Makers — local gifts

For some, meditation often leads to answers and when Executive Chef Steve Amaral meditated he saw: chocolate! Steve (a James Beard award nominated Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales) and Ann Corley (a marketing maven with restaurant and hospitality experience) are the co-founders of North Fork Chocolate Company. Their journey began through the Stony Brook Incubator at Calverton in 2013. They traveled, promoting their products to various community events and farmers markets and operated a pop-up space at Tanger Outlets in Riverhead, NY. From there, in February 2015, North Fork Chocolate Company opened its first brick and mortar in...

Where does one find the inspiration to craft Long Island’s coolest coffee? For Founder, Christopher Vetter, it was by serving as frontman for a touring punk/harcore band! While on tour, Chris (a native Long Islander), made it his mission to frequent the best local baristas throughout the world. But it was a fortuitous trip through Central and South America that ultimately sparked the desire to cultivate his knowledge about coffee beans.  Armed with the globe’s secrets and time crafted methods, Chris began experimenting with his own blends and premium roasts. And in 2015 he officially launched “Sail Away” with his...

When Alex and Evan Spiegel met at Stony Brook in 2001 their fate was sealed as college sweethearts. But it wasn’t until Cornell grad school when the husband/wife team stumbled upon letterpress. While in Ithaca, Alex bought a hand press from a local artist and took up letterpress simply as a hobby… a very serious hobby. As young couples do Alex and Evan traveled together, however, their travels up-and-down the East Coast centered around picking up presses, type and all things letterpress related. Small jobs for friends and family eventually lead to the official formation of Dolce Press in 2005,...

What do you do when you want to work with your spouse and have a love for brewing, food and travel? Start a spice company of course! Alicia Valeo and Kevin Breslawski are born and bred Long Islanders who have channeled their love for all things gastronomic into Crimson & Clove. Long Island isn't just the place they grew up and now run their business, it is an inspiration for many of their spice blends and flavored salts. From their The End Montauk Blend, influenced by grilling fresh seafood at the beach, to Pizza Party! which evokes the comforting aroma...