February 9, 2025 • 41 mins
(00:55) Imagine walking into a kitchen filled with the irresistible aromas of homemade soups, breads, and jams, where the warmth of the environment makes you feel right at home. That's exactly the experience Jessica and Meghan have created at Batch LLC in Saxonburg, a haven for small-batch food enthusiasts.
(14:57) With a strong focus on community over competition, these dynamic entrepreneurs have not only delighted taste buds but also fostered a vibrant local scene by supporting fellow makers. You'll hear about their fascinating journey, from their initial meeting over shared passions to building a successful business that epitomizes Saxonburg's entrepreneurial spirit.
(31:01) This episode also takes you to the inviting atmosphere of Umami in Lawrenceville, for a special occasion meal, to the average Tuesday, it's sure to satisfy your culinary cravings. And finally, we do some batch cooking at home, with listener Jeff B's hearty beef stew.
Join us as we celebrate the spirit of entrepreneurship, community, and, above all, the love of food that brings us together.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Doug (00:01):
Welcome to the Pittsburgh Dish.
I'm your host, Doug Heilman,craving grandma's cooking with a
bit of a modern twist.
We learn about the familiar andnew flavors at Batch LLC.
Looking for a restaurantrecommendation that's perfect
for a special event, birthday orjust a Tuesday?
(00:22):
Rebecca Hansborough of The 4-1Chew takes us to Umami and if
you're still seeking some coldweather comfort, listener Jeff B
serves up a big batch of beefstew.
All that ahead, stay tuned.
We want to thank Chip and KalePlant-Based Meals for their
(00:43):
ongoing support of ThePittsburgh Dish.
Visit their website at www.
chipandkale.
com to see their weekly menurotation.
Now on to the show.
Thank you both so much forcoming over and for being on the
show.
Jessica (00:59):
Absolutely.
Doug (01:00):
Would you introduce yourselves?
Jessica (01:03):
I'm Jessica part owner of Batch.
Meghan (01:06):
I'm Meghan the other part owner.
Doug (01:09):
And what is Batch LLC?
Meghan (01:11):
Well, we make food in small batches, and it started
with jams and jellies and we dosoups and breads and biscuits,
salads, all kinds of things, andJess is like the chef.
Doug (01:24):
Oh, I love that.
Now I think I read I was goingthrough your website a little
bit.
Have you all been open for like10 years now?
Meghan (01:33):
Yeah, that's amazing.
Yeah, this past fall it was 10years.
Congratulations, thank you.
Doug (01:37):
So if we have listeners out there that have not been to
Batch or up to Saxenburg, weshould probably tell our folks
where you guys are located,right?
Yeah, you're on the main streetin Saxonburg.
Meghan (01:49):
Yeah, and Saxonburg is like a historical quaint little
town, mm-hmm, and probably mostof the people listening have not
been there, I would bet.
Doug (01:57):
We're going to give them a compelling reason to go right.
Jessica (02:00):
We always say it's 20 minutes from everywhere.
Doug (02:02):
Yeah.
Jessica (02:02):
So, anywhere you're at, it's like well, I'll be there
in 20 minutes.
Yeah, not a problem.
Doug (02:06):
Okay, so I have been to your location, but if we were to
walk into Batch, why don't youtell somebody that's maybe going
to visit for the first timewhat they're going to see or
experience in the shop?
Jessica (02:18):
We always wanted it to feel like when you walk in there
, you're walking into somewhereyou've always known everybody,
like whether it be grandma'shouse or whatever, and we say
that that's how we always wantedit to be, because people walk
in and go oh, it smells so goodin here.
I mean, I think we sit here thatit does like 25 times a day
minimum, just because we cookthings the way that we always
(02:40):
ate growing up and you know wetry to keep it pretty wholesome
and you know, from scratch.
So you're always smelling thoseonions cooking or the bread in
the oven.
Or sometimes when I'm makingjam people are like what is that
?
I'm like, oh, that's like agold, you know.
Doug (02:54):
What I love is when you walk into the front door.
If you just look off to theright, you see the kitchen.
There's nothing to hide here.
You see you all and your crewworking in there, and so I think
that's what I love is seeinglike the jars out if you're
canning or or whatever's beingprepared for that day.
Jessica (03:11):
Yeah, and I'm that's kind of my fault, Cause I don't
like to ever be like in a corneror like I talk a lot.
So I don't ever want to be likeokay, I'm all here by myself,
you know, not knowing what to do, so we open that up so that
people can sit and talk or just,like you said, see what's going
on and there's no secrets.
Meghan (03:34):
I mean, yeah, hopefully no one's picking their nose.
Yeah, we cut the hole in thewall there, and we cut the hole
in the wall as you walk up tothe register too, cause, like it
was just, it's an old.
It's a 200 year old plusbuilding.
Doug (03:43):
So I think that's.
The other thing I like aboutyour shop is that is sort of
these meandering sections.
So that front room you couldmaybe sit, have a little table
or something, and then there isthe register, but that's also
where you have, like, the soupsand whatever you're doing.
Jessica (03:58):
Yeah, the grab and go coolers.
Yeah, typically everything'sgrab and go, but we're more than
happy to heat up food, or ifwe're making it at the time and
it's done, I will gladly put itin a bowl or on a plate for you
to eat.
Doug (04:10):
And then you have that room that goes towards sort of
the back or the other door, andthat's where you have your
batches of I want to say jellies, but sometimes they're sauces,
right.
Jessica (04:20):
Yeah, keep me honest.
Jams, jellies, sauces spreads.
Yeah, yeah, keep me honest.
Meghan (04:23):
Jams jellies sauces spreads.
Doug (04:23):
Yeah yeah, We'll have to talk about a couple of like the
cool flavors you have going on.
Meghan (04:26):
Yeah, we brought you some today, oh so excited.
Doug (04:29):
You also have some other stuff in your location that's
makers that are doing otherthings, right?
Yeah, tell me a little bitabout what else we would find
there.
Meghan (04:36):
Well, and that was part of our vision.
You know it began with andjellies, doing the farmer's
market, with the goal of havinga storefront and there's, you
know, pittsburgh area.
So many small batch makers, andso we highlight I mean
everything from honey to soap,other pickled products, olive
oils, olive oils yeah, Olive andMarlo someone.
(04:58):
Um, it's a woman based.
She's been around since beforeus.
We've supported her from theget-go and her product's just
awesome.
It's amazing.
It's kind of a small communityof small batch makers.
It's really cool.
Doug (05:12):
I love how you're supporting other people and
getting that sort of synergygoing on in your own shop.
Yes, I did notice the day I wasthere it was a weekend until
you had quiche.
But do you have sort of arhythm of the things you make
every day?
Jessica (05:28):
Yeah, we do a weekly rotation but, it's the same
kinds of things on each day.
So we do soups on Tuesdays andThursdays.
Wednesdays we do stuffed breadsand other you know baked goods
and stuff.
And then Friday we do a meal ofsome sort.
It's already made, you justtake it home and whether you
heat up pasta to go with themeatballs and sauce that we made
, or this Friday is pork,carnitas and slaw, so you can do
(05:50):
whatever you want with that.
And then Saturdays we doquiches.
We do three different kindseach week that we not only sell
in the store but then we alsosell to local coffee shops and
whoever wants to take them on asa wholesale product.
Doug (06:03):
So I love that and whoever wants to take them on as a
wholesale product, so I lovethat.
Yeah, let's talk about some oflike the big hitters.
When you think about some ofthe soups that everyone loves,
what are some of the top?
Meghan (06:11):
Wedding soup.
Doug (06:12):
Wedding soup, is it yeah?
Meghan (06:14):
Wedding soup is by far.
We call it beef in despairbecause it just we make kind of
those tiny meatballs.
Doug (06:20):
You make them yeah.
Meghan (06:21):
We make everything other than the pasta oh wow, and it
just somehow always turns intoan all-day process we just have
to make because we make a lot ofwedding soup, yeah and that,
and like Soup or soup.
Yeah, soup or soup, like gardenveggie, like just something
simple.
But people want that.
Jessica (06:45):
Kind of like what Jess was saying, like something that
you ate your whole life.
You know something that seemsfamiliar.
Yeah we do a thai shrimp soup,yeah that's coconut milk and
roasted red peppers and redcurry and lime and people just
go crazy over it I think whatyou're reminding me of is it is
grandma's cooking, but then it'snot yeah, like it's, it's our.
Meghan (07:00):
It's batch cooking, it's a modern twist on.
Is what we say yeah, yeah nextgeneration.
Doug (07:04):
It's the things you've experienced.
So you are still doing all thatat home.
Feel, yeah, but with flavorsthat maybe we didn't grow up
with.
Right, and expandingeverybody's palate I love that.
Jessica (07:13):
Yeah.
Doug (07:14):
When you think about, like the stuffed breads or focaccia
or whatever else you're making.
What are some of those like bighitters?
A flavor or two there.
Jessica (07:21):
Pepperoni, for sure, and we do pepperoni every week.
Of course, we do pepperonirolls for other special events,
like the Mingle on Main, whichhappens once a month summertime.
How many did we make last yearFor each Mingle?
Meghan (07:33):
Yeah, 150, 160.
Yeah, up to 180,.
I think was the most we made.
Oh, my goodness, yeah, pluseverything else that we do.
Doug (07:43):
Yeah, yeah, but the pepperoni rolls for sure, and
then tomato basil, likemozzarella focaccia, that's you
know, that sells every time Ithink that's what I got the day
I was there mozzarella focacciaprobably but people like the
different focaccia.
Meghan (07:54):
I mean they, we do like a the blueberry and white
cheddar we did today.
We do like an apple we I'll putthe apple cinnamon jelly on it
that we make fresh apple umwhite cheddar and then thyme
like people like that herb andfruit and cheese combination too
.
That's the one I had is thatthe one you had, the one I, yeah
, yeah, it was delicious, it'sreally really.
(08:15):
Yeah, I love sweet and savory.
Doug (08:17):
Same, same same same, yeah and uh, even some of your
spreads, let's talk about thatso they're different.
Can we just hit a couple of thedifferent flavor combinations?
Jessica (08:26):
Yeah, so when we started I always made jam and
jelly with my mom, like that'show I learned I've been making
it.
I was like seven.
I always wanted, when westarted this, to make things
that you couldn't get anywhereelse.
We have a few that peopleabsolutely love, like our
raspberry almond.
It's raspberries and amarettoand a little bit of almond
extract.
So it has this like warm feelingto it, even though it's like a
(08:49):
obviously a hard not hard, butlike a gelled cold product you
know, our garlic and hot pepper,so it's kind of like a pepper
jelly, but then we add garlic toit just to give it that little
bit of a different flavor, sothat you can use it for cooking
or whatever.
Jeff (09:05):
Strawberry time we brought with us has thyme and champagne
so that it.
Doug (09:09):
It's just fun to eat you know, yeah, it is like a next
level something.
Yes, it's so strange in a greatway, like this pairing of
homemade, and I don't want tosay bougie, but upscaled a
little bit yeah, right right,you know that's what people will
ask at market, like, do youhave plain strawberry or plain
grape?
Meghan (09:27):
and it's like, no, I, I really don't you know it's like
it's just a little bit differentbecause it's good with like,
like she was saying, like thegarlic and pepper we cook with
all the time, or just I eat alot of cheese.
They're all really good withcheese and I know you had um
Megan on here, the Cheese Queenherself, and that's what they.
You know she uses our stuff.
Yes.
Doug (09:47):
That was actually, I think , one of my first introductions
to you.
When I visited The Cheese Queenup in Mount Oliver, I saw some
of your spreads there, and thenwe all bumped into each other at
the KDKA kitchen.
Jessica (09:59):
Yeah.
Doug (10:00):
Yeah, we should talk about where else folks can find you.
Like I said, I saw yourproducts at The Cheese Queen,
but you also you do some marketsand you do some wholesale
elsewhere.
I think I saw some stuff atLocal Provisions.
Meghan (10:13):
Yep, yeah.
Doug (10:13):
Where else can folks find you?
Meghan (10:15):
Stamoolis is a big one In the Strip.
In the Strip Pen Mac carriesour stuff too, but, Stamoolis,
they really grow like with othersmall businesses because I know
they actually will ship ourstuff out on their cheese boards
.
Um.
So they've been a big supporterand it's really cool to work
with a family-owned companythat's been there like ever
(10:37):
since I can remember, you know,and the sisters that run it are
the daughters that grew up thereand that's right, connie, and
katina yeah they helped me withcheese once.
Doug (10:46):
That's why I know they do cheese.
Meghan (10:47):
They have great cheese yeah, I'm trying to think what
other butler farm market is abig supporter of us up by us um
harvest moon.
Oh yeah, Harvest Moon, which isanother really cool, she makes
um chocolate um and she carriesLa Prima coffee.
Um, she's in Tarentum andNatrona Heights, okay.
And then we do the MarketSquare Farmer's Market, starting
(11:10):
in the summertime.
That's our home, away from home, that's the first place we ever
sold anything.
And then we do a lot of likethe I Made it Market, the pop-up
markets with Kerry.
Always a great great exposurethere.
Doug (11:22):
So we're establishing that folks don't need to travel as
far as Saxonburg to find youRight, but let's give them a
reason to do that.
Jessica (11:30):
Yes, right.
Doug (11:31):
So I grew up that direction and I would go up
Route 28 and kind of like cutthrough to get over, but also
from like the Butler area andRoute 8, Cranberry you'd come
over on 228.
Jessica (11:40):
Yeah.
Doug (11:41):
Why should folks come to Saxonburg and experience your
shop and everything else?
What's going on there?
Meghan (11:48):
I mean, it's small town America at its best and it
really shows the strength ofsmall businesses.
When we opened, it was a lot ofempty storefronts and we opened
the bake shop Main Streetstreet bake shop and the coffee
shop opened all within like thesame five, six month period and
(12:10):
we've seen a lot of ups anddowns in town and I feel like
we've kind of hit a stride, it'sall.
I mean.
it's 97 percent woman owned,which I know I keep saying that
I don't mean to push it, butit's's cool, it's very cool.
And it shows just the strengthof working together, because we
all have to work together to getpeople to come into town.
You know, we have to createthese small events and help each
(12:32):
other out and it kind of goesback to like our baseline of
small you know, the people wecarry in the store and the
people that carry us.
We all really help each othergrow for this many years.
Doug (12:44):
This entrepreneurial community is very tight knit and
I think to your point it'snecessary.
You guys all feed off of oneanother.
You walk outside of your frontdoor and there's a coffee shop
right across the street.
Jessica (12:56):
I steal a line from another small batch jam maker
down in St Petersburg, florida,and she's no longer in business.
I don't think.
But her whole thing wascommunity, not competition.
Petersburg, florida, and she'sno longer in business.
I don't think, but her wholething was community, not
competition.
That's right.
We have lived by that since westarted, because it is true.
I mean, sometimes you're like,ah, that person's doing what
we're doing, but then you'relike, okay, well, we've been
(13:19):
here for 10 years and if that'sthe thing, that is the nail in
the coffin, then we weren'tmeant to be doing this.
But at the same time, okay,well, imitation is the best form
of flattery, I guess you know.
So you just keep kind ofplugging along and okay, well,
you need this.
Okay, we'll help you out.
Like, okay, and we need that.
You're here to help us withthat.
Meghan (13:49):
Yeah, and we definitely.
Like you said, you walk out ourdoor and like we, and I think
all the other shop owners do ittoo like how you got to go?
You got to go down and check,you know rustic roost.
Or you got to go down and checkyou know red door antiques, so
we kind of direct people tospend the day there, you know,
and there's cute places on theway to and from pittsburgh too.
You know, the growth ishappening and there's more and
more people with thatentrepreneurial spirit, I think.
Doug (14:02):
I couldn't, couldn't, agree more.
I, you know, like I said, Igrew up uh, up in Kittanning, so
I know sort of the route 28corridor before I get off at
three, 56 and even along there.
Now we've got a lot of stuffhappening in New Ken and
Curbside on the Run which is alittle closer to Fox chapel,
Jillian's and Evanly bakes andall that that's going on in New
(14:23):
Ken.
And then, you know, you go up alittle further and in Tarentum
there's some really cool thingshappening, like I just went to
Gus Franco's pizza for the firsttime I've heard about that.
If you're a food-centric person,it's worth just sort of making
a travel and getting up to youguys, and even in Kittanning
there's a few places that I'mreally impressed.
Jessica (14:45):
This is Meghan and this is Jessica from Batch LLC.
Doug (14:48):
And you're listening to.
Jessica (14:49):
The.
Meghan (14:50):
Pittsburgh Dish.
Doug (14:52):
So I want to take a little bit of a pivot.
We've talked about what youguys offer, what folks will
experience in the store.
I do want to talk a little bitmore about how it all got going.
You know you've been inbusiness for 10 years.
How did you two become businesspartners and decide on the
vision that you have today?
Meghan (15:12):
It's kind of weird because everyone assumes that
we've known each other our wholelives or that we're related,
but we just met through a mutualfriend.
Jessica (15:17):
We were acquaintances prior, like we had gone to
birthday parties, or was it NewYear's Kylie's house, new Year's
, yeah and our one friendintroduced us and we started
talking and it was that was, youknow, fast forward about a year
and a friend it was the samefriend was having a baby shower
and we both showed up and I wasdoing like, all the signs, cause
(15:38):
I I went to school for graphicdesign and I was doing all the
signs and I was setting them out.
And then Meghan was doing theflowers for the shower, cause
that was her background, and wejust I'm just milling around
talking about how I really wantto do my own thing, you know,
and I think I'd like to do thisand that.
Meghan (15:55):
And she was just listening to me Cause, like I
said, I talk a lot and then, uh,we and I was already taking I
started taking entrepreneurialclasses, um, like free ones, uh,
the Katz program from.
Pitt, and so I was driving downto Pitt once a week and taking
these classes like trying tolearn how to write a business
plan.
I wanted to do like a urbangarden center gift shop and my
(16:20):
brain was like I need foodbecause that's what will have
people come back like daily orweekly?
Yeah, and then she startedtalking about food and like jams
and jellies and I had alwaysloved food.
We both were like the kids inthe kitchen all the time, like
helping our parents.
Yeah, I Facebook messaged hercause I didn't even have her
(16:40):
phone number.
Yeah, like that week, and I waslike do you want to like sit
down and talk about maybe doingsomething?
Jessica (16:47):
She's like yeah, and we sat at Kelly's in Saxonburg for
what Like two and a half hours.
We both filled up notebookswith whatever notes we were
going back and forth with orwhat we had already had, and I
think it was like less than amonth later we got a business
idea yeah.
And then it was March, like14th I think we like Batch born,
(17:08):
wow yeah.
Doug (17:10):
I sort of love that, and it might secretly be good that
you weren't relatives or didn'tknow each other.
Meghan (17:16):
I think so.
Doug (17:17):
But you had different ideas and sort of different
trains of thought on how toaccomplish what you've done.
I mean, she's family now?
Yeah, of course.
Meghan (17:23):
And that is the point I think we grew together as Batch
grew, because we have kind ofdifferent personalities but like
it just it works kind of like acouple.
She's my work wife.
Doug (17:39):
You've already hinted at it, but you both grew up in the
kitchen or with families thatcooked.
Jessica, could you tell me alittle bit more about you know?
Jessica (17:47):
where did you grow up and what was food life like for
you always cooked, my dad alwayscooked.
So when they got together andthen they ended up moving, we
(18:10):
lived outside of Evans City andRenfrew always just everything
my mom always called it kitchensink soup whatever was in the
fridge went into a pot, andthat's kind of how we cook now.
Rebecca (18:20):
Yeah.
Jessica (18:20):
I'll throw a little bit of this.
They're like what's the recipeI don't have.
Doug (18:24):
Right, it's think for yourself.
Whatever must go.
Kind of cooking, yeah, and.
Jessica (18:29):
I've never been able to cook small, even at home,
before we started batch, like Icouldn't cook just like two
pieces of chicken, like I cookedlike the whole package, you
know.
So when we moved into doingthis it was easy to pivot into
that.
But my mom always canned andshe baked.
We always make Sue's bananabread every Thursday because my
mom would make the stuff andjust give it away, cause she
(18:50):
always said it makes peoplehappy, you know.
So she would make jelly andwhatever and she'd be like, okay
, bring me back the jars.
So we implemented a returnpolicy.
So even you bring them back, youget a discount but, yeah, it's
just, you know, you, you grow upwith those memories of being at
the counter or or coring thestrawberries or shaving the
peaches.
Doug (19:12):
But uh, counter or coring the strawberries or shaving the
peaches, but you take that andyou make it into what you want.
Yeah, I mean you had this great, rich food family, but then you
said you went to school forgraphic design, didn't think
you'd own a food business.
Jessica (19:22):
Never.
I always worked in food.
I worked in many restaurants.
I did pretty much everythingthat you could ever do in a
restaurant I cooked, I washeddishes, I served, I bartended,
bartended, I managed, I did allthe things.
But I never wanted to have likea, what can I get you?
I wanted to have somethingwhere I'm like okay, I made it
and if you like it, here you gokind of thing, if not beat it
(19:42):
yeah, exactly, well, no, beat it, but you know without
compromises, yeah, withoutcompromises, I cook how I like
to cook and if you like it,fantastic.
Doug (19:51):
I'm sorry.
I think it's the key to thesuccess of the shop.
Jessica (19:54):
Yeah.
Doug (19:56):
Meghan, what about for you ?
What was food life like growingup?
Meghan (19:59):
Kind of similar.
My mom worked a lot.
She was like the head honchoand my dad was the one who did
like our day-to-day meals.
I can remember as a little kidlike him he had like cookbooks,
always cutting recipes out, andhe was kind of like he worked on
it and I always helped him.
And then my mom was like theweekend warrior, so she was off
(20:22):
on the weekends and she wouldmake and she loved to entertain
so she would have like the bigpots, the spaghetti sauce and
she's Irish, as Irish can be,but she was always trying
different things and I wasalways like you know, I could
still remember standing on thechair at the counter like
helping her with all that.
And we always had a gardengrowing up.
We always, you know, frozethings, canned things same thing
(20:44):
Like my mom.
Like our Christmas gifts werelike the jellies that we made
that year or the rum.
She liked rum cake.
She made a really good rum cakeand we would do stuff like that
.
And it's still where I'm happy.
You know, people are like Ihate to cook, I love to have
like a glass of wine in thekitchen and make food and I just
have.
It's just my daughter and mydad most of the time.
So it's like it's a real tinything, but I love it.
(21:06):
It makes me happy.
Doug (21:07):
Yeah, you surrender yourself to the kitchen.
Yeah, it's kind of like a anice place to be.
Meghan (21:12):
And I like to eat good food.
I don't want to eat frozenchicken tenders and mac and
cheese.
I want to eat like somethingthat's homemade, but Jess always
amazes me Cause I'm like theopposite, like I cook like small
and she cooks big and like the.
But the way you can balanceflavors and you know we make
soup in a 60 quart pot.
And so like if she's onvacation and stuff.
(21:34):
We always joke because I'm incharge and I can?
it tastes good.
It tastes good, but it takes mea lot longer to get there Cause
I'm like I just sprinkle a tinybit at a time.
You know the seasonings and theherbs and stuff, and she's like
she just dumps it all in.
Doug (21:51):
A teaspoon is not quite gonna go.
Meghan (21:52):
No you've got the intuition, jessica?
Yeah, she does.
I, I honestly don't even I meanit's it just, I mean just watch
out if she makes pasta salad inthe summertime.
That's why I always tease herabout, because, like I've never
seen so much pasta salad made atone time we have 30 quart bowls
, wow and we'll do two at a time, wow but.
But we sell out.
We do sell a lot of pasta saladin the summer.
Jessica (22:11):
It's insane.
I'm like who likes pasta saladthat much.
Meghan (22:14):
No one wants to make that much pasta salad.
Well, that's true.
Doug (22:17):
Well, that's why you sell out, because you don't want to
make it at home.
Exactly.
And what about you, Meghan you?
Meghan (22:22):
did yeah, and never in a million years thought I'd still
live in Saxonburg, but here Iam.
Grew up just seven miles downthe road.
Doug (22:35):
When we're young and feisty or whatever, we think we
want to go elsewhere and we wantto do all these other things.
But as we age out we learn toappreciate all of that stuff
that's around us and what reallydoes make it special.
I'm kind of feeling that myselfnowadays.
Meghan (22:48):
Yeah, and we do live in a special area, I think, and we
always say, like 10 years, wewould never have been there
without our customers.
I mean, we have the samecustomers and new ones are so
fun, like we love when newpeople come in, but it's the
people that have been coming tous for 10 years that make it.
You know, we know, watch peoplegrow up.
Yeah, yeah, it's kids like thatcome in that are in college now
(23:12):
, that couldn't look over thecounter before.
You know, and we know almosteveryone's first name when they
come in, which I just my husbandcalls it cheers.
It's what makes it special.
Doug (23:21):
It is what makes it special.
I've talked to other guests onthis show and I think you've
tapped into exactly that.
You are doing something uniquein a special place, but you're
also building a community offolks that feel loved or treated
well, and that's why they wantto come back to you guys.
Meghan (23:38):
Yeah, and that was something.
You know.
We had kind of a slow year thisyear.
This summer it was tough, itwas kind of one of the slower
years and we were brainstormingabout it and you know why.
Why was it slower?
And it's like well, our food'sto go, and people that know us,
like it's a community, they getthat feeling from it.
But they're not a lot of peoplelike they want an experience.
(24:01):
Now you know COVID has beengone for a while.
They want to go out, they wantto have these experiences.
So we were brainstorming and westarted um batch after hours
and the second one is in acouple of weeks, february 12th,
but we only 12 tickets causeit's tiny in there.
But Jess is showing herculinary I know she says she's
not a chef, but like kind ofjust spreading her wings a
(24:22):
little bit.
So we're not just making soupbut we're doing like a four
course meal and it makes itspecial and it's people talk
about it after the fact.
Doug (24:29):
Yeah.
Meghan (24:30):
And it's funny because some of the most of the people
coming, especially for the firstone, were people that have
always come to see us and theywant to see what else we do Like
they want that experience withus, and so it's been, it's been
kind of cool, somethingdifferent.
Doug (24:43):
I love that, before we get away from the business and how
it started and all the thingsthat you've experienced, are
there any other big lessons thatyou've learned?
If somebody out there is reallygetting inspired by the two of
you that you would want to sharewith a budding entrepreneur,
(25:06):
it's going to be fun.
Meghan (25:07):
You can create and you can, but you still you're ruled
by what the customer is tellingyou, what they want and what the
day-to-day operation is.
It's a grind and it's a hustleand you can make it fun.
Surround yourself with peoplethat make it fun.
Yeah, that you want to workwith and create that.
(25:27):
Like we keep saying, like,create your own community, and I
think people that have that arewho makes it.
Doug (25:33):
How many folks do you have on staff?
Jessica (25:35):
There's nine of us, yeah.
Doug (25:37):
And you like all those people Like love them.
Meghan (25:39):
Yeah, they're like family.
Yeah, you have to right.
Jessica (25:42):
Our one employee has been with us almost 10 years, oh
, and then we have another girlthat's been with us since 2017.
She was 16 years old when shegot hired and she's now our
manager.
So, yeah, we, we, we reallylove our staff.
They're just amazing.
We wouldn't be able to do itwithout them.
I mean, we'd all probably havetaken the bridge at this point.
(26:04):
But I'm saying, though, likeafter 10 years, if you don't
have any people to kind of helpyou pick up that slack.
Doug (26:09):
I mean, you have to have that support system, because if
you didn't, you have to have ateam that can, to your point,
know what's going on when youneed a day off or a day away.
Jessica (26:18):
Yeah.
Doug (26:18):
Because otherwise you are going to probably burn yourself
out.
Meghan (26:21):
Yeah, yeah, on the point of staying small, that's
something we've definitelyworked on, you know we've
definitely worked on.
You know we've never grownbeyond our meat, which can be a
struggle because you have theseaspirations and dreams.
Jessica (26:34):
But um, everything we've done has been pretty
organic.
Meghan (26:37):
Yes, From the beginning letting it flow, letting it to
grow as as as you think itshould, even though sometimes
that could be hard.
Yeah, like quality overquantity.
Doug (26:46):
Right, Exactly All right.
I do want to take us forward.
So we're into 2025.
You're in your 11th year.
What is on the horizon for thisyear?
Do you have anything new comingup?
Events, goals, anything you'dwant folks to know about?
Meghan (27:03):
There is something on the horizon that we're hoping
will help grow us.
We're hoping to have ownershipof our own building by the end
of February.
And so you know, as far asgrowth, we're always looking for
like something new to make toexcite the customer, but we do
have a small space.
So I think the batch afterhours is probably the biggest
(27:23):
new thing.
Doug (27:24):
And the Batch after hours is probably going to be like a
quarterly event very limitedticket, very exclusive.
Jessica (27:31):
Yes, there are only 12 tickets.
We tried any possible way toget more and we can't.
Doug (27:36):
Okay, well then let's do this.
Then, if folks are interested,let's remind them of your
address.
If folks want to come up andvisit you live, what's the store
location?
Meghan (27:47):
230 West Main Street, all right, Saxonburg In
Saxonburg.
Doug (27:51):
And if folks want to follow you all on your social
media or visit your website,what are those?
Meghan (27:57):
It's Batch LLC on social media and our website is like
long and ridiculous.
But just type in BatchSaxonburg and it'll all pop
right up, and we do sell ourjams and jellies on the website
Excellent.
Doug (28:10):
All right, jessica?
Yes, megan, it's been such adelight to talk with you.
I always like to end ourconversation with one last
question.
The name of the show is ThePittsburgh Dish.
What's the best dish you'veeaten this past week?
Meghan (28:26):
It has to be this week.
Doug (28:28):
Well, you could go a little further back.
Meghan (28:30):
Because I have to say, my boyfriend and I went to this
random place in Johnstown Ican't remember the name, Laurel
and Grouse.
Anyway, it was this tiny littleplace and we saw it on Facebook
and we went there after work ona Saturday.
We drove an hour and a half toJohnstown and it was phenomenal
(28:52):
and they had an octopus that wason like a roasted red pepper
and chickpea oh yeah, it was.
It was phenomenal, just reallycool place octopus on.
It was like a roasted yeah,roasted red pepper and chickpea
like puree, with like a cilantrolike drizzle.
It was phenomenal, somethingyou would never expect in
johnstown yeah, just what didyour boyfriend get?
(29:13):
He got that.
So that was just our appetizer.
And then I got it was a salmonum on a butternut squash hummus,
oh, which sounds weird, but itworked.
And he got they had like asteak filet but it had had three
trio of sauces like allhomemade sauces.
It was ridiculously good.
(29:35):
That and a bottle of wine, itwas perfect.
Doug (29:37):
But the star was that octopus dish.
Meghan (29:40):
Yeah, and what's it called again?
Laurel and Grouse Laurel andGrouse in.
Johnstown, yep.
Doug (29:46):
Jessica, what was your favorite bite this past week?
Jessica (29:49):
We went to Local Provisions on Saturday night,
had dinner with my dad and ifanybody's never been there they
have to go, because it's a veryunique setup.
It's kind of like batch, likeyou walk up to the counter and
order there and talk to them.
But I had the yinzer salad,which has a homemade truffle
ranch and it's so good.
But then we also, you know,there's their steak, their steak
(30:13):
free, or the french fries, likethe frites that they have with
the garlic aioli, was really,really good and I just want to
remind listeners because we'vetalked about it on the show
before local provisions is overin, like the fox chapel, o'hara
township area yeah, it's likethe waterworks mall plaza, but
right across the street yeah,it's just around the corner from
Alta Via.
Doug (30:30):
Yeah, yeah, and they and the owners.
Meghan (30:33):
I mean they're always in there working and the people
that work there are always sohelpful and it's a beautiful
space and the food is just.
It's so good.
Jessica (30:42):
So elevated, yeah, and you can grab our jam while
you're here too, I've seen it.
But yeah, that salad with filettips and, yeah, very good.
Doug (30:53):
Meghan Jessica.
Thank you both so much forbeing on The Pittsburgh Dish.
Jessica (30:58):
Thanks for having us.
Doug (31:00):
This was awesome.
Up next, do you have a favoritespot for that special occasion,
maybe a birthday or anniversary?
We take a visit toLawrenceville with the 4-1-Chew.
Hey everybody, we're joinedtoday with Rebecca Hansborough
of the 4-1-Chew on Instagram.
Rebecca (31:19):
Perfect, you got it right, did I?
Oh, thank you.
Yes, you did, you did.
Doug (31:21):
Rebecca, welcome to The Pittsburgh Dish.
Thank you so much for stoppingby and giving us some restaurant
recommendations.
Rebecca (31:26):
Absolutely so happy to be here.
Doug (31:28):
Do you have a restaurant you like to go to for, say, a
special occasion, birthday,anniversary, something like that
?
Rebecca (31:33):
Yeah, absolutely so.
I just recently turned 31, lastyear, and we went to Umami.
Jeff (31:41):
Over in Lawrenceville.
Yes, yes, yes.
Rebecca (31:43):
It's like this, really like aesthetically pleasing
restaurant, it's like thelighting is just like red.
Yeah, it's an experience, it'sa vibe yeah, if someone hasn't
been there.
Doug (31:58):
It's actually in the same building as round corner cantina
and it's on the second floor.
Rebecca (32:03):
So you kind of enter on the side, you go up the steps
and you hit that light rightaway, and as soon as you get up
there you're just kind of likedid I leave Pittsburgh?
It feels very new york to meyeah, very trans, it feels very
like.
Yeah, yeah, I like, I liked ita lot yeah, you should.
You get transported somewhereelse, absolutely but, yeah, we
got a whole bunch of stuff.
We got a sashimi plate.
That was really good, um, and Ithink something that I tend to
(32:26):
look for with sashimi is likefreshness.
Um, you know, you coulddefinitely tell that it was just
like extra fresh, top notch.
Yes, it was so good.
We got the goiza, which theyserve traditional, like upside
down, so they fry all of thedumplings together oh and so
they and they turn it upsidedown and it has that like really
thick crust and then it's greenonion on top of it and you go
(32:49):
to separated, are you okay?
oh?
Doug (32:52):
yeah, like she's looking at me, I'm making like the most,
like, oh, I want that right now.
Rebecca (32:55):
Delicious so hungry after this.
Um, yeah, and it has like thisreally thick crust and it's so
good and I think it's justserved with like soy sauce.
And then we also had the mochicake.
Oh, like it was just like itkind of looked like a brownie
yeah it was a chocolate mochicake with berries on top and
they put a little candle in itfor me.
Um, I'm trying to think of someother good bites that we had.
(33:17):
The shoshu ramen was reallygood, had a very good, strong
depth of flavor.
It's just.
Doug (33:23):
It's just a good place they've got the grill too, like
yes, I'm not going to say right,they're like rabato grill.
Yeah, whatever you're supposedto say whatever that word is.
Rebecca (33:30):
Yes, they have that, the japanese grill um, and so
you can get an array of skewers,and I think we just got maybe
chicken and beef um kind ofgrilled, and then you can get
some vegetables as well, somemushrooms, and then they have
really good cocktails.
Doug (33:43):
I was gonna say I've had a good cocktail there before very
refreshing.
Rebecca (33:47):
Um, I just think it's a 10 out of 10 place for sure,
especially for special occasionsor just a Tuesday.
You know, tuesday is a specialoccasion.
Doug (33:54):
right, it is Whenever you need a special occasion.
Rebecca (33:58):
Absolutely, absolutely.
Doug (33:58):
Yeah, this is one of Roger Li's concepts, and he also owns
The Parlor Dim Sum and I thinkthey just do a great job, and so
we're talking about umami inLawrenceville.
Absolutely, thanks, Rebecca.
Rebecca (34:11):
Thank you, Happy podcast-versary if that's the
thing.
Thank you so much.
Doug (34:16):
You can follow Rebecca Hansborough on Instagram at the
underscore 4, 1, underscorechew @the_41_chew.
Still have a craving for coldweather comfort food as we plow
through this chili season.
Listener Jeff B submitted hisbig batch of beef stew.
Let's give him a call and hearmore about his recipe.
Jeff (34:41):
Hey Doug, what's going on bud?
Doug (34:42):
Hey, Jeff, how you doing.
Jeff (34:44):
I'm doing well.
How are you?
Doug (34:46):
I'm doing really well as well.
Thanks so much for the recipefor beef stew.
This looks like it makes a lotright.
Jeff (34:54):
Yes, it does.
Doug (34:55):
Okay, so I had a couple questions.
I saw the picture and I waswondering what size pot are you
using?
Do you think it's like afive-quart or seven-quart?
Jeff (35:04):
Yeah, I think it's a five-quart or six-quart pot
because like generally split itbetween myself and my parents
and when I make it it's with theintent of feeding a lot of
people.
So yeah, that's a pretty bigstock pot that I use.
Doug (35:18):
Sounds perfect.
I was reading through.
You've got like a spice mixturewith I think you mentioned beef
powder.
Is this like a beef bouillonthat you're using?
Jeff (35:28):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's a beef powder.
If you beef bouillon is thatyou're using?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's a beefpowder.
If you go to the the spiceaisle, um, there's the bouillon
cubes and they have the powder.
That's right next to it withthe chicken, but it's generally
I don't know what the name is,the brand name is, but it's it's
typically, uh, right next tothe bouillon, where it's finely
ground and it's easier to workwith as opposed to just putting
a bouillon cube in and lettingit dissolve.
So it's it a lot easier.
Doug (35:49):
Okay, yeah, that was just like a product I don't know if
I've ever bought, so I'm goingto take a look.
But I definitely have gottenbeef bullion and I like the kind
that's a paste.
They're usually in jars.
Jeff (36:00):
Better than boullion is the brand that I pick up
Pensey's actually makes a reallygood soup base.
It's like that, like a realthick paste, right.
Doug (36:08):
I also wanted to move on to the vegetables.
You're using some of thestandards, like celery, carrots,
onions, garlic, and then you,later on, you add corn and
tomatoes.
Do you saute the carrot celeryonion before you add that corn
and can?
Jeff (36:27):
of tomatoes or do you just throw it all in the stock pot?
I just throw it all in thestock pot.
So I was saying you're going toget that kind of consistency
that's pot.
You're going to get that kindof consistency that's softer
because it's going to sit fortwo to three hours.
So doing a saute is really justgoing to kind of char the
outside and it's going to falloff in the stock if you were to
do like a simple sear or saute.
So I generally just throw it inthe pot and let it sit and
everything comes out the sameconsistency.
Doug (36:48):
And speaking of saute, the other thing I thought that was
unique on your recipe is thatyou do actually saute the stew
meat, but you do that in a castiron skillet.
Is that right?
Jeff (36:57):
Yes, that's correct.
Cast iron generally retains theheat a lot better, and the
aluminum and the steel pans willwork just as well, but I'm very
preferable to cast iron.
Doug (37:08):
Yeah, I like cast iron too .
And you throw in a little bitof olive oil, you throw in
garlic, whatever the stew meatyou're using, you've cubed it up
.
You get some brown on it firstand then, after it's browned,
you say that you sprinkle in alittle bit of flour to coat the
meat.
Is that for ultimatelythickening the stew a little bit
more?
Jeff (37:28):
That's dead on.
That's exactly what it's for.
I put two.
I think I put two to threetablespoons.
This recipe is very forgiving,so I just usually go by handful.
I put a generous handful overthe top, so everything's coated
and you'll see, and it'll alsotake up that olive oil in the
font that's on the bottom of thepan with it.
So you're you're retaining thatflavor with the meat when you
(37:49):
put it in the stew.
So it's kind of like a doublewhammy that you want to get that
concentrated flavor in there aswell as the thickening, and
that's what the flour is therefor your veggies and you put all
your stuff back.
Doug (37:59):
So you've dirtied another plate for the meat to rest and
so you're just doing it in adifferent pan that you like
better anyway, to get betterbrowning.
So I like that approach.
One final question so you'rethrowing ultimately everything
(38:20):
in the big stew pot, all of yourspice mixture, all of those
vegetables, all of this stewmeat with the flour and as much
as the brown deglazing that youcan get in there, and then do
you cover it to the surface withwater?
Jeff (38:34):
I would say almost to the top.
I like to leave a little inchbecause everything bubbles up
Right and because you're goingto cover it and let it simmer
for a little bit.
And if you put it right to thesurface it's going to start to
bubble over and you're going tolose some of the stew and it's
going to hit your burner.
I don't care if it's gas or ifit's electric, you'll hear the
hiss and you're going to have torun out of the kitchen.
So usually I leave about aninch to two inch little rim at
(38:56):
the top, as you can see in thepicture.
Just to be safe.
So yeah, exactly it's, it'syou're, you're preventing it
from running over and you end up, you know, damaging your
cooktop or making the kitchenburn smell like a burnt smell.
You really, if you're cookingit and if you're cooking it for
a long time, you really wantyour house to smell like the
spice mixture and the stew andthe anticipation of eating.
Doug (39:16):
I love that, and you bring it up to a bit of a boil but
then lower it to simmer, so justlike gentle bubbles, and you
let it go.
For how long?
Jeff (39:25):
I like to go three hours.
Doug (39:27):
And we really want everything, especially all of
that connective tissue in yourstew meat, as well as all of the
tougher vegetables you justwant them to like all slowly
break down together.
Jeff (39:37):
That fat offers a lot of flavor to your stew.
Yeah so you want to render asmuch of that into the stew as
possible.
Doug (39:43):
Yeah, I agree completely.
Sounds delicious, and anyspecial way you like to serve
this up.
Jeff (39:50):
Yes, I do.
Actually, in the recipe, I putcheddar cheese on the top
because the cheese is going tomelt and it's going to provide
some kind of cool, a little bitof cooling for the stew, because
it's going to be hot when youserve it.
I like that, but I've alsoserved it over rice, which is
very good, or, if you don't haverice, italian bread, a really
good Italian bread.
Doug (40:06):
Perfect, I will give you one more, jeff.
I just got in this habitrecently of throwing pickled
pepperoncinis on top of chiliesand stew like this, and it gives
it that little extra note ofbrightness or acidity.
Jeff (40:21):
It sounds amazing.
It's going to also add a littlebit of a kick at the back end
of it all with the pepperoncinis, or you can even probably.
If you want things a little bitspicier, you could probably do
pickled jalapeno.
Doug (40:29):
Oh, I think we're both on the same wavelength there, jeff.
It sounds delicious Beef stewfor these colder months of the
year.
Thanks so much for the recipe.
No problem.
Do you have a recipe?
Share it with us at www.
pittsburghdish.
com and look for our Share aRecipe form.
If you enjoyed the show,consider buying us a coffee for
(40:52):
this episode or supporting theshow monthly.
You can find links to thoseoptions at the bottom of our
show description, and if youwant to follow my own food
adventures, you can find me onsocial media at Doug Cooking.
That's our show for this week.
Thanks again to all of ourguests and contributors and to
Kevin Solecki of CarnegieAccordion Company for providing
(41:12):
the music to our show.
We'll be back again next weekwith another fresh episode.
Stay tuned.
Welcome to the Pittsburgh Dish.
I'm your host, Doug Heilman,craving grandma's cooking with a
bit of a modern twist.
We learn about the familiar andnew flavors at Batch LLC.
Looking for a restaurantrecommendation that's perfect
for a special event, birthday orjust a Tuesday?
(00:22):
Rebecca Hansborough of The 4-1Chew takes us to Umami and if
you're still seeking some coldweather comfort, listener Jeff B
serves up a big batch of beefstew.
All that ahead, stay tuned.
We want to thank Chip and KalePlant-Based Meals for their
(00:43):
ongoing support of ThePittsburgh Dish.
Visit their website at www.
chipandkale.
com to see their weekly menurotation.
Now on to the show.
Thank you both so much forcoming over and for being on the
show.
Jessica (00:59):
Absolutely.
Doug (01:00):
Would you introduce yourselves?
Jessica (01:03):
I'm Jessica part owner of Batch.
Meghan (01:06):
I'm Meghan the other part owner.
Doug (01:09):
And what is Batch LLC?
Meghan (01:11):
Well, we make food in small batches, and it started
with jams and jellies and we dosoups and breads and biscuits,
salads, all kinds of things, andJess is like the chef.
Doug (01:24):
Oh, I love that.
Now I think I read I was goingthrough your website a little
bit.
Have you all been open for like10 years now?
Meghan (01:33):
Yeah, that's amazing.
Yeah, this past fall it was 10years.
Congratulations, thank you.
Doug (01:37):
So if we have listeners out there that have not been to
Batch or up to Saxenburg, weshould probably tell our folks
where you guys are located,right?
Yeah, you're on the main streetin Saxonburg.
Meghan (01:49):
Yeah, and Saxonburg is like a historical quaint little
town, mm-hmm, and probably mostof the people listening have not
been there, I would bet.
Doug (01:57):
We're going to give them a compelling reason to go right.
Jessica (02:00):
We always say it's 20 minutes from everywhere.
Doug (02:02):
Yeah.
Jessica (02:02):
So, anywhere you're at, it's like well, I'll be there
in 20 minutes.
Yeah, not a problem.
Doug (02:06):
Okay, so I have been to your location, but if we were to
walk into Batch, why don't youtell somebody that's maybe going
to visit for the first timewhat they're going to see or
experience in the shop?
Jessica (02:18):
We always wanted it to feel like when you walk in there
, you're walking into somewhereyou've always known everybody,
like whether it be grandma'shouse or whatever, and we say
that that's how we always wantedit to be, because people walk
in and go oh, it smells so goodin here.
I mean, I think we sit here thatit does like 25 times a day
minimum, just because we cookthings the way that we always
(02:40):
ate growing up and you know wetry to keep it pretty wholesome
and you know, from scratch.
So you're always smelling thoseonions cooking or the bread in
the oven.
Or sometimes when I'm makingjam people are like what is that
?
I'm like, oh, that's like agold, you know.
Doug (02:54):
What I love is when you walk into the front door.
If you just look off to theright, you see the kitchen.
There's nothing to hide here.
You see you all and your crewworking in there, and so I think
that's what I love is seeinglike the jars out if you're
canning or or whatever's beingprepared for that day.
Jessica (03:11):
Yeah, and I'm that's kind of my fault, Cause I don't
like to ever be like in a corneror like I talk a lot.
So I don't ever want to be likeokay, I'm all here by myself,
you know, not knowing what to do, so we open that up so that
people can sit and talk or just,like you said, see what's going
on and there's no secrets.
Meghan (03:34):
I mean, yeah, hopefully no one's picking their nose.
Yeah, we cut the hole in thewall there, and we cut the hole
in the wall as you walk up tothe register too, cause, like it
was just, it's an old.
It's a 200 year old plusbuilding.
Doug (03:43):
So I think that's.
The other thing I like aboutyour shop is that is sort of
these meandering sections.
So that front room you couldmaybe sit, have a little table
or something, and then there isthe register, but that's also
where you have, like, the soupsand whatever you're doing.
Jessica (03:58):
Yeah, the grab and go coolers.
Yeah, typically everything'sgrab and go, but we're more than
happy to heat up food, or ifwe're making it at the time and
it's done, I will gladly put itin a bowl or on a plate for you
to eat.
Doug (04:10):
And then you have that room that goes towards sort of
the back or the other door, andthat's where you have your
batches of I want to say jellies, but sometimes they're sauces,
right.
Jessica (04:20):
Yeah, keep me honest.
Jams, jellies, sauces spreads.
Yeah, yeah, keep me honest.
Meghan (04:23):
Jams jellies sauces spreads.
Doug (04:23):
Yeah yeah, We'll have to talk about a couple of like the
cool flavors you have going on.
Meghan (04:26):
Yeah, we brought you some today, oh so excited.
Doug (04:29):
You also have some other stuff in your location that's
makers that are doing otherthings, right?
Yeah, tell me a little bitabout what else we would find
there.
Meghan (04:36):
Well, and that was part of our vision.
You know it began with andjellies, doing the farmer's
market, with the goal of havinga storefront and there's, you
know, pittsburgh area.
So many small batch makers, andso we highlight I mean
everything from honey to soap,other pickled products, olive
oils, olive oils yeah, Olive andMarlo someone.
(04:58):
Um, it's a woman based.
She's been around since beforeus.
We've supported her from theget-go and her product's just
awesome.
It's amazing.
It's kind of a small communityof small batch makers.
It's really cool.
Doug (05:12):
I love how you're supporting other people and
getting that sort of synergygoing on in your own shop.
Yes, I did notice the day I wasthere it was a weekend until
you had quiche.
But do you have sort of arhythm of the things you make
every day?
Jessica (05:28):
Yeah, we do a weekly rotation but, it's the same
kinds of things on each day.
So we do soups on Tuesdays andThursdays.
Wednesdays we do stuffed breadsand other you know baked goods
and stuff.
And then Friday we do a meal ofsome sort.
It's already made, you justtake it home and whether you
heat up pasta to go with themeatballs and sauce that we made
, or this Friday is pork,carnitas and slaw, so you can do
(05:50):
whatever you want with that.
And then Saturdays we doquiches.
We do three different kindseach week that we not only sell
in the store but then we alsosell to local coffee shops and
whoever wants to take them on asa wholesale product.
Doug (06:03):
So I love that and whoever wants to take them on as a
wholesale product, so I lovethat.
Yeah, let's talk about some oflike the big hitters.
When you think about some ofthe soups that everyone loves,
what are some of the top?
Meghan (06:11):
Wedding soup.
Doug (06:12):
Wedding soup, is it yeah?
Meghan (06:14):
Wedding soup is by far.
We call it beef in despairbecause it just we make kind of
those tiny meatballs.
Doug (06:20):
You make them yeah.
Meghan (06:21):
We make everything other than the pasta oh wow, and it
just somehow always turns intoan all-day process we just have
to make because we make a lot ofwedding soup, yeah and that,
and like Soup or soup.
Yeah, soup or soup, like gardenveggie, like just something
simple.
But people want that.
Jessica (06:45):
Kind of like what Jess was saying, like something that
you ate your whole life.
You know something that seemsfamiliar.
Yeah we do a thai shrimp soup,yeah that's coconut milk and
roasted red peppers and redcurry and lime and people just
go crazy over it I think whatyou're reminding me of is it is
grandma's cooking, but then it'snot yeah, like it's, it's our.
Meghan (07:00):
It's batch cooking, it's a modern twist on.
Is what we say yeah, yeah nextgeneration.
Doug (07:04):
It's the things you've experienced.
So you are still doing all thatat home.
Feel, yeah, but with flavorsthat maybe we didn't grow up
with.
Right, and expandingeverybody's palate I love that.
Jessica (07:13):
Yeah.
Doug (07:14):
When you think about, like the stuffed breads or focaccia
or whatever else you're making.
What are some of those like bighitters?
A flavor or two there.
Jessica (07:21):
Pepperoni, for sure, and we do pepperoni every week.
Of course, we do pepperonirolls for other special events,
like the Mingle on Main, whichhappens once a month summertime.
How many did we make last yearFor each Mingle?
Meghan (07:33):
Yeah, 150, 160.
Yeah, up to 180,.
I think was the most we made.
Oh, my goodness, yeah, pluseverything else that we do.
Doug (07:43):
Yeah, yeah, but the pepperoni rolls for sure, and
then tomato basil, likemozzarella focaccia, that's you
know, that sells every time Ithink that's what I got the day
I was there mozzarella focacciaprobably but people like the
different focaccia.
Meghan (07:54):
I mean they, we do like a the blueberry and white
cheddar we did today.
We do like an apple we I'll putthe apple cinnamon jelly on it
that we make fresh apple umwhite cheddar and then thyme
like people like that herb andfruit and cheese combination too
.
That's the one I had is thatthe one you had, the one I, yeah
, yeah, it was delicious, it'sreally really.
(08:15):
Yeah, I love sweet and savory.
Doug (08:17):
Same, same same same, yeah and uh, even some of your
spreads, let's talk about thatso they're different.
Can we just hit a couple of thedifferent flavor combinations?
Jessica (08:26):
Yeah, so when we started I always made jam and
jelly with my mom, like that'show I learned I've been making
it.
I was like seven.
I always wanted, when westarted this, to make things
that you couldn't get anywhereelse.
We have a few that peopleabsolutely love, like our
raspberry almond.
It's raspberries and amarettoand a little bit of almond
extract.
So it has this like warm feelingto it, even though it's like a
(08:49):
obviously a hard not hard, butlike a gelled cold product you
know, our garlic and hot pepper,so it's kind of like a pepper
jelly, but then we add garlic toit just to give it that little
bit of a different flavor, sothat you can use it for cooking
or whatever.
Jeff (09:05):
Strawberry time we brought with us has thyme and champagne
so that it.
Doug (09:09):
It's just fun to eat you know, yeah, it is like a next
level something.
Yes, it's so strange in a greatway, like this pairing of
homemade, and I don't want tosay bougie, but upscaled a
little bit yeah, right right,you know that's what people will
ask at market, like, do youhave plain strawberry or plain
grape?
Meghan (09:27):
and it's like, no, I, I really don't you know it's like
it's just a little bit differentbecause it's good with like,
like she was saying, like thegarlic and pepper we cook with
all the time, or just I eat alot of cheese.
They're all really good withcheese and I know you had um
Megan on here, the Cheese Queenherself, and that's what they.
You know she uses our stuff.
Yes.
Doug (09:47):
That was actually, I think , one of my first introductions
to you.
When I visited The Cheese Queenup in Mount Oliver, I saw some
of your spreads there, and thenwe all bumped into each other at
the KDKA kitchen.
Jessica (09:59):
Yeah.
Doug (10:00):
Yeah, we should talk about where else folks can find you.
Like I said, I saw yourproducts at The Cheese Queen,
but you also you do some marketsand you do some wholesale
elsewhere.
I think I saw some stuff atLocal Provisions.
Meghan (10:13):
Yep, yeah.
Doug (10:13):
Where else can folks find you?
Meghan (10:15):
Stamoolis is a big one In the Strip.
In the Strip Pen Mac carriesour stuff too, but, Stamoolis,
they really grow like with othersmall businesses because I know
they actually will ship ourstuff out on their cheese boards
.
Um.
So they've been a big supporterand it's really cool to work
with a family-owned companythat's been there like ever
(10:37):
since I can remember, you know,and the sisters that run it are
the daughters that grew up thereand that's right, connie, and
katina yeah they helped me withcheese once.
Doug (10:46):
That's why I know they do cheese.
Meghan (10:47):
They have great cheese yeah, I'm trying to think what
other butler farm market is abig supporter of us up by us um
harvest moon.
Oh yeah, Harvest Moon, which isanother really cool, she makes
um chocolate um and she carriesLa Prima coffee.
Um, she's in Tarentum andNatrona Heights, okay.
And then we do the MarketSquare Farmer's Market, starting
(11:10):
in the summertime.
That's our home, away from home, that's the first place we ever
sold anything.
And then we do a lot of likethe I Made it Market, the pop-up
markets with Kerry.
Always a great great exposurethere.
Doug (11:22):
So we're establishing that folks don't need to travel as
far as Saxonburg to find youRight, but let's give them a
reason to do that.
Jessica (11:30):
Yes, right.
Doug (11:31):
So I grew up that direction and I would go up
Route 28 and kind of like cutthrough to get over, but also
from like the Butler area andRoute 8, Cranberry you'd come
over on 228.
Jessica (11:40):
Yeah.
Doug (11:41):
Why should folks come to Saxonburg and experience your
shop and everything else?
What's going on there?
Meghan (11:48):
I mean, it's small town America at its best and it
really shows the strength ofsmall businesses.
When we opened, it was a lot ofempty storefronts and we opened
the bake shop Main Streetstreet bake shop and the coffee
shop opened all within like thesame five, six month period and
(12:10):
we've seen a lot of ups anddowns in town and I feel like
we've kind of hit a stride, it'sall.
I mean.
it's 97 percent woman owned,which I know I keep saying that
I don't mean to push it, butit's's cool, it's very cool.
And it shows just the strengthof working together, because we
all have to work together to getpeople to come into town.
You know, we have to createthese small events and help each
(12:32):
other out and it kind of goesback to like our baseline of
small you know, the people wecarry in the store and the
people that carry us.
We all really help each othergrow for this many years.
Doug (12:44):
This entrepreneurial community is very tight knit and
I think to your point it'snecessary.
You guys all feed off of oneanother.
You walk outside of your frontdoor and there's a coffee shop
right across the street.
Jessica (12:56):
I steal a line from another small batch jam maker
down in St Petersburg, florida,and she's no longer in business.
I don't think.
But her whole thing wascommunity, not competition.
Petersburg, florida, and she'sno longer in business.
I don't think, but her wholething was community, not
competition.
That's right.
We have lived by that since westarted, because it is true.
I mean, sometimes you're like,ah, that person's doing what
we're doing, but then you'relike, okay, well, we've been
(13:19):
here for 10 years and if that'sthe thing, that is the nail in
the coffin, then we weren'tmeant to be doing this.
But at the same time, okay,well, imitation is the best form
of flattery, I guess you know.
So you just keep kind ofplugging along and okay, well,
you need this.
Okay, we'll help you out.
Like, okay, and we need that.
You're here to help us withthat.
Meghan (13:49):
Yeah, and we definitely.
Like you said, you walk out ourdoor and like we, and I think
all the other shop owners do ittoo like how you got to go?
You got to go down and check,you know rustic roost.
Or you got to go down and checkyou know red door antiques, so
we kind of direct people tospend the day there, you know,
and there's cute places on theway to and from pittsburgh too.
You know, the growth ishappening and there's more and
more people with thatentrepreneurial spirit, I think.
Doug (14:02):
I couldn't, couldn't, agree more.
I, you know, like I said, Igrew up uh, up in Kittanning, so
I know sort of the route 28corridor before I get off at
three, 56 and even along there.
Now we've got a lot of stuffhappening in New Ken and
Curbside on the Run which is alittle closer to Fox chapel,
Jillian's and Evanly bakes andall that that's going on in New
(14:23):
Ken.
And then, you know, you go up alittle further and in Tarentum
there's some really cool thingshappening, like I just went to
Gus Franco's pizza for the firsttime I've heard about that.
If you're a food-centric person,it's worth just sort of making
a travel and getting up to youguys, and even in Kittanning
there's a few places that I'mreally impressed.
Jessica (14:45):
This is Meghan and this is Jessica from Batch LLC.
Doug (14:48):
And you're listening to.
Jessica (14:49):
The.
Meghan (14:50):
Pittsburgh Dish.
Doug (14:52):
So I want to take a little bit of a pivot.
We've talked about what youguys offer, what folks will
experience in the store.
I do want to talk a little bitmore about how it all got going.
You know you've been inbusiness for 10 years.
How did you two become businesspartners and decide on the
vision that you have today?
Meghan (15:12):
It's kind of weird because everyone assumes that
we've known each other our wholelives or that we're related,
but we just met through a mutualfriend.
Jessica (15:17):
We were acquaintances prior, like we had gone to
birthday parties, or was it NewYear's Kylie's house, new Year's
, yeah and our one friendintroduced us and we started
talking and it was that was, youknow, fast forward about a year
and a friend it was the samefriend was having a baby shower
and we both showed up and I wasdoing like, all the signs, cause
(15:38):
I I went to school for graphicdesign and I was doing all the
signs and I was setting them out.
And then Meghan was doing theflowers for the shower, cause
that was her background, and wejust I'm just milling around
talking about how I really wantto do my own thing, you know,
and I think I'd like to do thisand that.
Meghan (15:55):
And she was just listening to me Cause, like I
said, I talk a lot and then, uh,we and I was already taking I
started taking entrepreneurialclasses, um, like free ones, uh,
the Katz program from.
Pitt, and so I was driving downto Pitt once a week and taking
these classes like trying tolearn how to write a business
plan.
I wanted to do like a urbangarden center gift shop and my
(16:20):
brain was like I need foodbecause that's what will have
people come back like daily orweekly?
Yeah, and then she startedtalking about food and like jams
and jellies and I had alwaysloved food.
We both were like the kids inthe kitchen all the time, like
helping our parents.
Yeah, I Facebook messaged hercause I didn't even have her
(16:40):
phone number.
Yeah, like that week, and I waslike do you want to like sit
down and talk about maybe doingsomething?
Jessica (16:47):
She's like yeah, and we sat at Kelly's in Saxonburg for
what Like two and a half hours.
We both filled up notebookswith whatever notes we were
going back and forth with orwhat we had already had, and I
think it was like less than amonth later we got a business
idea yeah.
And then it was March, like14th I think we like Batch born,
(17:08):
wow yeah.
Doug (17:10):
I sort of love that, and it might secretly be good that
you weren't relatives or didn'tknow each other.
Meghan (17:16):
I think so.
Doug (17:17):
But you had different ideas and sort of different
trains of thought on how toaccomplish what you've done.
I mean, she's family now?
Yeah, of course.
Meghan (17:23):
And that is the point I think we grew together as Batch
grew, because we have kind ofdifferent personalities but like
it just it works kind of like acouple.
She's my work wife.
Doug (17:39):
You've already hinted at it, but you both grew up in the
kitchen or with families thatcooked.
Jessica, could you tell me alittle bit more about you know?
Jessica (17:47):
where did you grow up and what was food life like for
you always cooked, my dad alwayscooked.
So when they got together andthen they ended up moving, we
(18:10):
lived outside of Evans City andRenfrew always just everything
my mom always called it kitchensink soup whatever was in the
fridge went into a pot, andthat's kind of how we cook now.
Rebecca (18:20):
Yeah.
Jessica (18:20):
I'll throw a little bit of this.
They're like what's the recipeI don't have.
Doug (18:24):
Right, it's think for yourself.
Whatever must go.
Kind of cooking, yeah, and.
Jessica (18:29):
I've never been able to cook small, even at home,
before we started batch, like Icouldn't cook just like two
pieces of chicken, like I cookedlike the whole package, you
know.
So when we moved into doingthis it was easy to pivot into
that.
But my mom always canned andshe baked.
We always make Sue's bananabread every Thursday because my
mom would make the stuff andjust give it away, cause she
(18:50):
always said it makes peoplehappy, you know.
So she would make jelly andwhatever and she'd be like, okay
, bring me back the jars.
So we implemented a returnpolicy.
So even you bring them back, youget a discount but, yeah, it's
just, you know, you, you grow upwith those memories of being at
the counter or or coring thestrawberries or shaving the
peaches.
Doug (19:12):
But uh, counter or coring the strawberries or shaving the
peaches, but you take that andyou make it into what you want.
Yeah, I mean you had this great, rich food family, but then you
said you went to school forgraphic design, didn't think
you'd own a food business.
Jessica (19:22):
Never.
I always worked in food.
I worked in many restaurants.
I did pretty much everythingthat you could ever do in a
restaurant I cooked, I washeddishes, I served, I bartended,
bartended, I managed, I did allthe things.
But I never wanted to have likea, what can I get you?
I wanted to have somethingwhere I'm like okay, I made it
and if you like it, here you gokind of thing, if not beat it
(19:42):
yeah, exactly, well, no, beat it, but you know without
compromises, yeah, withoutcompromises, I cook how I like
to cook and if you like it,fantastic.
Doug (19:51):
I'm sorry.
I think it's the key to thesuccess of the shop.
Jessica (19:54):
Yeah.
Doug (19:56):
Meghan, what about for you ?
What was food life like growingup?
Meghan (19:59):
Kind of similar.
My mom worked a lot.
She was like the head honchoand my dad was the one who did
like our day-to-day meals.
I can remember as a little kidlike him he had like cookbooks,
always cutting recipes out, andhe was kind of like he worked on
it and I always helped him.
And then my mom was like theweekend warrior, so she was off
(20:22):
on the weekends and she wouldmake and she loved to entertain
so she would have like the bigpots, the spaghetti sauce and
she's Irish, as Irish can be,but she was always trying
different things and I wasalways like you know, I could
still remember standing on thechair at the counter like
helping her with all that.
And we always had a gardengrowing up.
We always, you know, frozethings, canned things same thing
(20:44):
Like my mom.
Like our Christmas gifts werelike the jellies that we made
that year or the rum.
She liked rum cake.
She made a really good rum cakeand we would do stuff like that
.
And it's still where I'm happy.
You know, people are like Ihate to cook, I love to have
like a glass of wine in thekitchen and make food and I just
have.
It's just my daughter and mydad most of the time.
So it's like it's a real tinything, but I love it.
(21:06):
It makes me happy.
Doug (21:07):
Yeah, you surrender yourself to the kitchen.
Yeah, it's kind of like a anice place to be.
Meghan (21:12):
And I like to eat good food.
I don't want to eat frozenchicken tenders and mac and
cheese.
I want to eat like somethingthat's homemade, but Jess always
amazes me Cause I'm like theopposite, like I cook like small
and she cooks big and like the.
But the way you can balanceflavors and you know we make
soup in a 60 quart pot.
And so like if she's onvacation and stuff.
(21:34):
We always joke because I'm incharge and I can?
it tastes good.
It tastes good, but it takes mea lot longer to get there Cause
I'm like I just sprinkle a tinybit at a time.
You know the seasonings and theherbs and stuff, and she's like
she just dumps it all in.
Doug (21:51):
A teaspoon is not quite gonna go.
Meghan (21:52):
No you've got the intuition, jessica?
Yeah, she does.
I, I honestly don't even I meanit's it just, I mean just watch
out if she makes pasta salad inthe summertime.
That's why I always tease herabout, because, like I've never
seen so much pasta salad made atone time we have 30 quart bowls
, wow and we'll do two at a time, wow but.
But we sell out.
We do sell a lot of pasta saladin the summer.
Jessica (22:11):
It's insane.
I'm like who likes pasta saladthat much.
Meghan (22:14):
No one wants to make that much pasta salad.
Well, that's true.
Doug (22:17):
Well, that's why you sell out, because you don't want to
make it at home.
Exactly.
And what about you, Meghan you?
Meghan (22:22):
did yeah, and never in a million years thought I'd still
live in Saxonburg, but here Iam.
Grew up just seven miles downthe road.
Doug (22:35):
When we're young and feisty or whatever, we think we
want to go elsewhere and we wantto do all these other things.
But as we age out we learn toappreciate all of that stuff
that's around us and what reallydoes make it special.
I'm kind of feeling that myselfnowadays.
Meghan (22:48):
Yeah, and we do live in a special area, I think, and we
always say, like 10 years, wewould never have been there
without our customers.
I mean, we have the samecustomers and new ones are so
fun, like we love when newpeople come in, but it's the
people that have been coming tous for 10 years that make it.
You know, we know, watch peoplegrow up.
Yeah, yeah, it's kids like thatcome in that are in college now
(23:12):
, that couldn't look over thecounter before.
You know, and we know almosteveryone's first name when they
come in, which I just my husbandcalls it cheers.
It's what makes it special.
Doug (23:21):
It is what makes it special.
I've talked to other guests onthis show and I think you've
tapped into exactly that.
You are doing something uniquein a special place, but you're
also building a community offolks that feel loved or treated
well, and that's why they wantto come back to you guys.
Meghan (23:38):
Yeah, and that was something.
You know.
We had kind of a slow year thisyear.
This summer it was tough, itwas kind of one of the slower
years and we were brainstormingabout it and you know why.
Why was it slower?
And it's like well, our food'sto go, and people that know us,
like it's a community, they getthat feeling from it.
But they're not a lot of peoplelike they want an experience.
(24:01):
Now you know COVID has beengone for a while.
They want to go out, they wantto have these experiences.
So we were brainstorming and westarted um batch after hours
and the second one is in acouple of weeks, february 12th,
but we only 12 tickets causeit's tiny in there.
But Jess is showing herculinary I know she says she's
not a chef, but like kind ofjust spreading her wings a
(24:22):
little bit.
So we're not just making soupbut we're doing like a four
course meal and it makes itspecial and it's people talk
about it after the fact.
Doug (24:29):
Yeah.
Meghan (24:30):
And it's funny because some of the most of the people
coming, especially for the firstone, were people that have
always come to see us and theywant to see what else we do Like
they want that experience withus, and so it's been, it's been
kind of cool, somethingdifferent.
Doug (24:43):
I love that, before we get away from the business and how
it started and all the thingsthat you've experienced, are
there any other big lessons thatyou've learned?
If somebody out there is reallygetting inspired by the two of
you that you would want to sharewith a budding entrepreneur,
(25:06):
it's going to be fun.
Meghan (25:07):
You can create and you can, but you still you're ruled
by what the customer is tellingyou, what they want and what the
day-to-day operation is.
It's a grind and it's a hustleand you can make it fun.
Surround yourself with peoplethat make it fun.
Yeah, that you want to workwith and create that.
(25:27):
Like we keep saying, like,create your own community, and I
think people that have that arewho makes it.
Doug (25:33):
How many folks do you have on staff?
Jessica (25:35):
There's nine of us, yeah.
Doug (25:37):
And you like all those people Like love them.
Meghan (25:39):
Yeah, they're like family.
Yeah, you have to right.
Jessica (25:42):
Our one employee has been with us almost 10 years, oh
, and then we have another girlthat's been with us since 2017.
She was 16 years old when shegot hired and she's now our
manager.
So, yeah, we, we, we reallylove our staff.
They're just amazing.
We wouldn't be able to do itwithout them.
I mean, we'd all probably havetaken the bridge at this point.
(26:04):
But I'm saying, though, likeafter 10 years, if you don't
have any people to kind of helpyou pick up that slack.
Doug (26:09):
I mean, you have to have that support system, because if
you didn't, you have to have ateam that can, to your point,
know what's going on when youneed a day off or a day away.
Jessica (26:18):
Yeah.
Doug (26:18):
Because otherwise you are going to probably burn yourself
out.
Meghan (26:21):
Yeah, yeah, on the point of staying small, that's
something we've definitelyworked on, you know we've
definitely worked on.
You know we've never grownbeyond our meat, which can be a
struggle because you have theseaspirations and dreams.
Jessica (26:34):
But um, everything we've done has been pretty
organic.
Meghan (26:37):
Yes, From the beginning letting it flow, letting it to
grow as as as you think itshould, even though sometimes
that could be hard.
Yeah, like quality overquantity.
Doug (26:46):
Right, Exactly All right.
I do want to take us forward.
So we're into 2025.
You're in your 11th year.
What is on the horizon for thisyear?
Do you have anything new comingup?
Events, goals, anything you'dwant folks to know about?
Meghan (27:03):
There is something on the horizon that we're hoping
will help grow us.
We're hoping to have ownershipof our own building by the end
of February.
And so you know, as far asgrowth, we're always looking for
like something new to make toexcite the customer, but we do
have a small space.
So I think the batch afterhours is probably the biggest
(27:23):
new thing.
Doug (27:24):
And the Batch after hours is probably going to be like a
quarterly event very limitedticket, very exclusive.
Jessica (27:31):
Yes, there are only 12 tickets.
We tried any possible way toget more and we can't.
Doug (27:36):
Okay, well then let's do this.
Then, if folks are interested,let's remind them of your
address.
If folks want to come up andvisit you live, what's the store
location?
Meghan (27:47):
230 West Main Street, all right, Saxonburg In
Saxonburg.
Doug (27:51):
And if folks want to follow you all on your social
media or visit your website,what are those?
Meghan (27:57):
It's Batch LLC on social media and our website is like
long and ridiculous.
But just type in BatchSaxonburg and it'll all pop
right up, and we do sell ourjams and jellies on the website
Excellent.
Doug (28:10):
All right, jessica?
Yes, megan, it's been such adelight to talk with you.
I always like to end ourconversation with one last
question.
The name of the show is ThePittsburgh Dish.
What's the best dish you'veeaten this past week?
Meghan (28:26):
It has to be this week.
Doug (28:28):
Well, you could go a little further back.
Meghan (28:30):
Because I have to say, my boyfriend and I went to this
random place in Johnstown Ican't remember the name, Laurel
and Grouse.
Anyway, it was this tiny littleplace and we saw it on Facebook
and we went there after work ona Saturday.
We drove an hour and a half toJohnstown and it was phenomenal
(28:52):
and they had an octopus that wason like a roasted red pepper
and chickpea oh yeah, it was.
It was phenomenal, just reallycool place octopus on.
It was like a roasted yeah,roasted red pepper and chickpea
like puree, with like a cilantrolike drizzle.
It was phenomenal, somethingyou would never expect in
johnstown yeah, just what didyour boyfriend get?
(29:13):
He got that.
So that was just our appetizer.
And then I got it was a salmonum on a butternut squash hummus,
oh, which sounds weird, but itworked.
And he got they had like asteak filet but it had had three
trio of sauces like allhomemade sauces.
It was ridiculously good.
(29:35):
That and a bottle of wine, itwas perfect.
Doug (29:37):
But the star was that octopus dish.
Meghan (29:40):
Yeah, and what's it called again?
Laurel and Grouse Laurel andGrouse in.
Johnstown, yep.
Doug (29:46):
Jessica, what was your favorite bite this past week?
Jessica (29:49):
We went to Local Provisions on Saturday night,
had dinner with my dad and ifanybody's never been there they
have to go, because it's a veryunique setup.
It's kind of like batch, likeyou walk up to the counter and
order there and talk to them.
But I had the yinzer salad,which has a homemade truffle
ranch and it's so good.
But then we also, you know,there's their steak, their steak
(30:13):
free, or the french fries, likethe frites that they have with
the garlic aioli, was really,really good and I just want to
remind listeners because we'vetalked about it on the show
before local provisions is overin, like the fox chapel, o'hara
township area yeah, it's likethe waterworks mall plaza, but
right across the street yeah,it's just around the corner from
Alta Via.
Doug (30:30):
Yeah, yeah, and they and the owners.
Meghan (30:33):
I mean they're always in there working and the people
that work there are always sohelpful and it's a beautiful
space and the food is just.
It's so good.
Jessica (30:42):
So elevated, yeah, and you can grab our jam while
you're here too, I've seen it.
But yeah, that salad with filettips and, yeah, very good.
Doug (30:53):
Meghan Jessica.
Thank you both so much forbeing on The Pittsburgh Dish.
Jessica (30:58):
Thanks for having us.
Doug (31:00):
This was awesome.
Up next, do you have a favoritespot for that special occasion,
maybe a birthday or anniversary?
We take a visit toLawrenceville with the 4-1-Chew.
Hey everybody, we're joinedtoday with Rebecca Hansborough
of the 4-1-Chew on Instagram.
Rebecca (31:19):
Perfect, you got it right, did I?
Oh, thank you.
Yes, you did, you did.
Doug (31:21):
Rebecca, welcome to The Pittsburgh Dish.
Thank you so much for stoppingby and giving us some restaurant
recommendations.
Rebecca (31:26):
Absolutely so happy to be here.
Doug (31:28):
Do you have a restaurant you like to go to for, say, a
special occasion, birthday,anniversary, something like that
?
Rebecca (31:33):
Yeah, absolutely so.
I just recently turned 31, lastyear, and we went to Umami.
Jeff (31:41):
Over in Lawrenceville.
Yes, yes, yes.
Rebecca (31:43):
It's like this, really like aesthetically pleasing
restaurant, it's like thelighting is just like red.
Yeah, it's an experience, it'sa vibe yeah, if someone hasn't
been there.
Doug (31:58):
It's actually in the same building as round corner cantina
and it's on the second floor.
Rebecca (32:03):
So you kind of enter on the side, you go up the steps
and you hit that light rightaway, and as soon as you get up
there you're just kind of likedid I leave Pittsburgh?
It feels very new york to meyeah, very trans, it feels very
like.
Yeah, yeah, I like, I liked ita lot yeah, you should.
You get transported somewhereelse, absolutely but, yeah, we
got a whole bunch of stuff.
We got a sashimi plate.
That was really good, um, and Ithink something that I tend to
(32:26):
look for with sashimi is likefreshness.
Um, you know, you coulddefinitely tell that it was just
like extra fresh, top notch.
Yes, it was so good.
We got the goiza, which theyserve traditional, like upside
down, so they fry all of thedumplings together oh and so
they and they turn it upsidedown and it has that like really
thick crust and then it's greenonion on top of it and you go
(32:49):
to separated, are you okay?
oh?
Doug (32:52):
yeah, like she's looking at me, I'm making like the most,
like, oh, I want that right now.
Rebecca (32:55):
Delicious so hungry after this.
Um, yeah, and it has like thisreally thick crust and it's so
good and I think it's justserved with like soy sauce.
And then we also had the mochicake.
Oh, like it was just like itkind of looked like a brownie
yeah it was a chocolate mochicake with berries on top and
they put a little candle in itfor me.
Um, I'm trying to think of someother good bites that we had.
(33:17):
The shoshu ramen was reallygood, had a very good, strong
depth of flavor.
It's just.
Doug (33:23):
It's just a good place they've got the grill too, like
yes, I'm not going to say right,they're like rabato grill.
Yeah, whatever you're supposedto say whatever that word is.
Rebecca (33:30):
Yes, they have that, the japanese grill um, and so
you can get an array of skewers,and I think we just got maybe
chicken and beef um kind ofgrilled, and then you can get
some vegetables as well, somemushrooms, and then they have
really good cocktails.
Doug (33:43):
I was gonna say I've had a good cocktail there before very
refreshing.
Rebecca (33:47):
Um, I just think it's a 10 out of 10 place for sure,
especially for special occasionsor just a Tuesday.
You know, tuesday is a specialoccasion.
Doug (33:54):
right, it is Whenever you need a special occasion.
Rebecca (33:58):
Absolutely, absolutely.
Doug (33:58):
Yeah, this is one of Roger Li's concepts, and he also owns
The Parlor Dim Sum and I thinkthey just do a great job, and so
we're talking about umami inLawrenceville.
Absolutely, thanks, Rebecca.
Rebecca (34:11):
Thank you, Happy podcast-versary if that's the
thing.
Thank you so much.
Doug (34:16):
You can follow Rebecca Hansborough on Instagram at the
underscore 4, 1, underscorechew @the_41_chew.
Still have a craving for coldweather comfort food as we plow
through this chili season.
Listener Jeff B submitted hisbig batch of beef stew.
Let's give him a call and hearmore about his recipe.
Jeff (34:41):
Hey Doug, what's going on bud?
Doug (34:42):
Hey, Jeff, how you doing.
Jeff (34:44):
I'm doing well.
How are you?
Doug (34:46):
I'm doing really well as well.
Thanks so much for the recipefor beef stew.
This looks like it makes a lotright.
Jeff (34:54):
Yes, it does.
Doug (34:55):
Okay, so I had a couple questions.
I saw the picture and I waswondering what size pot are you
using?
Do you think it's like afive-quart or seven-quart?
Jeff (35:04):
Yeah, I think it's a five-quart or six-quart pot
because like generally split itbetween myself and my parents
and when I make it it's with theintent of feeding a lot of
people.
So yeah, that's a pretty bigstock pot that I use.
Doug (35:18):
Sounds perfect.
I was reading through.
You've got like a spice mixturewith I think you mentioned beef
powder.
Is this like a beef bouillonthat you're using?
Jeff (35:28):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's a beef powder.
If you beef bouillon is thatyou're using?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's a beefpowder.
If you go to the the spiceaisle, um, there's the bouillon
cubes and they have the powder.
That's right next to it withthe chicken, but it's generally
I don't know what the name is,the brand name is, but it's it's
typically, uh, right next tothe bouillon, where it's finely
ground and it's easier to workwith as opposed to just putting
a bouillon cube in and lettingit dissolve.
So it's it a lot easier.
Doug (35:49):
Okay, yeah, that was just like a product I don't know if
I've ever bought, so I'm goingto take a look.
But I definitely have gottenbeef bullion and I like the kind
that's a paste.
They're usually in jars.
Jeff (36:00):
Better than boullion is the brand that I pick up
Pensey's actually makes a reallygood soup base.
It's like that, like a realthick paste, right.
Doug (36:08):
I also wanted to move on to the vegetables.
You're using some of thestandards, like celery, carrots,
onions, garlic, and then you,later on, you add corn and
tomatoes.
Do you saute the carrot celeryonion before you add that corn
and can?
Jeff (36:27):
of tomatoes or do you just throw it all in the stock pot?
I just throw it all in thestock pot.
So I was saying you're going toget that kind of consistency
that's pot.
You're going to get that kindof consistency that's softer
because it's going to sit fortwo to three hours.
So doing a saute is really justgoing to kind of char the
outside and it's going to falloff in the stock if you were to
do like a simple sear or saute.
So I generally just throw it inthe pot and let it sit and
everything comes out the sameconsistency.
Doug (36:48):
And speaking of saute, the other thing I thought that was
unique on your recipe is thatyou do actually saute the stew
meat, but you do that in a castiron skillet.
Is that right?
Jeff (36:57):
Yes, that's correct.
Cast iron generally retains theheat a lot better, and the
aluminum and the steel pans willwork just as well, but I'm very
preferable to cast iron.
Doug (37:08):
Yeah, I like cast iron too .
And you throw in a little bitof olive oil, you throw in
garlic, whatever the stew meatyou're using, you've cubed it up
.
You get some brown on it firstand then, after it's browned,
you say that you sprinkle in alittle bit of flour to coat the
meat.
Is that for ultimatelythickening the stew a little bit
more?
Jeff (37:28):
That's dead on.
That's exactly what it's for.
I put two.
I think I put two to threetablespoons.
This recipe is very forgiving,so I just usually go by handful.
I put a generous handful overthe top, so everything's coated
and you'll see, and it'll alsotake up that olive oil in the
font that's on the bottom of thepan with it.
So you're you're retaining thatflavor with the meat when you
(37:49):
put it in the stew.
So it's kind of like a doublewhammy that you want to get that
concentrated flavor in there aswell as the thickening, and
that's what the flour is therefor your veggies and you put all
your stuff back.
Doug (37:59):
So you've dirtied another plate for the meat to rest and
so you're just doing it in adifferent pan that you like
better anyway, to get betterbrowning.
So I like that approach.
One final question so you'rethrowing ultimately everything
(38:20):
in the big stew pot, all of yourspice mixture, all of those
vegetables, all of this stewmeat with the flour and as much
as the brown deglazing that youcan get in there, and then do
you cover it to the surface withwater?
Jeff (38:34):
I would say almost to the top.
I like to leave a little inchbecause everything bubbles up
Right and because you're goingto cover it and let it simmer
for a little bit.
And if you put it right to thesurface it's going to start to
bubble over and you're going tolose some of the stew and it's
going to hit your burner.
I don't care if it's gas or ifit's electric, you'll hear the
hiss and you're going to have torun out of the kitchen.
So usually I leave about aninch to two inch little rim at
(38:56):
the top, as you can see in thepicture.
Just to be safe.
So yeah, exactly it's, it'syou're, you're preventing it
from running over and you end up, you know, damaging your
cooktop or making the kitchenburn smell like a burnt smell.
You really, if you're cookingit and if you're cooking it for
a long time, you really wantyour house to smell like the
spice mixture and the stew andthe anticipation of eating.
Doug (39:16):
I love that, and you bring it up to a bit of a boil but
then lower it to simmer, so justlike gentle bubbles, and you
let it go.
For how long?
Jeff (39:25):
I like to go three hours.
Doug (39:27):
And we really want everything, especially all of
that connective tissue in yourstew meat, as well as all of the
tougher vegetables you justwant them to like all slowly
break down together.
Jeff (39:37):
That fat offers a lot of flavor to your stew.
Yeah so you want to render asmuch of that into the stew as
possible.
Doug (39:43):
Yeah, I agree completely.
Sounds delicious, and anyspecial way you like to serve
this up.
Jeff (39:50):
Yes, I do.
Actually, in the recipe, I putcheddar cheese on the top
because the cheese is going tomelt and it's going to provide
some kind of cool, a little bitof cooling for the stew, because
it's going to be hot when youserve it.
I like that, but I've alsoserved it over rice, which is
very good, or, if you don't haverice, italian bread, a really
good Italian bread.
Doug (40:06):
Perfect, I will give you one more, jeff.
I just got in this habitrecently of throwing pickled
pepperoncinis on top of chiliesand stew like this, and it gives
it that little extra note ofbrightness or acidity.
Jeff (40:21):
It sounds amazing.
It's going to also add a littlebit of a kick at the back end
of it all with the pepperoncinis, or you can even probably.
If you want things a little bitspicier, you could probably do
pickled jalapeno.
Doug (40:29):
Oh, I think we're both on the same wavelength there, jeff.
It sounds delicious Beef stewfor these colder months of the
year.
Thanks so much for the recipe.
No problem.
Do you have a recipe?
Share it with us at www.
pittsburghdish.
com and look for our Share aRecipe form.
If you enjoyed the show,consider buying us a coffee for
(40:52):
this episode or supporting theshow monthly.
You can find links to thoseoptions at the bottom of our
show description, and if youwant to follow my own food
adventures, you can find me onsocial media at Doug Cooking.
That's our show for this week.
Thanks again to all of ourguests and contributors and to
Kevin Solecki of CarnegieAccordion Company for providing
(41:12):
the music to our show.
We'll be back again next weekwith another fresh episode.
Stay tuned.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.