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Milly at the Erie County Fair |
A few years ago, I began contemplating the idea of starting a small business to sell spices and mixes. It was the perfect opportunity to pass along some of my recipes that help enhance the flavor of foods. Besides the passing of old family recipes, I also enjoy creating new ideas every day. Today, that contemplation has become a reality.
The building of Spices and Mixes by Milly was a long process, but once it launched, the business began to take off and my inspiration took of as well. I began to research the different spices and all the countries they come from. I was amazed by the huge amount of information available. For example, saffron which comes from the dried stigmas of the saffron crocus: it takes 75,000 blossoms or 225,000 hand-picked stigmas to make a single pound which explains why it is the world’s most expensive spice. I slowly began to introduce my creations at small craft shows. As the community began to respond positively to what I was bringing to the shows, we began to expand our presence in Western New York.
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 Busy day at the Fair
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As I began to inform my family and friends of the variety of spices and mixes I intended to sell, they initially though I was just “crazy.” However slowly they began to learn and enjoy the spice business as well. My daughter Melitza is very knowledgeable about recipes and cooking. She loves to inform our customers about cooking and how to use the different spices. My son Matthew is also learning a lot about spices and their use. Both children often have “spice-offs” to determine which seasonings are in the food they’re eating. On the other hand, my husband Angel only knew how to eat and enjoy the food. As time passed, he became aware of the great interest there is in cooking. He now enjoys reading and learning about the different spices, the places of origin and the different dishes in which spices can be used. As a family we intend to bring the people of our area the best quality spices and mixes and help them bring flavor to their table.
We’ve loved to share our creations at craft shows, and it is a pleasure to see the customers at my booth enjoying themselves as they shop and share recipes with each other, but many of our customers have asked me if they can order my spices online. I knew it was time to start a website with an online store.
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