Terry and Frank will be sampling some of their Winter Goddess products at Lanesboro Local on Sunday October 7th, from 11 AM to 2 PM. On January 10th 2010, Terry Williams formed BlackOnyx Creations, a company that would allow her an opportunity to bring something good and wholesome into a market in need of food made “with intent.” Through experience she realized that food made with the conscious intention to please the eater, tastes much better than commercially processed items made out of expediency, or lack of care. Wanting very much to be a good citizen of the world, and as a way of giving back, she used her skills as an amateur chef, coupled with her expertise as an educator, to research organic ingredients to find flavors that were both complementary as well as delicious. With an extremely modest budget, she crafted Tranquility Chai, the first of what she later referred to as “Comfort Drinks.”
After receiving rave reviews from friends and neighbors, she and her husband Frank rented space in Kindred Kitchen, a shared commercial kitchen in North Minneapolis, and went on to produce other items, including Mojo and Muy Loco Coco, and Cranberry Walnut and Banana Walnut Granolas, which they marketed at the Midtown Farmers Market in South Minneapolis, as well as at small craft shows. Each one was produced using Organic and Fair Trade ingredients, and as many local ingredients as possible, because in their view, ”they just taste better.” The Williams’ pride themselves for eschewing the use of chemicals, fillers, binders, extenders, or artificial ingredients, intending to produce “real” food and drink products that are actually healthy and good for the body. After experiencing modest success, they reorganized their business and Frank renamed it Winter Goddess Foods, in honor of Terry. Slowly but surely their products appeared on the shelves of local specialty stores, and they began to build a loyal following.
A descendant of Belgium ancestors, Terry looked for a new challenge, trained herself to be an organic confectioner and chocolatier, and proceeded to create Winter Goddess Caramel Moments, Butter Crunch Toffee Reflections, and Oh My Goddess! Truffles. Using Old World methods, she crafted candies made the old fashioned way, “one pot at a time,” but for our day and age, she uses Organic and Fair Trade ingredients improving their taste even more! Her latest offering is Winter Goddess Butter Mint Cuties, soft all natural candies that are designed to melt in your mouth without the “chalkiness” that butter mints are usually known for.
Today Winter Goddess “Comfort Drink” and “Comfort Snack” products can be found in 18 local and regional stores in the Twin Cities area, Saint Cloud, and Garner Iowa including Surdyk’s,Oxendale’s Market, The Golden Fig, Seward, Eastside, Harvest Moon, and Good Earth Co-ops, and our own Lanesboro Local. Every Winter Goddess product is made using wholesome ingredients coupled with the Williams’ honest intent to honor each person who tries them. Terry and Frank invite you to taste what “made with love for your well-being” tm is all about. After all, as Grandpa used to say, “The proof is in the pudding.”