Producing in the off season
Family Dinners entrepreneurs, from left, Dani Lundquist, Lucid Roots; Matt Toman, MAK Bread; and Katy Bean, Bean & Pie.
A recent home-delivery meal included broccoli cheddar macaroni and cheese pot pie from Bean & Pie, an apple arugula tarragon salad from Lucid Roots, and country blonde bread with specialty butter made with Jimmy Nardello roasted peppers, from MAK Bread.
A sampling of salads from Lucid Roots.
Lucid Roots salads.
Dani Lundquist of Lucid Roots at a recent farmer’s market. (Courtesy photos)
These entrepreneurs love local. And they deliver.
Offering largely homegrown and regionally produced fresh food, an ambitious group of familiar faces at local farmers markets has joined forces to keep themselves busy—and their loyal customers happy—during the market off-season.
Calling their joint effort “Family Dinners,” the team of business owners is offering freshly prepared meals delivered to doorsteps across Kootenai County.
“It really is a unique idea, providing family meals with food that supports many local farmers and producers in our region,” says Katy Bean, owner of Bean & Pie, a pie business in Coeur d’Alene.
Bean united with fellow Kootenai County Farmers’ Market vendors Dani Lundquist of Lucid Roots, and Matt Toman of MAK Bread to offer the meals on Wednesdays for the next several weeks before the holidays. They may start up again in early 2020 before the farmers’ market season reopens.
It’s the perfect way for the 20- and 30-something business owners to keep busy during the off-season, Bean says.
Aside from the popular Kootenai County Farmers’ Market, which wraps up its season Oct. 19 at Prairie Avenue and U.S. Highway 95, the vendors offer their specialties at the soon-to-close downtown Coeur d’Alene Farmers’ Market on Wednesdays (now closed for the season) and the Liberty Lake Farmers Market, Saturdays through Oct. 12
The Family Dinners business is already booming for the vendors, with more than 40 meals prepared and served during their first Wednesday in operation earlier this month.
While it’s a new endeavor for Bean, Lundquist and Toman did the same thing last winter and say it was a big success.
“Last year, (Lucid Roots) offered a seasonal soup and salad while MAK provided their sourdough bread and a compound butter,” Lundquist said.
“This year, with the three of us, we’re teaming up to offer a weekly menu based on each of our business’s strengths,” she added. “The menu will change from mac and cheese and pot pies by Bean & Pie, to soup and salad dinners from Lucid Roots and a build-your-own-sandwich dinner with fresh bread MAK bread.”
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Family Dinners serve four, are priced at $55 and delivered on Wednesdays to Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, Hayden. To place an order online visit info@beanandpie.com. Each business is also active on social media and orders may be placed there.
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Bean said their fresh meals allow families a night off from cooking, enabling them to gather around the table, slow down and spend time together with a meal.
Toman said the business venture allows him to keep up his profile during the off season while building camaraderie with his marketplace counterparts.
“We each have our own specialty and we have a lot of fun playing off of each others’ talents to develop a menu,” Toman said.
Lundquist said the off-season venture is a great way to stay connected—not just with local market customers, but her fellow vendors.
“It’s fun to collaborate with local companies and stay in touch with our customers when market season is over,” she says.
The Family Dinners businesses:
Bean & Pie. “Our vision is to create amazing pies with local ingredients and flavors that people can enjoy together.” Katy Bean
Lucid Roots. “Our fresh salads, soups and juices are made using organic and local produce and all of our dressings are made from scratch in small batches.” Dani Lundquist
MAK Bread. “All loaves are naturally leavened and hand-shaped. We pride ourselves on using the finest high-quality ingredients.” Matt Toman