Today I started my day at my usual time (early) but instead of the gym, I beautified myself and headed off to work.  Armed with my daily homemade latte, I welcomed Fox17 Live in the store along with the two guys who started a vanilla company locally ~ Beanilla.  Worlds different from Godzilla, Beanilla is run by two GVSU grads and they are, as Tim Doty from Fox 17 said, “Not Old!”  It’s true.  They’re 22 and 26 years old respectively and running a seemingly cool business!

They have located and sucessfully brought forth a line of vanilla beans & other vanilla based goods that are stunning.  Besides four origins of beans, there is sea salt blended with vanilla, vanilla sugar, extract as well as vanilla paste.  They’re plump and smell great – and besides they’re relatively inexpensive beans!

They’re in stock now, check it out…

and watch the webcast of the three live segments from Art of the Table here!

So we all know that the holiday that just passed (or passed some of us by) was that one where you either embrace it greatly and celebrate the one you love with all your heart and soul – or you just don’t make a big, hairy deal out of it.  I just try to love my Valentine, Steve, on a daily basis and we forego all the hearts and flowers on the holiday.

This Valentine’s day was a brisk one at the store and I thought I’d muse about a good friend and vendor of ours, Patty because I’m consistently flabbergasted by the deliciousness of her chocolates.  And I’m amazed at the following she – and we – have established in two short years.

Today I’ll call her queen of  local chocolate, because she seems to be!  We sell a smattering of Patricia’s Chocolate every day of the year, yet when it comes to holiday weeks, especially Valentines Day, we sell loads.  And I’m talking about days like this past Saturday when we sold over 500 pieces of her chocolate!

Here’s part of the reason why we had so many people again this week – many “new” Patricia’s Chocolates converts were won over by articles and local press about town all last week!  Just look at who picked her up – it’s serious!

Food for Thought magazine (her article is not yet online, only in print – FREE copies around town including here!),

I wrote a Rapid Growth article about her,

Fox 17 went to her chocolate kitchen LIVE Thursday morning,

and Jaye Beeler of the Grand Rapids Press managed to squeeze in an online article too!

As if this kind of local press isn’t enough, Patty was also featured on an website called The Nibble that did a feature article on artisan chocolatiers across the nation!  We keep telling Patty that pretty soon she won’t even remember us she’ll be so famous!

Congrats to Patty and her growing business.  We’re proud to be partners with her!  And if you haven’t tried Patricia’s Chocolates yet, you just might want to do that!  I’m heading out for a bite of my new favorite, the Lemon Cardamom right now!

exotic spice

What does a 12-person all male choir and Corez wine bar have to do with anything?  Last night, my hubby, Steve and I along with 8 other family members went to hear Chanticleer at Calvin College.  And I won’t digress too much on the Chanticleer subject but if you’ve never heard them before and you’re fascinated with music, you should hear them. They are quite amazing.  Men singing as low and high as I have ever heard.  Crazy.

So the 10 family crew headed to Corez Wine Bar for a nightcap after the concert.  Being it was Corez’s third night open I wasn’t sure what to expect – giant crowds? or would we be doing them a huge favor by bringing 10 whole people?  Turns out there had been about 150 people in over the dinner hour and there were still quite a few lingering when we arrived after 10pm. (There were still people there at 1:30 when we finally left!)

We started ordering -

First a carafe of the “house red” to share around the table.  For $15 we had a great little wine – they will always have a red and white “house wine” at $15 a bottle.  that’s pretty cool.  one doesn’t need to drop a ton but can try something new. Last night’s was a Sangiovese blend that did just fine thank you.

then we all went our separate ways tasting things.  they offer 2oz pours or 6oz pours of 20+ wines; whites, reds, cava, pank! (which in Mike Dombrowski language means pink/dry rose).  I can’t tell you how many wines they offer by the bottle…it has its own list and with all the activity around me there was no time for deep perusing.

They offer nice cocktails with unique labels of spirits (similar to many of ours at AOTT – different, not necessarily top-shelf expensive but really good) made by bartenders that really know what they’re doing.  My dad, a martini purist tried the Saffron Martini – not up his alley but my mom loved her Manhattan made with Bulleit Bourbon.

We weren’t really hungry but decided on ordering a smattering of small plates for the table, the most popular items were those off the charcuterie list; from cheeses (from their supply partner Art of the Table) to house made pate, they were all impressive.  The favorite small plate was the escargot with chunks of roasted butternut squash, garlic and thyme cream.  Delightful little snails they were!

The place is coming together nicely.  The night was relaxed, our waitress, Heather, was great.  They all seemed to be putting their best foot forward.  Sitting anywhere near the door proves drafty and it’s a little on the loud side, but really for their third night, they have me excited to return and try some really cool wines at a decent price.

Why was it significant I recalled where we had been prior?  Because at the end of the concert, we handed my business card to one of the members of Chanticleer.  On the back of the card I wrote “Your Chanticleer fan club will be at Grand Rapids’ newest wine bar, Corez.  919 Cherry SE, open til 2am”.  Some of them showed up.  That was pretty cool too.

It’s really a pleasure for me to work with ‘people’.  It thrills me to find people who make products that are beautiful or delicious and I can say “I’ve met the person who makes that ___ product”

I love that Patricia’s Chocolate is one of our absolute bestselling items of all time.  And I love that Patricia will drop anything and drive in a dreadful snowstorm to meet me with more chocolate because we were out.  No delivery fee, no whining, no waiting.

Then there’s Barbara of the Dancing Goat Creamery and the Koeze people and the Grassfields people and the Glass Formations lady and Pearl the Potholder girl…

One of the newest creations I’ve discovered is from Miami.  Her name is Jennifer and her homemade line of flatbread, a thick but flaky cracker with real rosemary inside and with ample sea salt on the top.  And Jennifer was overjoyed when one of my customers emailed her directly to say, ” I’m sitting here savoring your rosemary flatbread! It is just the BEST!  So this is a thank YOU and a Happy Holidays!  I purchased your delicious product at the best store in Grand Rapids – Art of the Table!  We all love this store and having your flabread there is frosting on the cake!”  And Jennifer emailed her right back and said “You made my day!”

I love stories like that. They make me very happy.

I was taking a few moments to count my blessings yesterday (again, it’s not the first time…really!) and I just can’t believe it’s a new year – again!  I want to thank each of you who follow Art of the Table’s writings, products, people.  You trust in and enthusiasm for this store is so great.

We had a decent holiday season – it was a whirlwind – and we pray for good things to come in the new year.  I am really excited for new products – I’m heading down to ’shop’ for new things for you all in Atlanta next week and we have some great wine, beer & cheese tastings up our sleeves.  So watch for our plans for the new year, we hope yours is a wonderful year as well!

We’re in the countdown to Christmas and frankly for most this means a frenzy of preparing for family, holiday meals, checking the list twice – and that’s when you realize that monumental task of stuffing stockings for your adult children or significant other is still looming.

That’s why we’re really excited for you that there is time left to shop for real stocking stuffers.
I say real because I truly believe we have some stocking stuffers that will be used in the upcoming year. I mean, who can’t use a mini shopping bag, a mini cranberry chutney for the next cocktail party and who’s not excited to try out those chocolates we’ve got everywhere?

Your last chance to stuff those stockings:
Tuesday 9am – 8pm
and Wednesday 9am – 5pm

Happy holidays!![/caption]

Local First 2009 Coupon Book

as of this moment, we have sold 162 of the Local First coupon book and i intend to sell more.

why?

because i believe in local – first.

This organization called Local First has come a long way in two years. Elissa Sangalli Hillary is quite a go-getter.

When i envisioned this coupon book, I thought we would have about 50 coupons and it would cost at least $30.

Instead, this Local First Coupon book – the first ever – has over 200 coupons worth thousands of dollars (if spent ) and costs only $15. How is something like that possible? It’s possible because Elissa worked hard to prove that dollars spent locally will pay us all back in dividends. It’s possible because Elissa got a grant from the Grand Rapids Community Foundation to get this book made.

I urge you to not only buy this book but to USE this book.  When you come in with your coupon, I’ll give you $5 back. That’s not the big deal. The big deal to me is that you choose to shop local. That you chose to really focus on making my business – and every other business in Uptown work. Thank you for that. And if you haven’t purchased the book and if you haven’t shopped local this holiday season, please rethink that…

…for many reasons.

snowman shortbread

i’ve had a love-love relationship with shortbread for a long time now. that explains a lot about me having to go to the gym early in the morning, doesn’t it? the first time i had shortbread cookies there must not have been enough salt…or sugar…or butter….

Sometime after that, though, shortbread became my friend.

We have some amazing chocolate ganache choices to melt over the top of shortbread cookies for the easiest hostess treat ever, or that dessert you forgot to make for book club…or knitting club, or…

the holidays bring us ample time to reflect on…wait, what?

the holidays seemingly bring us parties and company dinners and family things that may or may not be all that fun…

so we want to tell you that whether you need boss’ gifts, client gifts, gifts for the impossible-to-buy-for friend or your in-laws, please…let us help.

we’re really good at making custom baskets or gift bags filled with goodness that…

A. you can’t find elsewhere

B. someone just might be impressed with because they already didn’t get 12 of those this year…

C. they might actually enjoy because you, yes you, thought of giving it to them and we helped you pick it out!

Gift ideas that won’t quit. Join us in the festivities daily.

And if you didn’t read it before, there’s 40% off one ‘mystery’ item every day during the 12 days of Christmas. Tomorrow you’ll find peanuts from Williamsburg, Virginia. They’re giant and with just the right amount of salt. Perfect in your gift pack.

so summertime is for rose – as in blush type wines, right?  our opinion is that rose wines go well with many foods at the holidays as there typically are so many foods presented on a table, it is hard to pair them all together, so we tend to say a rose might match well with all your table’s delights.

As well, we tend to keep ourselves stocked in the pink bubbly stuff too.   Larry Mawby’s SEX is a good example of a bubbly that is pink – and yummy!  Then there’s the Rotari brut rose that we tasted last week at our bubbly tasting up at the University Club.  Awesome, those pink bubbles.

Tomorrow we’re entertaining again the University Club (sold out!) and we’ll give you the lowdown on what our picks are for New Years Eve later this week…