Cinnamon Roasted Nuts

Wayne Sullwold, and his wife Cynthia, were eagerly awaiting their retirement years, not to rest, but to start a second career. The Sullwold's dreamed of selling some kind of merchandise to supplement their retirement income while still remaining energetic and active.

Frequently attending horse shows, Wayne and Cynthia thought that they would probably begin selling some kind of merchandise at horse-related events. So, the horse show in 1990 that Wayne, a retired chiropractor, and Cynthia, a local horse show merchandise chairperson, attended in Perry , Georgia , seemed no different than the many horse shows that the two had attended before.

Only this time, something was different. At the beginning of the five-day Georgia horse show, Wayne and Cynthia stumbled upon a concession booth where roasted nuts were sold. After trying the roasted nuts, and going back for more and more, Wayne and Cynthia suddenly found themselves "hooked on" these newfound snacks.

During the next couple of days, friends of the Sullwold's began asking Cynthia why Wayne was working behind the booth of the roasted nut concession stand? What Cynthia didn't know at the time was that Wayne was working behind the booth with strangers because preparing and selling cinnamon roasted nuts was to become the couple's new pastime, occupation, love, and art form .

And so it was. In 1990, the couple visited a chemist in New Orleans who had created a type of vanilla that was specially formulated and not sold in the regular marketplace. The chemist used a certain vanilla bean from Madagascar , where he naturally dried the bean and then placed the vanilla under coals to achieve a purer flavor. The Sullwold's knew that they had come upon a "vanilla flavored secret weapon" that would delight countless customers and provide the perfect mix for the other ingredients necessary to create the perfect roasted nut.

The Sullwold's then traveled to Michigan , visited a regional roaster there, and toured three shopping malls to learn about the inner-workings of concession stands.

"The first thing we bought was a red and white apron", beamed Cynthia as she shared the story of the couple's exciting roasted nut adventures. "The second thing we bought was oven mitts, and the third thing was a roasting machine."

After perfecting their cinnamon roasted nut recipe, which includes using a German-based roasting machine and a copper kettle with straight forward ingredients (no oil or butter added), the couple was then ready to "put their nut case to the test". They contacted Scott Barriball, owner of the Farmers Market Annex.

After first obtaining a six-week temporary booth at the Farmers Market, the couple now has a permanent, prime retail space at the popular shop spot .

Every week, the couple takes each raw nut and uniquely roasts and glazes them with a special blend of white sugar, cinnamon -always bought fresh from a local bakery, and their special, secret vanilla weapon. "The nut is our number one ingredient", explains Cynthia. "We use the largest, freshest nut we can buy."

While most recipes include one-half nut to one-half sugar, the Sullwold's recipe boasts 2/3 nut to 1/3 sugar.

Cynthia and Wayne Sullwold needed to look no further than the Minneapolis Farmers Market to make their retirement dreams come true. "Our creed to make a first-class product that those who are least able to afford it are most able to enjoy it", says Cynthia. "Most people do it the other way around, but that is our creed."

In celebration of the Minneapolis Farmers Market, Cynthia goes on to say, "I personally believe that the people who come to the Farmers Market want a relationship with the people who produce, sell, and create their food. That's what we have", she says. "We have a personal relationship with those we sell to."