Business Saavy Salamander Hot Sauce Heating Things Up on Kickstarter

Go Salamander Hot Sauce go!

Here's some food for thought. You have to start somewhere with your business idea, and try and try again until you succeed.

More and more and more people are using social media sites, for instance like Kickstarter to try to get their idea, product, or business idea funded.

Strawberry Hot Sauce : Something New and Yummy

Strawberries , Mango, Kiwis, and Habanero?

Salamander Hot Sauce has a nicely presented gig and business plan and to date and has over $6800 in pledges already. What's not to love, you pledge some money to back this guy's dream of making delicious hot sauce and if you pledge enough you will get some hot sauce in return?  Three flavors in their original plan which includes a tropical full of fruity flavors and a strawberry which makes creating gourmet dishes somewhat easier. Spice up that dish with some strawberry hot sauce drizzle!

Who is this guy?  Timothy Kavarnos is from Brooklyn, New York.  You heard about this right here first folks. I believe Salamander Hot Sauce is going to be a name you'll see all over the place in a few years.  The test marketing has gone very well and it's getting great reviews.  What's more, the flavors are not the norm and that is something chefs and foodies will revel in. 
 
I'm hoping we see this hot sauce everywhere. I also hope you'll be using it on your fajita steak to kick things up a notch.

What's my point and lesson in Business Savvy?

Many of you write me letters about how to be successful in business. My advice today is simple. Don't give up until you succeed. Use every method possible for getting your product out there. It's hard to initially find your market. Keep trying until you do.  If Stephen King didn't quit writing due to his first couple hundred rejection letters then you too can be a winner.  People who are committed to winning won't give up. 

As for Tim, Check out his presentation right here.   If Tim doesn't get the full project funded at least he's getting exposure to his product and brand. Either now, or later, this hot sauce will be on shelves everywhere because he's got determination to succeed.  That's the lesson for today.  Kick it up a notch in everything you do, and top it off  with some Salamander Hot Sauce.

 

Chef Richard Rosendale Representing USA @RosendaleCMC

West Virginia Chef Goes to France to Win USA Their Medal 

I wanted to extend a very special "Good Luck" to one of the top Chefs out there. That would be West Virginia's own Chef Richard Rosendale  a Certified Master Chef (CMC). Rosendale, who competed in over 40 culinary competitions, is the USA team captain for the upcoming International cooking competition on January 29th, 2013 at the Bocuse D’Or in Lyon, France.  This is very exciting because he could win the USA its first medal in this event!  Rosendale will be competing against competitors from 24 countries.

Greenbrier Resort

Rosendale works at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Now a National Historic landmark, the resort is known for being an outstanding resort and hosts distinguished guests from around the world since the 1700's.

We need to show our support for the USA by saying GOOD LUCK to Chef Richard Rosendale!

Show Support for the  USA

I've been tweeting good wishes to  @RosendaleCMC and you can too!  You can "LIKE" Chef Richard Rosendale's Facebook page  which will also show the photos and stories from the event.

I look forward to all you good folks sending him well wishes and comments and encouragement. Cooking for the USA is a great privilege (and let's hope he throws some gourmet BBQ style twists in there, right?)

Share this article! This is big news!

Winchester Virginia The Power of Barbeque in a Small Town

When I picked a town to have my Music and BBQ festival (in conjunction with a KCBS competition), I knew it had to be Winchester, Virginia.  Nestled in the panhandle, the people and community are some of the nicest folks I've ever met in my life. I  have property in Gore, VA, and fell in love with the town of Frederick County from the first moment I saw it.  For decades I've been selling my texas beef and pork barbeque at the Frederick County Fairgrounds. The people have been good to me, and the fairgrounds a pleasure to deal with.  It's towns that you enjoy working with that you want to bring a good festival to.

When my wife called back a KCBS judge, Roger Engle, she found out he had just published a book, about growing up in the small town of Hedgesville, West Virginia.  You can order the book, "Stories From a Small Town" here.  Not only were Roger and wife Gula and he an extreme wealth of information, they referred us to the "Around the Panhandle Magazine".

Mike and Victoria over at Around the Panhandle Magazine were instrumental in helping us get the word out about our festival and I'm glad to say they are sponsoring the event.  The best part of their magazine is you will never have to guess what's going on in the panhandle area. Simply grab a copy and stay abreast of all the small town happenings. We would also like to thank NVDaily who has always helped us out!

Many of you may know that Pickin' in the Panhandle is a well established festival in West Virginia. I wasn't anticipating the help and kindness we received from Jennifer and the good folks at the festival over there.  They have helped us so much already!

We have lined up Circa-Blue and Stoney Creek Bluegrass to name a few, and we are just beginning. We also have 13 year old Kirsten Sowers (who has been writing music since she was 7) coming all the way from Central Pennsylvania just to help this cause.

I suppose the best thing I can say about barbecue, is that it brings people together.   To make you understand just how lovely the town folks are, I remember one year my truck broke down, My wife had a complete stranger, Dominic fix our truck in his garage across the way.   It didn't cross my mind that over the years I had given him some barbecue or discounts off his meal, as he was a regular at my stand.  That particular year, he didn't want to take money for fixing my truck because he remembered the times I fed him for free, which I had long forgot. It's just a community where you want to help each other.

I am so glad I am having Hogging Up BBQ and Music Festival in Winchester to help raise some funds for CancerCare. I plan on dropping free admission tickets all over town to local businesses. I hope the people of the area will help me spread the word.  Bringing a festival like this to the town (even a first year event) costs a pretty penny. We are pretty much fronting all the expenses to start, because for us, it's not about making money.  Our goal is to have the festival raise awareness for a cause that is important to us. CancerCare helped someone in our family, that we lost to colorectal cancer. We want to also give the town of Winchester something back (and fun to do!)

Bring your camera gear, this MegaGear available here.

Of course, we must keep the competitors happy by bringing them a great barbecue competition. We know with Carol and Randy Bigler (our KCBS reps) we are in great hands! After all is said and done, we can feel good in knowing a portion of our proceeds went to charity.  Of course we'd love to have the festival start as a Grass Roots effort by having the town of Winchester spread the word.  We are pulling a lot of local talent from the Panhandle area and we are glad to have so much support in our cause.

Volunteers and Sponsors are still needed.  Looking for Country Artists and Crafters.  Please look at Hogging Up under Event Forms , or  contact my wife Cindy at 717-793-2124 or email us if you are interested. 

Nascar Scrapbook BBQ Devolver and More

The Monster Mile

The Nascar Experience

So this past weekend I'm at Nascar selling barbecue.  We used to sell in Home Depot Parking Lot, but for the past two years I've been outside the track--near the 5 Hour Energy Fan Zone. This is what you would see if you looked in the window.

Window of Big Fat Daddy's in Nascar

Unfortunately, the wind was not cooperating and our giant signs were blowing down. This causes some havoc on us.  There was a bad storm but thankfully after hours of operation.  A fan stole my wooden turkey leg display sign but the security guard got it back.

Now we weren't smart like other concessions stands who have just one or two items in their tents--they have lower signs and they weren't blowing anywhere. We had Texas Beef and Pork BBQ, Texas Cheesesteaks, Hatfield Quarter lb franks, Texas Burgers and our Giant Turkey Legs plus fries and drinks.

How to Sell Food at Nascar

If you are wondering how to sell food at Nascar, good luck. We were invited by Paige, the old Vendor Coordinator. Nascar used to allow a certain number of vendors into Nascar other than DJ's Concessions who used to have the majority of the food. That all changed in 2011 when Nascar gave DJ's Concessions all the food. Not only did DJ's wait until the last minute to send us a contract, (who does that) but he upped the rent from exorbitant 30% of gross sales that Nascar charged you to a whopping to 35% of gross sales even though Nascar assured us it would be the same. Oh, he expected you to buy soda direct from him, and ice, but there was no delivery of such items like there are at most festivals. My wife was out of product.  On top of that, he slapped us with inventory sheets when we got there and wanted us (each day) to count every single roll we sold and balance our inventory. He also didn't like our guys hats being sideways, and told my wife to tell them to turn them around. Guess he didn't like the way my guys have tattoos.  He asked my wife if she had a three pan wash was although it was set up right in front of him and she's a certified food manager.  Needless to say I would rather throw my barbeque into the Back River for the crabs to eat than go and deal with him again.  He expects your stands to look like this (one item and whitey white)

Sorry, bbq guys that sell 20 items out of one tent don't look like this!

Camping at Nascar

Now part of the whole "Nascar" experience is the campground. You never know what you are going to find or what you may see. There were five guys in a kiddie pool drinking with a big sign, "Honk and we'll drink." I didn't see them after the first day. I can only imagine they were down for the count.  There's no running water, but you can fill your camper with tanks or pay to have it filled. There's also portable showers to the tune of $6 each.  They have onsite ice trucks and Giant sets up a giant tented store just for the event. My wife managed to make her way to the casinos, tattoo parlor, local bars and restaurants and see a live concert in the campground during this short stay.

Devolver and Red Angel Perform in Campground

Lot 10 of Nascar Campground Nando Garza, Lead Singer of Red Angel is rocking right now.

Now what no one will believe is the fact that on Saturday night, a full fledged soundstage was set up by local talents like Devolver and Red Angel and 13:1 were in the lineup.  All are local rock bands. If I told you in the middle of Lot 10, there were smoke machines, stage lighting and Marshall amps set up for all to see you'd probably think I had one too many Ricky Bobby Brews. First up was Red Angel, you can find them on Facebook (listen to them here)  on their Red Angel Band Facebook Page or on Twitter. They are from the Delmarva area, and we talked a bit to the lead singer Fernando Garza!

Last but not least we watched Devolver, Delaware's fresh new talent!  They were rocking the stage at nightfall and they kicked ass. See their profile on Reverb Nation here, connect with them on Facebook  or follow them on DevolverRock on twitter!  My wife was a big fan of this group and I am glad we got a chance to see them!  You can also check out their website right here.

Local band 13:1 closed out the show but we missed them, busy getting ready for race day catching some zzz's tucked away in our bunks.

Thanks guys for making Nascar such a blast!

************************Sponsored Post Foodie Site Check it Out: **********************************

Thanks to my foodie sponsors like Cocoa Import Group who keep my website up and running. They offer the best 

cocoa ingredients for your cooking or chocolate making needs.  Check out their latest deals on Twitter at CocoaBeanDirect

Anna Stickel Memorial Scholarship Kenwood High School

Big Fat Daddy's announces the (2nd Annual) Anna Stickel Memorial Scholarship to be given out this week!  One  Kenwood High School student will receive $500 towards college, in the memory of beloved Anna Stickel.



In the two years of creating and sponsoring this scholarship we have been fortunate to hear the many stories from the large community of those who love and miss Anna so very much.  Through their stories, Anna has become part of our hearts. We hope that in some way, this scholarship represents the love that Anna had for life and the people around her.  ♥

York Mother's Day Food Bell Socialization

Every year Big Fat Daddy's gets our friends and family together to donate our time and hard work to raising money for Bell Socialization Services of York, PA.  at the Old York Street Fair which is held in the center of York City, Pennsylvania on Mother's Day from 10-5! Bring your mom and visit our stands which are located in the Market Street Square!   Every purchase you make at our stands helps support Bell Socialization Services, Inc which is home to Bell Family Shelter.

If you are not familiar with them, they EMPOWER people to obtain the support and guidance they need to make positive changes in their life.

Case in point, we have a friend who left her abusive husband, with their two kids, and only the clothes on their backs.  No job, no money, no nothing, but she left in fear for their lives.  Bell opened their doors of the shelter and helped them have a place to stay for awhile with clothing, food, and shelter.  That same person is now in her own apartment, having custody of her two kids, and working as a Chef. To this day, she receives no monetary support from her ex.   We give her a lot of credit for taking the steps to leave, but wonder how many people don't have a place to go to?

This is why it's so important to keep places like Bell funded with contributions and why they are on our list of top charities.   Bell really does a lot for people who may be having a rough time, need some guidance or some shelter to get back on their feet.  We can't tell you how many people they have helped over the years. 

Please come visit us in the Square of York and George Streets and eat at any BFD stand as all helps Bell.   Try our Texas Beef, fresh squeezed lemonade, smoothies, funnel cakes, deep fried Oreos, healthier choice Gyros or Sausage.  It's all good and rest assured knowing your purchase goes to a good cause.

Connect with Bell at
The Bell Website
 Twitter
Bell on Facebook

There's more people like that

Interview with Texas Brush Owner Bill Flannery

After our A+ review of the Texas Brush, we decided to talk to Bill Flannery owner of the Texas Brush who

of course makes several TEXAS sized grill brushes right here in the USA .

Bill, can you tell us more about these brushes?

I have sold millions of our brushes , simply because they are well made and perform an essential task .  They were made specifically for ultimate cleaning of the grill and grills of any size. 

Yes, even our big grills, we can't believe it. They really hold up well!

Yes, they work on grills of any size (flat top or grated) -- withstand temperatures reaching well over 800 degrees. See when you’ve made one product since 1997 ,  you kinda understand what’s important to folks when cleaning the grill 

We really like the engraved name on the side.  What are some names you have gotten? 

We offer custom engraving to make the Texas Brush a really funky and personalized gift .  Here are a couple of good ones we've gotten: 

• " Vegetarian beating stick " 
• " # 1 Dad "
• " This ain’t no sissy brush "

So the personalization is a big hit!

One of  my favorite things to do , is after eating a a great restaurant , I will grab the owner , chef or managers card ,  then we will make up a personalized brush and ship it out with a short note . It’s a great way to thank folks for a great meal and an easy way to get our product into the hands of people that will appreciate it .

We assume you are a grillmaster yourself, so what does grilling mean to you?

 

I love fire !  The crackle and smell of mesquite! The fact that pecan or hardwood charcoal gives meat and fish an unbeatable new flavor . Yeah sure, gas is easier , but nothing beats hardwoods for flavor!  I use a propane torch to start the fire a bit quicker, but not too quick . See I use the extra time getting the grill ready to visit , make some cocktails and enjoy the ceremony of grilling . 

We notice you have special "flash sales" on the brushes and some benefit charities! Where should people look for these specials? 

We do sales to the public in fact here is a link to a flash sale Sale for TexasBrush on recoup. You can shop direct with us, or find us on : Fab.com , Thrillest.com and soon on Wayfair.com.  Customers can keep up with us  here  On Faceboo.  Of course, if you miss any of our sales, just call us anytime 888-428-6675 , use code “ wow dad “ for special savings! 

www.TexasBrush.com

                                      

Thanks Bill!  
If you want to see the model we use of the Texas Brush, click here.   
You can read our honest and thorough review of it here. 

 

Big Fat Daddy's Endorses Texas Brush

As I told you before  I received my grill brush from  Texas Brush  and have now done a thorough review of it. First let me tell you, I have been in business thirty years by being honest. I don't endorse things unless I believe in them. Here is an honest review of the Texas Brush (I use the $49 Texas Grill brush .)

THE DILEMMA:  I am a commercial barbecue guy who does big fairs and festivals each weekend. I have giant barbeque smokers and huge metal bbq pits and must cook several different products on them so it's very important that my grill brush cleans quickly, efficiently, and doesn't crap out on me.  I would have to say I go through at least 25 regular grill brushes a year.  Here is what they normally look like after one weekend.

THE TEST:

Nothing wrong with a little essence on your grill, but for me I need to burn this off quickly, because I may decide to use the grill for a different product and the health department won't go for juice or essence, it has to be clean and I have to do it quickly.

To prevent cross-contamination I must knock this muck off quickly and swiftly. When the food particles and excess grease is cleaned off the grate, it also helps toke the fire back up quickly. 

THE USE: 

I wasn't expecting the Texas Brush to surprise me , or hold up for me, but it did. It is easy to use, it glides right over my pits. Here I am in Maryland caught using it so I taped this little ditty.  "I need a Texas Size brush for my Texas size grill."   It holds up, the bristles DO NOT BEND. Two different sides help you get a little or a lot of muck off. 







I used it again, and again, and again, and all I can say is "A PLUS". If it lasts for me, how long do you think it will hold up for the home griller? A long time!  There are a few more benefits too.

More Benefits of the Texas Brush:

• It is easy to stand up, and doesn't take up too much space in my truck. 
• The brushes are made of natural wood,  and steel, both of which are more green and Eco-Friendly.
• They are made right in the USA. God Bless America. 
• You can get your name burnt into the brush, or made to order just how you like it. 
• These make a heck of a gift idea! 
• They do a lot of work for charity! Your purchase will help someone, somewhere. In fact just today, just now they were working with recoup.com!  You never know where they will help raise money for next.

I'm Endorsing the Texas Brush :

Therefore, I'm happy to announce I'm endorsing their products and will recommend them to all my barbecue friends, and even endorse them as the best commercial grill brush around.

Since Making this Post:

I've had chance to interview the owner Bill Flannery of Texas Brush right here.

Go and check out the Texas Brushes for yourself at   TEXASBRUSH. COM

This post has been updated on May 25, 2017 for quality assurance.  Please follow us on Twitter! 

I am supporting local @leidyspork #pork #sausage #food #FridayFeeling #foodgasm #bbq #lunchtime #grilling #foodlove #foodporn #getinmybelly pic.twitter.com/n66d1wAF2S

— Wayne M. Schafer (@BigFatDaddys) May 19, 2017

Menu from Mars Recipes for the Grilling and Cooking Guru

There is magic in those hands...

Imagine our shock when we found someone who loves grilling, cooking, and having fun with their meat as much as we do. What's even better than this, is while he is doing it, he's video taping it for you so you can follow along.   We are of course talking about Andy from Menu from Mars and his super cool recipes!

Andy keeps you smiling and is funny and passionate about cooking and making videos about cooking!

You won't find meals for martians here but instead for humans!  There are great videos from his Menu From Mars  Youtube channel uploaded to his site giving you step by step instructions on how to cook the best ribs, pork, chicken, main dishes,sweets, and all kinds of other recipes.  He is a great entertainer and sometimes you will catch him all dressed up!

Find out why Andy says "Less is More" by clicking on this word ---> Ribs!

Andy has a lot of pride in what he does and his recipes are practical to use in your kitchen. We think he may be the famous someday on the Food Network, and if so, remember us!

If you are up for a real challenge we suggest his homemade barbecue sauce!  Full of ingredients the final product is worth the work and you won't be sorry. Your family and friends will be shocked.  We know you will love his videos as much as we do, and find some funny commercials too!  Please go to his website and check him out!

While you are at it: 
 
Connect with him on Twitter.

Check out Menu from Mars on Facebook!


If you liked Menu from Mars and want your product featured, click here:

Mother's Federal Hill Grille Review

As a native Baltimore native I get asked all the time where can people go to eat good food?  I am going to share my top secret hiding place. I LOVE  Mother's Grille in Federal Hill and highly recommend them!  My wife celebrated her birthday last month, and I told her she had carte blanche to go anywhere she wanted to go.

"Mother's," she said.

This is a photo of the burger I got. It was picture perfect. 

This particular night Pearl Jam was booming loudly (for her) and the TV's football highlights (for me) drew me in. I went straight into ordering the famous Heart Attack Burger. (It made the Food Network so I figured better try it...) This night, it was half price. (*Every day there is a different special, and they are open 7 days a week.) 
   

I have to say this burger has to be the Best in Baltimore.

I mean as an angus beef guy you would think I'd be tired of eating beef, particularly burgers, but not this time. It was love at first bite.  The burger seemed to have been deep fried and full of love and flavor, but inside so moist and juicy, a nice medium taste.  I could barely wrap my mouth around it.  I had a few Fat Tires on draft. Love that stuff.  For a moment I forgot it was her birthday. I thought it was mine for a minute, as the food was dynamite.

She got this sweet ass dish.

She ordered some fancy Chocolate Martini type pretty thing that knocked her on her ass and then quickly changed up to regular soda. (Someone had to drive home right?)  She had to have the double crab cakes, garlic mash and side salad.  I mean look at those crabcakes!

Wife says Best Crabcakes in Baltimore!

I had to snag a piece of her cakes, and from a scale of one to ten, I'd say they are an eleven easy--full of jumbo lump and flavor! NO FILLER!  She finished her meal off with some homemade ice cream, one scoop of vanilla--which really is a family recipe they said. It was rich and delicious. 

Funny sign in the parking lot.

The service was excellent, our waitress Jean Marie checked on us several times and didn't let us go thirsty. No matter how busy she was she got to all of her customers, and that's unheard of in these parts.  We had dinner, drinks, dessert for around $68--before tip. Normally we can't go anywhere for under $100 for the tab alone, so it's obvious Mother's wants you to come again and again.  Note: We did not get paid for this review.

We Love Mother's! Hope to see you there!

Now a lot of people I know worry about parking--but don't be. There's a great self-pay parking garage right behind the place!  The crowd is mixed, young and hip with the old like me, and you know what? Everyone is cool here and everyone gets along. What to wear? Anything!  Mother's has an old welcoming Baltimore hardwood-floor hip and trendy feel. We saw people in business suits, football jerseys, and sweats. Doesn't matter really. Anything goes. (They even have pajama parties.....)

Have Pajamas?

So check their website to see when the next Pajama Party or Pajama Brunch is. They also do catering and have private rooms. If you aren't up to hanging out in a bar style setting, sit in the cozy dining area.  On the way out we gazed at the Purple Patio area and the giant #52 for Ray Lewis. Oh yeah, Baltimore Ravens love lives here.  

 

 

Bell Socialization: Helping York Pennsylvania Since 1966

Big Fat Daddy's wanted to take a moment and shout out to our Friends over at Bell Socialization Services in York, PA who have been helping people since 1966. If you are looking for a good charity to donate to why not donate a few dollars to help out the Bell Family Shelters? Maybe you aren't too far from York, PA and can volunteer some time or drop off a bag of canned goods to help one of their families?  They help homeless families, and empower those who are struggling to become more sufficient. Bell is a God-send! We even knew of someone who took the leap and left an abusive husband with her two children and got help from Bell.

Bell is officially on the CAUSES page now, has a Facebook page, and have opened up a Twitter account!  We are pleased to go to work for Bell each year at the Olde York Street Fair held in York City, we are located right in the Market Square! Come and visit us!  We are happy to give back!

THE BELL MISSION STATEMENT:

Thanks Bell for all you do!  Sending  to you today !

The Big Fat Daddy's Anna Stickel Scholarship at Kenwood High School

I'm damned proud to report that we will be donating the first ever Anna Stickel Scholarship to a lucky recipient of Kenwood High School's class of 2011. This personally means the most to me, out of anything. It will be awarded to one student 5/26/11 in the Kenwood School Auditorium.

My wife and I work hard in life; but believe that it's what you do NOW for others that really counts in the end. We're always the first to help out a friend when we can, and we work with such organizations as Special Olympics of Maryland, Bell Socialization Services and Relay for Life.  When my wife and I saw the news on Anna Stickel last year, it touched the both of us. We didn't know her, but we saw that Anna was only 14 when she was hit and killed by a train, walking along the tracks to school, in news coverage by Ron Matz.  

We then saw her mother carry out a courageous battle to erect a bridge to prevent other kids from suffering the same fate. Her mother got a lot of flack from the locals, and I kept thinking to myself, that I don't know where half my tax dollars go, so what is the problem here?  I thought so much of her mother; in time of tragedy and grief, to have the strength to fight for what's right to help others.  The problem was the County and opposition didn't want the bridge to be another reason the kids would hover near, around or by the tracks. They saw it as encouragement to go near the tracks. I understand that.

A Video of Anna and For Anna made by ShaneRed:

Our kids go near the tracks even though we tell them not to. They do a lot of things we tell them not to do as parents. All I can say is I've walked a few tracks in my life-but trains have come a long way from 35 years ago. Trains are more quiet now and many what appear to be defunct tracks are used, sporadically and without warning. Factor in an i-POD blaring our kid's favorite tune, and by the time they feel any shake or shudder it's too late. Innocence is lost.

Anna is remembered by her friends and family.

I am happy this year that a FENCE BEING ERECT so that others won't suffer the same fate as Anna. I am even happier that we are able to do this Anna Stickel Scholarship in the memory of a child, whose tragedy, or her mother's courage did not go unnoticed by her community. We encourage other local business owners to do the same. ♥ 
Related Reads:
About Anna 
Fight for the Footbridge
About the Fence
The Fence is Coming