Dine Magazine Summer 2023

DINE is published quarterly. Content copyright © 2023 DINE Magazine. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, without permission in writing from the publisher, Carole Sprunk. Although care has been taken to ensure the accuracy, completeness and reliability of the information provided, DINE assumes no responsibility therefore.

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CONTACT US

(402) 587-2259

Carole@ DineNebraska.com

PO Box 620

Elkhorn, NE 68022

Elevating the Nebraska dining experience

PUBLISHER AND OWNER

Carole Sprunk

(402) 587-2259 // Carole@DineNebraska.com

CO-OWNER

Michael Meyer

(402) 517-0350 // Michael@DineNebraska.com

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Kathy Rygg

(402) 490-3213 // Kathy@DineNebraska.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Gabby Hellbusch

(402) 320-7080 // Gabby@DineNebraska.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Nicole Buntgen, Anna Hartman, Michael Meyer, and Andy Williams

DESIGNERS

Quentin Lueninghoener and Ben Vankat, Hanscom Park Studio

(402) 517-1228 // Contact@HanscomPark.com

PHOTO STAFF

Christopher Tierney Photography // (402) 350-5699

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Nicole Buntgen

(402) 367-2526 // Nicole@DineNebraska.com

ADVISORY BOARD

Brian O’Malley, Metropolitan Community College Institute for the Culinary Arts

Matthew Brown, Advanced Sommelier, V. Mertz

Abby McLeay, owner, Zen Coffee Co.

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2023

FIND THE FLATWARE!

Hidden in this issue is the image of a fork and spoon. Be the first to snap a photo of the flatware and share on Facebook and/ or Instagram and tag

@dinenebraskamagazine

If you are the first one, you will win a $25 gift card to Square Donut. One entry per issue, please. Let’s share the love!

Letter from the editor

Sweet summertime is here. For some, this season is full of adventure. For others, it’s a time to unwind and take things slow. Whether your plans include an exotic vacation or simply lounging on your back patio, this issue of Dine Magazine will keep you entertained no matter where the summer takes you.

Dive right into the skill of popcornmaking in our Discover story as we explore three area businesses: Vic’s Corn Popper, Just Pop’d Popcorn, and Still Poppin Gourmet Popcorn. After you’ve learned the ins and outs to making this tasty snack, head to our Supplier feature on Zangger Popcorn Hybrids to get a glimpse of how popcorn seed is produced.

Sunny days ahead offer an excellent excuse to road trip to Paper Moon

Pastries—a nostalgic spot highlighted in our Dine Around Nebraska section—for a sweet dessert. It’s never too soon to start planning day excursions for fall either, so if you’re thinking about checking out Sip Nebraska later this year, visit our Scene section to see what the festival is all about.

The flatware hid on page 40 in the Expert section of the spring issue.

Also in this colorful summer issue, you’ll spot Tessa Porter—a local candy scientist who founded both Sprinkk and Norma’s— explaining what drives her success. A few pages ahead, we also have all of the details from the Omaha Restaurant Association’s annual Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen event. Later in this edition, sit back and enjoy a tale about a 167-year old distillery that produces the well-known Holladay Bourbon. A cold beverage pairs perfectly with a hot summer’s day, and our beverage section shares some of the state’s unique options, including drinks from Big Hair Brewhaus, Capitol View Winery & Vineyards, and Wahoo Distillery.

We hope these stories will enrich your summer experience and perhaps entice you to try something new.

Gabby Hellbusch Managing Editor

▲ Lindsey Oelling, owner of Paper Moon Pastries

Travel back in time at PAPER MOON PASTRIES

A timeless trip

STORY BY NICOLE BUNTGEN

PHOTOS BY AMANDA LEISE

Whether it’s a strong work ethic or devotion to community, there’s something to be said about Midwestern values. In the small town of Cortland, Nebraska, one woman seized a business opportunity and turned her dream into a retro reality. Today, Paper Moon Pastries is a vintage-inspired coffee shop and bakery that pairs old-fashioned recipes with a splash of small-town charm.

Renovating an old hair salon into a bakery on a budget offered a creative challenge for owner Lindsey Oelling. Before its May 2022 opening, she slowly saved her money and collected donated kitchen supplies and Facebook Marketplace furniture to create a bakery that radiates charm from the 1930s. This allowed Oelling to truly showcase her artistic skills, so she painted a mural across the shop’s interior brick paneling in reference to her favorite movie, “Paper Moon,” which focuses on a father-daughter duo based in the Midwest.

Oelling’s childhood consisted of countless small-town road trips with her dad to discover unique diners. Not only did he teach her how to bake, but his love for history inspired Oelling’s passion for all things vintage—hence the aesthetic and “Paper Moon” personality behind her bakery. More than half of the menu comprises gluten “friendly” items, and she deemed many of the recipes as “old fashioned” to resonate with her grandma’s baking.

On top of running a vintage bakery shop, Oelling also works as a therapist during the week. Previously full time, she

cut back her hours to dedicate more time to baking due to the shop’s busy nature— despite being open only once a week. Aside from selling sweet treats, Oelling said one of her main goals was to create a space where people can slow down and reconnect. “There wasn’t a place people could go and meet people,” she said. “As a therapist, I see so many people who need human connection. We’re more connected than ever, but we’re also lonely. My goal was to give the community a place to go and connect.”

Selling out each Saturday and always serving a line out the door, Oelling said sometimes it seems too good to be true. “People can’t believe it’s Cortland,” she said. “But why not? Maybe this is Cortland’s future—to have more fun places to go.”

chocolate-covered cherry cake

POPPED TO PERFECTION

Omaha popcorn makers share tasty techniques

STORY BY ANNA HARTMAN

Still Poppin Gourmet Popcorn Vic’s Corn Popper

Going to town on Saturday night in mid-20th century small town America often included a bag of freshly popped corn, the intoxicating aroma emanating from Main Street storefronts or the local movie theater.

Popcorn is an undeniable part of most people’s memory, whether you stirred the tiny handle of your grandparents’ cast iron lidded pan on the stove top or wedged a giant bag between you and your sister while watching rented movies. Annette Bockman, owner of Just

Pop’d Popcorn, agrees. “I have always loved popcorn and grew up with that being a family favorite snack while we gathered to watch a movie or The Carol Burnett Show.”

Popcorn, available in both white or yellow kernels, is a smaller and harder form of flint corn, which has less soft starch than dent corn (field corn). Because all that is needed to transform these kernels into an edible treat is fire and cured kernels, people have been popping the fiber-rich, healthy snack for centuries.

In the mid-to-late 19th century, savvy

Just Pop’d Popcorn

Tutti Frutti popcorn at Vic’s Corn Popper

farmers capitalized on the simplicity of the popular snack, and the lucrative crop soon earned the nickname “prairie gold.” Dr. Orlanda Whitfield, owner of Still Poppin Gourmet Popcorn, shared her reasons for the crunchy snack’s popularity, “Because it’s easy and light, popcorn is a growing multi-billion dollar industry. There are a lot of people that love all kinds of flavors of crunchy popcorn.”

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ears of corn intended for popping are grown, cured on the stalk, picked, and then dried until each kernel contains around 14 percent moisture. When exposed to heat, that moisture expands, causing the kernel to burst into the final product.

Different types of kernels fill varied needs: yellow corn pops up about a third larger than white but contains more hulls. White corn has fewer hulls and is more tender with a better taste. Mushroom corn is a rounder shape, and butterfly kernels take up more space.

Vic’s Corn Popper, owned by Vic and Ruth Larson, uses pure corn oil, flour salt (also known as popcorn or powder salt), and Nebraska-grown kernels at its Omaha factory. Yellow mushroom kernels are used for all flavored varieties—the round shape pops and remains intact, standing up to flavor coatings when taking a spin in the vat.

Whitfield learned to make tasty popcorn from her grandmother at age 11, eventually using that knowledge to start a small business. With a small crew, Still Poppin makes its popcorn in the shared kitchens of No More Empty Pots. Using corn sourced from Conagra, the team uses both yellow and white corn depending on the desired flavor profile.

Flavored popcorn likely started with the sticky caramel corn stirred by kids in cozy kitchens of grandmothers but has since blossomed into creative combinations such as the popular Omaha Mix (grandma’s caramel corn smothered in cheese) offered at Still Poppin. The business now offers more than 40 different flavors.

No stranger to complex seasoning blends, Whitfield is inspired by a wide variety of cuisines, including favorites such as Italian, Thai, and Jamaican. “The variety of palate makes life interesting, doing different things, trying different things. When I get sweet, salty, and spicy

Vic and Ruth Larson, owners of Vic’s Corn Popper

Popping popcorn at Vic’s Corn Popper

Mixing cheese popcorn at Vic’s Corn Popper

popcorn ready to be sold at Vic’s Corn Popper

Cheddar Buffalo Ranch, Snack Mix, and Strawberry Crunch flavors at Still Poppin Gourmet Popcorn

Dr. Orlanda Whitfield, owner of Still Poppin Gourmet Popcorn

Dakota Bockman, media marketing manager at Just Pop’d Popcorn

in the same bite I know it’s good.”

The names of the tasty bites at Still Poppin are inspired by the North Omaha neighborhood. For example, Deuce, a decadent blend of bourbon-infused maple caramel popcorn and pecans is inspired by a gentleman selling pecans on 24th Street (affectionately known as “the deuce”) during Whitfield’s childhood. Future flavor offerings include a collaboration with local favorite Big Mama’s Kitchen and Catering to create a popcorn using its no salt oven fried chicken seasoning blend.

With over 250 flavors made fresh in store sans preservatives, it’s easy to see why Just Pop’d Popcorn has remained popular since opening in 2010. Ingredients such as cookies, candy, chips, chocolate, nuts, and more are combined to create unique textures and tastes. The team at Just Pop’d creates at least one new flavor a month, typically named after or inspired by movies.

The longest running popcorn store in the area, Vic’s Corn Popper, has been a labor of love for the Larsons since 1980. Former teachers, today the couple own four stores and operate a web presence. Vic Larson shared his experience, “I’ve used so much of what I’ve learned as a teacher and public school

administrator in operating a business— being well organized, having patience. You’ve got to work hard and be on top of things.”

Popcorn is a popular fundraiser, and Vic’s Corn Popper averages 3-4 donation requests per day. According to Larson, “We donate to area schools, Boys Town, churches, youth organizations, and club sports.” Patrons are grateful for the generosity but also find they enjoy the popcorn at events and find their way to the stores to purchase a bag or two for personal enjoyment. Whitfield and her team at Still Poppin Gourmet Popcorn also support local fundraising efforts and requests, providing popcorn to local youth organizations to raise money for equipment/traveling.

Popcorn is often chosen as a gift for any occasion, especially around the holidays. Visit these popcorn purveyors’ stores or websites to grab a bag of a favorite combination or sample new flavors. Lucky for local popcorn connoisseurs, the snack isn’t fading away any time soon—as Bockman of Just Pop’d Popcorn said, “We plan to just keep popping.”

Beetlejuice popcorn at Just Pop’d Popcorn

White cheddar flavor being mixed at Just Pop’d Popcorn

IT ALL STARTS WITH A SEED

Dedicated to quality, ZANGGER POPCORN

HYBRIDS supplies to processors worldwide

STORY BY ANDY WILLIAMS

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ZANGGER POPCORN HYBRIDS

IfChuck Zangger’s mom had tossed an old peanut butter jar full of popcorn like she did some of his vintage baseball cards back in the day, 30 percent of the world’s supply of popcorn seeds probably wouldn’t be coming out of Zangger Farms in North Loup, NE.

In 1982, Zangger was growing popcorn on the same 600-acre farm as his father and grandfather before him, when an early frost nipped the crop and created a popcorn farmer’s worst nightmare: the popcorn, well… it didn’t pop. The crop was a total loss, and Zangger complained to his seed salesman. “He told me I should breed my own popcorn seed,” Zangger said. “We needed seed that had adapted to this region and had a shorter growing season, and he said he would help me do it.”

Zangger needed a popcorn seed that was native to the North Loup Valley,

where popcorn growers had proliferated since the first known popcorn was produced in 1883. Then it hit him. As a kid he always grew things in the family garden, and a neighbor had once given him some flint corn—“Indian corn” as it was known then, grown by native Americans in the territory. Zangger remembered putting some of the corn in a peanut butter jar and tucking it away in a shed on his parents’ property. “I drove to my parents’ house and went to the back garden shed,” Zangger recalled. “My Mickey Mantle baseball card and a bunch of my other cards from the ’50s were gone. But almost 30

Harvested popcorn seed straight from the combine

years later, the jar of corn was still there.”

Zangger used the popcorn in the jar to cross-breed with another corn variety from his seed supplier for one growing season. He cross-bred it again the next year, and a new hybrid popcorn seed was eventually created that Zangger sold for the first time in 1991. Zangger’s new hybrid and many varieties since then have a shortened growing season of 97-98 days vs. the 108-111 days of the hybrid seed line he used to buy—solving the issue of the crop being harvested later in the season when early frost is a danger. “We were in the perfect position to make selections and breed in Nebraska,” Zangger said. “And we were able to experiment with other breeding techniques and work on our selection process in a small nursery we set up.”

Zangger eventually transitioned out of growing edible popcorn, and the family owned and operated company and land is now fully dedicated to producing hybrid varieties of popcorn seeds that are grown in more than 30 countries around the world. With wife Carolyn and sons Josh, Luke, and Jacob running the business, Zangger Popcorn Hybrids produces 30-40 new hybrid seed varieties every year, and they repeatedly

Zangger family

Popcorn ears at sunset

sell the same 60 varieties to processors worldwide.

So every time someone pops a bag of microwave popcorn or enjoys some pre-popped cheddar or caramel corn, there is a good chance the seeds came from one of Zangger’s hybrids, but it’s tough to know for sure. At any given time, Zangger is working with around 800 different hybrid seeds in its primary test plot in North Loup, and the company has test plots in four states and in other countries that include Brazil, South Africa, France, Spain, Turkey, and the Ukraine that are producing new varieties of hybrid seeds annually. “We only work for independent processors and sell to them,” Zangger said. “Sometimes we speak directly to them and get to know them, but it’s rare that we get to know who is using our varieties of popcorn seeds.”

All of this development over the past 30 years has moved the company to the head of a small pack of competitors— only five other companies in the U.S. and two abroad produce hybrid popcorn seeds—and has led to a product in which Zangger is a strong believer. After an accident a few years ago sidelined Zangger and caused him to gain 20-25 pounds, he moved to a daily lunch diet of half a pound of popcorn and a glass of milk. A month later, the weight was gone. “I’ve always liked popcorn,” said Zangger, unable to fathom how much he’s consumed in his lifetime. “It’s a very good food that’s high in protein and good for digestion. So we feel great about the business we’ve built and the product we provide to the world.”

North Loup Valley

Livestock enjoying a popcorn snack

▲

Tessa Porter, founder of Sprinkk and Norma’s

Candy scientist and owner of SPRINKK, Tessa Porter introduces fruit snack brand

Sweet success

Since childhood, Tessa Porter has had a penchant for breaking things down and rebuilding them to understand how things come apart and how to manipulate the parts in different ways when putting them back together.

After high school graduation, the visionary Porter fed her inquisitive mind, as well as her sweet tooth, by earning a candy science scholarship to study food science and technology, later refining her focus through a master’s program in sugar crystallization. To boost her business acumen, she also completed an MBA along the way.

Well into her college career, an internship at Hershey changed the way Porter considered ingredient formulation. A mentor at the famous Pennsylvania candy factory modified variables such as temperature and time to force the budding scientist to think outside the box and problem solve on the fly. “I still refer back to that experience and pass along to developers I’m training how to troubleshoot,” she shared.

Porter channeled this perspective in her work at the nostalgic Ferrara Candy Company in Chicago (creators of childhood favorites Lemonheads and Boston Baked Beans), quickly rising up the ranks to Head of Innovation and Technology.

When it comes to innovation, Porter believes there is room for original, inventive ideas in the confectionary industry. Most candy starts with the same base ingredients, but manipulating the cooking and mixing methods can result in a surprising variety of different textures. “I get really nerdy about creating different textures by controlling temperature and the physics of shear and how materials move.”

In 2019, Porter left Ferrara to move

closer to her hometown of Albion, Nebraska and pursue a novel idea that would overcome common hurdles in the industry. She explained, “In my work, I saw really cool innovations that never saw the light of day due to lack of manufacturing space. It’s difficult to innovate within the tight parameters of products being made.”

To that end, the energetic confectioner started Sprinkk, a candy development and manufacturing company based in Omaha. Porter and her team excel in the business of transforming creative and unique ideas into final products.

Lower minimum order quantities, flexible process design, and small size allow Porter to work with clients to take an idea from formulation through testing and ultimately final production. The company’s involvement ends with production, leaving pricing, branding, and packaging design to other experts. “I take really great joy in that moment when an idea becomes a physical product. Getting to do that for and with others while bringing my own personality to it has been satisfying.”

Founder and owner of Sprinkk, Porter is also a client. While spending time in Albion during the pandemic, she collaborated with her grandmother Norma Porter on Norma’s Handcrafted Fruity Snacks. “I find peace in creating, and Norma’s was exactly that—creating for the sake of creating.”

The gummy snacks are hyperlocal, using homegrown rhubarb, nearby elderberries, and beekeeper and honey producer Fat Head Honey in Clarkson, Nebraska to craft chewy candies based on nostalgic flavor

STORY BY ANNA HARTMAN PHOTO COURTESY OF

combinations.

Porter is grateful for past mentors, including a confectionary industry professional that encouraged her to break free of historic norms and infuse her unique dynamic in her daily work. “She really paved the way for doing things differently and settling into your own energy—she taught me when things feel right and good for you, do it that way.”

Porter’s advice to budding candy scientists? “The main thing is to explore and be curious, dissect things, make messes. Early in your career is time to make as many messes as you can.” Meanwhile, the entrepreneur is content to stay busy helping others’ dreams come true, including grandma’s.

In addition to the Omaha development lab, Sprinkk is building a small, flexible contract manufacturing facility in Albion where Norma’s fruit snacks will be produced. This increased capacity will help boost production of the treats, but until then consumers can find Norma’s Handcrafted Fruity Snacks on its website as well as at local Albion grocery store ThriftyWay, Omaha collective Her Company, and Ellsworth Crossing Farm to Fork Market.

SPRINKK AND NORMA’S

Live music at Capitol View Winery & Vineyards

A variety of wine awaits at CAPITOL VIEW WINERY AND VINEYARDS

Wine with a view

When former lobbyists Trish and Les Meyer were nearing retirement and contemplating their next life adventure, a unique vineyard with a view of the Nebraska State Capitol (where they spent time in their careers) happened to be for sale, so the pair took a chance and purchased Capitol View Winery & Vineyards over six years ago.

The gamble was a good one, as Les Meyer shared, “This is something Trish and I get to do together; running a winery is different from a retail business because people come out to have a good time—we’ve made some of the best friends we’ve had in our lives.”

The wines offered at Capitol View range from very sweet to very dry, but according to Meyer, the winery found its niche in three dry whites and six dry red varietals grown under the close watch of Ed Swanson, an experienced Nebraska grower/vintner with over 40 years of experience. Frontenac and La Crosse grapes are grown on premise, but most exciting to the Meyers are the five rows of grapes ready for harvest this year for the first time. Swanson collaborated with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln viticulture program to graft vitus vinifera varietals such as Petite Verdot and Cabernet onto cold climate hearty rootstock.

Members of the wine club (dubbed Our Committee) are involved in the wine making process from harvest to blending to tasting. Entry is easy: purchase two cases of wine a year. Annual harvest parties aren’t limited to wine club members—last year the vineyard welcomed 80 volunteers for a fun day of harvest and lunch.

The tasting room offers snack foods

such as summer sausage, cheeses, chocolates, and crackers, but Fridays during the summer and fall, the spot hosts live music and a variety of food trucks. The Meyers are pleased to welcome summer visitors, “We find people come out and unwind, and you can see them relax. You can see the lights of the city from there and it feels like you’re out in the country but you’re not that far out of town.”

STORY BY ANNA HARTMAN PHOTOS COURTESY OF CAPITOL VIEW WINERY & VINEYARDS

Vineyard

Taproom art at Big Hair Brewhaus

Enjoy creative beers at BIG HAIR BREWHAUS

Splendid smalltown pride

When traveling across Nebraska, people will find many small communities with unbelievably old buildings that have been kept up over the years. Yet, it is rare to arrive in a town with three restoration events, including a hotel, restaurant, and brewery. Dr. Ben and Dr. Erin Schroeder, veterinarians in Hartington, Nebraska, took pride in ensuring these historic buildings were kept alive. Some may have seen them on their TV show Heartland Docs DVM, which is on NatGeo Wild.

Hartington, located in Cedar County, is where Big Hair Brewhaus opened in June of 2021. The Surge building became an ideal location to house the brewery because it had the space needed for a taproom, event space, and outdoor patio. A young gentleman named Reed Trenhaile, who grew up in Wayne, Nebraska, would return to the area to be the brewery’s head brewer.

Trenhaile had been working at Wooden Legs Brewing Company in Brookings, South Dakota. Learning what it takes to run a commercial brewery, he was ready to take on the challenge and introduce Hartington to craft beer. Trenhaile has taken the brewery from serving three beers to twelve beers in under two years.

One noticeable trait in each beer style that Trenhaile brews is the pride taken to ensure people enjoy the beer. From the

malts produced on the Great Plains to using Nebraska-grown hops, Trenhaile has created light favorites like the Fields of Gold Cream Ale to the Mess Around, an Imperial Brown Ale coming in at 10.7% ABV.

The beer names are influenced by music, including Swheat Emotion and Berry Davis Eyes. These fun and creative names will have guests reminiscing about bands like Aerosmith and artists like Kim Carnes.

Laci Maskell, the general manager, discussed how she enjoys the community support from the regulars who get excited about new beer releases to those who use the event space. She also said having live music on the weekends is special.

Take time to enjoy Nebraska’s smalltown pride by visiting Hartington. Cheers!

STORY & PHOTOS BY MICHAEL MEYER

Graham Rupe, founder of Wahoo Distillery

WAHOO DISTILLERY produces premium craft whiskey

From grain to glass

Though many people stumble upon family heirlooms in the nooks and crannies of their childhood homes, these nostalgic discoveries rarely spark new career paths. Yet, when Graham Rupe spied his grandfather’s old still tucked into the attic of his rural Nebraska childhood home in 2010, it ignited a long-held passion for creating and building.

The spirited notion simmered for nearly a decade until 2018, when a friend noticed a suitable building for sale in Wahoo, Nebraska. Rupe purchased the property and launched into the arduous task of transforming the space into a working distillery.

Rupe completed much of the work himself, scouting and acquiring salvageable parts from across the country. “It took three-and-a-half years from inception to finished product, but it’s been worth it,” Rupe reminisced. Throughout the process, the distiller relied on advice and help from other distillers and brewers for guidance.

The Original Wahoo Whiskey is crafted from three simple ingredients: Ogallala Aquifer water, number 2 yellow corn, and yeast. The corn is sourced from the Murren farm located just down the road near Colon, Nebraska. “It was important to find a single source of corn for consistency and they are easy to work

with,” Rupe explained.

To ensure a sustainable process, Rupe identified opportunities to reduce, reuse, and recycle. From upcycled equipment to the spent grain enjoyed by the cattle of DND Farms in Prague, Nebraska, the facility is a shining example of making the world better for the next generation.

Onsite tours and tastings are available upon request for a small fee, and Rupe is eager to show visitors around the 1700-square-foot production area. “Wahoo as a community has been super supportive and great to work with.”

The first bottle sold on December 22, 2022, and Rupe’s pace hasn’t slowed since. The craft distiller travels across the state with his wares in tow, hosting samplings, selling product, and finding new fans of his 100 percent corn whiskey. According to Rupe, it’s a labor of love, “Just working for what you do and being able to produce something that makes people happy.”

STORY BY ANNA HARTMAN

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WAHOO DISTILLERY

HOLLADAY DISTILLERY re-releases its flagship bourbon

A SIP FROM THE PAST

STORY BY ANDY WILLIAMS PHOTOS COURTESY OF HOLLADAY DISTILLERY

Ben Holladay would have most likely been beaming with pride last year when his flagship bourbon—founded and perfected in his Weston, Missouri, distillery before the Civil War—was re-released to the public after a 36-year wait.

Holladay Distillery, the oldest distillery west of the Mississippi River and labeled the oldest company in the Kansas City area, had produced its signature bourbon by tapping the same limestone springs and using Holladay’s patented recipe for more than a century. But when “clean” alcohol such as gin and vodka overtook bourbon and whiskey consumption in the 1980s, Holladay Distillery stopped making its signature product, until bringing it back 30 years to the day in 2015. “We renovated the original still house, the same building that Ben used,” said Jordan Germano, communications manager for Holladay Distillery, of the $10 million renovation. “We bought new equipment, expanded, and started distilling.”

As the company’s Master Distiller tasted from barrels that had aged for three years, he determined that the bourbon wasn’t yet up to Holladay standards. “It was good, but we wanted it to be better,” Germano said. “We aged it three more years until it was perfect.”

When Holladay and his brother moved from their native Kentucky home in the 1850s and bought land in Weston, they had no intention of establishing a bourbon distillery—until they discovered the limestone springs that naturally promote fermentation and filter out impurities that can affect the spirit’s color and taste. The Holladays met requirements of the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897 that ensured buyers were getting a pure distilled spirit. “It wasn’t unusu-

al then for whiskey to be half tobacco spit or prune juice,” Germano said. Holladay’s modern day bottled-in-bond product also ensures that the bourbon is produced, distilled, aged and bottled in one location, distilled within a single season, and bottled at 100 proof. That’s a common distinction in Kentucky, where 95 percent of the world’s bourbon supply is produced, but rare elsewhere.

Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, Holladay Distillery has changed private ownership only five times since 1856. The current ownership group holds the line on processes that set Holladay Bourbon apart, such as maintaining non-climate-controlled rickhouses for aging and not rotating the 25,000 aging barrels as temperatures fluctuate up to 30 degrees between floors. “That creates more movement in the barrels, which leads to more flavor,” Germano said. The picturesque land and facilities in Weston create a unique onsite experience that includes a tour from “water to bottle,” a gift shop and Welcome Center, and tastings. “You can buy all of our bourbon products and even our one barrel releases onsite,” Germano said.

Since re-launching the flagship Holladay Bourbon line last year, the company has focused distribution in the Kansas City area first, then in Omaha and 10 states in the Midwest. “We wanted to give our local markets and the Midwest the love and personal touch they deserve to come back strong,” Germano said of the 180-employee company. “We plan to expand beyond that through the end of the year.”

Barrels inside warehouse

Holladay warehouse

Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen builds camaraderie

TASTE of TALENT

STORY BY NICOLE BUNTGEN PHOTOS BY TENDENZA FOOD STYLING & PHOTOGRAPHY

Tasting menus serve as cohesive dining experiences focusing on discovering the senses through culinary art. One night a year, expert chefs across Omaha come together under one roof to showcase their talents to a group of explorative diners. To raise money for local nonprofits and culinary scholarships, the Omaha Restaurant Association (ORA) hosts Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen: an annual event highlighting all aspects of the local dining community in a social and interactive environment.

Back in the ’90s, the event began as a single chef who would host a dining experience inside a person’s home. Formally called “Chef’s Night Out,” the event rebranded in the early 2000s and has since grown into 22 chefs serving more than 200 people. From the camaraderie built inside the kitchen to the careful craft behind each food presentation, Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen allows restaurants to hone their culinary skills and demonstrate their techniques through countless levels of flavor.

The event gathers head chefs who create five-to-six-course meals and wine pairings for various groups of attendees, all of whom enter with zero expectations. While guests enjoy their cocktail hour, restaurants stay busy in the kitchen and prepare palatable spoon samplings that will be selected later. Once they submit their samples, one representative per group picks the amuse-bouche they find the most eye-appealing, only to discover which restaurant is behind their selection. The chef then leads their group to a designated table, where they are wined

Chef Aron Mackevicius from Talus Spirits & Sustenance in Papillion

and dined for the evening. A live auction concludes the night, where chefs donate exclusive dining experiences in their restaurants or private parties at one’s home.

Jennie Warren, executive director of the ORA, said many moving parts go into each year’s event. All chefs create their own menu, many based on products donated by suppliers—like wines, beers, and proteins. From there, chefs have complete creative freedom to build tasting menus to their desire and showcase techniques they may not always have the opportunity to show through their establishments.

For Matt Brown, advanced sommelier at V. Mertz, the event builds positive energy and connections between diners and chefs, which he said you wouldn’t otherwise see. “The chefs in Omaha are so motivated by high quality and interesting food,” he said. The 2023 event took place on April 30 at Embassy Suites Downtown, which donated everything from kitchen

Table of long-time supporters

Chef Manny Carino and his Sous Chef from Pitch

space to flatware to the hotel’s dining area for attendees.

In one room, each restaurant prepares courses in their designated stations—typically no larger than ten feet—with help from their sous chef and one selected student volunteer from the Institute for the Culinary Arts at Metropolitan Community College. “They cook on butane burners like they’re at campsites, but they’re executing some of the best food in the city,” Brown said. In the room next door, servers from each restaurant take care of guests as they patiently wait for their next course. “People on the other side of the wall don’t realize how talented these chefs are working in that environment and creating the level of food they do,” Brown added. “It’s a symphony of moving parts, and seeing the food come out is truly amazing.”

Omaha’s dining experiences are savored and respected by many, powered by culinary chefs dedicated to delivering the most tasteful experiences. Guests walk into Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen with an open mind, ready to explore unknown flavors and discover new cuisines. Between the chefs, sommeliers, diners, and servers, the event shines a light on all aspects of the dining community through a joint restaurant effort in an environment passionate for Omaha’s food and beverage industry. Year after year, the ORA brings its organization together with local restaurant talent and guides guests on a culinary journey—all while making a difference in the community. “You feel the excitement in the room,” Warren said. “To see the smiles on the chefs’ faces or the intentness when they’re creating so much detail into each plate is amazing. I’m so appreciative and proud of our board and committee.”

Proceeds from Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen benefit Foodbank for the Heartland, No More Empty Pots, and Saving Grace, as well as culinary scholarships through Metropolitan Community College Foundation and Hospitality Educational Foundation. To learn more or inquire about joining the Omaha Restaurant Association, visit dineoutomaha.com or contact Jennie Warren, executive director, at jwarren@dineoutoften.com.

Grill

Middle Row: Chefs Chris Furse; Avoli Osteria, Tim Nicholson; Boiler Room, Sous Chef; Pitch, Dylan Thompson; Clean Slate Food Co., Jared Clarke; Railcar Modern American Kitchen, Eddie Vasquez; 801 Chophouse, Anthony Kueper; Dolce, Brian Everman; Performance Food Group, Aron Mackevicius; Talus Spirits & Sustenance

Front Row (Includes 2 Standing & chef in all black sitting on a high chair): Chefs Matt Moser; Stirnella, Doug Chrisman; Sage Student Bistro at ICA, Glenn Wheeler; Spencer’s for Steaks & Chops, Jeff Everroad; Timber Wood Fire Bistro, Jamil Bah-Traore; Mola Yido & House of Bah, Shawn LaHood; Monarch at Hotel Deco, Kimbler Harrold; Embassy Suites Downtown. Not pictured: Chef Wilson Calixte; Le Voltaire.

Back Row: Chefs Andrew Loughrey: Stokin’ Goat, Tony Falkner, Gather, Sous Chef; Gather, Oscar Hernandez; Corner Kitchen, Jonathan Miller; V. Mertz, Jason Jones; La Casa, Robert Murphy; Dynamite Woodfire

Chef Peter Walsh (pictured third row, second from left) and his Student Helpers for the Institute for the Culinary Arts

Chefs Oscar and Ismael Hernandez from Corner Kitchen

Guests pose in front of the open air pavilion

SIP NEBRASKA shines a light on local beverage industry

Savor and celebrate

STORY BY NICOLE BUNTGEN PHOTOS COURTESY OF SIP NEBRASKA

Imagine a place where Nebraskans can gather to indulge in beers, wines, and spirits made right in their state. This environment exists, and it’s filled with tastings, artisans, and food vendors excited to introduce others to their craft. Look no further than Sip Nebraska—the only festival dedicated to celebrating Nebraska’s beloved beverage industry.

Despite its name, Sip Nebraska is more than an event centered around drinking—it’s an opportunity to support local businesses, connect with a passionate community, and enjoy a fun day with others in an energizing environment. For 10 years, Sip has brought people together in the spring and fall to revel in Nebraska businesses. The 2023 spring festival took place at Mahoney State Park, which also offered guests the opportunity for a weekend getaway in nature.

Blur Events (formally known as Blur Parties) hosts the festival with a mission to bring together local craft beer, wine, and spirit lovers in an environment that recognizes the state’s extensive beverage industry. From ticket sales to customer service, the team at Blur Events produces each of its functions from start to finish. “The more events we do, the more we get to know the owners and develop relationships with them,” Event and Project Manager Maggie Miseno said.

Rather than host a week-long festival, Sip dedicates one day twice a year to its festivities,

Junto Wine pouring a tasting

Guests participate in tastings and shop curated artisan vendors

Guests playing bag toss next to Canyon Lakes Brewing Company

which Miseno said often results in strong connections being formed with vendors. “It’s fun to talk to them for months and then finally get to meet them the day of the event.” The festival strives for lasting relationships with the festival-goers and vendors to make for the most valuable and successful experience. “We want them [vendors] to come back each year. We frame the event around what their experience will be like.”

Participating in events is second nature for some vendors, but it’s a new experience for others. No matter one’s background, Sip’s goal is to host an even spread of small businesses in a non-competitive environment highlighting each one’s unique crafts. The balance between artisan, food, and activities brings something for everyone to enjoy. Although each vendor is given its own dedicated tent, Sip encourages them to “make it their own” and be as creative as possible with their space. Thus, many vendors will bring yard games or Bluetooth speakers to make their booth a party that people want to be at, versus a one-and-done sampling experience.

Stroll around the festival to discover a variety of unique tents represented by distilleries, wineries, and breweries from across the state, all of which are ready to offer a memorable sampling experience. Attendees can greet each vendor with their complimentary sampling glass, and if they happen to fall in love with a bit of booze, they can purchase it to take home. Many sips later, the munchies are sure to hit, which makes for the perfect excuse to indulge in one of the many local food vendors scattered throughout the festival. Travel across one of the grass pathways and discover various entertainment options like live music, sip-and-learn events, lawn games, and even goat yoga.

Experimenting with new beverages offers endless avenues for the tastebuds, but doing so in an environment where people can learn about drink pairings, enjoy meaningful conversations and live music, and support local businesses shows the versatility of atmospheres within Sip Nebraska. The vendors that make up the event are more than small business owners—they are your neighbors down the street, local shops around the block, and people whose stories you are now a part of.

It’s an event that honors the Nebraska beverage industry while offering a memorable, lasting experience for guests.

Cheers to that.

Guests playing jumbo Jenga in the band and activity area

Goat yoga with Shepherd’s Rest Goat & Sheep Rescue and Lincoln Yoga Center

Hotdog Bun

Marble Rye Loaf

Sweet Vienna Loaf

Soft Potato Bun

Butter Brioche Bun

Rustic Hoagie

Wheatberry Loaf

Ciabatta Bun

Brioche Bun

FEBRUARY 2020

OMAHA'S ENTREPRENEURSAVVYJAMES MANSKE

MAGAZINE