Midtown Jerky Review

Before hitting Instagram and the local farmers markets, I had no idea all of the amazing food you could purchase from local businesses in Sacramento.  One of the first companies that I talked about working with is Midtown Jerky Co.  I was super new to the scene but Ryan from Midtown Jerky Co, was super nice and wanted to work with me, saying that we could help each other.

First, let me say that I LOVE jerky.  I always have some in the pantry for when I need a high protein snack.  I pack in on road trips, take it on vacation with us, and at almost any given time will have jerky on me.  I buy all different types of beef jerky.  I'm a jerky enthusiast.  I, somehow did not know that I could buy LOCALLY made jerky.  Midtown Jerky Co. is a small batch artisan jerky company that only uses the finest meat and ingredients in their product.  Ryan sent me 3 packages of beef jerky to review which made me super happy.

I'll start with the Peppered jerky.  Peppered is usually not my preferred choice when picking a jerky flavor BUT I think Midtown Jerky Co's peppered is my favorite.  It's not your typical peppered jerky.  This jerky has an overtone of savory matched with sweetness, then it's loaded up with course black pepper.  It's smoky, chewy, and a perfect snack for any time.

Next is the Sweet Heat.  You can tell by looking at this jerky that it has a nice sweet glaze on it from the sheen.  The sweetness hits your palette first then it finishes with heat in the back of your mouth.  I think the sugar level on this jerky keeps it the most moist of all the flavors.  This is pretty spicy.  If it were at a restaurant, I will give it 2.5-3 chili peppers.  (You know how Thai places and some other places have a scale of chili peppers on the menu?)

Last but not least is the Sesame Citrus.  I like that Midtown Jerky Co. has a unique offering for people who don't like spiciness.  Most companies do a teriyaki which I love but it's always nice to have flavor options.  This jerky has the most rounded flavor since you get that orange juice bringing a nice twang to the jerky.  It's salty, sweet, and you get pops of both flavor and texture from the sesame seeds they sprinkle on the jerky.

Overall, I LOVE Midtown Jerky Co. and I'm excited to be able to buy some local jerky for my snacking needs.  I just wish they had resealable bag since I try really hard not to eat it all in one sitting.  I just popped mine into a zip top freezer bag after I opened it and it stayed fresh.  You can find Midtown Jerky Co. at SaveMart grocery stores in the Sacramento area, at farmers markets around town, OR you can order online from Midtown Jerky Co.'s Online Store.  You can also find them on their Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

NSBW Spotlight: Eat Right Edibles

Mixed in with the rows of fresh produce and ready to serve foods at the Farmers Market, I found Eat Right Edibles.  They are the perfect mix of both.  Eat Right Edibles is a family business from West Sacramento and they make what they call "The tastiest snack you'll have all day."  The offer an array of dried veggie chips, corn snacks, dried fruit, puffed corn, and candy.  They also offer the sweetest service.

I've run into the Eat Right Edibles booth 3 different times.  I've fallen a little in love with their family.  The first time, I talked to a lady (unfortunately I didn't get her name) who I later learned is the matriarch of the family.  She was so sweet and so informative.  She told us to come have a sample.  It's a farmers market, I figure I should sample everything.  I did not expect to love the product.  She had us try the veggie chips which were good.  Then she had us try their hull-less puffed corn.  I don't even know how to explain it to you.  They are fluffy, puffy,  with a coating that's almost shell like of delicious flavor.  They are halfway between Cheetos and Pirate Booty but way better and they have sweet flavors.  She also had us sample the toasted corn.  I thought they would be like corn nuts.  I was wrong, they have a crisp texture but without the feeling that you might break your teeth.  The FLAVOR was amazing!  We ended up buying the Ranch Toasted Corn because these crisp little kernels had the BEST ranch flavor you've ever tasted; salty, a little tangy, and the perfect mix of herbs/spices that makes an awesome ranch.

 Last Sunday when I walked up to the booth, I saw little Jacob standing their running the booth.  He's a darling 10 year old boy who is so knowledgeable on the product his family makes.  I asked him why he was working the booth by himself and he said that his grandma (the lady I met before) was on a much needed vacation and he told his dad to take a break but he was just behind him in the truck and they had walkie-talkies.  He gave me a few samples and we really starting talking and he decided that I should try some of his favorites.  He gave me a churro puffed corn and a caramel puffed corn and told me to eat them together.  Then he told me that he was running a special where I could buy 2 of the $6 bags for $10.  Needless to say, I left with more ranch toasted corn and some churro puffed corn.

I didn't get a chance to reach out to them for any comments but they are literally at a different Farmers Market event EVERY DAY so I'm glad I didn't bother them.  Drop by their booth and give their products a try.  You can check their Eat Right Edibles Facebook page to see where they will be.  They also ship so if you're not local and want to give it a try, check out their website.

NSBW Spotlight: Wheel Lemonade

I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Rob from Wheel Lemonade this weekend at the Old Elk Grove Farmers Market.  I've been following their Wheel Lemonade Instagram account and I'd been really looking forward to trying their unique flavor combinations.  They use 100% real FRESH fruit, not frozen or canned and nothing artificial.

I was floored by these lemonades!  The flavoring offerings for that weekend were Blueberry Lavender, Guava Strawberry, and Tangerine Carrot.  These lemonades are SO delicious with bold pronounced fruit flavor yet subtle sweetness and tartness.  I have no idea how they do it!  I taste the fruit, I taste the tartness, and it's not too tart for my palate.  It blows my mind that the natural fruit flavor is so bold without being too sweet or too tart.  I don't know how they do it and I'm pretty sure they use magic.

My favorite was the Blueberry Lavender which I was very skeptical about before I tried it.  I have no idea.  Rob has this magical way of mixing flavors where it's so pleasant and bold but not overpowering.  I thought that lavender would taste like soap and I got none of that.  It was just a pleasant finish.  My 3 year old's favorite was the Guava Strawberry which had that same unique balance of that guava hitting you first, then you finish with strawberry but you still get the subtle tartness and sweetness from the lemonade.  I need to stop blabbing on.

Here are some words from Robert about his business:

Our mission here at Wheel Lemonade is to redefine the lemonade industry. We understand it is a grand and perhaps unattainable goal, but we sure are going to try our best.

Even though the company officially began in early 2015, the idea came about a few years before while we were living in San Bruno CA. We had served 2 flavors, original and mint ginger, at a baby shower for our to-be- born daughter. Family and friends loved them!  They had never tasted a classic lemonade so full-flavored yet not overly sweet before.  And the mint ginger was a flavor combination so unique that people kept drinking it until it was all gone. Everyone loved that it was not too sweet.

We then moved to Elk Grove after my daughter was born because we wanted to be able to provide her with more room to roam around, and bay area homes were just out of our budget. Myself being a graduate of UCD and my wife already having family members inElk Grove, our move was an easy transition as we knew the Sacramento area well.

Turning my lemonade into a business never became a serious idea until after we moved to Sacramento, where the summers can be unbearably hot and a good lemonade can hit the spot. After getting all the permits to startup, we encountered some challenges in finding a place that would allow us to serve our lemonades. We were asked what else do we sell and were told they are not looking for a lemonade vendor as there were other vendors already selling beverages (even though it wasn't lemonade). I believe the whimsical and childish image of the lemonade industry had something to do with this.

So when Unseen Heroes took a chance on us and gave us an outlet at the Midtown Farmers Market to serve our lemonade, we were extremely grateful. Our first weekend, we sold out 6 gallons. Next weekend, 8 gallons. Soon after, we began introducing our flavored lemonades. By summer, we were consistently selling between 15-18 gallons every Saturday at the market.

What we love about selling at farmers markets is people's reaction when they try a sample. People would directly tell us or tell whoever they're with that they like how the lemonade is not too sweet. Hearing people's reaction that "this is really good" just reaffirms that what we're doing is worthwhile.

The lemonade industry suffers from a bad image. Everyone associates lemonade as a grossly sweet beverage that is so easy to make that even a kid can make it. We at Wheel are trying to show a level of sophistication not typically associated with lemonade. We provide a new-generational lemonade using real fresh fruits & ingredients with just the right amount of sweetness. We are attempting to redefine how lemonade should taste!

You guys HAVE to go sample these lemonades at Old Elk Grove Farmers Market, Midtown Market, Gather, and Sactomofo 9.  Just go TRY them and let me know what you think!

NSBW Spotlight: Salt and Savour

I tried sauerkraut for the first last Sunday.  I know, right?  I don't know why I've never tried it since I love cabbage and I love things that are fermented.  I guess I just needed someone like David Edmundson from Salt and Savour to show me to way.  David talked us through three different samples; one with caraway seed, one with horseradish and mustard seed, and one with red cabbage and ginger.  They were so bright and fresh!  The fermentation really cooked out the pungency of the horseradish and ginger, creating subtle flavors.  David also told us all about the health benefits of sauerkraut.

Here is some info written by David for this post:

In 2010, at age 45 I was pushing my maximum weight level and was having some related health issues. I looked into weight loss strategies and paleo/primal type diets seemed to resonate as something workable. I really didn't want to get into the background or theory - I just wanted to know what to eat and what to avoid. Within a week of diet changes, I was feeling so much better overall that I started reading about the theories and about any nutritional info I could find online. There was a lot of info coming up regarding fermented foods like sauerkraut and their health benefits. Although I had eaten sauerkraut growing up, it was usually the cheap canned product you can find on the grocery store shelves. The first time I tried home made 'kraut I was amazed at how good it was. And as I enjoy cooking, I got a book or two to try my hand at making it. And what started as a hobby soon evolved into a commercial endeavor.

Oh....getting back to the stomach problems: when I started making sauerkraut, my personal consumption increased steadily. But initially, if I ate more than about a tablespoon of sauerkraut at a time, I had some rather unpleasant side effects. I think that was simply a result of having too little of the good bacteria in my system. Now, I eat as much as I want with no trouble - this just took some time to build up to. I feel like my system is just more resilient now.

And here's the interesting thing: the more I eat sauerkraut (and other fermented foods), the more I crave that pickled flavor as an accompaniment to every meal. And that sour flavor really does enhance savory flavors. Since we have taste-buds that detect sweet, sour, bitter, salt and savory tastes why would we neglect certain tastes? To me, a meal just doesn't seem complete if one of those elements is missing.

Part of my business growth strategy is dependent on increasing my production capacity.  Unfortunately, a company such as Salt and Savour, which is not yet 3 years old has a difficult time getting traditional bank financing. So I've signed up for a crowd-funded loan to help me finance an upgraded food processor. If you're interested, you can find more info about that here: https://zip.kiva.org/loans/18018

If you see Salt and Savour at a local farmer's market, you should check them out!  You can get free samples so you can see how good it is for yourself.

NSBW Spotlight: Momma Bean's Designs

This week is National Small Business Week.  Each day, I will be spotlighting a small LOCAL business right here on my blog.  Today's business is Momma Bean's Designs.

Here's a few words from the owner of Momma Bean's Designs:

My name is Ashley Davis and I am Momma Bean’s Designs. I have a wonderfully fun 2 year old and am an autism specialist for Lodi Unified School District. We live and play in Elk Grove.

Momma Bean’s Designs offers custom gifts for everyone. We specialize in drinkware and chalkboard hanging signs. We have new products and drinkware releasing every week! Don't see exactly what you are looking for? Just shoot me a message and we can make it happen! Use coupon code, EatingElkGrove, for 20% off any order exclusively for Eating Elk Grove Blog readers!

Visit our shop at https://www.etsy.com/shop/MommaBeansDesigns

Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mommabeansdesigns

I recently purchased a few items from Momma Bean's Designs that I'm absolutely in love with!  Ashley is really easy to work with!  She's extremely accommodating and has lots of creative ideas.  I came to her wanting a t-shirt and a cup with my logo and she worked with me until I found items that were just perfect for my needs.  I highly recommend Momma Bean's for custom drink ware and shirts!  She also has a lot of super fun pop culture themed items in her shop.

Here's the shirt I got for my meet-up.  I wanted it to be a bit more subtle without my bright and bold logo.  I've since decided that I DO want a shirt with my logo and Ashley and I are working on that right now.  I'm plus sized so I wanted to use a shirt I already had that I knew fit me really well.  Ashley made me an iron-on for my shirt and gave me detailed instructions.  My hubby helped me apply the design to my shirt and I absolutely LOVE how it turned out.  The instructions were simple and easy to follow.

The next thing I wanted was a cup with my logo on it.  I am constantly carrying water around with me to stay hydrated and I wanted my cup to have some pizzaz.  Ashley had quite a few cups for my to choose from and I picked these super cute mason jars.  Look at how fun it turned out!  I love my spunky diva elk logo especially now that I can carry here around with me everywhere I go!

Be sure to check out Momma Bean's Designs!  Also, come back tomorrow and see the next business I'll be featuring!  If you'd like to be featured, please contact me and we can chat about it.

SHD Winner

Hi friends!  I am so sorry for the super late post.  Life has just gotten so busy.

The winner of my Scrap Happy Deals gift card is DOLORES!  YAY!!!  Thank you to everyone who entered!  Dolores, please contact me to claim your prize!!!  

Small Business Week 2016

Hi friends!  I hope you are well!  We are doing pretty good, just busy busy busy!  School is almost over for this year and I can't believe it!  My weekends are booking up super far in advance but other than that, we are great!  

Brazzlebox, a free online community for small business and entrepreneurs, created an image about Small Business Week and why it's better to shop local.  I have no affiliation with this company but love the image that they created so I wanted to share it with you.  I'm trying to do my best to support more small businesses and that's a huge focus on my EatingElkGrove Instagram.  

Currently, I have a home based business as a consultant with Just Jewelry.  Though I haven't pursued it as much lately, having the Just Jewelry business really benefits my family.  I am able to work flexible hours so that I can be home with my kids.  I can even work online.  Also, through having my Just Jewelry website I am able to do offer fundraisers to my friends all around the country and everyone can shop from their homes.  I am able to donate my earnings from parties which is much more than I can afford to donate on my own.  

My Just Jewelry business really allows me to better BE the person I want to be.  I can stay home with my kids and bring in a little income.  I can help my friends out with fundraisers for their adoptions, their medical bills, their children's medical bills, and other amazing causes.  

Try to support small business this week!  You are helping families and your own community.