makers // Mouth.com

Fishtown Pickle Project
Mouth Team, November 4, 2021

These Philly dwellers are fermentation fanatics. In fact, makers Niki Toscani (a dietician) and Mike Sicinski (a chef) even gave...

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{"id":556356698146,"title":"Fishtown Pickle Project","created_at":"2021-11-04T12:22:28-04:00","body_html":"\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0100\/5392\/files\/Fishtown_240x160_c0911eed-3746-48af-a2d9-8d3cc73ba5a6_480x480.jpg?v=1636042853\" alt=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThese Philly dwellers are fermentation fanatics. In fact, makers Niki Toscani (a dietician) and Mike Sicinski (a chef) even gave out handcrafted pickles as favors during their wedding! \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe enterprising foodies met while teaching healthy cooking classes at their local food bank, where they knew they were destined to become partners in food—and life. Inspired by the creative energy in their neighborhood of Fishtown, they started making and selling pickles as a passion project. With that, a business (and name!) was born. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGuided by a mission to support their local community, protect the environment, and of course, share good food, Niki and Mike partner with various produce wholesalers and farmers in the Philadelphia area, and use all parts of the cucumber in order to minimize their footprint on the environment. All of their pickles are made by hand, purposefully and with great care, using all-natural, high-quality and fresh ingredients to maximize bold taste and crispy crunch.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTake their Zesty Sweet Garlic pickles, the rice wine and apple cider vinegar-cured cukes that actually helped launch the company. Infused with warming spices and citrus zest, they deliciously showcase the pair’s penchant for culinary-inspired flavors that largely skirt tradition. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDuring their rare moments away from work, Niki and Mike are all about traveling for food, drawing inspiration from various cities and cultures to tie back into their ferments. But no matter how far they roam, you can bet their hearts (and business) firmly belong to Fishtown!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":1310142,"author":"Mouth Team","user_id":48867525,"published_at":"2021-11-04T12:22:28-04:00","updated_at":"2021-11-04T12:22:29-04:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"fishtown-pickle-project","tags":"","image":{"created_at":"2021-11-04T12:22:28-04:00","alt":"","width":960,"height":640,"src":"\/\/mouth.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/Fishtown_240x160_c606c185-9ded-4c36-b2b9-1ac1203b855a.jpg?v=1636042949"}}
Normal Ice Cream
Mouth Team, November 4, 2021

Alexa Normin has a normal obsession with ice cream. As in, she’s absolutely over the moon crazy about it. Enough...

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{"id":556356534306,"title":"Normal Ice Cream","created_at":"2021-11-04T11:30:45-04:00","body_html":"\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0100\/5392\/files\/Normal_240x160_b4a02184-4eaa-491a-9e36-4a5da72dbc67_480x480.jpg?v=1636039714\" alt=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAlexa Normin has a normal obsession with ice cream. As in, she’s absolutely over the moon crazy about it. Enough to leave a career creating plated desserts as a pastry chef, in order to fully live that ice cream truck life. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDespite being severely lactose intolerant (ok, maybe that’s a bit off-kilter for an ice cream maker), the Salt Lake City resident debuted Normal Ice Cream in 2017. And it’s a testament to her truly singular flavors—such as Earl Grey, Sweet Corn, and Butter Berry with housemade mallow fluff—as well as the unbridled enthusiasm of her fellow Utahans, that she consistently draws crowds even in a blizzard. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAlexa initially created buzz with “composed” ice cream cones—an elaborately topped tip of the hat to her upscale restaurant days. But she continues to draw raves for her scoops and pints, which reject fake, overpowering extracts and add-ins (save for Fruity Pebbles, which Alexa \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ewon’t\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e apologize for) in favor of natural ingredients, such as local dairy milk, organic produce, and heirloom spices from Spicewalla (another Mouth maker). So far, she’s come up with 80 different flavors in the past two years. Take that, Baskin Robbins!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHer parked silver truck remains a fixture inside historic Trolley Square in downtown SLC, which has since been joined by a dedicated store in the Maven District. As for the rest of us, we’re welcome to join Alexa’s pint club, for regular access to scoops that add a whole new meaning to Normcore.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":1310142,"author":"Mouth Team","user_id":48867525,"published_at":"2021-11-04T11:30:44-04:00","updated_at":"2021-11-04T11:30:45-04:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"normal-ice-cream","tags":"","image":{"created_at":"2021-11-04T11:30:45-04:00","alt":"","width":2563,"height":1709,"src":"\/\/mouth.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/Normal_240x160_a8d6e4fb-e0c3-43d6-9369-28771c81058e.jpg?v=1636039845"}}
Truffleist
Mouth Team, November 4, 2021

Growing up in New York City as the son of an award-winning chef, Jimmy Kunz had the privilege of being...

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{"id":556356501538,"title":"Truffleist","created_at":"2021-11-04T11:26:55-04:00","body_html":"\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0100\/5392\/files\/Truffleist_240x160_44ce3270-53b7-4aea-8389-9d4a5e472b67_480x480.jpg?v=1636039521\" alt=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGrowing up in New York City as the son of an award-winning chef, Jimmy Kunz had the privilege of being exposed to a wealth of diverse culinary influences. And attending the United Nations International School expanded his horizons still further. The ability of cooking to bring people together really imprinted on Jimmy, and he made it his mission to create experiences that allow people to commune over food. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAfter various stints in restaurant kitchens, as the manager of an organic vegetable farm, and working sales and distribution for an artisanal sausage company, Jimmy felt ready to strike out on his own. He had a thing for truffles (who doesn’t, really), and wanted to increase the American consumer’s familiarity with the magical, valuable mushrooms. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAfter developing recipes that made the fancy fungi much more accessible (including the truffle butter he gifted to friends and family over the holidays), Jimmy began to develop a customer base, hand-delivering his products throughout NYC via Vespa, like a modern-day street cart vendor. In 2013, he was able to officially open a production kitchen in Long Island City, Queens, and The Truffleist was born!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBesides selling wholesale and retail, The Truffleist has become a fixture at many of the city’s pop-up and holiday markets, including Madison Square Eats and Gansevoort Market. One of their most sought-after items is the massively popular and insanely indulgent cheesesteak sandwich. But if you can’t make it to NYC, you can always stock up on Jimmy’s truffle-infused products, in order to whip one up at home!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":1310142,"author":"Mouth Team","user_id":48867525,"published_at":"2021-11-04T11:26:55-04:00","updated_at":"2021-11-04T11:26:56-04:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"truffleist","tags":"","image":{"created_at":"2021-11-04T11:26:55-04:00","alt":"","width":1284,"height":856,"src":"\/\/mouth.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/Truffleist_240x160_d5956663-420a-4a58-92ed-3b584b561717.jpg?v=1636039616"}}
Too Haute Cowgirls
Mouth Team, November 4, 2021

Meet the cowgirls! Legend has it that two revolutionary ladies — Amy Kirkpatrick and the belated Deanna Leibl — decided...

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{"id":556356468770,"title":"Too Haute Cowgirls","created_at":"2021-11-04T11:24:07-04:00","body_html":"\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0100\/5392\/files\/TooHauteCowgirls_240x160_43e53fe7-2346-4d35-a06c-832f14f4fcc1_480x480.jpg?v=1636039334\" alt=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMeet the cowgirls! Legend has it that two revolutionary ladies — Amy Kirkpatrick and the belated Deanna Leibl — decided to chase a culinary dream cross country to the mountains of Colorado. Amy got her start as part of the pastry arts program at Escoffier’s Culinary School in Boulder, while Deanna harnessed her creative nature by designing wedding cakes in Aspen.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eLooking to join forces and blaze a new trail, the persevering pair set their sights on popcorn. It certainly seemed like a legit base for a business to Iowa-born Amy, who remembers practically eating popcorn as a meal growing up, while watching Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAnd so, the cowgirls set out to become experts in their field, learning the intricacies of popping corn from Native Americans, and touring through Hershey’s Pennsylvania factory. Because not only is the brand emblematic of their rugged, unstoppable attitude, it represents their haute, epicurean nature, through mix-ins and toppings such as Guittard dark chocolate, sriracha-infused caramel, and hand-harvested fleur de sel. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAmy and Deanna founded Too Haute Cowgirls as a way to take charge of their lives, destinies, and careers, and are determined to use it as a vehicle to empower other women and girls. In order to break down barriers concerning employment and education, Amy continues to support nonprofits that provide job training, skill-building, opportunities and services, through financial gifts, board membership, and volunteerism.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIt’s a way to treat people with kindness, by treating them with popcorn.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":1310142,"author":"Mouth Team","user_id":48867525,"published_at":"2021-11-04T11:24:06-04:00","updated_at":"2021-11-04T11:24:07-04:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"too-haute-cowgirls","tags":"","image":{"created_at":"2021-11-04T11:24:07-04:00","alt":"","width":3024,"height":2016,"src":"\/\/mouth.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/TooHauteCowgirls_240x160_ceeeae9f-79e7-4780-a00e-12933156822a.jpg?v=1636039447"}}
Ash Creek Oregon
Mouth Team, November 4, 2021

They want you to know where the good comes from. And that starts with their name. Ash Creek is all...

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{"id":556356304930,"title":"Ash Creek Oregon","created_at":"2021-11-04T11:20:52-04:00","body_html":"\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0100\/5392\/files\/Ash_Creek_240x160_20e83470-e8d9-4d9a-bbd0-aac897549221_480x480.jpg?v=1636039154\" alt=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThey want you to know where the good comes from. And that starts with their name. Ash Creek is all about paying homage to the eponymous bubbling brook, that’s been a life source of the family farm since original members immigrated from Scotland to Oregon in the 1800’s. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEldon Riddell originally used the land to raise world-class Romney sheep, and was succeeded by his son, David, who transitioned to cultivating grass seed. His daughter Anissa took over, and now the fifth-generation operation is overseen by her son, Dylan Branch, who’s diversified the 5,000 acres of crops to include Red Alder, Black Walnut timber, and most consequentially, orchards full of hazelnuts.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRound, hard-shelled filberts are local to the growing region of Willamette Valley, which boasts some of the world’s most dark and fertile soil. Ash Creek Oregon concentrates on the Jefferson variety, which is especially large in size with a unique flavor profile. Buttery, a little bit smoky and concentrated in flavor, they’re the very essence of what a hazelnut should be.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn honor of the land that’s supported his family for generations, Dylan has committed himself to sustainable practices and environmental stewardship. The company sets large parcels of unused acreage aside for local wildlife such as deer, mountain lions and geese, and plants trees around the edges of their fields to help control erosion and create habitat. Ash Creek Oregon also employs no-till farming methods. Not only does this help preserve the delicate ecosystem, it ensures the microorganisms present in their rich soil are healthy and flourishing, so they can continue producing some of the most incredible hazelnuts possible.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHere’s to a long and prosperous partnership between the Riddell’s and Ash Creek, so we can stay flush with chocolate-covered filberts for centuries to come!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":1310142,"author":"Mouth Team","user_id":48867525,"published_at":"2021-11-04T11:20:51-04:00","updated_at":"2021-11-04T11:20:53-04:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"ash-creek-oregon","tags":"","image":{"created_at":"2021-11-04T11:20:52-04:00","alt":"","width":2250,"height":1500,"src":"\/\/mouth.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/Ash_Creek_240x160_5a4808ef-17fa-47a0-80a1-98269392aaf8.jpg?v=1636039253"}}
Wilder Condiments
Mouth Team, November 3, 2021

This Santa Cruz condiment certainly has beach cred. Not only did maker Isabel Freed hatch the idea for Wilder Condiments...

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{"id":556353749026,"title":"Wilder Condiments","created_at":"2021-11-03T17:12:58-04:00","body_html":"\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0100\/5392\/files\/Wilder_240x160_3f8cff9e-fa37-4ea6-9af8-b437d599ddc8_480x480.jpg?v=1635973896\" alt=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis Santa Cruz condiment certainly has beach cred. Not only did maker Isabel Freed hatch the idea for Wilder Condiments during a surf session, it’s an ode to the coast as a haven of sustainable food systems, rich with natural resources and independent producers. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIsabel grew up in a big family, with the kitchen serving as the central hub of their home life. A foundational love of food inspired her to enter San Fran’s Le Cordon Bleu culinary program after high school, and she developed a passion for canning while working at Pie Ranch, an educational farm that teaches kids how food is grown. She continued her own explorations by turning her backyard into a laboratory, and discovered a particular penchant for mustard making.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShe considers it a great way to get to play with your food, and uses her formal French training and Michelin-starred restaurant experience to put an extra emphasis on flavor. Spiked with lip-tingling ingredients like fresh jalapeno and horseradish root sourced from local farmer’s markets, and infused with golden organic turmeric (not yellow dye), Isabel’s mustards brighten a meal and add a touch of the unexpected to the ordinary. Haute dogs, anyone?\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAnd don’t panic, it’s organic! Underlining Isabel’s mission to deliver fun without all of the funny stuff, her sunny mustards are a cut above your nutritionally-devoid grocery store condiments, being low-calorie, anti-inflammatory and high in antioxidants and vitamins.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThey’re what California dreams are made of. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":1310142,"author":"Mouth Team","user_id":48867525,"published_at":"2021-11-03T17:15:06-04:00","updated_at":"2021-11-03T17:15:06-04:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"wilder-condiments-1","tags":"","image":{"created_at":"2021-11-03T17:14:49-04:00","alt":"","width":1372,"height":914,"src":"\/\/mouth.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/Wilder_240x160_ae67aaf5-7b92-46a9-8ccc-0e6faa64e3ca.jpg?v=1635974090"}}
Small Town Cultures
Mouth Team, November 3, 2021

About a decade ago, Cori Deans was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease—an auto-immune condition that left her chronically ill. After trying...

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{"id":556353683490,"title":"Small Town Cultures","created_at":"2021-11-03T16:59:45-04:00","body_html":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0100\/5392\/files\/SmallTown_240x160_47c77c59-fba3-404d-810f-c5e5a8cd2c4f_480x480.jpg?v=1635973033\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAbout a decade ago, Cori Deans was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease—an auto-immune condition that left her chronically ill. After trying to combat it unsuccessfully with medications that led to even worse side effects, she determined that there had to be a better way.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCori made the decision to completely change her diet, eliminating all sugar, processed foods, and anything that didn’t take its origins from the Earth. In particular, she upped her intake of probiotics, a powerful mixture of beneficial bacteria and yeast that are known to improve gut health.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAnd while she immediately noticed improvements, she also noted a real void of naturally fermented foods in the marketplace. She could never seem to find what she was looking for flavor-wise, that also provided the nutritional and health benefits she was seeking. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThat’s when Cori started experimenting with ferments, using the seasonal and local bounty of her weekly CSA from Juniper Hill farm. The discovery that “if it grows together, it goes together” was especially inspirational when it came to developing flavors, from baby carrots brined with coriander, to a fizzy and spicy mashup of pickled radishes and jalapenos. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSince officially hitting the market in 2017, the woman-owned and family-run company continues to thrive in the High Peaks of the Adirondacks. In fact, Cori was able to make Small Town Cultures her full-time pursuit after a mere month in business, thanks to a regional distributor stumbling upon her products in a local store. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eYet the maker is intent on maintaining her indie cred, overseeing a tiny team of eight in her commercial kitchen in Keene. They fulfill mountains of orders for popular items like Turmeric Kimchi, that increase immunity and benefit gut health, while really delivering on texture and taste. Small town, big ideas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":1310142,"author":"Mouth Team","user_id":48867525,"published_at":"2021-11-03T16:59:56-04:00","updated_at":"2021-11-03T16:59:56-04:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"small-town-cultures","tags":"","image":{"created_at":"2021-11-03T16:59:45-04:00","alt":"","width":669,"height":446,"src":"\/\/mouth.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/SmallTown_240x160_33678e76-b532-492d-9e0e-37d0688918d1.jpg?v=1635973186"}}
Yes Cocktail
Mouth Team, November 3, 2021

Brandon Alpert and Lauren Butler took their passion for cocktails and travel, and united them together in an improbable way....

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{"id":556353585186,"title":"Yes Cocktail","created_at":"2021-11-03T16:43:59-04:00","body_html":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0100\/5392\/files\/YesCocktail_240x160_b70a3136-5954-495f-bdf1-77d01e54d599_480x480.jpg?v=1635972066\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrandon Alpert and Lauren Butler took their passion for cocktails and travel, and united them together in an improbable way.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIt all started with an international children’s theatre tour that took them around the world as actors, educators and directors. During their downtime, they made a point of experiencing each city’s best bars, gold standard cocktails, and signature spirits, from bourbon in Kentucky to Danish aquavit.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eUpon finally returning home, however, they found it difficult to assemble drinks of the same quality to what they’d so eagerly enjoyed. Sure, it was easy enough to procure craft spirits, but the various mixers and syrups required to transform them into a world-class cocktail consistently missed the mark. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAnd so they began making their own, such as blood orange and chili pepper mixers, and charred oak and maple syrup. Each showcases the wealth of produce available near their home in Paso Robles, California, but is inspired by their international and state-wide travels. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFree of artificial ingredients, preservatives, and high fructose corn syrup, the products embody the rule of saying “yes” that’s so essential in theatre and improv. Yes to new flavors, yes to experiences, and yes to incredible cocktails!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":1310142,"author":"Mouth Team","user_id":48867525,"published_at":"2021-11-03T16:45:00-04:00","updated_at":"2021-11-03T16:45:00-04:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"yes-cocktail","tags":"","image":{"created_at":"2021-11-03T16:44:00-04:00","alt":"","width":976,"height":651,"src":"\/\/mouth.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/YesCocktail_240x160_5d126125-f7e3-48cf-a699-e2a7c3819426.jpg?v=1635972240"}}
Markham & Fitz
Mouth Team, November 3, 2021

Lauren Blanco and Preston Stewart founded Markham & Fitz in 2014, when they pooled together their savings to purchase their...

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{"id":556353486882,"title":"Markham \u0026 Fitz","created_at":"2021-11-03T16:37:44-04:00","body_html":"\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0100\/5392\/files\/MarkhamandFitz_240x160_d74a86bd-675b-4958-997b-4390ed0ec4d0_480x480.jpg?v=1635971636\" alt=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eLauren Blanco and Preston Stewart founded Markham \u0026amp; Fitz in 2014, when they pooled together their savings to purchase their very first pieces of chocolate making equipment. Why were the University of Arkansas alumni so keen on cocoa? Lauren worked in grassroots economic development in war torn countries for 5 years, where she encountered her first cacao farm. Determined to use business as a force of good and make a positive difference in the cacao supply chain, she teamed up with Preston, whose background in chemistry and fascination with food science established him as the company’s master of flavor creation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eLauren currently serves as CEO and sole proprietor, but the mission that originally guided Markham \u0026amp; Fitz (not to mention its signature forward-thinking flavor combos) more than lives on. In order to source their single-origin cacao as sustainably and ethically as possible, the maker works closely with cocoa farms such as Oko Caribe in the Dominican Republic, which provides technical training, organic certification, and finance and personal loans for its network of 165 farmers. There’s also La Colonia in Nicaragua, which enabled the community use profits from cocoa sales to wire local electricity and open their first internet café, and PISA in Haiti, which uses private sector innovation to partner with smallholder farmers, and offer them pricing transparency, a consistent market, and an elimination of risk. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWith every bite of their bars crafted from sky-high percentages of highest quality chocolate, and riddled with alluring additions like black salt, lavender, pumpkin seeds and acai, you can help honor the invisible woven network of people and plants that sustain both livelihoods and lives. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe more you cocoa.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":1310142,"author":"Mouth Team","user_id":48867525,"published_at":"2021-11-03T16:38:15-04:00","updated_at":"2021-11-03T16:38:15-04:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"markham-fitz","tags":"","image":{"created_at":"2021-11-03T16:37:44-04:00","alt":"","width":540,"height":360,"src":"\/\/mouth.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/MarkhamandFitz_240x160_8525fb80-4eaf-44db-afc1-20c244edda55.jpg?v=1635971864"}}
Coro Foods
Mouth Team, November 3, 2021

Clara Veniard and Martinique Grigg are moms, makers, and longtime friends—not to mention CEOs of the country’s only woman-owned certified...

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{"id":556353454114,"title":"Coro Foods","created_at":"2021-11-03T16:27:25-04:00","body_html":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0100\/5392\/files\/COROFoods_0720_Portraits-3745_480x480.jpg?v=1635868914\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eClara Veniard and Martinique Grigg are moms, makers, and longtime friends—not to mention CEOs of the country’s only woman-owned certified salami company. After taking time off from high-powered positions to care for their children (Martinique was CEO of the Mountaineers, while Clara led customer acquisition and engagement at Amazon Family), the pair decided to re-enter the workforce in a major way. Building on their obvious business acumen and passion for food, they purchased Salumi, a 20-year-old cured meats producer and Seattle institution. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBut they didn’t jump in blindly—Martinique and Clara spent a year apprenticing to learn the craft of charcuterie, as well as Salumi’s tried-and-true recipes and traditional processes. And while they’ve taken pains to give patrons the same experience, level of quality, and products they came to love over the course of two decades, they also refuse to stay frozen in place. That’s why they’re constantly introducing unexpected and exciting flavors, such as lemongrass, mole and curry. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThey also place a greater emphasis on sustainability, by using all-natural ingredients, locally-sourced spices, and humanely-treated, vegetarian-fed, antibiotic-free pork. They’ve added an uncured nitrate and nitrite-free product line, moved to easy-to-eat casings with no peeling required, and developed their own, unique slow-aging process, because why rush a great thing?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis marriage of old world and new is perfectly embodied by the company’s name Coro—Italian for chorus—since it speaks to a blend of influences, a harmony of flavors, and the act of sharing talents to work towards a common goal. It’s like a symphony of salami.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":1310142,"author":"Mouth Team","user_id":48867525,"published_at":"2021-11-03T16:28:16-04:00","updated_at":"2021-11-03T16:28:16-04:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"coro-foods","tags":"","image":{"created_at":"2021-11-03T16:27:25-04:00","alt":"","width":3000,"height":2003,"src":"\/\/mouth.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/COROFoods_0720_Portraits-3745.jpg?v=1635971246"}}
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