Bare it all Wednesday featuring Kitchen Stories

Meet Deirdre with Kitchen Stories.

Where are you originally from?
I'm from Montreal, Quebec Canada, I speak English and French and both of my parents are immigrants from Ireland, Mom, County Mayo and Dad, Dublin. My Mother cooked every single night, used only pure and natural ingredients and everything she made was absolutely delicious so, I suspect she is the culprit behind my desire for great flavour and interest in cooking.


What's the inspiration behind your shop?
Good flavor doesn't have to come from a box. It's about going back to the very basics without all of the preservatives. Many people assume that they are eating healthy foods because they are preparing them from scratch but when they open up a packet or box of seasonings, it's not quite scratch anymore and just look at the list of ingredients! This isn't so natural anymore, is it.


How did you get started creating spice blends?
Upon arriving in Minnesota, from a Canadian's perspective, I thought I could introduce these folks to good food, easy and simple preperations using fresh (dried) herbs and blends. I spent my savings on a brick and mortar shop I called Oregano --I was a shopkeep and I absolutely loved it and my guests were very enthusiastic about my product line, home decor items and antiques but, just not enough to pay the rent and still keep my shelves stocked. I closed it in 2006 --it was a dark day : (


What is your favorite spice blend that you make, and what do you use it on?
I love all of my spice blends quite equally but being in love with the idea of other people loving my products, I have go with Ultimate Steak. I introduced this spice blend to my husband and now, he cannot live without it. It's on his Steak, it's in his burgers, it's even on his potatoes! Imagine the canister stuck inside the palm of his hand... He loves it, period and since it makes him so happy, it makes me happy. Boy, that was a corny answer.

What's a good spice or blend that is hot-spicy but mild enough for those who don't really love hot-spicy, like a good introductory spice to hot spices?
I love heat but too much is hard to handle! I make a lot of Stir Fries and sprinkle in a little hot curry powder, Tumeric or Garam Masal. Just a little goes a long way and it doesn't impart an Indian meal necessarily. It just provides another layer of flavour and heat. If you're not too keen on that, I love my Spicy Southwestern which I sprinkle all over a Chicken then bake it. It's similar to Old Bay but with a little zip or shall I say Ooh La La !

Do you have other Etsy Shops?
My first stint on etsy (and partially still is) is with Costello's


Go shopping today! You will LOVE the wide assortment of spices and mixes that Kitchen Stories offers!

Featuring Sweet Lollipop Shop

This week we would like to feature Louise from Sweet Lollipop Shop!

The Sweet Lollipop specialize in custom hand poured lollipops and favors for all occasions, including crystal barley hard candy lollipops in hundreds of shapes and delicious flavors.

With over 300 different themed hard candy molds in stock and over 30 current flavors in stock, there is something for everyone and every theme imaginable and we specialize in customized orders, including weddings, birthdays, baby showers, Christmas, Easter and so much more.
Can you explain exactly WHAT is Barley Candy? How did you get started making it?

I stumbled into making barley pops almost by accident after a friend suggested I begin selling the candy I made for family and friends parties as gifts because she thought people would go crazy for it. I mostly made chocolate but was experimenting with other styles of candy including gummies and hard candy and developed a passion over time for making traditional style barley candy because of their natural ingredients, taste and how pretty they looked.

Barley candy is a traditional British boiled sweet style candy that became very popular in the early 1900's (although has been around much longer) and was used to create 3D toy candies and was also given to relieve sore throats and upset stomachs. Whereas it used to be made using cane sugar and cream of tartar, the cream of tartar is now not used and instead corn syrup is used which helps to stabilize the candy mixture and also extends it's shelf life.

My own recipe is a tweaked and modified family recipe from back home in the UK and I do not use HFCS as I wanted to keep the ingredients as natural and as healthy as possible and also keep the sweetness of the candy as natural and subtle as possible, which is how barley candy is supposed to taste.

Tell us how long you have been in New Hampshire and what brought you there from the UK? And...would love to know about your family!
I have lived in NH now for almost 4 years, but I've been away from the UK now for about 12 years. My husband is what brought me to the US, he's a NH native, I have 4 children, ages 19, 18, 16, and 9.
What do you miss most about the UK? what do you like the best about New Hampshire?

I miss my dad the most, although we've never been really close he's always been there if I've needed him. I also miss where I used to live in Paignton, Devon, minutes walk from the beach and the local zoo where I volunteered and dressed in a funny lion costume to entertain children! I also definitely miss the food, cheese and onion pies, chips, mushy peas and gravy used to be one of my favorite treats.

My favorite thing about NH is definitely how beautiful and peaceful it is, I can drive in any direction and be surrounded by trees and mountains and natural beauty and I can look up at the sky and see the stars on a clear night without the glare of city lights spoiling the view.

Thanks for letting us get to know you!

Check out Sweet Lollipops SHOP and her BLOG!

Introducing Patty!

Patty is one of our original Team EEAT members! She has two amazing shops on Etsy.

Cakes by SugarPlums and
SugarPlums Cupcakery

We asked questions...she answered! Let's get to know a little bit more about Patty!

Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge Cheesecake Cake
HIGHLY recommended by me!

What's your baking story? How did you get into making such yummy treats?

My baking story STARTS with my father. He was the Head Chef on a Submarine during WWII and when he left the Navy..he opened a bakery in San Diego where we lived. (I was not there yet..LOL). When I was born...he was only baking at home...but he taught me everything I know...well mostly. He makes the finest pie crusts...cakes, cookies..(my mom baked too...it was almost a competition). I am an only child (spoiled yes!) and every holiday we entertained at least 30 so I "got" to help bake! When I finished college and married...AND had 6 children...I had NO CHOICE but to bake my own goodies (they didn't like to help)...but it was my passion by then...and even though I worked as a paralegal full time also....I found it my "reprieve" from a hard day at the office.

I have been baking for others (weddings, birthdays, events, etc) from my home for about 15 years. About 4 years ago I had the opportunity to study alongside one of our towns best Culinary chefs...so....my passion expanded. STILL LEARNING THOUGH!!!! Then...my girlfriend suggested I do "Etsy"....and thus, the story ends to date!

What do you consider to be your signature item or the first item that "got the ball rolling"?

The SugarPlums BerriLiciious Cake!!!! It is a cream cheese based pound cake that I worked with for a month or so to find the right combination. I got the idea to "fill it" and tried MANY different fillings finding that the combination of fruits made into a simple syrup and then adding fresh fruit to it really complimented the cake. I delivered a few "samples" to my dr.....my daughter's workplace...and others...and soon everyone was asking if I could make one for them.



What is your fave kind of music and/or group :) ? If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? What is your favorite creation?

I actually LOVE LOVE LOVE the TransSiberian Orchestra...and listen whenever I can. Actually, at the risk of being tagged a "nerd"....my minor in college was Music. I played violin with the San Diego Symphony for a few years. (now you all know my deepest secret..LOL). I toured Europe many years ago with the orchestra and my fav place of all time was Italy...so I think I would love to live there. My favorite creation..hmmmm....a Topsy Turvy wedding cake I did with a Las Vegas Theme...each layer was a different flavor...but the decoration...wow!




So RUN, don't walk over to Patty's shops! She is participating in our April National Food Month Sale!

Bare it all with BearsBakedGoods!

It's time to feature another of our wonderful Team Members!

Today it is Vanessa with BearsBakedGoods.



Tell us about YOU! Your family, your hobbies, interests, etc!

I am Scottish (father) and Romanian (mum). Live in Arizona with my wonderful Husband Emil who is going to school for web design (should be done in a year or so) No kids yet but hopefully someday soon. I have been married for five years. Been cooking since I was 7 and baking since I was 9. I find it super relaxing. I am also a freelance graphic designer. I do print design and web graphics. I hope to someday hand over the reigns so to speak for my http://www.bearcengic.etsy.com site to my hubby so I can focus 100% on the baking. I love chocolate, tea, pims(orange and raspberry) anything sweet really. Trying to do a low carb diet (but being a baker and doing low carb is soooo hard!!) I have a little dog named Flora :) She is a Jack Russell and Maltese mix. I love gardening except when I have to prune my roses (ouch!) I love to travel and some of my favorite places to go are: California(San Diego), Oregon(Beaverton), and Arizona(Pinetop Lakeside.. the white mountains) So that’s about me :D


Tell us about your "signature" product and why you chose it.
My signature product is my Scottish Shortbread http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=18776592 . I decided on that as I am Scottish and it’s a tradition in my family to make them several times a year. So I figured I would make them all year. We like them with tea and maybe a bit of jam.

How do you create your recipes?
I create my recipes through much trial and error. My husband is my guinea pig ha ha and so is my super honest(sometimes too much) mum. I also take recipes that my family has been using forever and make slight changes to them and make them my own.

I have personally tasted Vanessa's creations and they were Amazing! The Cheesecake Brownies (pictured above) are thick, moist, and full of flavor. The snickerdoodles were honestly the best we've ever tasted. Yum! Go orders some now!

Featuring Dave's Homeroast Coffee!

Welcome to one of our newest members, Dave of Dave's HomeRoast Coffee.

We asked Dave some questions, and here is a little about him and his company!

From Dave's shop announcement:
Dave's Homeroast is a better way to enjoy coffee. It's better because it's fresh - I roast to order. It's better because I ship free. Most importantly, it's better because it directly benefits charity.

100% of the money you spend benefits Batten Disease Support and Research Association. I donate my costs, including raw materials and shipping. Batten disease is a rare, terminal illness which afflicts one of my sons, Clifford.

More information on Batten disease can be found on the Internet, at www.bdsra.org.


Tell us how you came to be in the coffee business. Why coffee? Where do you get your flavor ideas? How did you first hear about Etsy?

My coffee is too good not to share and too valuable to give away. Having an online component makes it convenient for anyone to buy it, whether they know me or not. The goal wasn't to go nationwide so much as it was to offer convenience.

My main supplier is www.sweetmarias.com, but there are a number of other places that sell to homeroasters. I try to have on hand some from Central/South America and some from the Indonesian region (Sumatra/Sulawesi) - different people have different tastes. And I try to have some I want to try myself. I throw it all up there and see what sells.

I have long been interested in improving my coffee experience, from the first time I got a grinder and some beans as a gift in the early 1990's. I've gone through various kinds of beans, a lot of Eight O'Clock and Dunkin' Donuts, before a friend at church said, "Boy, my neighborhood smells great - the guy next door roasts his own coffee in his garage." I decided to get more information about it, both online and through a book ("Home Coffee Roasting: Romance and Revival" by Ken Davids). By the time I finished my research, I had determined 1) I want to try this; 2) which method to use. There are many, many ways to do this, most of which involve being creative and handy. I use an oven, placing the beans on a perforated cookie sheet. This allows me to roast one pound at a time without buying and/or modifying equipment.

A former co-worker is an Etsy merchant, selling scarves and the like. Once I learned I could sell food items on Etsy, I decided to give it a go!


What do you do for a living outside of Etsy?
Right now I am a reporter covering politics and government in Illinois. I work for a service whose clients are a little more than fifty radio stations that use us as their "Capitol bureau." Most of my career I was on in the early morning as a news anchor and am now getting used to sleeping in. In my current job, which I've had for two years, the hours almost entirely depend on what the state legislature is doing. The days they are in session can be very busy. But they are not in session every day.




You mention that your proceeds to the Batten Disease Support and Research. What is Batten Disease?
Batten disease (www.bdsra.org) has a longer name for which NCL is the abbreviation. It's a progressive, degenerative, neurological illness which is hereditary, incurable, and fatal. Cells which are supposed to self-clean instead build up waste. It works its way through his brain, destroying all the functions. The first manifestation is blindness, followed by behavior problems, seizures, difficulty walking, dementia, retardation, difficulty swallowing, etc. In the final stages the child is bedridden and uses a feeding tube. The life expectancy for the juvenile form (which he has - the others are infantile and late infantile) is late teens/early-mid 20's. He is unaware of the fatal consequences.

My son, Clifford is 11 and in sixth grade. He has Batten disease. He is doing very well in school with an aide and various therapists. At the moment he is in special ed all day except for band and some rotating special-interest classes. We found out he was blind when he was in first grade, and we learned about Batten disease at almost the same time. Each child we have has a 25% chance of having it. Isaac was a baby when we started with this, and he is negative.

Go get yourself some freshly toasted Coffee! Visit Dave's Shop to order today!

Featuring YesYouCan!

Today we would like to feature Christopher, from YesYouCan! YesYouCan specializes in wonderful treats that are vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, and macrobiotic!

Where do you get your recipes?

My muffin recipes I'd say are mostly mine but like most things I do it has it's roots in a number of inspirations. I've been baking/cooking for a long time but only in the past year have my recipes become narrowed down to vegan/gluten free and many are macro as well. I've had to research and read a ton to become familiar and therefore I can not say that these recipes are only mine.

You said that you are on the road most of the year for your work in the Theatre. How do you find time to bake?

My work schedule is based in freelance work. I do all my own scheduling and all of my contracts include a residence with a kitchen. My wife and I also travel with our kitchen equipment as we are "mostly" vegan and so there aren't many options out there for us unless we cook for ourselves. We also don't have children yet so our time outside of teaching,directing or performing is our own time to do with as we see fit. My wife has an etsy shop as well where she makes recycled/reclaimed knit-ware ( asecondchance.etsy.com ) .
As for Theatre, I've been working it my whole life. I'm what you call a Physical Theatre Artist. That's what my company's focus is in... www.creativelyindependent.net I'm a trained physical comedian and Mask performer as well as holding certification's in Stage Combat. I teach, direct and perform... Clowning, Mask, Melodrama, Stage Combat and Shakespeare. Most recently I finished directing a clown show in Montreal during the month of November and my wife and I head to London to teach a conference in character developement for a group called ISTA
( International Schools Theatre Association ).




Did you stumble into baking or was it something that you were exposed to as a child?

My Mom was a big baker. She is from Scotland and made some amazing treats that recently I've been trying to make vegan. It's not been easy as those recipes are mostly butter and sugar and the consistencies are hard to match up.

Thanks for talking with us Christopher! Go visit his shop, and explore his goodies for yourself! Can you eat this? YesYouCan!

"Bare it all Wednesday" featuring Caramel Jubilee

Caramel Jubilee, formally known as Earcmra, started on Etsy in December of 2007. She specializes in... Caramels of course! From personal experience I know that they are wonderful!

We asked Caramel Jubilee some questions about her art and her life. Here is a little about her!
Is there a special story as to how you chose making your caramels rather than something else? Which is your favorite flavor?

Last spring I was looking for something I could make as a Fathers' Day gift for my dad. He loves licorice and I found an old recipe for licorice caramels so I decided to give it a try. To my surprise, they turned out fabulously well! After that I tried vanilla which didn't go so well. After some trial and error and lots of different recipes, I came up with my own caramel recipes that I now use. So, I just kind of stumbled upon caramel making. Although I like to cook/bake and do so frequently, I had never made candy prior to that day.

My favorite flavor changes weekly. I honestly love all of them! Right now, the chocolate is at the top of my list.



Is it incredibly messy when making caramels? And, is it incredibly difficult to resist sampling your own cooking?

Caramel-making actually isn't as messy as you might think. I have a good dishwasher that I am immensely grateful for and that keeps the pans and utensils sparkling clean and non-sticky. The rest of it (pots, countertops, etc.) really isn't too bad to clean off. It actually surprised me how non-messy it is to make caramels.

In the beginning it was so very difficult for me to resist eating all of my caramels! One day I ate over a pound of them! Now that I'm around them all the time they aren't much of a temptation (Christine of TheFetchingHound and I were just talking this over a few days ago). I eat one or two a week. My family and friends are a different story though! If I have leftovers in the house when they come over they are happy to devour them!



What is your favorite past-time?
My favorite past-time? Hmmmm, I can't choose just one! I love playing games like Mad Gab, Settlers of Catan, and Speed Scrabble. I also enjoy reading. I read everything I can find! I like to spend time (hiking, driving, snowshoeing) in the beautiful mountains that surround my home. I love to cook and try new recipes.

Do you have pets? Any favorite music or TV to listen to/watch while making your caramels?

I have a geriatric Australian Shepherd who is the absolute best dog I've ever met. He is perfect--really! I also have a 5 month old kitten who is a terror and a joy, often simultaneously. For future reference: sometimes the quietest most demure kitten at the humane society is actually just severely sleep deprived. I also have a 40 gallon freshwater planted aquarium with Rainbow Fish.

My favorite musical artists are M. Ward, Regina Spektor, Feist, Badly Drawn Boy, and Zooey Deschanel. I also love classical musicians such as Yo Yo Ma and Itzak Perhlman. I enjoy pretty much all types of music and love attending concerts of any variety.

When working on caramel orders I like to watch Scrubs, Pushing Daisies, The Office, and various news programs.

Get some divine caramels in Caramel Jubilee's Etsy shop today!

Bare it all Wednesday Featuring Marmalady!

Today Team EEAT would like to feature our member and friend, Marmalady. She is our "token" international member and is so wonderful! Visit Marmalady in her Etsy store!

Tell us about you:

In case you dont already know, I am from the UK -- the Peak District of Derbyshire which is about halfway up the country as you look at a map.I am 56, married for 31 years, with 2 grown-up children. Neither are married yet so no grandchildren on the horizon for quite a while!

How long have you been baking?

Baking / cooking. I have been cooking "forever". Growing up in a family of 4 kids, money was always short --so Mum always made all our own bread, cakes , jam etc -- and we were all expected to help -- the boys as well as the girls By the time i was 10 or 11 i could cook a sunday dinner for the family with very little help or supervision.Selling my baking came about when i was at home with a toddler & baby. A friend was involved with a co-operative market stall selling cakes and so i joined too. At first i only made small quantities but as the kids grew and i had more time, the amounts i was able to make for sale grew too. I continued selling through this market untill a couple of years ago when it folded and i branched out into having my own stall at various Farmers Markets -- i am out at a Market most weeks. For several years now I have also been supplying a local shop with cakes & marmalades every few weeks. So my Etsy shop is just a continuation of what i am doing most days anyway and it is easy to fit in baking my Etsy orders along with my market / shop baking.

What do you do in your spare time?

In my spare time -- what little there is - i enjoy various crafts -- and I originally joined Etsy to sell crafts ! As the baking took over my original shop and swamped the crafts i eventually opened a second shop ( http://www.marmaladytoo.etsy.com/ ). I particularly enjoy crochet tho i have never got on with knitting! and i also do some glass-painting and card-making.When I am not creating things for sale I enjoy taking part in general knowledge quizzes & chatting with friends on Paltalk.com (my nic there also is Marmlady) and alternate saturday nights will find my husband & i entering the quiz at our local pub. I also enjoy reading --particularly historical novels but i will read almost anything!

Tell us a little about food in your region

British food does tend to have a bad reputation when compared with our continental neighbours of france & italy but when made properly it can be every bit as delightfull! Apart from our traditional Sunday roast dinner, we specialise in good hearty casseroles & pies and puddings --lots of carbohydrates to fuel a working man! But as everywhere, people are eating more and more processed food & ready meals and so the art of cooking properly is fading. In these more health conscious times the old-fashioned cooked pudding served with custard is rarely found! (Let's shed a tear for the loss of that old favourite Spotted Dick!)I dont have a particular favourite meal to cook, but when we go out for a meal we alternate between our local Italian & Chinese Restaurants

Featuring SweetTreatMaryann!

Today, we would like to feature Maryann, from SweetTreatMaryann!

How did you get started with your goodies? When did you start on Etsy, and how did you find about it?

I can't remember how I found out about Etsy but I was a buyer on Etsy long before I opened my shop in April 2008. Three years ago I sent my husband in to work with my peanut butter cups, everyone raved about them and I took local orders for my treats around the holidays. Helped save my sanity considering I had been a stay at home Mom for over eight years at the time. It has evolved into something that I absolutely love to do. Food is love.

Who are your 3 favorite etsy shops? There's so many good ones out there and I love hearing about them!

This one was really hard because there are so many great shops on Etsy but I narrowed it down to these three (for this week LOL):

carrymeaway~she made a fabulous tote for my mother in law and she shares my goal in getting rid of all those nasty plastic bags

PaulZozem~if you are looking for sterling silver jewelry he's your man, I've got a beautiful wedding band on my finger that he custom made for me

sweetpicklespottery~LOVE her pottery, 'nuff said

Whats your favorite treat that you make and why?

my favorite treat is the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles, these things are truly addictive and have added a couple of inches to my waistline since I started making them Why do I like making them~cause I can eat any left overs ;O)

Maryann has an amazing etsy shop! I am excitedly awaiting Snickerdoodle truffles! Check out her etsy shop today! http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5277546
Maryann's blog: http://mymamamultitasks.blogspot.com/