What's Cooking: New food truck; Mexican eatery moves & truly fresh cocktails
(A twice-a-month look at what's new in the Beaver Valley dining and drinks scene).
Trish's Truffles & Street Treats has joined the local food truck brigade.
Debuting last week, Trish's truck − more like a van − sells curbside sweet treats, such as chocolate truffles, French macarons, croissants, cookies and brownies.
The dessert truck will be parked in the Huntington Bank parking lot in Beaver for the Beaver Wine Festival this upcoming Saturday. Other stops include Sept. 10 Bags & Blessings at Thursday's in Bridgewater; Food Truck Thursday in Monaca on Sept. 15; and the Monaca Holiday Kickoff on Dec. 3.
Keep tabs on the truck's calendar of events at trishstruffles.com
Owner Trish Koodrich has studied the art of making truffles and sweets since her first trip to Paris and a visit to Fachon’s Patisserie over 30 years ago.
After retirement, family and friends encouraged her to share her talents in the business that would become Trish's Truffles & Sweet Treats.
She first opened her truffles and chocolate business after exceeding her Kickstarter goal six years ago.
"Because of that, I was able to get the labeling and the design and marketing and also start to delve into doing European chocolates and learning more about them and packaging," Koodrich said. "It really did kickstart my business."
Trish's Truffles began doing pop-up events, often paired with Two Rivers Olive Oil Co. in Beaver.
Then for two years, Trish's operated a sweets shop on the second floor of a downtown Beaver storefront. She said before the start of 2022, her landlord did not renew her lease at that now vacant site, where for most of this year, signs have promised a new Thai restaurant.
"So, then the dessert truck came into play," Koodrich said.
Koodrich now has launched a second Kickstarter to create a mentorship program through the Trish's Truffles & Street Treats food truck.
"My goal is to get this truck rolling and help young adult entrepreneurs who have a passion of being in this industry and possibly having their own dessert truck but do not have the financial and/or family support needed," she said. "This is why I will be working with the Big Brother Big Sister and other local organizations."
Mexican restaurant moves in Ellwood City
El Canelo has moved its Ellwood City restaurant.
Formerly on Lawrence Avenue in the borough's West End, the authentic Mexican eatery now can be found near the overpass at 225 Fifth St. in Ellwood City.
That's where customers will find items like Pollo Asado, Street Tacos, Nacho Fajitas and Chimi Cheesecake.
El Canelo opened its first Ellwood site last autumn, and operates three other Lawrence County locations, in Neshannock, Union and Shenango townships.
More:What's cooking: Dining & drinks news in the Beaver Valley
Beaver Brewing's Farm to Glass
Beaver Brewing Co. takes the "drink local" concept to a fresh level with its sixth annual Farm to Glass Cocktail Event on Aug. 26.
The Beaver Falls craft brewery will focus on cocktails made with all local ingredients, infused in spirits all produced in Pennsylvania.
Favorites returning from last year's event:
*Carrot Cake Cocktail, with carrot juice, oat milk, raisins, cinnamon and spiced rum.*Heirloom Tomato Bloody Mary, with Chippewa-grown tomatoes.*Just Beet It, with beet juice gin and tonic.*Cucumber Apple Martini with juiced cucumbers.*Blueberry Mojito.*Watermelon Mint Martini.
Farm To Glass begins at 4 p.m.
New pizza at newly named stadium
Caliente Pizza & Draft House has opened its newest locations inside Acrisure Stadium.
Steelers fans can look for the award-winning pizza chain's cement-block structure in the South End Zone below the jumbo video board and also in the East and West clubs of The Stadium Formerly Known as Heinz Field.
With a gameday capacity of 68,000 people, “There’s no better place for us to highlight our amazing pizza,” Caliente owner and founder Nick Bogacz said in a press release.
Caliente will sell slices of cheese, pepperoni, and pepperoni and sausage pizzas to patrons, with a variety of beverages.
Moving into Acrisure Stadium continues the steady growth of Caliente, which opened new locations in Sewickley and Crafton over the past year, bringing its total to seven restaurants.
“People may not have believed it was possible then, but when I started Caliente 10 years ago with one shop in Bloomfield, this was always one of my goals,” Bogacz said. “Seeing it come to pass, it’s truly a tribute to the dedicated employees we have and the community support we’ve enjoyed over the years.”
Scott Tady is entertainment editor at The Times and easy to reach at stady@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Beaver County's new food truck debuts; Mexican restaurant moves
