East Valley Tribune Business - 12.13.2020

east valley

Volume 3 Issue 22 Mesa, AZ

December 13, 2020

Eastmark couple teaches the art of cooking

BY MONIQUE SELEEN TRIBUNE Contributor

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IN THE BIZ

weet Moments Company is cooking up ways for people to gather virtually and learn how to prepare everything from gourmet meals to decadent desserts – all from the comfort of their own homes.

Mesa couple Therese and Brent Ludwig, launched the company in 2019 with a desire to connect with people through hands-on cooking and learning.

After years of owning and operating a bakery, Therese said she was ready for a change.

“I was done with the crazy hours that came with running the bakery.” she said.

“I love teaching and interacting with people, sharing the knowledge of food, and getting in the kitchen and having fun.”

Sweet Moments began by offering inhome services. Therese, a trained pastry chef and culinary instructor, would conduct private cooking lessons from the person’s home.

But with COVID-19, the Ludwigs knew they had to adapt the company to the changing times. Over the summer, they transitioned all their classes to virtual formats and started marketing their services in Eastmark, the master-planned community where they reside.

Sweet Moments Company now offers a wide variety of virtual classes, including their Date Night option for couples wishing to prepare a more upscale dinner with items like seared lamb lolliPublic Notices ............... page 3 © Copyright, 2020 East Valley Tribune

Theresa Ludwig of Mesa's Eastmark community and her husband Brent own the Sweet Moments Company, which teaches people the art of gourmet cooking. (Special to the Tribune)

pops with herb couscous and red wine sauce.

There are also several family-friendly classes to choose from including cookie decorating and cupcake-making, which Therese said tend to be some of the most popular classes.

The company also offers general cooking classes which explore common cooking techniques that aren’t quite as upscale as the Date Night option.

In addition, they are launching a fourweek Intro to Cooking Course beginning in the new year that will cover topics such as knife skills, sauce making, soups, salads, and dressings. A complete dinner will follow each session.

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Once registered for a class, all ingredients are prepared and pre-measured in the company’s commercial kitchen, then either shipped or delivered to the participant’s front door the day before the class.

Classes are then conducted via Zoom and are taught in real-time by Therese from her home kitchen.

“It was important to me that I teach out of my own kitchen to show a comfortable environment and that it can be done at home,” said Therese. “I want all the classes to have that warm and welcoming feeling.”

Behind the scenes, Therese’s husband Brent, a full-time engineer by day, dedicates his spare time to helping with the Subscriptions are $26 for 2 years, $14 for one year.

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technical side of the business, doing the camera work, filming and handling the finances.

“He is the backbone of the company,” said Therese. Therese, who is a full-time culinary instructor at Scottsdale Community College, manages the company’s social media, responds to emails, handles all the class bookings, shops for the ingredients and prepares the ingredients for all the classes.

With so many moving parts, Therese said it has been tough getting everything organized as the company continues to grow.

“Time has been our biggest challenge,” she said, adding; “We’ve spent a lot of time developing our products, figuring

out new packaging, and creating new methods to make it more efficient.”

Therese said they have plans to expand and hope to eventually bring on more chefs and some help with the kitchen prep work and the portioning and shipping in the new year.

While COVID-19 has taken a toll on several small businesses, Therese said Sweet Moments has thrived in its new virtual format.

“It has had a positive impact on us and really helped kick-start our business,” she said.

The company also offers private course bookings which Therese said have been a hit with large corporations.

“A lot of companies are contacting us wanting to set up a virtual get together as a holiday gift to their employees or as a team building event,” said Therese.

Bringing people together in the kitchen is exactly what inspired the name for the company. Therese, who said her love for cooking and baking was fostered by her mother, said she wanted to recreate those special memories for others.

“It is so rewarding to see people interact and do something together,” said Therese. “It’s not just about cooking, it’s about bringing sweet moments to the kitchen.”

Information: smcoaz.com.

Mesa brewery’s work with entrepreneurs makes new suds TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF

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Mesa brewery is finding different ways to stay afloat in the pandemic.

Dave Valencia, owner of Oro Brewing Company and the Oro Taproom at 210 W. Main St., said he’s “uniting the East Valley” through his unique craft beer.

“Jesse Kortepeter, head brewer, was brought to the team in 2017 because of his passion for uniting Arizona through creating one-of-a-kind IPAs, ales, stouts and specialty craft beers,” Valencia said in a released.

Kortepeter adds on Oro’s website: “I enjoy thriving in a small, close-knit group of motivated individuals rallying around the goal of crafting and serving great beer.

“I sincerely believe that people never stop learning, and I have a profound respect for the brewing process and the creation of beer,” he added. “The quality and integrity of these fermented creations means a great deal to me, so constantly evolving and adapting alongside an engaged team continually inspires me to become a better brewer.”

The two men teamed up with various local entrepreneurs, such as Village Coffee in Scottsdale, where they infused their blonde ale with a cold brew coffee

Oro Brewing Company founder Dave Valencia, left, and head brewer Jesse Kortepeter are teaming up with local entrepreneurs to come up with inventive beers. (Special to the Tribune) and created “a perfect way to start your morning.”

Valencia and Kortepeter also collaborated with local beekeepers to feature 40 pounds of local wildflower honey in the their prize-winning “Royal Windsor” spiced ale.

Oro features six core beers and eight rotating specialty beers daily in their taproom and offers complimentary educational tasting to the public.

The taproom opens at 2 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and noon on Satur-

EAST VALLEY BUSINESS

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day and Sunday. It is closed Monday and Tuesday so the two men can craft new brew.

To help combat COVID-19 Oro has limited indoor seating to 26 guests and added an enclosed large patio overlooking downtown Mesa.

“Stay safe and enjoy fresh craft beer responsibly, preferably at Oro Brewing Company,” Valencia said.

Information: OroBrewing.com 480-398-8247.

DECEMBER 13, 2020

or

Public Notice Advertisement of Sale NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the under-signed intends to sell the personal property described below to enforce a lien imposed on said property pursuant to the Arizona Self-Service Storage Act, Arizona Statutes 33-1704, Section H, Enforcement of Lien.

The Undersigned will sell at public

sale by competitive bidding on or after December 23, 2020 at 9:00am using an online auction at www.storagetreasures.com, said property has been stored and located at US60 Self Storage, 1661 S Alma School Rd, Ste 105, Mesa, AZ 85210. Property to be sold as follows: Misc. household goods, personal items, furniture, clothing, toys and/or business fixtures and

EAST VALLEY BUSINESS

items belonging to the following: Tenant Name Unit # Ceo Jr. Ray 200 Marcos Cortez 648 Christina Juarez 603 Louis Burgess 801 Maryorie Martinez 204 William Daley 704 Angel Ortiz 311 Monique Jenkins 204 Sale subject to cancellation in the event of settlement between

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owner and obligated party. Items sold “as is�, CASH ONLY, and Buyer must pay a security deposit and broom sweep/clean the unit. Go to www.storagetreasures.com to bid on unit(s).

Published: East Valley Tribune, Dec. 13, 20, 2020 / 34992

DECEMBER 13, 2020

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