BEYOND THE PLATE WITH CAROL

Jim Varney spent 25 years designing consumer products -- until he saw one of his own designs sitting in a pile of "trash" at a modern art museum, and it changed everything. Now he and his wife Deanna run Wavelength Coffee Roasters out of a solar-powered former rope mill in Shirley, Massachusetts.In this episode, Jim and Deanna talk about the industrial design background that led to their steel-can packaging (no foil bags here), why they use air roasting instead of the 150-year-old drum roasting method, how Deanna's library science background became an unexpected business asset, and what they're calling their "spaghetti year" as they figure out what sticks. Plus, a lightning round covering pancakes vs. waffles, night owls vs. morning people, and the one thing Jim didn't expect people to be surprised about.📍 Wavelength Coffee Roasters -- Shirley, MA🔗 wavelengthcoffee.com🔔 New episodes drop every Tuesday -- hit SUBSCRIBE and turn on notifications so you never miss one!👇 Follow Beyond the Plate everywhere: Linktree: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNHYouTube: youtube.com/@beyondtheplatewithcarolInstagram: @beyondtheplatenhFacebook: Beyond the Plate NHTikTok: @nhbeyondtheplateSpotify: Search "Beyond the Plate with Carol"This episode is sponsored by Belmont Hall & Restaurant.Manchester, NH -- family-owned for over 90 years.belmonthall.net | Instagram: @belmonthallandcatering | Facebook: @belmonthallandcateringABOUT BEYOND THE PLATE WITH CAROLCarol Erickson sits down with the people behind New Hampshire's food and hospitality scene. It's not just about the food -- it's about the journeys, the community, and what drives people to go beyond.Follow Carol:Instagram: @carolsew240:00 - Intro1:20 - Meet Jim and Deanna Varney2:00 - From engineering coffee equipment to running the machines3:50 - Working retail coffee in college5:50 - The value of working in food service7:15 - Getting the itch to leave industrial design9:00 - The museum moment 😳11:00 - "Can we do something better?"14:00 - Founding Wavelength in 202515:00 - Falling in love with coffee grower stories16:10 - Deanna's library science background as a business asset19:20 - Explaining air roasting vs. drum roasting23:35 - The solar power story at Phoenix Park26:30 - Finding a home in an old rope mill29:00 - The steel can packaging decision36:20 - Wanting to be part of the local community38:40 - Manchester's coffee shop density39:40 - What a coffee "cupping" actually is1:00:20 - Lightning Round1:03:45 - Where Wavelength wants to be in 5 years1:04:00 - Closing thoughts

There is a camp in Bedford, New Hampshire with a 250-person waiting list. And most people in this state have never heard of it.In this episode, Carol Erickson sits down with Mel Gosselin, Executive Director of Camp Allen NH, and Emily DiRusso, Camp Director -- to talk about 95 years of changing lives for people with developmental and physical disabilities. Camp Allen is not just for kids. Their oldest camper is in his 60s and has been coming for 50 years. This place is the best-kept secret in New Hampshire, and it is time for that to change.In this episode:• How a classical guitar major ended up running the New Hampshire Food Bank for 13 years -- and what brought Mel to Camp Allen• The history of Camp Allen: founded in 1931 by a director from Perkins School for the Blind• Carol's personal moment: her son Jesse was greater than legally blind and attended Perkins School• 250 people on the waiting list -- and how camperships and the Harry Allen Gregg Foundation help families access camp• The new kitchen, the sensory building, and the hospital-grade equipment arriving from Germany• What Mel's most unforgettable moment at Camp Allen has been -- and Emily's too• Ways to volunteer, donate, and help right nowCamp Allen NH56 Camp Allen Rd, Bedford, NH 03110campallennh.orgInstagram: @campallennh | Facebook: CampAllenNHDonate: campallennh.org/donate | Volunteer: campallennh.org/volunteer | Camperships: campallennh.org/campershipsIf this episode moved you, please subscribe to Beyond the Plate with Carol on YouTube, follow us on Instagram and Facebook at @beyondtheplatenh, and share this with someone who needs to know Camp Allen exists. New episodes every Tuesday.ABOUT BEYOND THE PLATE WITH CAROLCarol Erickson, owner of Red Arrow Diner since 1987, sits down with the people behind New Hampshire's food and hospitality scene. It's not just about the food -- it's about the journeys, the community, and what drives people to go beyond.Follow Beyond the Plate -- find us everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNHFollow Carol: Instagram @carolsew24Timestamps:0:00 -- Intro -- Carol at Camp Allen0:31 -- The classical guitar degree question1:16 -- Mel's story: concrete with dad, Keene State, stage fright2:49 -- What is Camp Allen? Mel explains for first-timers3:09 -- "The one word is magical"4:07 -- The origin story: Perkins School for the Blind, 19314:52 -- Best-kept secret: it's not just for kids 😂5:47 -- Red Arrow meets Camp Allen -- Carol's 24/7 weave-in5:57 -- Carol's Jesse + Perkins connection6:09 -- How the mission has evolved over 95 years8:11 -- Hiring staff from around the world9:35 -- Camper-to-counselor ratio: 1:1 or 2:111:11 -- A week at camp: Sunday to Friday11:51 -- 250-person waiting list every season15:17 -- The new kitchen -- Karen from Mexico, T-Bones consulting16:08 -- Camperships + Harry Allen Gregg Foundation: how campers are funded19:19 -- Staff 24/7: Carol's Red Arrow comparison21:16 -- The most underrated donation at Camp Allen22:49 -- Almost at 100 years -- the archive, the history24:34 -- Carol gets personal: Jesse, Perkins, and this place26:13 -- "Mom, go home. I'm at camp."29:52 -- Moments they will never forget30:00 -- Mel's moment: a camper sobbing at checkout ♥33:50 -- "When camp season ended, it was like someone shut the power off"37:33 -- The sensory building and $50K German equipment38:07 -- Emily's background: master's in special education41:22 -- "Salt and pepper -- I'm probably more salty" 😂41:30 -- LIGHTNING ROUND42:32 -- What are you ordering at the Red Arrow?42:44 -- Guitar at the campfire -- "That was a low blow!"43:49 -- Funniest camper story: Martha the mischief-maker 😂45:01 -- Something about Camp Allen that would blow people's minds46:10 -- What Camp Allen needs most right now46:49 -- Best leadership advice: mindfulness and being present48:17 -- What's next: adaptive sports, new pool dream49:26 -- "I'm just here as a conduit for the magic of camp"49:37 -- Closing + "We knew you'd be jealous"

I just could not wait to share this -- so here it is early!!At Camp Allen in Bedford, NH, Carol sat down with Executive Director Mel Gosselin and Camp Director Emily DiRusso to talk about everything that makes this place run. But she also got to do something even more special -- she sat down with the campers directly and heard about the Camp Allen experience straight from the people who live it.If you have ever been curious about what Camp Allen really has to offer, you do not want to miss this.The full episode with Mel and Emily drops TOMORROW on this channel and everywhere you listen to podcasts.Learn more about Camp Allen NH:campallennh.orgInstagram: @campallennh | Facebook: CampAllenNHDonate: campallennh.org/donateVolunteer: campallennh.org/volunteerSubscribe to Beyond the Plate with Carol for new episodes every Tuesday:linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNHFollow Carol: @carolsew24

He helps run a Facebook community of 212,000 people who love food in New Hampshire. He is a truck driver by day. He organized the food trucks at Granite State Comic-Con. He flew to New Zealand in 2024 for a budget endurance car race -- and got sent to the penalty box.Jason Hopkins is one of the admins and moderators of New Hampshire Eats, one of the largest food communities in the state. Carol sat down with him at her original Red Arrow Diner on Lowell Street in Manchester -- the first At the Plate episode filmed here -- and they talked for over an hour about food, community, racing, and what it really means to build something that belongs to everybody.In this episode:• Why Jason picked the Red Arrow Diner -- and what he looks for in any restaurant (hint: it's the nose, not the eyes)• The inside story of how Phil Meyer cold-DM'd Jason out of nowhere and NH Eats went from 10K to 212K members• The Halal Kitchen post that brought out the best of the NH Eats community -- and a few of the worst• The New Zealand trip: arriving at 5:30am, a borrowed $500 race car, and a house that was a literal toy museum• What Jason actually does as a moderator -- and why banning someone is always the last resort• The Nourish New England Christmas Market -- 15,000 people, snow, and a box truck full of playhouse pieces• Lightning round: Tucker's, Big Dave's Bagels, Littleton Diner, 581 North Portsmouth, and moreFind New Hampshire Eats on Facebook: facebook.com/groups/nheatsFind Nourish New England: nourishne.orgFind Jason on Facebook: facebook.com/lemons.lounge.guy📍 Red Arrow Diner -- Original Manchester Location61 Lowell Street, Manchester, NHOpen 24 hours a day, 7 days a weekredarrowdiner.com🔔 New At the Plate episodes drop on Thursdays -- hit SUBSCRIBE and turn on notifications so you never miss one!👇 Follow Beyond the Plate everywhere:YouTube: youtube.com/@beyondtheplatewithcarolInstagram: @beyondtheplatenhFacebook: Beyond the Plate NHTikTok: @nhbeyondtheplateSpotify: Search "Beyond the Plate with Carol"This episode is sponsored by Red Arrow Diner.4 NH locations: Manchester, Concord, Londonderry, and Nashua -- open 24/7.redarrowdiner.com | Instagram: @redarrow24diner | Facebook: Red Arrow Diner---ABOUT BEYOND THE PLATE WITH CAROLCarol Erickson, owner of Red Arrow Diner since 1987, sits down with the people behind New Hampshire's food and hospitality scene. It's not just about the food -- it's about the journeys, the community, and what drives people to go beyond.📍 Red Arrow Diner -- 4 NH locations, open 24/7🔗 redarrowdiner.comFollow Beyond the Plate:Instagram: @beyondtheplatenh | TikTok: @nhbeyondtheplate | Facebook: Beyond the Plate NH | YouTube: @beyondtheplatewithcarolFollow Carol: Instagram @carolsew24🔗 linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNHFollow Red Arrow Diner: Instagram @redarrow24diner | Facebook: Red Arrow DinerTIMESTAMPS• 0:00 -- Intro• [~1:30] -- Why Jason chose the Red Arrow• [~3:00] -- What is New Hampshire Eats?• [~5:00] -- 212K members -- the growth story• [~6:30] -- What makes NH Eats special• [~8:30] -- Carol uses NH Eats when she travels• [~9:30] -- The Halal Kitchen post and community reaction• [~11:30] -- What catches his attention in a restaurant (the nose test) 😂• [~12:30] -- Sketchier the neighborhood, the better the tacos 😂• [~13:30] -- Alibaba Aftermath -- Manchester's hidden gem• [~15:00] -- NH overshadowed by Boston -- but the food scene is changing• [~17:00] -- Daily comics -- started during the pandemic• [~18:00] -- Jason orders pork pie at the Red Arrow• [~20:00] -- Robin the longtime Red Arrow server• [~22:00] -- How Phil recruited Jason from Merrimack Valley Eats• [~24:00] -- Dancing Lion -- the foodie awakening in 2012• [~26:30] -- Day job: truck driver for Nor Eastern Sheet Metal• [~28:00] -- Go-to spots in Gofftown and Concord• [~30:00] -- Granite State Comic-Con and the food truck connection• [~33:00] -- Jason's moderator lane -- banning as a last resort• [~35:00] -- Nourish New England and the Christmas Market• [~37:00] -- Tribute to Scott Rant• [~39:00] -- Lemons Facebook handle explained -- $500 race cars• [~41:00] -- New Zealand trip -- flying for a race• [~43:30] -- New Zealand food culture -- meat pies and Burger Fuel 😂• [~46:00] -- Jason's foodie origin story -- growing up in Bow• [~48:30] -- Long haul trucking and exposure to food across the country• [~51:00] -- Lightning Round• [~53:00] -- Best NH meal nobody's talking about -- 581 North Portsmouth• [~54:00] -- Penalty box -- first and only race 😂• [~55:00] -- Who else in NH does breakfast right?• [~57:00] -- Closing

In 2017, Carol Erickson had a heart attack at her home in New Boston, New Hampshire. The firefighters who showed up that morning saved her life. One of them was Bill Mortimer -- and he's our guest today.Bill is a Firefighter and AEMT at Hudson Fire Department in Hudson, NH. You may have seen him on NH Chronicle making smash burgers for his crew. But there's a story behind why Carol really wanted to get him on Beyond the Plate -- and in this episode, we get into all of it.In this episode:• Bill tells his side of Carol's 2017 heart attack call -- the STEMI reading, the IV in her foot, the moment he wouldn't let her say no• What firehouse cooking actually looks like -- crockpots after brutal shifts, the alarm going off mid-stir fry, Deputy Chief O'Brien's smash burger plate trick• Carol and Bill on women's heart attack symptoms -- why they present differently and why "know your normal" could save your life• What readiness really means in the fire service -- and why a fire department with fewer fires doesn't need fewer firefighters• The real story behind the NH Chronicle smash burger segment -- and why things taste better when they're made with loveHudson Fire Department | Hudson, NHhudsonnh.gov | Facebook: Hudson N.H. Fire Department | 603-886-6021Subscribe to Beyond the Plate with Carol on YouTube so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop every Tuesday.Follow us on Instagram @beyondtheplatenh | Facebook: beyondtheplatenh | TikTok @nhbeyondtheplateLike this video and leave a comment -- it helps more people find the show.All links: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNH---This episode is sponsored by Red Arrow Diner.4 NH locations: Manchester, Concord, Londonderry, and Nashua -- open 24/7.redarrowdiner.com | Instagram: @redarrow24diner | Facebook: RedArrowDiner---ABOUT BEYOND THE PLATE WITH CAROLCarol Erickson, owner of Red Arrow Diner since 1987, sits down with the people behind New Hampshire's food and hospitality scene. It's not just about the food -- it's about the journeys, the community, and what drives people to go beyond.Follow Beyond the Plate -- find us everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNHFollow Carol: Instagram @carolsew240:00 - Intro0:28 - Carol saw Bill on Chronicle0:48 - First call response1:28 - How 911 dispatch works2:14 - A day in the firehouse2:35 - AEMT explained5:40 - Finding balance on shift6:23 - 12 people per shift9:13 - The firehouse bond10:38 - How Bill became the station chef11:18 - Coming home to a crockpot 🙌12:21 - Katrina coffee story14:38 - Root beer pulled pork blizzard story16:07 - How Chronicle came together16:59 - "Things taste better when made with love"19:34 - Alarm goes off mid-cook 😂20:56 - "We are firefighters, not cooks"22:24 - Deputy Chief O'Brien's plate trick26:39 - NH's only two 24/7 kitchens28:27 - Mental wellness in the fire service29:45 - Red Arrow Diner sponsorship29:53 - AEMT vs EMT vs Paramedic32:20 - Carol reveals she knows Bill33:17 - The heart attack: that morning34:08 - Bill takes over the story36:44 - "I got that IV in your foot"38:29 - "If Daryl hadn't overslept..."39:01 - Carol thanks Bill39:35 - Women's heart attack symptoms41:17 - "Know your normal"43:37 - Does the firehouse have a real fire pole? 😂45:33 - Serving your community46:05 - Car seat expiration dates47:43 - Smoke & CO detectors49:07 - Always call 911 -- never voicemail55:43 - What people don't hear about first responders57:39 - Fire prevention = risk reduction58:43 - Manchester Taco Tour1:00:28 - Best places to eat in Manchester1:03:08 - Lightning round1:05:15 - Most rewarding part of the job1:06:08 - History of the fire pole 🐴1:07:00 - Outro

Carol brought At the Plate all the way to Greece for this one -- recorded on the back of a 52-ft sailing yacht named Baron, at the end of a 7-day charter through the Greek islands with Yachtsailing.com.In this episode, Carol sits down with the two people who made the whole trip unforgettable: Chef Dimitri, who left traditional restaurant kitchens behind for life cooking on the water, and Captain Theo, who's been sailing since he was a kid in a sea scout dinghy.We talk about:• Why Dimitri's own father told him becoming a chef was “the worst mistake of your life”• Cooking gourmet meals out of a kitchen the size of a closet• The lemon trade between boats when you run out of an ingredient mid-charter• Dimitri's grandmother's stuffed tomato recipe -- and why he eats it cold from the fridge• Theo's nerve-wracking first charter as captain at 22• A full Greek-island-themed lightning roundThis episode is part of our At the Plate series -- Carol experiencing food and hospitality on location, beyond the studio walls.Yachtsailing.com -- Crewed Catamaran Charters in Greeceyachtsailing.com | Instagram: @yachtsailing.grNew episodes of Beyond the Plate with Carol every Tuesday -- with At the Plate episodes dropping Thursdays. Subscribe on YouTube, follow us on Instagram and Facebook, and like, comment, and share to help the show grow.This episode is sponsored by Red Arrow Diner.4 NH locations: Manchester, Concord, Londonderry, and Nashua -- open 24/7.redarrowdiner.com | Instagram: @redarrow24diner | Facebook: Red Arrow DinerABOUT BEYOND THE PLATE WITH CAROLCarol Erickson, owner of Red Arrow Diner since 1987, sits down with the people behind New Hampshire's food and hospitality scene. It's not just about the food -- it's about the journeys, the community, and what drives people to go beyond.Follow Beyond the Plate -- find us everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNHFollow Carol: Instagram @carolsew24Timestamps• 0:00 - Intro -- At the Plate goes to Greece• 0:26 - Why bring the show to a Greek yacht• 0:51 - How Dimitri became a chef• 1:39 - Arguing with his father that first summer• 2:21 - “The worst mistake of your life”• 3:22 - Finding his footing in the kitchen• 5:17 - A different view every morning at sea• 6:04 - The kitchen is smaller than you think• 8:39 - Most memorable charters• 9:42 - Running out of an ingredient mid-trip• 10:22 - The maple syrup from Vermont surprise• 10:34 - Trading lemons between boats 😄• 13:08 - The two secrets to his cooking• 14:06 - Grandmother's stuffed tomatoes• 15:33 - Easy tzatziki recipe• 16:18 - What he hopes guests remember• 17:11 - Captain Theo joins• 17:20 - Starting out as a sea scout• 20:00 - His first charter as captain• 23:06 - Cyclades vs. Saronic islands• 24:51 - Most beautiful anchorage of the trip• 26:03 - The chef and captain team dynamic• 28:35 - Lightning Round• 31:09 - Closing Question

He played 8,000 shows in Las Vegas. Won 27 Emmys. Built a kindness empire. And now he's in the burger business -- and he's only 6 months in.In Episode 57 of Beyond the Plate with Carol, Carol Erickson sits down with Justin Spencer -- founder of Recycled Percussion, creator of the Emmy Award-winning Chaos & Kindness TV series, and co-owner of the fast-growing NH smash burger concept BAD BRGR. What starts as a conversation about burgers turns into one of the most raw, funny, and deeply honest episodes we have ever recorded.What you'll hear in this episode:-- How Justin went from a trailer park in Goffstown, NH to the Las Vegas Strip and why he says kindness became his "drug of choice"-- Why he stayed completely incognito as a BAD BRGR owner for 6 months before he would put his name on it -- and what finally convinced him-- What the BAD BRGR experience actually looks like: free candy for kids, free video games, live music stages, and every customer gets Justin's personal phone number-- The brutal honest truth about restaurant margins -- "at the end of the month you go, wow, we made 400 bucks"-- The gratitude alarm that fired live on camera mid-conversation -- and what Justin said he was most thankful for-- Plus: 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days, hiding $10,000 somewhere in New Hampshire the day of this recording, and a bathroom mannequin story you will not forget📍 BAD BRGR -- badbrgr.comManchester -- 1015 Elm StreetManchester -- Mall of New HampshireRochester -- 195 Wakefield Street, Lilac PlazaNashua -- Pheasant Lane Mall (opening June 2026)Instagram: @bad_brgr | Facebook: BAD BRGRSubscribe to Beyond the Plate with Carol on YouTube -- new episodes every Tuesday. 🔔Follow us on Instagram and Facebook: @beyondtheplatenhLike, comment, and share if this episode gave you something.Find us everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNH________________________________________This episode is sponsored by Red Arrow Diner.4 NH locations: Manchester, Concord, Londonderry, and Nashua -- open 24/7.redarrowdiner.com | Instagram: @redarrow24diner | Facebook: Red Arrow Diner________________________________________ABOUT BEYOND THE PLATE WITH CAROLCarol Erickson, owner of Red Arrow Diner since 1987, sits down with the people behind New Hampshire's food and hospitality scene. It's not just about the food -- it's about the journeys, the community, and what drives people to go beyond.Follow Beyond the Plate -- find us everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNHFollow Carol: Instagram @carolsew24________________________________________TIMESTAMPS0:00 - Intro0:58 - Who is Justin Spencer?1:26 - Raised in a trailer park / broken home2:31 - Recycled Percussion: the origin (1995)2:52 - America's Got Talent & 10 years in Las Vegas4:19 - "My drug of choice was kindness"5:02 - Chaos & Kindness: 150+ episodes, never paid a dime6:44 - Elliot Tatleman / Jordan's Furniture connection7:34 - The $100K investment that changed everything9:05 - At 49 -- what do I want to build next?11:05 - Ian and the origin of BAD BRGR12:22 - Walking through the BAD BRGR experience13:13 - Free candy, video games, and the customer obsession 😄13:44 - Every customer gets Justin's personal phone number16:52 - The brutal truth about restaurant margins 😄18:56 - Carol weave-in: 39 years at the Red Arrow22:26 - The gratitude alarm goes off LIVE on camera23:03 - "I'll take love 11 days out of 10 over money"25:21 - 6 months as a silent investor26:30 - "What account?" -- The incognito owner moment 😄32:22 - Rochester out-earns both Manchester locations combined35:29 - 7 marathons, 7 continents, 7 days38:20 - Hiding $10,000 somewhere in NH today 😄42:04 - Jimmy Love and Davin44:54 - Moe the Mug goes to a wedding49:48 - Meet Billy Bad Burger: Justin's alter ego51:12 - ⚡ Lightning Round55:06 - NH hospitality story: the $100 gift card58:14 - Closing

She moderates a 188,000-member food community. She runs the financials for a nonprofit fighting hunger in New Hampshire. She's a CPA who spent years baking custom cakes out of her London apartment and learning everything from YouTube. And she does all of it as a volunteer -- because she loves New Hampshire and the people in it.In Episode 58, Carol Erickson sits down with Michaela Herrholz -- moderator for the New Hampshire Eats Facebook group and volunteer CFO/COO of Nourish New England -- over lunch at 90 Low in Concord. This one is unfiltered, funny, and genuinely surprising.In this episode:-- What it actually takes to moderate a 188,000-person online community (and why it's harder than you think)-- The real story behind NH Eats cracking down on negativity -- and the term "dog piling" you need to know-- How NH Eats has changed the way people discover restaurants in New Hampshire (Carol finds out about an East Side Manchester gem she's never heard of -- after living there her whole life)-- The nonprofit Michaela helped build from scratch: Nourish New England and what food insecurity actually looks like on the ground-- Plus: Carol's own story from 18 years ago that changed how she sees hunger in this stateAnd yes -- Michaela confirmed on camera. NH Eats moderators are not paid. Not one of them.90 Low90 Low Ave, Concord, NH 0330190low.comNew Hampshire EatsSearch "New Hampshire Eats" on Facebook188,000+ members | Free to joinNourish New Englandnourishnewengland.comFighting food insecurity through food and community events across NHSubscribe to Beyond the Plate with Carol on YouTube so you never miss an episode -- new episodes every Tuesday. 🔔Follow us on Instagram: @beyondtheplatenhFollow us on Facebook: Beyond the Plate NHLike, comment, and share -- it means everything to this show and helps more people find it.Find us everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNHThis episode is sponsored by Red Arrow Diner.4 NH locations: Manchester, Concord, Londonderry, and Nashua -- open 24/7.redarrowdiner.com | Instagram: @redarrow24diner | Facebook: Red Arrow DinerABOUT BEYOND THE PLATE WITH CAROLCarol Erickson, owner of Red Arrow Diner since 1987, sits down with the people behind New Hampshire's food and hospitality scene. It's not just about the food -- it's about the journeys, the community, and what drives people to go beyond.Follow Beyond the Plate -- find us everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNHFollow Carol: Instagram @carolsew24Timestamps0:00 - Intro0:44 - Welcome to 90 Low, Concord1:46 - The blackberry mule mocktail4:01 - Have you always been a food person?4:21 - Two amazing cooks: mom and stepmom5:58 - London cottage bakery days8:46 - Joining NH Eats as a regular member9:16 - Phil reached out to moderate10:07 - 188,000 members and counting10:52 - What moderating actually looks like12:33 - Cracking down on negativity13:04 - "Dog piling" explained 😂14:03 - The hard part: saying goodbye to members18:31 - East Side Grill -- the Manchester hidden gem21:07 - Meet the family22:06 - CPA -- but not the tax kind 😂24:57 - Nourish New England30:44 - Carol's Red Arrow and the NH Food Bank33:54 - Moderating on lunch breaks38:01 - Using NH Eats to pick where to eat42:05 - Lightning Round44:21 - Her Red Arrow order: chicken tenders46:33 - Botanica Portsmouth -- converted by gin48:36 - "We are not paid" -- confirmed on camera49:26 - Closing

She started Manchester Craft Market with 17 cents in her pocket -- literally. Today, Jessica Moores runs a marketplace for 307 local makers inside the Mall of New Hampshire, and on this episode of Beyond the Plate with Carol, she's telling Carol Erickson the whole story.From picking things up off the side of the road to pay for her kids' clothes, to a strict anti-AI policy protecting local artists, to the 2020 story that somehow turned into their first million-dollar year -- this conversation covers all of it.In this episode:• How Manchester Craft Market grew from 20 makers in an empty storefront to 307 New England artisans• Jessica's anti-AI policy and how she protects human-made art in her store• The 2020 pandemic pivot -- waived vendor fees, weekly Facebook Live Sales, and a record year• A walk through all 16 aisles -- including the most unusual thing ever sold there (hint: it involves taxidermy)• Carol shares her own small business story, plus Jessica's lightning round answers about the Red ArrowLocation & LinksManchester Craft MarketMall of New Hampshire, Manchester, NHmanchestercraftmarket.comFollow Beyond the PlateSubscribe on YouTube, follow us on Instagram and Facebook, and like, comment, and share this episode with someone who loves shopping local. New episodes of Beyond the Plate with Carol drop every Tuesday!SponsorshipThis episode is sponsored by Red Arrow Diner.4 NH locations: Manchester, Concord, Londonderry, and Nashua -- open 24/7.redarrowdiner.com | Instagram: @redarrow24diner | Facebook: Red Arrow DinerAbout Beyond the Plate with CarolCarol Erickson, owner of Red Arrow Diner since 1987, sits down with the people behind New Hampshire's food and hospitality scene. It's not just about the food -- it's about the journeys, the community, and what drives people to go beyond.Follow Beyond the Plate -- find us everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNHFollow Carol: Instagram @carolsew24TIMESTAMPS0:00 -- Intro0:00:22 -- Meet Jessica Moores0:00:51 -- Started with 17 cents0:01:42 -- The mall walk that started it all0:02:22 -- From tables to renting shelves0:03:08 -- The old pet store & Chronicle0:03:39 -- 20 makers to over 3000:04:33 -- Building a system, not a store0:05:51 -- The hardest part: telling makers no0:06:40 -- 400 customers the next day0:07:40 -- Sewing, stained glass & crochet classes 😂0:10:07 -- A walk through the store0:12:25 -- Her strict anti-AI policy0:13:59 -- December sales = Jan-Nov combined0:15:06 -- 2020: crying for two weeks0:16:33 -- Their first million-dollar year0:17:25 -- Showing up for Nourish New England0:19:17 -- From Justice to building her own thing0:22:24 -- Carol shares her own small business story0:25:00 -- "Look at me" on small business0:26:02 -- Fighting 6 months for her spot0:28:05 -- Shop online -- 15,000 items0:30:15 -- Weirdest thing ever sold 😂0:31:09 -- Lightning Round 😂0:36:04 -- Closing thoughts & what's next

They quit their jobs -- one of them literally two days before we sat down together -- to run a BBQ food truck full time. Nick and Ben of Sigs Kitchen BBQ out of Fremont, New Hampshire are two brothers who turned a pandemic cooking hobby, a gaming username, and a leap of faith taken in memory of their mom into one of the most talked-about food trucks in New Hampshire right now.In this episode, we get into all of it:• Where the name "Sigs" actually comes from -- a gaming alias, a firearms manufacturer near Nick's house, and a skull-and-crossbones Discord logo nobody expected to see on a food truck• How their mom's love of pigs ended up permanently on the back of the truck -- and why BBQ felt like the right way to honor her• The wing competition they entered just to get their name out -- and accidentally won• What it really looks like running a BBQ business with your brother -- the good, the disagreements, and why it took longer to name the truck than to pick out the trailer• The olive potato salad customer who ate two servings of a food he hates, their home base in Methuen Mass, and why their award-winning habanero jerk wings are outselling everything in MassachusettsThis is the kind of episode that is Beyond the Plate all the way.FIND SIGS KITCHEN BBQ:• Facebook: Sigs Kitchen (their main platform -- follow for weekly schedule)• Instagram: @sigskitchenllc• TikTok: @sigs.kitchen• Home base: 224 East Street, Methuen, MA -- Thursday through Sunday when not on the road• Events booked April through October 2025 -- check Facebook for weekly locationsSUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW BEYOND THE PLATEFind us everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNHNew episodes every Tuesday -- hit the bell so you never miss one 🔔SPONSORSHIP:This episode is sponsored by Red Arrow Diner.4 NH locations: Manchester, Concord, Londonderry, and Nashua -- open 24/7.redarrowdiner.com | Instagram: @redarrow24diner | Facebook: Red Arrow DinerABOUT BEYOND THE PLATE WITH CAROL:Carol Erickson, owner of Red Arrow Diner since 1987, sits down with the people behind New England's food and hospitality scene. It's not just about the food -- it's about the journeys, the community, and what drives people to go beyond.Follow Beyond the Plate -- find us everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNHFollow Carol: Instagram @carolsew24TIMESTAMPS0:00 - Intro0:11 - Welcome: two brothers show up in Sigs Kitchen gear1:13 - Find them on socials1:29 - Life right now at Sigs Kitchen: chaotic. Good chaotic.2:00 - Before the truck: 20 years retail, 15 years fabrication2:27 - A pandemic, a smoker, and a YouTube channel begin4:45 - Mom passed -- and the leap of faith changed everything5:09 - Custom trailer built in Georgia -- 8x20 with smoker on the back6:18 - Officially full-time food truck owners (last day: two days ago)6:30 - Where does "Sigs" come from?8:35 - Why BBQ -- and the pig tribute on the back of the truck10:37 - The wing competition they didn't think they'd win11:29 - "You guys don't think you're as big as you really are"14:37 - The smoker IS on the truck -- pellet vs. stick debate16:42 - Carol's Red Arrow consistency weave-in17:53 - "We fight a lot -- but that's what brothers do" 😂18:02 - Half Dominican, half Italian -- two different roads, one truck19:50 - Real business disagreements: the great name debate 😂26:22 - Walk up to the truck -- full menu breakdown28:27 - The brisket melt: their top-selling sandwich by far32:27 - The olive potato salad customer 😂34:08 - How a rain-soaked Taco Tour led to NH ComicCon38:22 - 332,000 Facebook views in 90 days40:32 - NH vs. Massachusetts: wings sell twice as fast in Mass44:31 - "We bought a new truck yesterday"46:51 - Home base: 224 East Street, Methuen MA -- Thu-Sun55:42 - They sold rubs before they even had the truck56:54 - $3k in rubs at Christmas -- shipped across the US58:46 - ⚡ LIGHTNING ROUND1:01:33 - Booth or counter: Mission Impossible 😂1:01:45 - Red Arrow at 2am -- three very different answers1:02:05 - They have an actual theme song1:02:44 - One word. Sigs Kitchen. Five years from now.1:03:47 - "We set out in remembrance of our mother"