What's Happening with the MoCoEats Showcase

Montgomery County's vibrant culinary landscape takes center stage as we preview the upcoming MoCo Eats Food and Beverage Showcase with Leticia Engel from Visit Montgomery. This mouthwatering conversation reveals the surprising diversity and entrepreneurial spirit behind our local food scene.

The showcase, happening March 30-31, features over 90 businesses sharing their delicious creations and inspiring stories. The two-day event features a Consumer Expo ($20 tickets) where food lovers can sample and purchase products while meeting makers, followed by a professional Hospitality Conference with keynote speaker Seth Goldman (Honest Tea co-founder) and panel discussions on industry topics. 

Download the Visit MoCo app to plan your tasting adventure, check in at vendor booths, and possibly win prizes while supporting the businesses that make Montgomery County a true culinary destination.

Transcript

Introduction to MoCo Eats Showcase

Derrick Kenny 0:02

Good day and welcome to what's Happening MoCo, an authentic unscripted podcast from your Montgomery County government. Now here's your host, derek Kenney.

Derrick Kenny 0:17

Good day and welcome to this delicious edition of the what's Happening MoCo podcast. I'm your host, Derek Kenney, and I'm ready to dig into this episode. You're going to want to pay close attention as we sample a few of the delectable dishes and discuss the MoCo Eats, food and beverage showcase with our good friend, Letitia Engel from Visit MoCo. Letitia, how are you today? Good, how are you? I'm fantastic. I'm fantastic Now we have, we're surrounded by all these munchies and goodies and sugar and salt all the things that I can't have but I'm going to have today.

Leticia Engel 0:51

You are today.

Derrick Kenny 0:52

I'm making a sacrifice for the listeners and viewers of the what's Happening MoCo podcast, so I hope they appreciate it. But before we get started, though, let's talk a little bit about you. It's not your first time here, but it might be the first time someone's hearing from you and Visit Montgomery. Tell us a little bit about you and what you do with Visit Montgomery, and a little bit about Visit Montgomery, sure.

Leticia Engel 1:11

So I lead the marketing team at Visit Montgomery. Visit Montgomery is the destination marketing organization for Montgomery County, so it's a very fun job. The goal is to share all of the wonderful fun things to see and do and eat in the county to people all around the area and bring them into the county to spend money. It's economic development through tourism.

Derrick Kenny 1:42

Oh, that is wonderful. That's wonderful. That's a great and noble task and we're glad to be here today to help you through sampling some of these goodies. And while we're sampling, we're also highlighting some of the micro and small and other businesses in Montgomery County, maryland. So let's talk about this day, or these two days of events. What's happening with these events and where can people find more information about them?

Leticia Engel 2:08

So I'm excited to share that in just three weeks we are hosting the MoCo Eats Food and Beverage Showcase. So as part of our mission to celebrate the food and beverage scene, to support the local businesses, businesses to ensure that they're getting visibility, that they're thriving, so that both visitors, as they're coming into the county, but also the residents here can really just explore the culinary scene of Montgomery County, so the MoCo Eats Food and Beverage showcases actually two events in one.

Derrick Kenny 2:41

Okay.

Leticia Engel 2:42

So on March 30th and 31st on Sunday the 30th is the Consumer Expo that is open to the public. On the 31st is the Monday. That's our hospitality conference. That is for industry professionals. So we're talking like general managers, chefs, hoteliers, different entrepreneurs in the food and beverage industry and the hospitality world. That one's pretty exciting. We're having Seth Goldman as our keynote speaker. He's the co-founder of Honest Tea.

Derrick Kenny 3:15

Just Ice Tea Plant.

Leticia Engel 3:18

Burger. So he's quite an inspiration telling the stories of how to build a sustainable business, and so he's a fun highlight. There'll be other keynote, no other breakout sessions and panel discussions about things within the food and beverage industry startups, marketing resources and, to be clear, you're talking the national brand, honest Tea.

Derrick Kenny 3:44

Yes, Okay. So people don't think he's based out of here in Montgomery Tea. Yes, okay.

Exploring Sweet Maddie's Small Batch Cookies

Leticia Engel 3:46

So people don't think he's based out of here in Montgomery County.

Derrick Kenny 3:48

Yes, that's amazing, it's amazing that we have again things that are born here and grow here able to reach broad audiences, and they get so big that you forget that's made in MoCo.

Leticia Engel 3:59

Absolutely so I'd love to tell the stories of that right. Like it's pretty inspirational.

Aynae 4:03

Indeed.

Leticia Engel 4:08

So that is the hospitality conference for the industry professionals, and I'd like to roll back to day one, which is the Consumer Expo. That is the big foodie event there are over 90 businesses participating, from restaurants around the DMV small batch producers the DMV small batch producers. A lot of what I brought in here to share with you are these local makers that you can find in farmer's markets or in some of the local shops or in restaurants around the area.

Derrick Kenny 4:38

We'll have the craft beverage producers there, the wineries, breweries distilleries and are you able to sample some of those items?

Leticia Engel 4:46

Yes, so you'll be able to go around, sample the products, purchase your favorite. But what I really like is that you get to have some face time with the makers, hear their stories. Where did they start? Where did they get inspired? Why did they start these businesses. So it's a great opportunity to do that. The tickets are $20 online. They go up, so I recommend getting tickets in advance. Um, and so it should be a great time, um, for those listening after the event. Uh, if you go to moco, eatscom, uh, which is where you can buy the tickets, but you also find all of the vendors so that you can see and you don't have to miss out, Even if you weren't at the event all of the local businesses that you can try, but we should be there though.

Derrick Kenny 5:30

We should try to get there $20. You're able to sample items from 90 plus odd vendors within one day of exciting activity meeting entrepreneurs, people that are making things that you never knew they made, or making some of the things you're familiar with but you never knew it was made in MoCo that's right, oh wow.

Leticia Engel 5:50

So let's start eating right, Sampling some products. What do you think?

Derrick Kenny 5:55

You're twisting my arm here. Let it be known that I was very reluctant to start this whole eating process but, I will, I will. And I believe we have help here today as well.

Leticia Engel 6:05

Yes, we do. I brought a nay, who is? Part of our communications team, part of the marketing team, and so a nay is our foodie expert. Anytime I want to know where to go to get the best food or treats. You know, she's in the know, it's her job. It's her job to know.

Derrick Kenny 6:21

I'm going to test her. I'm going to test her later. I'm just going to throw out a. You know it's her job to know. I'm going to test her. I'm going to test her later. I'm just going to throw out. You know where can I go?

Aynae 6:27

You know, sometime during this is going to come out of left field Are you ready for that?

Derrick Kenny 6:30

I'm ready, all right. Okay, all right, just want to make sure she's up to the task. There we go.

Leticia Engel 6:35

All right. So the first business I wanted to feature or highlight is down the road in Frederick and the owner had decided to kind of dabble in baking and really found a passion. He named the business after his daughter, madison. They make small batch cookies that you can buy and make at home. So think of like break and bake cookies that you get at the grocery store. But these are all natural ingredients, no preservatives, and you're supporting a local small business.

Derrick Kenny 7:07

Wow and by small batch. Uh, what does that? That means that.

Leticia Engel 7:11

So he makes them um so it's not as he goes. It's not mass produced um, and so what you'll find here. Maybe anay can tell us a little bit about the cookies that are here, because she met.

Derrick Kenny 7:26

Sweet.

Aynae 7:26

Maddie's, so he actually delivered those to us so we could bring them here. So what you're about to eat is like a fusion between a chocolate chip cookie and just a chocolate cookie, do it?

Leticia Engel 7:39

try it and let us know how it tastes for those who are not seeing or only listening. He's pretending he's not going to eat this but, really. You know he's going to enjoy it.

Derrick Kenny 7:49

I'm going to eat it so close to the microphone that they can taste it.

Leticia Engel 7:51

A little ASMR here, but it's fun. Similar, like I said, to the break and bake. They come in these packages where they're frozen into little dough balls. And then you can take one or two. If you want, you can make all 12 at a time and so that you feel like you have a fresh baked cookie at home.

Derrick Kenny 8:13

So delicious and soft. You know you have a cookie that's like it's fresh.

Leticia Engel 8:18

Yes.

Derrick Kenny 8:18

And it's soft. It's not like some cookies are hard on purpose, but these well, this one in particular, is almost like cake.

Leticia Engel 8:26

It's nice and fluffy, delectable. Yes, it's a little half. It almost looks like a yin-yang of chocolate and vanilla going on.

Derrick Kenny 8:36

So good, so good.

Leticia Engel 8:38

And the second cookie. What is that one so?

Aynae 8:39

the second cookie. That's actually what's on that bag. So it's the toffee, I believe. Toffee, salted caramel.

Derrick Kenny 8:47

Oh, wow, look at that.

Leticia Engel 8:48

A rich blend of brown butter, toffee and caramel. Perfectly finished with a touch of smoked sea salt.

Leticia Engel 8:54

So that means, when you buy it, you can take it home, you place it on your cookie sheet and you can have hot ready-to-eat whenever you're ready if you have guests, you can tell them that they're homemade, that you made these cookies right and they can't debate you because it was made at home. Yes, yes but I would. I would love to share the fact that these are from sweet maddie's because I think that's fantastic uh now what is this again?

Aynae 9:22

so that's the toffee caramel sea salt toffee caramel sea salt.

Derrick Kenny 9:25

Okay, I'll. I'll tell you's the toffee caramel sea salt. Toffee caramel sea salt. Okay, I'll tell you that's toffee caramel. On that.

Leticia Engel 9:31

And is it? Do you taste all of the flavors?

Derrick Kenny 9:34

Yes, A little touch of sea salt in there, a little touch, yep Sets it off.

Leticia Engel 9:40

Yes, and then the third cookie is actually from another place Potomac Sweets in Kensington. Wow, and so that?

Derrick Kenny 9:47

aftertaste, there's a.

Leticia Engel 9:48

Oh, let's stay here. Okay, we're going to stay here a second.

Derrick Kenny 9:54

There's this whole dance going on in your mouth when you have it, and then you taste the to finish the dance. You know you can't finish the dance without like the dip, but then it's like a little dip in this last cookie. I like that. Okay, that sounds awesome.

Leticia Engel 10:07

All right. So Potomac Sweets, the chef there. He is a pastry chef who studied in Belgium oh wow and he was the executive chef at the Ritz-Carlton and the Grand Hyatt in Hawaii and the executive pastry chef at the Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. So he has over 25 years of skills, and so that's what we have here and what he likes to use is European ingredients. These cookies have a European style butter that he gets from Pennsylvania, so you'll have to let me know I'm not tasting these cookies because I can't eat gluten, so I'm going to live vicariously through the wonderful explanation that you are giving us of each bite. So I'm interested to see how buttery these taste.

Derrick Kenny 10:57

I'm glad you mentioned it. It does have a strong note of butter in it but it's mixed into the cookie. It works well within the cookie so it's not overwhelmingly buttery, but you can taste the flow, the smooth, the richness of the butter in there. It's very nice.

Leticia Engel 11:13

Oh my gosh, you guys are spoiling me and next week next week we'll have a segment on fitness.

Derrick Kenny 11:21

No, no more more cookies. The next episode will be called more cookies for derek.

Matilna Bakes Cinnamon Rolls Story

Leticia Engel 11:25

Okay okay, um. So another um business that we um have featured at the event is a women-owned business. Two filipino sisters, marissa and melissa. Matilna bakes, so they um started that again matilna bakes yes they're adorable.

Leticia Engel 11:47

They um started their own cinnamon roll business in silver spring during the pandemic, so they got into um, perfecting their recipe um and making these small batch cinnamon rolls. They have a bit of a heartfelt story. Unfortunately, their father developed stage four cancer and so they took turns taking care of him. But he really, really supported this business and so they do that in honor of him now. So they do a lot of fun cinnamon rolls from the traditional original. You can get giant ones that look like cakes.

Derrick Kenny 12:28

They might get inspired by whatever they're feeling like that day, right?

Leticia Engel 12:32

Yes, you can get them filled with Nutella. They have done some fun things, like added fruity pebbles to the mix, and so they get creative with their cinnamon rolls.

Derrick Kenny 12:47

So now, in the last case, the small batches, you're able to take the the dough and make your own cookies at home, nice and fresh. In this case, is it the same thing?

Leticia Engel 12:58

So they make them as needed, so they have them as needed, so they have a, they use a. They moved into a commercial kitchen, but you pre-order them, and then you would have them fresh for you.

Derrick Kenny 13:09

So when they deliver the cinnamon rolls, they're already done.

Leticia Engel 13:13

Yes, they are already done.

Derrick Kenny 13:14

Whether they have three pebbles, whether they're big, small, they're already done and delivered to you. That's awesome.

Leticia Engel 13:18

All right.

Derrick Kenny 13:19

And what a wonderful story. And they're honoring their father's memory. Um, that's, oh, that's, that's powerful, okay.

Leticia Engel 13:31

Yes.

Derrick Kenny 13:32

And so um moving on from baked goods, and we'll circle back because we're going to take an adventure here right A little foodie adventure.

Derrick Kenny 13:34

Why do we have to move on from baked goods? Is there a need to?

Leticia Engel 13:35

move away from baked goods? I don't know. To give you a little bit of break, I'm looking forward to seeing the ice cream yard. So the ice cream yard is a food truck, an ice cream truck that is located in Clarksburg, and they make some. They make all their handcrafted ice creams and they like to use some unique flavors, including Chiku, chiku, chiku maybe.

Derrick Kenny 14:02

Is that how we say it? I like to think that's how it's said because, it sounds fun.

Leticia Engel 14:06

They put that in their ice cream and their milkshakes.

Derrick Kenny 14:08

Okay.

Leticia Engel 14:09

And then sapota, fruit, sapato, fruit, sapato. Okay, they mix that in with vanilla ice cream.

Derrick Kenny 14:17

I'll take your word for it.

Leticia Engel 14:18

Yes, it sounds awesome, I just enjoy it. I don take your word for it. Yes, it sounds awesome, I just enjoy it. I don't always know how to say it.

Derrick Kenny 14:23

It sounds very exotic, though. Yes, yes, and I have no idea what it is alluding to Like. Is that vanilla? Is that kind of a cocoa? Is that a fruit?

Leticia Engel 14:33

It's a fruity flavor, oh, okay, yes, it's a fruity one that they mix in saffron, pistachios and cardamom.

Derrick Kenny 14:40

Oh, wow.

Derrick Kenny 14:40

So, I guess a little bit of like a more of a savory ice cream going on.

Derrick Kenny 14:45

Yeah, savory, I can understand that. Yes, I can go right next to this cookie here. You know it's okay. You know, we thought about bringing in ice cream, but that one's a little bit harder Now will the food truck be there on site, or will they have a booth, I guess, at the uh, at the event?

Leticia Engel 14:58

That is a good question. So we have a mix of businesses that will be inside that you'll be doing samples, but there will be some food trucks outside giving or um, selling full, uh, portions of their food, um and treats. That's awesome.

Derrick Kenny 15:13

So so people as they go about different places, trying to try all the different foods, and support the businesses, of course, um, you know, and they're doing it just because they you know, is there a way to track? You know where they're going and keep track of you know what they're tasting?

Leticia Engel 15:29

Absolutely so. We at Visit Montgomery like to gamify everything, because we like to have fun?

Derrick Kenny 15:35

All right, yeah, why not have fun and delicious food?

Leticia Engel 15:39

Yes, so we have an app. You go to the app store. It's Visit MoCo, and so if you search Visit MoCo and download the app, you'll see all the businesses that are participating. So the app in general is just a great tool. So we see about an 80% repeat user experience, this app, meaning so people download them and then they see that there's a lot of value in them. They keep coming back for more information because we're always updating it, and so it's a great tool where you can find, um, you know, attractions, businesses, shopping, food, of course. So that is something that you will always find in our app and our events. We have an events calendar that gets fed in the app so you have all the events that are coming around every week right there at your fingertips.

Leticia Engel 16:24

So if you download the app, we also activate these digital passports and so we'll have a MoCo Eats Showcase passport, which will have all the different businesses that you'll be able to see while you're there. So you download it ahead of time and then you can. Each business will have a QR code and a PIN number so you can check in at each of the businesses. So you want to check in at all of them, because the more times that you check in, you get entered to win a MoCo Eats giveaway.

Aynae 16:54

Oh, wow.

Derrick Kenny 16:56

We like winning.

Derrick Kenny 16:57

Yes.

Leticia Engel 16:57

So that way you can continue to explore the food scene in Montgomery County.

Derrick Kenny 17:02

And you can kind of plan what you're going to do the day of it can be overwhelming to have 90 vendors and not be able to get to some of the foods that you may have wanted to try, or some of the foods that are already your favorites that you didn't know were local.

Local Snacks & App-Based Navigation

Leticia Engel 17:14

Absolutely so. There's two tools. You can go to mocoeatscom, and that's where you can buy your tickets. You can also see all of the vendors that are participating, all the businesses. But then also you can go to the app. You can download it at visitmoco, at the app stores, and there is a passport that also has them all there, and so that's where you can really plan ahead and say these are the ones that are my must-sees.

Derrick Kenny 17:37

That's right, or must-tastes, must-tastes.

Leticia Engel 17:38

Must Seize, that's right.

Derrick Kenny 17:40

Right Must Taste, must Taste, thank you, and Must Visit Spirits.

Leticia Engel 17:42

Yes, yes and so it's a really great planning tool. So you might be able to go and see there's a new, there's a restaurant. That's new to me, our food business Fritters and Roast. They're actually out of DC.

Derrick Kenny 17:56

Fritters and Roast Right. And so they're actually a vegan, like kind of healthy Nigerian finger foods oh, really, nigerian finger foods.

Aynae 18:06

So it's kind of Nigerian street food.

Leticia Engel 18:08

They're spent on this, so you can order banana fritters, bean cakes, fried yam, roasted plantains. You can order them for pickup or delivery. Ok, so it's not a sit down place, but they also have partnered with small businesses around DC and um and to Virginia and Alexandria, so that I'm excited to go and test try out some of these finger foods.

Derrick Kenny 18:33

Yeah, that sounds amazing.

Leticia Engel 18:35

Right.

Derrick Kenny 18:35

Especially when, when it comes to vegan food, because I've I've heard the critique that there's not enough vegan options out there and then some of the options aren't as tasty as some others might like, yes, and but you're saying here that not only do you have vegan food that's tasty, but you it's from a, it's from nigeria wow which I'm very surprising to hear like wow, very cool it is very cool.

Leticia Engel 18:56

It just really speaks to the cultural diversity of our area to. Yeah, very diverse, to all the different types of cultures that we have in our own backyard, which I just love, that's great, and people can order that though, so are there popular apps like DoorDash or something like that? There are I'm not sure on their website which apps they use, but they do have delivery for them.

Derrick Kenny 19:23

If you guys want it, you can find it and you can have it.

Leticia Engel 19:25

So there you go, they can be found. They can be found. There you go, all right.

Derrick Kenny 19:28

So what do we have next? What do we have next?

Leticia Engel 19:30

How about some House of Sauce, so House? Of Sauce claims that their OG sauce, which is kind of like a smoky barbecue sauce goes on everything. They're like you don't need a sauce for this, a sauce for that, their OG sauce goes on everything. So you have to show up, taste their sauce and see if their claim is true.

Derrick Kenny 19:50

I want to test that claim because you know some sauces don't go with other things.

Derrick Kenny 19:54

That's a bold statement. That's a very bold statement.

Derrick Kenny 19:58

That's a very bold statement. I would like to try the sauces.

Leticia Engel 20:00

I'm hoping that it lives up to it.

Derrick Kenny 20:04

At the very least, it's a good marketing tactic to get you to try it, so I would definitely challenge anyone to check it out. Hashtag what's happening, moco, so I can see what your thought of it was.

Leticia Engel 20:15

See what they put it on. I want to see what people have put that sauce on.

Derrick Kenny 20:19

The OG sauce. The OG sauce. It sounds like it's made for me, all right.

Leticia Engel 20:27

Another one that I think is going to be really fun to try is sweet corn pudding, and so, yeah, so this is really a celebration of family tradition that the owner would have this sweet corn pudding as a holiday treat in their family this sweet corn pudding as a holiday treat in their family and so she wanted to share that with people, and this business is a part of the Hagerstown Community College incubator program, which is really great to see some of these programs that are really helping to facilitate small businesses, and so she does a lot of speaking of different options. She does vegan and also gluten-free options, so she's catering to the needs now that people have, like myself, that I eat gluten-free.

Derrick Kenny 21:09

And it's focused on corn pudding.

Leticia Engel 21:11

Corn pudding yep.

Derrick Kenny 21:11

Wow, all right, yep.

Leticia Engel 21:13

So that's an interesting one that I'm going to want to try out myself. That is pre-cooked, ready to serve, so you. That is pre-cooked, ready to serve, so you order it ahead of time.

Derrick Kenny 21:20

Oh wow, and you can find her at farmer's markets, or other events yeah yeah, yeah, okay.

Leticia Engel 21:24

So I'm going to have to bring some of that to my Sunbelt family. You know that's corn pudding.

Derrick Kenny 21:29

For people that aren't familiar with corn pudding, it's actually kind of sweet right.

Leticia Engel 21:33

Yes.

Derrick Kenny 21:34

So if you just think about corn being buttery and sometimes kind of sweet as a vegetable on its own, corn pudding, the texture is a bit different. It's a bit smoother and it's more of a. It's kind of shaped like a pastry not like a pie, but maybe a.

Leticia Engel 21:50

A casserole.

Derrick Kenny 21:51

Kind of like a casserole.

Derrick Kenny 21:52

Yeah, yeah so it's giving people an idea of what the corn pudding might be like, and we don't know what it's like, but know it's we're gonna find out, we're gonna find out though we'll get our apps. We're gonna go around, we're gonna do our research on the website, first pay our 20 dollars, then we're gonna go around, and out of that 90 that we have listed, we're going to find the one for the corn pudding, my goal is to hit all 90, if you hit all 90.

Derrick Kenny 22:13

You need to, just you need to come back and just to talk to me. I know I'm gonna share my experience, share your, give us a summary and maybe we can just have a quick scroll of the 90 selfies. You take it all the booze and just have them pass through Challenge accepted. There you go, thank you, thank you.

Leticia Engel 22:30

So the next business that we have here is my Dad's Chips. So my Dad's Chips is fun. It's a dad who made chips. He had college-age students. He would send them in care packages to his children and it just became such like a fun um treat that all his friends and family were asking for these chips too, and so he made a business out of it. Um, so we have a few. They make different flavors jalapeno sriracha b jalapeno sriracha. Balsamic vinegar I think this is a salt balsamic.

Leticia Engel 23:05

No problem, thanks, nate, for the salt and balsamic vinegar chips, and then our original flavor.

Derrick Kenny 23:11

I attended a golf tournament last year and I believe my Dad's Chips was one of the sponsors, because they were a table full of the chips oh awesome. And I asked them. Like my Dad's Chips, I don't want to say it's nice, it's very nice packaging, so can't differentiate it basically, from the packaging for us or Lay's potato chips. Um, but the the branding is unique because it's my dad's chips.

Leticia Engel 23:37

Absolutely so. He is based at the. It was originated in Gaithersburg, so they are a local. Yes, Get a little bit of that crunching into the microphone. They are a local business from Gaithersburg. Um, so you can find them around Montgomery County, but they're actually in over 750 locations nationwide.

Derrick Kenny 23:54

Wow.

Leticia Engel 23:55

So they've really grown their business.

Derrick Kenny 23:57

I'm sorry say that again.

Leticia Engel 23:58

Over 750 other locations nationwide.

Derrick Kenny 24:02

That is beautiful to see the growth and just the presence of them. Oh my gosh. And okay, and so, to describe this, it's like a kettle chip, very crunchy. I have salt and vinegar here. The salt and vinegar of course, has a little bit of salty, but the tanginess is the key and the crunchiness, and it delivers.

Leticia Engel 24:20

These are so good.

Derrick Kenny 24:21

It delivers.

Leticia Engel 24:22

This I can have. These are gluten-free and they're delicious.

Derrick Kenny 24:24

This is not a paid endorsement, nope.

Aynae 24:26

I'm going to keep going.

Derrick Kenny 24:31

This is just A guy enjoying chips, all right. What else do we have here? We see these other colorful, very well-crafted brands here. What are we looking?

Leticia Engel 24:40

at. So, anae, can you tell us a little bit about Siona's Foods, Because you just went and even explored the restaurant, right yeah?

Aynae 24:49

So it's in Rockville, when, and even explored the restaurant. Right, yeah, so it's, um, it's in rockville. So, uh, siona foods um, she has the sheba ethiopian restaurant in rockville. Um, it's really popular. Um, I actually went there to look at some of the crisps that they have. So this is their injera crisp, so the flatbread that you normally see in the ethiopian food scene. Um, she took that and just made it crispy.

Derrick Kenny 25:11

Oh, wow, and anyone familiar, I guess, with Ethiopian food. Injera is generally a bit soft and spongy, and so these seem to be almost the opposite. They have the same looking texture. They look soft and spongy, yes, but they seem like they're going to be crunchy. So all right, guys, I want you to turn up the volume in your cars and on your computers and your cell phones. And let's see how crunchy this is.

Leticia Engel 25:35

Oh, it's so crunchy so there's two different flavors and they, which ones do we have here?

Aynae 25:45

so right, now you guys have the cinnamon sugar and the medium spicy. Um, they siona actually five flavors the classic garlic and salt, a spicier version of the medium spicy, and then the sweet one.

Derrick Kenny 25:59

Yeah, and I think what I just said was spicy, and it's not overly spicy, but it does have some heat to it.

Leticia Engel 26:06

Did it hit you at the end and once you start chewing it, the flavors come through.

Cultural Diversity in MoCo's Food Scene

Derrick Kenny 26:10

It's almost as if you're eating. Was it like in? Was it in Dorawat? Was it Dorawat or something? It's like a red sauce and it is spicy, but then it's usually accompanied with some type of a meat or chicken. Okay, and when you're using your injera to eat, because you're eating with your fingers, but the injera is like the tools you use to eat and you taste it.

Leticia Engel 26:31

That's what it tastes like.

Derrick Kenny 26:32

It tastes like.

Leticia Engel 26:32

So she captured the experience that you would have from your meal into this crisp. That's incredible.

Derrick Kenny 26:37

It's good and it is spicy. I do feel a bit of sweat on the top of my forehead starting to develop.

Leticia Engel 26:43

Just keep eating them. It's fine, no one notices.

Derrick Kenny 26:47

Again. Turn up the volume one more time, All right.

Leticia Engel 27:00

That's crunchy, that is crunchy. Right, there you go. So you have the sweet cinnamon right and then the crunchy spicy, the spicy one to kind of go back and forth if you want, yeah, and she makes different ones right.

Aynae 27:06

Classic, classic ones with garlic, um, a spicier version, um, and then one more, uh, one more flavor we'll have to go look for.

Derrick Kenny 27:14

Yeah, I wonder what led to the creation of this, where you know, I wonder. I would love to hear a story one day. That would be great.

Aynae 27:21

I guess I could hear it if I go to the yes, the mo, all right, fantastic.

Leticia Engel 27:29

Another business that's going to be there is the Sweet Almond, so they're out of Hyattsville and they do custom macaroons. So, thinking of those beautiful colors, all those macaroons that you can do for special occasions Because if you're going to do a beautiful display of food, you know what's better than perfectly curated colored macaroons, you know what's better than perfectly curated colored macaroons but what she does on top of making them delicious, uh, you can do your own, like logos or branding on them, oh, wow. So, or maybe initials for a wedding, uh, so she customizes those and her macaroons, which I've never really seen before. So that's pretty cool, amazing.

Derrick Kenny 28:09

I just. I have a friend that's getting married. I'm going to recommend that she incorporates that into her. You know her giveaways for her bridal party.

Leticia Engel 28:16

Yeah, that would be a good idea. Yeah, or a baby shower, that would be a great option. Or a birthday party, these like, I think there's so many.

Derrick Kenny 28:25

Or for clients. You send them a gift package that's branded to your brand and then maybe suited to them as individuals. Wow, that's very nice, that's it.

Leticia Engel 28:34

We're going to see Visamon gummy macaroons. I'm there for it.

Derrick Kenny 28:38

Hey, thank you. Consider me a client. I'll take five, please. Thank you. Okay, all right.

Leticia Engel 28:43

Another company that I absolutely adore is Rustic Roots Coffee, and we have some of the bags here kind of hidden away, all right, but you know we didn't brew any. I should have. It's the afternoon, I could use a little coffee pick-me-up.

Leticia Engel 28:56

We can change that today, but I do love Rustic Roots Coffee. They are out in the Agricultural Reserve, so a third of Montgomery County is designated as an agricultural reserve, which means that it's preserved land that can't be developed, and that's where a lot of our farms are, and so Rustic Roots is out there. They are an LGBTQ woman owned business and you can find them at like farmer's markets, locals farm market, which is in Poolsville. It's like this farm to table little cafe food. I don't know if you've been out there, but it's wonderful they're actually also going to be at the showcase.

Derrick Kenny 29:34

Oh wow, Very convenient yes.

Leticia Engel 29:37

And so you can find their coffee or their online order it, and it's fantastic.

Derrick Kenny 29:43

Wow, it's interesting that she's able to grow coffee. She's growing coffee here, or is she shipping in coffee? No, she gets her.

Leticia Engel 29:50

She uses Ethiopian and Colombian beans Okay, and then they roast them here.

Derrick Kenny 29:54

Oh, wonderful, okay, Fantastic, yes, all right, all right.

Leticia Engel 29:58

So I don't know about you, but I love pickles. Oh, how about that for our segue? Pickles are always good.

Derrick Kenny 30:04

That was the best. I don't know how to answer that one. I don't know how to answer that one. He's like, okay, if it was on a burger or something, I guess it's okay. So Pepper's Pickles is coming.

Leticia Engel 30:12

Pepper's Pickles is coming from Chestertown, maryland, so, which I think is fantastic, chestertown is over in Kent County, so across the Bay Bridge. They are still a Maryland made product. They're coming to share their pickles with us.

Aynae 30:29

They are named after their cat Pepper.

Leticia Engel 30:31

Jack, so it's Pepper's Pickles is named after the cat. Pepperjack, and so they are a family owned business Pepperjack.

Derrick Kenny 30:37

Yes, like the cheese. Like the cheese or like pickles, or like pickles. Yeah, there you go.

Leticia Engel 30:43

So they started making this as a family business, but the owner was able to completely leave her job back in 2011 and dive in and make this a full-time business, and so you know these are going to be good, yeah because 2011 was what 14 years ago, right?

Derrick Kenny 31:00

so that's, that's some staying power, right?

Leticia Engel 31:02

yeah, I, I'm they're going to be on the top of my list. In my app you're going to see peppers, pickles right at the top. All that pass for it.

Derrick Kenny 31:08

That's where I'm going first and for the uninitiated, pickles can come in so many different flavors. It's not just the traditional kosher pickle, uh and or dill pickle, um, there's so many different flavors you can make. I've seen that some of the delis in the county that there's so many different types of pickles you can have and enjoy. So I'm imagining that's something that the pepper pickles.

Leticia Engel 31:30

Peppers, pickles, peppers, pickles. You're going to have to try all the different varieties and flavors of pickles that she is going to bring to the showcase. I'm looking forward to that.

Derrick Kenny 31:39

I want to hear that crunch. I just want to see that pickle.

Leticia Engel 31:41

That's a different crunch than these.

Derrick Kenny 31:43

It's a different, it's a little bit more moist, but it still has. That it's a snap.

Leticia Engel 31:52

It's kind of a snappy crunch. So I don't know if you've seen um the mushroom coffee trend.

Derrick Kenny 31:54

I've seen that it's all on social media and I'm it's supposed to I almost want to keep buying it, like no I don't need that.

Aynae 32:00

I don't know. I want to do almost mushroom coffee is it?

Derrick Kenny 32:03

is it? Is it coffee? Is it okay, okay?

Leticia Engel 32:05

well, garden based is the name of this super brew coffee alternative. So Garden Based is the business. Super Brew is the product. Wow, and they claim. You know you get the energy and the focus that you would from a cup of coffee without the crash, no jitters, and it's better for your gut health. So that is you know, something that I'm looking forward to trying. So you don't have to hit buy from one of these other guys. You can come to the showcase yeah the consumer expo.

Leticia Engel 32:36

Try garden based right there and see how much you like their coffee oh my gosh.

Derrick Kenny 32:40

Alternative that's nice, that's nice, yes. So so not not saying that you're an expert in the mushroom coffee business, but you make it much the same way you make coffee or tea. You do Just add hot water, I guess.

Leticia Engel 32:52

Exactly. You brew it in a similar manner. It's going to be kind of a ground product, okay, and then brew it in your coffee maker.

Derrick Kenny 33:02

Wow, I would love to try it.

Leticia Engel 33:03

Yes.

Derrick Kenny 33:03

That's all the rage right now.

Leticia Engel 33:04

It is all the rage, it's definitely trending. It's is definitely trending. Yes, they also make a blend of herbal teas, and so I think that'll be fun to try the different flavors of it's a couple that that they're the duo of these natural herbs um to have a healthier lifestyle yeah, that's great.

Derrick Kenny 33:21

That's great to balance something out. I'm a coffee drinker.

Leticia Engel 33:24

I probably drink way too much coffee, so I love the idea of switching it up and getting something that might be better for my health question?

Derrick Kenny 33:29

That's a philosophical question. Is there such a thing as? Too, much coffee. I don't know if there's such a thing. I don't know.

Leticia Engel 33:35

I want to sound like I'm going to eat, drink and be healthier, so I'm like saying that I drink too much coffee. But I am with you. I don't know that there is really too much coffee. I love the caffeine, yeah, so I just love the caffeine, yeah, um so I I just recently found out about this business in rockville called rice around the world.

Derrick Kenny 33:57

Okay, wow, yes exactly.

Leticia Engel 33:58

so what they do is they serve rice bowls that are literally from around the world. So you can get a tex-mex teriyaki chicken, butter chicken, salvadorian beef, peruvian beef, arroz, convos jerk chicken or Korean bulgogi bowl Okay, and so you can eat different styles of rice bowls from around the world. That sounds delicious Rice around the world.

Derrick Kenny 34:24

Okay.

Leticia Engel 34:25

So their boxes are packed with 60 grams of protein, so it's a high protein um bowl and you order them online pre-order. But they also have food trucks that pop around so you can maybe be at one of the wineries and breweries in the in the county um and get your rice around the world bowl while you're drinking so you order the bowl.

Derrick Kenny 34:46

It'll come to your house. You add the hot water or whatever, and then you have a.

Leticia Engel 34:53

It'll come to your house, you add the hot water or whatever, and then you have a bowl of rice, or is that that kind of how it works, or you know what? That's a really good question. Okay, I envisioned it that it was like pre-done okay and that you're just reheating it at home. Oh wow, even better. That's right. That's the ideal scenario. Maybe I'm just hoping that.

Derrick Kenny 35:05

That's what it is my cooking ability is okay.

Derrick Kenny 35:07

If it's a little bit beyond. Add water. I don't know if I can handle that. But if it says put in the microwave for five minutes or three minutes, I can handle that.

Supporting Small Businesses & Entrepreneurs

Leticia Engel 35:15

That sounds great yeah yeah, wow, the variety is very interesting that's what I think is unique about it, because you can get rice bowls at a lot of different places and I think that's I. That's something that I like. It's really quick and easy. Grab and go for lunch or dinner.

Derrick Kenny 35:30

For me it's a great gluten-free option and there's another thing you could try at the expo as well.

Leticia Engel 35:36

That's where I'm going, and you mentioned the first day We've been talking a lot about the first day where residents and people all visitors can go there.

Derrick Kenny 35:44

Anyone with $20 can go there and enjoy the good food and meet the vendors and these business success stories in person. Um the first day, but there's a second day there is a second day. Well, well, before, before we um go and talk about the second day, are there any more snacks there is? You know who I want to talk about.

Leticia Engel 36:05

I would love to talk about sunflower bakery Bakery, so Sunflower.

Derrick Kenny 36:09

Bakery. Have you heard of them?

Leticia Engel 36:11

No, I haven't they are tucked away behind Twinbrook Metro Station in Rockville and they have this program for teens that are. I'm getting distracted by the things going on in the studio, but we are now I'm focused again. Sunflower Bakery has a program for teens with neurodiversity be part of this program to either take baking classes or work in the bakery to build job skills. So it's great. So they have all different types.

Derrick Kenny 37:06

This happens to be gluten free, because I wanted something that I can try, and it's a lemon tart, and that's why I want to make sure we got to this.

Derrick Kenny 37:09

So that you can enjoy this, of course, because appreciate that, because I am so selfless.

Derrick Kenny 37:16

All right, and thank you again to Anae.

Leticia Engel 37:19

She's been fantastic.

Derrick Kenny 37:22

Thanks, anae, no problem All right, okay, and we have forks, okay. So let's talk about this, tell us what you think.

Aynae 37:29

All right, this time I get the first bite.

Derrick Kenny 37:34

You can hear the moistness. This is very moist, that is so good.

Leticia Engel 37:37

It's everything I wanted it to be. I'm going to go in for another bite, but we often order the Sunflower Bakery cookies. Oh wow. My visit Montgomery. We like to do that to give to different people as gifts, and so now this is the first time trying the lemon tart for me and I am really into this.

Derrick Kenny 37:59

You know what would go good with this?

Aynae 38:01

Coffee, Mushroom coffee. I was thinking to myself, you know yeah, mushroom coffee.

Derrick Kenny 38:05

That would be quite delicious along with this. You know it's okay, all right. All right, so day two. Day two All right, so day two. Day two day one If you have twenty dollars, you can go visit, enjoy all the things, download the app, go to the website, get your ticket.

Leticia Engel 38:23

Day two if you're an industry professional, day two is for you Is that? Is that what I'm hearing? That's right. So so, someone who is in the hospitality industry, if you are looking to go into the hospitality industry from different perspectives, if you're from from hoteliers, general managers, small business owners, there's going to be a lot of different panel discussions. We'll have hospitality innovation in the age of AI, so you have had an AI discussion, which is a hot topic.

Derrick Kenny 38:52

I don't know if I want is taking care of my hospitality needs. No, but from a marketing perspective there are a lot of great uses for.

Derrick Kenny 38:59

AI in the industry.

Leticia Engel 39:01

So there's topics on navigating the startup process for small businesses, connecting to county resources. We'll have a panel discussion of locally made stories of people who have created successful startups, and then we have food composting, food donations and sourcing local products as a panel discussion. One from being a marketer, I love the making headlines, building buzz with media and influencers, so a way to really, you know, learn how to tell your story in a way that's going to catch the attention of the media, in a way that you'll get press pickup or helpful tips on working with influencers and content creators to really get the story of your business out there to the consumers and to hit the right audience. Another piece that I'm really excited about is we have partnered with Montgomery County Public Schools Hospitality Program and the students are going to be doing a live competition.

Leticia Engel 40:08

It's been part of their curriculum to build a business plan and marketing plan for a food truck.

Derrick Kenny 40:14

Oh wow, that's different. Yes, they're not just making a item, they're actually making a business.

Leticia Engel 40:21

That's right. So, this program. They do have the culinary program where they're, you know, baking and cooking, but this is taking it to the next level and giving them the skills that they need to start their own business. Next level, and giving them the skills that they need to start their own business and they will be presenting their final live on stage at the hospitality conference.

Leticia Engel 40:44

And it's going to be like Shark Tank style, where they have judges of professionals that are going to be able to give them their professional opinion on what I'm assuming are going to be awesome business plans because we have awesome students here in Montgomery County.

Derrick Kenny 40:55

I want to say we have some of the best students in the world.

Leticia Engel 40:57

Absolutely, I am a little biased. I have two myself. There you go, so I'm a bit biased also.

Derrick Kenny 41:02

All right, wonderful, well, wonderful Well. Thank you for having your two kids here. That's awesome. Yes, all right. So first day we want people to plan to compete with you.

Leticia Engel 41:15

You're going to get all 90. I'm going to hit all 90 on my visit. Moco app. But, if you don't have that goal, like me, you still can go to MoCo, eatscom and see all of the different participating businesses. That's where you can buy your tickets, and then you can also, if you're like well, where did I go afterwards, you can also. They'll still be live on the site so you can check out all of the small businesses, big businesses, little businesses, all the businesses that are going to be participating Now.

Derrick Kenny 41:42

This seems like an opportunity for people to let you know how they enjoy the process. Is there like a hashtag or something people should be following along as they sample the cuisine or as they go about their lives in Montgomery County or visiting Montgomery County?

Leticia Engel 41:57

I always encourage people to follow us at Visit MoCo.

Derrick Kenny 42:00

Okay.

Hospitality Conference & Industry Day

Leticia Engel 42:00

And you can also follow us at Visit MoCo Eats for foodie content. So, as you're going through, please tag us at MoCo Eats Showcase. Tag us at Visit MoCo and Visit moco eats. Share those photos. You'll find my photos of tasting everything and, yeah, I'm gonna count to see if anybody beats me oh wow, I don't know if you hit 90, I don't know if anyone, even if you don't, you can check in to win at a reasonable member of businesses to win the the ultimateCo Eats giveaway at the event.

Derrick Kenny 42:36

Well, I want to say thank you so much, leticia, and Anae for being here.

Derrick Kenny 42:41

Thanks for visiting Montgomery, for all you do and letting the world know about all the great things happening in Montgomery County, maryland. So if you're not from Montgomery County Maryland, come here, enjoy the fine foods and cuisines and, of course, all the attractions, but also ask the question what's happening in MoCo? Because you deserve the answers, whether you live here locally and enjoy the show or you live somewhere else. We appreciate you, we thank you and we hope that you have the great taste to sample the cuisine here in MoCo, montgomery County, maryland.