Today is Follow Friday in the “Twitterverse”  so I thought it would be an ideal day to blog about the Neal Brothers.

I met the Neal Brothers (Chris and Peter) back in the early 1990’s at the Good Food Festival. At that time, I was not a food sales rep or a food blogger – just a hungry consumer that was interested in new products! Over the last two decades, I have continued to bump into them and have continued to watch their business grow and grow and grow.

In fact they are celebrating their 25th anniversary and to help them celebrate…I interviewed them!!

Question: What did you do before you launched your own business?

Answer: We were in school, and worked in the summer doing odd jobs and at worked at Wonderland too

Question: What product did you start off with?

Answer: Croutons

Question: What’s your best selling product at the moment?

Answer:  Organic Blue Flax Tortilla Chips and our Corn Salsa

Question: What changes have you seen in the food industry in the last two decades?

Answer: An increase in allergens (gluten free, wheat free etc) and that consumers want healthier options

Question: Do you cook at home?

Answer: Yes!!

Question: Name your favorite restaurant?

Answer: Chris: Scaramouche. Peter: “this could smoke me…can’t just name one”.

Question: Any suggestions for future entrprenuers?

Answer: Chris: Nothing comes easy. Adapt and Persevere.

Answer: Peter: Persevere. Never lose your dream.

I wish the Neal Brothers nothing but the very best as they celebrate this huge milestone. I know I will be a fan for may more years, as they have shown nothing but

genuine kindess to me every single time I bumped into them (no I wasn’t a stalker). Not to mention, they sure do represent an amazing line of food products!

CHEERS!

For Further Info:

Twitter: @NealBrothers

Facebook: www.facebook.com/nealbrothersfoods

I wrote a blog post entry in early December, called My Bucket List for 2012 ,and I’m pleased to announce that I can cross off one of the items. This week, I finally went to Scaramouche to try their famous coconut cream pie. Yay for Vicky!

I went with some twitter friends who are also foodies: @TorontoEats @candicebest @alyssaschwartz @nearafar. Turns out that  3 out of 5 of us, had not tried the coconut cream pie before. #interestingfact

Sadly I did not plan this evening very strategically as I had just had oral surgery at 3:30 and we were meeting at 630 p.m!! This means, that I could not enjoy  an appetizer or a main course or even a glass of wine, however I was permitted to eat coconut cream pie – seeing as it was a really soft food. Me. Smart.

The ever-so-professional, Dr. Jonathan Adam, who performed the procedure, knew that I was panicked about being able to eat the pie at 630 p.m. i.e would the freezing be gone? would I be able to chew? I had a few questions LOL. He was right – I managed a few forkfuls of the coconut cream pie with NO PROBLEM whats-so-ever. I practically shovelled it in. That’s how good the pie was.

Now, there is more that I want to share with you about the coconut cream pie. Here’s a cute story: When I was 13, I went to a camp called Wabikon (on Lake Temagami) and I had three great counsellors that year. One of those counsellors was Joanne Yolles. I had read a few years ago, that Joanne was a pastry chef who had created the EPIC COCONUT CREAM PIE AT SCARAMOUCHE. What a small world.

I wanted to track her down and sure enough one of my foodie friends connected the two of us. She was kind enough to meet  me last summer for a cup of coffee at Ezras Pound. I had not seen here in over 3 decades yet she looked exactly the same. Joanne walked me thru her career and I was just fascinated. What a career and what an incredible legacy she has created with this epic coconut cream pie that has been on the menu at Scaramouche for years and years and years and will continue to be on the menu for years and years and years.

Congratulations Joanne. You were a great camp counsellor and you are a phenomenal pastry chef.

My Bucket List for 2012. Drum Roll..Please.

1. Drive a Volt. I mean how cool would it be to drive a full performance and full speed electric car? Seriously, I want to drive this car not just because it’s cool but because it’s the right thing to do. My next car will not be a gas guzzling car – repeat – will not be a gas guzzling car.

2. Try the Coconut Cream Pie at Scaramouche. It’s about time I order this famous pie. Reservations have been made in early January with four foodie friends. One piece of pie and 4 forks. So technically this will soon be OFF my bucket list. Hooray for me.

3. Try Rowing. I have always wanted to try this sport. I even called the Mississauga Rowing Club but never made it out there last summer. This summer…will be different.

4. Make Risotto. My friend @TheBumpercrop told me she would be happy to help me out as I have “fear of risotto”. LOL

5. Visit Detroit. I have never been before and again it’s time for me to “eat my way thru Trader Joe’s“.

6. Go to a Concert. I’m pathetic. ..have been to only 3 concerts in my life. Bay City Rollers (stop laughing. Please.), Rod Stewart and Dire Straights (in Israel). I think it’s time to change this.

7. Camp out on Island Spirits. Last year I stayed in their eco cabin but this year I want to try camping on this spectacular island.

8. Participate in another half marathon AND a sprint triathlon. Last year, I only did a half marathon but I really miss the challenge of doing a triathlon. See how happy I am in the photo?

9. Use RCI. I have 3 weeks to use and haven’t used it for years. All my weeks have disappeared into Time Share Heaven and I need to fix this.

10. Watch TV more often. Would like to watch tv shows that I hear about all the time and never watch i.e Modern Family, True Blood, and Dexter.