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Page C6 • NEW HAMPSHIRE UNION LEADER • Wednesday, December 7, 2016 Christmas Gift Guide J Gunther’s Goodies: Beer grains are packed with protein and make for a tasty dog treat. By DEENA FERGUSON Special to The Union Leader It’s said that entrepre- neurs are problem solvers. ey see something and say, “Hey, I think I can fix this.” Amy Rybczyk is one of those entrepreneurs. e Manchester woman is the owner, head (read: only) baker and primary salesperson for Gunther’s Goodies, the dog treat business she runs from her home. Started several years ago, the idea sprung from two problems Rybczyk saw. “At the time, my hus- band was a home brewer,” Rybczyk said in a telephone interview from her kitchen (“I might have to step away for a minute to check the ovens.”). “We were trying to come up with different ways to repurpose the spent grains. … You can turn them into compost, but there is only so much compost you can use in a city lot. “Having friends that actu- ally owned breweries, we knew that there was lots of protein locked in the grain after beer making. And this was right around when all of the big dog brands were getting recalled. You see an American name brand, you assumed it was made in America. And the more you read, the more you see instead of ‘made by,’ it says ‘distributed by’ or ‘manu- factured for.’ We thought this might be a better idea.” So Rybczyk set about finding the right recipe that would be both workable and tasty. “So there were a couple of different recipes for making dog treats with beer grain that we found. We kind of tinkered around a little bit to get both a shelf-stable product and one that the puppies still like,” she said. And so, Gunther’s Good- ies was born. e treats are made with just four ingre- dients. “e number one in- gredient is peanut butter, then spent beer grain, flour and egg. And the flour and egg are very minimal, just enough to mix it all to- gether.” Products are made ex- clusively in her Manchester kitchen. “In the last year, we’ve added two more ovens to our kitchen and have three baker’s racks and about 40 pans. I went from baking five pans at a time to baking 12.” Rybczyk said she bakes three to five days a week to keep her 30 retail accounts stocked and still have enough to attend several farmers markets and craft fairs each week. at makes for a long work week. “When you own your business, you don’t get vacations, you don’t get set days off. ere is no ‘Oh, it’s five o’clock. I’m done.’” But despite it all, Rybczyk said she feels her business is both a personal and a financial success. “I am at the point where we can start paying the mortgage with this.” Rybczyk credits both Bert Bingle of Bert’s Bet- ter Beers in Hooksett and Bill Herlicka of White Birch Brewing for helping to get her started. ey became friends through her hus- band’s membership in Brew Free or Die, a New Hampshire club for home brewers. “We couldn’t have enough time to realistically brew enough beer to supply my company. So we talked to Bill and he was willing to give me the grain from his brewery. en we talked to Bert, and he was my first store because being made with the grain, it went well with marketing them at a beer store.” e treats come in differ- ent sizes and shapes and can be purchased directly through gunthersgoodies. com, and there is a list on the site of the retail stores around New England which carry her products. So who the heck is Gun- ther? “Oh, he’s my great Dane,” Rybczyk said. Gunther is joined by housemates and fellow taste-testers Porter (named after the beer) and Gracie. Next year, Rybczyk said she hopes to cut down on the number of shows she does and concentrate more on her retail sales. More time at home, after all, means more time with her dogs. See a need, fill a need — with just 4 ingredients This post from Gunther’s Goodies Facebook page shows the whole gang, from left, Porter, Gracie and Gunther. Another Facebook post , at right, shows packages of dog treats made at Gunther’s Goodies ready to go to local craft fairs and farmers’ markets. COURTESY Made in New Hampshire Shop Local Rub Me Tender Make your next meal spectacular with Rub Me Tender Coffee & Tea Spice Rubs. Instantly enhance beef, chicken, pork, fish and vegetables, one rub at a time. The perfect gift for your favorite foodie, hostess gift, corporate gift, or anyone who loves great flavor. Holiday special: $25, with free shipping nationwide, while supplies last. Four Flavor Spice Rub Gift Set includes Spicy Coffee, Mellow Moroccan, Earl Grey, and Green Tea and Mint. Visit www.rubmetenderspices.com for more. Shadcreek Flies The “Tactical Trout” Fly Selection from Shadcreek Flies is a great Christmas gift for the fly-fisherman. Local craftsmanship makes this special selection of eight great trout flies, in a pocket-sized fly box, a great stocking stuffer! The “Tactical Trout” Selection is just $16.55. Gift wrapping and ground shipping is free for orders placed by Dec. 15. Order by calling or emailing: Rick Little, Shadcreek Flies, Hampstead, 329-5552, [email protected]. Visit www.shadcreekflies.com to learn more. Süss Sweets Süss, an artisan caramel company in Nashua, makes all natural, preservative- and gluten-free caramels. We strive to make the most delicious, melt in your mouth sweets that you have ever tasted! Wrapped in parchment paper, they make a beautiful gift. Nine delicious flavors: vanilla with sea salt, bourbon and gingerbread to name a few. Cost is $7 each. Visit www. susssweets to order. Walpole Mountain View Winery N.H. Winter Warmer is an off-dry, slightly sweet, lightly spiced red wine blend for the holidays. We ferment the grapes with star anise, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pod, and dried orange peel, aged for 11 months on cherry and oak woods. Cost is $17 per bottle. This wine pairs very well with roasted veges, meats with gravy, and game. Available here at the winery until our season’s closing on Dec. 18 and at 15 N.H. State Liquor Stores across the state; and Keene locations: Hannah Grimes Marketplace, Monadnock Food Co-op, and 7-Eleven (Court Street). Visit www.bhvineyard.com for more. White Mountains Helicopter Go above and beyond with your gift giving this year! No really, give the gift of flying in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. White Mountains Helicopter offers scenic tours, for those looking to get a different view of this beautiful state and flight instructions, for the loved one looking to get behind the “wheel.” Give the gift of flight! Visit www.flywm.com to learn more. Granite State Growler Tours Need a last-minute gift for that beer lover in your life? Why not give the gift of beer with gift certificates for the Growler Tours and print them out immediately. Visit the ticket sales page at www.nhbeerbus.com to purchase. Nannie’s Canning Pantry Nannie’s Canning Pantry makes homemade jams, jellies, mustard’s, chutneys and pie fillings. All product is made in small batches at the home of Karen and Lee Schweizers. Check out her Irish Stout Mustard or any of her other amazing products at www.nanniescanning.com. TwicetheRoots With TwicetheRoots, the hydroponic soil seed starting planter, it eliminates all the mess of hoses and electric cords. Two types of roots develop, allowing plants to be easily transplanted later. Yet some plants, like African Violets, prefer to remain in this planting system. Retail price is $15 plus shipping. Visit twicetheroots.com for more. Manofuel Manofuel Holiday Gift Packs are available at special pricing — buy two, get one free! Custom made with your choice of handcrafted hot sauces. All sauces are made fresh locally in small batches, offering great taste. All natural, gluten free. Choose how many bottles, and which sauces you want in each gift pack ... it’s that simple. Visit www.manofuel.com. Laurel Hill Jams Crate Trio Sampler of Fruit Jams and Jellie sells for $24.95. Choose any three varieties of gourmet jams or jellies to be presented in a Southern New Hampshire White Pine crate. Each 4-ounce jar is wrapped in an organza bag and finished with a holiday ribbon and your personal greeting. Orders can be placed online at www. LaurelHillJams.com with free shipping nationwide on orders of $60-plus. Bunny Boogie Bunny Boogie foot balm, a custom blend of botanical butters and oils designed to help keep your feet feeling fresh and healthy, sells for $12. Available online at www.bunnyboogie.com and in select New Hampshire retail locations (WREN, Hannah Grimes Marketplace, Walpole Artisans Cooperative, etc.).
