Moose Maple Butter - Travels for Taste

Young Entrepreneur Farrah shares how MOOSE MAPLE BUTTER was conceived- in her first-ever Interview.

July 26, 2013 by manjirichitnis 12 Comments

This is the first ever interview Farrah has given, she confessed, when we spoke over the phone trying to decide where we could meet. I told her that I would promise to keep it simple and conversational and I am so glad we spoke like long-lost friends exchanging ideas and chatting away. We decided on a beautiful pub called The Bolingbroke in Battersea and it was a hot, summer evening with the sunlight streaming in through open doors onto thick wooden tables.

Farrah is an especially inspiring person to meet; she seems to emit these waves of positivity around her in tiny, invisible bubbles; landing on me, they made me feel as if I could win any war I wanted to.

A high-flying lawyer by profession, Farrah divides her time between New York and London; and when she isn’t acting as legal counsel to some very big names, she is busy in her home kitchen making an extremely delicious spread called Moose Maple Butter. And yes, the recipe is a secret!

Read on to find out how she came about making this heavenly tasting, pure, wholesome goodness of butter.

(As it goes with my interviews, we shall refer to me as MJ and to my new-found friend as FM short for Farrah ‘’Moose’’; MMB is short for Moose Maple Butter)

MJ: What inspired you to create this amazing new product?

FM: Soon after a detox in France, where I spent a few weeks learning about healthy eating habits and especially learning to avoid “added sugar’’ in my diet, I was in New York for work and having breakfast at a hotel. I was looking for something sweet to spread on my already buttered, hot toast but I wanted to avoid added sugar at any cost. The jam and chocolate spread options available on the table were all laden with sugars and other artificial nasties that I really wanted to avoid! Finally, and really through a lack of choice and an insatiable desire for a sweet taste that morning, I poured some of the organic maple syrup – on the table for pancakes – over my toast. It was that ‘’Eureka’’ moment, coupled with the fact that I couldn’t find maple butter to buy in any shops, either Stateside or in England, that prompted me to experiment at home until I came up with my current recipe for Moose Maple Butter.

MJ: Great! That’s an interesting and ever so creative way to make a whole new product. Now for my old favourite trusted question, why the name Moose?

FM (With a big smile) Well I have to admit, even though it’s probably going to make me sound a bit odd, that I have been obsessed with moose for years. I have moose things everywhere! I was doodling for the maple butter logo and cute, funny images of moose kept appearing … Moose Maple Butter just seemed a natural choice, especially as there are generally moose around where maple syrup is produced!

MJ: I must mention here that Farrah has the most beautiful and neat handwriting I have ever seen and her notebook has beautiful doodles, hardly doodles really, but neat, cartoon creations of a moose which ultimately became her logo, I even managed to get this quick picture of her final drawing that is now her officially registered logo. I love it. The little black doodle near the jar at the bottom of the page is the moose’s nose; talk about perfection and practice!

MJ: So now that you have created this wonderfull product and christened it, what happens next?

FM: Well, I have only just had the brand and logo registered, both in Europe and the US, so I now feel confident about getting Moose Maple Butter out there to as many people as I can! It’s a brand awareness campaign in full swing from now until November this year, when hopefully you’ll find Moose Maple Butter on the shelves of supermarkets!

MJ: Wow, that’s good news, pity you can’t give away any names (naughty smile). Any other ways of promoting MMB then? (Moose Maple Butter = MMB)

FM: Yes! I am looking at actively promoting MMB at various food fairs, events and festivals in the run up to November. As you know, I had a stand and basically introduced MMB, at the recently concluded Food Blogger Connect (FBC5). That was wonderful for MMB! I’m so glad they found me.

(Heck, so am I Farrah, or I wouldn’t have met you and would have lived my life not knowing Maple Butter existed! No way!)

MJ: Tell me more about your ‘’Eureka’’ moment and what followed.

FM: Initially, I was really only making Moose Maple Butter for family and friends and then also supplying, on request, to family and friends of friends! Everyone kept asking for more and where they could buy it and it all got me thinking! Every time I had kids over at home, I had a little ‘’tasting’’ session and would lay out hot toast slathered with my maple butter spread along with some toast with chocolate spread on it and some with the usual butter and jam. It was always reassuring to see ALL the toast with Moose Maple Butter being gobbled up in comparison to the other offerings! That, along with lots of encouragement from everyone around me, gave me the shove I needed to sell Moose Maple Butter at a few of last year’s school Christmas fairs, in London and Los Angeles (Farrah’s second home). I have been flooded with requests ever since from a rapidly growing group of mothers and fathers alike and have been selling tubs of MMB ever since.

Of course there are all the not-so-fun things to deal with, like premises inspections and registrations and food hygiene certification and all the rest! I was so relieved when the local council left very impressed with my clean and shiny, brand-new kitchen! I think I have a bit of an obsession on the cleanliness side!

(Farrah: I totally agree – I am sure I have cleanliness OCD geee)

MJ: I notice you have a very nicely done Facebook Page for Moose Maple Butter, I love it!

FM: Thank you! I love sharing art work done by my little fans who send me their pictures. You will see quite a lot of creative ones on the page. Of late, a lot of food bloggers have asked me for samples too and have created so many beautiful and delicious recipes.

Any recipe that calls for butter and sugar is a possible one for using Moose Maple Butter instead and results in a more wholesome but equally tasty outcome!

MJ: How does MMB compare to butter and spreads in its nutritional content?

FM: I am so glad you asked this question! MMB in comparison to say a chocolate spread is much more well ‘’spreadable’’ and hence you use up much less than say a thick peanut butter. Since I only use purely organic Maple Syrup at all times, what you get is much more taste with very little MMB.

So in the case of Moose Maple Butter a little goes a long way!

So everyone looking for any alternate spread, especially to chocolate spread, Moose Maple Butter it is!

I must say I agree with Farrah here, my first bite of Maple Butter was enough to make me fall madly in love with this new find – Hook, Line and Sinker if you will!

To put this into perspective:

10 gms of average chocolate spread = 53 calories and one needs at least 30gms to properly cover one slice of toast, whereas only 10 gms of Moose Maple Butter will go a long way on that same one slice of toast! Brilliant! And tasty!

close up MMB close up shot with table details

MJ: So if I was to ask about the shelf life and nutritional contents of Moose Maple Butter what would you say?

FM: I have currently given samples of MMB to Eclipse Scien tific who will provide me with an accurate analysis of the exact shelf life and the precise nutrient content. But like any butter, it needs to be kept refrigerated.

Moose Maple Butter has no artificial additives; it has no E numbers, nothing. It is absolutely nothing but pure fresh butter and pure grade A maple syrup – with a dash of sea salt. It is a superb alternative to processed sugar-laden products. It is a great, quick and easy breakfast option and just melts into the grooves of a hot crumpet and is of course best paired with pancakes.

Wow! That mention of hot crumpets makes me want to quickly grab hold of those cute sample jars from the table and run home for some tea and crumpet time. But to avoid such madness Farrah has kindly agreed to part with a large pot of Moose Maple Butter just for me to sample and make something delicious out of! So folks watch this space, in a few days you will see some delicious recipe posted on my blog Travelsfortaste with Moose Maple Butter as the divine ingredient.

MJ: What would you like to make of this new venture Farrah? Or put it plainly where do you see yourself in 5 years time

FM: I’d just love to see Moose Maple Butter become a household name. I think the biggest kick would be when some kid I don’t know asks me if I’ve ever had Moose Maple Butter – that would be a great moment.

Our conversation becomes something of a friendly banter. The glorious sunshine refuses to go away but the shadows have shifted. The pub is filled with loads of families, kids running around; there is a buzz of activity. The usual lone ranger, armed with a net book and ale, occupies the table opposite us and looks down on me with disdain as I take some snaps of the cute jars.

(Image below is a picture of Farrah – the creator of Moose Maple Butter)

I hate to tear myself away from this happy pub and evening chat but the promise of a dinner and movie by the hubby beckon.

Just realised that, of all the entrepreneurs I have met so far, 4 in all including Farrah, three of these entrepreneurs had never been interviewed before!

(To read the older blog posts with these inspiring entrepreneurial stories just click on the links below:

I am sure Farrah is as excited as I am if not more,about her first ever interview where she has shared her story and how Moose Maple Butter was born. Now can’t wait to use her creation in my home kitchen!

Apart from the fair amount of persuasion it took to meet the two first time interviewees in India, I must admit that the one common thing amongst ALL entrepreneurs is their humility and their generosity to share their dreams, a few apprehensions and most of all, their time. I cannot thank you all enough.

Do leave your thoughts and comments about this interview and while you are at it, spread the MOOSE!

Say Hello to MOOSE at: http://www.moosemaple.co.uk/

Find MOOSE on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/MooseMapleButter

Follow MOOSE on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FarrahMoose (@FarrahMoose)

Buy Moose Maple Butter (or pick up a free sample) at The Petal Pusher in Kew.

Share the MOOSE folks!

Notes from Food Blogger Connect -FBC’5

July 22, 2013 by manjirichitnis 20 Comments

I wanted to write this as soon as FBC’5 was done, didn’t want to wait a whole year to write a ”this week last year” piece like I did for last years blogger connect;) Well that’s one of the things that happens when you meet so many like minded foodies, they inspire you! Am going to try and add some snippets of each day here, hope they take you on a journey of sorts.

Day1 #FBC5:

High on excitement and anticipation we all meet What better way to kick start the foodie bloggy weekend than with a Food Photography Workshop with Penny De Los Santos, an award wining internationally photographer (to quote from her website) from across the pond. Pennys workshop really gave me insight on how to use light and I loved the way we could go clickety click and try our hand at different angels and all the while resist the temptation to eat the food beautifully styled by the gorgeous Emily Jonzen. I had a mini shock after the photography session was done as there was a large crowd of all the lovely bloggers who had assembled in the beautiful venue Battersea Arts Centre and were already well connecting. One thing that really came out strongly at this years Food Blogger Connect was the feeling of community , after all FOOD is a great conversation starter! Other highlights of the Day 1 were the panel discussions with David Lebovitz and Niam of food and travel blog Eat Like a Girl. Niamh took us through a virtual tour of Canada alongwith Nim from the Canadian Travel Commission, am certainly hoping I can go there someday soon just to have the beers which have some very shall we say ”creative” names,Sparkling Ice Wine and of course Poutine.

Aoife Cox of The Daily Spud gave a an entertaining insight into how to create a niche blog by thinking creative .
My Takeaway from the speakers of Day1 #FBC5
David Lebovitz – ”Explore your Flaws”
Karen Burns Booth on getting Published in magazines ” Develop a niche and make your recipes stand apart from the rest”

Ate sushi with a twist from Dorshi Sushi who use pearl barley , now my mum would love to hear that, she’s been big on the benefits of Pearl Barley for years now! love how they use unusual ingredients and create Asian flavours, the horseradish dip was packed a powerfull punch high on taste.

Absolutely drool worthy cheese counter from La Fromagerie had one exotic cheese called Picos de Europa (Valdeon) ,described by their team as: ”Cow’s milk blue cheese covered in vine leaves, with Goat’s milk added at times of year when it is more readily available. A rich and creamy cheese with well spread blue moulds and a tangy taste similar to Roquefort.”

(Penny De Los Santos at her Photography Workshop and Emily Jonzen of Leiths School of Food and Wine dressing up plates of food)

How to photograph Meat - food photography workshop

Good Angels for capturing food - food photography workshop

(In the pic above – Day 1 FBC 5 Street Food – Clockwise from Top Left -@LaFromagerieUK cheese to die for , @eatdorshi – Sushi made using pearl barley @Luchito_mexico loved their chilli honey,@pigahic Thai Street Food)

Day 2 #FBC5 :

Power-packed with great speakers, rooms charged with electricity as bloggers ”connect” and Bethany’s book launch – The Jewelled Kitchen Souk. Penny De Los Santos’s session about Food and culture was delight to begin Day 2 with. Listening to Penny speak it took me on a journey through all her many exciting and some dangerous adventure assignments. I loved her pictures with Madhur Jaffery the most. Emily Jonzen’s session on food styling gave us so many valuable useful tips for food styling and presentation.

David Lebovitz’S Speed Blog session created quite a stir! Kerstin @MrsMarmiteLover was a powerhouse speaker, she really has done it all – from Underground farmers market, to working at as a chef at an ”anarchist vegan restaurant” , successfully starting a supper club when it was unheard of and ofcourse writing a blog and a book!The most important she said was how we women need to empower ourselves by ensuring we make a living,she is such a fine example of entrepreneurial spirit ,hats off you ye gutsy lady!

Felt I was back in college with the session of recipe writing by @AlisonBolus, so much to learn! There was very sound advice on Gluten free recipes from Holly of @PureTastePopUp and Adriana of Gluten Free 4 kids.

Some of the food bloggers who have published their own books came forward to share their experiences, I especially loved watching the video created by Juls Kitchen it took me on a Food Journey through Toscana!

On the STReat Party front

The saviour from the hot hot sun was definitely the peppery ice cream by The Peppermongers , I went back for seconds at Luchito Mexico their Honey dip was irresistable! @eddiechillijam thank you for the cute sample bottle am waiting to use in some fresh fish recipe that’s stuck in my head.

@PetitGateau_UK had the most lovely pop up stall and generously shared their sweet treats with us hungry bloggers.

(In the pic above Clockwise from top left to right – @RenBehan put together her Polish Pop Up Stall called My Polish kitchen, Adriama Rabinovitch’s Book Gluten-free 4 kids is displayed with some gluten-free cookies – they were really tasty , the food bloggers mingle during break time, @TerraRossaUK had a pop-up stall for their exquisite Exquisite Arabian products)

(In the pic above Clockwise from top left to right -@PetitGateau_UK , @peppermongers regale us with their wares , @ lidgates Butchery Demo in progress , @eddiechillijam what a superb chillie jame umm! , @Chobani_uk kept us going even in the hot sun with their fat free delights)

The evening was a sparkling event with @Bethanykd and the launch of her first cook book – ” The Jewelled Kitchen”, mega feast with a massive barbecue and lots of wine, it set the mood for a relaxed evening where everyone mingled shared their life and the whole conference like feel of day 1 melted into this big happy college fest kind of gathering.

Superb Barbecue for Bethanys Book Launch

The mood on an upswing, swing in my step I walked to the station with my new found friends.

Tumbling into Day 3: Back to Battersea arts centre, I felt I was going to meet a bunch of pals for a Sunday brunch

Snippets:

Dana who sells Virgin Argan Oil has really helped fan the tiny flame of ideas that sits deep inside and looks for an open window where it can sit and feed it’s desire for oxygen, if I ever turn into an entrepreneur I will never forget all of Dana’s valuable advice!
Dana of @Arganic_UK ”Take a crazy holiday wid fellow foodies,put urself out there, research ur golden business idea”
Regula or @missfoodwise to the world walked us through her world of perfect branding and creating well researched identity
Regula speak: ”If an AD is UGLY, don’t put it on your blog!

On the STReat Party front

@Africanvolcano is the real deal with a tasty filling burger dripping with a mind blowing spicy sauce , I am glad I took bits of chicken and pork in mine!

@FunkyChickenVan loved the van, so vintage.

(David Lebovitz and Bethany share a laugh while they announce the lucky winners of the giveaways)

A blog post about Food Blogger connect would be incomplete with a mention of the bloggers I connected with. It was great catching up with Grace of ‘Alifeunhurried’ again this year, I am glad we are friends, just one day together at FBC last year, you are such a warm person. I have made some really cool buddies, sharing our experiences of creating our food blogs understanding what drew us to blogging and what is it that keeps us going.

Renne of ‘Kitchen Conundrum’ who flew in from NY
Sadia from ‘Baking Elements’ who is a techie geek,a baker , a mum and a part time GP- PHEW !
Morgan from Atlanta,Georgia who blogs at ‘Peaches Please’ (Morgan and her mum flew down from across the pond to be at FBC 5, cool!)
The very sweet Eleni of ‘On Top of Spaghetti’
The lovely blogger from Montreal Andree Ann who blogs at ‘lavoiealabouche’ and like me is a food and travel blogger – Ann you must do that post we talked about – husshh am not mentioning it here!
Petra who blogs at ‘Food Eat Love’
Kelly was another blogger who was very warm and was great meeting her again this year at FBC, I love her blog ‘Kellies Food To Glow’
Jackie Lee thank you so much for the brownies, hubby is still raving about them! Jackie is a Private Caterer and a Pastry Chef and blogs at ‘I am a feeder’. I loved how Jackie has used her logo as a sticker label for branding, good job girl!
Artemis Tsipi who blogs at ‘Wonder Food Land in English’
Carla who blogs at ‘Can be bribed with Food’
Marica it was great talking about Indian Cuisine with you, her blog Cooking with Marica is in Italian , I like her Instagram feed!
Elena the Greek Food Blogger shared her interesting foodie adventures with us, she blogs at ‘Elenas Cooking’
Janie who blogs at ‘Hedgecombers’ has also published her first e-book called Project Egg
It was great fun chatting with Karen who’s blog I’ve been reading for a long time, love her photographs and writing style, her blog if you don’t already know is called ‘Lavendar and Lovage’
Fiona who Blogs at ‘London Unattached’
Danni who blogs at ‘Hungry Healthy Happy’ has an incredible personal journey to share, I am so looking to her for inspiration for weight loss!
The lovely Bintu who blogs at ‘Recipes from a pantry’. She is a mum, works and blogs, how do you do it girl?!
Vanesther’s blog ‘Bangers and Mash’ has great pictures and even better recipes!
Helen who a baker since she was 10 blogs at ‘The Diary of a Cake Maker’
Nayna the veggie blogger who blogs at ‘Simply Food’
Jacqueline, the Scottish vegetarian as she’s called on her blog ‘Tinned Tomatoes’
Louisa who currently blogs at ‘Chez Foti’ soon to become ‘Eat your Veg’
Sylvia who blogs at ‘Happiness is homemade’
Tina’s blog is called The Spicy Pear, how cute a name!

3 whole days of meeting and chatting with food bloggers from all over the world, eating some really tasty food at the street stalls like all good things had to come to an end. Have new personal favourites on the food front – Chobani’s delicious thick strained yogurt which is TOTALLY fat free! Moose’s Maple butter which is super smooth , tasty and spreadable ummm

Some of us bloggers just happened to stroll into this beautiful pub on it’s very first day of business ,it’s just opposite the venue,go check it out someday folks, we were treated to some handmade pasta!

A special Thank you to @JaxCocoUK your coconut water kept me hydrated over the hot summery weekend , to @LavazzaUK for helping me kick start my days with much needed caffeine, I am so NOT a morning person , Grace and Sadia am sure will grin ear to ear when they read this bit ! Also @Tyrells crisps and @Joeandseph posh popcorn for providing munchies for all those in between main meal hunger times 😉 Ofcourse @Chobani_UK made all the sessions just that much more interesting!