Urban Craft Uprising

If you're in Seattle come join us at Urban Craft Uprising this weekend to find unique one-of-a-king handmade gifts for everyone on your list. Of course we will be there with plenty of goodies for your favorite four-legged friends!

New Treats Just In Time for the Holidays!

We've spent some time this year working on two new products we're excited to release in time for the holidays:


Gingerbread Men: Our new Gingerbread Men are absolutely delicious. Just one smell and you'll be wanting to munch on them yourself! What makes us really excited about these wheat-free treats though is that they are the first in a new line of 100% Eco treats. The ingredients are all sourced from small businesses and small family-owned farms. What's more, the packaging is 100% eco-friendly what with the inner bag being compostable, the outer box being recycleable, and the label being made from Fiberstone which is a tree-free paper alternative. For anyone looking for a true eco treat this is a great option!


Hanukkah Coins: The idea for this treat really has to go to our chef's mother-in-law who last year complained that the vast majority of holiday dog toys and treats were geared towards Christmas. 'What about Hanukkah?' she asked. We realized she was right so we spent a good amount of time this past year developing our Hanukkah Coins to resemble human gelt. Made from dog-safe carob, this wheat-free treat is also packaged in eco-friendly packaging (the bag is compostable, the gold foil covering every coin is recycleable, and the attached card is made from recycled paper and printed with soy-based inks). Given the reactions we've gotten so far, these treats are going to be the Hanukkah gift to give and receive!

Getting Ready for Vegas

September brings with it lots of things. Cooler winds, shorter days, delicious Fall produce, the start of school, and, inevitably, the beginning of the Fall tradeshow season. This year we're heading to SuperZoo (Sept 15-17 Booth #1863) and HH Backer Christmas (Oct 2-4 Booth #4134) and can't wait to show our products to retailers. In the coming days I'll do a little writeup on the two new products we have this year. Not only are the new products creative and delicious, but they are also eco-friendly!

Today may have been Labor Day but with SuperZoo starting in about a week, a good portion of today was spent getting our pallet ready to ship off to the shows. It's always exciting to get that on it's way as it means that Tradeshow Season has begun!

Since I anticipate the rest of this week will be pretty quiet in advance of the show, now is the time to spend some time and energy thinking of what food we'll be bringing with us to the show. Tradeshows are always fun and a great chance for us to meet and catch up with new and repeat retailers as well as share stories with our favorite manufacturers. But the days are also really long so we like to bring a few human treats with us to help us get through the days.

In addition to our perennial tradeshow favorites of Gary Poppins White Cheddar popcorn (www.garypoppins.com - handmade popcorn that is just better then you've ever tasted before! This provides us with a 'salty' fix when needed) and Chukar Cherries (www.chukarcherries.com - chocolate covered cherries from our home state of Washington. I like to think that not only do they give us a 'chocolate' fix when the 3pm slumbers hit, but since they're made from cherries then they also qualify as 'fruit,' don't they?), this year I've been playing around with pretzel bread. True to form, I first tasted it at a local bakery and became hooked. So in my free time I've been experimenting with recipes and have finally found one that tastes just like the bakery. So this week I'll be baking up a bit of that as well to bring to SuperZoo as well. Though for anyone who is looking for a truly delicious bread at SuperZoo without the hassle of making it themselves I highly recommend stopping by Red, White, & Blue in Mandalay for their morning croissant. They are addictive!

Hot Off the Press

Our new brochure showed up at the office today looking even better then we had hoped. It's chock-full of beautiful product pictures and great product information to help retailers make their buying decisions. The brochure also has our two newest products highlighted (which we'll also feature here in a week or so). If you're a retailer and would like to receive a copy of our brochure please send us an email (sales at petitfourlegs dot com) with your store name, mailing address, and EIN number or sign up for our wholesale site (www.petitfourlegs.com/wholesale.php) and we'll put you on the list. We're planning on sending them out around August 21st so keep an eye on your mailbox!

Are You Ready For DOGust 1st?

Are you ready for DOGust 1st? In case you haven't heard, the North Shore Animal League has a grassroots movement to make the first of August 'the' day to celebrate birthdays of shelter dogs and cats everywhere. As many of us with rescue pets know, our pet's true birthday is something we most likely don't have. DOGust 1st is the answer! So take time on that day to shower your rescue pup or cat with a little extra TLC.

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Greta (our rescue),
Happy Birthday to you!

Quarterly Recipe - Watermelon Granita

Granitas are a simple and delicious frozen dessert. Similar to a sorbet in that it relies on fresh fruit for flavor, granitas have a grainier, ice-crystal, texture. Best of all, you don't need an ice cream machine to make these!

Ingredients:
4 cups cubed, seedless watermelon
1/2 cup sugar
lemon juice from one lemon
rind from 1/2 of one lemon

Instructions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
2. Pour mixture into a large shallow pan and freeze for one hour.
3. After one hour, remove from freezer and rake a fork through the mixture to break up the ice crystals. Think 'sno cone' texture.
4. Replace pan back into freezer and freeze for another hour. After which, remove from freezer and rake with a fork.
5. Return pan to freezer and freeze for another hour or until ready to serve. Rake one final time before serving.

Enjoy!

DailyKibble.com

We got a great little writeup yesterday in DailyKibble.com which was just the perfect way to end the week!
http://www.dailykibble.com/scoop/052909.shtml

If you haven't checked them out yet, they are a great resource for all things doggie and well worth checking in with daily to see what sort of fun stuff they've found.

Going Locovore

It's been a while since we've written anything but that's because we've been busy working on some new products we'll introduce this Fall. One of the key parts to any product - new and old - is quality ingredients which is something we take very seriously. We have always strived to put only the highest-quality US-sourced ingredients in our treats and won't settle for anything less. However now we're hoping to raise the bar even further.

We've spent the last several months talking to local farmers to try and find the best possible organic ingredients from small family-owned farms. And I'm happy to say after several months of searching, we just signed on the dotted line this week! The family farm we'll be working with is Oregon-based and has been in business for nearly a century. They started as a honey farm and quickly grew to become a provider or raw ingredients to businesses around the Pacific Northwest. Not only do their ingredients taste wonderful, but they also have a comprehensive safety program to ensure that their ingredients are never tainted (and in the nearly 100 years of business they have never had to issue an ingredient recall). We're very excited to be working with them and can't wait to receive our first order next week.

It Ain't Easy Being Green

Kermit said it best, it ain't easy being green. But that doesn't mean we don't strive towards doing what we can to lesson our impact on the environment. Here are just a few of the things Petit Four Legs is currently doing to be more eco-friendly:

* We're introducing Fiberstone(tm) labels on our Petit Four 4-treat gift bags. Made from natural chalk, Fiberstone (tm) is a low carbon, tree-free alternative to paper and saves 16,000 gallons of water, 9,000 btu's of energy and 20 trees per ton.
* All packing materials used in shipments contain 100% recycled material. We use only recycled newspring and, when available, packging peanuts recycled from shipments received by suppliers.
* We're involved in a comprehensive composting program that enables us to compost all kitchen food waste rather than placing the material in the trash. The food waste is composted and used as fertilizer in city parks.

In Memory of Nesta

It is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to Nesta. Part shepard? Part collie? Perhaps part wolf? We never did find out but he was beautiful and unique in his own way. Rescued as a puppy, Nesta came into our home and - as with any dog - made us realize that we could never imagine our life without him. True to his namesake (Nesta is Bob Marley's middle name), Nesta was laidback and ever so cool. While other dogs wanted to run around and bark to kingdom come, Nesta was never more content then when sleeping at the feet of his people.

In losing him it's like we're losing a bit of ourselves. This fur-person has been a part of our graduations, marriages, joys, and loses. He is a part of us and no words can truly explain how dearly he will be missed.


Photo taken yesterday morning of Nesta enjoying his morning walk in his favorite kind of weather.

Quarterly Recipe - All-Natural Alaska Granola

In honor of earth month, this HUMAN recipe was given to our pastry chef by an Alaskan Fisherman and is full of natural energy. Goes great with yogurt or toss in some chocolate pieces to make a yummy and satisfying mid-afternoon snack.

4 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup flaxseed
5 oz shredded coconut
1/4 cup + 1/8 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup + 1/8 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Mis all dry ingredients together. Add oil, honey, and vanilla extract and mix well to try and coat dry ingredients. Place mix into a lightly buttered 9X13inch baking dish and spread the mix out so that it creates a shallow layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring often, until oats appear dry.

Granola can be stored in plastic zip-lock bags for up to one week in humid climates an up to two weeks in dry climates.

What is Carob and is it safe for dogs?

With Easter around the corner it's hard to walk into any store without being bombarded by chocolate goodies in all sorts of bunny and egg shapes. As most dog owners know, these chocolate goodies aren't safe for dogs but many treats, including some of Petit Four Legs', offer up carob as an alternative. So what exactly is carob and why is it safe for dogs?

Like chocolate, carob grows on trees and it is the seed pod which is edible. Native to the Mediterranean, carob has an illustrious history. It was eaten in Ancient Egypt and is mentioned in both the Talmud and the New Testament. Today it is most commonly used as a sweetner or chocolate substitute. Carob is also believed by many to boost nutition and actually be healthier for humans than chocolate but no scientific studies have confirmed this yet.

For dogs, the reason that carob in moderation is a safe alternative is that carob does not contain theobromine, an alkaloid found naturally in chocolate. Theobromine, in amounts as small as 50g for small dogs, can cause tremors, dehydration, and even seizures and death. For this reason treats that use carob are a safe alternative for dogs who are hoping for their own Easter basket this time of year.

It's That Time Again

This picture came our way this morning and we thought we'd share it with you to add a little levity to tax time. Enjoy!

Petit Four Legs Products NOT Affected By Peanut Recall

We wanted to assure you that our treats are NOT affected by the recent FDA peanut recall. Since we bake all our treats in a small commercial kitchen - not a factory - and we do not outsource any of our production, our products do not contain peanut paste and have not been affected. We hve also been in contact with our ingredient providers to ensure that the ingredients we're using are safe.

Please don't hesitate to let us know if you have any questions.

Plan Your Own Puppy Bowl

Thanks to the Animal Planet for this great guide on how to throw your own Puppy Bowl:
http://animal.discovery.com/tv/puppy-bowl/tailgate-party/tailgate-party.html

Quarterly Recipe - Chocolate Truffle Cookies

In the first newsletter of the new year we just sent out, we added in a human recipe. Why a human recipe in a dog treat newsletter? Since our company was started by a professional pastry chef we constantly have sweet human treats in the office. Most Monday's our head chef comes into the office with something she baked up for the staff. So we figured we should share the goodies (and the stories behind them) with you.

Chocolate Truffle Cookies
(first the story behind them)Seattle is, undoubtedly, the land of coffee shops and there is one near our office where we go when we need a break or a change of venue to brainstorm. In addition to having fantastic coffee they also have delicious treats that are all made onsite. One of these treats - a chocolate truffle cookie - has become a staff favorite but at $2.50/cookie, it can start to add up over time (we can sometimes spend a lot of time at this coffee shop!). So our head chef got it in her mind that she was going to figure out the recipe. And, low and behold, after several weeks of experimenting at home, she did!

Chocolate Truffle Cookie Recipe: (approx 36 cookies)
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
6 Tbl unsalted butter
3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 TBL unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. In a microwave or a bowl placed over a pan of simmering water, melt unsweetened chocolate, 1 cup chocolate chips, and butter until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. In a large bowl, whip eggs and sugar for about two minutes until thick and pale. Stir in vanilla and chocolate mixgture until well mixed. In a seperate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; gradually stir into the chocolate mix. Fold in remaining 1 cup chocolate chips. Cover dough and chill for one hour.
2. After dough has chilled, remove from fridge and, using a medium-zied ice cream scoop, scoop out dough balls. Place dough balls on a baking tray covered with wa or parchment paper. Place baking sheet and dough balls into the freezer for one hour.
3. If cookies are to be eaten immediately, preheat over to 350 degreesF (175 degreesC), place on ungreased baking sheet, and bake 15-22 minutes. Allow cookies to cool 5 minutes on baking sheet before eating.
4. Alternatively, cookies can be stored frozen and baked a little at a time as needed. In this case, remove dough balls from the baking sheet in the freezer and store in a plastic zip-lock bag. When ready to bake, follow instructions in Step 3.

Ringing In The New Year

It's the new year and with that we're ringing in some big changes for 2009.

For our retailers we have a new quarterly newsletter that's getting ready to go out the door first thing tomorrow morning. It's full of fun and informative articles to keep you up to date with what we're working on. Plus it also has a special recipe from our co-founder and professional pastry chef. We figure it can't just be the dogs who are having all the fun! (We'll also post a copy of the recipe here).

We also have several new products planned for this year. Can't say too much about them yet but we're really excited. More to come on that later in the year!