Edible Tidbits #47
New and notable edible tidbits for December and January.
Third-generation baker on the rise
Bridget McCauley is keeping a family baking tradition alive for a third generation with Aunt Susan’s Sourdough bread, seasonal pastries and holiday treats. Like her grandfather, Robert Goodman, and her mother, Susan Gasper, Bridget focuses on small-batch artisan processes to achieve the best balance of texture, flavor and quality.
After working in the bourbon industry for 15 years and learning the key elements of brand building on successful brands like Maker’s Mark and Four Roses bourbons, Bridget wanted to return to her roots of family baking, and sharing homemade products with the community.
Pumpkin Spice Bread, Orange Cranberry Bread and Sourdough Dinner Rolls are available through the holidays. You can find Aunt Susan’s Sourdough in Louisville at ValuMarket, 1250 Bardstown Rd.; Paul’s Fruit Market stores; Bluegrass Exchange Market & Deli and soon online. Facebook: @auntsusanssourdough.
Sword: cutting-edge energy drink
Sword was created by two Kentucky doctors dedicated to improving athletic performance. Their initial product, Sword Endurance Drink Mix, is an all-natural source of the electrolytes and fuel needed by athletes during hard work. Sword Endurance improves hydration, sustains energy and avoids the upset stomach many people get with the big commercial sports drinks. Sword has a natural fruit flavor with a pleasing, subtle taste designed for training and competition.
Co-founders Scott Black, MD, and Shawn Stasko, PhD, met when Shawn was studying for his doctorate in physiology at the University of Kentucky and Scott was his advisor. They became friends and started running together, but were frustrated by the lack of good performance drink options. They took matters into their own hands and developed Sword in Scott’s kitchen, experimenting with different formulas and trying it out on themselves and their friends. After two years they perfected it and moved forward to bring it to market.
The company has since expanded to not only powdered products, but also ready-mixed bottles, and an all-new product in Sword Energy chewable tabs. Sword now sells throughout the U.S., and is used by many world-class athletes, including the top U.S. women’s marathoner Jordan Hasay. Sword is available at retail stores in Louisville and Lexington and online at www.DrinkSword.com.
New stops on the bourbon trail
The Kentucky Distillers’ Association has expanded the bourbon trail to include distilleries in northern Kentucky as part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® adventures.
The area boasts multiple stops on the trail:
- New Riff Distilling in Newport
- Boone County Distilling near Independence
- Old Pogue Distillery in Maysville
- Second Sight Distillery in Ludlow
- Neeley Family Distillery in Sparta
One of the Commonwealth’s most historic and treasured industries, Kentucky bourbon is a $8.5 billion economic engine that generates as many as 17,500 jobs with an annual payroll topping $800 million, pouring $825 million into tax coffers each year. The industry is also generating a $1.2 billion building boom, from tourism centers to expanded production facilities.
According to the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, there are 39 companies operating 52 distilleries in the Commonwealth, making 6.8 million barrels of aging bourbon—all modern records. Distillers also paid a record $19.2 million this year in barrel taxes that fund critical local programs such as education, public safety and health.
In the past 10 years, visits to distilleries have increased 300%, and in 2016 a record was set when tourists made a record one million stops at 20 participating distilleries. www.KyBourbon.com, www.KyBourbonTrail.com, www.MeetNKy.com.
Veterans turn talents to farming
The Homegrown By Heroes program will offer more opportunities for Kentucky farmers and producers with military ties to develop businesses through 2021, thanks to an agreement between the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Farmer Veteran Coalition. In addition, membership eligibility will expand to active-duty military personnel, reservists and National Guard members along with military veteran farmers.
The Homegrown By Heroes marketing initiative allows farmers and/or agricultural producers located within Kentucky to use the Homegrown By Heroes logo on their agribusiness products and signs. Homegrown By Heroes was created in 2013 to promote agricultural products produced by military veteran farmers.
Jobs for Vets is another Kentucky Proud program designed for military veterans seeking employment in agribusinesses. www.KyProud.com/ veterans/. www.RiverHillRanch.us
Ale-8 toasts to a better environment
Ale-8-One soda has launched “Can with a Cause” to benefit local environmental nonprofits working in the Red River Gorge, including the Red River Gorge Climbing Coalition. The fourth-generation and family-owned maker of the hand-crafted ginger and citrus soda Ale-8-One is partnering with 1% for the Planet family to donate 1% of sales from their familiar returnable green glass bottles and new 16-ounce can featuring imagery of professional climber Paige Claassen scaling a sandstone cliff in the gorge.
Started in 1926 in Winchester, KY, Ale-8 is available nationwide online, at all Cracker Barrel and World Market stores and in select grocery stores and retailers. The new 16-ounce cans can be found in Kroger and convenience stores around Kentucky.
1% for the Planet is a global network of businesses, nonprofits and individuals working together to address issues in six areas: climate, food, land, pollution, water and wildlife. Since its creation in 2002, 1% for the Planet and its members have given more than $150 million. www.OnePercentForThePlanet.org, www.Ale8One.com
