posts it seems like you’re a one-woman baking/business machine. There’s private and group baking sessions, custom orders, paleo dinners, parties, Saturday lockdown, and so much that you do for Ivy Bakery. How does it all work out for you in terms of the events, baking, publicity, etc.?

Thanks. Yes I do a lot because I want to offer a lot. There are days where it's great and a buzz is generated and our classes are filled. And there are other days when not a soul walks in or signs up. I don't think Ivy Bakery has gotten to that point even after 13 years where we're a city name. [We're] still a hidden gem in the concrete jungle and if you're lucky you'll come across it. Personally though, I am exhausted but I enjoy what I do. Other than traveling, eating, and learning new skills, there's nothing more I would rather do than be in a kitchen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy Anniversary! I can’t wait for the party this Saturday! Thirteen years is a huge achievement for any business. Ivy Bakery started out in your kitchen, moved to Bay Ridge, and is now in SoHo. Did you imagine you’d end up in Manhattan when you started Ivy Bakery? What changes do you have in store for Ivy in terms of savory & sweet items as well as continuing to branch out in NYC and perhaps the tri-state area?

Thanks, again! I can't wait either, it's tomorrow and there's still a lot of work to be done. I'm a tad discouraged only because it happens to be a holiday and in general a bad weekend where most people already have plans. However if it's a light show, I'll still be okay as I would hope that those that do attend have a great time and eat well. My annual cupcake contest is still in the air as not enough people have signed up. We MAY have to post pone it and hold it during our Halloween Party.

I always knew I would return to Manhattan, that is after all where I started it. I've always envisioned [Ivy Bakery] in Manhattan but at 18, with every realtor looking at you like a joke, there was no way I was going to be able to get or afford a space. So I opened the first store front in Brooklyn. We're working on more dietary selections such as vegan and paleo options. We already have a great line of gluten-free items that can be custom ordered. Definitely try my gluten-free honey cake, cookies, and rainbow cookies, OMG! The 600+ menu is on constant rotation so do note that flavors may come and go, but you can always order for special events or parties.

I will also be focusing on more events and dinner parties, or parties in general as I prefer to host a gathering. Perhaps meetups could take place in the space, that would be pretty awesome. My ultimate goal though or my new dream is to get myself in a position where I can travel, teach, bake, cook, learn, and of course eat. However, it seems difficult without selling yourself out to some overly dramatic reality TV show. I'm not about that, though I have been invited many times. I'll find a different way. Perhaps my own show on YouTube, hah!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hurricane Sandy was a big hit for many, especially for local businesses (particularly ones in lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, Staten Island, Long Island, and Queens.) What pushed you to persevere during this time? There seemed to be support from locals in the area and Ivy Bakery fans.

Hurricane Sandy... what can I say, it put me in a really bad position, it was my first true holiday season at the new space in SoHo, we had a huge Halloween party planned with food trucks, sponsors, etc, the works! And all of it got cancelled as well as being closed without power for over a week and spoilage of all finished products and inventory. Not a dime back from any emergency loans or insurance. I was denied everything. As much as the media would have liked to say the city helped small businesses, it absolutely did not for myself or many other business owners I know. You and I, and small neighborhood organizations are the ones who should get any credit for really trying to generate business back into the community. I had some amazing customers who volunteered to drive me to the shop when the bridges reopened to check on the damages. I also had some customers who brought in eggs and canned goods to help restock the shop when everyone was fighting at the markets to replenish their lost inventory. They are why I persevered because I had to get back on my feet, reopen, shrug it all off, and keep going for amazing people.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You’ve catered at many corporate and individual events and Ivy Bakery has had a presence at the NYC Wine & Food Festival. But, if someone is going to remember Ivy Bakery for one item, what would you want them to think of as  your signature? Would it be the buttermilk pie or butter gooie bars (my personal fave) or some of your savory items?

I would say the buttermilk pie as it's what I always push and should be remembered for. It's symbolic for classic traditional southern sweets which I emphasize. However, I bake comfort sweets and eats from around the world. Second would be my tres leches cups, which are my personal flavor and I think third due to current popularity would be the butter gooies.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beyond Facebook, Twitter, and your Paleo blog are there other social media outlets that people can find out more and/or keep tabs on Ivy Bakery?

Yes, definitely Instagram if you like looking at food/dessert porn. I'll try to get back to YouTube eventually. It's a social juggling act, I try to make myself available on most, but there's just never enough time or energy to get it all done. Sorry, Pinterest. lol

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks so much, Daniellan for the interview and looking forward to the big celebratory bash tomorrow (all-day).

International Chocolate Awards (Americas)

Saying "Americas" makes it seem all fancy like Iron Chef. And in a way, the International Chocolate Awards (ICA) are a bit like Iron Chef. The best of the best within the country vying for a high prize to make it to the next round where the International Awards will take place. Chocolatiers from Spain and Italy and Canada and the UK coming to NYC just to munch and taste what the city has to offer, in the name of Chocolate. Yup, sounds official to me.

As a food blogger I was able to judge one of the preliminary rounds of the International Chocolate Awards at the end of June. After the main series of judging was done those that placed went on to the Grand Jury round and those in the Grand Jury spent the weekend before our Independence Day deciding which chocolates would make the cut in their categories.

I can't get into the specifics of judging and I can't tell you what I tasted as all entrants were anonymous to us so we judged on taste and location alone. What I can say is that this is a particularly interesting type of judging. I always wondered what judges were thinking when they sat down and tasted a variety of items. And how they cleaned their palate in preparation for the next bit or dish. And to experience that within 90 minutes for chocolate, dark, milk, and spreads, was fun and enlightening.

One of the most important things is to ensure that your palate can be distinct for each item and flavors from one aren't interfering with how you judge something else. Especially if the darkest of chocolates, we're talking 00% chocolate, has a chalky taste because there's NO sugar whatsoever. You have to take it in stride. But, like one of the Grand Jury members--one was stationed at each table to help guide us newer judges through the round--just because it's different doesn't mean it's good. So, if you haven't tasted 10% chocolate doesn't mean you'll like it but don't discount it because it's not sweet. You're judging chocolate for things outside of being sweet in something like the ICA and you have to consider a lot of things. Just like on Iron Chef or in any competition. I've done Takedowns I know the criteria. And I love food. And it's not all about taste. It's about construction and smell and texture as well as flavors. And yes, flavors, plural. As in all the ingredients within it should help to make a unified taste that does not disturb or distract.

Chocolate making is hard stuff. As is spread making. So much can go wrong. And as Jackie, a fellow judge, told me "chocolate is fussy." It can't be too cold, it can't be too hot it needs to be perfect. Tempering it requires patience and perhaps a cool machine to help. So everyone who made chocolate going into the categories of dark bars, milk bars, white bars, flavoured bars, spreads, and filled chocolates each has it's own unique listings for what you are looking for and all the while you are continually testing and cleansing your palate to judge a bit more.

It was a great experience. Held at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) this year in Chelsea the space was gorgeous, the weather a bit humid but not gross, the staff and organizers extremely friendly, and fellow judges really serious but cool about the whole thing made it a great time.

The grand jury finalists for the Americas were announced last week on the ICA site. And they will move on to the larger competition to be held in September.

So, that's my gist for the ICAs. A great time and fun to participate to acknowledge the hard work of chocolatiers on a worldwide stage. Keep updated on who wins on the International Chocolate Awards site and stay tuned for next year!

In Honor of #Chocabaret, Three Amazing Chocolate-Based Recipes!

Well, I certainly feel more myself after a week back home and a weekend of making some deliciously chocolately treats. I'm happy to post about my enlightenment after making Jackie's recipes and also talk about her Kickstarter campaign for her wonderful new show Chocabaret, which is something she's been wanting to delve into for a while now.

First off, Jackie "The Singing Chef" Gordon is awesome. And you may think I throw that word around but for her she encompasses it. I met her because of Pie Party Live a couple years ago and she's an amazingly selfless person who has connected the tri-state foodie community, organizes amazing events, helps a bunch of charities, and is always giving of her time and knowledge to help others. So it was a real blessing to be embraced into this community and I owe that to Jackie.

And I'm more than glad to talk about Chocabaret and also add to the praise that Jackie knows what she is talking about when it comes to chocolate!

Chocabaret is about chocolate, obviously, but also about how to make it, how to recognize decadent chocolates for taste and for baking. It's a show not just for food lovers but for enthusiasts and heck if you like chocolate in and of itself you should be interested.

I'm not quite there yet in regards to making chocolates from scratch, but I did decide to do a few recipes of Jackie's from the reci-tees that have a picture of her original recipe on the front and the recipe on the back. Of the five reci-tees available I did three. And I guarantee you, they were good.

The Recipes

Hot Chocolate

Supposedly it was summer (i.e., humid) upon my return or still in spring technically. That was not so this past weekend and the tail end of last week. So making hot chocolate on what may have been a hot and muggy day turned into making it on a chilly day and then having it on a chilly and rainy day that just got chillier and windier. It was perfect.

I hadn't thought to make hot chocolate myself. I'm a Swiss Miss person or go for steamed cider in the colder months. But it was easy and tasty!

Take unsweetened cocoa powder add in milk and heavy cream, sugar, a cinnamon stick and boil all the ingredients and you have yourself some kick butt hot chocolate. The unsweetened cocoa ups the ante for sure because there's no added processing in it. (I always have unsweetened cocoa powder on hand.) And you can keep it and nuke it and it's still good (and pretty filling as well). I added some caramel--you may want to add 1/4 or more for the liquid ratio of this recipe to taste it. It did kick up the sweetness but still chocolate was first and foremost and it was really great. I don't know if I can go back to Swiss Miss or Land-O-Lakes brand after this. And considering how simple it was there'd be no reason to.

Chocolate Pudding

Again, I do like my store brand stuff. I was raised with Jell-O and it has a deep place in my heart. I grew up with Jell-O brand pudding and gelatin and I hadn't really thought about making pudding from scratch. But again, simple. Just as it was for me to make panna cotta from scratch, it was so with pudding. Don't know why it took me so long to delve in and try doing so.

The taste is not chalky like you'd get from store brand and I'm sure that's part of the process for it to keep for long periods of time. But Jackie's is rich and super chocolatey, just like the hot chocolate. Big flavors come in these recipes and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Sweet? Yes. Too sweet? Not at all. Pair with some homemade whipped cream (heck, I had a bunch of heavy cream available) and it is a really tasty treat and can feed numerous people in the one batch you make.

I think I did over stir or cook mine because it wasn't as soft and malleable. While solid it tended to crack a bit after refrigeration. But the taste was still delicious and I'm eating the whole Tupperware full myself. No help needed, thank-you-very-much.

Triple Chocolate Brownies

Ah, brownies. So simple to make and yet they make everyone happy. Brownies and blondies are go-to desserts but while they may seem easy (thanks to boxes from Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker) doing them from scratch to get the right consistency takes some skill. And yet again, Jackie nails it with this recipe!

You have unsweetened/dark chocolate in the mixture and semi-sweet and milk chocolate morsels added in once the batter is mixed. Bake but don't over bake so that it still remains a bit fudgy and this is chocolate overload. Have your milk ready, people!

I have no shame in saying each of these items served as my dinner or lunch on various occasions throughout the week. And I am eager (read: terrified) to hear what my dentist has to say when I see him next week after this chocolate indulgence.

These are easy recipes, with great and huge chocolate flavors putting it at the forefront but not too overwhelming in the sweet department compared to what you may have gotten from the packet, cup, or box. If you like these (and I'm sure you will) it will change your mind about the store brand stuff. These three are just a few recipes that illustrate Jackie's knowledge of not only food but of chocolate.

Speaking of...

Chocabaret

The Kickstarter campaign started last Tuesday. It's continuing on for another 21 days as of this posting. If you read Jackie's mission and inspiration you will fully understand what she wants to provide to attendees and why it'd be a great addition to New York as well as the food scene.

The gist: You get to taste an array of chocolate, Jackie sings, and you chat about chocolate exploring new flavors and learning more about origins and the differences. This is an interactive chocolate tasting and an intimate gathering as well.

I know, you may have been sold on chocolate alone but hey getting educated about it too?! Bonus. Tasting some of the best chocolate available in NYC? BIG selling point. And being serenaded to. Heck yeah!

I'm sure many of you must know by now (especially for you Veronica Mars fans) if you don't reach the goal for Kickstarter...no money! So it's imperative that we help Jackie hit the $11,500 mark in these next few weeks. She's an instrumental part of the foodie scene and wants to bring more to it. How can you not love that idea. And again, CHOCOLATE!

So I urge you to check out the Kickstarter page, read up more on Chocabaret and Jackie's overall plan and inspiration, donate, and seriously try her reci-tee recipes or any of her recipes. I'm going to be making a vat of hot chocolate and chocolate pudding in my small NYC apartment just in case. For what? I dunno, I just want that chocolatey goodness handy.

Lastly, if you'd like a taste of Chocabaret check out Jackie's video preview Launch Party embedded below via YouTube:

Interview with @ZugarHaus' Shay (A self-taught baker utilizing rich ingredients to invoke love, quality, and care in her desserts.)

My introduction to Zugar Haus was at last year's NYC Bake Sale. Shay stopped by to drop of her donation of shortbread sandwich cookies and was mindful to also provide some samples. Well, upon trying her samples I snatched up some of her goods and fell in love with her shortbread cookies, particularly the cinnamon guava which I rave about. Shay is a local baker--and I love meeting local bakers and purchasing their goods to support them. Her product is refined and definitely brings to mind a sense of class, care, and childhood with each bite. In tasting more of Shay's goods and looking at the unique ingredients and mixtures she compiles for her desserts I found I was even more intrigued by her experimental nature and how successful it was when blended into a confection. So I am super psyched to have interviewed Shay (and to be her first interview), which boggles my mind because Zugar Haus is a great find and I hope people catch on to how great her cookies are...quick!

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some of the bakers/confectioners I’ve interviewed weren’t happy until they followed a path that included food. Having changed course to pursue the creation of Zugar Haus do you feel like you, and in general many of us, tend to have a strong connection to food?

My mom told me that I showed creativity at a very early age, which is quite true. I was that weird kid that walked around with a sketchbook in hand and colored pencils in my back pocket. Drawing, sketching, and painting made me happy, but when I learned how to sew…forget it! I was hooked!

I was off to the Fashion Institute of Technology and never looked back. Until, I realized I felt the most creative when I was in the kitchen breaking all the “rules” when it came to flavor combinations. But the bigger joy was sharing my baked goods with loved ones.

One birthday cake request snowballed into many others.  I really enjoyed creating something new with each request.  Hence, Zugar Haus was born. My goal is to convey my childhood memories to everyone in each bite with a little twist.

[I think] people have a strong connection with food because it’s intertwined with family and fond memories. It’s all about nostalgia! The greatest compliment someone can give you is “Oh, this birthday cake reminds me of grandma’s cake.”

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This may be a silly/obvious question: Is Zugar Haus translated in English ‘Sugar House’? Does this stem from your family's heritage? On your site it says you’ve had spaetzle and pate which have European origins and the items on Zugar Haus’ menu, particularly shortbread, also have European connections.

To be completely honest with you when I registered my domain, I accidently misspelled sugar in German which is zucker. So, zugar was accidently born and Zugar Haus stayed. But yes, the translation is Sugar House.

I was born in Brazil to a family with strong European values. One side of my family is French and Italian. The other side is German and Brazilian-Native American. So, to say the least, I grew up with a mixture of different foods, flavors, traditions, and languages.

My childhood memories of food stem mostly from the German side of my family. My great aunt and great grandfather were a huge influence in my love for food. I chose Zugar Haus in memory of my great aunt. Going to her house was a treat! As soon as you arrived you were greeted by the sweet aromas of the most delicious cookies, breads, and jams in her kitchen. She was an angel.

I wanted my business name to represent her and her love of food. She reminds me of happy times and comfort. As we rolled, baked and ate cookies she taught me the sense of quality, care, and love that goes into food and its preparation.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your shortbread cookies have a great consistency. I like to call it a kind of “buttery crisp” which is attributed to most shortbread but there is a great balance with your sandwich cookies, particularly the cinnamon guava (love!). Shortbread tends to be a bit delicate, especially when it comes to shipping, so why did you choose to make these cookies one of your focuses at Zugar Haus? I know when I ship items to friends I practically mummify these items in saran wrap.

I’m so glad you enjoy our Cinnamon Guava Shortbread! And yes, shortbread cookies are definitely delicate.

When I first started shipping I was completely horrified when I received an email from a customer about their cookies arriving smashed. And unfortunately, I have no control over what happens to the box once it’s shipped, but it’s still embarrassing and horrifying.

Our Cinnamon Guava Shortbread represents me and my business. Shortbread is a traditional European cookie and guava is a tropical fruit that grows like crazy in Brazil. It’s used in everything from sweet to savory dishes. If I had to choose a cookie to represent who I am, it would definitely be this one: traditional with a tropical twist. So, I couldn’t remove shortbread cookies from my list of baked goods.

The answer to this conundrum was to bubble wrap the heck out of everything!

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Are there any plans to expand Zugar Haus within the tri-state area?

Unfortunately, there are no plans to expand at the moment. I do plan to open a spot in the near future. [fingers crossed] My dream is to open a coffee/tea house with an attached art gallery to feature local artists. I want a place that combines my love of art and food. I truly believe that they go hand in hand.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Are there seasonal flavors you’ll be employing as we transition from spring to summer? You had a great array of flavors for Valentine’s Day with a mixture of chocolate and rose and lavender also having marshmallows and citrus was an interesting variety. What inspired the holiday box and what else do you have in store?

We are transitioning flavors as we speak. We recently pulled our Brown Sugar Pepita Sablés with Spiced Ganache, Toasted Oatmeal Cranberry Shortbread, and our Spiced Pumpkin Seed Brittle, but don’t worry they’ll be back next fall/winter season.

We recently posted our Orange Lavender Oatmeal Shortbread. We are bringing back our Strawberry Lemon Thyme Shortbread and will be posting our Hibiscus Rose Marshmallows since they were a big hit for Valentine’s Day.

Our Valentine’s Day Gift Box was inspired by romance. And there’s nothing more romantic then chocolate, berries, and flowers. I wanted the box to feature different textures and flavors, but still complement each other. I thought that our Chocolate Cassis Sablés with Raspberry, Chocolate Dipped Lavender Orange Sablés Hearts, and Hibiscus Rose Marshmallows whimsically represented an edible romantic gift.

By the way at the moment, we are testing a few new flavors for Father’s Day. Think smoky, chocolate, and whiskey. Perfect for dads.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Chocolate Cassis Sablés with Raspberry Jam (still dreaming about it) I had from the Valentine’s Day box was super rich! It definitely held up more than anything I have ever tasted and my coworkers agreed. How do you find that balance when it comes to rich and organic flavors and especially perfecting that texture! Not asking for any trade secrets, but it was uncanny how intricate everything was.

Thanks, Jenn, I’m so glad that you enjoyed the Chocolate Cassis Sablés with Raspberry Jam! They were also a big hit for Valentine’s Day alongside the Hibiscus Rose Marshmallows. I’m thinking about making them a permanent cookie instead of a seasonal cookie.

My inspiration comes from everywhere; sometimes places I visited, combinations of flavors in savory foods, and at times random places. For example, this past autumn, my husband and I were munching on some roasted pumpkin seeds and blurted out, “How good would these be in a cookies with a pumpkin ganache?!” The next day I headed straight into the kitchen until I had the correct flavors and our Brown Sugar Pepita Sablés with Spiced Ganache was born.

I’m a self-taught baker, so I find the mixing of flavors and aromas quite cathartic. Most would think that rosemary, cornmeal, and sea salt doesn’t belong in a cookie or that hibiscus blooms don’t belong in a marshmallow, well it does in my world!

I was never taught flavor rules or had guidelines to follow. It’s all about trial and error with me.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beyond the Zugar Haus website, Facebook and Twitter pages where else can people find you online or in-person? Are there any events you'll be catering people should be on the lookout for?

Right now, our cookies and other confections are just available on our website, Etsy, and Wedzu. But besides cookies, we also cater desserts for parties and weddings. I’m so excited about an upcoming party. One of the desserts I will be making is Vanilla Bean & Poppy Seed Cupcakes with Viola Frosting. I love creating specialty desserts for people!

We are always trying new things to expand and branch out to new customers. So, keep a lookout for us this summer and follow us on social media because we might be coming to your local fleas and food markets soon.

Thanks so much, Shay, for taking the time to let us know how Zugar Haus contributes to your roots and creativity! I cannot wait for fall so I can get my hands on those pumpkin cookies.