On Tap Kitchen: Pretzels

There is a saying that goes, “It’s not the destination that matters, it’s the journey.” Meeting Spencer Stackhouse, co-owner and head chef of On Tap Kitchen, you quickly realize how relevant the phrase is to food. When Spencer and his partner Ian Blasco formed the company two years ago, he focused on changing a classic soft pretzel, which has a limited shelf-life, without changing the core attributes that makes that product so enjoyable: shape, texture, and how well it compliments a quality beer. On Tap Kitchen’s core product, pretzel bites, were born.

They’re still extruded sticks. That’s not an exciting product. A stick is not a pretzel.Spencer Stackhouse, head chef & co-owner

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Baklava Unlimited: Baklava

How does a business stand out when making a classic product with only a short list of ingredients? Start with a 100 year old recipe, add the highest quality ingredients, and make each batch by hand for the perfect result. That is what Baklava Unlimited has been doing since 2012.

…that baklava is so good, you should start a business.friends of Janet Heath

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Lovin’ Oven: Cupcakes, Muffins, and Cookies

Lovin’ Oven, founded in 2012, is the delicious product of a pastry chef’s skill applied to a strict set of rules: Gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free. Going beyond that already daunting task, all of their products are free of at least 6 of the top 8 allergens [source] most commonly associated with US consumers. That’s a tall order for many products, but in the world of baked goods, a monumental task while still maintaining a high quality standard for taste.

Head pastry chef and co-owner Ashley Coates has faced many challenges in her previous 10 years inventing and executing as a pastry chef in fine dining restaurants around the Houston, Texas area. Joining forces with her mother and sister in 2012, Lovin’ Oven began as a set of basic recipes purchased from another company. While the recipes provided a starting point, Ashley insists that the quality and taste in the product today has only shadows of those original recipes.

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Welcome to Food Makers!

Welcome to the Food Makers blog, where small, local food manufacturers and retailers are profiled for more than just their end product. This blog will include a variety of images and short stories to help tell the tale of what it takes to make and sell food in this world. Thousands of small businesses are started every month, and a small percentage of those grew out of a farmers market, a bad dining experience, or a homemade meal. These moments inspire us, motivate us, and tell the true story about where our food comes from.

I hope you’ll join us on this journey through the Colorado Rocky Mountain region: Boulder, Denver, and everything in-between.