There is so much goodness in this shop, I don't know if I can even get through this interview without raiding the pantry for some chocolate (for those of you who didn't know, I'm a chocolate freak).
Grandma Tuffy's Lemon Bars
I'm eager to know more about Jamie and Adam, so let's ask them a few questions!
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Our company is called Epic Edibles and we are based just outside of Cheyenne, Wyoming. The "we" is myself, Jamie Styger, and my fiance, Adam Mullendore. We also own Epic Entertainment, which is a DJ and Karaoke service, and have a small farm where we raise our own produce, have free range laying hens and we milk our dairy goats. (Watch for goats milk caramels as soon as baby goats get here!)
Adam and I make all sorts of goodies, from gourmet marshmallows and fudge, to all kinds cookies, bars, cakes and caramels. We only use "real" ingredients that you can pronounce and spell (butter, cream, sugar, fresh lemon juice and zest) and never any chemicals, emulsifiers or extenders. We use organic whenever we can, and we do use our own eggs from our free range hens in all of our baked goods.
Currently, our two best sellers are Chocolate Covered Fleur de Sel Sea Salt Caramels and the Jalapeno Peanut Brittle. We are always trying to create new things and try new goodies in the etsy store. Some of our best sellers (the jalapeno brittle and the chocoalte dipped peanut brittle) were actually suggestions from our friends, so if you want it, just ask! We are always willing to try something new...except ribbon candy and taffy...NO WAY, too much work, lol!
In the very near future look for paleo friendly, low carb/sugar and gluten free items. I have recently had to make a serious lifestyle change, and can no longer partake in my own creations. BUMMER! I have been researching ways to ammend my standard recipes and trying out all kinds of new recipes using almond flour and coconut flour, among other things. Once we have them perfected, they will be added to the menu. (Don't worry, I'm fine. My mom is severely diabetic and I have PCOS, so I need to remove white flour and sugar...I also need to fit into that gorgeous wedding dress that is 4 sizes smaller than I am!!!)
Currently, our two best sellers are Chocolate Covered Fleur de Sel Sea Salt Caramels and the Jalapeno Peanut Brittle. We are always trying to create new things and try new goodies in the etsy store. Some of our best sellers (the jalapeno brittle and the chocoalte dipped peanut brittle) were actually suggestions from our friends, so if you want it, just ask! We are always willing to try something new...except ribbon candy and taffy...NO WAY, too much work, lol!
In the very near future look for paleo friendly, low carb/sugar and gluten free items. I have recently had to make a serious lifestyle change, and can no longer partake in my own creations. BUMMER! I have been researching ways to ammend my standard recipes and trying out all kinds of new recipes using almond flour and coconut flour, among other things. Once we have them perfected, they will be added to the menu. (Don't worry, I'm fine. My mom is severely diabetic and I have PCOS, so I need to remove white flour and sugar...I also need to fit into that gorgeous wedding dress that is 4 sizes smaller than I am!!!)
Fleur De Sel Chocolate Covered Caramels
It was our wonderful, supportive friends! Adam and I throw a HUGE Christmas party in our home every year as a thank you to all of our loyal karaoke patrons for supporting our shows. Well, at the party in 2010, I decided to pull out some of my Grandma's favorite recipes for candies and cookies and our friends raved about them. They begged us to make them and sell them, or make this or that certain treat for an upcoming birthday. We thought they were just "being sweet" but once Valentine's Day rolled around, there they were, trying to order. We ended up selling almost $1000.00 in candy in 2 weeks, just to our friends. Then Easter rolled around and it was about $600.00 in Easter goodies. At that point, Adam and I decided tnat *maybe* we should look into naming the business and promoting it on more than just a local level.
Amazing Gooey Butter Cake
We are blessed to have two homes, right next door to each other. One we live in with all the critters and the other one is the clean house with the candy kitchen. My creative process....I put on my apron (I am a very messy baker), crank up some music and get at it! We LOVE doing what we do.
Chocolate Covered Marshmallows
My paternal grandmother, my mom, and my two beautiful "soon to be" step munchkins are my inspirations.
Unfortunately, my "Grandma Tuffy" slipped into dementia when I was probably 8 yrs old, but I still remember her delicious lemon bars, molasses cookies and mint chocolate chip meringue cookies...and sometimes I tear up making them. I went to church right across the street from my grandparents house, so as SOON as the priest let us out, I would bolt out the door and across the street to watch reruns of The Lone Ranger and The Cisco Kid at my grandpa's feet while munching on whatever goodies grandma had made that morning. That house always smelled amazing.
Spicy Jalapeño Peanut Brittle
Some of my favorite memories from childhood are of making Christmas cookies with my Mom. Sure, we had our silly sugar cookies and other typical cookies, but she always made whatever struck her fancy in Bon Appetit magazine that year. I think my favorite recipe she found was the one for Viennese Sandwich Cookies. Wafer thin butter cookies, a very light lemony buttercream, and then about 1/5 of the cookie was dipped in bittersweet chocolate and covered in nonpariels. PURE JOY!! The best gift my Mom ever gave me was probably almost 20 years ago, when she decided to compile a family cookbook. That is my "go to" cook book for everything from Mom's From Scratch Lasagna, to my great grandmothers cooked butterscotch frosting. Luckily, both sides of my family were excellent bakers and candy makers, so most of my recipes for our goodies are generations old.
Grandma Tuffy's Lemon Bars are my favorite, and Adam says the homemade vanilla marshmallows enrobed in milk chocolate are his favorite. My dad, who lives with us, would say anything with the homemade caramel, and the kids would say ANYTHING!
Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
We were able to make one or two during the holiday season and they went very well. We have a wonderful farmers market in downtown Cheyenne during the late summer, and we hope to have a booth at that this year to sell our eggs, some goats milk products, and the goodies.
I have too many, and I am no good at any of them! I am very easily distracted by the "next big project" so nothing ever gets done. I have so many cool DIY wedding things that are all half made, lol.
Actually, my hobby du jour is getting our property set up so that we can live off our land. We have 10 acres, 26 hens, 2 Nubian milk goats, we breed and show meat rabbits, I have a stunning American Quarter Horse stallion and his daughter who I need to get back in the show pen, we are learning to compost so that the crummy Wyoming soil will give us the garden we dream of...and we are planning a wedding...thats enough to keep us out of trouble!
Actually, my hobby du jour is getting our property set up so that we can live off our land. We have 10 acres, 26 hens, 2 Nubian milk goats, we breed and show meat rabbits, I have a stunning American Quarter Horse stallion and his daughter who I need to get back in the show pen, we are learning to compost so that the crummy Wyoming soil will give us the garden we dream of...and we are planning a wedding...thats enough to keep us out of trouble!
Dark Chocolate and Grand Marnier Truffles
I would love to see our business expand to where we are busy enough to make a nice living off doing what we enjoy, but not have to work so hard at it that we get burned out and end up hating it! A good friend of ours is opening up a day spa/ salon and they will be putting in a coffe shop with a kitchen. We are going to work something out with them to be able to use it, but not have to be tied down to a store. It sounds perfect!
Oh my...we are DJs and Karaoke geeks so we hear it all, and like a little of most. I am a classic rock girl, my favorite bands are Steely Dan and Jethro Tull. Adam is a metal head!
I have over 100 trophies for playing darts, including state championships and placing in the top 4 in the world.
Caramel Wrapped Marshmallows
Our site is ALMOST done. It will be www.epic-edibles.com.
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This was a great interview Jamie! We have a few things in common too! I'm also gluten free, and I live on a farm with my family. I eat farm fresh eggs and my brother-in-laws organically raised sausage almost every morning after my workout.
Alright folks, remember to visit Jamie and Adam's Etsy shop, Epic Edibles. You don't want to miss out on these amazing looking homemade yummies!
May the craft be with you,
1 comment:
Johanna, thank you again so much for interviewing us and featuring our shop!
Sincerley,
Jamie & Adam
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