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Quarantine has revealed for many of us the importance of a well-stocked pantry; for some, their pantry was an absolute lifeline in a tough time. Anne Milneck—chef, owner of Red Stick Spice Co., and host of Smidgen— talks on this bonus episode about pantries, staples, and stocking up. How do you make sure you’re stocking stuff you actually use? How can sauces make all the difference for your pantry meal planning? Should you stock up on spices? What do oils and balsamics have to do with a well-planned pantry? What mindset should you have about planning your pantry? All this and more on this episode of Smidgen. Mentioned on the show: - SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Online cooking classes with Anne Milneck! No matter where you are in the world, you can learn from Anne via Zoom. Class listing here: https://www.redstickspice.com/collections/cooking-classes - Curry is a dish that can almost wholly be made with pantry items. Explore all the curry options on the Red Stick Spice Co. website (including some of the spice blends.) - Lentils are another pantry staple that can be made quickly and can host a variety of flavors. There’s a lot about lentils on the Red Stick Spice Co. website: https://www.redstickspice.com/search?q=lentils (There’s also a round-up of 25 bean recipes that can inspire many meals here.) - Your freezer is an extension of your pantry, especially for veggies and meat. Our local butcher is Galen Iverstein, of Iverstein Farms. (Galen was on the very first episode of Smidgen, listen here.) - Get the Essential Spice Starter Set—combine spices from this set to deliver the flavors of the world to your meals. The Essential Spice Starter Set makes an awesome wedding gift or for someone setting up house. - You won’t believe the array of flavors found in the balsamics at Red Stick Spice Co.! Catherine might have got in trouble for chugging blackberry balsamic; Anne touted the strawberry and honey ginger balsamic. - Olive oils (in dark bottles) can store great in a pantry—see the selection of olive oils offered by Red Stick Spice Company here. - Catch Red Stick Spice Company on Facebook Live! Anne and her crew will be cooking live. Follow along or get some ideas for dinner. Red Stick Spice Co on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redstickspicecompany We invite you to reach out to us with any ideas you have, or just to say hello and check in. Contact us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app.  Smidgen is the podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.

Any peek into foodie social media during quarantine has revealed pictures of beautiful loaves of bread, tales of sourdough, and beautiful cakes and cookies (still warm from the oven.) Everybody is baking! Anne Milneck, intrepid host of Smidgen and owner of Red Stick Spice Company is… how to say it… not an avid baker (she even claims FOF—fear of flour.) That’s why on this special bonus episode of Smidgen, Anne talks with Sarah Joy Hays, baker and proprietor of Counterspace bakery in Baton Rouge. Listen to this episode to learn what bread recipe you could bake today; what resources will help you become a sourdough superstar; Sarah Joy’s must-have piece of equipment for baking; and Sarah Joy’s top tip for becoming a better cake and cookie maker. Mentioned on the show: SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT – Cooking classes by zoom! You can take a class with Anne Milneck of Red Stick Spice Co. online. Register here: https://www.redstickspice.com/collections/cooking-classes Counterspace in Baton Rouge. Website: https://www.counterspacebr.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counterspacebr/ Sarah Joy drops a lot of resources on the episode including… For sourdough, Sarah recommends Baker Hands. The book A Baker’s Year by Tara Jensen is the sourdough cookbook she suggests. Zoe Bakes is the Instagram of Zoe Francois. Ms. Francois is the author of The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. You can also follow @BreadIn5 on Instagram. Try this bread today! Rolls and buns? Check out Cloudy Kitchen—website and Instagram Didn’t the hibiscus shortbread sound delicious? Red Stick Spice Hibiscus flower is available or try Hibiscus Sugar. In the sugar department, Red Stick Spice Co. also offers Lemon Sugar and Strawberry Sugar (and other varieties, too!) Sarah Joy remarked about Saffron cookies having a wonderful warm quality. Red Stick Spice Company offers saffron in sealed one-gram tins. We really enjoyed making this bonus episode—what did you think? We invite you to reach out to us with any ideas you have, or just to say hello and check in. Contact us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app.  Smidgen is the podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.

All this home cooking everyone has been doing either reveals your cooking skill limitations or inspired you to take things up to the next level. How can you become a better cook? What skills should every home cook improve right now? (And how can we improve our cooking skills?) Anne Milneck—chef, owner of Red Stick Spice Co., and host of Smidgen—tells us what are the top skills every home cook should know and how to improve them right away. Catherine O’Brien (Smidgen producer) gets Anne to talk about food presentation and plating (a pet topic of hers after watching so much Smidgen cooking.) For fun, Anne closes the show by sharing recipes and cooking challenges for the beginner, intermediate, and experienced home cooks. Mentioned on the show: - Make a curry! WARNING—you may find yourself making curries weekly once you get hooked on this dish. Versatile, easy, delicious—change the spices, change the dish. Work with a variety of veggies and proteins to make amazing curries. Try Chicken Curry in a Hurry to get started; explore all the curry options on the Red Stick Spice Co. website (including some of the spice blends.) - Soup season lasts 365 days. Award winning Summer Squash soup to handle the “squash situation” that lots of gardeners are experiencing now. Did we mention this soup won Anne an award? - Talk to your local butcher wherever you live. Our local butcher is Galen Iverstein, of Iverstein Farms. (Galen was on the very first episode of Smidgen, listen here.) - Change the profile of some of your favorite meals with Smoked Tomato Blend, a rich and aromatic spice blend that brings zest and dimension to sauces, chilis, soups, and more. Let Smoked Tomato Blend do some of the heavy lifting on taking your dishes to the next level.  - Catch Red Stick Spice Company on Facebook Live! Anne and her crew will be cooking live. Follow along or get some ideas for din din. Red Stick Spice Co on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redstickspicecompany We invite you to reach out to us with any ideas you have, or just to say hello and check in. Contact us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app.  Smidgen is the podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.

Parents with children of all ages, we see you! Right now, this very moment, you’re probably preparing food for the folks in your home. On this bonus episode of Smidgen, the podcast of Red Stick Spice Company, host Anne Milneck and producer Catherine O’Brien talk about the extra home cooking lots of parents are doing now. How can you use this time to get kids involved in cooking and meal prep? What can skills and experience can older kids learn now? What are some kid-friendly recipes to add to the rotation? All this and more on this episode.   Mentioned on the show: - Make Natchitoches Meat Pies tonight! Freeze the extras; these are perfect to make with kids of all ages. Recipe here: https://www.redstickspice.com/blogs/recipes/natchitoches-meat-pies?_pos=1&_sid=2bca1550c&_ss=r - Try Boucherie to flavor your meat pies - …Or Adobo blend - Check out The Feeding Doctor to get some insights on positive eating habits in families: http://thefeedingdoctor.com/ - Catch Red Stick Spice Company on Facebook Live! Anne and her crew will be cooking live. Follow along or get some ideas for din din. Red Stick Spice Co on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redstickspicecompany We invite you to reach out to us with any ideas you have, or just to say hello and check in. Contact us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app.  Smidgen is the podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.

If you are hunkered down, practicing social distancing, and maybe wanting a little comfort, we have a little Smidgen bonus for you. Anne Milneck, host of Smidgen and owner of Red Stick Spice Company talks (remotely) with producer Catherine O’Brien. Anne shares her thoughts on why heading to the kitchen is a good idea right now, and can even be a source of joy in stressful times. Anne also has a unique perspective in our current circumstance: Anne’s son Clay has a chronic illness that requires extra care and consideration. Anne hit up Clay’s gastroenterologist Dr. Casey Chapman with a few questions that provides valuable information for all of us, especially folks who want to help #flattenthecurve. Finally, Catherine quizzes Anne about being a small business owner in uncertain times; Anne comes back with ideas for supporting your favorite small businesses and highlights the creativity and innovation that can arise from unusual circumstances. We invite you to reach out to us with any ideas you have, or just to say hello and check in.  Mentioned on the show: - Now is the Time to Overreact in The Atlantic - Flattening the Coronavirus Curve in The New York Times - Catch Red Stick Spice Company on Facebook Live! Daily at 4:30PM CDT, Anne and her crew will be cooking live. Follow along or get some ideas for din din. Red Stick Spice Co on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redstickspicecompany  - Catherine gave a shout out to her favorite dish (that is now on PERMANENT rotation in her household) featured in Season 1 on Smidgen—slab grilled cheese. Mmmmmm. Hear the whole episode here: http://smidgenpodcast.com/stock-options-stock-broth-curried-tomato-bisque-and-slab-grilled-cheese - Learn more about Crohns and Colitis from the Crohns and  Colitis Foundation: https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/ Reach out to us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app.  Smidgen is the podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.

S2E7 We’re throwing it back here on the Season Two Finale of Smidgen to some vintage recipes that are making a comeback. Do you have memories from your young days of parents pulling out “fancy” china for entertaining and making certain dishes that are for special occasions only? Smidgen Host and Owner of Red Stick Spice Co. Anne Milneck speaks with Lili Courtney about some of these dishes, and our intrepid chefs give some makeovers to chicken tetrazzini, hummingbird cake (Southern Living Magazine’s number one, most viewed recipe EVER!), 70’s style cocktail meatballs (served in a crock pot, OF COURSE, with a sidecar of rainbow colored toothpicks), seven layer salad, and trifle. Cooking Segment: Part trip down memory lane, part tasty food analysis, Anne and Lili update vintage tastes to our modern palette. Inspired by their conversation, Lili and Anne head over to the Red Stick Spice Co. Test Kitchen and update cocktail meatballs and whip up a hummingbird cake trifle. Tis the season to entertain, and both these dishes would be a delicious compliment to any gathering. Mentioned on the show: - RECIPE: Sweet and Sour Meatballs with Pine Nuts and Currents. Lili is sharing her meatball recipe for you to try and wow your friends and family - RECIPE: Now’s the time to get the trifle dish out of the back shelf for Hummingbird Cake Trifle OR serve in individual glasses (like a stemless wine glass or a martini glass) - Shhh! Don’t tell anyone it is store bought ice cream! Anne’s Mother’s Romanoff sauce is cool and delicious - The original Southern Living Hummingbird Cake Recipe is on their website here - Ooh la la, customer favorite Champagne Pear Chardonnay Vinegar makes a grand appearance in the cooking segment - Capital Heights Spice is versatile, full of shallots, citrus, and nutritional yeast. Plus, it’s salt-free - We enhance all the flavors of the Hummingbird Cake with the Red Stick Spice Co. Pumpkin Pie Spice (banana loves cardamom!) - Use discount code SMIDGEN15 to save 15% your entire order at Red Stick Spice Co. Did this episode inspire you to update your own favorite vintage recipes? Also, this is the last episode of Season Two—we’ll miss you while we’re away, but we would love to know if there’s anything you want to hear about on Season Three. Tell us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app.  Smidgen is the podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.

S2E6 Lots of customers discover Red Stick Spice Company after being given the directive to reduce salt consumption. What better place than our shop to reduce salt without losing flavor? We also hear talk of the DASH Diet—a little bit “Baton Rouge famous” due to research and development at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. To learn more, we’re joined by Renee Puyau, Registered Dietician at Pennington. Renee explains how DASH was originally developed for hypertension, but also supports other health benefits, too. Since DASH is fruit and veggie heavy, Renee gives lots of tips for how to get more servings into each day. (Friendly reminder: this episode is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice.) Cooking Segment: Host and Owner of Red Stick Spice Company Anne Milneck takes what she learns from Renee into the Test Kitchen to make a flavorful chicken cutlet using Zahtar. The salt is scant but the taste is plentiful due to Zahtar’s distinct zing—sumac, sesame seeds, and citrus zest come together for a bright flavor that will keep you from missing the salt. The Zahtar chicken is topped with a lush green parsley salad (get those veggies in!) making for a DASH-friendly, quick to prepare dinner. Mentioned on the show: - RECIPE: Make your own Zahtar Chicken with Parsley Salad for dinner tonight! Quick, delicious, DASH friendly - Find out more about the DASH Diet on the Pennington Biomedical Research Center website - Zahtar is where it’s at for flavorful chicken or a bit of Middle Eastern flair for a variety of dishes - We offer an abundance of salt-free spice blends to choose from. Anne gave a shout-out to our Red Bean Seasoning and Gumbo Seasoning. Also give a look to our Smoked Porcini, Shallot & Mustard - Salt Free blend. Don’t forget the Alleppo Pepper! - Cameron came in with our Red Stick Spice Company Oregano Olive Oil to bump up the flavor - If you have a loved one who is watching their salt intake, we offer a Salt Free Zone gift box that would make a delicious and helpful present - Join us for our Not My Mother’s Chicken cooking class!  This Milk Street Partner Location class highlights cooking skills as well as inspiring recipes. Zahtar Chicken with Parsley Salad is on the menu! - Use discount code SMIDGEN15 to save 15% your entire order at Red Stick Spice Co. Did we win you over with Zahtar? Did you already know about DASH? We want to know! Tell us about it on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app.  Smidgen is the podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.

S2E5 “Local food” is a term we hear more and more. It feels good to say, it seems to capture the spirit of an ideal we would like to uphold. Looking a bit closer, the issue of local food gains some depth and complexity. On this episode of Smidgen, host Anne Milneck starts off her local food journey by speaking with John Cotton Dean, Director of the Rural Prosperity Initiative for the Central Louisiana Economic Development Alliance (CLEDA.) John breaks down food deserts, identifies who are the stakeholders in local food production, and explains how each of us can have a major impact on local food in our own communities (hint: only $5 per week!) Anne is currently working to be a Louisiana Food Fellow through CLEDA. Next, we talk to a real-life urban farmer—Allison Guidroz of Fullness Farm. Allison and her husband farm in Baton Rouge, growing fresh produce for local restaurants, farmers markets, and for their CSA subscription program. Allison shares the reality of local food and some of the joy involved in working with the seasons, producing fresh veggies year-round. We are confident you will come away from these interviews informed, but also inspired about what is being produced in your own communities (and maybe even your own garden!) Cooking Segment: Taking a tip from Allison, we head to the Red Stick Spice Test Kitchen to make Eggplant Parm Burgers. Wowza! If you are going meatless or want a dish that uses a bumper crop of eggplant, this dish is sure to please (it even converts cooking assistant Cameron into an eggplant eater!) Made with our savory Farmstand Veggie Blend, these burgers are quick to prepare and delicious to eat. (We also have a version of the recipe to make meatless eggplant meatballs.) Mentioned on the show: - RECIPE: Lemme at ‘em! Eggplant Parm Burgers are sure to become a go-to dish for you. Cameron whipped up Slow Roasted Cherry Tomatoes to serve as a condiment for the burgers (also a perfect solution to the moment when your home garden produces more cherry tomatoes than you know what to do with.) - John referred us to The Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future to learn more about sustainable food systems and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition to understand food policy as laypeople - Allison and her husband were inspired by Eliot Coleman and his farm in Maine - Join us for a Red Stick Spice Company Farm, Food, & Cooking Tour! A day-long tour filled with farming and food, and ends with a fabulous cooking session. One of the many stops is a fun and informative tour of Fullness Farm. Connect with local food in a real way on this tour. - Our Farmstand Veggie Blend is great on the eggplant, but it also can perk up veggie dishes that have become a bit same ol’ same ol’ - Use our Premium 18 Year Aged Balsamic Vinegar to make the Slow Roasted Cherry Tomatoes - We offer an array of beautiful Avocado Oils that are perfect for roasting a variety of vegetable dishes - Use discount code SMIDGEN15 to save 15% your entire order at Red Stick Spice Co. Did this change your thinking on local food? Tell us about it on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app.  Smidgen is the podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.

S2E4 A large pot, the smell of sugar and fruit (and maybe some peppers) filling the air, plus stirring—lots and lots of stirring. Homemade jams, jellies and preserves are all the rage. Our friend Ashley Andermann of Grinning Jupiter Jammery joins host Anne Milneck to talk about confidently making jams and jellies at home. In the Smidgen cooking segment: Ashley and Anne head to the Red Stick Spice Company Test Kitchen to make a batch of must-have blackberry pepper jelly. Ashley shares how most people already have the necessary equipment in their kitchens to start jamming, and gives tips for getting a good batch (without worrying about food borne illness or spoilage.) By the end of the episode, we hope you will have the know-how and facts that will set you up for water bath canning success. Jams and jellies from scratch make fabulous gifts and are the perfect solution to a bumper crop in your garden (or in your neighbor’s garden as Anne illustrates from her confession of fruit theft.) Ashley forages for much of her ingredients, showing how canning can be a sustainability effort, tracing the history of this activity that has become popular again. Mentioned on the show: - RECIPE: You can do it! Make your own Blackberry Pepper Jelly for a fun afternoon with family or friends. - Ashley frequently uses Red Stick Spice Balsamic Vinegars. Strawberry Balsamic and Fig Balsamic are fabulous compliments; our Champagne Pear Balsamic has legions of raving fans. - After you get hooked on canning, try your hand at pickling. Our Red Stick Signature Pickling Spice will get you started. - You can get one of Ashley’s Grinning Jupiter Jammery products at Red Stick Spice Company—we can ship them as gifts! Ashley also offers her products through her Etsy Shop. - In the Baton Rouge area, attend one of our upcoming Jam and Jellies classes hosted right at Red Stick Spice Company. - Use discount code SMIDGEN15 to save 15% your entire order at Red Stick Spice Co. If you take the plunge into jamming, we’d love to hear about your sweet adventures  on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. We wish you all the delightful pop of a sealed canning jar. Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app.  Smidgen is the podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.

S2E3 Happy Thanksgiving! Food, memories, family—on this episode of Smidgen, host Anne Milneck explores each of these elements as she tries to get to the bottom of a childhood Thanksgiving memory she has about a turkey being dropped and the chaos that ensued. As often happens with family memories, it is hard to get one consistent version of events (despite Anne asking several key family members.) After this venture into “turkey true crime,” Anne talks with her son-in-law Ben about a five-alarm event from last Thanksgiving to illustrate that even disasters don’t have to derail a happy holiday. Next, Anne takes some questions from listeners (recorded at our recent Smidgen podcast live recording) about some real-world Thanksgiving issues. Stuffing or dressing; cooking for two; gravy; non-turkey main dishes; and the dreaded clean-up are some of the topics covered. Cooking Segment: Anne and Lili Courtney hit the kitchen to prove that when it comes to Thanksgiving, sides are where it is at with Cast Iron Brussels Sprouts with Bacon. (Can you smell the bacon already?) Mentioned on the show: - RECIPE: Cast Iron Brussels Sprouts with Bacon. Celebrate peak Brussels sprout with this divine side that goes from stovetop to oven to table in your cast iron. - Smoky and delicious, these Brussels are made with Cranberry Balsamic and our available-year-round Cranberry Maple Rub. - Try a new stuffing recipe that is similar to a savory bread pudding. Our Wild Mushroom and Sourdough Stuffing is ready to become your new obsession. - Anne can recommend these turkey stocks (to be used in a pinch) or if you are deep frying your turkey. Kitchen Basics and Swanson.  - Need a little color on your Thanksgiving table? Make a Quick Pickled Red Onion to bring zing and a splash of red to the buffet or table. - Brine turkey easily, wet or dry; breasts only or whole bird. Try the Red Stick Spice Turkey Brine if going wet. Try Anne’s signature combination Dry Brine. - If you want to try something different as your Thanksgiving main dish, consider Crawfish Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Tasso Cream Sauce or a ham baked up with the Red Stick Spice Ham Glaze.  - Embrace Autumn with our seasonal blends here. Anne's go to favorites are Autumn Spice Blend and Pumpkin Pie Spice. - Use discount code SMIDGEN15 to save 15% your entire order at Red Stick Spice Co, special for you, our Smidgen listener. We send you and yours all the best for this Thanksgiving, and tidings for un-dropped turkeys and no dishes engulfed in flames. Tell us about your holiday on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Traveling over the river and through the woods this season? Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app.  Smidgen is the podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.

S2E2 We are getting to the bottom of a question heard daily at Red Stick Spice Company: How do I use spices? Last week, Smidgen hosted Rosemary Gill from Milk Street for her take on using spices. In this episode, Smidgen host Anne Milneck speaks with producer Catherine O’Brien for Anne’s take on the how, when, and why of spices. The cooking segment brings it all home with a recipe that uses a surprising spice (well, surprising for a cookie) and utilizes a technique that will transform your baking. Cooking Segment: Anne and Lili Courtney prepare Molasses Cookies with Garam Masala in the Red Stick Spice Co. Test Kitchen. Mentioned on the show: Now Available: We’ve created The Essential Spice Starter Set to establish or refresh a pantry. This kit makes a perfect gift. RECIPE: Beautiful browned butter and Garam Masala create magic for Molasses Cookies in the cooking segment with Anne and Lili. Red Stick Spice Company is now a Milk Street Partner Location! Experience the Milk Street way at Red Stick Spice Company through one of our many classes.   Make sure you listen to Anne’s conversation with Rosemary Gill in the premiere episode of Smidgen, Season 2. Catherine quizzed Anne on some basics including Smoked Paprika, Roasted Granulated Onion and Roasted Granulated Garlic. Get into some of the blends offered by Red Stick Spice Co. like our Autumn Spice Blend; get adventuresome with our Chai Spice Blend. The ladies of Smidgen talked salt and Anne shouted out Smoked Porcini Shallot Mustard blend as a full flavor blend that keeps an eye on the salt.   If you're in Baton Rouge, don't miss our 60 Minute Spice Master class. Try your hand at blending spices—in 60 minutes you’ll be a pro! Use discount code SMIDGEN15 to save 15% your entire order at Red Stick Spice Co. Do you now know how to use spices? Whether a novice or a spice pro, what were your takeaways? Let us know on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. As we kick off Season 2, you can always go back and revisit all of Season 1 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pandora, or your favorite podcast app.  Smidgen is the podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.

S2E1 We are back with Smidgen, Season 2, ready to bring you fabulous food and in-depth interviews plus several items of exciting news. Up first, Red Stick Spice Company recently certified as a Milk Street Cooking Classes Partner Location. Milk Street is a media company founded by Christopher Kimball, focusing on cooking fundamentals and developing delicious flavor profiles. To share the Milk Street way, we are joined on Smidgen by Milk Street Education Director Rosemary Gill. Rosie is a wealth of information on how to use spices, bringing maximum flavor to your cooking, the difference between being a recipe-follower and an improv cook. Rosie explains some tips and techniques for using spices that you can try today. (Cue the cooking segment!) Cooking Segment: After the interview, Anne heads to the kitchen with Lili Courtney to cook up Crispy Chickpeas, Two Ways, using the very approach discussed by Anne and Rosie. Smidgen is a finalist in not one but two categories in the Discover Pods Awards! Please vote Smidgen today for Best New Podcast 2019 and Best Arts Podcast. Voting closes November 18, 2019, 6PM EST. Mentioned in the podcast: Now Available: The Essential Spice Starter Set. We took Rosie's list of essential spices (with Anne's addition of onion and garlic) and created The Essential Spice Starter Kit. Start or refresh your spice rack; makes an excellent gift. RECIPE: Crispy Chickpeas, Two Ways. Serving suggestions for the chickpeas include being served as a crisp salad topping; an elegant garnish for hummus; an accompaniment to a cheese board; enjoy a handful as a quick snack! Try Red Stick Spice Company’s All Natural Avocado Oil. Neutral flavor, high smoke point, great for cast iron cooking; a kitchen staple. The spice blends we used on the chickpeas: Garlic Maple Rub (Lili’s choice) and Berbere Spice (Anne’s spicy and flavorful choice.) Experience the flavor of fenugreek in this blend. You’ll love the Berbere blend in a pot of lentils or on our Berbere Chicken. It does wonders for a pan of spiced Pecans! Learn more about Milk Street here. If you're traveling to Boston, check out a Milk Street Cooking Class. Browse all of Milk Street's partner locations so that you can enjoy a Milk Street class no matter where your travels take you. If you're spice-curious and in the Baton Rouge area, our 60 Minute Spice Master class is a must for you. Just one hour to full spice transformation! Use discount code SMIDGEN15 to save 15% your entire order at Red Stick Spice Co. Be sure to reach out to Red Stick Spice Company on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Final item of exciting news: Smidgen is now available on Pandora! As we kick off Season 2, you can always go back and revisit all of Season 1 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast app.  Smidgen is the podcast of Red Stick Spice Co. 

S2E0 Smidgen, the podcast of Red Stick Spice Company will be back with Season 2 very soon! We have some wonderful guest interviews to share with you and some amazing food you can prepare at home.  We are excited to announce that Smidgen is now available on Pandora! Smidgen is a finalist for not one but two categories of Discover Pods Awards! For your consideration, Smidgen is up for Best New Podcast of 2019 and Best Arts Podcast. Please vote for Smidgen! (Voting closes November 18, 2019, 6PM EST.)  Listen to all of Smidgen, Season 1 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast app. Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode of Season 2. Smidgen is the podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.  

S1E7 Now we gather. This simple motto carries a deeper meaning beyond the first glance, its significance can be experienced by preparing a meal and enjoying it with family and friends. Licensed Clinical Social Worker Leslie Todd joins us on Smidgen to talk loneliness, isolation and how those factors affect mental health, plus what actions we can all take to counteract the negative results. Host Anne Milneck and Leslie dive deep into how we form close, interpersonal connections and identify some of the barriers that prevent us from connecting (hint: some of these barriers buzz and beep all day and night, and might be in your hand right now.) The conversation turns to food, of course, and how the nourishment of food mirrors our most primal relationships. It is not a coincidence that eating together has the potential to bond and connect us. Whether you are an introvert or extrovert, Leslie offers ideas for reconnecting (including experiences like a cooking class at Red Stick Spice Co.) Cooking Segment: To bring home the idea of sharing a meal with others, Anne heads off to the kitchen with Red Stick Spice Co. store staffer Sara to prepare Roasted Cauliflower with Capers, Walnuts and Yogurt, a dish perfect for sharing with family and friends.  Mentioned on the show: RECIPE: Completely delicious Roasted Cauliflower with Capers, Walnuts and Yogurt—be sure to have naan on hand, and expect a clean platter after serving up this dish. The lemony yogurt in this recipe: game changer! Leslie Todd is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Learn more about Leslie and her practice, Strategies for Change at LeslieTodd.com. The gorgeous color of the dish comes from our Harissa Extra Virgin Olive Oil. We also used a sprinkling of Zhug. Our All Natural Avocado Oil and White Balsamic Vinegar provide the tang in the sauce drizzled over the cauliflower. This is not the first time Anne has thought about gathering. Read more about Anne’s take on the importance of gathering—she’s built her entire business around this one simple act that pays dividends in health and happiness. Leslie also recommended reaching out to a trusted loved one, mentor, school or church leader if you’re concerned with feelings of isolation or loneliness. You can connect with mental health professionals in your area via the Psychology Today website. Use discount code SMIDGEN15 to save 15% your entire order at Red Stick Spice Co. Be sure to reach out to us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. We’d love to hear about how you gather with family and friends, or even what you’d like to hear on Season 2 of Smidgen (coming soon!!) Listen to Smidgen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast app.  Smidgen is the podcast of Red Stick Spice Co. 

S1E6 There are a couple kitchen skills that are worth learning (and some that can have a huge impact on your home cooking), and Smidgen host Anne Milneck is here to tell you that making stock and broth at home can be a game changer. Our own tireless champion of the home cook Anne is interviewed by podcast producer Catherine O’Brien to learn why stock and broth are fundamentals of cooking, why we’re hearing about bone broth all the time, and how easy and doable it is to make stock and broth at home. By the end of the episode, we’re confident you’ll be setting up a veggie cuttings freezer bag and planning your first batch of homemade broth. Cooking Segment: After the stock talk, Anne and store staffer Madeline are in the Red Stick Spice test kitchen making the classic pairing of Curried Tomato Bisque and Slab Grilled Cheese. This is a real crossover meal—the soup is made with homemade stock and for fans of the sheet pan, that’s the tool that brings the crunch to our slab grilled cheese. Several of our own spice blends bring this meal to the next level of crowd-pleasing goodness—explore Vindaloo Curry, Madras Curry, and for garlic lovers, the Garlic Curry is a must. Mentioned on the episode: RECIPE: Feed-a-crowd Curried Tomato Bisque made with homemade vegetable stock is the perfect dish to practice your stock making skills. Serve with Slab Grilled Cheese.  What is the difference between stock and broth? What is bone broth and why is it so popular? Anne explains all (and gives practical tips for making stock, storing stock, and using stock) in this ep. Put your own spin on the bisque with any of the Red Stick Spice Co.’s curry powders such as Garlic Curry, spicy-spicy Vindaloo Curry, or the savory Madras Curry. While you are making the Slab Grilled Cheese, take a listen to our Sheet Pan Suppers episode (one of our most popular shows to date!) Poaching chicken is a great way to make a quick chicken broth. We use this technique to make our Curried Chicken Salad. We poach the chicken with a big handful of spices including Tellicherry Peppercorns and Cardamom. Turn the poaching liquid into a great broth for sipping or for the base of soups, stews or curries! As promised: shrimp stock-- Sweet Corn and Shrimp Soup with Smoky Bacon. A show stopper with tons of flavor from our Salt Free BBQ Shrimp Seasoning. Use discount code SMIDGEN15 to save 15% your entire order at Red Stick Spice Co. Do you have a veggie stock bag in your freezer? We’d love to take a peek at your stock makings on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! We can hear the crockpot lids now in anticipation of folks making their own stock. Listen to Smidgen Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast app.  Smidgen is the podcast of Red Stick Spice Co. 

S1E5 If you want to be a better cook, we have a free resource for you that is enriching, abundant, and may have been as-of-yet overlooked. Your public library is a wealth of information—sure, they have cook books, but you also may find magazines, historical cooking records, classes, and more! Mary Stein, Assistant Director of East Baton Rouge Parish Libraries (and irrepressible enthusiast for learning) bursts onto Smidgen to share the vast array of cooking tools that can be found at most every public library.  To put a finer point on things, you’ll hear Anne discuss one of her new favorite cook books, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat. You’ll also hear about the balance between going by the book, and confidently freestyling it in the kitchen. A different spin on “cooking the books.” Cooking Segment: In the kitchen, Red Stick Spice Co. store staffer (and avid baker) Cameron takes the lead with (non-baker) Anne to prepare a sumptuous Salted Dark Chocolate Cake. In the headiness of the cacao swirling in the air, Anne forgets the salt and goes for fancy sprinkles instead. No matter—the cake is a dream.  Mentioned on the episode: RECIPE: Salted Dark Chocolate Cake Need some chocolate intensity in your life? This is the cake for you. We recommend the Cyprus Flake Salt for this cake (or we totally understand if you fall under the sway of delightful sprinkles as we did!) Get thee to your local public library to discover all the cooking resources available to you for free Listening locally? Any East Baton Rouge Parish Library can help you become a card holder Find Mary Stein on Twitter The book Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is required reading; makes an excellent gift to someone setting up home or starting their own home cooking journey Use discount code SMIDGEN15 to save 15% your entire order at Red Stick Spice Co. Do you love your local library as much as we do? Please let us know on on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter!  Listen to Smidgen Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast app.  Smidgen is the podcast of Red Stick Spice Co. 

S1E4 Maybe you got it as a gift, maybe you bought it on a whim, but if you have an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker that is still in the box, this is the episode of Smidgen for you! (If you are an Instant Pot enthusiast, we bet you will doubly appreciate our guest and the cooking segment.)  Bruce Weinstein is the author of The Instant Pot Bible, The Great Big Pressure Cooker Book and the forthcoming (and potentially game changing) From Freezer to Instant Pot. We talk specifically about the Instant Pot brand of pressure cookers and get Bruce’s latest and greatest in what he has been preparing in his pressure cooker.  Host Anne Milneck walks Bruce through an Instant Pot disaster (now only referred to in whispers as The Barley Incident) in order to learn more about how we all can set up Instant Pot meals for success, save them (if necessary), and avoid the dreaded “Burn” message. Cooking Segment: After talking with Bruce, Anne heads to the Red Stick Spice test kitchen with store staffer Cameron where they make a big pot of Smoky Instant Pot Red Beans & Rice.     Here’s a list of the links we mentioned in the podcast: RECIPE: Anne and Cameron cook up Smoky (and vegan!) Instant Pot Red Beans & Rice. Big takeaway: read YOUR electric pressure cookers’ owners manual. Tossed yours out? Never fear, the internet is here. There are many electric pressure cookers on the market; we use the 6 and 8 quart Instant Pot brand pressure cookers. Among Bruce’s many books, he covers pressure cooking in The Instant Pot Bible, The Great Big Pressure Cooker Book and From Freezer to Instant Pot. We turn to them all regularly. We’re also in love with Bruce’s book Sheet Cakes & Slab Pies. Yum! Bruce and his partner Mark host a lively cooking podcast called Cooking with Bruce & Mark. Their blog is equally as informative. Try the Red Stick Spice Company Smoked Extra Virign Olive Oil. Get your flavor on with Red Bean Seasoning and Smoked Sweet Paprika. Use discount code SMIDGEN15 to save 15% your entire order at Red Stick Spice Co. If this episode got you to pull out your own electric pressure cooker, please let us know on on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! We have a feeling this episode will inspire a lot of Instant Pot owners to get pressure cooking.  Listen to Smidgen Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast app.  Smidgen is the podcast of Red Stick Spice Co. 

S1E3 Culture and food are deliciously intertwined, especially in South Louisiana. Chef Marcelle Bienvenu of the John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University has a lengthy and illustrious resume—and she’s Anne Milneck’s favorite teacher. Chef Marcelle and Anne dive into the roots of Cajun cuisine as well as reflect on Chef Marcelle’s experience as a Times Picayune food writer, a cookbook author, and as a colleague of food greats such as Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse. Prepare to be inspired by Chef Marcelle to think about your own food, friends, and family traditions. Cooking Segment: After the interview, Anne is joined by Red Stick Store staffer Sara in the Red Stick Spice Test Kitchen to prepare Chef Marcelle’s Cast Iron Skillet Corn Creole. GBD fans—golden brown and delicious—this dish is especially for you. Made with Red Stick Spice Company’s own The Stuff. Mentioned on the episode: RECIPE: Get out your seasoned skillet for Cast Iron Skillet Corn Creole made with The Stuff, comfort food in a pan Emeril Lagasse’s 1996 cookbook Louisiana Real & Rustic Check out all of Marcelle’s books on Amazon. Anne’s favorite: the Who’s Your Mama cookbook series The cookbook after Hurricane Katrina created to preserve some of the lost recipes of South Louisiana Cooking Up a Storm cookbook; a must for fans of the Times Picayune food section A history of Cajun cuisine and a curriculum text at the John Folse Culinary Institute, Stir the Pot Considering culinary schools? Be sure to look into the John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University, host Anne Milneck’s alma mater Use discount code SMIDGEN15 to save 15% your entire order (good for purchases at Red Stick Spice Company, not the John Folse Culinary Institute… not yet, that is.) Listen to Smidgen Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast app.  Find Red Stick Spice Co. on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Thanks for listening to Smidgen!

S1E2 It started innocently enough on foodie social media. Smidgen host and owner of Red Stick Spice Company Anne Milneck noticed pretty pictures posted of baked dinners, but now this classic method of preparing dinner bore a new, modern name: Sheet Pan Suppers. The “new” and “trending” adoration lofted on these meals made Anne a bit bemused, and (with tongue in cheek) cranky. On this episode of Smidgen, Anne tries to get to the bottom of where this trend started and why it holds sway over much of social media. First up is Molly Gilbert, author of Sheet Pan Suppers, who gives her thoughts about why sheet pan suppers are so popular, and shares her tips on how to pull off an amazing sheet pan meal. Next Anne draws upon Lili Courtney, cooking instructor, who has led a dozen Skillet & Sheet Pan classes at Red Stick Spice Company. Lili explains some of the techniques for sheet pan suppers and offers her thoughts as to why we’re all talking about them. To deepen her “investigation” Anne turns to social media expert Chelsey Blankenship and Erin Bowling (of the @eatbatonrouge Instagram account) to explore how trends ebb and flow, and the role of “influencers.” (Spoiler alert: we’re being influenced.) Cooking Segment: To cap it all off, Anne heads over to the Red Stick Spice Company Test Kitchen with store staffer Sara to actually make a sheet pan supper! Carrot tacos emerge from the oven on sheet pans, totally photo-worthy, and delicious (a fabulous use of Red Stick Spice Company’s Taco Tuesday seasoning.) Mentioned on the episode: RECIPE: Make your own trending dinner with our recipe for Sheet Pan Carrot Tacos. The tacos were baked with Taco Tuesday Blend and Garlic Jalapeno Extra Virgin Olive Oil. RECIPE: Don’t forget the Restaurant Style Big Batch Salsa! Molly Gilbert’s book, Sheet Pan Suppers. Find Molly’s website is Dunk & Crumble and be sure to listen to her podcast, And Eat It Too. Check out Lili’s Tarragon Mustard Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs. Be sure to keep an eye on our cooking classes and grab a seat in Lili’s next Skillets & Sheet Pans class. Social media manager Chelsey’s boutique is Sosis. Erin Bowling is the person behind the Instagram account, @eatbatonrouge. Use discount code SMIDGEN15 to save 15% your entire order at Red Stick Spice Co. Listen to Smidgen Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast app.  Find Red Stick Spice Co. on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Thanks for listening to Smidgen!

Bonus: Smidgen launched last week and we’ve been amazed with the response! Thank you to everyone who is listening, sharing, and reviewing the show. You can hear Episode 1 of Season 1 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast app. We have a little bonus for you as a thank you for all the support. Host Anne Milneck, owner of Red Stick Spice Co. and podcast producer Catherine O’Brien do a short lightning round on the topic of Scratch vs. Store Bought—some of Anne’s opinions might surprise you! Don’t forget: all the recipes featured on Smidgen can be found at Red Stick Spice.com. The next episode of Smidgen will be out in a few days, so enjoy this bonus until then! Use discount code SMIDGEN15 to save 15% your entire order at Red Stick Spice Co. Thanks for listening to Smidgen! Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app.  Smidgen is the podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.