A Weekend at National Harbor

This weekend FunniBonz participated in the DC Metroplitan Food, Libations and Luxury Home Show at the expansive Gaylord Hotel in National Harbor, MD.

Jordan King at Gaylord Hotel

There were so many vendors there including smooth jazz by Bertram McLeish, wines and spirits supplied by Legends, jewelry by Adal Jewelry Designs and Pale Fire Designs, art by J. Bertram White and Matthew Johnston, fashions from Let's Wine and Debra Murray Wearable Art, handbags by Bette's Bags and, of course, several gourmet tastes including FunniBonz Barbeque Sauce. 

Some of our favorites included the white BBQ Sauce varieties from Glenn's Goumet Goodies,

the amazingly versatile gourmet cheeses from Rising Sun Farms (the Key Lime is my absolute favorite!),

The delicious vinegars, sauces and oils from JD Gourmet,

the Southern-style barbeque sauces from Picky Vicki,

and the amazing upscale rice treats from Mallow Munchies.

Antre Lewis of Mallow Munchies with Lauryn King

Throughout the show, Jim joined up with Glenn Coleman of Glenn's Gourmet Goodies for some product demos.  On Saturday they made FunniBonz Sloppy Joe wraps served with Wasabi Bleu Cheese cole slaw and freshly-made SLAP chips.

Jim Barbour and Glenn Coleman

On Sunday they made Barbequed Shrimp with White BBQ Wasabi Grits.  Both dishes were absolutely delicious!

Our table had a non-stop line of customers all day long.  We sampled all-beef meatballs and our famous vegetarian FunniBonz Five Bean Medley. 

Jo Barbour, Darryl King and Lauryn King working the booth.

We even had some extra help when our cousin Sharon Phox popped in and threw on a shirt.  Within a few minutes she was selling like a pro!  Look for her at our next event as well.  She's HIRED!!!

Sharon Phox and Evonne Ellis

Cousins Mark, Theresa and Mark Jr. also came by to support us and enjoy the show.  There's really nothing like the love an support of family!

Theresa King, Darryl King, Mark King Jr. and Mark King Sr.

We made lots of new friends and FunniBonz fans this weekend.  In fact, we made so many fans that we ran out of samples and compltely sold out of sauce.  We are eternally grateful to the area residents of Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC and the surrounding areas that tasted our samples, watched the demos, and love and support us and our products!  Keep spreading the word about FunniBonz to your friends and familes.  And thank you!!!

Special thanks to Tammy, Linda and Sherry for their kindness and patience.  They are the Official FunniBonz Fans of the Week!

Sherry, Tammy and Linda

 

And we'd also like to thank Phyllis and Stacy Pesacov for putting on a GREAT show. 

Jo and Phyllis

See you at the next show!  Harford Live at Ripken Stadium beginning April 24th, 2010!

A Taste of Home Style Foods

The folks at Home Style Foods have given our mom a place of honor.  They posted her recipe for White Chili in their newsletter.  In case you missed it, here it is:

1 pound Home style smoked sausage mild or hot

1 pound ground chicken

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion chopped

4 minced garlic cloves

4 teaspoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon crushed dried Oregano

4 skinned/ boned chicken breast

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

Juice of one lemon

1 Tablespoon lemon pepper

1 4- can chili peppers undrained

4 Cans Great Northern beans

4 9-oz packages of white shoepeg corn

Salt and pepper to taste

Shredded Monterey Jack cheese

4 stalks sliced green onions

Cook and stir onion, garlic, cumin, oregano in olive oil in large skillet until onion is tender. Brown ground chicken and pour off fat and set aside. Separate chicken breast and cut into 1 inch pieces. Add ground chicken, sausage and chicken breast to large sauce pan and add onion mixture. Add chicken broth and the rest of ingredients except cheese. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover simmer 40 to 50 minutes

Serve with Shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese, green onions and Grandma's Cornbread. http://www.grandmascornbread.com/

Yield 8-12 servings

Jo's White Chili was submitted by Jo Barbour of FunniBonz BBQ Sauce. http://www.funnibonz.com/

They're always looking for great ideas for the spring time grilling season. Share yours and if selected they will include it in their newsletter as well.

Remember good food is "Food for the Soul"

http://www.homestyle-foods.com/

If you don't already have some at home, you can pick up your Home Style pork and turkey products at these fine stores:

 Special thanks to Dave Martin for all of his love and support of FunniBonz!

Demo Weekend to Kick Off Summer Season!

In spite of all of the excessive snow we've had on the East Coast and the soaking rains on the West Coast, Summer is always, inevitably, around the corner.  This weekend, as we Spring our clocks ahead, we are reminded that warmer weather is on the way.  And what better way to is there to celebrate the warmer weather than a barbeque on your back deck surrounded by friends and family?

FunniBonz is here to make sure that all of your barbeque events are a blast to attend and the talk of the town for weeks afterward. (But in a good way!  Not in a "could you believe Uncle Ulysses wore that ridiculous hairpiece?" kind of way!) 

Haven't tried FunniBonz yet?  We're giving you lots of opportunities this weekend.

Funnibonz will be at ShopRite in Marlton with free samples for all that happen by. 

We will also be at Corrado's in Clifton, NJ and at Whole Foods in Union, NJ.  Stop in, say "Hi" to the FunniBonz Street Team and even take a picture or two, if you'd like.  If you send them to us, we'll post them on our website!

So, ignore the impending rain!  Make a stand!  Demand your Summer right now and come to a FunniBonz demo near you!  Can't wait to see you there!

Winter Slow Food Market at Tre Piani

On Sunday, February 28, FunniBonz participated in the Slow Food of Central Jersey indoor Farmer's Market.  The event took place on the top two floors of the gorgeous Tre Piani Restaurant at Princeton's Forrestal Village Shopping mecca.  Live music from John Henry Goldman and his Straight Jazz Ensemble permeated the entire restaurant as local and sustainable vendors sampled their wares to passers-by. 

The Hopewell Valley Vineyards, from Pennington, NJ were a favorite of ours, namely due to the Pinot Grigio that they make.  Proceeds from sales of this wine are dedicated to Autism Research which is a cause that is very near and dear to our hearts.

Hopewell Valley's 2008 Pinot Grigio supports Autism Research

We also met Nicole and Jeff from Simply Nic's Specialty Foods.  They handmake wonderfully unusual and daringly original shortbread bars which include flavors such as Rosemary, Lavender and Cardamom-Candied Ginger.  With their delicate artisian flavors, these aren't cookies you'll want to share with the kiddies.  These are "curl up with a hot cup of tea and a good book" cookies. 

Look for this heart-shaped logo on packages in local places around Central Jersey including Princeton's Whole Earth Center and Lawrenceville's Cherry Grove Farm.   You can also purchase them online.

 

Nicole Wilkins Bergman and Jeff Bergman of Simply Nic's with Jo Barbour of FunniBonz.

To learn more, check out this great article about Nicole and her endeavor with other working moms in this U.S.1 article about Cooperative Kitchen.

We made another friend in Catherine Perry of Catherine's Vegan Sweets.  If the word "vegan" sounds scary to you, my fellow barbeque sauce lovers, don't be afraid.  Catherine's dairy-free sweets will make a believer out of you.   

Vegan Baker Catherine Perry with Jo Barbour of FunniBonz

Don't let the fact that she doesn't use and milk, butter or eggs in her baking fool you... or rather, DO let them fool you.  Because her confections are DELICIOUS!!  You will never miss a thing while you snack on a pumpkin spice cupcake or cranberry oatmeal nut whoopie pie. 

Catherine makes her confections to order so shoot on over to her website, call her at (609) 977-7329 or send her an email to talk about all of the possibilities of "quality" vegan baking!

We made a few other friends, too including Ian MacDonald of Cherry Grove Farm and some great folks from Valley Shepherd Creamery based in Long Valley, Morris County, NJ.   Both farms offer wonderful, farm fresh cheeses to please any palate.

And of course, Terhune Orchards topped their famous apple cider and donuts with mouthwateringly fresh guacamole and salsa.  Yum!

Jo and Jim spent the day sampling the sauces, including our new Sweet and Tangy Mustard sauce scheduled to launch this month.  Customers seemed to really like it and we are really excited about the upcoming new release.

All in all it was a great afternoon.  If you missed it, never fear.  Look for us, and many of these vendors, at the West Windsor Farmer's Market beginning in May.  Hope to see you there. 

How to Make FunniBonz Chili

Here on the East Coast, Old Man Winter has been having a field day.  As I watch the snowflakes fall outside my window this morning (again!), I realize, "This would be a great day for FunniBonz Chili!"

So, here's a step-by-step guide to show you how easy it can be to make great homemade chili with the help of your favorite FunniBonz Barbeque sauce.  The great thing about chili is that you don't need measurements;  everything works according to your personal tastes.  Don't be afraid to experiment with seasonings, flavors and ingredients.

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1) Brown one pound of ground beef (of course you can also use ground turkey or add in bulk sausage as well, if you prefer!) in a large pot or dutch oven.

2) Once meat is browned all the way through, drain and discard all fats from the pot. 

3) Add diced peppers, onions and celery as desired. 

4)  Mix vegetables through and sauté for a few minutes. 

5)  Add in one can of crushed tomatos and mix well.

6)  Add in a can of diced tomatoes.  I usally prefer the Italian-style with basil and onion.  Stir well.

7) Add in two beef bouillon cubes and mix well.  These will gradually melt into the chili and add a burst of additional flavor.  This would also be a great time to add in a can of mushrooms, if you desire, with liquid. I also like to add in a few washed and hand-torn celery leaves. They are absolutely delicious in chili.
 

8) Add in about three tablespoons of FunniBonz Spicy sauce.  Doesn't seem like a lot but this adds lots of additional spices and flavors and just a little touch of sweetness. (Add more later or use FunniBonz Fiery Chipotle for some extra spice!)

9) Add in two cans of any beans that your prefer.  Here we used light red kidney beans and black beans.  Do not drain before adding; the bean starch adds flavor and consistency to the chili.  Mix thoroughly.

10)  Cover pot, set temperature to low and let simmer for as long as possible but no less than 30 minutes.  This gives ingredients time to merge and blend.  Don’t be afraid to taste along the way to see if there is anything else that your chili needs before serving.

11) Congratulations!  You've successfully made a delicious, winter-fighting pot of FunniBonz Chili! 

Enjoy with your favorite shredded cheese, grated parmesan, sour cream and tortilla chips, or over a bowl of steaming white rice! Can’t you just taste it now?

Your Top Five FunniBonz Show Questions Answered

We have the honor of meeting hundreds of people at every show - most of them are new to the FunniBonz experience and, of course, we end up hearing the same questions over and over again.  So, to satisfy those curiosities, here are the answers to the most often asked questions from our customers:

1)  How spicy is Spicy? 

This is our most often asked question when we offer samples of FunniBonz Spicy sauce to new potential customers.  And, of course, the answer is completely subjective.  If you like spicy food, it's perfect.  It starts out sweet, rises to a warm and tingly crescendo and then levels out without ever geting "too spicy." It's all about the flavor, not about the "burn." 

If you have a super sensitive tongue, you may want to stick with FunniBonz Original.  It still has some kick but has a sweet and mild aftertaste that your palate will just love.  And this is a favorite among the kids.  It's the best way we've found to get them to eat those pork chops! 

For those of you that like it when that Spicy kick lasts past the end of the meal, you will love the FunniBonz Fiery Chipotle.  It will be on store shelves by mid-March.  If you don't see it next to the regular FunniBonz in your local store, ask for it!

2)  How do you make your FunniBonz Five Bean Medley?
This is (almost literally) the World's Easiest Recipe.  Here's what you do:
At the store, select five cans of your favorite types of beans.  At past shows we have used black beans, pink beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, cannelini beans, kidney beans (light or dark), navy beans, lima beans, butter beans and even black eyed peas.

Drain all of the cans into a single collander and rinse the beans with cold water.  Put into a pot on your stove.  Add sauce to your taste and mix well.  Warm through.  Serve.

Of course, you can aways kick up your beans by adding in chopped onions, peppers, crumbled bacon or diced jalapenos or tomatoes and by letting the beans simmer slowly for a while, just to give the flavors time to blend. But that's completely up to you.  Really - feel free to make it your own!  You can't mess this one up!

And you can always click HERE to see our step-by-step demo.

How easy was that!?!  :-)

Special thanks to our friend Chef Diane Henderiks for the fancy dish name. :-)

3)  Where are you really from?
We know it's hard to believe that great barbeque sauce can come from New Jersey but it's the truth. 

Admittedly, Jim did go to college in Greensboro, North Carolina, however his inspiration for this creation came from grilling on the back deck with his Dad, business partner and brother in law right in West Windsor, New Jersey. 

So yes, we are really from New Jersey and we hope to eventually be the ones to put Jersey on the map for great barbeque sauce!

4)  How long have you been in business?
We are still a fledgling company.  We've been incorporated since June 2008 and have been on store shelves since January of 2009.  We are always grateful to Jack's Corner Market in East Brunswick for giving us a chance and to the folks at Pennington Quality Market for letting us do demo after demo in their awesome store and and all of the residents in Pennington, NJ for their unwavering support when we were just getting started.

5)  Where else can I get FunniBonz besides this show?
On the East Coast, FunniBonz can be found in almost 200 stores from Connectcut through the mid-Atlantic region and down to Georgia.  We are also in The GrapeVine Cottage in Zionsville, IN and Joe's Parkway Market in Bozeman, MT.   And if you are lucky enough to have tickets to the 2010 Olympics, you can pick up a jar or two at Market Meats in Vancouver, BC, Canada. 

To find the location nearest to you, simply log on to our Store Locator page, type in your zip code and the nearest location will be at the top of the list right along with a convient map of the area. 

We will be expanding to all of the Whole Foods locations in the Mid-Atlantic region by mid-March. We will also be adding a new store to our list of business partners.  You will be able to find FunniBonz Barbeque Sauces in all 92 of The Fresh Market locations by the end of March.


We hope we were able to answer some of your burning questions.  If you have any more, feel free to reply to this blog and we will try to get all of your questions answered.


See you at the next show!

FunniBonz on Sale!

We've spotted FunniBonz Original and FunniBonz Spicy on sale!! 

Stop by Joe Canal's Discount Liquor Store on Route 73 in Marlton, NJ.  They are selling FunniBonz for a remarkable $3.99 a jar.  That's the lowest price around!  Be sure to stop in and get yours before they are all gone!