Dishing with Stephanie's Dish

Welcome to another episode of "Dishing with Stephanie's Dish." On January 31, 2023, at The Lexington in St Paul, we are hosting a Makers of Minnesota Dry Dinner featuring Dry Wit, a Non-alcoholic wine alternative founded by Megan Dayton and Peder Schweigert.

Today, we're diving into the world of innovative nonalcoholic beverages with our guests Megan Dayton and Peder Scheigert. We'll explore the rising trend of nonalcoholic options, especially DryWit, a nonalcoholic wine, and its impact on the food and beverage scene. We'll hear Megan's journey from her personal need to quit drinking to creating this beverage and Peder's insights on embracing nonalcoholic options first at Marvel Bar. We'll also discuss the challenges and successes of introducing nonalcoholic beverages in a market where NA alcohol consumption is evolving. Get ready to uncover the unique flavors, trends, and potential for expansion in the nonalcoholic beverage space with Dry Wit.

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

FULL SHOW TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS:

Stephanie [00:00:15]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to the podcast. We are talking with 2 powerful women today in the cheese world. We're talking with Jessica Sennett from Cheese Grotto and our friend Alise Sjostrom from Redhead Creamery. Alise fromRed Head Creamery has been on the program before. Jessica, this is your first time. Welcome.

Jessica [00:00:35]:

Alise

Yes. Thank you. Thank you for having us.

Stephanie [00:00:38]:

Okay. You guys are in collaboration. And tell us a little bit about your meeting and how this collaboration started.

Jessica [00:00:46]:

Oh, yeah. So so, yeah, it's probably the the fastest, collaboration known to man in terms of, us both Being on the same page, which which was awesome. I yeah. So cheese grotto a Little bit about what we do. You know, we we do have our cheese grotto, which is the namesake of the company. It's a humidor for storing and serving Cheese and we make them in the Catskills in New York as well as in, Ohio. There's, the bricks That humidify. These cheese grottoes are made in Ohio.

Jessica [00:01:24]:

And, essentially, they act as a humidor for prolonging the shelf's life of cheese. And we started, selling and partnering up with American Artisan Cheesemakers about 5 years ago. And once the pandemic hit, it really helped, you know, Bloom Art subscription program

Stephanie [00:01:47]:

Sure.

Jessica [00:01:48]:

As well as virtual tastings and gift boxes. And we focus on American artisans Because, you know, we really love to, to support what's going on regionally because there's, like, so many amazing cheeses now that are being made. And, you know, Redhead Creamery and Elise has, just all have been wonderful, partner in our Different cheese programs for a few years now and believed in us when we were first getting started on the cheese side as well. And so, you know, this year, we have been collaborating more, with different makers to create some unique, limited, edition products. And her her little Lucy Brie is is incredible. It's this Taller format breeze style that has a very unique way that it ripens. And so you get really nice varied texture both, like, A little bit of a denser center when it's a little bit younger and then, like, a beautiful cream line right underneath, the rind. And so I reached out to her about Potentially doing a holiday version of, the little Lucy Brie.

Jessica [00:03:00]:

And Yeah. Immediately, we were like, how about herbs? Because herbs are, like, such a huge part of, you know, the, holiday time and just Bringing a brightness and herbaceous quality to a lot of our foods, and also baked brie is a huge thing, this time of the year. And a lot of times, there's a lot of toppings of, of, of herbs that go into different baked Brie recipes. So, so, yeah, we we just went back and forth, very quickly via email and, decided that, Herbes de Provence, that would be a great thing to to feature. A nice varied eclectic mix that really represents the holiday season. And, and Elise did some testing with it. And, yeah, I'd love to hear more about like, so on Elise's side, I know that she, Tried a couple different test batches of the cheese, but first, we put the herbs on the rind, and then eventually it ended up being Infused into the pace, which is, like, beautifully balanced, though. I'd love to hear about how she got to that too.

Stephanie [00:04:09]:

Yeah. I would too because it was so, like, Natural. Like, when I had it, I was like, oh, yeah. Of course. I can't believe this hasn't that she hasn't done this before Because, Elise, you're so, like, revolutionary, I think, just in making cheese and the way that you view your Marketing of cheese, and little Lucy has been such a fan favorite for so long. So, yeah, I am curious how, like, All of a sudden, like, why hadn't we thought of this before?

Alise [00:04:40]:

Yeah. So I think the day that we were, collaborate collaborating back and forth. I was actually on a fall vacation with my husband up in Door County, And he was also working, and I had to I just sat at my desk for a little bit, and that's what we did all day is decide what we were doing with this herb brie, but I we've played with our little Lucy brie a little bit and didn't really go farther with it. We've tried a, Chipotle line in the middle or played with ash because it's just the cool thing to do. Yep. And I knew that herb would taste good. And so When we kind of brainstorm back and forth, I knew I had some on hand in our shop that I could play with immediately. And so That was a big reason why I recommended it right away so that we could act quickly.

Alise [00:05:31]:

And, yeah, it was really fun. So we Did 3 or 4 different varieties, to see what tasted best, and if they got heated up, which melted best. Some of them, We tried to do the the line in the middle of the wheel with herbs, and we smothered the mold after the cheese had ripened. We smothered that with herbs, and then the infused version, actually is the easiest for making it also. And I'm always trying to go for that because I hate when I create something and then everyone hates that we have to keep making it because it goes well. So we actually, put the herb dry herbs in with the curds and whey and then, mold you You know, pour the curd in the mold that way, and it all just evenly distributes within. We let it soak for a little bit just to Infuse that flavor a little bit, but, it's awesomely pretty simple on our end, and we are really excited about the results of it, and I'm always excited to do something fun and collaborate with other people, especially Jessica because we have, like, a fun relationship, and it's been cool to see where this goes.

Stephanie [00:06:48]:

So, Jessica, in addition to the storing of the cheese in your very, Scientifically beautiful wood grotto for the countertop. When you think about, like, a cheese subscription, Who do you think is the ideal candidate for it?

Jessica [00:07:06]:

No. It's a it's a great question. We we have a couple Subscriptions that we do on our website. So we have one that is more curated, monthly pairings. So you can opt to choose with pairings or without, and we we have a theme each month that we decide on, That helps us kind of curate and highlight specific styles of cheese from different makers. And then, you know, we find some really great pairing to kinda bring that to life. So, actually, the the herbs that we see is part of our December, holiday themed box, Which makes sense because we're also including a baked Brie recipe with that, so that you can, you know, Create a very, one of a kind, I would say, type of baked brie, than maybe what you have experienced before. It's a very It it looks like a popover almost.

Jessica [00:08:02]:

It's very, beautiful, but because it's a little bit on the taller side. So, You know, for the monthly, I would say, you know and really, like, with both of our subscriptions, we have a quarterly one as well. It's really about, My my my main thought about the best person, for signing up for a subscription is someone who is interested in in learning more and pursuing more, in the world of artisan cheese and exposing themselves to different styles of cheese that they might not have, necessarily opted for, on their own or maybe couldn't find in their local grocery store. And that's really what we're looking for is To curate, you know, unique, you know, palatable, but also diverse styles of cheeses from different makers so that you can get a really full spectrum of what, yeah, American and artisan cheese has to offer. I mean, we're we're in the thousands of different Cheeses, it's time now that you can explore, so there's definitely not, like, a cap in terms of how many cheeses you could try. So that's really, you know, somebody who's who's curious, who's, enthusiastic, but wants to get a little bit deeper into it. That's that's what what I'd recommend.

Alise [00:09:19]:

I love it.

Jessica [00:09:21]:

Yeah. And we the other one we have is a quarterly subscription, which we actually have done with Elise in the past as well. It's, meet the maker. So we did a session. We do 4 4 shipments per year where we actually Sit down live with the cheese maker, and they get to do a deep dive into 4 cheeses from 1 maker. So that's got a really cool immersive element on that as well. So even with the quarterly, I would say the, really just to kind of elevate and and and enhance your own understanding of cheese, it really is a great opportunity to do that and, pursue it a little bit more like a hobby.

Stephanie [00:09:58]:

Elise, I have a confession, and it's gonna make you laugh. So I do like to make a brie. Yeah. I like to make it on croute. Right? I like to wrap it in puff pastry, but I always would buy Cheap Brie because I felt so bad using, like, your delicious product in something Kinda so pedestrian, but I feel like this is giving me, like, a new opportunity to explore it. Because do you heat up your own Brie? I felt like that was almost like a sacrilege.

Alise [00:10:34]:

Well, here's what now you'll laugh at me because Sometimes in the rare occasion that I'm home alone, I'll be like, well, not making dinner for anybody, but I'll have random cheese in my fridge. And so I microwaved a brie and put jam all over it, and I was like, why didn't I think of this a long time ago? I could just microwave it. But so I like, more often than not, I eat it plain like, I don't cook it, but, Yeah. It's you know what? You do you.

Stephanie [00:11:05]:

Yeah. And there's, like, something about holiday time. You know, I do a ton of entertaining, and Just a brie warmed up with either preserves on it or uncrut and wrapped up is Really

Welcome to another episode of the “Dishing With Stephanie’s Dish Podcast” Podcast! In this episode, we dive into the culinary scene of Duluth with special guests Greg Conley, Ned Netzel, and Nick Peloquin, authors of the cookbook "Smoke on the Waterfront" from Northern Waters Smokehaus. The hosts discuss the ins and outs of creating the cookbook, the significance of preserving food in the northern climate, and the upcoming expansion of the Northern Waters Smokehaus Along the way, they share their favorite restaurants and products in Duluth, celebrating the vibrant food and beverage culture of the city. Tune in to learn more about the art of smoking, preserving, and creating delectable dishes in the northern waters of Minnesota.

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

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS:

Stephanie Hansen [00:00:15]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to with Stephanie's dish, the podcast where we talk to cookbook authors and people in the food space that we just wanna spend more time with and get their stories. There is a restaurant in Duluth that is a sandwich counter, I guess, would be the best way to call it. And When you go to Duluth, people that I know actually will, like, beeline through the city, Navigate 35 just to get sandwiches at this place. I have been a fan for a long time, it is the Northern Waters Smokehaus, and they finally came out with a cookbook, Smoke on the Waterfront. And it's funny because I got this book In the summertime, I got an early advanced reader's copy, and I was so glad to get it in the summertime Because it's kind of seasonal, and it goes, like, by the seasons, and I happen to catch it right at the end of the summertime When it was pickling season, and you guys had some great recipes for canning and pickling things. So we have a group of folks with us today. We have Greg Connelly. We have Ned Netsell, and we have Nick Pellequin.

Stephanie Hansen [00:01:33]:

We are delighted to have you guys. I've never had 3 Authors, chefs, all in the same space talking about 1 cookbook. So imagine the talent that's in here.

Greg Conley [00:01:45]:

It's probably not a good idea, but we're doing it anyway.

Stephanie Hansen [00:01:49]:

Okay. And you didn't the funny part about this, and I don't mean to minimize it, it is, And you didn't start the restaurant?

Nick Peloquin [00:01:55]:

No. Correct.

Greg Conley [00:01:56]:

No. None of us started the restaurant. The guy that started the restaurant's name is Eric Gert. And he and his wife luckily handed off the project to us with his blessing and said, you know, I'm here as a resource for you. But, ultimately, our other collaborator, Mary Tennis. And these guys are great writers. And so, I think we all felt pretty honored that He just let us kinda take the reins and, go for it. So that's what we did.

Stephanie Hansen [00:02:24]:

What's cool about this cookbook to me Is it has a real sense of place. So you're located in Duluth and you're cooking from ingredients of the north, which appeal to me. But, also, it it doesn't feel like it's multivoiced even though I know it is. Like, it feels like you guys all have the Same intellect and the same voice and the same passion with which you're doing things. So it would be hard for me to tell, like, oh, this So and so's recipe or this is so and so's style, that's kinda cool. Like, you guys are all really aligned in this book.

Ned Netzel [00:03:02]:

Yeah. I think that came from us really writing it together. You know, like, maybe, initial parts of the process of compiling the recipes and, you know, reducing the size To the flow of it. You know? We we all, like, respected what everybody brought to the table and also, like, what they lacked. You know, kind of filling in the gaps. So, you know, an intro to a book or to a recipe might have been. Somebody wrote down what they thought made sense, and then we refined it together and talked about, What is really the story of this? Then we ask questions like, how how does it relate to, you know, the active food preservation? Or how does it relate to the city of Duluth or the region or in order to regionally sourcing things. It was all all very collaborative throughout.

Ned Netzel [00:03:42]:

So that that probably blends a little bit to it. And, moments where somebody really is Writing from their voice are actually directly called out

Greg Conley [00:03:48]:

in the book too. Greg's got some some moments in there.

Stephanie Hansen [00:03:51]:

Looking on another cookbook, and I've written one, and it's not easy. Did you, like, okay. You're gonna do the intro. You're gonna do the chapters. You're gonna pick the recipes. You're gonna write the intro to your recipes. Did you have all that work delineated, or did you have, like, meetings? How did this all flow?

Nick Peloquin [00:04:09]:

So we would meet weekly, just Us together, and and we we definitely parsed out some of the writing tasks, but it was really kinda all over the place as to, like, He's doing a recipe. He's doing an intro. And then we would come together and test together. And then sitting down and finalizing it was all together. So it was like a weekly meeting that we would all get together and and and review everything we had all written individually.

Stephanie Hansen [00:04:34]:

Other there's a lot of recipes in here. I keep thinking about, like, Thanksgiving time. Giving time. And you've got kind of a lot of things that would be on a Thanksgiving table, like the green bean casserole and the mashed potatoes, But you've also got, like, the the riettes. And then at the very end is sort of where you get into the sandwich sitch, Which is sort of what you guys are known for. So I was curious that it was very at the end, some of your, like, greatest hits.

Greg Conley [00:05:04]:

Yeah. You know, in our mind, sandwiches are not something you usually have a recipe for. Although, you know, we're pretty precise. Like, we're not like Some other places where you can come in and say, here's what I want on my sandwich. And, you know, they they do it. We don't do that. I mean, we'll put whatever you want on there Within reason, but we carefully craft those sandwiches. And so but I think that, you know, overall, it's like, we're kind of telling you how to do the recipes that lead to that Sandwich.

Greg Conley [00:05:33]:

You know? We're not trying to tell you, yeah, make this exact sandwich out of your smoked salmon. You know? You can do that if you wanna Do what we well, exactly what we're doing. But also it's like, use your own flourish. Use this for whatever you and here's a suggestion on how to use it, but use it however you want to. Yeah.

Nick Peloquin [00:05:50]:

And we kinda we kinda debated where to put that section to for a while. Yeah. It was kinda like, should it go in the middle and kinda be like this fold out highlight piece? Or, like, it make sense at the end or beginning or so it we went back and forth to where where that should live because it it is, like, a major part of what we do.

Stephanie Hansen [00:06:09]:

I feel like I should personally thank you specifically for the pork rillette recipe.

Nick Peloquin [00:06:15]:

Which one?

Stephanie Hansen [00:06:16]:

The well, the one that's your basic, and then I know you use it in the, the ricotta ravioli. The not so spicy is probably the one I'll start with. And you add more than 1. Riette is something that, like, you see it on a charcuterie board. And just speaking for, like, Maybe nonchefy people, like, you're kinda like, oh, I don't know. There's a little fat there, but then it looks like there's this Potted meat, which could be good, but I don't know. But once you, like, get turned on to that, it's like crack. Right? You just love it so much.

Stephanie Hansen [00:06:55]:

And I never felt like I could ever cook it, and I totally feel like I can do this recipe, and I'm gonna do it for Christmastime.

Nick Peloquin [00:07:04]:

Nice. Yeah. It's perfect. Like, gifting.

Stephanie Hansen [00:07:07]:

Yeah. And it, like, stays forever.

Nick Peloquin [00:07:09]:

I'm I wouldn't say forever. But yeah. We lead legally, we can't. It seems a lot more intimidating than it actually is. You know? It's it's almost more similar to a braise. You know? It's it's like a comb keying technique. Right? So it's just Meat, salt, and fat for a long time. You know? And and so it seems like it there's a big skill gap there, but it's it's It's very approachable.

Nick Peloquin [00:07:33]:

You know?

Stephanie Hansen [00:07:33]:

I loved it. One other recipe that made it in the book that's, like, a 6 pager that I had In my book, and then I took it out because I felt like I was posing and I wasn't the right person to put that in my book, And you guys were, was this whole, like, sourdough concept. Oh. Tell me about yeah. So tell me about why you felt like You wanted to devote time in your cookbook to sourdough when so many people have, like, written bread books and all of that.

Greg Conley [00:08:05]:

Yeah. Absolutely. And there are I think I even say in the Recipe that there are so many more comprehensive, probably better versions, than than my version of bread. But I think the whole idea of Putting that in there was initially, when we started writing the book, we had the idea of Calling it preservation because so many of the things that we're doing are not only, preserving food, well, you know, so it doesn't spoil or so it will last longer, or preserving yourself through the long winter months. So a breadwinner rec

Welcome to another episode of the Makers of Minnesota podcast, where we introduce you to cool people doing cool things. Today, we have a special guest, Josie Boyle, from Mousse Sparkling Wine Company based in Jordan, Minnesota. Josie shares her journey of working in the wine industry for over 15 years, including her experience at a Michigan winery specializing in sparkling wines. Discover how her passion for sparkling wine and her desire to work with Minnesota-grown grapes led her to establish Mousse Sparkling Wine Company. Josie also talks about the unique concept of their tasting room, which offers sparkling wine and cider. She explains the importance of the acidity in Minnesota grapes and how it complements the bubbles in sparkling wine. Lastly, Josie introduces their delightful advent calendar, aptly called the "12 Days of Bubbly," which allows customers to enjoy a variety of sparkling wines and ciders throughout the holiday season. Prepare to be inspired and uplifted by Josie's story and the beautiful wines and ciders she makes at Mousse Sparkling Wine Company.

FULL TEXT OF THE PODCAST FOLLOWS:

Stephanie [00:00:12]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Makers of Minnesota podcast. I'm Stephanie Hanson. I'm your host today. And on this podcast, we talk to cool people doing cool things, and something popped up in my feed this week. And it was a company I had never heard of, And it makes something that is one of my favorite things. So I was like, hey. I need to talk to these people. I am here today with Josie Boyle, and she is with Moose Sparkling Wine Company.

Stephanie [00:00:38]:

And, Josie, you are in Jordan, Minnesota. And how did I just find out about you today?

Josie Boyle [00:00:47]:

You know, we're a a pretty small winery. We've been open for about 3 years, little over 3 years. And, I don't know. I guess, we just need to get on more people's radars.

Stephanie [00:00:59]:

Yeah. Because you are doing 2 of my favorite things. You're doing cider. That's my 3 of my favorite things. Hard cider, sparkling wine, and using all Minnesota grown grapes.

Josie Boyle [00:01:11]:

Yes. Yep. Exactly. So, well, where should I begin?

Stephanie [00:01:17]:

All of it. Tell me.

Josie Boyle [00:01:21]:

Yeah. The the sparkling wine really came about, because I well, I've been working in the industry for about 15 years. And, I got my start, early on. I worked in Michigan at Mabee Vineyards, which only makes sparkling wines. So I worked there a few years, and, you know, that's where I learned the Process of making sparkling wines and, you know, all of that, because it is very technical. It uses different equipment. You know, when you add bubbles to a liquid and try to package it, A lot of things can go wrong, and there's a lot a lot of factors to consider. So, so that's why, you know, most wineries Don't also do sparkling wine.

Josie Boyle [00:02:16]:

It's it's a very specialized, type of winemaking. So, so I I worked at Mobby for a few years, and then I got homesick and moved back to Minnesota where I grew up. And this this was my dream to open Moose one day. So

Stephanie [00:02:33]:

So tell me about your, do we call it a a tasting room? Because we don't because you're doing cider too. So it's not are you a citery? Are you a tasting room?

Josie Boyle [00:02:45]:

Are you all the above? Kind of all the above. Yeah. I we're a tasting room. Yeah. But one one thing that's different about us also than other wineries is that we're actually right downtown Jordan. We don't grow any of the grapes ourselves. We we buy from local growers around Minnesota. But you're not gonna come to us and and frolic among the vineyards, because we're we're just right in downtown.

Josie Boyle [00:03:15]:

And that's kind of the feel that I wanted, to well, to convey sort of, we're more like a wine bar, kind of feeling. And we have a nice patio outside too, so it's beautiful, you know, on the nice nice summer days.

Stephanie [00:03:32]:

When you look at a state like Michigan, the terroir is somewhat similar to a Minnesota climate and Topography. So do your tastes run more towards those types of grapes? And Those types of grapes, I think, tend I don't know a ton, but I know a tiny bit, tend to be sweeter and maybe lend themselves more to a sparkling situation.

Josie Boyle [00:04:00]:

Well, it's really it's really more of In Michigan, we were using, mostly European varieties. The Traverse City area is right on Lake Michigan, so, you get the lake effect. They don't get quite as cold in the winter. So they can grow varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, And even, like, some Merlot. But So I was really using the European varieties. What drew me to Minnesota varieties and, like, coming back to Minnesota to to make wine was really because our grape varieties here, have higher acid. And the higher acid is can be really hard to deal with. And, you know, you you can struggle to make, like, a nice Dry wine when the acid is really high.

Josie Boyle [00:05:02]:

But in sparkling wines, You actually want a little bit higher acid because that acid will balance the bubbles really nicely. Like, bubbles and acid go go well together, in a wine. So so when I moved back to Minnesota, that's why, you know, another aspect of, like, making wine in Minnesota, I really really wanted to make sparkling wines because of just the the chemistry of our our grapes here.

Stephanie [00:05:32]:

So one thing that attracted me to you was this press release I got. I'm somewhat obsessed with advent calendars. I don't know why, but I just feel like they're so fun. And you have an advent calendar that really incorporates all of your products. Can you tell us about it? Because it's so cute.

Josie Boyle [00:05:52]:

Yes. So, so this this is a lot of fun. Like I said, we've been open for A little over 3 years, and we've actually done an advent calendar every year since the beginning. And I have I you You know, if you're watching the Zoom, we have an example from last year. This is last year's, box, but it comes in a little, like, fun gift box. But the idea is what we call it 12 days of bubbly. And it's it's a case of half bottles. And, basically, it's kind of it's a range of all of our sparkling wines and ciders that we make throughout the year.

Josie Boyle [00:06:30]:

So, you know, since last, basically, December or January, I've been putting bottling and putting away Half bottles for our 12 days of bubbly advent calendar, that we're gonna be releasing here, in November. But yeah. It's just it's a lot of fun. It's just a way to try a bunch of different types of sparkling wines that we make. Because since since we specialize in sparkling wines, we do, you know, Everything from maitre d' champenoise or the champagne method where it's bottled, fermented, and aged. We do Prosecco style wines. So those are tank fermented to create the bubbles. And then we also do some forced carbonated wines as well.

Josie Boyle [00:07:19]:

So and then we have a a hard cider in there. So yeah. It's, you know, people love it. It's it's fun to, like, open each line every day or every other day and, Get it get something new to try.

Stephanie [00:07:35]:

It's so smart too because, like, I don't know. Gimmicks work. Right? Like, I've never heard of you guys, and I was like, b, This headline color is real cute. B, it's a local company that I've never heard of, and they're making my favorite product. How did this happen? So when you look at your how did you get the marketing idea? Just

Josie Boyle [00:07:56]:

Well, just, You know, since I love advent calendars too, like you know? And and you have the Costco wine advent calendar that's super popular. And, you know, all kinds of things. You can get one for perfume and chocolate and and everything. And, you know, even as a kid, when you're You're opening the little door to get a little toy or whatever. I mean, everybody loves advent calendars. So it was just, Something that I I, yeah, thought of that 1st year and and, you know, I just I I love making them, and I it's it's fun to to release them every every holiday season.

Stephanie [00:08:35]:

Yeah. I think that's why I like it too because it As an adult, the holidays become sort of joyless sometimes. Like, it's more about, like, you gotta buy all these gifts, and you're trying to pack all the family stuff in and spend time with everybody. And I feel like the Advent Calendar is just like A small moment of your day that just gives you that little joy of surprise and delight that is really what the holidays are about. And when you're adult, you miss that a lot.

Josie Boyle [00:09:05]:

Right. Exactly. Yeah. It it the holidays, like, as an adult, they they can fly by so fast. And it's it is a time of joy. And like, it can be a time of just having having fun in it and enjoying the snow and enjoying the cold and cozying up inside. So it's, yeah, it's nice to have something to look forward to. You know? At the end of the day, you can open your your bottle of wine.

Josie Boyle [00:09:29]:

And and it's not a full bottle, so, you know, it I feel like the half bottles are a manageable size. So even if you're, like, by yourself Or, you know, you have a your husband and a wife or partner or friend or whoever you can, like, share it with, and, it's not overwhelming. It it's not an overwhelming amount of wine. Right.

Stephanie [00:09:50]:

Okay. So let's pretend that you are working for the Travel Bureau of Jordan, Minnesota. And you're gonna try to, like, create a fun day or outing for us to come to Jordan. If it was you and you were with a gal pal or your spouse or whatever, what would be, like, a fun

Welcome to another episode of Makers of Minnesota! In today's episode, our host, Stephanie, sits down with the talented Tim Mulligan, author of the book "A Perfect Ten Party Edition." Tim's book is filled with 70 recipes that are perfect for hosting parties and making them a breeze. From delicious drinks and great recipes to fun games, Tim's cookbook is a must-have for anyone who loves entertaining. Join us as Stephanie and Tim discuss his inspiration for writing the book, his love for Palm Springs parties, and some of the most requested recipes from his collection. Prepare for a fun and informative episode that will inspire you to throw unforgettable parties. Let's dive in!

FULL TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS:

Stephanie [00:00:15]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to dishing with Stephanie's dish, the podcast where we talk to people in the food space many times Cookbook authors, and today, we have Tim Mulligan with us, and he is the author of a book called A Perfect ten Party edition. There's 70 recipes for making hosting parties a breeze. Tim, you look really fun.

Tim Mulligan [00:00:38]:

Well, thank you. I try try. Thanks.

Stephanie [00:00:42]:

Absolutely. No. You have, like, this whole book full of Fun party ideas, drinks, great recipes, suggestions. You even got some games. I just really thought this cookbook was a gas.

Tim Mulligan [00:00:56]:

Good. I'm glad.

Stephanie [00:00:58]:

Where are you from?

Tim Mulligan [00:01:00]:

I I live in Palm Springs, California. I I I work during the day in LA, so I'm kinda I'm pretty all over much all over Southern California, new bit. My home base is Palm Springs.

Stephanie [00:01:09]:

Okay. That's pretty awesome because Palm Springs has a lot of great parties.

Tim Mulligan [00:01:13]:

I I hope so. I I like to throw I like to throw a lot of them. So yeah.

Stephanie [00:01:17]:

Do you live in one of those cool Palm Spring houses in the movie district?

Tim Mulligan [00:01:21]:

It's close. It's, you know, I I love you know, we all have pools and, you know, live live live the life here. So, yes, definitely.

Stephanie [00:01:29]:

Yeah. All the beautiful houses and in case you don't know, I think my favorite story about Palm Springs and maybe you can confirm or deny is that The reason that so many celebrities lived there was because they were exactly, like, a 120 miles or whatever the distance was outside of Los Angeles, And the newspapers that paid their stipends for their entertaining didn't go as far as Palm Springs. So all the movie stars figured that out, and they could live a life without the pap paparazzi in Palm Springs.

Tim Mulligan [00:02:04]:

Yeah. I heard that. And they I mean, because you mentioned the radius in the distance, it wasn't too far that it was still within their contract. And so it just became like a a a a refuge and hideaway for the for the Hollywood set.

Stephanie [00:02:15]:

Yes.

Tim Mulligan [00:02:15]:

And it's you know, it still feels like it's timeless. It still still feels like the fifties, sixties here. You know? So it's it's it's understandable why it was so appealing. You know?

Stephanie [00:02:24]:

What was your history in terms of why you wanted to write a book, not only with just recipes, but kinda organized by themes and parties?

Tim Mulligan [00:02:34]:

Yeah. I mean, I've been, I've been cooking for years, not professionally trained. I did start my To my my working world career in hospitality, managing restaurants, bars, waiting tables, and and, And taking many courses and certifications over the years, I've never been a trained chef. I really am a a home cook. But, you know, during I I would say and and I worked during the day. I'm a I'm a lawyer. I'm a human resources officer, and I have been doing that for decades. But during it was COVID, you know, unfortunately, it was such a such a bad I am bit but, you know, if anything good came out of it, for me, it was the the the quarantining process and being, you know, Stuck in this house, I tried to use this as a positive way and say, what have I always wanted to do? You know? And cross off my bucket list.

Tim Mulligan [00:03:19]:

And for me, there's 2 things really. 1 was to write a Play. I love plays. So I spent the 1st year 2020 knocking out a play. I did it. That play got published. It's going to New York in April. That was an amazing thing.

Stephanie [00:03:31]:

That's so excellent.

Tim Mulligan [00:03:32]:

Yeah. Yeah. And then the second thing was I wanted to write a cookbook. You know, I, I really, I I've been I've been cooking forever like I said. I wanted to share with the world My favorite recipes that I've curated over the years. I'm a collector. I'm a curator. Some of these are recipes I've had since I was a kid.

Tim Mulligan [00:03:48]:

Others I've, you know, collected along the way. And these are recipes that I have made, countless numbers of times over the years, over the decades. I've tweaked the recipes. I've made them work for me, And I I really thought it'd be great to share that with the world and also write write a cookbook that was for, people like me who are busy, you know, who are who work maybe work all day or raise a family. I I had 2 kids. And, and and so that was the idea behind the cookbook. So I've I've that was my 1st cookbook. So that came out in 2020, 2 last year, and it was called a perfect ten.

Tim Mulligan [00:04:20]:

And to answer your question, I I'm an organized person. I like top 10 lists. So I decided that, you know, a good way to share my recipes was just to list them. And and so I wanted to write a book that so if you get if you are told You're going to a dinner at someone's house or enter they say you say, what can you bring? And they tell you, bring a, salad or bring a side dish or bring a dessert, a big entree, and then you kinda freak out to get, oh my god. What am I gonna make? I wanted to just provide a a a playbook. You can pull it out, and And so there's 7 meal periods. Everything from breakfast to salads to vegetable sides to entrees to dinners, Desserts that and it's my 10 kind of favorite easy go to recipes that I have, you know, are trying and tested and true in in my world. And that was the idea behind the 1st cookbook.

Tim Mulligan [00:05:07]:

And so that came out last year, and it just the response was really great. And I started a blog. I started blogging every week recipes and cooking, and And next thing you knew, I someone who had never even touched Instagram, now I have 18,000 followers, you know, so I I thought, well, I better write another one, you know, while I Well, I can. So as a follow-up, I I wanted to share another passion of mine, which is organizing, hosting, and throwing amazing parties. I've been doing that as long as I can remember. So I kept I kept the the perfect 10 idea going, and it's and I did instead of 7 milk periods, I did 7 types of parties. So I spent this year throwing these parties and and taking pictures and documenting and creating playbooks for what games could I throw at each party. And then I did a top ten list of everything from drinks to food to desserts, a couple of each for each type of party that you so if you're throwing any sort of party, you can pull this book out.

Tim Mulligan [00:06:01]:

You can make the whole recipe, the whole menu, all 10 of them. You can pick and choose. It's kind of a choose your own adventure for throwing a a party of any size.

Stephanie [00:06:09]:

I really liked the way that you organized it. It felt very, natural. And When you looked at each party, you know, there was kind of drinks for that party, apps for that party, mains for that party, sides for that party, and All of your recipes I think why this book probably did appeal to me right away is it felt like I'm a home cook too, and I also wrote a cookbook. And it felt kinda like the same philosophy of why I did it and why I wanted to do it. I'm a cabin entertainer, so I wrote a book about being at the cabin.

Tim Mulligan [00:06:42]:

Fun. Yeah.

Stephanie [00:06:43]:

And, you know, always being at the cabin's a party, and so it's somewhat similar. I really, appreciated too that your parties were kind of different. So a pool party is something that is probably something that they do a lot in Palm Springs. We don't see as much of that here. I like that you had an award show party because I think those are super fun. What are some of your, like, most requested recipes in this book that people are just loving?

Tim Mulligan [00:07:11]:

Well, a great question. I'd say for me, you know, I I do live in Palm Springs, so I'm pretty lucky with the weather. And so, I really chose and when it came down to what kind of parties to highlight, you know, there's there's, you know, unlimited types of parties. I thought about the parties I like to go to and that I throw. So living in Palm Springs, I think I've, I really kinda perfected the the outdoor brunch, you know, the, the pool party, happy hour. So things where I can kinda grab people outside of the weather, and we would in if we have to. But so I think that, For the recipes that people that people have been responding to, I think, you know, the thing about a party, you you'd appreciate this, I think, of writing a party Cookbook, a party menu is a lot different than a dinner, you know, a sit down meal because you have to have things that you can Eat while standing Yes. Better, you know, grab and go, their handhelds.

Tim Mulligan [00:08:05]:

And so it was pretty kinda challenging to say, okay, what are things that I could, yeah, there's 1 sit down. I did a holiday Traditional sit down dinner as wel

Welcome to another episode of Makers of Minnesota! In today's episode, we have a special guest, Mathew Batt, the author of "The Last Supper Club, A Waiters Requiem." We dive into his book, which showcases his experience working at a renowned restaurant that unfortunately closed its doors. Stephanie, our host, chats with Mathew about his background, his time in the restaurant industry, and the memorable characters he encountered along the way.

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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

In this episode, we have the pleasure of sitting down with Chris Montana, the founder of Du Nord Social Spirits. You may remember Chris from our previous interview when his distillery was starting a few years ago. But since then, his journey has been nothing short of remarkable. From surviving the devastating events surrounding the murder of George Floyd to expanding, rebranding, and retooling his business, Chris has experienced a renaissance. Join us as we hear from Chris himself about the evolution of Du Nord Social Spirits and the creation of the Du Nord Foundation. Discover how authenticity and a commitment to social impact have shaped the brand, and get inspired by Chris's candid approach to entrepreneurship. So grab your favorite drink, sit back, and get ready to be inspired by Chris Montana and his incredible journey with Du Nord Social Spirits.

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

Welcome back to another exciting episode of "Makers of Minnesota"! In today's episode, the incredible Amy Theilen joins us to discuss her latest book, "Company: The Radically Casual Art of Cooking for Others." Amy takes us on a journey through her writing process, sharing how the book evolved during the pandemic and the mixed emotions she experienced. Amy reveals her secrets to creating a relaxed and enjoyable gathering with delicious recipes and menu ideas. Plus, we'll explore the unexpected twists and turns of Amy's career, from fine dining line cook to making a name for herself in the culinary world on TV and becoming the author we know today. Get ready to be inspired, entertained, and hungry as we delve into the fascinating world of Amy Theilen on this "Makers of Minnesota" episode!

Preview the book here and join her on October 7 at the Minneapolis Farmers Market and October 9 at Cooks of Crocus Hill.

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

Welcome to another episode of the Makers of Minnesota Podcast! Host Stephanie Hansen sits down with Robert Lillegard, the mastermind behind Duluth's Best Bread, in today's installment. Stephanie recently visited Art in Bayfront Park in Duluth and indulged in some of the incredible breads and pastries. Join them as they dive into the history of Duluth's Best Bread, learn about the baking industry, and explore the unique collaborations they have been working on with local breweries and cideries. Get ready to tantalize your taste buds and discover the secrets behind Duluth's most beloved bakery.

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

Welcome back to another exciting episode of Makers of Minnesota! In today's episode, we dive into the world of pet products and meet a company that is making a splash in the industry. Say hello to Wet Dog, an online retailer that offers high-quality pet products and gives back to dog rescues with every purchase. We'll hear from Heather Johnson, the sales and marketing expert behind Create it's Wet Dog shampoo, as she shares insights into the challenges of the competitive shampoo market and the importance of sourcing ingredients locally. Plus, we'll discover how Wet Dog is expanding its brand and gaining traction in the marketplace. So, grab a comfy spot for you and your furry friend because this episode is all about pampering our pets and celebrating the special bond we share with them. Let's get started with "Wet Dog"!

SHOW TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS:Stephanie [00:00:12]:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to the makers of Minnesota Podcast, where we talked cool people doing cool things and there's nothing cooler than your pets, right? Everybody's crazy about their dogs and their cats. I was just on a trip for 10 days away from my dog, and I got home, and he has not stopped, like, being by my side ever since. I think I'm giving them a complex because I keep leaving. But I am here at Heather Johnson, and she's from the company Create it. She does sales and marketing for a product that specifically for pets called Wet Dog. Hello, Heather. Thanks for joining us.

Heather Johnson [00:00:48]:

Hello. Thank you for having me.

Stephanie [00:00:50]:

So what do you think it is about pets and dogs in particular that we are so obsessed and have to buy, like, all these fancy products for them.

Heather Johnson [00:01:03]:

well, I think it's 1st and foremost the unconditional love. Pets just brings so much joy to us, and we wanna give them everything we can because they're they're just so loving to us, and they really enhance our lives.

Stephanie [00:01:17]:

Don't you think too? Like, I don't know. Maybe it's just because I had a dog for 18 years that died, and then I rescued another dog. And this dog is fairly, I'm just gonna say needy. not in a bad way. He just really likes me and really wants to be with me all the time, and my other dog was a lot more independent. And I also think like COVID, we spent 2 years with our free animals. And in a lot of instances, they were our only people that we interacted with or not people, but they just gave us so much joy during a time. Many of us spent a lot more time outdoors with our pets. It just really feels like coming out of COVID, people's pets mean more to them than ever.

Heather Johnson [00:02:00]:

Yeah. Definitely. I know the you know, you have extra bonding time. You're sitting on the couch. You're watching TV with them. there was a lot more walks going on. just a lot more time to, kind of enrich their lives with our presence as well.

Stephanie [00:02:18]:

Can you tell me a little bit about formulation about wet dog products in particular and why, it's cool that they're made here. I love that that they're made in Minnesota. But what is it like? I I don't even know, like, some people don't even wash their dogs, right? They just either take them to a salon or once a year, they get thrown into the lake?

Heather Johnson [00:02:42]:

Yeah. well, our our pet product is super cool. well, because we have flower power in it. And that just simply is the essence of rescue remedy. So during the bath, people get anxious too because we're not used to bringing our pet to the bathroom. And so they kind of feed off of that. So it's relaxing for both the pet owner and for the pet.

Stephanie [00:03:04]:

And you've got a shampoo, a conditioner. And is there another type of spray too?

Heather Johnson [00:03:09]:

Yep. We have a detangling spray and it's, like, a skin conditioner as well. So it helps for dry itchy or flaky skin.

Stephanie [00:03:17]:

When you have pets, like, how often should you be bathing them?

Heather Johnson [00:03:23]:

well, that's gonna depend upon your pets. Sometimes you have a guy that loves to get outside and roll around in the dirt and mud and just kind of be adventurous. those pets are product is safe to use on them as much as you'd like. because it is all natural. we've taken out all of the parabens sulfates, peanut wheat, gluten, and dye. And, so again, it's safe for your pet to use every day. It has a very high quality of oatmeal protein, so it's excellent for their skin and their coat. and then you could just have a guy that's real, you know, wants to be a laptop. I think at your own discretion, if you notice, like, that wet dog smell, maybe you might want to consider a bath. and those little, you know, we call it a spa day and make it real special for them.

Stephanie [00:04:11]:

Oh, that's cute. I never thought about that giving the old Stanley a spa day, but I suppose why not? Exactly. Is there a competition? Is this a competitive market this product?

Heather Johnson [00:04:24]:

I would say that shampoo in general is kind of competitive. It's kinda hard to, you know, reinvent the wheel for shampooing, so to say, But what really makes us stand out is that our product is a 100% sourced in the United States. as you know, in the United States, we have very standards when it comes to, what goes into products that we use on our body or and or consume. So you're guaranteed that you're gonna have nothing but high quality ingredients, and you're going to be supporting, a

Stephanie [00:04:59]:

family owned business in the United States and in Minnesota. So when you are going into your sales and marketing pitch, like, is it do you try to get this product on, like, you know, more boutique stores, or are you, like, trying to get it into the pet smarts of the world? And how challenging is it for a small business to compete with, you know, some of the bigger guys?

Heather Johnson [00:05:23]:

well, we're we're in the process of of doing a lot of marketing locally, we have partnered with, Jerry SUPERVALU. So we're working in local, family owned businesses at this time. but, yeah, it is a competitive market. And, you know, making yourself stand out is you know, something that you have to work on daily. You have to build trust with the consumer, and you have to back your you have to, you know, every day go out and, and give the best, the best to everybody. Or otherwise, you know, if you lose trust, you're not gonna make it very far.

Stephanie [00:06:01]:

Right. And is there other like product lines or extensions that you guys have explored? Or I love it that you're at Jerry super value. They do a really good job of supporting Minnesota makers. And, they're a great family business as well. But Can you, like, is it hard to get traction, or can you get traction with a couple of products and then expand the line, or is the goal really to just get this these three items in as many stores as possible?

Heather Johnson [00:06:30]:

you know what? We're always looking at growing our brand. we're always looking at, you know, what what do our pets need, you know, things evolve and, and we kind of we want to keep a pulse on the industry so that we can be competitive in the marketplace. So I would say we're always looking to grow. We're always looking to improve our And, you know, with that in mind, you know, we keep our eyes wide open in the industry. So we can, again, be competitive.

Stephanie [00:07:00]:

What's your biggest marketing challenge so far?

Heather Johnson [00:07:04]:

Oh, gosh. Our biggest marketing challenge so far I would say is, just really getting the word out, to all the people, not just in Minnesota, is growing our, our product brand throughout the United States. and by doing that, we have started working with, USA Made products. we're talking right now with the army and the air force reserves to be in their PX stores for American May products, as well as in the New York market. We're in the made in the USA store, which is pretty cool.

Stephanie [00:07:40]:

Yeah. That is cool. when you think about just how different it is like because you're not really marketing to dogs. You're marketing to the families of dogs. Is it women or men or who's your primary target?

Heather Johnson [00:07:55]:

Oh gosh. I think it's pretty equal between, men and women. it you would be surprised when we're at the state fair and that that civilian, that it's across the board. Anybody who loves their pet has a ton of questions for us. They wanna know about our product line, and they will spend 10 more dollars on their pet every single time if it's for the best interest of their pet.

Stephanie [00:08:21]:

Yeah. Probably more than they would spend on themselves in some cases.

Heather Johnson [00:08:26]:

Absolutely. I have definitely seen that.

Stephanie [00:08:29]:

Is the pet pavilion a sales opportunity for you, or do you use it as marketing or both?

Heather Johnson [00:08:35]:

I would say both. We've been, at the Minnesota State Bear since

Stephanie [00:08:40]:

2012.

Heather Johnson [00:08:43]:

we see a lot of repeat people that will come in that have to show us pictures of their pet every year, where they've been with their pet every year. And so the connection with everybody in Minnesota is fantastic. we love getting out and shaking hands and, you know, meeting everybody and hearing their pet stories. And then, of course, we all take the opportunity to sell our product and get it in the hands of, pet parents everywhere so that they can go home and, again, do the spa day with their fur baby.

Stephanie [00:09:13]:

If