Capital City Tastes
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In the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas”, a total of 364 gifts were given by “my true love,” including birds, dancers, and drummers.
We think we have some better ideas for the Twelve Days of Christmas this year: Unique gifts made in Michigan and available at Capital City Market!
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In Brazil, cheese bread (or cheese roll) is the go-to snack and breakfast meal. Traditional Brazilian cheese bread, called pão de queijo in Portuguese, is made by blending grated cheese into the dough and baking it. The finished product is approximately the size of a traditional dinner roll.
Thanks to Alvaro Oliveria and his wife, chef Marina Lopes, Michigan residents can enjoy this popular traditional Brazilian snack by popping frozen dough into an oven.
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He’s known to fans and followers as Chef Joe O. He’s a fan of polka dancing, a baker, a lover of desserts, and the creator of a variation of a pastry favorite of Pope John Paul. After a friend taught him how to make the Polish cream horn, it wasn’t long before strangers were calling and asking him to make them for weddings!
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Jarrell Cisneros and Nathan Engweiler have been friends since their high school days. About once a year, they would spend the day in the kitchen around a pot of chili, perfecting an over 35 year in the making family recipe. It truly became a labor of love – one that everyone around them was sure to benefit from.
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Roland Troutman’s dream began 13 years ago with a bottle of water. He twisted the top off the bottle, took a drink, and was surprised by a mouthful of grit. He said to his Granddad, "I wish I had a well. I’d sell bottled water that’s better than this.” His Granddad replied, "Well, why don’t you?" And his journey began.
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Christina Kalfaian created Papa’s Kitchen Dressings to honor her “Papa” Jimmy, and his more than 45 years in the restaurant business. She wanted to show her love and appreciation by centering her business around his unique pink salad dressing, a metro Detroit favorite.
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We asked Jodie Vander Meer, a registered dietitian at Meijer, to curate the perfect on-the-go salad, and boy did she deliver! Check out this easy peasy mason jar Greek salad recipe and get ready to meal prep the most delicious lunch you’ll have all week!
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We’ve got THE perfect summer mocktail recipe for you! Dietician approved, this refreshing beverage uses just a few simple ingredients to create a delicious summer treat, no booze required!
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A Michigan Centennial Farm, Dennis Farms is owned and operated by Kevin Dennis and his wife, Jennifer. Nothing says summer like a hamburger grilled over an open flame, and one of the best beef for a mouth-watering burger comes from Dennis Farms, located in the heart of Michigan.
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Since 1999, Taste of Thai has been a go-to for anyone in Lansing and East Lansing wanting authentic Thai food. Yao Middleton is the second-generation owner of Taste of Thai, and she and her daughter, Bea, now third generation, have seen the restaurant through many changes.
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Connor Long's BBQ expertise runs in his blood. Connor’s uncle is the Executive Chef at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, his dad is a weekend BBQ connoisseur, and Connor attended culinary classes at Wilson Talent Center at Webberville High School.
In May of 2021, Connor went from studying the culinary arts to putting his learning into practice.
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What makes an authentic coney dog? It’s hard to say, but a Detroit-style is a grilled hot dog in a steamed bun topped with yellow mustard, a meat-based chili sauce, and chopped onions.
And thanks to Christina Coden’s Red Hots Chili Sauce company, you can make a Detroit-style Coney yourself.
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Shannon is an author, podcaster, and the founder of the global Rockstar Woman Brunch Experience. She’s been named one of the 200 Most Powerful Business Women in West Michigan and recognized as one of the 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan by the Grand Rapids Business Journal. Shannon is also the founder and CEO of Shannon Cohen, Inc, a boutique firm that creates products, spaces, and experiences to invest in the emotional wellbeing of people who lead, love, and serve in transformational ways.
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2020 was the best year of Deardra Westfall’s life. That’s not something you hear often, but the pandemic ushered in changes that led to her passion for sea moss and the formation of her company, Nature’s 92.
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Meet Danielle Mayes, from Amayesing Graze Charcuterie. Her company is a mid-Michigan licensed and fully insured catering company specializing in charcuterie and cheese grazing boards, using fresh, elegant, and locally sourced ingredients arranged into a stylish, abundant showcase.
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Jordyn Gudeman was just four years old when she had her first anaphylactic reaction to tree nuts. When Jordyn’s allergy was discovered, food labels rarely stated that the item was processed in a facility that contained nuts, so her family had to play it safe. Jordyn baked her cookies for herself and her siblings, mostly, but she did bring them to parties or birthday celebrations—and her friends loved them. So when it came time to pick a career, she and parents decided to start Eddie G’s Cookies.
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In 2017, Bola Ndifontah and Anwelli Okpue were planning their wedding on a budget, when Anwelli had the idea of baking their own wedding cake. Shortly thereafter, Wani Cakes was born to help cake-lovers celebrate life in all its flavors. Their plan was to develop a more cost-effective product and drive the message of celebration while building stronger communities.
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When most people retire, they plan on a work-free life of leisure. Not Alicia Gonzales. After 30 years working in community service, she retired at 60, then in 2008, she started her restaurant, Alicia’s Authentic Mexican Deli and Catering, serving authentic Mexican food. Fifteen years, it’s still going strong.
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If we’ve learned anything enduring the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s that sanitation and personal hygiene are vital to the health and prosperity of our communities. Many services and products were born of this necessity over the past couple of years, including ROVE Soapsheets. Meet Tafari Roberts, CEO and creator of Rove Soapsheets, and learn how the company got it’s start in the midst of the pandemic.
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About a decade ago, Terrie Searer was browsing the aisles of a health food store and came across a bottle of vegan Parmesan cheese. “This tiny bottle was about ten dollars,” she recalls. After reading the list of ingredients, she thought, “Oh, I can make this myself.” She came home and went to work in her kitchen, experimenting with the different ingredients until she came up with a winner to create her signature product that started it all.
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Entrepreneurs can start young. And there’s no better example than brothers Hunter and Gavin Green. Just 22 and 19, respectively, they are the two behind the push to get Bagel Bombs into Meijer Market Stores. Learn how Bagel Bombs got started in our latest blog post.
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Karma Spices began when Vinita Parekh crafted lentil packets with spices as a solution to her college-aged son’s snack cravings. Her son craved healthy and flavorful options as he attended school in California. Mom sent lentils and spices. They are non GMO, high in protein and can be mixed in yogurts, curry, salads or just popped into your mouth like chips - only more nutritious.
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Mr. Leslie’s Cheesecake is more than just a dessert. It is a product of passion, family, and hard work. We sit down with Marcus Leslie, to learn about his love for baking, how his father’s peach cobbler inspired him to become a master pastry chef, and how he’s achieving artistry in the form of cheesecake.
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Classique Gifts and Bakes is a Metro Detroit company that can bring out that feeling of inner comfort from anyone that tries their products. From muffins to cheesecakes, wedding cakes to tropical cookies. Classique does it all and they do it with an unmatched, deep passion for baking.
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At first blush it would be easy to assume that Grady’s Garden is merely a company that makes pasta sauce. You may never think too much about the impact this seemingly routine purchase has on the wider world around you. But we think you should.
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We asked a Lansing local, Marcus McKissic, to give the scoop on some of our best local offerings for the holiday season. Find out which items you should add to your last minute shopping list this year!
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’Tis the season for holiday entertaining. We’ve got sweet and spicy winter cocktail recipes that will be a surefire hit at any party this holiday season!
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Gabriela and Mario Rodriguez-Garcia are the powerhouse sibling duo behind Soldadera Coffee, bringing cultural cold brew to a store near you!
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We challenged our friends at Fruitbelt Tart Sparkling Tonic to come up with a one-of-a-kind fall cocktail recipe using one of their tonics, and they did not disappoint!
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A Chile Pepper by Any Other Name…Anyone who has tried them knows – Hatch Chile Peppers are one of a kind!