Recipe Block??

Sometimes, I find myself in a bit of a freeze. I wonder if I've exhausted my imagination and am no longer able to create new and exciting flavors.
This is part of the challenge of running a kitchen alone. I rarely have someone to bounce ideas off of and so I begin to feel that I've hit a block...a recipe block.

This week was one of those times. I have been trying to dream up new flavors for the menu and add some more spunk to what Brooklyn Treat Shoppe already offers. But, I kept tripping over the same cliché "classic" flavors. Nothing new was coming to mind and I was starting to get really frustrated.

I had a meeting scheduled with the players of Theatre Askew's Youth Performance Experience (TAYPE). While I was excited about the meeting, I was (honestly) a little apprehensive about what I could offer them since I was smack in the middle of this "recipe block".

The production they're currently working on is titled "Home/Away". Where they explore the question - "When you think of home, what feelings, associations, and memories arise for you?" 
When I saw the video trailer and read more about the play, I decided, Brooklyn Treat Shoppe HAS to be involved.

I work so closely with the concept of home in my day to day. The concept of “home” is important to me – personally and to my business. In dreaming up the flavor concepts for our menu, I always have to realize that “home” is different for everyone. So, naturally, not only am I a fan of this production’s message, I wanted to give to their community and help them spread their message.

With the support of the directors and playwright, Brooklyn Treat Shoppe will be selling at the concession during their performance dates (May 26th through the 30th)**.
I wanted to make this a sensory interactive experience for their audience.  The flavors for sale on our table to be a nod to their characters lifestyle and/or culture.

When I explained my idea to them their eyes lit up as they imagined what flavors bring them back to what they considered home.  These kids blew me away!

Since I come from an Italian/American household, it's tough for me to think outside of that cultural box when it comes to flavors of home. These young people brought me into their homes and into their lives for just a short period of time and allowed me to see what flavors make them the happiest.

Some of them responded with an over the top and highly intense memory of flavors their mom's used to put together and others really had to dig hard to find the food that brings them back to a special place. This was just a small glimpse into how very different home is for each of us.  I walked out of my meeting with them totally inspired. They completely changed my outlook on flavors in a matter of moments.

I'm absolutely looking forward to working with everyone who is involved with TAYPE! I look forward to seeing the production and getting a complete look into these character’s homes.

A special thanks goes out to Lambie, Eleet, Luis, Andrea, MariaIsabel and Titi for getting me out of the block and allowing me to face full frontal flavors! You are all really amazing people.  Thank you.

Keep your eyes peeled for our newest flavors inspired by what each of them feels is a taste of home.
Tickets for these performances are FREE.  So, get on it!
See you at the theater!

**Brooklyn Treat Shoppe will be donating a portion of our profits from these events to the future of TAYPE.

Coney Island USA Fundraising Gala & Brooklyn Exposed Event

Whew!
The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of promotional events and market boosting but, as tiring as it's been, it's all turning out to be worth it. 

We have a great deal of new and exciting things on the horizon but, it is still a little premature for us to go shouting things off the rafters....so, in the meantime, we will keep you on the edge of your seats and fill you in on some pretty cool stuff that has taken place in Brooklyn Treat Shoppe's world over the last few weeks.

On March 25th, we sponsored the Coney Island USA's Spring Fundraising Gala where all proceeds went directly towards funding CIUSA’s many unique programs as well as the fight to preserve Coney Island’s historic amusement district.

Coney Island has a great deal of spirit.  My mother and her family lived there when she was a child right above the famous Totonno's Pizzaria on Neptune Ave. My Father's parents were winners of Dance Contests in the late 1930's/early 1940's and many of my grandmother's famous stories took place either on the beaches of Coney or on her trolley rides from Sunset Park to the Boardwalk.

As a magical place that welcomed our family so many years ago, we felt the need to step up to the plate and help make this event as fabulous as it possibly could be.  Our intent was to do everything we could to help keep the magic alive.  With that, this was the debut appearance of the Brooklyn Treat Shoppe Girls - and they are officially here to stay! 

You can now hire the Brooklyn Treat Shoppe Girls to pass our treats out at YOUR next event!

We maintained a pin-up vibe while we schmoozed and passed out bitesized cupcakes and cheesecakes to the VIP's - including Queen Mermaid Laurie Anderson & King Neptune Lou Reed (!!!) - and the general admission crowd alike.  We were delighted with the way the crowd took to us - making us feel like Coney Island celebrity!

You can see more pictures of the Coney Island USA's 2010 Spring Fundraising Gala - including images of all  the performers at CIUSA's Flickr page.

We had such a blast working with Coney Island USA and hope to be working with them again in the near future...keep your eyes peeled...we're just sayin' ;)

As if working with Coney Island USA wasn't enough, we also sponsored Brooklyn Exposed's Website Launch event on April 7th at Littlefield in Brooklyn's Gowanus neighborhood.

Brooklyn Exposed is your guide to everything Brooklyn!  Think of a Yelp or CitySearch for Brooklyn - and Brooklyn alone! 

We were so happy to meet so many Brooklyn foodies and share our bite sized cheesecakes with them.  (OK, OK, we were even happy to meet the foodies from other boroughs too!)

Please take a moment to check out Brooklyn Treat Shoppe's review page at Brooklyn Exposed and write a little review about us. We would totally appreciate it!

We also took this opportunity to introduce Brooklyn to our brand new flavor..........

Strawberry Banana Cheesecake

A creamy banana cheesecake over a crunchy graham cracker crust topped with our homemade strawberry jam. 

This is the first in our new line of cheesecakes featuring our homemade jams, jellies and preserves.


As you can  see, we've got lots of wheels turning.  So, stay in touch with us as we continue to bring you the best Brooklyn's got to offer....in dessert form!

Ciao for now,
T

Family Owned and Operated Since 2009

What's it like to run a family owned and operated businees, you ask?  HA!  You couldn't even imagine.

Grandma helps wash the dishes, brother's scoop cookies - and then some - mom is learning to drive "like she has a cake in the car", dad is the official/unofficial "Regional Sales Driector".

And me?  Well...I bake, take care of the marketing, create new recipes, test said recipes and am becoming an all around pro at being just like Bugs Bunny in that episode where he plays baseball..."Bugs Bunny at the plate, Bugs Bunny pitches the ball...he swings...Bugs is in right field" eh - you get the drift.

Are you sorry you asked what a family business is like?  Don't be. 

With all of it's intense family drama (uh - did I mention we are all hot blooded Italians?!) at the end of the day, it brings us all closer and is teaching us how to communicate with each other on a totally different level...like, EVERY 20 minutes! 

I always appreciate the days when my brother Michael comes to the kitchen to help out.  Someone that never baked before in his life - other than a store bought mix - is now learning a brand new skill set...and he's damn good at it too! 

We blast the music - sing and dance and seriously have a really awesome time...at the end of the day we step back and see just how much more we accomplished than planned while having so much fun...most importantly, together. 

This awesome bonding experience has taught me just how much the members of my family share.  Personality traits, similar laughs or even the way we all say certain words the same...gotta love that Brooklyn accent! 

It all reminds me of why I started this buisness to begin with.  Home.  As cliche as it sounds, it all goes back to home.

So...this blog thing is new to me but, join me and Brooklyn Treat Shoppe on this journey. 
Laugh with us, cry with us and most of all - eat with us!
Ciao for now,
T