The Pittsburgh Dish

029 Megan McGinnis: Pittsburgh's Cheese Queen

September 01, 2024 • Doug Heilman • Season 1 • Episode 29

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(00:39) Immerse yourself in the captivating world of Megan McGinnis, affectionately known as the Cheese Queen of Pittsburgh, and uncover the secrets behind her charcuterie shop in Mount Oliver. Discover how Megan's passion for local cheeses, foods from women-owned businesses, and her expertise in creating stunning grazing tables has cemented her place in Pittsburgh's culinary scene. Hear her inspiring story as she pivoted from event hosting to opening her cheese shop during the pandemic, embracing her family's endearing nickname and turning it into a brand synonymous with quality and local pride.

(07:22) Explore the deep-rooted partnerships that make Megan’s offerings truly exceptional. By sourcing top-quality products from trusted local vendors like Pleasant Lane Creamery, Batch LLC, Chapel Valley Honey, and Brown Bear Bread, Megan ensures that every charcuterie board is a celebration of Pittsburgh’s finest. 

(13:02) We reflect on the rich heritage of her family's business since 1946, the pioneering McGinnis Sisters Food Stores, and Megan's future vision for creating agro-tourism experiences that aim to connect patrons to local farms and producers. 

(28:10) And if brunch is your scene, you won't want to miss hearing from Alex and Chantal Huff of the Hungry Huffs, who rave about Scratch & Co. in Troy Hill. Plus some home cooking with Ashley Cesaratto in the form of crispy chicken. Join us for a flavorful exploration of Pittsburgh's vibrant local food.

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Doug:

Welcome to the Pittsburgh Dish. I'm your host, Doug Heilman. How is one woman keeping her family's food business legacy alive? We'll hear it all firsthand from the Cheese Queen. Want a brunch spot that's serving up more than the usual fare? The Hungry Huffs stop by to share their experience at Scratch Co. Huff's stopped by to share their experience at Scratch Co. And if you're looking for a flavorful chicken dish that you can cook up at home, we have a recipe from our friend Ashley Cesaratto. All that ahead, stay tuned. Thanks so much for coming over and being on the show. Would you introduce yourself and what you have going on right now in food?

Megan:

Hi, my name is Megan McGinnis. I'm the Cheese Queen Pittsburgh and I have a small little charcuterie shop up in Mount Oliver in Pittsburgh and we are selling cheese out of our shop from local farms. We're selling local foods out of our shop from local farms, we're selling local foods out of my shop and like from all different farms and local businesses, women-owned businesses, and we also have a great grab and go case and we love our catering here in Pittsburgh. You know that thing called grazing tables.

Doug:

Yes.

Megan:

That is what we love. We absolutely love that. And then one more thing, I almost forgot we teach classes.

Doug:

I've been to one of your classes, and aren't they fun. They are so fun and sometimes you pair your class maybe with a local wine purveyor or some other complementary food purveyor that goes with the cheese.

Megan:

Yes, we have a great lineup coming up this fall. We actually are partnering with After Fall Ciders. Have you ever met her?

Doug:

No.

Megan:

Okay, so fun story about her. Her family owns a farm out in Gibsonia and they actually partnered with my family many moons ago.

Doug:

And we're going to talk about your family. Yes, coming up.

Megan:

Yeah, I can't wait because I love sharing bits and pieces about my family, but I'll be partnering with her. And then Chef Alekka, I have a class coming up. She's going to teach knife skills.

Doug:

We love Chef Aleka.

Megan:

I do too. Oh my gosh, is she a hoot?

Doug:

She is the best, she is the best and she's a force.

Megan:

I know A force and she's coming to teach knife skills. I'm going to teach how to put a charcuterie board together after she teaches you those knife skills with cutting down everything I mean how fun and fantastic. I feel like people when they're cooking in the kitchen. They really need to figure out knife skills.

Doug:

Yeah, it's a thing, it's a basic thing.

Megan:

And even just knowing if you have a sharp knife or not, let alone having this whole knife block. That can be intimidating, I'm not sure, if you've seen our skeleton grazing tables, that we do, and then we do skeleton boards. But the class, that class, you'll put on your witch's hat and you'll decorate that board.

Doug:

I love it. So you have a very jam-packed late summer into fall already.

Megan:

Yes, and then in November and December we'll be gearing up for holiday.

Doug:

Wow, so I'm just going to interject here. What looks like a small little boutique is like more than meets the eye, so to speak with all the catering and all the classes and everyone that you're partnering with. I just love it. And I have to also say the name the Cheese Queen has got to be some of the best marketing ever.

Doug:

Thank you your logo, all of it. How did you come up with that? I mean, was that just sort of no brainer, or did you think on that for a while my family used to call me the cheese queen.

Megan:

Oh, okay, and when we closed our businesses back in 2018, I took a little break. I had my daughter. I turned 40. Oh, and then COVID hit three days later yeah, okay. So I was kind of getting ready to start a different business. It was going to be called Celebrations by Megan McGinnis. And that was going to be almost like a cocktail party, small kind of party planner.

Megan:

Yeah, do things in your house or just smaller events when I would pop up and I would kind of be like your hired hostess, Doug, where I would take out your trash. I'd meet your guests at the door, I would take out your trash, I'd meet your guests at the door. I would do all those kinds of things Cause I love hosting. That's what I loved. I love hosting at home and I'm hosting you in my shop when you're there. You know you've been there Exactly.

Megan:

So, uh, with COVID there was no events. So I was just very positive. I kept telling my husband it's going to be okay, it's going to be okay. I had all my marketing, all my venue for my launch party, everything picked out, and then it just nothing was happening.

Doug:

Right there were not going to be any in-person parties. I mean, the best you could do was like a zoom call cocktail hour.

Megan:

Yes, and those are fun, those were fun, those were fun.

Doug:

But I'd rather do in person.

Megan:

Me too, Me too, Uh, so decided I talked to my husband the day after Thanksgiving. He just we were living on one unemployment check. He works for the Fairmont Pittsburgh. They took the pandemic very serious. He was off of work for quite some time. So then I just shift and pivoted overnight and I started the Cheese Queen Pittsburgh.

Doug:

I think it's probably the best pivot ever.

Megan:

It is. And you know what is funny? It came from my employees because I worked for my aunts at McGinnis sisters. They called me the cheese queen because you worked the cheese counter. I was just, I was the cheese buyer and I was the specialty grocery buyer, which comes back to what my store is kind of like and and partnering with those local farms and those local businesses, and I also love cheese.

Doug:

I love cheese as well and I had, specifically I have had, several of the cheeses you carry. They're all from local, mostly PA, farms. I do want to talk a little bit more about some of the things that I know you for. I do know you for the classes and the charcuterie boards and some of your catering events, but also, if someone were to stop in, you have these really cute things called the adult lunchable right. Yes, can you tell our listeners, if they don't have any idea, what that is? What's an adult lunchable?

Megan:

So the adult lunchable is our spin on an adult charcuterie board, but it's in a smaller version. We wanted to give someone if they come in as a single and they just need to have a little date night with themselves or say they're having a couple friends over, we have different sizes and we just give you all the local cheeses in a box. We focus on local with these adult Lunchables. We focus on the pairings with being local and it's just the cutest little thing. So it just has three to four cheeses in our large. Then you're getting two meats that would pair and then you get all those accompaniments that we can put in there like fruits and veggies.

Megan:

We put a jam and jelly in there, we have honey in there. Sometimes we spice it up and we put, like, maybe, a little Greek bean salad that we made like in a little cup, like nice little fun things that you can just have.

Doug:

And mostly all of these things are still from local folks, right Like the honey and the jams and all of that. So we should talk about that too. Let's talk about some of the purveyors or the partners. I'm sure you have a lot of partners in cheese, but you have others. Can you sort of give us the short list of some of your absolute favorites?

Megan:

My first vendor that I worked with was the girls from Batch.

Doug:

Jess and Meg Saxonburg.

Megan:

I've met them. They're great. They are so fantastic. They do an amazing job. They're grab and go case. I suggest anybody to take a trip up there and just to kind of shop through their shop and their store and they partner with a lot of local is what. I love Like right now they're focusing their menus, are focusing on local produce, and I love that about that. And you're never going to leave there. I had a soup a couple months ago when I went there a gazpacho. I almost died.

Doug:

Worth the trip up 28.

Megan:

Yeah.

Megan:

And then you can kind of shop the town. There's a winery across the street there's a coffee shop.

Megan:

It's a great drive but they were my very first vendor and I'm so thankful for them and I'm very loyal to them for my jams and jellies thankful for them and I'm very loyal to them for my jams and jellies. They just put out a superior product because I'm not only supporting other women owned or local businesses but I trust I call them my trusted partners because I trust that they're giving my customers just like you, doug, the quality that I'm providing you through charcuterie.

Doug:

I love that. Who else is a trusted partner, maybe in the cheese realm?

Megan:

I will have to say I'm very proud of Pleasant Lane Creamery right now.

Doug:

Yes, didn't they just win? Yes, a bunch of awards.

Megan:

A bunch of awards in the American Cheese Society. I am so proud of them. I was supposed to attend that seminar and I didn't get to but next year I will be there. I'm so proud of them and I didn't get to, but next year I will be there. I'm so proud of them.

Doug:

Yeah, they have such. I tried several of their cheeses at Say Cheese.

Megan:

Yes, by.

Doug:

Good Taste Pittsburgh and incredible, definitely award-winning cheeses.

Megan:

Yes, and what's really great, and people don't understand really how Pennsylvania has some of the best local cheese farms in the United States. Right, we are killing it. We are killing it. Where is Pleasant Lane located, latrobe?

Doug:

That's right.

Megan:

And you have your goat rodeo, I mean.

Doug:

Yeah, I mean they've been around. They're doing phenomenal stuff. Anybody else that you really love?

Megan:

Firefly Farms Creamery.

Doug:

Okay, where are they?

Megan:

They are right up by Deep Creek, Maryland. Oh yeah, so they're still considered local, because things are considered local in Ohio and Maryland if they're so far from the PA border.

Doug:

Right, right.

Megan:

They actually have a little grocer store up in Deep Creek. You could go in there for wine. You can go in there and get a charcuterie board with their delicious cheeses. But they really, really I mean their cheeses are amazing. They have cow's milk cheese and goat milk cheese. I'm going to take a tour of their farm very soon. I'm very excited about that.

Doug:

Fun. Yeah, I love that you're going out to actually see your partner, what's happening there, and it gives you the credibility like, hey, I've been there, I know what the operation looks like too.

Megan:

Yes, I would like to start my own tour, maybe, and take people to little farms. A little agro-tourism, I think people are all about experiences now, and outdoor experiences or day trips Come with a cheese queen. What a great idea, right?

Doug:

Let's do it, I know All right, before we step away, any other partners that you want to give a shout out to?

Megan:

I would have to say Michelle Wright, WTAE.

Doug:

Oh she does the honey right the honey.

Megan:

Chapel Valley Honey. I would have to say her honey is fantastic. Amazing Brown Bear Bread.

Doug:

Oh yeah.

Megan:

You know we love Kate and team their bread. Our sandwiches are on their bread on their bread and we sell their bread and shop for those people that are locally around bon oliver and I'm at washington and those areas they can get their bread.

Megan:

Um, I would have to say to armful flowers. Oh yeah, she, kelly's been my friend for a very long time. Um, her florals are decorated on our boards, we sell her florals in our shop and our grazing tables are filled with those accents at all times. I mean you can, it's the finishing touch.

Doug:

It is. I mean flowers. Really take things to the next level Edible flowers.

Megan:

She has grown for me too, which is great. Also, would have to say one more um Ripepi winery Janelle, oh yes. Um, she comes to all my classes, puts on it, has a great experience with sampling wines. We do cheese pairings. Her and her dad run such a wonderful winery. It's just a fantastic place and they do such a great job with PA wines because, people have a perception of PA wines. They think they're not very good, but their wines are delicious and great Can change that bias that people might have right. Yes.

Doug:

All right, megan, I'm sure there are others that we're not there are so many we could take the whole show.

Megan:

So if we didn't mention you I know because I love local so much. Don't blame Megan, blame me, we're going to move on to another topic.

Doug:

I'm so sorry, friends. Well, here's what I love. I love what you're doing in your business. Is that whole supporting local, promoting local, educating other folks about that, while you're doing your own talented thing yourself. And so I want to take a step back and I want to talk a little bit more about your roots in the food world.

Megan:

Sure no-transcript.

Doug:

So, megan, I think I would like to have you maybe give us a little history lesson on your family, if folks are not familiar with McGinnis, sisters or even going a little further back. Could you give us the cliff notes on what your family has done to bring gourmet and other local food like that into the scene over the years?

Megan:

Sure, so my grandfather started the business in 1946.

Doug:

And was that over in Baldwin area? Yes, in Baldwin on.

Megan:

Custard.

Megan:

Avenue.

Megan:

He started his shop. Actually, he started across the street at a gas station.

Doug:

Oh, wow.

Megan:

And he started with a fruit stand.

Doug:

Oh.

Megan:

And then he sold Christmas trees, oh, wow, okay. Then he went into his brick and mortar and that is where Party Line Catering is today.

Doug:

Okay, okay, so something is still in there.

Megan:

Yes, yeah, and my grandmother used to make all of the homemade salads in her kitchen when it was allowed to back in the day.

Doug:

Yeah, we're back in 1946 in that area. Yeah, very different.

Megan:

And she would walk them up through the yard, up over the hill, with eight kids behind her oh my goodness and deliver all these wonderful things that we became famous for, yeah, like the potato salad and the macaroni salad, and all the the pink fruit dip that I sell today in my shop. And all of these things with these kids trailing behind her, one by one, probably a baby on her hip.

Doug:

Just to clarify, they had eight kids Eight, and your dad is one of them.

Megan:

My dad is one of them. Yes, pat McGinnis, pat.

Doug:

Okay, and then let's kind of bump forward specifically three of the sisters.

Megan:

Bonnie Noreen and Sharon.

Doug:

They became the McGinnis sisters.

Megan:

Yes.

Doug:

And ultimately opened three grocery stores in the region. Yes, right, do you recall when the first one became McGinnis sisters?

Megan:

I think it was in the 80s.

Doug:

Yeah.

Megan:

I think 1982, 83 maybe.

Doug:

I love finding some of these pictures. I mean, there's information at Heinz History Center.

Megan:

Yes.

Doug:

And I think there's even a connection to the Smithsonian they had a talk about it right?

Megan:

Yes, yeah.

Doug:

And the 80s pictures are amazing.

Megan:

They are. They're amazing. And you know what? I'm very blessed that I got to grow up in the grocery industry. My dad had a store right on Route 88 with my uncle. They started that store with a fruit stand and a Christmas tree farm, just like my grandpap did, and then they built that brick and mortar from the ground up as well. They built that big building.

Doug:

And is this McGinnis Brothers?

Megan:

McGinnis Brothers.

Doug:

Okay, I don't know if folks know that one as much, unless you were in that area, right?

Megan:

Yes, yeah, it was a smaller store.

Doug:

It was like your neighborhood grocer.

Megan:

Did they feel like competitive? No, I think if my aunts found something and they would tell my dad or my dad found a great product, they would share it. It was still a family business. I mean family's family, Of course. You know it was just a. It was still a family business, you know I mean family's family, but no competition. I mean it was very special for me to grow up in that industry because it's it's not an easy industry and being in food any type restaurant, any it's very it's a it's a grueling industry.

Doug:

It's demanding and I'm sure in your family. There was probably no separation really from work and family Like what you're saying, with your grandma walking up the hill with the salads and the kids yeah.

Megan:

But my aunts, I will say. Working for them was very special because I got to work with these amazing, strong women.

Doug:

Yeah, you know what a good example for what you're doing now yes, yes and pioneering actually at the time.

Megan:

Yeah, they pioneered the specialty food movement before anyone else did here. They carried all those specialty goods from all over the world and then they pioneered that local food movement. Sometimes I laugh when I go through other grocery stores now and I see not laugh, but I just smile and I see different products in them that I know that I'm like they were in our stores first first, first yeah.

Megan:

But yeah, it was just a. I miss it very much and we just were known for everything from service to gift baskets, for catering hams, turkeys. You know, our deli counter was just the quality. It was the ingredients and I took that away to my business because it's so important. It's the quality. Yeah, it's in your.

Doug:

DNA.

Megan:

Yeah.

Doug:

I just want to make sure, like folks know too. So we talked about your grandfather's original shop, we talked about your dad and brother's shop and then the McGinnis sister stores. There was the one in Baldwin, there was one in Monroeville for a really long time, and I remember when I was working up in Cranberry the Adams.

Doug:

Township and so all of that was around I mean amazing operation. And then you said they made the decision in 2018. They had really had this life and it was time to move on and they closed the businesses. And what you were telling me a moment ago it was probably a blessing in disguise because of COVID. And all those employees might have been shuttered for a bit yeah.

Megan:

And you know my aunts and my uncle and my dad we were. They were raised. You know their employees were like family.

Megan:

And I just don't.

Megan:

It was just such a hard time. You know, that I think it hurts so many businesses of course you know and so many great Pittsburgh staples are not in business anymore because of that. It just was a blessing in disguise, yeah.

Doug:

And tell me a little bit about your working journey in these stores. I'm sure you kind of grew up in them, but, as you told us earlier, you were already being called the cheese queen. So what were some of your earliest responsibilities or job roles?

Megan:

So I did some cheese buying. I was also. I did human resources. I was employee development. When you're in a family business, you wear many hats. I also was a specialty grocery buyer. I was a store manager. I mean, I wore so many hats.

Doug:

For anybody that's never experienced this tell us a little bit about being a specialty grocery buyer or a cheese buyer Like how does that even work?

Megan:

Yeah, so you uh they're the best jobs, I think. Um so much fun because you get to learn about so many new products, you get to go to fancy food shows, you get to meet people that are bringing out these amazing products.

Megan:

I got to sit down with a lot of small businesses that are just getting on the market and want to get in, you know, get into a grocery store for the first time, and I helped them kind of get that process down how to get into our store, because we did have a process you know, but being a cheese buyer is very fun because you get to just kind of buy in cheeses, you kind of see what your customers like, you get to learn about them, you get to learn about all these farms and all of these small batch cheese farms and just different things and you get to eat, you know, I mean yeah.

Doug:

I think it sounds like the best job ever.

Megan:

It is.

Doug:

So you were in training from your formative years to open the business that you have right now.

Megan:

Yeah, it's funny how your life just takes you, you know. That's why I try to tell most people whenever I'm with talking to other people that want to start a business. I do a lot of work with Matt Oliver on small business training. I do like a small business meeting every quarter where anyone in the city of Pittsburgh can come. It's called getting down to business. We bring small businesses in to tell their story. I talk a little bit too, because anyone can do it. If you have a dream, just do it. You know, and it's it's not easy and it's really hard sometimes but it's very rewarding, you know, and it's funny how just different things just take you in a different path.

Doug:

It's sort of interesting all of that mentoring that you got as a young person that helped you with your business, but now you're doing some things to mentor other people with these talks. And we should just for a moment talk about Mount Oliver. You know it's situated adjacent to Allentown, just up from the South side, and it's had some kind of cool development going on. Yes, you know some things are doing well. Some things have come in and left, like we talked about Brown Bear. Yeah, we're really hopeful for that neighborhood.

Megan:

Yes, I'm very hopeful, yeah, yeah, I've become a kind of a catalyst, starting from the ground up. Senator Costa came and visited me like a couple, like a year ago and he said you're like a catalyst for this neighborhood and I never thought about it like that you are drawing people in. Yes, I'm drawing people and I'm showing um small businesses that you know there's. There's another neighborhood that you could help be a part of that could change.

Megan:

You could be part of a change. I mean, who doesn't want to be a part of that movement? Um, but it's. But it's an amazing strip. It has so much potential. We have some open storefronts that you know could really be something. They have a beautiful program that they help small businesses, where it's called a rent abatement program. They help with signage, they help you with your rent, they help you get off your feet.

Doug:

Yeah, yeah, they help you get started. Yes, and that's a great support network for anybody that's looking for that first brick and mortar space.

Megan:

Yeah, yeah, and it could just be a stepping stone, you know.

Doug:

Megan, I want to talk for you how the business has changed since you've opened and where do you see it going, if you have any goals or sort of visions for the future.

Megan:

So the journey has been very fun, yeah. Future so the journey has been very fun, yeah, but uh, and I am so thankful to Pittsburgh for the support that I've been given and thankful to such a great community cheese queen community I love you so much my business has grown organically. I think when I opened my door, people thought I was going to be open seven days a week. I'm not a seven day a week operation.

Doug:

No, you really don't have that kind of foot traffic in that neighborhood, at least not yet, not yet.

Megan:

Yeah, and I hope so.

Doug:

Right Aspirational.

Megan:

Yeah, we're kind of you know, a destination for your little local goods, your local farm cheeses. You could pick up your catering at my shop. You can come take a class.

Doug:

You can kind of come just stop in and say hi, whatever you feel like, and if people are looking for your hours or the classes.

Megan:

I post them every Monday.

Doug:

I gotcha, and so on, all your socials and things like that On all my socials, we'll plug that in a second too? Yeah, and so, aside from sort of being this boutique shop that people can stop in, is this where the classes are happening?

Megan:

Yes, Like cheese tastings stuff like that.

Megan:

Yeah, is this where the classes are happening. Yes, like cheese tastings, stuff like that. Yeah, mm-hmm, that's great Classes and cheese tastings. And sometimes we'll have people just come in and they want to just sit down and kind of just have like a little adult lunchable outside on the deck. Yeah, we do a partner with a lot of events with Mount Oliver. I have right next to the Borough Building there's bands and I sell charcuterie Great, Right next to the borough building there's bands and I sell charcuterie. It's just a fun time.

Doug:

Outside of the classes that are coming up. Are there any other big plans or goals going into the next year?

Megan:

I have a secret I'm not ready to reveal yet Sure Okay. But it will be part of my catering menu. It's coming very soon. Part of my my catering menu. It's coming very soon. I'm working with another local women-owned business here in Pittsburgh to provide me with something very amazing, um, and I'm very excited and I can't wait to reveal that.

Doug:

Oh, excellent. Well, maybe we'll have to. Just I'll give you a phone call and we can do a little plug on the show.

Megan:

Yes, yeah, I would love that, um, but it's kind of, kind of I'll give you just a hint it's bringing Pittsburgh something that's a little bit different Mobile.

Doug:

All right, so mobile. Okay, I like this. Well, what a tease. That is great. Yeah, okay, megan. So let's do this as well for folks that want to find you or follow you and just see all the great stuff you're making. Where are some of the best places that people can connect with you and check up on you?

Megan:

Sure Instagram.

Doug:

Okay.

Megan:

We just hit 8K followers.

Doug:

Thank you.

Megan:

Pittsburgh, so much I can't believe it.

Doug:

Is it the Cheese Queen? Yeah?

Megan:

So Instagram is the Cheese Queen PGH.

Doug:

Okay.

Megan:

Okay, facebook, same deal. All right, the Cheese Queen PGH.

Doug:

Okay, okay.

Megan:

Facebook same deal. All right, cheese Queen PGH. And then you can also just go right on our website thecheesequeen412.com.

Doug:

Oh, I love it.

Megan:

Yes.

Doug:

And there's a lot of really yummy things to kind of whet the appetite On your website can people order?

Megan:

So you'll send me an inquiry, doug, because you can't order right off the website. We did do that when we first launched the website but, we were so busy, so you just send me an inquiry and then I'll give you a call or send an email. I like to call because I like to talk to my customers and I like to talk to new customers, especially when it's catering, because I think to talk to someone is very important.

Doug:

Right.

Megan:

Because sending back you can miss details going back and forth.

Doug:

Absolutely and.

Megan:

I like to get a feel for the event, especially if it's a wedding. We do a ton of weddings. That's an important day, yeah. You know, so I want to make sure I'm speaking to the bride, or the mother of the bride, you know, and then we can set up a consult and they can come in my shop and you can sit in the queen's chairs. I love all of that. How perfect.

Doug:

You'll have to come Doug and sit in those chairs. I mean, I've been there. I don't know if I remember the chairs, but okay, all right, so we've hit all of the things. I want to hit Megan, it's been such a pleasure. And before I let you go, one of the things I want to hit Megan, it's been such a pleasure. And before I let you go, okay, one of the things I always like to ask our guests. The name of the show is The Pittsburgh Dish.

Megan:

What's the best dish you've eaten this week, this week? You know what I love pasta and I will have to say that nothing beats pasta. Forma's ravioli just regular ravioli and I picked some up um at my shop, cause we sell it there.

Doug:

Pasta Forma used to be right around the corner in Allentown. Now they're down in Sewickley.

Megan:

Is that right? Okay, and I just love I don't know it's something about those ravioli.

Doug:

Yeah, best bite this week.

Megan:

Yeah, that's my best bite this week. I love pasta. I could eat it every day.

Doug:

Oh, I think I have eaten it every day at some points in my life.

Megan:

Yeah, and I just make a simple little red sauce, you know.

Doug:

You make it from scratch.

Megan:

Yeah, I just do like you know, san Marzano tomatoes, little spice here from my, you know. Herbs here, you know, sometimes I put a little cream in there, you know so delicious. Yeah, my kids like it too. I have to make kid friendly dishes, of course, right. But I would probably say that was my best bite this week. I had that on on Monday.

Doug:

All right, Megan McGinnis, thank you so much for being on the Pittsburgh dish.

Megan:

Thank you for having me Doug. This was so much fun in Pittsburgh.

Doug:

I love you so much so, megan, you have your own shop and you're doing your own thing, but if you are taking a break and going out to eat, you have any place. That's really caught your fancy lately.

Megan:

You know what, doug? I just experienced muddy waters.

Doug:

Oh, over in East Liberty. Yes, yeah.

Megan:

I, I felt like I was on vacation. Oh, you know, I walked in there. It kind of reminded me of a seafood restaurant that I love in Key West.

Doug:

Oh, wow.

Megan:

And those oysters stop it and you can watch them right there.

Doug:

He's shucking those oysters right in front of you Like, right at the bar Right at the bar, yeah, and.

Megan:

I'm a bar sitting person. I love sitting at the bar and eating.

Megan:

I guess I grew up that way sit in person. I love sitting at the bar and eating. I. I guess I grew up that way I don't know in the eighties and nineties. That's what my parents did. You know now you can't let kids sit at the bar, but I uh, they take all the fun out of it. But I love sitting at the bar and you get to see just all the what's happening behind the scenes. And I will tell you that it was some of the best oysters that I've had in a long time. And then just the jambalaya was amazing. Their drinks are amazing. I had the oyster martini.

Doug:

It was fabulous. For anyone that's looking, this is Muddy Waters in East Liberty, right along Highland Avenue.

Megan:

It's delish.

Doug:

So good.

Megan:

Hush puppies their different sandwiches. They have just delicious.

Doug:

Well, we'll have to check it out. I love it Megan McGinnis of the Cheese Queen Pittsburgh. Thanks so much.

Megan:

Thank you, Doug.

Doug:

Are you interested in a brunch spot that is slinging more than just the standard eggs and bacon? We talk with Alex and Chantal Huff of Hungry Huffs on Instagram for an experience that checked all of the boxes. Hungry Huffs on Instagram for an experience that checked all of the boxes. Hey everyone, we're joined today with Chantal and Alex Huff of Hungry Huffs on Instagram. Chantal, I was wondering if you all have a brunch spot that you like to visit, maybe something under the radar that people don't talk about enough.

Chantal:

You know what people don't talk about. Enough is Scratch Co. Oh yeah, Up on Troy Hill. Yes, we just went there again really recently. It had been a while since we'd went last.

Alex:

Right, Alex yeah it's been about a year since we last went.

Chantal:

And it's so, so good. I got the veggie sandwich and it was like a pakora in between Mahamara.

Doug:

Yeah, it had mahamara on there, a bunch of vegetables on what I assumed to be house-made focaccia. Oh yeah, it was incredible. Okay, so I have questions. I know that Mahamara is that like walnut spread.

Chantal:

What was pakora? What is that? Well, pakoras are like an Indian dish, so I was interested to see that on the menu but it's kind of like a take. But the way the sandwich was was kind of like a take on, like a veggie burger situation, because the pakora is like a deep fried, Like patty almost Patty. Yeah.

Doug:

Yeah.

Chantal:

And I think this one was onion.

Alex:

I think it was an onion pakora, correct? Yeah, typically vegetarian.

Chantal:

Yeah, yeah, I think it was onions and cauliflower, because it did have some like some density to it it was. I cannot recommend this sandwich enough.

Alex:

And veggie sandwiches are very hit and miss. Yeah, they did it with a jalapeno cream cheese, mahamara the pakora, so it was like layered really perfectly.

Doug:

Then I thought the uh focaccia was out of this world.

Alex:

Incredible, it sounds amazing alex, what did you have? So usually I'm a burger person and that's what I had the last time I was there, but uh, they recommended I tried the chicken sandwich and usually I'm not a big fried chicken sandwich person, even though everyone loves them, but this one, I would definitely say, was like the best I've had in pittsburgh. It was a little bit different. It had like a buffalo tahini which I thought really made it stand out. Um, it was super crispy, the bread was perfect and their sides we always get the uh little smashed potatoes they're super crispy.

Alex:

It's like definitely I'd recommend anything on their menu.

Doug:

It's, you know, perfect for brunch I love the thought of tahini in a sauce for chicken.

Alex:

That's so different as well yeah, it gave it like a nutty and spicy flavor with the buffalo, then the nuttiness from the tahini, so it was like the perfect complement to like a fried chicken and I do want to ask so you guys said it had been a little while, about a year.

Doug:

Do you think it got better?

Chantal:

since you were there last time.

Alex:

I feel like it was consistent, it was consistent, but we both just ordered something that I feel like it was consistent, it was consistent, oh that's always good, but we both just ordered something that I feel like we usually wouldn't order, like Chantel with the veggie sandwich, me with the chicken sandwich. So we were like even more excited, just like getting something different and it really meeting or exceeding our expectations from the time we last went about a year ago.

Chantal:

Yeah, we also got donut holes while we were there, which I highly recommend. They make their donuts in-house. They are incredible. We got the chocolate donut holes.

Doug:

Oof, oh my goodness, they also have, which I think is nice is great mocktails Okay, and especially so if you are going brunching but you sort of want a productive rest of your day Exactly.

Chantal:

We were there on a Sunday morning. I knew we had a ton of stuff to do that day. We wanted to get like a beverage, but they had a substantial mocktail list to pick from.

Doug:

And it's so important now, I think we hear more and more about the NA movement and people want to go out and they want to have a great experience, but they don't necessarily want to drink.

Chantal:

Right, all right, and you shouldn't have to to be able to have that full restaurant experience.

Alex:

Your only option shouldn't just be like a Diet Coke Perfect.

Doug:

So we should remind everyone, this is Scratch Co up in Troy Hill. The actual address is 1720 Lowry Street and it looks like they're open most evenings from 5 to 11, but they do this Sunday brunch 9 to 2.

Chantal:

Yep, their breakfast sandwich is also a really solid choice. So, our regular choice would be a breakfast sandwich for sure, because they have great bagels.

Doug:

Oh wonderful, Alex. Chantal, thank you so much for being on the Pittsburgh Dish. Perfect. Thanks for having us. You can follow Chantal and Alex Huff on Instagram at Hungry Huffs. Our recipe of the week comes from our regular contributor, Ashley Cesarado. Now, Ashley is usually serving us up great restaurant recommendations, but this week she's trying her hand at more cooking at home and she gave us this recipe for her crispy honey soy chicken. So, Ashley, crispy honey soy chicken. Did I get that right?

Ashley:

Yeah. At least that's what I'm calling it for now.

Doug:

I love it, and so tell me a little bit about this recipe, if our listeners haven't seen the recipe card yet. Sounds like it's maybe breaded chicken.

Ashley:

Yeah, so I do the typical flour and egg wash and then panko breadcrumbs and then I shallow fry it in about maybe four tablespoons of coconut oil on the stove, you don't need a lot.

Doug:

No, not a lot at all that's good, and I love panko. It gets so crispy.

Ashley:

I know, and I was craving something crispy and slightly sweet and spicy, so this really hit the spot.

Doug:

All right. Now it sounds like this chicken would be good even on its own, and are you using like chicken breasts or chicken tenders Like what do you like?

Ashley:

I use the chicken tenders because they are the most tender and they're super easy to work with and they cook really fast too, just like three to four minutes each side.

Doug:

Right, all right, well, again, that all sounds great, but you make this sauce, which makes it even better.

Ashley:

Right. So that is. I'm a huge sauce condiment person and I was just craving a taste of something like this the other night and I read a few recipes and just decided to kind of do my own thing.

Doug:

I love it.

Ashley:

And I originally made it with Mike's hot honey because we had more of that at home than regular honey, but I think I would prefer to do it with plain honey. So it's honey, soy sauce, a little bit of rice vinegar, fresh ginger and garlic which is really important. I think to do the fresh, and then red pepper flakes to taste.

Doug:

Oh, that's where you get that little bit of heat at the level you want.

Ashley:

Right, and you could also add sriracha, oh yeah.

Doug:

And so you're pan frying these chicken tenders and getting them nice and crispy, and then are you saucing them, like right away when they're hot.

Ashley:

Yeah, so after they are done cooking, I set them aside and then I make the sauce really quickly it only takes a couple minutes and then I throw them back in the sauce just to coat them, and then you have to serve them right away so that they stay nice and crispy.

Doug:

And are you serving them over rice or with any veggies Like what would you recommend?

Ashley:

I would recommend coconut rice. I made that for the first time and you, just, you just sub coconut milk in the can for water.

Doug:

Yeah.

Ashley:

And roasted broccoli and it was fantastic.

Doug:

It sounds like the perfect meal.

Ashley:

It really was, if I do say so myself. Ah, give us the title again.

Doug:

Crispy honey soy chicken that sounds so delicious.

Ashley:

Recipes on the blog. Ashley thanks so much, thank you.

Doug:

You can follow Ashley on Instagram at eatingwithashleypgh. If you have a recipe, share it with us. Just go to our website at wwwpittsburghdishcom and look for our share a recipe form. Thanks for listening to the Pittsburgh Dish. If you love what we do, we would truly appreciate a five-star rating on whatever app you're using to listen to the show. Even better if you could take the time and leave us a short review. Thank you, that's our show for this week. We'd like to thank all of our guests and contributors, and to Kevin Solecki of Carnegie Accordion Company for providing the music to our show. We'll be back again next week with another fresh episode. Stay tuned.

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Douglas Heilman

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