Woof, Whinny and Yum

  

What Michelle Heinz, a law student with some big vet bills, is doing has so many different kinds of good going on that I hardly know where to start talking about it. Her Chardon based side business is called  Wasted! Bakery. She makes healthy treats for dogs, horses and humans.   The project started when she needed extra money to take care of her rescue dog Diego. Now she supports multiple animals (as well as herself). She uses spent grains from local brewers and distillers as her base ingredient, stuff that would normally end up as trash. But for her, it's pure gold.
   "It's really healthy," Michelle explains to me. "The process of producing alcohol releases the sugars in the grains and replaces them with protein molecules."

  The puppies get combos like pumpkin and parsley or sweet potato and basil; for the ponies it's molasses clusters and applesauce bark. People can indulge in bourbon browns and peanut butter cookies. Her four footed pets, boyfriend and family are willing taste testers.
 Eventually she hopes to have her own store. But for now, catch her and Wasted! Bakery's wares at The Taste of Chardon on Jan 31.  Everything can also be ordered any time by email or phone.

Bourbon, Sweets and Eats

Cleveland Whiskey, a locally bottled spirit that get's age on it in a super fast, ultra-secret process that I wrote about last February, has its fans and its critics. Fortune came in on the enthusiastic side including the distillery's Christmas Bourbon in the magazine's list of 11gifts for alcohol drinkers for 2014. If you don't have an opinion yet, try it for yourself Saturday, December 6 at Cleveland Whiskey's Holiday Open House, from noon to 6 PM.

 It's an opportunity to sample (and buy) all three versions of their product and cocktails made with them, and indulge in bourbon infused goodies: chocolates from Fear's Confections; ice cream from Mason's Creamery; cupcakes made by A Cupcake a Day; and brownies from Wasted! Bakery. The Nosh Box Food Truck will be stationed outside from 1-4 PM, offering sandwiches and tater tots with an optional splash of Bent Bourbon Sauce made with Cleveland Whiskey.

 There will be a free-to-enter raffle, gifts for purchases of $100 and $120 (while supplies last ), and a complimentary pulled pork slider from the truck for those who pony up for a bottle of Cleveland Christmas Bourbon or Black Reserve Bourbon.

The party's inside the Magnet Building (1768 East 25th Street) with parking available at no charge in Lot #56 on East 24th. Cheers!