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Freshmen enrolled in Clarkson University's School of Business class in entrepreneurship have learned and applied the concept of "innovative adaptation" in the launch of their new business, Piece of Cake. Three months after their grand opening in Clarkson's Cheel Arena complex, Piece of Cake broke even from the sale of gourmet desserts, specialty coffees, teas and drinks, as well as other delectable sweets. The business is open during the evening hours and saw significant business during hockey games. The company has also developed an on-campus delivery service and delivers gift baskets on campus.

Innovative product line; not necessarily, but the fact these students have partnered with local Potsdam businesses, including Scoopuccinos and the new St. Lawrence Chocolates, is a unique approach to the course requirement to launch a student-run business during their first year at Clarkson.

Tastefully Simple Inc. names consultants

GLENS FALLS -- The following local residents have become independent consultants with Tastefully Simple Inc., a national direct-sales company featuring easy-to-prepare gourmet products: Erin Mcallister and Tammy Blair of Glens Falls; Allison Millis of Lake Luzerne; Katherine Peterson of Porter Corners; Teresa Redden of Queensbury; and Rhonda Ryan of South Glens Falls.As consultants, they offer the company's gourmet food and beverages to guests at home taste-testing parties. Guests receive samples, easy meal ideas, recipes and serving suggestions.

So You Can't Cook

The other day I received a very interesting personal message from sandra in which she politely reminded me that not everyone is like YumSugar and myself. There are some people, my mom and geeksugar included, who do not cook and there is nothing wrong with that. It's simply that they have no interest in getting down and dirty in the kitchen. geeksugar even confessed that when she follows the recipe exactly as stated on the back of the tollhouse chocolate chip bag, her cookies come out flat and inedible. Well what happens when the geeksugars, sandras, and souschefs (my mom) of the world want to host a party? They order in. Virtually every major supermarket has a pre-cooked, readymade section of gourmet dishes and appetizers, cheese plates and pasta salads. And if you are one of those people who despises grocery shopping as much as you do cooking, check out the appetizer store an online market where you pick the hors d'oeurves and they are delivered to your door.

Here's to mustard, an oldie but goody

I gave my refrigerator a spring-cleaning last week and counted 10 flavors of mustard. I obviously am in need of a condiment support group -- even if there are far more evil food addictions.

Mustard is an unsung hero in the kitchen. The versatility of this tart, sublime paste adds flavor and depth to sauces, soups, marinades, vinaigrettes, salad dressings and more.

Mustard is called "the spice of nations" because it is cultivated throughout the world, and has been for centuries, according to the Association for Dressings and Sauces. Almost every culture has a mustard, making it one of our most diverse ingredients.

Neon-yellow ballpark style is the No. 1 seller, the association says. But regionally, Americans have their gourmet favorites. Barry Levenson, curator of the Mustard Museum in Mount Horeb, Wis., (mustardmuseum.com) says Southerners can't get enough Vidalia onion-flavored mustards, Northeasterners seek cranberry-flavored mustards, and in the Northwest, herb mustards are popular.

American Culinary Federation Awards Seal of Approval to Folgers ...

The American Culinary Federation, Inc. (ACF), the nation's largest organization of professional cooks, recently awarded its Seal of Approval to Folgers Gourmet Selections Morning Caf, a premium coffee blend meant for everyday enjoyment. Folgers Gourmet Selections earned the federation's endorsement following extensive testing by a panel of ACF-certified chefs. Testing criteria evaluated ease of use, versatility and adaptability of product, consistency of physical properties, application of product to service procedures and, above all, flavor. Folgers Gourmet Selections Morning Caf features only Folgers' most aromatic, 100 percent Arabica beans that are specially blended and slowly roasted to provide consumers with a premium coffee variety that has a great depth of taste and aroma. With an average $2.50 less per bag than Starbucks at-home blend, Folgers Gourmet Selections Morning Caf is not only a tremendous value, but it was also preferred over Starbucks Breakfast Blend in a recent nationwide taste test.1 "As consumers become increasingly sophisticated on the culinary front, they are seeking a broader array of gourmet experiences, including their morning cup of coffee," said Doug McGraw, Vice President of Global Coffee for Procter & Gamble.