Karen’s Kuchens is a small-batch bakery based in Larimore, North Dakota, where Karen Schwandt handcrafts German-Russian style kuchens from a family recipe.

I ordered through Goldbelly, which states: "Somewhere between a cake, pie, and custard, Kuchens came to North Dakota via Germans from Russia and are 100% better when made by a grandma."

Each kuchen features a tender, buttery yeast crust topped with a rich custard and fillings that range from classics like apple, peach, and prune to creative twists like almond crème and cotton candy. I had to try the juneberry, which was all-aroumd unique.

It was a busy weekend because I was bopping all over the state to hit up events, food trucks and other small business owners to show some support.

Kits Kitchen
a delicious oatmeal cream pie here Keen Quality Meats Muddy Mountain Flower Farm
BIBLE CENTER SCHOOL SUMMER CRAFT MARKET

Chloe’s Main Squeeze
This lemonade tasted just like a bomb pop Christy’s Cupcakes
French vanilla & neopolitan Tawna’s Kitchen
Cocoa krispie treats, chex mix and more Tammy’s Kitchen Sanger Farms Surf & Swirl True Origins Coffee Company
I have some of this being delivered to me this week, and I can't wait! Chubby Joes
A pulled pork sandwich, mac & cheese and baked beans made for a good lunch
WV COFFEE FESTIVAL

Sunshine Sliders
this little Greek slider with feta and pico gave me life Cultivate Coffee
I was most excited to check out this coffee roaster because they are alllll the way over in the Eastern Panhandle. They did not disappoint. Superlove Sweets
S'more bar & fruity pebble cookie Cozy Crumbz
Cinnamom coffee cake loaf
COUNTRY ROADS FARMERS MARKET

This small Saturday market has a number of vendors that I have purchased from and some I have yet to try: Crago Country Farm, Amandus Family Farm, Blessed-Full Farm, Double K Farms, Lost Arrow Farm, Hunt's Farm, Grammy's Garden Goodies, & Northridge Farm
COONSKIN PARK'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Off The Hook
Fried fish & chips - now this was a good piece of fried cod Lone Star Kitchen
They had smashburgers, pulled pork & hand-cut fries, but I opted for the smoked brisket sandwich. Back Roads Soda Sips
drinks & sodas Kernel Koffee
coffee, popcorn & more

Pockets of Time is a charming gift shop in Kingwood, West Virginia, featuring over 25 local vendors offering handmade candles, children’s clothing, antiques, and WV-themed goods. The shop celebrates nostalgia and craftsmanship while supporting local artisans and small businesses. While not a ton of food products available, there are some honeys, syrups, and freeze dried candies. SOS Candy, Hermitage Milling and Heasley Homestead are just a few of the brands.

GWB Hot Sauce is based in Clarksburg and "combines the perfect amount of heat while maintaining a delicious flavor that is sure to enhance all your future food experiences."

I tried the sweet fire salsa, which waa lovely. They have award-winning hot sauces, BBQ sauces, salsas and even pizza sauces. Have you tried any?

Miss Ruby's Corner Market in Charleston provides fresh, healthy, and locally sourced food at discounted prices to support low-income families. "Miss Ruby’s Corner Market was born out of a vision to make fresh, healthy, and local food accessible to everyone, especially those in Charleston’s lower-income communities. It started with a simple idea—growing food in urban spaces to help provide fresh produce to families who often struggle to find affordable, nutritious options. Over time, this vision blossomed into a storefront designed to serve as both a grocery market and a community hub." "Our founders, Dural Miller, Alecia Allen, and the KYFC team, are passionate about supporting local farmers, promoting health, and giving back to the Charleston community. With the grand opening just around the corner, we’re excited to bring this important resource to the neighborhood—offering not only fresh produce but a variety of healthy, locally sourced products at discounted rates to ensure that everyone has access to what they need to live healthy lives." Chef Ke is at the helm of the kitchen and is offering sandwiches, salads and other specials. On this particular day, Chef Ke was offering walking tacos with choice of chips and toppings, which included: buffalo chicken, pulled chicken, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, chipotle ranch, ground turkey, cheddar, jalapeños, black beans, ranch and taco sauce. I got a Doritos walking taco with buffalo chicken. Tasty! And my coworker got one with lettuce, tomato, cheese and ranch; it looked delish. While I was there, they had fresh strawberries, plums, blueberries, peppers, avocados, and more. Plus, they have a variety of frozen goods, bakery items and general convenience items. They are also offering occasional dinners, like spaghetti or chicken alfredo with sides of garlic bread and salad. I can't wait to come back to try some of those. Grade: A

"In 1924, Benjamin Tillman “Pop” Byrd, Sr., at the age of 28, began baking his famous Scotch Oatmeal cookies in beautiful Savannah Georgia. He had a small bakery downtown near City Market and delivered the fresh cookies to stores around town in his Model T Ford. Typically, the cookies were sold out of large glass jars at ‘2 for a penny’. Pop’s cookies quickly became a favorite among locals and several more items were added to the bakery lineup, but nothing was as unique or as popular as the Scotch Oatmeal cookie. As the business grew, Pop decided to move the bakery closer to home on the outskirts of town, a little community called Sandfly. In 1929, he converted a tin-sided barn into a larger bakery which he lovingly named 'Byrd’s Famous Cookies,'" reads the website.



Byrd's Famous Cookies still bakes their traditional family recipes in small batches, with the highest quality ingredients. Their shop offers a collection of southern delicacies and gifts.



They offer an extensive variety of flavors and options. From their famous Key Lime Coolers to their classic Chocolate Chip cookies, they have it all. Almond shortbread, cinnamon sugar and "Cookie's Cookie" - Love our classic Scotch Oatmeal Cookie? To celebrate of our 100th anniversary in 2024, we created a fun take on our original Scotch Oatmeal Cookie and added a punch of creamy butterscotch chips and indulgent dark chocolate.



I went for Salted Caramel Cookies - Golden crisps that will leave you hootin' and a'hollerin for more. Crammed with buttery caramel morsels and a pinch of sea salt.



These crispy little bites were buttery and sweet. Kind of addicting!



Grade: A