Meet your Makers: Steven Stallard of BLiS LLC

BLiS products are a chef's creation. Steven Stallard is a trained chef who chose to focus his passion on handcrafting naturally-sourced gourmet foods. It seems like the ultimate evolution for someone truly interested in the process of creating unadulterated ingredients from the earth to the table. Stallard was the first chef Grant Achatz (Alinea, Next, Aviary) worked for, and Achatz still views him as an inspiration.

We love his barrel-aged maple syrups, his solera-method vinegars and frankly, everything else we've tried from him, from salts to roe to rubs.

What do you hope to accomplish through providing quality products? To provide excellent chef driven products that help amplify menu and everyday kitchen experiences.

Do you personally know the people who produce your products? Yes I have relationships with several of them.

What is involved with working with the farmers to get a product to market? Quality control, tight specs and real working relationships.

Is there anyone else on your “team”? Yes a general manager , several contract workers, and a media / marketing manager.

How often do you come out with new products? Are you working on anything new?
As soon as the market and time / finances allow it is quite costly to bring new products to the market and we are always trying new things.

How did you get into this “line of business”?
I have been cooking since I was 9 and foraging not long after that, we grew up with a small garden in the 70’s as a kid (all organic, long before it was a mainstream direction)...so it is in my roots I guess.

Are your products sold anywhere besides Chicago?
Canada, Germany, Singapore and Italy. So far it seems to be growing fairly quickly.

What did you want to do as a kid, "when you grew up"? I wanted to Fish, hunt, forage then cook in that order; the first three led to what should I do with stuff that I gathered.

What was the spark that led you to working with food?
Well I was very interested in food shows as a child; I watched Julia Child the most & even the Galloping Gourmet - anything that I could learn something from.

What is your favorite story/anecdote that occurred along the way in creating your product?
My favorite story was when I was in the early stages of barrel aging syrup. The head of the cask blew off, sending 50 gallons of maple syrup on the floor: basically a small and expensive flood and an unbelievable mess to clean up.

Describe your a-ha moment that made you say, "I'm going to do this!"
When I started to make roes that no had ever tried with species of fish that no one had considered as a caviar source. I wanted to lessen the pressure on stressed stock of traditional caviar / roe species

If you could have supper with 3 people (living or deceased), who would they be and why?
Jim Harrison, love the BD character fellow Michigander and great writer plus big foodie; Theodore Roosevelt, the last great president that did a great deal for everyone and Joseph Campbell (no explanation there)- not necessarily in any order.

Meet Your Makers - Adam Seger: Founder/Mixologist-hum Spirits LLC

We've known about Adam (Everyone knows Adam!) since before opening the shop. We had the pleasure of meeting him in 2006 when Logan Square was opened. Now we have the good fortune of working with him and his team at Hum Botanical Spirit. Hum is one of the most unique and versatile bases for delicious cocktails we've had. Now learn a little more about the people and the project:

What do you hope to accomplish through your product?

To inspire other passionate bartenders and entrepreneurial Mixologists to take their hand-crafted products to market


Is there anyone else on your “team”?

Jennifer Piccione runs our operations. She took a leap of faith and left her legal career to do this full time. Her husband Bryce Williford works full-time for CH Robinson and runs or financials. Jenny Kessler who started as an intern is now a partner and our national brand ambassador. Erin Ramsay started as a part-time intern and is now a full-time intern. She does our graphic design, marketing support and a million other tasks that keep us fast and efficient. Dr. Gary Wolford was our 1st investor, sits on our board, is a an international organizational structure consultant. He is our fresh eyes and wise voice of experience.


How often do you come out with new products? Are you working on anything new?

Daily and yes. There are not enough new packages and names for all of the products I have in the 'Laboratory'


What did you want to do as a kid, "when you grew up"?

To be a Chef. I loved the muppets as a kid and The Swedish Chef was my favorite character.


What was the spark that led you to working with food & drink?

I grew up in South Louisiana as the son of an Episcopal Priest. Food is the center of entertainment in this culture.


Where do you find the inspiration for the products/flavors you select for your portfolio?

I love the Estate Rhum Agricoles of Martinique and knew I wanted to create a Rhum-based spirit. As an Advanced Sommelier, I took the mantra 'What grows together goes together" and took Botanicals that would naturally be found on the island and in the cuisine. Hibiscus for color and soul, ginger for peppery spice, cardamom for hedonistic top note, Kaffir lime for brightness.


If you could have supper with 3 people (living or deceased), who would they be and why?

Julia Child - I met her a number of times when she was alive. She is one of the sharpest and most remarkable people I have ever known

Oprah Winfrey - She has inspired and touched so many lives

Anderson Cooper - He would inspire great conversation between Julia and Oprah and is quite easy on the eyes

10% off BLiS Products All Month Long!

Our June Staff Selection was chosen by Staffer Nicole Benjamin. Read more about these amazing products!

I remember the day when I first laid eyes on a bottle of BLiS Bourbon Barrel Pure Maple Syrup. Simply beautiful. And the price? Well, a wee bit more than I've spent on syrup in the past, but, as I learned soon after, this was no ordinary syrup.
I went the traditional route at first: BLiS (pronounced "Bleese" drizzled atop pancakes with sausage links on the side. The purity of the maple syrup was evident in each bite with a rich, nuanced complexity that complemented the lemon notes in my golden Dutch baby pancakes. I knew then that there was a variety of ways I would utilize this syrup in my kitchen.

When I'm intrigued by something, I'm curious to know more. While I wasn't surprised to learn BLiS products were a chef's creation, (Chef Steven Stallard), I was fascinated by his story of how a trained chef chose to focus his passion on handcrafting naturally-sourced gourmet foods. It seemed like the ultimate evolution for someone truly interested in the process of creating unadulterated ingredients from the earth to the table. I enjoyed reading about Stallard as the first chef Grant Achatz worked for, and how Achatz still views him as an inspiration.

While his products previously were sold directly to chefs, they're now available at specialty shops like ours. We stock a number of BLiS products, and are offering them at 10% off throughout June.

Here are a few recipes to try:

http://blisgourmet.com/home/recipes/stewed-fruit.html

http://www.kbuxton.com/recipes/dutch.html

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/05/salade-nicoise-tuna-egg-brunch-salad-recipe.html

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cedar-Plank-Salmon-354516

Meet Your Makers: Brady Braden, B True Bakery

Provenance has been working with Brady at B True Bakery for a few years now. The introduction was made by a mutual friend & business owner, Kevin Richardson of Soggy Paws. The coconut roches and chocolate chip cookies fly out of our stores. They are great-tasting and satisfying, without the refined sugar or preservatives in many other sweets. Here's more insight to this fantastic business!



How did you get into this line of business”?

About 9 years ago, I made a big change in my life and currently weigh 70 pounds less than I used to. My doctor encouraged me to lose some weight and become more active. I chose to cut-out all processed foods and ingredients from my diet and eat only all-natural, whole grain foods. I love to cook, so the change wasn’t too impossible from a diet perspective. My one big challenge was my sweet-tooth. After looking everywhere, I couldn’t find desserts that fit my new lifestyle. I started working on my old family recipes and converted them from their original processed ingredients to all-natural and 100% whole grain ingredients. Trial and error went a long way, but in the end I had a pretty good start. After 9 years in the Hair Industry as a Colorist, I chose to make a career change. First stop, The French Pastry School here in Chicago to receive my Pastry Certificate. 4 Months after Graduation, B True Bakery was born. I’m excited to offer a unique and one of a kind product that is not only flavorful and delicious, but a better choice than most trans-fat and sugar-laden baked goods.


Where do you find the inspiration for the products/flavors you select for your portfolio?

Initially, my product list came from my own personal desires and cravings. Each time I craved a new type of dessert, it was off to the kitchen with an old recipe for some trial-and-error conversion. After that, a lot of my inspiration comes from my customers. They have great ideas for products they would like to see given the “B True” Treatment. As for flavors, I’m a wild child. I cook dinner almost 7 nights a week. I find a lot of my flavor profiles for my sweet dishes and breakfast items come from my savory creations. I have a Strawberry-Basil Oat Scone that is to DIE for. The idea came from a salad I had tasted. I was hooked. A lot of inspiration also comes from ethnic cuisine. Im a big fan of spice, so you see a lot of ginger and occasionally cayenne in my recipes. Sweet and Spicy is one of my signature combos.


What do you see as the biggest benefit you offer to your retailers and consumers?

I know it may sound contrived, but a personal understanding of my food and the mission of B True Bakery is the biggest benefit. I don’t produce and sell just another ‘all-natural’ product, I produce a lifestyle option. Besides my diet, a large portion of my weight loss can be attributed to SPIN. I have been a certified SPIN Instructor for 8 years and currently teach at Lakeview and Lincoln Park Athletic Clubs (and soon to open Lincoln Square Athletic Club). Knowing what individuals like myself want out of a healthy, balanced lifestyle allows me to directly impact my customers in a positive manner. I have a few regulars who have lost and continue to lose large amounts of weight, while still enjoying my baked goods and an active lifestyle. One person comes to mind immeadiately who has lost over 50 pounds in the past 3 years and eats one of our Whole Wheat and Clover Honey Snickerdoodles everyday. That’s a true testament to what we at B True Bakery Represent. B Healthy. B Extraordinary. B True.



Describe your a-ha moment that made you say, “I’m going to do this!”

After being a successful colorist at a wonderful local salon for 7 years, I started to feel like a career change was needed. I very much loved the salon world and the amazing relationship I had with my clients, but felt like it was time to do something for me. Also, after discovering over the years that I STILL couldn’t find decent healthy-options for baked goods, decided I had to be that guy. It was important for me to get a formal education in Pastry before opening my business. I needed to understand not only HOW to bake, but what happens WHEN you bake. Chemistry was familiar to me, from my years of coloring, perming and relaxing hair, but food was different. The French Pastry School offered me such an incredible opportunity for an amazing education. I continue to be an active Alumni, supporting FPS anytime I can. They have gone above and beyond supporting me AFTER my graduation. I know that an answer, advice or assistance is only a phone call away. They are so dedicated to their Program and Education, the success of the Graduates’ shows that as well!

Fireworks Popcorn: 10% off All Month Long

from Staffer Aaron Golding



Ah Movie Night. That ancient tradition of families, friends, and couples settling down together to watch a film with a giant bowl of popcorn. Legend has it that Mark Antony and Cleopatra got their cuddle on with a big bowl of hot, buttery popcorn and a movie. Growing up, Friday night was movie night. We used it as an opportunity to come together and bond over a witty Woody Allen flick or a bombastic action film. When I was a teenager, movie night was an excuse to sit real close to a girlfriend in the basement with a bowl of popcorn resting on both of our laps. The reason for movie night might have changed but the one constant has always been the popcorn.

Popcorn is easy enough to make: some oil in a heavy pan with a lid, the heat on high, kernels of corn, time, then a little melted butter, salt, some Parmesan cheese, and boom, popcorn. Looking back on it, sharing handfuls of popcorn out of that steel communal bowl, everyone taking turns and getting along, were some of the tenderest moments of my youth. Sometimes the easiest things are the most magical.

So when Provenance brought in Fireworks Popcorn I was excited to try it, having only had the common popcorn found in most grocery stores. Fireworks Popcorn, based in Northern Wisconsin, is a family- owned company dedicated to producing indigenous varietals of popcorn. All of their all-natural, Native American kernels are GMO-Free and harvested without the use of dyes. The colors of the kernels range from gold to rusty-red to purple. The result is popcorn with delicate hulls and a rich, deep corn flavor. The best thing about popcorn is dressing it up with anything your imagination can come up with. I experimented with melted butter, chopped rosemary and grated Manchego cheese. It was awesome. I'll list a few links below, but I suggest peeking in your spice cabinet and refrigerator and composing some jazz with your ingredients.

Movie-Night-Popcorn has grown up.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/perfect-popcorn-recipe/index.html

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Maple-Pecan-Popcorn-108508

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/02/spicy_popcorn_with_piment_despelette_and_marcona_almonds

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Frenchified-Popcorn-107834

Meet Your Makers: McClure's Pickles

Provenance has been carrying McClure's Pickles for quite some time now, and recently we brought in the McClure's Bloody Mary Mix. Fans of the spice know these products to be very addictive. In fact, some of us have been known to each most of a jar just standing up in the kitchen...ahem... This post of "Meet Your Makers" is a Q&A with brothers & founders Joe and Bob McClure.
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** Do you personally know the farmers that produce your products? We know a good majority of them, yes and have been working with them for awhile. When you are a smaller manufacturer your direct relationships with farmers help you leverage prices and actually get the produce, as so often it easily gets bought by larger companies who work on volume deals.

**What is involved with working with the farmers to get a product to market? Simply, just connecting with the farmer to get the best quality produce possible. It all starts with the raw material. Putting bad raw materials into your line...makes for a bad product. There's no magical transformation that occurs.


**Is there anyone else on your “team”? Yes, there's a total of about 15 employees with us currently working to produce our products. Everyone works extremely hard as we grow and we they will be with us while we continue to do so.

**How often do you come out with new products? Are you working on anything new? About once a year we come up with something new....that said, it's not always something that gets to market.

**How did you get into this “line of business”? This is an old family recipe passed down from our mother's side. We grew up making the pickles in Michigan and then in 2006, Bob in Brooklyn and Joe in Michigan started making the product and trying to sell it.

**What did you do before this? Joe was studying classical guitar, composition and then went on to get his phD from Wayne State Medical in Physiology.

**Are your products sold anywhere besides Chicago? Yes, our products are sold nationwide and most heavy presence in the midwest and in New York area.

**What was the spark that led you to working with food? We've always been doing it somewhat and the spark that led us into the business of food was seeking a more steady future by doing something we know very well.

**How do you plan to grow your portfolio? I guess in terms of business operations....vertically and horizontally....it has to be an evolving, growing model...adherence to a strict set of guidelines can certainly point you straight but can also blind you from other potential benefits....so: buying a farm or operating trucks? Maybe. Maybe not.

**Of all the millions of food products you could have specialized in, why these?
It's the thing we know best and using that as a foundation we felt we had a good launching pad to start the company.

April Staff Selection: River Valley Kitchens Mushroom Growing Kits

River Valley Kitchens Mushroom Growing Kits: 10% off All Month Long

From Staffer Melissa Yen:

I hate to say it, but I am not much of a gardener. I just get so aggravated when I spend hours pulling weeds. Then, they come back the next week, but for some reason the peppers didn't survive. My only house plants are jades, because they are the only thing I seem to be able to keep alive, besides weeds!

When we got the River Valley Kitchens Mushroom Kits in the store, I was very intrigued. It seemed like a pretty easy, no risk way to grow some veggies, in the house, without the weeds, year 'round. OK, $19.99, I'll give it a shot. The fantasies of mushroom risotto were already playing in my mind.

The instructions are very easy. It warned us to cover the box as our cats might like to dig in the soil. Bad cats! The instructions also said that it may take up to 20 days for mushrooms to appear. That didn't seem like such a long time to wait for my mushroom risotto fantasy to come true.

I was like a little kid, taking the protective rubber maid cover we used to keep the cats away off every other day to see "if it was soup yet"! Then, lo & behold, about 3 weeks later, tiny little mushroom pinheads appeared. Yay! How exciting. The instructions were right. Once the mushrooms form, they can double in size each day. I went away for 4 days & when I checked them when I got home...Whoa!!!! They were full-fledged mushrooms. The next day...Whoaaaa!!!! They could take over the universe, or at least, my sauté pan. The kits will produce for 60-90 days, with "flushes" occurring every 7-14 days.

Here are some recipes (risotto, of course!) to enjoy with your homegrown mushrooms

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Wild-Mushroom-Risotto-102654

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Wild-Mushroom-Crostini-243395

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/08/creamy-mushroom-pate-recipe.html