May 22, 2012:  ISH Premium Horseradish

When Carolyn Gutierrez and her siblings were trying to convince their father to retire, one of the arguments they used was that he “could be the next Paul Newman” with the beet horseradish he made for friends and family every Passover.

“He didn’t bite,” Gutierrez says, “but I had just left my job and realized it was what I wanted to do.” So, with her father’s blessing, she started ISH Premium Horseradish and set out to show people how delicious horseradish can be.

“It’s a matter of getting people to try it,” she explains, “That’s why Smorgasburg is great: sample, sample, sample.” She’s there every Saturday, talking to people about her product and how to use it.

“I tell people to be creative, don’t be afraid,” Gutierrez says, “Play with it.” She likes the citrus flavor with fish or scallops, or added to vegetables instead of garlic. The beet horseradish goes well on a steak or stuffed into a burger with some bleu cheese before it’s grilled. Her husband adds the citrus horseradish to drawn butter and uses it with crab legs—”it’s so decadent!”—or, since he’s a former bartender, in “perfect Bloody Marys.” She’s also adding ginger and garlic flavors to her product line; they’ll both be available very soon.

“They’re meant to be used as an ingredient as well as a topping or accompaniment,” Gutierrez explains. “I want to inspire people to bring new flavor and excitement to the food they eat. There’s no reason to be boring.”