Subscribe to "Escondido Business Insight" for more stories like this delivered monthly to your inbox.

Recipe for Success: Escondido Eats Expands into December, Giving Local Small Businesses Hope for the Holidays.

 

The November success of the Escondido Eats, “Fill Your Plate, Fill Your Heart” program has been extended into December with “Escondido Eats 25 Days To-Go,” which is proactive and timely considering the recently imposed three-week shutdown.  This restaurant-focused event has been reimagined by the City and Escondido Chamber of Commerce and the successful Escondido Eats program and working in conjunction with the Downtown Business Association. The event runs through Dec. 25.

Many restaurants will continue to participate in the event with to-go specialty plates, family meal deals, drinks and discounts. Additionally, local retailers will participate this month selling everything from craft-beers and vinegars to hand-made jewelry, art, antiques, and homegoods. 

“Local businesses are the backbone of our community.  The people behind the businesses -the owners, the employees, the customers, and the City team - are what make Escondido so special,” said Amber Tarrac, Escondido’s Deputy Director of Economic Development.

“Escondido Eats, a homegrown City idea, has taken off with the Chamber and Downtown Business Association’s support and has over 7,200 members in the Escondido Eats FaceBook group engaging with new restaurants and retail shops daily.  We thank the community for their support of Escondido Eats - Fill your plate, fill your heart in November.  For December, we bring you Escondido Eats - 25 Days To-Go for the community to support our local retailers, breweries, wineries, and restaurants by shopping local for your holiday gifts and food with curbside pickup and purchasing gift cards or gift certificates and to-go orders.”  

James Rowten, President and CEO of the Escondido Chamber of Commerce, added, “The program has increased awareness to participating Escondido restaurants, bringing much needed relief to the local restaurant industry. This collaborative effort combines the reach of the Downtown Business Association and the Escondido Chamber of Commerce and was sparked by the City’s desire to support local businesses.”

Below, we take a look at a couple of local businesses that are participating in Escondido Eats - 25 Days To-Go.

Tea Time at Home

The Grand Tea Room on Grand Avenue is known for its elegant and festive tea parties and dinner shows, but with the closures imposed on restaurants this month, owner Louisa Magoon has shifted her business to offer tea parties to-go. 

During the 25 Days To-Go promotion, Magoon is offering a 10% discount to anyone who orders from the menu or makes a purchase at the gift shop, and mentions the community program.

“It’s so important that we support our businesses,” said Magoon, a member of the    Escondido Chamber of Commerce and the secretary for the Downtown Business Association. 

She said she really loves the name for this event. “I think it is a very clever and catchy name. I think they probably anticipated that this was going to happen.”

The Grand Tea Room on Grand Avenue. Courtesy Photo. 

While Magoon didn’t anticipate another shut-down, she is prepared to continue to offer her delicious tea party menu to-go.  Customers can order any of the tea options from the menu and the to-go order will include beautifully constructed cardboard tiers in silver, gold, or pink that can be used to place the tea sandwiches and treats.

Magoon first used these tiers for Mother’s Day take-out orders back in May. “You put your tier together and have all your pretty food out and it’s lovely,” she said. While at-home tea parties might not be as eloquent as they are in the Grand Tea Room, Magoon has some suggestions to enhance the presentation. “Have a little vase with flowers, and make sure you set the table. Use really nice China,  silver, and have cute little napkins,” she said.

This is a delicious season to order a to-go tea party. “We have some really great teas now, ginger and chai, Autumn Leaves (cinnamon, apple, and cranberry), pumpkin creme, and a pumpkin chai,” Magoon said. 

Included in the tea order is a cup of fruit, three tea sandwiches, a scone with all the toppings, a savory choice of quiche or Shepherd’s pie, and four little desserts per person. Some of the seasonal desserts are pumpkin cupcakes, pecan bars, and apple trifles.  Magoon is hopeful that the shutdown won’t be as long as the last one and she stressed that she hopes people continue to order out. “I just want to encourage people to support our local businesses,” she said. 

The Grand Tea Room is located at 145 W. Grand Avenue. To place an order, call 760-233-9500.

Sunny Winter Treats

“Small businesses are really feeling the love,” said Kate Carpenter, owner of Sunnyside Kitchen. She and her husband Bob have been running the fresh, homemade California cuisine restaurant for just over five years. “We’re so grateful to have everybody looking out for us.” 

They are extending their gratitude by participating in 25 Days To-Go with a special that might help last-minute gift-givers. Carpenter explained, “If you buy a $20 gift certificate, a hat, or one of our travel tumblers, you get a $5 gift card.”  Carpenter said her customers have quickly adjusted once again to the stay-home order and ordering food-to-go. “This time around people are ready because they did it before,” she said.

Sunnyside Kitchen’s box lunch is very popular with companies that are feeding their essential workers throughout the week. These include a sandwich, a side of orzo, and a pickle slice. Cookies can be added as well. 

Family meals will also be available again. Some of the eatery’s most popular meals are meatloaf, mushroom chicken, turkey, and the noodle bake. All meals can be made to order and many are gluten-free. “We will be serving our Thanksgiving salad (which has turkey and craisins) through the end of the year,” said Carpenter. 

 Now is a great time to order at Sunnyside Kitchen because   the winter menu includes some yummy treats. “Our   cinnamon rolls which are very popular are continuing     through the year too,” Carpenter said. They are available on   Saturdays, unless specially ordered ahead of time.

Also available on Saturdays are homemade gingerbread cookies and the exclusive “Christmas Crack” treat with toffee, chocolate, and crackers. “It’s a fun little addicting treat,” said Carpenter.

Orders can be placed online or by phone and specialty orders should be placed a day in advance. 

 

December specialty treats include gingerbread cookies and “Christmas Crack” from Sunnyside Kitchen.

As this year comes to an end, Carpenter explained it all: “It’s been a very challenging year. We’ve all suffered a little and triumphed a little and had to figure things out as we went. But it’s really nice, especially this year, that we can all be on the same page and help each other.”

Sunnyside Kitchen is located at 155 S. Orange Street. To place an order call 760-294-4450.

 

Subscribe to "Escondido Business Insight" for more stories like this delivered monthly to your inbox.

Bring Sweet and Savory to Your Holiday This Season

Kismet Refining Company is Creating Traditional Vinegars for Food and Drinks

This holiday season, consider making something old new again when it comes to your food and drink menu. Husband and wife team Greg and Chelsea Enright may have some ideas for you. The Escondido entrepreneurs are creating rich, flavorful vinegars using the methods developed in Modena, Italy, where traditional balsamic vinegar has been produced for generations.

Founders Greg and Chelsea Enright. Courtesy Photo.

The duo traveled to Italy in 2016 and learned how to create flavorful, authentic vinegars.

Since then, the Enrights have opened Kismet Refining Company, a business they named after their beloved dog who they rescued. Kismet is a boutique refinery that creates quality craft balsamic and shrub vinegars for culinary and cocktail creations using traditional methods and the authentic Italian production style to create a much purer product than what is currently found in most balsamics throughout the US.

“True balsamic, is 100% grapes that are processed and then aged for a minimum of 25 years,” Greg said. 

Vinegar has been used in culinary dishes and in cocktails since ancient times. Balsamics, which are dark purple and syrupy, have a sweet tangy flavor, and are used in meals from sautees to salads, or as marinades. They are also a popular dipping delight when mixed with oils. Shrub vinegars are vinegars made from fruits fermented until they produce their own vinegar. Like balsamics, they tend to also have a sweet tartness that is excellent when added to a mixed drink. 

No matter how Kismet’s vinegars are used, the Enrights want their product to be about taste first. “Our pursuit is always just about making things that taste delicious and have a wide range of uses,” Greg said.

 

A selection of Kismet Refining Company’s vinegars. Courtesy Photo.

Their most popular balsamic is the black garlic balsamic. “This is pretty much the cornerstone of our vinegars,” Greg said, adding that with it’s sweet, nutty flavor even a small amount splashed on a dish as it’s plated will elevate the flavors of the entire meal.  

In December, the couple will debut a new balsamic called Tempranillo, named after the tempranillo grape, a dark-colored grape that usually comes from Spain or Portugal.

Kismet’s shrub vinegars make a perfect addition to sparkling drinks and cocktails. “We like to make Sunday Funday Bloody Mary’s with a mixture of our vinegars,” Greg said.

Sunday Funday Bloody Mary Recipe

  1 oz Celery Vinegar

  2 oz Tomato Vinegar

  1 oz Black Garlic Vinegar

  4 oz Tomato Juice

  2 oz Vodka

 A splash of Worcestershire sauce

 A dash of Ground Pepper

 Shake and pour over ice in a glass.

A nice holiday drink he suggests uses their hibiscus vinegar. “The hibiscus vinegar is really nice and tart. It has a sharp kick and works really great with cranberry. Mixed with sparkling cranberry water and maybe a splash of gin, the next thing you know, you’ve got a really great holiday cocktail.”

Spiced Cranberry Hibiscus Winter Cocktail

    2oz   Hibiscus vinegar

    1oz   Ginger vinegar

    1 oz  Triple sec

    4oz   Cranberry juice

    2oz   Spiced rum

    Dash of nutmeg

    1  Cinnamon stick and star anise for garnish

    Mix all ingredients together, except garnish spices. 

    For a warm winter cocktail:

• Heat on the stovetop or in a mug in the microwave until hot. 
• Add garnish

   For a chilled cocktail:

• Shake with ice and pour into a chilled glass. 
• Add garnish

The recipe easily scales up for sharing or making for a party!

Kismet vinegars are being used in mocktails and cocktails at The Plot restaurant in Oceanside. And the couple is working with Chef Stone at Plan 9 Alehouse, who adds their balsamics to select menu items. “We were featured on their Valentine’s Day menu,” Greg said. “Chef Stone has been a really good asset to bounce ideas off of.”

The Enright’s have been a two-person operation since they began producing vinegars in 2019. Producing vinegar is a long and arduous process. When they began, they started barrelling vinegars that will continue fermenting for several years. “We have long-term goals and plans,” Greg said.

He added the pandemic gave them time to really build out their business. “The pandemic allowed more time to be devoted to establishing Kismet Refining Company and working towards completing a transition from hobby to sustainable business as I was furloughed from working a full-time job.”

From March 1, 2020 through November 23, 2020, the City of Escondido received 696 new business license applications for Escondido-based businesses, many of which are home occupations.  Entrepreneurs in the City who may have been laid off or had hours reduced due to the pandemic are starting new businesses.  Kismet Refining Company is a great example of one of these home occupation businesses, which is run from the couple’s home, including fermentation tanks, barrel storage, and bottling.

Vinegar barrels in the fermenting process. Courtesy photo.

That was one of the reasons they chose to start their business in Escondido. “It was easy to operate under the cottage food laws,” explained Enright. “And so we’ve been building our entire production in and around our home.” 

Cottage food laws in San Diego County allow small food businesses the opportunity to prepare and/or package non-potentially hazardous foods in their home and sell them indirectly or directly to the public. Enright admitted that with the growth of their business they are running at near capacity. 

“Escondido is one of the most business-friendly cities in North County,” said Amber Tarrac, Escondido’s Deputy Director of Economic Development. “The City is always available to help new businesses find ways to establish themselves and grow. Many businesses here in our City have started with an idea in a home kitchen or garage and have grown to become successful companies.  

The Enrights feel they have established themselves in the perfect reason. “Escondido has been an asset in a variety of ways from being centrally located with access to the North County farming communities, the coast, and the City as well as being an up-and-coming area in San Diego County with many opportunities for growth.” Greg said. “We've often driven Grand Avenue and imagined what a storefront/production facility would look like. We're especially thankful for the support Escondido has given to small businesses during this challenging season with the small business grants.”

As their business is growing, so is their family. The Enright’s welcomed their first child, daughter Marin Joy on Halloween, the couple’s favorite holiday. Looking ahead to next Halloween, Enright hopes to add some sort of pumpkin spice flavored vinegars to their offerings. 

Kismet is one of the Escondido businesses that are participating in Escondido Eats 25 Days To-Go, a continuation of November’s Escondido Eats event which now includes local businesses such as Kismet. The event runs from December 1-25. 

Kismet vinegars are available for sale in the cut shop at Plan 9 Alehouse. Additionally, Kismet products can be purchased from Market Box, an El Cajon online Farmer’s Market that sells local San Diego products, or directly on the Kismet website.

Direct orders can be delivered to any location within the county and pickups are by appointment only.