Locally crafted spices, coffee beans and pretzels should be on your radar.
by Marilyn Hawkes | Photography by Angelina Aragon
West African Spice Rub
Moving to Arizona from Senegal nearly 15 years ago, Gilberte “GG” Bussey has never stopped cooking with her beloved Senegalese seasonings. While working in a Valley hospital, Bussey often warmed up leftovers for lunch, eliciting favorable comments from co-workers on the aroma of the food. Naturally, they were even more impressed when she offered them a bite. Now a nursing student and new mother, Bussey parlayed the love into a packaged spice rub, GG’s Seasoning ($10). Hidden on the ingredient list – which also includes sea salt, onions, garlic, turmeric, chile de árbol and lemon peel – are Senegalese spices that Bussey isn’t willing to share just yet. Customers have reported sprinkling GG’s concoction over popcorn, green salads and fresh mango, as well as using it in seafood and beef dishes. “The seasoning has no boundaries,” she says. Find GG’s Seasoning online, at farmers markets and at Little Shop of Hot Sauce in Central Phoenix, owned by her husband, Matt Berger.
GG’s Seasoning
ggsseasoning.com
Yellow Spruce Roasters
3902 N. Brown Ave., Scottsdale | 480-590-1935 | yellowspruceroasters.net
Craft Coffee Beans
In early 2020, retired Phoenix police sergeant Brian Fernandez was ready to launch a wholesale coffee business when the coronavirus pandemic shut down many of his potential customers. Regrouping, Fernandez opened his own coffee shop in Old Town Scottsdale the following fall. At Yellow Spruce Roasters, Fernandez serves and sells house-roasted varieties such as Mum’s Dark Roast ($17, 12 oz.), a full-bodied bean with smoky notes; and Brazil ($17.50, 12 oz.), a single-origin roast with rich chocolate and nutty overtones. “We put a lot of tender loving care into our coffee and produce a really good cup,” he says. Out of his North Scottsdale roasting facility, Fernandez also wholesales to coffee shops and businesses around the Valley, sourcing beans from Tanzania, Costa Rica, Sumatra and other coffee-growing regions. Adjacent to the coffee shop, Fernandez also runs a wine bar and café featuring Yellow Spruce espresso martinis.
Pretzel Snacks
Four years ago, Ahwatukee resident Andrew Jerdee launched Gold Dust Pretzels as a companion piece to his other business, Ghost Town Jerky. Jerdee, a Navy veteran and part-time semi-truck driver, debuted the brand with Ranch Dill ($10), using a recipe borrowed from a co-worker’s wife – and his pretzel journey “took off” from there, he says. He has since added six flavors: Chili Lime with Tajín; the capsaicin-forward Reaper; Cinnamon Maple Bacon; Kickin’ Queso (spiked with jalapeño), PB&J ($10); and his latest creation, Strawberry Cheesecake ($12). Spiked with vivid and unique flavor combinations, the sweet and savory pretzels get an A-plus for crunchiness and freshness, as batches are made weekly. “It’s a salty snack, and I’m not shy about seasonings,” Jerdee says, noting that the Reaper, fired up with Scoville-crushing Carolina Reaper chiles, is extremely hot. Coming soon: S’mores, a graham cracker, chocolate and marshmallow mash-up that will surely be a taste-bud treat.
Gold Dust Pretzels
ghosttownjerky.com
