October Artisan Spotlight: Q&A With Georgia Grinders’ Jaime Foster
Team Georgia Crafted + Leukemia & Lymphoma Society #MWOY Campaign
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February Box Reveal
Our February subscription box was full of our current favorite sweet treats! In fact, we loved it so much that we're adding it for purchase in the Curated Gift Box section of our site: Sweet on the Morning Gift Box.
Let's see what's inside! And if you're a subscriber, remember to tag us @georgiacrafted on Instagram or Facebook when you receive your box!
Haven't subscribed yet? Check out the 1, 3, and 6 month subscription options on our Subscribe page!
Peach Cobbler Pancake & Waffle Mix
Southern Culture - Decatur, GA
With all-organic cobbler peaches this mix makes for a sweet and spot-on hybrid of cobbler and our fluffy pancake/waffle mix. Serve a la mode for an even more authentic cobbler taste.
Find it on our site here: Peach Cobbler Pancake & Waffle Mix
Strawberry Vanilla Spread
Unicoi Preserves - Sautee Nacoochee, GA
Our interpretation of a childhood favorite. Sun kissed strawberries with a hint of warm vanilla. This spread pairs well with aged white cheddar cheese or your breakfast ham biscuit.
Find it on our site here: Strawberry Vanilla Spread
Pecan Dark Chocolate Toffee
Blue Ridge Candy Co - Blue Ridge, GA
This dark chocolate toffee is handcrafted using only the freshest ingredients. We combine roasted pecans from south Georgia, sweet creamy butter, and the finest cane sugar to guarantee pure goodness in every bite. The toffee is enrobed in rich Belgian dark chocolate that is 66% pure cacao. Gluten free.
Also a 2016 Flavor of Georgia finalist!
Find it on our site here: Pecan Dark Chocolate Toffee
Raspberry Drizzle Soap
Rinse Bath & Body - Monroe, GA
Raspberry Drizzle soap balances the sweetness of chocolate with tart raspberries. Although this soap sounds good enough to eat, please refrain and let your skin have the treat!
Find it on our site here: Raspberry Drizzle Soap
January Box Reveal
January subscription boxes hit our subscriber's doorsteps more than a week ago, so it's time for our month Box Reveal!
Our theme for January was healthy (but still delicious!) food products that you can enjoy, whatever your New Year's Resolutions might be. Let's check out what's inside! And if you're a subscriber, remember to tag us @georgiacrafted on Instagram or Facebook when you receive your box!
Meyer Lemon & Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette
Harrison Family Farm, Monticello, GA
This gourmet balsamic vinaigrette is flavored with Meyer lemons and basil, to keep your salad tasting bright and fresh—especially tasty with strong greens like arugula. Also great for cooking and marinating! Of course this dressing is a Georgia-made product, but the balsamic vinegar is imported from the Modena region of Italy, making the dressing authentic and truly gourmet.
Find it on our site here: Meyer Lemon & Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette
Toasted Pecan Butter with Honey
Goodson Pecans, Leesburg, GA
One taste of this pecan butter, and you'll be a convert from peanut butter and almond butter. The pecans are grown on the Goodson family orchard in South Georgia. The pecan butter has a silky smooth texture, with toasted pecans for smooth flavor, and the honey granules make it perfectly sweet. Use like you would any other nut butter!
Find it on our site here: Pecan Butter with Honey
Gluten Free Cake-in-a-Mug
Abundtant Love, Canton, GA
If you eat GF, you're in for a special treat this month! Even if you're not gluten-free, this cake in a mug is still a delicious treat. This mix cooks up a single serving of delicious cake, right in a standard-size coffee mug.
Find it on our site here: GF Cake in a Mug Mix
"My FAV" Organic French Almond Vanilla Granola
Pure Bliss Organics, Marietta, GA
French Vanilla, almonds, honey, spices... this sweet and filling granola is a classic. It's also vegan and certified organic. Perfect for breakfast, or a snack at any time of day!
Find it on our site here: French Almond Vanilla Granola
That's it for this month! Visit our Subscribe page to join our subscription program—1 month, 3 month, and 6 month options available. Sign up by February 28 to receive the March box!
December Box Reveal
Happy New Year, Georgians and Georgia lovers! I know you've probably moved past the holidays by now, but we need to take a quick look back for our December Subscription Box Reveal!
If you missed out on the December box, we're taking orders through January 31, so you can get on the bandwagon to receive our February subscription box! Subscribe here: Georgia Crafted Subscription Boxes. 1, 3, and 6 month options available.
Our December subscription box was focused on sweet treats for the holidays. We hope everyone enjoyed these premium artisan-made treats and products from all around our great state of Georgia! Did you share the chocolates, or keep them all to yourself? ;)
Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels
Blue Ridge Candy Company, Blairsville, GA
These caramels were a Flavor of Georgia finalist in 2016, and you'll understand why after just one taste. Hand-crafted with premium ingredients in small batches, delicious without being too sweet... we can't say enough good things about these caramels! They're also gluten-free and Kosher.
Order another box of them here: Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels
Peppermint Pucker Stick
Rinse Bath & Body, Monroe, GA
We love Rinse's Pucker Stick lip balms because they are smooth and long lasting, but never sticky. The peppermint flavor comes from peppermint essential oil.
Find this favorite on our site here: Peppermint Lip Balm
Caramel Pretzel Bark
Chamberlain's Chocolates, Norcross, GA
This gourmet Sea Salt Caramel Pretzel Bark is hand-crafted in Norcross, GA with the finest quality chocolate. It's a great mix of salty, sweet, and crunchy!
Find it on our site here: Sea Salt Caramel Pretzel Bark
Twisted Pecans
Cleveland Organics, Fort Valley, GA
*or* (depending on when you ordered)
Gourmet Cinnamon Sugar Pecans
Goodson Pecans, Leesburg, GA
These tasty treats are a special blend of sugar and cinnamon covered over pecans, grown on the Goodson family farm in South Georgia. They are addictive!
Find them on our site here (currently sold out!): Cinnamon Sugar Pecans
October Box Reveal
Our October Georgia On My Mind subscription box includes an incredible collection of 4 Georgia-made products. We curated this box in partnership with the Georgia Department of Tourism. It was listed as a themed Gift Box on our site for the holidays, and it was so popular that it sold out! (Sad that you missed it? Email us at hello@georgiacrafted.com and let us know that we need to reorder!)
Our subscription boxes are a great value at $29.99. You can try out a subscription for just 1 month. Or if you subscribe for our 6 month option, the price drops to just $26.99 per month... wow! To compare, the full retail price of the Georgia On My Mind gift box was $34.99 plus shipping. We really give our subscribers a great deal!
Now, on to the contents of the October subscription box!
Gallberry Honey
The Honey Shack, Homerville, GA
A full-sized 16 oz. jar of pure Gallberry honey from South Georgia. Did you know that Gallberry honey is unique to southern Georgia and northern Florida?
Find it on our site here: Gallberry Honey
Sweet Georgia Soul BBQ Sauce
Southern Soul Barbeque, St. Simons Island, GA
This large 14 oz. jar of barbecue sauce was a big hit on our site over the holiday season. The sauce is sweet and tangy, with a kick of mustard.... a true crowd pleaser!
Find it on our site here (currently sold out!): Sweet GA Soul BBQ Sauce
Georgia "On My Mind" kitchen towel
French Silver, Marietta, GA
Georgia “On my mind” tea towel, printed onto a lint-free, 100% cotton, unbleached flour sack towel. The towel measures approximately 30"x 30". Great as a kitchen towel or in the bathroom as a hand towel.
Find it on our site here: Georgia On My Mind Towel
and to round it out, a Georgia on my Mind CD filled with amazing Georgia classic songs.
Meet the Artisan: Roger Harrison
Welcome to the latest edition of Meet the Artisan! We're excited to introduce you to Roger Harrison of Harrison Family Farm. We featured Harrison Family Farm's "Sweet Jasper Heat" Eudora Chow Chow in a recent subscription box. Those of you with Southern roots were already familiar with Chow Chow, I'm sure, but if you're a Southern "transplant" like me, read on to learn more about Chow Chow and how to use it! Plus all the backstory on Roger, his family, and their family recipes!
(Doesn't this family look like fun?!)
Hi Roger! Please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about you and your family.
I am a ninth generation Jasper County Georgian. My grandmother's side of the family was the Kelleys (the second "e" was later dropped to make it Kelly) who immigrated from Ireland. John Kelley (b. 1630 in Ireland) settled in Virginia, and the family migrated south to Georgia. They settled in Northern Jasper County on what is now Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center, a State of Georgia Nature Preserve. The original cabin is mostly gone now, but when I was a kid, my father and I visited it and brought back a dove-tail beam which served as a fire place mantle in my childhood home.
My 83 year old grandmother and I still operate the company. She is my "Chief of Institutional Knowledge," and has taught me all the recipes, tips, and tricks of making our products in the old-fashioned way.
When did you launch your company? Tell us why you decided to launch.
Although most of our recipes are 200+ years old, and have been made continuously over the generations, we didn't start selling commercially until early 2016. After living all over the country and traveling the world with The Coca-Cola Company, I moved back to the farm to help with my aging and failing 85 year-old grandfather. My undergrad degree is in theatre, and I've had some moderate success in the film/tv/modeling industry booming in Georgia. Like any actor, it's rare to be booked every day of the week, so I started Harrison Family Farm, LLC to fill the down time. Little did I know it would consume my days, nights, and weekends in just 9 months.
Since you launched, what would you consider to be your most successful product?
It's really hard to pull one product out as the most successful since our products are so unique and each has its own, at times cult-like, following. We define success as making a quality product that is unique in the market—meaning it's not widely available, but is something people love and often remember from years past.
Clearly, our Eudora Chow Chow, has broken all barriers as it is now the largest artisan small-batch chow chow in the Southeastern United States. To go from 0 to light speed in the course of one calendar year is simply remarkable, and speaks to the incredible recipe, quality, and versatility of the product. When we launched it, we marketed it as more than just a condiment/topping for beans or veggies like older generations remember. It's really great paired with meats as well. Emory University's Oxford Campus uses it as a relish on their hot dog bar. The Company Store, in Porterdale, GA serves a Chow Chow Burger, and Bennie's Red Barn, in St. Simons Island, GA serves it as a side with their premium grass fed beef. People have discovered what a great addition it is in southern salads, like potato salad, chicken salad, or egg salad, and substitutes wonderfully for dill relish in deviled eggs.
What has been a true highlight of launching your business?
We make the products just like our ancestors did; local produce, no preservatives, no fillers, and wholesome ingredients. If we were able to reach back into time, and taste the products next to each other, they would be strikingly similar, and we know that because our oldest living relatives and neighbors tell us the products "taste just like mama and grandma used to make." Seeing the smiles on their faces when they taste our family recipe products is truly priceless. Much like music, there is a connection to food that transcends time and space, and triggers multiple senses in the body. We are truly honored and grateful that we can connect people to their past with our products.
We make the products just like our ancestors did; local produce, no preservatives, no fillers, and wholesome ingredients.
Last question: Do you have any new products coming out soon? If so, can you give us a hint?
We don't want to be so broad in our product offering that we lose the quality for which we have become known. Currently, we offer 6 Gourmet Balsamic Vinaigrettes. We blend authentic imported Italian Balsamic Vinegar, from the Modena Region of Italy, with Georgia Grown produce, like blueberries, Vidalia Onions, Georgia Peaches, Georgia Tomatoes, and Strawberries, to create unique and flavorful dressings and marinades. I anticipate we will launch a low fat Herb Vinaigrette in January to tap into the New Year's Resolution Health Conscious market. Past that, we won't look at new product introduction until the growing/harvest season re-starts in Georgia in the late spring/early summer.
Find Roger and Harrison Family Farms online:
Facebook: harrisonfamfarm
Instagram: harrisonfamilyfarm
www.harrisonfamily.farm
Thank you, Roger!
New Gift Box: Baking!
We're excited to have new and updated gift boxes coming for this holiday season! Today, we're revealing the first one:
The Southern Baking Kit
We created this gift box full of Georgia-made treats for anyone who loves to bake. This would be especially thoughtful as a gift for a new home owner, a family who bakes with their kids, or as a host gift.
Here's what's inside:
Chocolate Chewy Square Mix
Dr. Pete's, Savannah, GA
Dr. Pete's Savannah-made mix bakes up into fudgy squares, like the best brownies you've ever tasted. All you need to add is butter and an egg.
Pecan Flour
Oliver Farm, Pitts, GA
This gluten-free flour has a variety of uses in baking. We've shared a Triple Chocolate Pecan Brownie recipe. You can find even more recipes on the Oliver Farm website's recipe page.
Pecan Oil
Oliver Farm, Pitts, GA
Another favorite from Oliver Farm, this Pecan Oil can be used for baking, or even for frying chicken. And if you didn't catch it, the New York Times recently featured Clay Oliver of Oliver Farms for his artisanal Green Peanut Oil.
Peach Cobbler Mix
Lane Southern Orchard, Fort Valley, GA
Make a Georgia classic peach cobbler, with this Georgia-made mix. Bakes up with fresh, canned, or frozen peaches, so you can enjoy it any time of year.
Banana Bread Mix
Back to the Basics 101, Cochran, GA
This banana bread mix was a Finalist in the 2016 Flavor of Georgia competition! The first ingredient is 100% whole wheat flour. This soft wheat flour is grown on a family farm and stone-ground, right here in GA.
Whip It Good tea towel
French Silver, Marietta, GA
"Whip it. Whip it good." This towel from French Silver in Marietta, GA, will bring a little humor to your kitchen. The design is printed on a 100% cotton, soft & absorbent flour sack towel—great for drying dishes.
You can purchase this baking gift box on our site here: Southern Baking Kit.
September Box Reveal
At Georgia Crafted, we've got autumn on our minds. And our October "Georgia On My Mind" subscription box, in partnership with Explore Georgia, will be shipping soon!
Today, we're revealing the contents from our September subscription box. If you missed out, this is your chance to get a peek into the Georgia-made goodies we sent out last month. If you're intrigued by the products—or if you received the September box and want to order more of your favorites—you can purchase items individually in the Build a Gift Box section of our site. I'll give links to each product below in the reveal, too!
Remember, you can visit the Subscribe section of our site to sign up for the November box. We offer 1 month, 3 month, or 6 month options.
Now, without further ado...
September Finds
In our September Discovery Box, you'll find 4 different products. As always, these goodies are Made in Georgia!
Apple Cider Pepper Spread
Unicoi Preserves, Cleveland, GA
For September, we wanted to include something with apples to celebrate the start of apple season. In this Apple Cider Pepper spread from Unicoi Preserves, local apple cider meets the heat of jalapeños. It's no wonder that this Apple Cider Pepper Spread was a finalist in the 2015 Flavor of Georgia competition!
Try serving this spread over cream cheese with crackers, or spread it on a smoked turkey and cheese sandwich.
Order HERE!
Sweet Jasper Heat Eudora Chow Chow
Harrison Family Farm, Monticello, GA
Enjoy this old family for a Southern delicacy known as chow-chow. For those of you not raised in the south, chow-chow is a tangy vegetable relish. It's traditionally served over beans or canned vegetables to add some zing. You might also enjoy adding chow-chow as a condiment on your barbecue sandwich.
Order HERE!
Georgia coasters
Our Georgia coasters are made of a durable wood composite. Use these 4x4 coasters when you have friends and family over! We sent 2 coasters in each September box, but you can round out your set by picking up a few more on our site. They'll make a great stocking stuffer for the holidays, too!
Order HERE!
Fall Puppy Chow
Freckled & Blue Kitchen, Smyrna, GA
Freckled & Blue, our Smyrna neighbor, created this sweet snack—with both pumpkin and candy corn to celebrate the fall season.
When you sign up for a Georgia Crafted Subscription Box, you will receive a wide array of products - all to help you Discover what amazing products are being made right here in Georgia.
We are officially taking pre-orders for our November Subscription Box! You have until 10/31 to sign up, and you will receive your box between the 15th and 25th of November. We're already sourcing new local and seasonal products for you—it's going to be a good one!
You can sign up here: https://georgiacrafted.com/collections/subscribe
We hope you enjoyed our "September Finds" reveal!
New products for October 2016
Check out these new products available on our site this month! All of these items are available à la carte in the Build a Gift Box section of our store.
Pumpkin Spice Syrup
This Pumpkin Spice Syrup is made with real pumpkin and spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Drizzle it over waffles, pancakes, or even oatmeal for a seasonal breakfast treat. Add it to your coffee for a homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte!
Buy a bottle of Pumpkin Spice Syrup here!
Shower Bombs
Thievery Shower Bomb
Fall has finally come to Georgia (yay!), but that means cold and flu season isn't far behind. This Shower Bomb will turn your shower into a spa-like steam treatment. It's scented with a Thievery essential oil blend, including Cinnamon, Clove, Rosemary, Eucalyptus & Lemon. This blend is known to help with cold & flu germs.
Buy a Thievery Shower Bomb here!
Aller-Ease Shower Bomb
Just like the Thievery Shower Bomb, this Aller-Ease Shower Bomb will turn your shower into a relaxing steam treatment with essential oils. It's like a bath bomb for the shower! The Aller-Ease blend includes Lemon, Lavender, and Peppermint essential oils to reduce symptoms of allergies and hay fever.
Buy an Aller-Ease Shower Bomb here!
Lip Balms
We're now stocking Pucker Stick lip balms in Margarita, Ginger Lemongrass, and Peppermint. These balms are creamy and smooth, never waxy or greasy—and they're 100% natural, too.
Buy a pucker stick (or 2!) here: Margarita, Ginger Lemongrass, Peppermint.
As always, our new products are made in Georgia by local businesses, creating artisan-style products in small batches. We're proud to support the state of Georgia! This month's new products come from Blackberry Patch in Thomasville, GA and rinse bath & body co. in Monroe, GA.
Pecan Flour Brownies with Oliver Farms Pecan Flour
We featured delicious, gluten free Oliver Farm Pecan Flour in our August subscription box. Have you used yours yet? You can also buy a bag of this Pecan Flour in our shop, whether you missed out in August or you're ready to buy more.
Here's a great way to use that Pecan Flour: Clay at Oliver Farms sent over a decadent pecan flour brownie recipe. With triple chocolate and double pecans (and 2 sticks of butter, y'all!), these brownies promise to be a truly special treat.
Pecan Flour Brownies
These pecan flour brownies are a rich, triple-chocolate treat—perfect for a special occasion. Top with vanilla ice cream for an even-sweeter treat!
Ingredients
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1/2 cup all-purpose flour (gluten-free if needed)
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1/4 cup Oliver Farms Pecan Flour
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1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
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1 cup toasted pecan halves, finely chopped
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8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
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3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
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1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into pieces
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1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
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4 large eggs, room temperature
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1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Directions
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Position rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350º F.
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Coat a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray, and set aside.
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In a large bowl, whisk together flour, pecan flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in chocolate chips and chopped pecans.
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Gently melt chopped semisweet chocolate, unsweet chocolate, and butter together in a medium bowl over simmering water, or in a microwaveable bowl. Cool to lukewarm.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the lukewarm chocolate mixture while whisking, then allow to cool to room temperature.
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Add the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined.
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Pour into prepared pan.
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Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating once during baking, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Do not overbake.
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Cool on a rack before cutting.
These brownies can be stored at room temperature in an air-tight container. Best eaten within 3 days.
Recipe courtesy of Oliver Farm, via Dede Wilson on bakepedia.