June 22, 2025 • 41 mins
(00:57) A disappointing cup of lemonade at the Big Butler County Fair ignited an unexpected entrepreneurial journey for Shiquala Dukes and Vonn Jennings. Their quest for something more refreshing and less sugary resulted in Burghade Lemonade, a business that began as a quick money-making venture but rapidly evolved into something much more meaningful.
The couple shares how they crafted their first batches in summer 2022, focusing on healthier ingredients with less sugar and more fresh fruit. This health-conscious approach resonated immediately with customers, selling out at their very first events. Their product line has bloomed from two initial flavors to seven varieties. Raspberry dominates at Pride events, while Limeade finds its fans in Lawrenceville and the Strip District Terminal.
(15:30) As first-generation business owners, Shiquala and Vonn candidly discuss navigating unfamiliar entrepreneurial waters through programs like Fulton Commons' incubator and Catapult Pittsburgh. Beyond the beverages themselves, Burghade represents something larger: community values, health consciousness, and entrepreneurial inspiration. Their journey embodies their own business philosophy: "Do it scared" and "fail forward."
(34:43) Later in the show, Hal B Klein offers up a dining spot on his day off, and Olive Visco dishes out her mom's eggplant parm recipe, where the summer garden is key. Enjoy!
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.
How did the quest for goodlemonade launch an
entrepreneurial adventure?
Shiquala and Vonn share thejourney of Burghade.
Where does respected diningcritic Hal B Klein go to eat on
his day off?
We hear it's amazing.
(00:23):
And how does a great summergarden amplify this?
Eggplant parm, Olive Viscodishes?
The details of her mom's recipe?
All that ahead, stay tuned.
The Pittsburgh Dish issupported by Chef Alekka LLC.
If you have a little chef athome looking to grow their
(00:45):
pastry skills, check outAlekka's summer camp sessions.
Just visit wwwchefalekkacom andlook for events to learn more.
Now on to the show.
Well, thank you both so muchfor coming over and for being on
the show.
Would you take a moment tointroduce yourselves?
Shiquala (01:06):
I'm Shiquala.
Vonn (01:07):
Dukes, I'm Vonn Jennings.
Doug (01:09):
And what do you both have going on in the world of food
and beverage?
Shiquala (01:14):
We have Burggade Lemonade, so right now we have
seven different flavors.
It ranges from original limeade, raspberry, mango, pineapple.
Doug (01:25):
And you're using fresh fruit in all of this.
Shiquala (01:27):
Yes, yeah, yes, we originally.
Well, burghade actually kind ofwas an accident.
Doug (01:35):
Really.
Shiquala (01:37):
It was, this was an accidental business.
And then, three years later,here we are, I know for me.
I guess I kind of forgot whatcarnival lemonade tasted like
from being a child yes and thenwhat was it?
2022?
We went to the Big ButlerCounty Fair yeah and she has
(01:57):
excessive thirst very thirstyprobably went to every single
lemonade stand that the butlercounty fair had thinking that we
were going to have betterlemonade and it never happened
it never hit Vonn it it.
Vonn (02:12):
Not only did it not hit, it was like drinking hawaiian
punch.
Doug (02:16):
You know, hawaiian punch makes you thirsty yeah, it's
like almost too sugary, right,yeah, and it's hot for for july
day oh you can't do nothing withthat no, I was getting
exhausted from drinking,that's's so strange, but I get
you, I get what that is like,and so this was maybe like the,
the spark to say we could maybedo this better haven't been.
Shiquala (02:41):
COVID wore me out, I think that was my tipping tip of
the iceberg, I said, yeah, Ihave to get out and I was kind
of looking for something tooffset my income and everything
else.
You know, when somethinghappens and you have shifts in
your life, everything just kindof happened and it was like, oh.
At first I was like, oh well,let's do slushies.
It was the summertime.
Then I was looking at slushiemachines and I was like, um,
(03:04):
what's something that couldstart like tomorrow.
Doug (03:06):
Because they could be a little expensive.
Yeah, I don't know.
Shiquala (03:09):
Slushy machines were twelve to two thousand dollars.
I was like, oh, I didn't knowthat.
I was like, so what are likethe basic?
I never thought about thebasics of what lemonade is.
I mean sugar or whatever water.
So I was just like, oh, ok,well, tell me the basics of a
recipe and then I'm just goingto tweak it until I like it.
Vonn (03:27):
Yeah.
Shiquala (03:27):
And that's kind of what happened.
Doug (03:29):
So you go to the Big Butler fair.
You are completely unsatisfied.
You're also looking for a pivotin life.
When do you create your firstlemonade that people buy it?
Was it at a fair?
Was it like at a familyfunction?
Like when did you startcreating and offering it to
people?
Vonn (03:49):
so once she came up with the idea, she asked me she's
like do you want to do lemonade?
And I was like I'm always, I'mthe supportive partner.
Whatever she wants to do, I'mdown.
So funny story she likes tocall herself the covid lesbian.
That's when we started dating,um and she.
She was vegan at the time andthen went pescatarian and I'm
(04:10):
none of that omnitarian yes, soeventually she puts on what's
the health on netflix, and I wasthat was it.
That's all I needed so we startcaring about what we put in our
bodies so then, that matteredfor the lemonade.
So we just got in the kitchen.
We started more like less sugar.
Doug (04:26):
Yeah.
Vonn (04:27):
More fruit, especially for melanated skin, like we have
diabetes and things like thatrun, we start caring.
People pay for convenience.
Doug (04:34):
Yes.
Vonn (04:34):
You know, a lot of us have busy lives.
So we went in the kitchen, wecame up with the recipes, we cut
the sugar, we added the fruitand we did it.
Our first event was pride.
Shiquala (04:46):
Black pride.
I love that it was July 30th2022.
All right.
Doug (04:54):
So you're still I mean, you're still in your early years
, but you've come so far.
We all met at Fulton Commonsand you went through one of the
programs there.
That's right.
Vonn (05:03):
Yes.
Doug (05:05):
Their incubator program, and was that to help understand
the business more or how topackage your good Like like?
What did you get out of thatprogram?
Did it help you along yourjourney?
Shiquala (05:14):
Yeah, for sure, our we are first generation business
owners.
I can't say personally thatI've ever thought that I was
going to be an entrepreneur.
I just knew that I wanted tomake money.
And somehow I landed in anursing field and that's a whole
different story.
But when we had the lemonade weweren't taking it seriously.
(05:35):
And.
I didn't have any expectationsfor Pride and people kept coming
back and they were like we lovethis lemonade, we love it.
And we were like, oh, it's justsomething that we did real fast
, you know something, to makesome money.
And then a couple of weekslater we did soul food festival
and we sold out and we were like, oh, people really do like our
lemonade.
Maybe we should start takingthis a little bit more seriously
(05:58):
.
But at the same time, we don'tknow how to run a business.
We don't know what it entails,we just know how to run a
business.
We don't know what it entails,we just know how to make
lemonade and people are sayingthat they like it.
So there was actually, we werereferred to.
Her name is Leyshell fromCatapult.
She referred us to FultonCommons program and then we took
their incubator class and thenthey have another level, the
(06:18):
second level class, which istheir accelerator program.
So, we took that and it was anamazing experience.
We love them.
Over there we're actually doingtheir farmer's market.
I think it's on the 26th ofthis month too.
Doug (06:31):
And we're recording in June, so June 26th yeah.
Shiquala (06:34):
Okay, june 26th We'll be there.
Yeah, we learned a lot fromthat program.
We learned they had a bunch ofamazing speakers business, how
to build your business.
Doug (06:45):
I think you were there.
I was there.
Yeah, that's where we met.
Well, I got to see your pitchand I thought it was a solid
product when you think aboutwhere the business is aiming
towards or going, like some ofyour customers like, who are you
trying to reach?
Vonn (07:03):
I love this question.
So we want to be the officialbeverage of the Pittsburgh
Steelers, pirates, penguins,pitt In athletics yeah, yes, I
love that, like we have Turner'stea, yes.
It's a Pittsburgh staple yes,we want to be that Pittsburgh
staple.
Shiquala (07:19):
When you think of brands like Heinz Ketchup.
We want people to think ofBurghade.
Doug (07:24):
That way, I think you're onto something.
I mean, it is refreshing anddelicious.
And back to your point, I thinkwhat people really want is more
wholesome things, butespecially in the summertime,
like I don't want a big cup ofsugar, I want something that is
actually rehydrating me.
And if you've got some, youknow, vitamins and minerals in
there from the fruit like that's, that's totally up my alley.
Vonn (07:48):
Absolutely so.
A lot of the festivals andmarkets that we do, we see that
a lot.
We see a cup sitting out with abig lemon in it, food coloring
and a bunch of sugar and peoplejust walk up and buy it.
You get that big cup, but whatare you actually buying, right?
When do you get a 16 ouncebottle of actual lemonade?
That big cup, but what?
Hal (08:04):
are you actually buying Right.
Doug (08:05):
When do you get a 16 ounce bottle of actual lemonade?
How has it been in terms ofcreating new flavors or scaling?
I'm sure that that was likeunexpected that you had so much
success at the beginning.
So how's it going?
Vonn (08:15):
So we started off with original and strawberry and then
, if you know us, I love flavor,I have to have flavors, so it's
a part of the rainbow, in asense, right.
Doug (08:25):
Yes.
Vonn (08:26):
So then I was like mango.
She was like okay, and then Ilooked at her and I said you
need another flavor.
And I was like I kept trying toget her to like sell her on
Limeade and she was not for it.
Shiquala (08:39):
You're not having it.
I wasn't having it, she sold meon all these flavors honestly.
Vonn (08:43):
Okay, yeah.
So I'm like come on, we have todo it, we have to do it.
We did a limeade.
She actually loves the limeade.
Oh, really a lot.
Doug (08:51):
Wait, are you making limeade now?
Mm-hmm, you are.
Shiquala (08:54):
You may have some Okay .
I think I brought you peachlime, actually my favorite
flavor, the flavor she didn'tknow it is, we never know.
Doug (09:04):
You got to kind of try some things.
Yeah, experimenting is good,absolutely so it continued to
grow.
Vonn (09:10):
I was like pineapple oh yeah, we have to give the people
what they want, right, andflavors are a thing.
So after we went pineapple, shewas like I want to do peach,
all right, we'll do peach.
She finally came.
So we ended up with those sevenright now and talked about
watermelon.
Doug (09:31):
Oh.
Shiquala (09:31):
I'm open to watermelon .
Doug (09:33):
I think even like a mix of melons or whatever.
I mean like melon's good yeah.
Vonn (09:37):
We talked about actually mixing the flavor because a lot
of times people come to ourbooth and are like I want peach,
mango, and it's like it's peachor mango.
Yeah, you ever think about it,absolutely Uh-huh.
Yes, we are we think about it,if you absolutely uh-huh, yes,
we are.
Doug (09:53):
We went to strawberry mango.
We want to do that.
Yes, so when you have been at,like your most recent festivals,
what are some of the topflavors, or is it all over the
board?
Shiquala (10:01):
it depends on the festival, really, yes, so the
farmer's markets that we end updoing usually original
strawberry, mango are probablyour top flavors that sell at
farmers market Pride we sold outof raspberry.
Everybody wanted raspberry.
They were like raspberry.
Vonn (10:21):
That's what I'm having right now.
Yeah, it was like Raspberry,strawberry and mango.
Sold out.
Shiquala (10:24):
That was the best selling flavor.
That was the first timeraspberry was like our top
flavor.
I was like, oh, and ouroriginal was barely touched
first time raspberry was likeour top flavor.
I was like, oh, and ouroriginal was barely touched.
So I was like she was likewe'll make sure it's the color
and it's fun and I was like okay, so it honestly depends on
where we are, and itsurprisingly depends on what
side of the city that we are too.
Vonn (10:45):
Yeah, because limeade actually did well once at a.
What was it?
Was it the Lawrenceville?
Shiquala (10:50):
Yeah, limeade does well in the city.
Doug (10:54):
Bay 41.
Yeah, it's like sits down.
Shiquala (10:57):
Yeah, that was the Lawrenceville one.
Yeah, they love Limeade downthere.
We never know Limeade sellswhen we're at markets at the
terminal.
Yes, that's what it is.
That's so funny yeah.
Doug (11:07):
Yeah, so, funny.
Yeah, so you're still in aplace where you're like I don't
know how much to bring becausewe don't know what this crowd is
like yet.
Yeah, I usually ask this later,but let's talk about it now.
Where are you going right now,like where can people find you
on the regular?
Do you go to markets?
Do you have some events comingup, like if people are getting
thirsty to try?
Shiquala (11:28):
Yeah, so right now it's summer, so it is our busy
season.
Hal (11:32):
That's right.
Shiquala (11:33):
Majority of the time, you can follow our social media
and it'll show you all themarkets that are coming up.
Our next market is actually onSaturday markets at the terminal
.
Doug (11:44):
Oh my yeah, this may not be out before that one, but
that's okay.
Shiquala (11:47):
We are actually regulars at markets at the
terminal markets at the terminal.
You can find us down there andthat's actually how we got our
first store opportunity down atHeiber's pharmacy.
She tried our lemonade andshe's very community oriented.
She wants to put local peoplein her pharmacy.
So she found us and she waslike we'd love to have Burghade
(12:07):
in there.
So that has been a wonderfulopportunity for us and right now
we're pushing to get into morestores around the city, because
you can only do so much whenthere's two people and just
trying to reach everywhere.
Doug (12:21):
Of course, when we're talking about the terminal,
we're really talking about thestrip district terminal.
Folks aren't familiar.
Shiquala (12:27):
That's where they can find you, yeah.
Doug (12:28):
And since you mentioned getting into Heiber's, are there
any other stores you aregetting into right now or that
you are in?
Vonn (12:39):
So we're actually we have a couple of partnerships with a
few people believe it or not,One of the guys from the
incubator, Thomas Fisk?
He actually opened up hiscoffee.
Shiquala (12:45):
Hill top coffee.
Vonn (12:46):
Hill Top Coffee and he wants us in the coffee shop and
then, we met a fellow vendor atthe market at the terminal.
She actually opened up a storearound the corner from our house
, so we've gotten a few.
Hey, we want to put you in ourstore.
That's what we're workingtowards.
Doug (13:03):
Is this considered wholesale retail?
Is that what people call it inbusiness?
Okay, yeah, I love that.
And then we do?
Vonn (13:09):
we do sell, of course, like if you reach out to us
through our social media.
Uh, we've started doing likepickups and deliveries because
we unveiled six packs andgallons.
We did our first baby showerlast year, which was pretty cool
, so we sold our gallons for thefirst time and that was nice.
So we're we're scaling up andwe're trying to.
As we're scaling up, we'retrying to say, okay, doing the
festivals it's, it could be alot.
You know, you got to, you gotyour setup, you got your
(13:30):
breakdown you got all the rulesand things like that, so it's
like they're great, but nowwe're we're trying to upscale I
think markets are great forgetting your name out there and
having that personal touch.
Doug (13:41):
People are able to see you and know you.
Yes, but I can understand howunglamorous some of it is with
all of the behind the scenesstuff to get there.
Vonn (13:49):
Absolutely, we have to deal with a lot of different
stuff, so it's a little harder,but we are.
We're bigger than just that.
We're a brand and we encourage.
One of our things that we loveto do is we want to inspire.
That's one of the biggestthings about Burghade is we woke
up with an idea and it's afamily business.
Our daughter is part owner init.
(14:10):
We have a 15 year old oh and weteach her uh through and her
quay's godson.
Uh also works a baby joe, it'slike 12.
so we're teaching like values init while we run our business
and then, at the same time, um,just looking for, like I said,
the upscale portion of it andturning this business into a
community, something thateverybody can be a part of.
(14:35):
Like we want a storefronteventually and we want to like
you come and it's like like ice,like you're going for ice cream
, but it's lemonade instead yeah, and it's a hangout for kids
and what we started doing withour tips as well was we want to
put together like a scholarshipand invest in someone's child if
they're entrepreneurship dreamsand things like that.
So Beargate is bigger than justfestivals and markets.
Doug (14:55):
I love that.
I think when we first talked,you had talked about maybe a
storefront eventually, and youalso have some design
aspirations.
Is that right?
Shiquala (15:05):
Yes, an interior designer.
Doug (15:06):
Yes, Maybe you can do all of it.
That could be like your wholething.
Shiquala (15:09):
It's like I don't know if this makes sense, so it
makes sense Just do it allAnywhere that I can be creative.
I'm a creative at heart, so Ijust I love designing things, I
love making things look pretty,I love the way that it makes me
feel and yeah.
Doug (15:24):
It's going to be great for a store.
I love what you're saying abouthow the business is so much
more than just a business right.
You're doing all these otherthings and I think it's super
inspiring to say we're firstgeneration business owners.
If there are folks out therelistening to your story, what
advice or lessons you've learnedwould you want to share with
(15:46):
other people, like how do youget going, or support, or any of
that?
Shiquala (15:52):
The motto that I always have in my mind, that I
hear a lot and it makes so muchsense for me is do it scared.
Getting into thisentrepreneurship journey, I've
realized even the mostsuccessful businesses they don't
know what they're doing either.
Businesses they don't know whatthey're doing either.
(16:14):
Nobody knows what they're doing.
Everybody's just figuring itout along the way and you're
going to make mistakes.
But the mistakes at this pointI don't even like to classify
them as mistakes.
Hal (16:20):
They're learning lessons?
Yeah, nobody knows Right.
Shiquala (16:24):
Anybody can open up a store and then sometimes the
store doesn't work out.
Sometimes they're like oh youknow, we scale too much, too big
.
I have businesses that I, thatwe follow on Instagram and that
are my invisible mentors.
I look and I'm like what isworking for them, what's not
working for them?
I see that they opened up astore, but they don't have that
(16:45):
store anymore.
I wonder what?
And I'm not from anonjudgmental way.
I'm like OK, pay attention tothings like that, especially the
beverage owners.
It's just like, OK, they're atmarkets, but then they're also
doing other things, they're alsointo stores, they're also
diversifying their portfolio.
Whenever it comes to makingincome, you can't.
(17:05):
We started out with markets andwe're like those are fine, but
the passive income is reallywhere it's at.
Doug (17:10):
Yes, I love doing it scared.
And what was your term?
Invisible mentors?
Okay, I want to coin that.
I think I have some of thosetoo.
Shiquala (17:20):
Yeah, they, they.
I watched them religiously.
I'm like, okay, okay, when areyou doing?
What are you doing?
Doug (17:25):
Yeah, yeah, Quay.
Thank you so much for that,Vonn.
What about you?
Vonn (17:29):
First and foremost, you need a passion.
You need to find what you'repassionate about that matters
the most.
I learned real young that Iloved entrepreneurship.
So, as I moved into, like Quaysaid, don't even think about it,
you just have to do it.
It's kind of similar to workingout.
We all have aspirations and Idon't know about everybody, but
I'm a sex symbol.
So you have this sexy body, butwhen you work out you're
(17:53):
tearing muscles.
That's right.
So it's a trial and error youknow to build something in the
end and make yourself have thebody that you would like.
So we trial and error.
Nobody's perfect.
It doesn't matter who youfollow, what guru, what you
watch.
Everybody fails and struggles.
I say we hear it a lot, it's socliche, but fail forward, fail
often.
(18:13):
I definitely recommend all thatYou're not going to know until
you try it.
You cannot be scared.
So if you are scared, stilljust do it.
Like Nike said, just do it,because how else is it going to
be done?
You're going to sit there andyou're going to have the what,
ifs and the shoulda, coulda,wouldas, and life's just passing
you by, and then this granddream that you had never came to
fruition.
(18:33):
So, like Quay said, we do a lotof research.
Like I said, we're researchersbut we're always watching.
I definitely recommend, if yousee something you like, youtube
it, find a podcast, read aboutit, anything that you can do to
make yourself more knowledgeable.
And then, if you need theeducation or if you need a
mentor, go get one.
Doug (18:52):
Yeah, Vonn, thank you for that.
Vonn (18:54):
Absolutely.
Shiquala (18:56):
Hi, I'm Shiquala Dukes .
Vonn (18:58):
And I'm Vonn Jennings and we are Burghade Lemonade.
Doug (19:08):
And you're listening to The Pittsburgh Dish.
I wondered if you guys hadmentors that aren't invisible.
Is there anyone else that'shelped you along?
Vonn (19:11):
the way in this business.
Me personally.
It started for me, like I said,pretty young, uh, but my birth
mom's mom she made jewelry andshe sold it, yeah, and then my
aunt she, when fubu first cameout, she was selling fubu
t-shirts and I was like this ismy aunt and I thought it was
like the coolest thing ever.
Yes, I'm like that's what Iwant to do.
So I watched strong black womenmake a living, and they were in
(19:34):
corporate America as well.
And they were making a livingoff of doing something they
loved.
So I got to watch it young, asI continue to grow up in it and
get further away from and findout like, what is this?
Like what is this growinginside of me?
Even in high school I actuallymy graduation project was about
entrepreneurship.
And when I graduated highschool, I wanted to pursue
(19:55):
entrepreneurship, so it neverleft me.
Doug (19:57):
How interesting, I think, what you're tapping into.
A lot of young people don'tknow where they're going to land
or what they're going to do,but the broader term
entrepreneurship, it's alwaysbeen there.
Quay, what about you growing up?
Did you ever dream?
Shiquala (20:12):
I'm just getting in my era of being okay with taking
risk.
Okay, which is so strangebecause everybody knows me as a
very outgoing and adventurousperson.
I jumped out of airplanes, Iwent to bungee jump.
I do crazy things in that way.
Doug (20:26):
Not me at all.
Vonn (20:30):
You don't know how I ended up jumping out of an airplane.
Shiquala (20:32):
Yeah, I just took her skydiving.
She graduated, and so mypresent to her was skydiving.
She graduated, and so her.
My present to her was skydiving, because it was such an amazing
experience to me it's my mottojust do it.
Scared, yes, um that's another.
Vonn (20:45):
She's not telling the good part, though.
I didn't know until I got there.
Yeah, it was a secret.
Doug (20:49):
Oh my gosh, I don't know.
I just I'm in your shoes rightnow, vaughn.
Vonn (20:53):
I'm like I don't know if I could do that it was like like
well, she already paid for it,so I have to do it, you have to.
Oh, my Greatest experience ofmy life.
Oh, good, good, I was walkingon air.
Oh my.
Shiquala (21:04):
That's what I did, for my own self, though.
Doug (21:11):
Whenever I was like I'm just going to.
I love this and I want to evengo back a little further and
talk about just early life,before this business too.
So you're in like this beverageand food world.
Now what was food and festivalsand stuff like that when you
were growing up?
Were there any inspirationpoints there that have led you
to today?
Vonn (21:32):
So I'm originally from Beaver Falls and we didn't have
much out there.
It was when we moved toPittsburgh when I was 13.
That's when I got the Kennywoodand all that good stuff.
We had like little carnivalsand stuff, so candy apples stuck
out to me as a kid but not likelemonade, nothing like just
candy apples and cotton candy.
Okay, so moving to Pittsburgh,it was more diverse, like
(21:52):
Pittsburgh was Disneyland to me,yes, coming from a small town
and being country and everything.
But once I got here, potatopatch fries were a thing, oh
yeah, lemonade was lemonade.
Doug (22:07):
And what was food life like in your household, vaughn
Like?
Did you cook at an early age?
Did people cook for you?
Vonn (22:13):
Oh yeah, so I was forced to grow up a little quicker than
what I wanted to or should have.
Um, at nine years old, I wascooking steak, mushrooms and
onions, and so, being the eldestgirl of uh, there's four of us
I have an older brother and thenI'm the oldest girl right under
him um, I had to take care ofmy two little sisters.
Okay, so eventually, watchingyour mom work a full-time job
(22:38):
and take care of four childrenon her own, and seeing the
struggle, it instilled maturityin me a little quicker to where.
I wanted to step up and I did so.
I would start cooking for thehouse and I made her steak.
And when she said my steak wasbetter than her steak, then I
knew I was on to something.
You were on to something I fellin love with cooking.
So at that point it's been evennow I love to cook.
Doug (23:00):
I also want to tie back to your determination to make the
lemonade healthier.
Is that something that alsocarries through, like with your
cooking, like you know, whetherit's for your family or yourself
, or athletics?
Vonn (23:12):
It does.
Health is wealth.
And we hear it, it's cliche, butit's actually like really
serious.
I was in a car accident back in2022 where a guy was in a rush
during rush hour, rear ended meand he has caused a herniated
bulging disc in my L5 that I'mstill dealing with today.
(23:33):
I had seen a holisticchiropractor for that.
Uh, he taught me a lot abouthow cold is better than warm.
So in in just dating quay andher instilling the veganism with
plant-based we'll sayplant-based, because I still eat
seafood I can't give it up but,uh, we, we live a plant-based
lifestyle.
Then we went and took it further.
(23:53):
It's not just what we eat, it'swhat we're putting on our
bodies.
Like we use all natural sheabutters and things like that.
You really have to care aboutwhat you have going on
health-wise, because Quay's anurse, her brothers are
pharmacists and they both arevery educational when providing
that those pieces of because Iasked the question.
I'm always asking questions whyis science getting like, like
(24:17):
we have all these new medicaldevices and things, but people
are still dying of cancer and itseems like it's younger and
younger.
Why isn't it?
And I asked those questions andthey told me you know, it's
this, it's that, it's this, it'sthat.
So it became something realprevalent for me, like noting,
noticing that people pay forconvenience.
And I live a busy lifestyle.
Like I said, I'm an actor and amodel.
(24:38):
We own Brigade, I do realestate, I'm in developing, I'm
also about to become a lender.
The list goes on.
For me, so I'm busy, life isbusy for me.
I don't always have the time.
So a lot of times when you'respending money, you're paying
for somebody else to do itbecause you don't have the time.
(25:02):
If don't have the time, ifyou're going to pay for somebody
else to do it, you want it doneright, and that's where we come
in.
I like the point, too, ofeverything that goes in and on
our bodies affects us, and so,whether that's inflammation and
long-term health and so you allhave tapped into that with
creating a drink or beverage.
That is on the better side ofall of that Clay.
What about you?
Where did you grow up in, andwhat was food life like in your
early years?
Shiquala (25:19):
I'm from McKeesport All right.
I spent my life in the kitchenwatching my mom and grandma cook
.
My house was that house thateverybody came over for holidays
.
Thanksgiving my mom and mygrandma.
If you know my family,everybody loves their food.
We were the hub house.
My mom and my grandma if youknow my family, everybody loves
their food.
That's, we were the hub house.
(25:40):
Um, and that.
I was never interested incooking, though I was always
just yeah, I'll peel thepotatoes.
Hal (25:50):
I'll clean up, but I never wanted to be the domesticated
woman.
Shiquala (25:52):
Yes, it just.
It never interested me in thatway.
Doug (25:56):
And let me just interject there.
So now you're in this worldwhere you're in sort of food and
beverage with the lemonade.
Did you ever imagine that thatwould happen?
Shiquala (26:04):
No, I never thought that I would be, never thought
that I'd be making any sort ofbeverage, lemonade, any food,
any, anything.
It never crossed my mind.
Honestly, I really wanted to.
I sold myself short a lotWhenever I was in my younger
years.
I truly wanted to be anastronaut.
That was my.
I had stars, my room, I was.
I want to be an astronaut andnot convince myself that I
(26:26):
couldn't because I wasn't goodat math.
Don't ever sell yourself short.
Go for everything that you wantto.
So in a sense, Burghade has putme on a path to redeem myself,
and it wasn't what I planned for, but it makes me feel good.
It challenges me, it allows meto take risks.
It still gives me that momentumto be a better person every
(26:48):
single day.
But entrepreneurship wasn't athing in my family.
It was.
We grew up I don't like to saypoor, but because I didn't go
without.
I had everything that I needed,Um, but I always wanted more
and my mom did the best that shecould, and I love that, and she
always.
She did do corporate life, butshe always had a little sad
(27:10):
hustle going on.
She had to, she had four kidsand her income alone just wasn't
enough, Um.
So I saw my mom go out and dowhat she needed to do to take
care of us, especially aroundthe holidays Christmas time and
school time and I didn't likethat.
My mom didn't have freedom.
She spent a lot of time at workand, thankfully, we had a great
(27:32):
community.
We had my grandma, we had myaunts.
I grew up with my cousins.
It was they're over our house,we're over their house, and
that's another reason why wereally inspire to push community
when it comes to Brigade, Igrew up.
All I know is community.
I was raised by it.
Vonn (27:48):
So yeah, quay knows community I don't, and I
actually long for it.
I crave it.
Was it because of the move from?
No, my family's just not likethat.
We're a dysfunctional,generational trauma family.
So I long for community and shehad it.
So this is community based.
Doug (28:07):
Yes, well, I think entrepreneurship is not selling
yourself short now, and it'swhat makes sense for both of you
, absolutely.
I would love to ask where yousee the business going?
What's next?
Shiquala (28:21):
So right now we're actually in the Catapult
Entrepreneurship cohort, okay,and we've been in that for a few
weeks now and it actually endsin August.
That has been an amazingexperience.
It has really set the groundfor building a solid foundation
(28:42):
with Burghade and learning somany different things as far as
business literacy and how tobalance our checkbook.
That's like an old school andmarketing and it's just an
amazing program.
We also loved Fulton Commons,but Catapult has really taken
(29:03):
learning your business andoperating your business to a
different level that I didn'teven know was possible.
So right now, we love to dofestivals, we love to do markets
, but we also want to move intothe catering industry, really
teaming up with the caterers.
Every time you go to a placeand they have foods that's
catered.
Let's just say Chipotle.
(29:23):
You go, you're at your job andthere's Chipotle, and then
there's just a regular drinksthere's Coca-Cola, there's Pepsi
, there's water.
We want to change thatnarrative.
Vonn (29:33):
People forget about drinks .
Shiquala (29:35):
Don't fall off at the beverage we're here we're here.
We're here, so we definitelywant to tap into that market as
well as um learning what we needto do legally to get into
stores there.
There's a lot of legalitiesbehind making sure that we're
doing the right things.
Doug (29:51):
We we want to do everything the way that we need
to do it, yeah, from cottage topackaging, to having to have a
commercial space to do thosethings.
Vonn (29:58):
Right, there's a lot to it .
Nutritional labels yes, yeah.
Shiquala (30:01):
So that has been a learning curve for us.
So our main objectives rightnow is starting to team up with
catering businesses, as well asgetting into more retail
locations.
Doug (30:12):
I did want to give a little plug to Catapult
Pittsburgh too, because they doso much I don't even know how to
quantify all of their work.
But it's an organization basedhere and they just they help in
so many different ways.
Vonn (30:22):
It's in my life more than just Burghade.
Tammy Thompson is amazing.
I have to say that, yes, she is, and I'm not saying it just
because she really is.
Like, what she's doing forcommunity, what she's doing with
the Catapult program, isamazing, but I also work with
them in real estate as well.
Doug (30:37):
And Tammy is the president and CEO of catapult.
Yeah, all right.
Shiquala (30:41):
Tammy is actually.
Vaughn doesn't even notice, butshe's one of my invisible
mentors.
The way that she runs herbusiness is the way that I
aspire Burgate to be ran it'sit's almost flawless and I know
that there's no business that isflawless, but for me, being on
the outside looking in, I lovethe way that her business shows
(31:01):
up in the community and at everyevent it's.
It's wonderful.
Doug (31:05):
She's not invisible now anymore.
No, she's not invisible mentor,she's she is my mentor, she may
not, she may not know that but.
Vonn (31:12):
I look up to Tammy.
I've had some really greatconversations with her and her
best friend, who's also mybroker, mary Hester Amazing
women.
What they're instilling in thecommunity, what they're doing,
the model is phenomenal.
I feel like if they wrote abook, all businesses would be
successful, and I mean thatbecause of what they had, the
(31:33):
knowledge and how they go aboutit.
Doug (31:34):
Like Quay was saying Catapult is like no other folks
need to check out catapultPittsburgh, and I think you've
got us all thirsty for more, solet's also give listeners where
they can find you online.
What are the social handles orFacebook or whatever you're
using right now?
Shiquala (31:52):
So we're basically on all our socials and they're all
brigade lemonade.
Uh, our Instagram is Burghadeunderscore Lemonade.
You can find us on Facebook.
Backslash Burghade Lemonade.
We're on X.
We're on all of our socialmedia platforms LinkedIn you can
find us everywhere.
Doug (32:08):
I just want to give a description to it's Burgh like
Pittsburgh B-U-R-G-H-A-D-E.
Yes, burghade Lemonade.
Shiquala (32:15):
All right, I H-A-D-E.
Doug (32:15):
Yes, burgade, lemonade, all right.
I think I have jokingly said toone of the two of you or maybe
it was both of you if you getinto sports drinks, then
Gatorade and you're going to belike Burgade.
Yeah, that would be good.
Shiquala (32:27):
I love our name, we'll definitely win.
I feel like Burgade is soPittsburgh.
Hal (32:30):
I love it, it kind of just came to me.
Shiquala (32:33):
I was like, I just feel like, you know, we just
need a good name, the good nameto get us in the door.
What is it?
going to be and something thatrepresents Pittsburgh, and it
kind of just popped in my headand I was like we're going with
it.
Doug (32:45):
When you said you wanted to be like Heinz.
I think it works.
You've got the hometown rightin the name, so go for it.
All right, Quay Vonn, it's beenso great to talk with you.
I always have one more questionfor our guests.
The name of the show is ThePittsburgh Dish.
Vonn (33:06):
What's the best dish that you've had to eat this past week
?
Okay, so Judel's.
Listen, I hope y'all'slistening.
Actually, turn your ear up,turn your hearing aid up.
Judel's actually cooks out ofEon in Homestead.
Okay, I think it's Tuesday,wednesday, thursday, and then
she does a lit cigar lounge inHomewood, I think.
Brunch on Sundays I had deepfried crab legs.
Doug (33:26):
Oh, I'm going to just leave that right there.
My best bite this week.
Say it to me again Udell's,judell's, judell's, judell's.
So Quay at Judels.
Did you have the same?
Did you have the fried crablegs or did you have something
different?
Shiquala (33:38):
no, I had the vegan steak hoagie mushroom cheese
steak hoagie the mushroom thevegan mushroom cheese steak
hoagie.
I made her go back to get mesome food.
That's how good the frenchfries were good.
You can only do so much forfrench fries the french fries
were great the mushroom cheesesteak.
Vonn (33:56):
oh amazing, you get a bang for your buck, and I mean a
serious bang, for you haveenough food and it's so
flavorful.
Doug (34:03):
All right, people need to search this out.
Shiquala (34:05):
I've had her food at a couple catering events and
every single time I'm like whomade this?
Who?
Made this Her food's great.
Doug (34:12):
Best bites this week.
Vonn Quay, thank you both somuch.
It's been such a pleasure totalk with you and thanks for
being on The Pittsburgh Dish.
Thank you for having us.
Shiquala (34:22):
Yes, thank you for having us so grateful.
You have been an amazing personthat we have met.
Last year and you came and youreached out to us and you said
that you would love to have uson there and we are just so
grateful for that.
Vonn (34:37):
I'm so grateful to meet you.
I love what you're doing.
Yes, thank you.
Thank you Really appreciate it.
Doug (34:43):
Up next.
Where does senior food writerand dining critic, Hal B Klein,
grab a bite when he's notworking his normal beat?
Let's have a listen.
Hey everybody, we're joinedtogether with Hal B Klein from
the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Hal.
Last time we were here wetalked about all of your food
writing and the adventures youdo.
I was wondering when you'remaybe having a day off and you
(35:06):
just want to go get a bite at arestaurant you love, is there
one or two places that alwayscome to mind?
Hal (35:13):
Yeah, I mean there are a few.
The place that always comes tomind the most when I'm just like
when I get together with acouple of friends is Amazing
Dumplings over in Squirrel Hill.
Squirrel Hill yeah, I reallylove the owners there.
They're a couple from northernChina, like far northern China,
and it's been exciting to watchand kind of participate in their
journey over the years.
(35:34):
They used to call theirrestaurant Sakura teppanyaki and
sushi and it was confusingbecause they had all this like
hodgepodge on the menu and thenmixed in with it where these
like Northern Chinese disheswhich were the ones that they
really wanted to make.
Yes, then a couple of years ago, the husband got ill and Fan
Ping started making dumplingseven more as almost like a
process of like grieving or likedealing with dealing with it.
(35:57):
Yeah, and he's better now andhe's in the kitchen, oh good and
it's great, and you know theyshare cooking duties now and
their food is just.
It's so beautiful.
Um, she's become an artist.
Doug (36:09):
Um, like she's sometimes like they're folded and there's
color.
Hal (36:12):
Yeah, she's like making vegetable dyes, like everything
is naturally dyed, like in-house, and she's like folding.
She showed me how she made likeall these colors once and it's
like rolling these like almostlike play-doh colors together
into like this like.
But she's also like carvingflowers out of vegetables.
It's this like very.
It's weird because it's like inyour face in one way, but it's
also very understated, but Ijust I love just going in there
(36:33):
and it's like it just feels likelike going to like a family
house almost at this point.
Doug (36:37):
What a combination of like a small, tight-knit family with
a great story and beautifulfood, but then you're also sort
of tapping into art in a way.
I've seen their Instagram feedand I haven't visited yet, so
now it has to be on my list.
Hal (36:50):
Yeah, you got to go.
It's great.
It's one of.
Yeah, their Instagram is one ofmy favorites in the city.
Doug (36:55):
Are there a particular one or two bites that you love
there that you always orderagain and again?
Hal (37:01):
The hot oil sesame dumplings are incredible.
Doug (37:06):
Is it like a finishing oil that sizzles on top?
Hal (37:09):
Yeah, and it's like there's heat to it, there's like the
nuttiness from the sesame.
It's just such a great dish,all those flavor notes,
handpulled noodles, like mycomfort food dish which I don't
know if this would be the dishthat I would order the first
time I was there, but for meit's the comfort food dish is
these handpulled noodles withtomato and egg.
Oh yeah, it's like a veryChinese dish, it's so.
(37:31):
It's like a rainy day dish thatyou're just like everything is
cool, everything's going to begreat, everything's going to be
fine.
Doug (37:38):
Yeah, I love that.
Well, we're talking aboutamazing dumplings over in
Squirrel Hill.
Hal, thanks so much for therecommendation and thanks for
being on The Pittsburgh Dish.
Absolutely, you can follow Halon Instagram at Hal B Klein.
Have you harvested anything yetfrom your garden this summer?
(37:58):
For me, the basil is alreadygoing crazy.
Olive Visco of Polska Laska,shares her mom's eggplant
parmesan recipe, where thesummer garden is key.
Hey everybody, we're talkingtoday with Olive Visco of Polska
Laska.
Olive, on the everyday, you'remaking a lot of great Polish
food and you mentioned aboutyour family having some
(38:19):
different heritage.
I think your mom has someSicilian roots.
Is that right?
Olive (38:24):
It sure is yes.
Doug (38:25):
So is there anything that she makes that you would
probably never make for PolskaLaska that you love?
Olive (38:30):
Yeah, and honestly, I was like I want to put this on the
menu when I was trying to figureit out.
But, um, so my mom makeseggplant Parmesan and it's just
like to die.
It's so good.
It's my favorite thing that shemakes and, um, so, yeah, so
it's she does like a batter,fried eggplant.
(38:51):
So, it's not like a crispy.
I mean there is crisped to it,but it's not like a breadcrumb
yeah uh, it's batter friedeggplant, and then I mean, this
is like a beautiful summer dishthat she does.
So she has always had abeautiful organic garden and you
know so, like her freshtomatoes, her fresh basil, um,
(39:13):
you know things to kind of giveit a little more, you know is
like a bell pepper or a caper,um, and yeah, and she just like
she layers it with, you know,parmesan and mozzarella, and
again she also, I mean, she addswhatever is available to you
mostly just in her garden, somaybe spinach or you know a
(39:33):
different kind of herb that shehas at the time.
Doug (39:36):
Just as another layer.
Olive (39:37):
Yeah, exactly Exactly, and yeah so, and so you know
it's batter, fried eggplant, thefresh, you know, fresh summer
tomato sauce that she makesbasil, let's say bell pepper,
let's say, you know, maybecapers, and yeah so she just
does like, depending on thethickness, two to three layers
(39:58):
of all of that goodness in abake dish, pops it in the oven,
um, and she like serves itusually with her like caesar
salad.
This is like my like, this islike if I am on death row like
this is what I want to eat.
Hal (40:12):
I want to eat a caesar.
Olive (40:13):
I would eat a like spicy too much garlic, caesar salad
and my mom's eggplant Parmesan,and it's better like the next
day cold.
Doug (40:24):
Oh well, I love that.
I mean, it sounds like the bestdeath row meal ever, but you're
also bringing us into summer,so if somebody has like garden
freshness or great access tothat, uh, I think the idea of
serving it hot or cold could begreat.
Absolutely, Olive.
Thanks so much for the recipeand thank you for being on The
Pittsburgh Dish.
Olive (40:43):
Thank you.
Doug (40:45):
Be sure to visit Olive at her Polish diner Polska Laska in
Sharpsburg.
Do you have a recipe?
Share it with us.
Just visit our website atwwwpittsburghdishcom and look
for our Share a Recipe form.
If you enjoyed the show,consider buying us a coffee for
this episode or supporting theshow monthly.
(41:06):
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
the music to our show.
We'll be back again next weekwith another fresh episode.
(41:29):
Stay tuned.
Welcome to The Pittsburgh Dish.
I'm your host, Doug Heilman.
How did the quest for goodlemonade launch an
entrepreneurial adventure?
Shiquala and Vonn share thejourney of Burghade.
Where does respected diningcritic Hal B Klein go to eat on
his day off?
We hear it's amazing.
(00:23):
And how does a great summergarden amplify this?
Eggplant parm, Olive Viscodishes?
The details of her mom's recipe?
All that ahead, stay tuned.
The Pittsburgh Dish issupported by Chef Alekka LLC.
If you have a little chef athome looking to grow their
(00:45):
pastry skills, check outAlekka's summer camp sessions.
Just visit wwwchefalekkacom andlook for events to learn more.
Now on to the show.
Well, thank you both so muchfor coming over and for being on
the show.
Would you take a moment tointroduce yourselves?
Shiquala (01:06):
I'm Shiquala.
Vonn (01:07):
Dukes, I'm Vonn Jennings.
Doug (01:09):
And what do you both have going on in the world of food
and beverage?
Shiquala (01:14):
We have Burggade Lemonade, so right now we have
seven different flavors.
It ranges from original limeade, raspberry, mango, pineapple.
Doug (01:25):
And you're using fresh fruit in all of this.
Shiquala (01:27):
Yes, yeah, yes, we originally.
Well, burghade actually kind ofwas an accident.
Doug (01:35):
Really.
Shiquala (01:37):
It was, this was an accidental business.
And then, three years later,here we are, I know for me.
I guess I kind of forgot whatcarnival lemonade tasted like
from being a child yes and thenwhat was it?
2022?
We went to the Big ButlerCounty Fair yeah and she has
(01:57):
excessive thirst very thirstyprobably went to every single
lemonade stand that the butlercounty fair had thinking that we
were going to have betterlemonade and it never happened
it never hit Vonn it it.
Vonn (02:12):
Not only did it not hit, it was like drinking hawaiian
punch.
Doug (02:16):
You know, hawaiian punch makes you thirsty yeah, it's
like almost too sugary, right,yeah, and it's hot for for july
day oh you can't do nothing withthat no, I was getting
exhausted from drinking,that's's so strange, but I get
you, I get what that is like,and so this was maybe like the,
the spark to say we could maybedo this better haven't been.
Shiquala (02:41):
COVID wore me out, I think that was my tipping tip of
the iceberg, I said, yeah, Ihave to get out and I was kind
of looking for something tooffset my income and everything
else.
You know, when somethinghappens and you have shifts in
your life, everything just kindof happened and it was like, oh.
At first I was like, oh well,let's do slushies.
It was the summertime.
Then I was looking at slushiemachines and I was like, um,
(03:04):
what's something that couldstart like tomorrow.
Doug (03:06):
Because they could be a little expensive.
Yeah, I don't know.
Shiquala (03:09):
Slushy machines were twelve to two thousand dollars.
I was like, oh, I didn't knowthat.
I was like, so what are likethe basic?
I never thought about thebasics of what lemonade is.
I mean sugar or whatever water.
So I was just like, oh, ok,well, tell me the basics of a
recipe and then I'm just goingto tweak it until I like it.
Vonn (03:27):
Yeah.
Shiquala (03:27):
And that's kind of what happened.
Doug (03:29):
So you go to the Big Butler fair.
You are completely unsatisfied.
You're also looking for a pivotin life.
When do you create your firstlemonade that people buy it?
Was it at a fair?
Was it like at a familyfunction?
Like when did you startcreating and offering it to
people?
Vonn (03:49):
so once she came up with the idea, she asked me she's
like do you want to do lemonade?
And I was like I'm always, I'mthe supportive partner.
Whatever she wants to do, I'mdown.
So funny story she likes tocall herself the covid lesbian.
That's when we started dating,um and she.
She was vegan at the time andthen went pescatarian and I'm
(04:10):
none of that omnitarian yes, soeventually she puts on what's
the health on netflix, and I wasthat was it.
That's all I needed so we startcaring about what we put in our
bodies so then, that matteredfor the lemonade.
So we just got in the kitchen.
We started more like less sugar.
Doug (04:26):
Yeah.
Vonn (04:27):
More fruit, especially for melanated skin, like we have
diabetes and things like thatrun, we start caring.
People pay for convenience.
Doug (04:34):
Yes.
Vonn (04:34):
You know, a lot of us have busy lives.
So we went in the kitchen, wecame up with the recipes, we cut
the sugar, we added the fruitand we did it.
Our first event was pride.
Shiquala (04:46):
Black pride.
I love that it was July 30th2022.
All right.
Doug (04:54):
So you're still I mean, you're still in your early years
, but you've come so far.
We all met at Fulton Commonsand you went through one of the
programs there.
That's right.
Vonn (05:03):
Yes.
Doug (05:05):
Their incubator program, and was that to help understand
the business more or how topackage your good Like like?
What did you get out of thatprogram?
Did it help you along yourjourney?
Shiquala (05:14):
Yeah, for sure, our we are first generation business
owners.
I can't say personally thatI've ever thought that I was
going to be an entrepreneur.
I just knew that I wanted tomake money.
And somehow I landed in anursing field and that's a whole
different story.
But when we had the lemonade weweren't taking it seriously.
(05:35):
And.
I didn't have any expectationsfor Pride and people kept coming
back and they were like we lovethis lemonade, we love it.
And we were like, oh, it's justsomething that we did real fast
, you know something, to makesome money.
And then a couple of weekslater we did soul food festival
and we sold out and we were like, oh, people really do like our
lemonade.
Maybe we should start takingthis a little bit more seriously
(05:58):
.
But at the same time, we don'tknow how to run a business.
We don't know what it entails,we just know how to run a
business.
We don't know what it entails,we just know how to make
lemonade and people are sayingthat they like it.
So there was actually, we werereferred to.
Her name is Leyshell fromCatapult.
She referred us to FultonCommons program and then we took
their incubator class and thenthey have another level, the
(06:18):
second level class, which istheir accelerator program.
So, we took that and it was anamazing experience.
We love them.
Over there we're actually doingtheir farmer's market.
I think it's on the 26th ofthis month too.
Doug (06:31):
And we're recording in June, so June 26th yeah.
Shiquala (06:34):
Okay, june 26th We'll be there.
Yeah, we learned a lot fromthat program.
We learned they had a bunch ofamazing speakers business, how
to build your business.
Doug (06:45):
I think you were there.
I was there.
Yeah, that's where we met.
Well, I got to see your pitchand I thought it was a solid
product when you think aboutwhere the business is aiming
towards or going, like some ofyour customers like, who are you
trying to reach?
Vonn (07:03):
I love this question.
So we want to be the officialbeverage of the Pittsburgh
Steelers, pirates, penguins,pitt In athletics yeah, yes, I
love that, like we have Turner'stea, yes.
It's a Pittsburgh staple yes,we want to be that Pittsburgh
staple.
Shiquala (07:19):
When you think of brands like Heinz Ketchup.
We want people to think ofBurghade.
Doug (07:24):
That way, I think you're onto something.
I mean, it is refreshing anddelicious.
And back to your point, I thinkwhat people really want is more
wholesome things, butespecially in the summertime,
like I don't want a big cup ofsugar, I want something that is
actually rehydrating me.
And if you've got some, youknow, vitamins and minerals in
there from the fruit like that's, that's totally up my alley.
Vonn (07:48):
Absolutely so.
A lot of the festivals andmarkets that we do, we see that
a lot.
We see a cup sitting out with abig lemon in it, food coloring
and a bunch of sugar and peoplejust walk up and buy it.
You get that big cup, but whatare you actually buying, right?
When do you get a 16 ouncebottle of actual lemonade?
That big cup, but what?
Hal (08:04):
are you actually buying Right.
Doug (08:05):
When do you get a 16 ounce bottle of actual lemonade?
How has it been in terms ofcreating new flavors or scaling?
I'm sure that that was likeunexpected that you had so much
success at the beginning.
So how's it going?
Vonn (08:15):
So we started off with original and strawberry and then
, if you know us, I love flavor,I have to have flavors, so it's
a part of the rainbow, in asense, right.
Doug (08:25):
Yes.
Vonn (08:26):
So then I was like mango.
She was like okay, and then Ilooked at her and I said you
need another flavor.
And I was like I kept trying toget her to like sell her on
Limeade and she was not for it.
Shiquala (08:39):
You're not having it.
I wasn't having it, she sold meon all these flavors honestly.
Vonn (08:43):
Okay, yeah.
So I'm like come on, we have todo it, we have to do it.
We did a limeade.
She actually loves the limeade.
Oh, really a lot.
Doug (08:51):
Wait, are you making limeade now?
Mm-hmm, you are.
Shiquala (08:54):
You may have some Okay .
I think I brought you peachlime, actually my favorite
flavor, the flavor she didn'tknow it is, we never know.
Doug (09:04):
You got to kind of try some things.
Yeah, experimenting is good,absolutely so it continued to
grow.
Vonn (09:10):
I was like pineapple oh yeah, we have to give the people
what they want, right, andflavors are a thing.
So after we went pineapple, shewas like I want to do peach,
all right, we'll do peach.
She finally came.
So we ended up with those sevenright now and talked about
watermelon.
Doug (09:31):
Oh.
Shiquala (09:31):
I'm open to watermelon .
Doug (09:33):
I think even like a mix of melons or whatever.
I mean like melon's good yeah.
Vonn (09:37):
We talked about actually mixing the flavor because a lot
of times people come to ourbooth and are like I want peach,
mango, and it's like it's peachor mango.
Yeah, you ever think about it,absolutely Uh-huh.
Yes, we are we think about it,if you absolutely uh-huh, yes,
we are.
Doug (09:53):
We went to strawberry mango.
We want to do that.
Yes, so when you have been at,like your most recent festivals,
what are some of the topflavors, or is it all over the
board?
Shiquala (10:01):
it depends on the festival, really, yes, so the
farmer's markets that we end updoing usually original
strawberry, mango are probablyour top flavors that sell at
farmers market Pride we sold outof raspberry.
Everybody wanted raspberry.
They were like raspberry.
Vonn (10:21):
That's what I'm having right now.
Yeah, it was like Raspberry,strawberry and mango.
Sold out.
Shiquala (10:24):
That was the best selling flavor.
That was the first timeraspberry was like our top
flavor.
I was like, oh, and ouroriginal was barely touched
first time raspberry was likeour top flavor.
I was like, oh, and ouroriginal was barely touched.
So I was like she was likewe'll make sure it's the color
and it's fun and I was like okay, so it honestly depends on
where we are, and itsurprisingly depends on what
side of the city that we are too.
Vonn (10:45):
Yeah, because limeade actually did well once at a.
What was it?
Was it the Lawrenceville?
Shiquala (10:50):
Yeah, limeade does well in the city.
Doug (10:54):
Bay 41.
Yeah, it's like sits down.
Shiquala (10:57):
Yeah, that was the Lawrenceville one.
Yeah, they love Limeade downthere.
We never know Limeade sellswhen we're at markets at the
terminal.
Yes, that's what it is.
That's so funny yeah.
Doug (11:07):
Yeah, so, funny.
Yeah, so you're still in aplace where you're like I don't
know how much to bring becausewe don't know what this crowd is
like yet.
Yeah, I usually ask this later,but let's talk about it now.
Where are you going right now,like where can people find you
on the regular?
Do you go to markets?
Do you have some events comingup, like if people are getting
thirsty to try?
Shiquala (11:28):
Yeah, so right now it's summer, so it is our busy
season.
Hal (11:32):
That's right.
Shiquala (11:33):
Majority of the time, you can follow our social media
and it'll show you all themarkets that are coming up.
Our next market is actually onSaturday markets at the terminal
.
Doug (11:44):
Oh my yeah, this may not be out before that one, but
that's okay.
Shiquala (11:47):
We are actually regulars at markets at the
terminal markets at the terminal.
You can find us down there andthat's actually how we got our
first store opportunity down atHeiber's pharmacy.
She tried our lemonade andshe's very community oriented.
She wants to put local peoplein her pharmacy.
So she found us and she waslike we'd love to have Burghade
(12:07):
in there.
So that has been a wonderfulopportunity for us and right now
we're pushing to get into morestores around the city, because
you can only do so much whenthere's two people and just
trying to reach everywhere.
Doug (12:21):
Of course, when we're talking about the terminal,
we're really talking about thestrip district terminal.
Folks aren't familiar.
Shiquala (12:27):
That's where they can find you, yeah.
Doug (12:28):
And since you mentioned getting into Heiber's, are there
any other stores you aregetting into right now or that
you are in?
Vonn (12:39):
So we're actually we have a couple of partnerships with a
few people believe it or not,One of the guys from the
incubator, Thomas Fisk?
He actually opened up hiscoffee.
Shiquala (12:45):
Hill top coffee.
Vonn (12:46):
Hill Top Coffee and he wants us in the coffee shop and
then, we met a fellow vendor atthe market at the terminal.
She actually opened up a storearound the corner from our house
, so we've gotten a few.
Hey, we want to put you in ourstore.
That's what we're workingtowards.
Doug (13:03):
Is this considered wholesale retail?
Is that what people call it inbusiness?
Okay, yeah, I love that.
And then we do?
Vonn (13:09):
we do sell, of course, like if you reach out to us
through our social media.
Uh, we've started doing likepickups and deliveries because
we unveiled six packs andgallons.
We did our first baby showerlast year, which was pretty cool
, so we sold our gallons for thefirst time and that was nice.
So we're we're scaling up andwe're trying to.
As we're scaling up, we'retrying to say, okay, doing the
festivals it's, it could be alot.
You know, you got to, you gotyour setup, you got your
(13:30):
breakdown you got all the rulesand things like that, so it's
like they're great, but nowwe're we're trying to upscale I
think markets are great forgetting your name out there and
having that personal touch.
Doug (13:41):
People are able to see you and know you.
Yes, but I can understand howunglamorous some of it is with
all of the behind the scenesstuff to get there.
Vonn (13:49):
Absolutely, we have to deal with a lot of different
stuff, so it's a little harder,but we are.
We're bigger than just that.
We're a brand and we encourage.
One of our things that we loveto do is we want to inspire.
That's one of the biggestthings about Burghade is we woke
up with an idea and it's afamily business.
Our daughter is part owner init.
(14:10):
We have a 15 year old oh and weteach her uh through and her
quay's godson.
Uh also works a baby joe, it'slike 12.
so we're teaching like values init while we run our business
and then, at the same time, um,just looking for, like I said,
the upscale portion of it andturning this business into a
community, something thateverybody can be a part of.
(14:35):
Like we want a storefronteventually and we want to like
you come and it's like like ice,like you're going for ice cream
, but it's lemonade instead yeah, and it's a hangout for kids
and what we started doing withour tips as well was we want to
put together like a scholarshipand invest in someone's child if
they're entrepreneurship dreamsand things like that.
So Beargate is bigger than justfestivals and markets.
Doug (14:55):
I love that.
I think when we first talked,you had talked about maybe a
storefront eventually, and youalso have some design
aspirations.
Is that right?
Shiquala (15:05):
Yes, an interior designer.
Doug (15:06):
Yes, Maybe you can do all of it.
That could be like your wholething.
Shiquala (15:09):
It's like I don't know if this makes sense, so it
makes sense Just do it allAnywhere that I can be creative.
I'm a creative at heart, so Ijust I love designing things, I
love making things look pretty,I love the way that it makes me
feel and yeah.
Doug (15:24):
It's going to be great for a store.
I love what you're saying abouthow the business is so much
more than just a business right.
You're doing all these otherthings and I think it's super
inspiring to say we're firstgeneration business owners.
If there are folks out therelistening to your story, what
advice or lessons you've learnedwould you want to share with
(15:46):
other people, like how do youget going, or support, or any of
that?
Shiquala (15:52):
The motto that I always have in my mind, that I
hear a lot and it makes so muchsense for me is do it scared.
Getting into thisentrepreneurship journey, I've
realized even the mostsuccessful businesses they don't
know what they're doing either.
Businesses they don't know whatthey're doing either.
(16:14):
Nobody knows what they're doing.
Everybody's just figuring itout along the way and you're
going to make mistakes.
But the mistakes at this pointI don't even like to classify
them as mistakes.
Hal (16:20):
They're learning lessons?
Yeah, nobody knows Right.
Shiquala (16:24):
Anybody can open up a store and then sometimes the
store doesn't work out.
Sometimes they're like oh youknow, we scale too much, too big
.
I have businesses that I, thatwe follow on Instagram and that
are my invisible mentors.
I look and I'm like what isworking for them, what's not
working for them?
I see that they opened up astore, but they don't have that
(16:45):
store anymore.
I wonder what?
And I'm not from anonjudgmental way.
I'm like OK, pay attention tothings like that, especially the
beverage owners.
It's just like, OK, they're atmarkets, but then they're also
doing other things, they're alsointo stores, they're also
diversifying their portfolio.
Whenever it comes to makingincome, you can't.
(17:05):
We started out with markets andwe're like those are fine, but
the passive income is reallywhere it's at.
Doug (17:10):
Yes, I love doing it scared.
And what was your term?
Invisible mentors?
Okay, I want to coin that.
I think I have some of thosetoo.
Shiquala (17:20):
Yeah, they, they.
I watched them religiously.
I'm like, okay, okay, when areyou doing?
What are you doing?
Doug (17:25):
Yeah, yeah, Quay.
Thank you so much for that,Vonn.
What about you?
Vonn (17:29):
First and foremost, you need a passion.
You need to find what you'repassionate about that matters
the most.
I learned real young that Iloved entrepreneurship.
So, as I moved into, like Quaysaid, don't even think about it,
you just have to do it.
It's kind of similar to workingout.
We all have aspirations and Idon't know about everybody, but
I'm a sex symbol.
So you have this sexy body, butwhen you work out you're
(17:53):
tearing muscles.
That's right.
So it's a trial and error youknow to build something in the
end and make yourself have thebody that you would like.
So we trial and error.
Nobody's perfect.
It doesn't matter who youfollow, what guru, what you
watch.
Everybody fails and struggles.
I say we hear it a lot, it's socliche, but fail forward, fail
often.
(18:13):
I definitely recommend all thatYou're not going to know until
you try it.
You cannot be scared.
So if you are scared, stilljust do it.
Like Nike said, just do it,because how else is it going to
be done?
You're going to sit there andyou're going to have the what,
ifs and the shoulda, coulda,wouldas, and life's just passing
you by, and then this granddream that you had never came to
fruition.
(18:33):
So, like Quay said, we do a lotof research.
Like I said, we're researchersbut we're always watching.
I definitely recommend, if yousee something you like, youtube
it, find a podcast, read aboutit, anything that you can do to
make yourself more knowledgeable.
And then, if you need theeducation or if you need a
mentor, go get one.
Doug (18:52):
Yeah, Vonn, thank you for that.
Vonn (18:54):
Absolutely.
Shiquala (18:56):
Hi, I'm Shiquala Dukes .
Vonn (18:58):
And I'm Vonn Jennings and we are Burghade Lemonade.
Doug (19:08):
And you're listening to The Pittsburgh Dish.
I wondered if you guys hadmentors that aren't invisible.
Is there anyone else that'shelped you along?
Vonn (19:11):
the way in this business.
Me personally.
It started for me, like I said,pretty young, uh, but my birth
mom's mom she made jewelry andshe sold it, yeah, and then my
aunt she, when fubu first cameout, she was selling fubu
t-shirts and I was like this ismy aunt and I thought it was
like the coolest thing ever.
Yes, I'm like that's what Iwant to do.
So I watched strong black womenmake a living, and they were in
(19:34):
corporate America as well.
And they were making a livingoff of doing something they
loved.
So I got to watch it young, asI continue to grow up in it and
get further away from and findout like, what is this?
Like what is this growinginside of me?
Even in high school I actuallymy graduation project was about
entrepreneurship.
And when I graduated highschool, I wanted to pursue
(19:55):
entrepreneurship, so it neverleft me.
Doug (19:57):
How interesting, I think, what you're tapping into.
A lot of young people don'tknow where they're going to land
or what they're going to do,but the broader term
entrepreneurship, it's alwaysbeen there.
Quay, what about you growing up?
Did you ever dream?
Shiquala (20:12):
I'm just getting in my era of being okay with taking
risk.
Okay, which is so strangebecause everybody knows me as a
very outgoing and adventurousperson.
I jumped out of airplanes, Iwent to bungee jump.
I do crazy things in that way.
Doug (20:26):
Not me at all.
Vonn (20:30):
You don't know how I ended up jumping out of an airplane.
Shiquala (20:32):
Yeah, I just took her skydiving.
She graduated, and so mypresent to her was skydiving.
She graduated, and so her.
My present to her was skydiving, because it was such an amazing
experience to me it's my mottojust do it.
Scared, yes, um that's another.
Vonn (20:45):
She's not telling the good part, though.
I didn't know until I got there.
Yeah, it was a secret.
Doug (20:49):
Oh my gosh, I don't know.
I just I'm in your shoes rightnow, vaughn.
Vonn (20:53):
I'm like I don't know if I could do that it was like like
well, she already paid for it,so I have to do it, you have to.
Oh, my Greatest experience ofmy life.
Oh, good, good, I was walkingon air.
Oh my.
Shiquala (21:04):
That's what I did, for my own self, though.
Doug (21:11):
Whenever I was like I'm just going to.
I love this and I want to evengo back a little further and
talk about just early life,before this business too.
So you're in like this beverageand food world.
Now what was food and festivalsand stuff like that when you
were growing up?
Were there any inspirationpoints there that have led you
to today?
Vonn (21:32):
So I'm originally from Beaver Falls and we didn't have
much out there.
It was when we moved toPittsburgh when I was 13.
That's when I got the Kennywoodand all that good stuff.
We had like little carnivalsand stuff, so candy apples stuck
out to me as a kid but not likelemonade, nothing like just
candy apples and cotton candy.
Okay, so moving to Pittsburgh,it was more diverse, like
(21:52):
Pittsburgh was Disneyland to me,yes, coming from a small town
and being country and everything.
But once I got here, potatopatch fries were a thing, oh
yeah, lemonade was lemonade.
Doug (22:07):
And what was food life like in your household, vaughn
Like?
Did you cook at an early age?
Did people cook for you?
Vonn (22:13):
Oh yeah, so I was forced to grow up a little quicker than
what I wanted to or should have.
Um, at nine years old, I wascooking steak, mushrooms and
onions, and so, being the eldestgirl of uh, there's four of us
I have an older brother and thenI'm the oldest girl right under
him um, I had to take care ofmy two little sisters.
Okay, so eventually, watchingyour mom work a full-time job
(22:38):
and take care of four childrenon her own, and seeing the
struggle, it instilled maturityin me a little quicker to where.
I wanted to step up and I did so.
I would start cooking for thehouse and I made her steak.
And when she said my steak wasbetter than her steak, then I
knew I was on to something.
You were on to something I fellin love with cooking.
So at that point it's been evennow I love to cook.
Doug (23:00):
I also want to tie back to your determination to make the
lemonade healthier.
Is that something that alsocarries through, like with your
cooking, like you know, whetherit's for your family or yourself
, or athletics?
Vonn (23:12):
It does.
Health is wealth.
And we hear it, it's cliche, butit's actually like really
serious.
I was in a car accident back in2022 where a guy was in a rush
during rush hour, rear ended meand he has caused a herniated
bulging disc in my L5 that I'mstill dealing with today.
(23:33):
I had seen a holisticchiropractor for that.
Uh, he taught me a lot abouthow cold is better than warm.
So in in just dating quay andher instilling the veganism with
plant-based we'll sayplant-based, because I still eat
seafood I can't give it up but,uh, we, we live a plant-based
lifestyle.
Then we went and took it further.
(23:53):
It's not just what we eat, it'swhat we're putting on our
bodies.
Like we use all natural sheabutters and things like that.
You really have to care aboutwhat you have going on
health-wise, because Quay's anurse, her brothers are
pharmacists and they both arevery educational when providing
that those pieces of because Iasked the question.
I'm always asking questions whyis science getting like, like
(24:17):
we have all these new medicaldevices and things, but people
are still dying of cancer and itseems like it's younger and
younger.
Why isn't it?
And I asked those questions andthey told me you know, it's
this, it's that, it's this, it'sthat.
So it became something realprevalent for me, like noting,
noticing that people pay forconvenience.
And I live a busy lifestyle.
Like I said, I'm an actor and amodel.
(24:38):
We own Brigade, I do realestate, I'm in developing, I'm
also about to become a lender.
The list goes on.
For me, so I'm busy, life isbusy for me.
I don't always have the time.
So a lot of times when you'respending money, you're paying
for somebody else to do itbecause you don't have the time.
(25:02):
If don't have the time, ifyou're going to pay for somebody
else to do it, you want it doneright, and that's where we come
in.
I like the point, too, ofeverything that goes in and on
our bodies affects us, and so,whether that's inflammation and
long-term health and so you allhave tapped into that with
creating a drink or beverage.
That is on the better side ofall of that Clay.
What about you?
Where did you grow up in, andwhat was food life like in your
early years?
Shiquala (25:19):
I'm from McKeesport All right.
I spent my life in the kitchenwatching my mom and grandma cook
.
My house was that house thateverybody came over for holidays
.
Thanksgiving my mom and mygrandma.
If you know my family,everybody loves their food.
We were the hub house.
My mom and my grandma if youknow my family, everybody loves
their food.
That's, we were the hub house.
(25:40):
Um, and that.
I was never interested incooking, though I was always
just yeah, I'll peel thepotatoes.
Hal (25:50):
I'll clean up, but I never wanted to be the domesticated
woman.
Shiquala (25:52):
Yes, it just.
It never interested me in thatway.
Doug (25:56):
And let me just interject there.
So now you're in this worldwhere you're in sort of food and
beverage with the lemonade.
Did you ever imagine that thatwould happen?
Shiquala (26:04):
No, I never thought that I would be, never thought
that I'd be making any sort ofbeverage, lemonade, any food,
any, anything.
It never crossed my mind.
Honestly, I really wanted to.
I sold myself short a lotWhenever I was in my younger
years.
I truly wanted to be anastronaut.
That was my.
I had stars, my room, I was.
I want to be an astronaut andnot convince myself that I
(26:26):
couldn't because I wasn't goodat math.
Don't ever sell yourself short.
Go for everything that you wantto.
So in a sense, Burghade has putme on a path to redeem myself,
and it wasn't what I planned for, but it makes me feel good.
It challenges me, it allows meto take risks.
It still gives me that momentumto be a better person every
(26:48):
single day.
But entrepreneurship wasn't athing in my family.
It was.
We grew up I don't like to saypoor, but because I didn't go
without.
I had everything that I needed,Um, but I always wanted more
and my mom did the best that shecould, and I love that, and she
always.
She did do corporate life, butshe always had a little sad
(27:10):
hustle going on.
She had to, she had four kidsand her income alone just wasn't
enough, Um.
So I saw my mom go out and dowhat she needed to do to take
care of us, especially aroundthe holidays Christmas time and
school time and I didn't likethat.
My mom didn't have freedom.
She spent a lot of time at workand, thankfully, we had a great
(27:32):
community.
We had my grandma, we had myaunts.
I grew up with my cousins.
It was they're over our house,we're over their house, and
that's another reason why wereally inspire to push community
when it comes to Brigade, Igrew up.
All I know is community.
I was raised by it.
Vonn (27:48):
So yeah, quay knows community I don't, and I
actually long for it.
I crave it.
Was it because of the move from?
No, my family's just not likethat.
We're a dysfunctional,generational trauma family.
So I long for community and shehad it.
So this is community based.
Doug (28:07):
Yes, well, I think entrepreneurship is not selling
yourself short now, and it'swhat makes sense for both of you
, absolutely.
I would love to ask where yousee the business going?
What's next?
Shiquala (28:21):
So right now we're actually in the Catapult
Entrepreneurship cohort, okay,and we've been in that for a few
weeks now and it actually endsin August.
That has been an amazingexperience.
It has really set the groundfor building a solid foundation
(28:42):
with Burghade and learning somany different things as far as
business literacy and how tobalance our checkbook.
That's like an old school andmarketing and it's just an
amazing program.
We also loved Fulton Commons,but Catapult has really taken
(29:03):
learning your business andoperating your business to a
different level that I didn'teven know was possible.
So right now, we love to dofestivals, we love to do markets
, but we also want to move intothe catering industry, really
teaming up with the caterers.
Every time you go to a placeand they have foods that's
catered.
Let's just say Chipotle.
(29:23):
You go, you're at your job andthere's Chipotle, and then
there's just a regular drinksthere's Coca-Cola, there's Pepsi
, there's water.
We want to change thatnarrative.
Vonn (29:33):
People forget about drinks .
Shiquala (29:35):
Don't fall off at the beverage we're here we're here.
We're here, so we definitelywant to tap into that market as
well as um learning what we needto do legally to get into
stores there.
There's a lot of legalitiesbehind making sure that we're
doing the right things.
Doug (29:51):
We we want to do everything the way that we need
to do it, yeah, from cottage topackaging, to having to have a
commercial space to do thosethings.
Vonn (29:58):
Right, there's a lot to it .
Nutritional labels yes, yeah.
Shiquala (30:01):
So that has been a learning curve for us.
So our main objectives rightnow is starting to team up with
catering businesses, as well asgetting into more retail
locations.
Doug (30:12):
I did want to give a little plug to Catapult
Pittsburgh too, because they doso much I don't even know how to
quantify all of their work.
But it's an organization basedhere and they just they help in
so many different ways.
Vonn (30:22):
It's in my life more than just Burghade.
Tammy Thompson is amazing.
I have to say that, yes, she is, and I'm not saying it just
because she really is.
Like, what she's doing forcommunity, what she's doing with
the Catapult program, isamazing, but I also work with
them in real estate as well.
Doug (30:37):
And Tammy is the president and CEO of catapult.
Yeah, all right.
Shiquala (30:41):
Tammy is actually.
Vaughn doesn't even notice, butshe's one of my invisible
mentors.
The way that she runs herbusiness is the way that I
aspire Burgate to be ran it'sit's almost flawless and I know
that there's no business that isflawless, but for me, being on
the outside looking in, I lovethe way that her business shows
(31:01):
up in the community and at everyevent it's.
It's wonderful.
Doug (31:05):
She's not invisible now anymore.
No, she's not invisible mentor,she's she is my mentor, she may
not, she may not know that but.
Vonn (31:12):
I look up to Tammy.
I've had some really greatconversations with her and her
best friend, who's also mybroker, mary Hester Amazing
women.
What they're instilling in thecommunity, what they're doing,
the model is phenomenal.
I feel like if they wrote abook, all businesses would be
successful, and I mean thatbecause of what they had, the
(31:33):
knowledge and how they go aboutit.
Doug (31:34):
Like Quay was saying Catapult is like no other folks
need to check out catapultPittsburgh, and I think you've
got us all thirsty for more, solet's also give listeners where
they can find you online.
What are the social handles orFacebook or whatever you're
using right now?
Shiquala (31:52):
So we're basically on all our socials and they're all
brigade lemonade.
Uh, our Instagram is Burghadeunderscore Lemonade.
You can find us on Facebook.
Backslash Burghade Lemonade.
We're on X.
We're on all of our socialmedia platforms LinkedIn you can
find us everywhere.
Doug (32:08):
I just want to give a description to it's Burgh like
Pittsburgh B-U-R-G-H-A-D-E.
Yes, burghade Lemonade.
Shiquala (32:15):
All right, I H-A-D-E.
Doug (32:15):
Yes, burgade, lemonade, all right.
I think I have jokingly said toone of the two of you or maybe
it was both of you if you getinto sports drinks, then
Gatorade and you're going to belike Burgade.
Yeah, that would be good.
Shiquala (32:27):
I love our name, we'll definitely win.
I feel like Burgade is soPittsburgh.
Hal (32:30):
I love it, it kind of just came to me.
Shiquala (32:33):
I was like, I just feel like, you know, we just
need a good name, the good nameto get us in the door.
What is it?
going to be and something thatrepresents Pittsburgh, and it
kind of just popped in my headand I was like we're going with
it.
Doug (32:45):
When you said you wanted to be like Heinz.
I think it works.
You've got the hometown rightin the name, so go for it.
All right, Quay Vonn, it's beenso great to talk with you.
I always have one more questionfor our guests.
The name of the show is ThePittsburgh Dish.
Vonn (33:06):
What's the best dish that you've had to eat this past week
?
Okay, so Judel's.
Listen, I hope y'all'slistening.
Actually, turn your ear up,turn your hearing aid up.
Judel's actually cooks out ofEon in Homestead.
Okay, I think it's Tuesday,wednesday, thursday, and then
she does a lit cigar lounge inHomewood, I think.
Brunch on Sundays I had deepfried crab legs.
Doug (33:26):
Oh, I'm going to just leave that right there.
My best bite this week.
Say it to me again Udell's,judell's, judell's, judell's.
So Quay at Judels.
Did you have the same?
Did you have the fried crablegs or did you have something
different?
Shiquala (33:38):
no, I had the vegan steak hoagie mushroom cheese
steak hoagie the mushroom thevegan mushroom cheese steak
hoagie.
I made her go back to get mesome food.
That's how good the frenchfries were good.
You can only do so much forfrench fries the french fries
were great the mushroom cheesesteak.
Vonn (33:56):
oh amazing, you get a bang for your buck, and I mean a
serious bang, for you haveenough food and it's so
flavorful.
Doug (34:03):
All right, people need to search this out.
Shiquala (34:05):
I've had her food at a couple catering events and
every single time I'm like whomade this?
Who?
Made this Her food's great.
Doug (34:12):
Best bites this week.
Vonn Quay, thank you both somuch.
It's been such a pleasure totalk with you and thanks for
being on The Pittsburgh Dish.
Thank you for having us.
Shiquala (34:22):
Yes, thank you for having us so grateful.
You have been an amazing personthat we have met.
Last year and you came and youreached out to us and you said
that you would love to have uson there and we are just so
grateful for that.
Vonn (34:37):
I'm so grateful to meet you.
I love what you're doing.
Yes, thank you.
Thank you Really appreciate it.
Doug (34:43):
Up next.
Where does senior food writerand dining critic, Hal B Klein,
grab a bite when he's notworking his normal beat?
Let's have a listen.
Hey everybody, we're joinedtogether with Hal B Klein from
the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Hal.
Last time we were here wetalked about all of your food
writing and the adventures youdo.
I was wondering when you'remaybe having a day off and you
(35:06):
just want to go get a bite at arestaurant you love, is there
one or two places that alwayscome to mind?
Hal (35:13):
Yeah, I mean there are a few.
The place that always comes tomind the most when I'm just like
when I get together with acouple of friends is Amazing
Dumplings over in Squirrel Hill.
Squirrel Hill yeah, I reallylove the owners there.
They're a couple from northernChina, like far northern China,
and it's been exciting to watchand kind of participate in their
journey over the years.
(35:34):
They used to call theirrestaurant Sakura teppanyaki and
sushi and it was confusingbecause they had all this like
hodgepodge on the menu and thenmixed in with it where these
like Northern Chinese disheswhich were the ones that they
really wanted to make.
Yes, then a couple of years ago, the husband got ill and Fan
Ping started making dumplingseven more as almost like a
process of like grieving or likedealing with dealing with it.
(35:57):
Yeah, and he's better now andhe's in the kitchen, oh good and
it's great, and you know theyshare cooking duties now and
their food is just.
It's so beautiful.
Um, she's become an artist.
Doug (36:09):
Um, like she's sometimes like they're folded and there's
color.
Hal (36:12):
Yeah, she's like making vegetable dyes, like everything
is naturally dyed, like in-house, and she's like folding.
She showed me how she made likeall these colors once and it's
like rolling these like almostlike play-doh colors together
into like this like.
But she's also like carvingflowers out of vegetables.
It's this like very.
It's weird because it's like inyour face in one way, but it's
also very understated, but Ijust I love just going in there
(36:33):
and it's like it just feels likelike going to like a family
house almost at this point.
Doug (36:37):
What a combination of like a small, tight-knit family with
a great story and beautifulfood, but then you're also sort
of tapping into art in a way.
I've seen their Instagram feedand I haven't visited yet, so
now it has to be on my list.
Hal (36:50):
Yeah, you got to go.
It's great.
It's one of.
Yeah, their Instagram is one ofmy favorites in the city.
Doug (36:55):
Are there a particular one or two bites that you love
there that you always orderagain and again?
Hal (37:01):
The hot oil sesame dumplings are incredible.
Doug (37:06):
Is it like a finishing oil that sizzles on top?
Hal (37:09):
Yeah, and it's like there's heat to it, there's like the
nuttiness from the sesame.
It's just such a great dish,all those flavor notes,
handpulled noodles, like mycomfort food dish which I don't
know if this would be the dishthat I would order the first
time I was there, but for meit's the comfort food dish is
these handpulled noodles withtomato and egg.
Oh yeah, it's like a veryChinese dish, it's so.
(37:31):
It's like a rainy day dish thatyou're just like everything is
cool, everything's going to begreat, everything's going to be
fine.
Doug (37:38):
Yeah, I love that.
Well, we're talking aboutamazing dumplings over in
Squirrel Hill.
Hal, thanks so much for therecommendation and thanks for
being on The Pittsburgh Dish.
Absolutely, you can follow Halon Instagram at Hal B Klein.
Have you harvested anything yetfrom your garden this summer?
(37:58):
For me, the basil is alreadygoing crazy.
Olive Visco of Polska Laska,shares her mom's eggplant
parmesan recipe, where thesummer garden is key.
Hey everybody, we're talkingtoday with Olive Visco of Polska
Laska.
Olive, on the everyday, you'remaking a lot of great Polish
food and you mentioned aboutyour family having some
(38:19):
different heritage.
I think your mom has someSicilian roots.
Is that right?
Olive (38:24):
It sure is yes.
Doug (38:25):
So is there anything that she makes that you would
probably never make for PolskaLaska that you love?
Olive (38:30):
Yeah, and honestly, I was like I want to put this on the
menu when I was trying to figureit out.
But, um, so my mom makeseggplant Parmesan and it's just
like to die.
It's so good.
It's my favorite thing that shemakes and, um, so, yeah, so
it's she does like a batter,fried eggplant.
(38:51):
So, it's not like a crispy.
I mean there is crisped to it,but it's not like a breadcrumb
yeah uh, it's batter friedeggplant, and then I mean, this
is like a beautiful summer dishthat she does.
So she has always had abeautiful organic garden and you
know so, like her freshtomatoes, her fresh basil, um,
(39:13):
you know things to kind of giveit a little more, you know is
like a bell pepper or a caper,um, and yeah, and she just like
she layers it with, you know,parmesan and mozzarella, and
again she also, I mean, she addswhatever is available to you
mostly just in her garden, somaybe spinach or you know a
(39:33):
different kind of herb that shehas at the time.
Doug (39:36):
Just as another layer.
Olive (39:37):
Yeah, exactly Exactly, and yeah so, and so you know
it's batter, fried eggplant, thefresh, you know, fresh summer
tomato sauce that she makesbasil, let's say bell pepper,
let's say, you know, maybecapers, and yeah so she just
does like, depending on thethickness, two to three layers
(39:58):
of all of that goodness in abake dish, pops it in the oven,
um, and she like serves itusually with her like caesar
salad.
This is like my like, this islike if I am on death row like
this is what I want to eat.
Hal (40:12):
I want to eat a caesar.
Olive (40:13):
I would eat a like spicy too much garlic, caesar salad
and my mom's eggplant Parmesan,and it's better like the next
day cold.
Doug (40:24):
Oh well, I love that.
I mean, it sounds like the bestdeath row meal ever, but you're
also bringing us into summer,so if somebody has like garden
freshness or great access tothat, uh, I think the idea of
serving it hot or cold could begreat.
Absolutely, Olive.
Thanks so much for the recipeand thank you for being on The
Pittsburgh Dish.
Olive (40:43):
Thank you.
Doug (40:45):
Be sure to visit Olive at her Polish diner Polska Laska in
Sharpsburg.
Do you have a recipe?
Share it with us.
Just visit our website atwwwpittsburghdishcom and look
for our Share a Recipe form.
If you enjoyed the show,consider buying us a coffee for
this episode or supporting theshow monthly.
(41:06):
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
the music to our show.
We'll be back again next weekwith another fresh episode.
(41:29):
Stay tuned.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.