Buffalo Rising Online

Rachel Dominguez

Sanarak Paper and Popcorn Supplies is located in North Buffalo on Hinman Avenue between Elmwood Avenue and Military Road. It’s the kind of storefront you might drive by without giving a second glance; the name might lead you to think its stock includes both double-tabbed manila file folders (c’mon, how can I talk about paper without a reference to The Office?) and Jiffy Pop, but if you stop by the next time you’re in the neighborhood, you’ll find something quite different inside.

Sanarak is a locally owned company that does a brisk wholesale business in bulk candy, popcorn and other snacks for concession stands, but it also has a variety of goods available to the individual consumer. In the mood for pralinated cashews, bar mixers, soft frozen pretzels or chocolate covered popcorn? Sanarak is great f…

Sandy Starks

Did you know that there are two in-store bakeries at the Broadway Market? That fresh and sweet candy products are made on-site at the Broadway Market? The place is filled with sweet stuff all year round by family-owned businesses that make the real deal.

Melanie’s Sweets opened at the Broadway Market over 25 years ago. After time, Melanie I. Kryger-LaMastra’s bakery business blossomed and she moved out of The Market and into two other WNY locations. One at Theater Place in Downtown Buffalo (which is still in operation) and the other in Cheektowaga on Harlem Road.

One day she realized that she felt a need to return to the Broadway Market. So, for the past 2 years, she has created luscious treats for her customers at the place where her career began. Melanie has her ovens, mixers and decorating paraphernalia right at her fingertips. Ovens run all day long, producing made-…

Christa Glennie Seychew

Hopefully, by the end of this month, our chilly winter season will begin to fade into spring. Of course we look forward to the warmer temperatures and the bounty of the early growing season. But it is not yet time to push aside some of the best aspects of winter, one of them being the warmth and comfort imparted by a simple, robust meal shared with family and friends. And what better inspiration than Buffalo Rising’s Sunday Suppers, which, in association with Slow Food Buffalo, connects a local chef with our readers in an effort to provide you with an easy, one-pot meal, ideal for both feeding your family and impressing your guests.

For our March feature we were fortunate enough to pair up with Chef Jay Whitney of WJ Morrissey’s Irish Pub. Chef Whitney is quick to point out that he isn’t professionally trained, but it is my opinion that there’s no substitute for good ins…

Chef Bill Metzgar

A Spring Dinner of "Small Plates" is a lighter alternative to the classic sit-down Easter feast, with a menu that is easily managed without slaving over a stove all day. Even more exciting is the idea of deconstructing the traditional dishes of some of Buffalo's old neighborhoods-German, Italian, Polish, Irish, and Russian-into a meal that your guests can enjoy gathered round a table or walking about with a plate in hand, enjoying each other's company. I think this sounds fun and is something most anyone can pull off.

There’s nothing typical about a “small plates” party. There’s no Appetizer, Fish Course, Salad, Entrée, Dessert format. The selections all contribute equally and are fun to set up in various parts of the home or larger rooms to get people moving about, discovering what you’ve prepared for them and stopping for an instant at the table to share a mome…

Courtney Bajdas

Spring will soon crawl out of hibernation. This brings fresh regional produce to mind. Indeed, it's the ideal time to reserve your local farm share. You’ll recall that CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture) rely on early reservations to determine not only what they plant, but also how much. Implied in that statement is the fact that members directly influence what is planted. Whether you’re strictly looking for veggies, or are interested in herbs and flowers, fruit, or even eggs, you'll find it at one of the CSA’s listed below.

Good Food Farm: A scenic drive out to North Java is all the more rewarding on the way back with a trunk full of vegetables, all natural, pasture raised chickens, eggs and even organic milk.

Christa Glennie Seychew

With soft, low lighting, a sleek, sophisticated wraparound bar, and a color palette reminiscent of the evening sun, the newest arrival on Buffalo’s fine dining scene, One Sunset, has set its sights high.

After a series of construction and permitting setbacks, owner and NBA free agent Leonard Stokes opened the doors to his new eatery in early December. Known to most as the former Locker Room bar and to others as its most recent incarnation, Lotis, One Sunset’s Delaware Avenue location is convenient for both city and suburban dwellers; the 198 is just blocks away.

This is a restaurant where enjoying an appetizer and a drink at the bar is encouraged; a quick stop before a party or after a movie is ideal. If this style of dining suits you, I suggest you order the Crispy Shrimp, whose name is an oversimplification. Mild, soft shrimp are delicately battered and stacked atop a po…

Kate Sorice

On Saturday, March 15 the March of Dimes will hold its 27th Annual Gourmet Gala. For over two decades the March of Dimes has been hosting this event--which has been referred to as “one of the best parties of the year”-- to raise awareness for its important cause.

This year the Gourmet Gala will be held at the Adams Mark Hotel in Downtown Buffalo. Tickets are $250 per person and all proceeds go to the March of Dimes. This year's theme, “A Star is Born”, will feature a champagne reception, cooking demonstrations and entertainment by Le Masquerade Fantasy Players. Masters of Ceremonies will be none other than WGRZ's Maryalice Demler and Kevin O’Neil, and the culinary judges will feature stars of the local food scene.

The March of Dimes is focused on research and education to prevent premature births, which effects millions of women and children every year. The need to …

Christa Glennie Seychew

Last Sunday, as I was about to make away with my purchases from the Wintermarket, I noticed dozens of fresh eggs stacked up on the table belonging to the fantastic Blossom Hill Farm. Blossom Hill is best known to most of us for its phenomenal pork, but not being in the market for meat that day I had swept past their table without looking carefully. I cannot believe that I almost missed out on a gorgeous dozen of their marvelous eggs.

Lovely ovals peeked out of the carton at me, in designer shades of speckled blue and soft brown. What a treat! We city folk really don't know what we're missing when it comes to fresh chicken eggs produced with love and care. We've grown accustomed to the rubbery, dull replicas pawned off as the real deal by our local supermarkets.

Sandy Starks

Western New Yorkers are spoiled in the summer and autumn months. It seems that farmers markets are everywhere, supplying fresh produce from local growers. But where do we go in the winter to get quality local produce without paying the steep prices supermarkets charge for goods shipped from the warmer climates?

The Broadway Market of course!

Lewandowski’s Produce has been a mainstay at The Market for almost 25 years. Ten years before coming to The Market, Mary and her late husband Ron made the rounds at area farmers markets. Their business provided an outlet for the produce of farmers that could not commit to going to the various outdoor venues. The markets in Springville, Clinton-Bailey, Niagara Falls, and the Super Flea on Walden are where they began their journey as a business.

Mary buys cold…