Our Story
Let's see, as all great things begin, so does the story of Sweet Dragon. From an unseen seed of inspiration.
For many years my father liked to make spicy peanuts and give them out over the holidays. And his knowing of my passion for spicy foods, he eventually shared the recipe with yours truly. I in turn started making the spicy peanuts.
Peanuts - just peanuts. And they were good.
After a few batches (even a couple of burned batches) I tweaked the method a bit and was making spicy peanuts.
But only the flavor my dad had shown me.
I too was sharing with friends and family.
Then one night during cooking, that infamous notion "I bet I can improve this" kicked in.
And "The Original Recipe" flavor was created that very night.
The next night, yip the very next night, I started playing in the lab (kitchen) and trying all kinds of spicy combinations.
Some variations were amazing. Others down right awful. The latter never got past the trash can.
Flavor after flavor was born. Holiday Blend, Altered Beast, Blend #3, & Chipotle Blend were early creations.
Everything I made went to work. Shared with everyone I could get to try the new creations. Some were loved.
Some were not.
One day, a co-worker was going to host a Christmas party for her family and wanted some of the Holiday Blend and was hoping I would be kind enough to make her a couple of pounds. "She'd pay me for them". Hmmmm - suuuurrre. Why not.
The next day, my very first delivery was made. Oh, not in the fancy do-dad bags that you all get today. Just plain ol' ziploc baggies. A couple weeks latter I was to learn that the treat was a huge success.
As time went on, more folks were asking for bag after bag. Sweet Cajun, here, Smoky Thai there. I couldn't be handing out ziploc baggies of spicy nuts forever. My creations needed MORE.
New bags were found. The logo designed. A name was created. More recipes born. Even had some swag put together.
Some of you might even still have a pen with the Sweet-Dragon logo on it. (I might have to get some more created).
Eventually there were different size bags, almost 30+ recipes (yes there are
Orders coming in from time to time. And the world was still turning.
And now the time is right - time to start the business 100%.
Today, all orders are handcrafted and made to order.
This spring (spring of 2019) me and my lovely Lisa will be hitting the Farmers and Saturday Markets around the Portland & Vancouver metropolitan area. Watch the Events page, Facebook and/or Instagram to find our tables.
Thanks for reading "Our Story" and hope to see you all at the Markets in the coming months.
Sweet Dragon
