Aspinwall Neighbors Cookbook
anwneighbors.square.site/cookbook
One Pittsburgh neighborhood is getting hyperlocal with the release of its first community cookbook later this month. Home to Home features recipes shared by more than 60 Aspinwall residents, spiral-bound for easy use by home chefs. The cookbook, which is priced at $20, benefits the community organization Aspinwall Neighbors and can be preordered online for pick up at Spark Books.
Commonplace Coffee x Jim Pollock
Multiple locations. commonplacecoffee.com
Fans of coffee and jam bands should check out the latest release from Commonplace. The Pollock Blend was created through a partnership with Jim Pollock, a Pittsburgh-based folk artist best known for his poster art for the band Phish. A portion of the Pollock Blend sales will benefit the Divided Sky Foundation, a nonprofit residential drug and alcohol recovery program founded by Phish frontman Trey Anastasio. A press release describes Pollock Blend as featuring "tasting notes of grapefruit, vanilla wafer, and strawberry.” Bags are now available for purchase ($20 for a 12 oz. bag) at all Commonplace Coffee locations and online through Jan. 9, 2024. Customers who order two or more bags online will also receive a glitter walking mug sticker designed by Pollock. 
TiNDLE Foods x Giant Eagle
tindle.com
Pittsburgh vegetarians gained some new meatless chicken options this week with the local debut of three products by TiNDLE Foods. The company’s frozen plant-based chicken patties, chicken tenders, and chicken wings hit 84 Giant Eagle stores across the region, promising “a juicy meat-like texture that delivers a satisfying bite, in every bite,” according to the company website. A TiNDLE breakfast sausage was released nationwide earlier this year. 
Pennsylvania Frozen Dessert Law Repeal
Nothing says nanny state like government overregulating desserts, an issue that Gov. Josh Shapiro sought to remedy recently by repealing Pennsylvania’s frozen dessert law. The nearly 60-year-old law passed in 1965 laid out specific definitions of what constituted a frozen dessert along with food handling requirements. The state legislature found the law to be outdated in light of more recent federal regulations, creating redundancies for Pennsylvania businesses.Caliente Pizza & Draft House
Multiple locations. worldsbestpizza.com
Caliente Pizza & Draft House has already staked its claim for the world’s best pizza, but one employee recently took home top titles in dough stretching and box folding. Matt Hickey, Caliente’s commissary general manager, recently won awards in several categories at the national Pizza Tomorrow Summit in Orlando, Fla., an industry-wide event that includes pizza demonstrations and competitions. Hickey, a first-time competitor described by Caliente as having a “passion for less traditional pizza challenges," placed first in the Largest Stretch category and third in the Fastest Box Fold and Pizza Acrobatics, bringing home medals and a trophy. 
Photo: Courtesy of Caliente Pizza & Draft House
Matt Hickey of Caliente Pizza at the Pizza Tomorrow Summit
