LET THE LITTLE GUYS DELIVER FOR YOUR BIG DAY

Include these delicious foods in your celebration to impress your guests and support local businesses after a challenging year

BY JENNIFER C. FRAKES

If your wedding was planned for 2020 and you’re reading this magazine, there’s a good chance your original plans were altered or postponed. It’s estimated that was the case for about half of the 2 million weddings Americans typically host every year.

The pandemic greatly affected all of us, of course, but some small businesses especially felt the pinch. Many independent, local companies here (see more in sidebar) make wonderful food products you can use for every event from shower to welcome basket to reception to the day-after brunch. Consider integrating their tasty treats into your festivities to show off some St. Louis originals—and give these talented and hardworking family-owned businesses a boost.

THE CARAMEL HOUSE

The Caramel House is a house you want to visit. Owner Janet Schulman has been making all things caramel for 12 years and opened her shop in Olivette six years ago. She makes 24 different flavors of the individual caramel “kisses,” caramel sauce, turtles, caramel apples (year-round) and pretzels, English toffee, and caramel popcorn, as well as four other fresh popcorn flavors. Many more yummy goodies are available, and Schulman’s secret caramel recipe is known as “the caramel that doesn’t stick” to your teeth, yet it’s every bit as caramel-y and scrumptious.

Everything at The Caramel House is peanutfree and the products are officially certified as being gluten-free by the Celiac Foundation. Schulman has four employees and is proud that The Caramel House is 100% women-owned and St. Louis-grown.

“We are all about staying local,” Schulman said. “All of our ingredients and packaging are locallysourced. Pecans from Missouri are the only nuts we use, and everything is American-made.” The Caramel House creates lots of corporate gifts, which can translate well to gifts for wedding celebrations. Assorted caramels in various-sized boxes can work as a wedding favor or gift at a bridal shower. Unbreakable jars of caramel sauce would be great in a welcome basket for out-of-town guests.

Schulman suggests a new line of items for groomsmen gifts that capitalize on a popular trend-products made with bourbon. “We make caramels with flavors of bourbon vanilla, bourbon apple jack & bourbon fire cinnamon, as well as our Liquid Gold Bourbon Caramel Sauce, and bourbon caramel corn,” said Schulman. She is immensely grateful for the generosity and support of her customers in helping her through 2020. But she also loved being able to provide sweets to those who came by the shop. “It was a lonely time for many people,” Schulman said. “I enjoyed being the ‘sugar bartender’ to people who came to get treats to feel less isolated and just needed a little pick me up.”

The Caramel House shop is located in Olivette at 9639 Olive Boulevard. Items can also be ordered online at thecaramelhouse.com.

FREDDIE LEE’S GHETTO SAUCE

St. Louis is a barbecue town, and gifting some locally-made, acclaimed barbecue sauce to your guests would be a great representation of the Lou. Freddie Lee James Jr. has been cooking up his sauces for over a decade, but 2020 was a tough one. “Last year almost crushed us,” James Jr. said. “Online sales helped keep us afloat, but it was scary.”

The Ghetto Sauce (also labeled as “American Gourmet Sauce” in some stores) comes in spicy and mild flavors and isn’t just for meat. It tastes great in chili and baked beans, on salmon, even pizza. But Freddie’s favorite use of the sauce? “I love it on spaghetti,” James Jr. said. “It just takes spaghetti to another level.” He also loves using the sauce in meatloaf and stuffed peppers.

Couples can ask caterers and chefs to use the sauce in their cooking for the reception dinner, and may want to display a sign noting the use of this small-business, local product. The 18-ounce jars would be a great addition to a welcome basket, or a bachelor party gift. Having a backyard rehearsal dinner? Use the sauce on the grill, then send some jars home with the wedding party and guests.

James is a well-respected sauce maker, as he also produces sauces for several popular restaurants in the St. Louis area. Ghetto Sauce received a small business award in 2017 and was featured at the Governor’s Mansion in Jefferson City at the annual Taste of Missouri.

He has six employees and his wife Deborah is his business partner. The sauces are gluten-free and contain no high-fructose corn syrup. “I only put love in my product,” said James. “I don’t put anything in the sauce that I wouldn’t eat myself.”

The sauces are available at many Schnucks, Straub’s and Dierbergs locations and some independent butcher shops, among other retail outlets. Order online at freddieleesgourmetsauces.com.

IRENE’S HOMEMADE GRANOLA

Another delicious product made with love began with Irene Reinkemeyer’s love for her husband. About eight years ago, he developed heart issues and she was hoping to find healthy foods he loved. “He loves oats and I looked for a healthy granola, but couldn’t find a good one,” Reinkemeyer said. “So I started making my own. My kids and their friends loved it, then I gave some

as Christmas gifts, then people kept asking for more.” After proving popular at farmers markets, Irene’s Homemade Granola can now be found at Dierbergs, Freddie’s Market, Vincent’s Market, Global Foods and the Women’s Exchange.

Also a woman-owned company, Irene’s Homemade Granola employees consist of herself and one other person, in addition to her husband, who manages the books.

There are ve blends of granola to choose from, all variations named for Reinkemeyer’s two children. Cole’s Vegan Blend is a peanutbased blend. The Haley Original Blend is a sweet honey almond-based blend. Haley’s Vegan Blend offers the same sweet taste as the Original, but coconut oil is used instead of butter to accommodate vegans. There are also versions of the Original Haley Blend and Cole’s Blend with dark chocolate on top. The granola is uniquely soft and chewy--very different from the often-dry (and less healthy) national brands.

Though made with healthy ingredients, some fans of the granola compare the various versions to tasting like an oatmeal cookie, a Payday bar and an Almond Joy. “I want to provide a snack made with healthy ingredients that will satisfy and keep you full,” Reinkemeyer said. All the granola is egg and wheat-free, and honey-based with a little brown sugar.

Adorable three-ounce containers would be perfect for wedding favors, showers and bachelorette weekends. “You could also stack three of the smaller containers and tie them with a bow in your wedding colors, to give a variety of avors,” said Reinkemeyer. The larger 11-ounce containers would be appreciated by hotel guests for a morning or on-the-go snack. “I also had a client who bought the granola in bulk and made her own bags to give to family and friends for a pre-wedding hike,” Reinkemeyer said. The granola would also be a delicious addition to a wedding brunch as well.

You can also purchase the granola online at Ireneshomemadegranola.com.

MOUND CITY SHELLED NUT COMPANY

Mound City Shelled Nut Company has been operating since 1917 (!) and owned by the Smyrniotis family since 1973. Mound City is rare in that it roasts its wide variety of nuts on site, at their store on 7831 Olive Boulevard in University City. “You can’t get any fresher,” said Kristie Smyrniotis. “There’s no product sitting in a warehouse or a distributor involved. Everything is roasted and packed right here.”

The nuts are pure, all-natural, and Kosherapproved. They also make peanut, almond, and peanut and dark chocolate butters, and offer hand-dipped milk and dark chocolate covered nuts, as well as dried fruits and candy.

Like many other small businesses, internet sales were key for Mound City in 2020. “We feel very blessed that we were able to stay open last year,” Smyrniotis said. Offering baskets and tins of a variety of products for corporations has always been a big part of Mound City’s business, and that helped help through the pandemic.

These baskets would be a huge hit for guests that have traveled to celebrate with you. But there are lots of options of smaller, individual treats for your family and friends as well. “We have three-ounce packages of cashews, deluxe mixed nuts, pistachios and the plaza mix, which is nuts and dried fruit. The deluxe mix is our most popular,” said Smyrniotis.

On the sweeter side, for a wedding favor or treat at a bridal luncheon place setting, the chocolate mint lentils would be ideal. “They are not beans, but about the same size as lentils,” Smyrniotis said. “It’s a soft chocolate mint inside a hard shell—a pretty mix of purple, pink, green and white candies.” Another option for these occasions is the Jordan almonds, either in super ne white or ne pastel colors. Couples can customize the bags with their own stickers, if they’d like.

Kristie’s parents, Byron and Stacy Smyrniotis, have been working together at Mound City Shelled Nut Company for over 30 years, under the same roof. Their small team is committed to fresh, quality products and can also do special orders.

Check out all the products at moundcity.com.

A WIN-WIN FOR WEDDINGS AND SMALL BUSINESSES

All of these ne and delicious products could also combine for a satisfying late night sweet and savory bar at a wedding reception. We’re fortunate to have such unique, quality products made in the St. Louis area by such hardworking and lovely small business owners.

Janet Schulman, owner of The Caramel House, said the small business community supporting each other through a tough time was a silver lining last year. “Local businesses really helped each other, sharing resources, back and forth, and supporting each other on social media,” Schulman said. “It really uni ed us locally. It’s the magic of living in a big city that works like a small town.” ♥

Personalized chocolates from Crown Candy Kitchen u

Live La Vida Local!

Here are some other small St. Louis gems that will deliver big:

ALIBI COOKIES alibicookies.com

BILLY GOAT CHIPS buythegoat.com CROWN CANDY KITCHEN crowncandykitchen.net GUS’S PRETZELS guspretzels.com CLEMENTINE’S NAUGHTY & NICE CREAMERY clemintinescreamery.com DAD’S COOKIE COMPANY dadscookies.com

DI GREGORIO’S ITALIAN MARKET digregoriofoods.com GOOEY LOUIE gooeybuttercake.com STILL 630 still630.com

VOLPI FOODS volpifoods.com THE WINE MERCHANT

winemarchantltd.com