Pulling fresh salted chocolate and pumpkin spice cookies from the hot oven, Deirdre Stirpe, owner of downtown specialty cookie shop Crumb Together, alongside her husband Tony, discusses her store’s beginnings, her love for Eugene’s local business support and her life dedication to perfecting and sharing her sweet recipes.

The Stirpes found themselves arriving in Eugene almost three years ago to start their store from a conservative region in Arizona where they found it difficult to maintain a shop due to a lack of local business support.

“I’d open something up, and a Starbucks would end up next door,” Stirpe said. “It was really a problem. We had heard about Eugene and it’s been everything we’d hoped for.”

After the shooting of Arizona Democratic Representative Gabrielle Giffords in 2011, the Stirpes decided on moving toward the Pacific Northwest to “rehydrate” from the desert life and from “boiling political ideologies.” Eugene, a fit for all of their new home criteria, has so far treated the couple and their business very well.

And for good reason. The store, one of a kind and quirky-comfy, has posed a lovely addition to the city of Eugene. The ingredients are as much as possible organically and locally sourced, fitting to the tastes of the town. The vegan offerings will leave even meat aficionados enthused. The business name, a play on the famous Beatles song, merely adds to the already city-suited persona.

The Stirpes, who have become enthralled by the Eugene community for many reasons, have grown to especially appreciate the arts and theater scene and have made a point to donate to the local programs when opportunities arise. As local business owners, the couple believes community give-back to be of high importance.

“We are a small, growing business. We’ve made mistakes, we’ve changed our minds, we’ve tried different ideas to a variety of outcomes,”  wrote Tony on the business’s blog, The Crumb Diary.

“Eugene’s community focus has helped our small business tremendously,” Stirpe said. “We strive to help give back as much as possible.”

The cookies, made in extremely small batches and baked fresh through the day as needed, have been “perfected over 25 years” by Stirpe and are only $1.50 each. They are a perfect downtown snack on a stroll. The full espresso bar to accompany doesn’t hurt, either.

Popular varieties include the “chocolate salty,” topped with sea salt, the Maple Bacon Oatmeal and the Oregon Trail, a twist on rocky road with marshmallows and local hazelnuts. All cookies are dairy free, as Stirpe believes vegetable-based shortening provides better texture to the treats, and gluten-free and vegan options are always available. Other specialties occasionally offered include scones, granola bars, muffins and mini cheesecakes, which John Carlotti, the owner of Cone Ball, an antique shop downtown, calls “the best in Eugene.”

“There’s a Groupon up, and I find myself going back to it,” said Meagan Hamilton, a student at the University of Oregon. “The cookies are just unbelievably great. I try to tell people about the shop as much as I can.”

You can find Crumb Together at 980 Oak St. downtown. Online ordering is available at crumbtogether.com.

Bright summer weekend walks weaving through numerous specialty booths downtown may no longer be, but the eccentric Eugene artisans behind the market magic have found a temporary home for the holidays.

In all its tie-dyed, hippie flare glory, accompanied by live seasonal music and in the warmth of indoors, the Eugene Saturday Market lives on: for unique holiday gifts, for an hour or two of time kill and for local community support.

From beautiful pottery pieces to fiber optic rave light toys, the hundreds of featured local artists have something for everyone on your list.

Looking for a unique jewelry piece as special as the person you’re picking it up for? You’ll find more than 30 local jewelry artists, each with individual styles and techniques. Arto’cycle, which upcycles vintage trinkets and toys into colorful and uncommon jewelry pieces, features kooky, one-of-a-kind earrings, perfect for quirky girlfriends and crazy aunts alike. Forgeries craft pieces of precious metals into gorgeous neck pieces and bangles, with a style reminiscent and great for fans of “Game of Thrones.”

Sally Bogardus, who spent her summer on a boat catching almost 30 tons of albacore, vends her canned catches, along with specialty handmade tuna delicacies.

“I will always love fishing,” Bogardus said. “And I will always love the ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ of those trying the product of it. It’s good stuff.’”

For those looking for something entirely unique, Raven Moon sells his handmade painted rattlers and masks. Character shakers in all sizes, large colorful skulls and beautifully mystical masks line his counter.

“I take inspiration from the world around me. Everything has art potential,” he said, rattling a large Jabba the Hutt in beat with the live music nearby.

Other creative outlets to be noted include Marsh Missiles, which hand-makes and sells intricate marshmallow guns; Twylyte Hour Products, a BDSM leather vendor; and Hap-Hazard Creativity, where homemade liquor bottle lamps brighten the surrounding area.

One of the more interesting products featured in the market is at Savage Expedition Gear, where the owner crafts “survival belts” that also double as wild game snares and fire starters. Perfect for your outdoor-loving friends and loved ones.

Looking for a new scent or a gift for the beauty product crazed? Kathleen Houghton of Pioneer Natural Soaps & Candles handcrafts soy candles, lotions and body sprays in unique, potent scents like Nagchampa, Maple Caramel Brulée and Hops and Sweet Ale.

“I started by just making and experimenting with them for myself,” she explained. “I didn’t think anything of it. Friends, and  then friends of friends, and then so on, began telling me how much they loved the quality of my product. I thought they were crazy but strangers seem to agree.”

Other popular beauty vendors include Magic Mineral Make-up, where artisan Kaje Walker sells “better than Bare Minerals” shadows and foundations, and Milk ‘n Honey Herbal Products, where Sarah Smith develops blends of dried flowers and herbs for facial steaming astringents and beautiful body massage oils in clear, decorative glass bottles.

Explore the hundreds of unique artisan vendors and enjoy live music and international cuisine at the Lane County Exhibit Hall at 13th Avenue and Jefferson Street.

For many, Thanksgiving is a yearly family tradition of warm, home-cooked dishes and good company. Students head home for a much-needed taste of “real food” and loved ones eagerly await them. Other times, train and plane tickets rack up too high, family problems arise and jobs keep us tied back. For those, there is a place to go this year —  to eat, to make friends and to experience an event as delicious as it is heartwarming.

Lane County’s homeless population is about 3,500, according to Free People Eugene. So for those huddling through the brisk nights, perhaps unable to connect with family members and friends, there is also a place to go this year for Thanksgiving. It’s the Whiteaker’s annual community dinner, a place where they can eat, converse and receive warm blankets, jackets and sleeping bags that are donated throughout the year.

The event works as a gigantic jigsaw puzzle consisting of numerous small parts working together to make a whole. The event is overseen by Beverly Farfan.

“People do it because they care about other people,” Farfan said. “We’re all neighbors in some way.”

Come next Thursday, Farfan will arrive at the Whiteaker Community Head Start Center at 5 a.m.

At 7 a.m., where people will already begin lining up, hot coffee and breakfast rolls will be handed out. At 8 a.m., big blankets and sleeping bags. Shortly after, the “free store” opens, and those waiting will have access to an array of donated toiletries and clothing.

By 11 a.m., the hot food is served, including the regular staples: turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes. The quality of the meal is ensured by the numerous local cooks, trained in culinary schools and hospitality programs, who help prepare the food.

“It takes us hours to prepare the meal,” said Lane Community College culinary arts student Korbin Collins. “And it’s really because of the quality, not the quantity.”

Other volunteers will weave through tables with beverages and desserts in hand. To them, and to all working the event, it is important that those joining relax, warm up and enjoy.

“These are people who deserve a good meal, and I like that I can help provide it,” Collins said.

Out of the many highlights of the event, the photo booth will stand as one of the most heartwarming. Attendees will be able to have pictures taken, and with free stamps and envelopes, be able to send those pictures to meaningful loved ones around the country.

If interested in donating to the cause, the Whiteaker dinner is accepting $1 a pound donations toward turkey, of which they plan to serve 1,700 pounds, and $10 and $16 sponsors toward blankets and sleeping bags, respectively. Toiletries and coats are also being accepted.

If interested in experiencing the event for yourself or with friends and family, food will be served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 21 N. Grand St.

“It’s for anybody that wants to be someplace,” Farfan said.

For date nights, late nights, hang spots and coffee shops, here are the 10 best places in Eugene to soak in surroundings:

There are hundreds of fabulous restaurants located throughout Eugene. The Daily Emerald suggests the Laughing Planet as one of the top 10 places to visit. (Courtney King/ Emerald).

1. Laughing Planet Cafe, 760 Blair Blvd.
On a planet, far far away (the Whiteaker), in a world of brightly colored furniture and potted plants, roam dinosaurs of all shapes and toy sizes, ready to be Instagram-ed alongside loaded rice bowls. Blast off into a twilight zone of joyously laughing food service employees, framed space memorabilia and a hanging, colorfully painted papier-mâchéd solar system. young minded and plastic reptiles alike will enjoy the out-of-this-world atmosphere this gastro-cafe has to offer.

There are hundreds of fabulous restaurants located throughout Eugene. The Daily Emerald suggests that Izakaya Meiji is one of the top 10 places to visit. (Courtney King/ Emerald).

There are hundreds of fabulous restaurants located throughout Eugene. The Daily Emerald suggests that Cheba Hut is one of the top 10 places to visit. (Courtney King/ Emerald).

4. Cheba Hut
Land of the free (from debilitating munchies) and “home of the blunts!” This hang out is popular for many reasons. Between large bites, student customer Miles Lewis describes Cheba Hut as “the cool place to go look at weed-themed stuff.” They make atmosphere an utmost priority. The large river wall mural will keep you entertained for much too long and the music is just as good and ska-centered as you’d expect.

5. La Oficina
Fresh, authentic Salvadorian/Mexican food and a whole, whole lot of interesting wall decor. Clear wall space is entirely covered by latin-themed artwork, an abundance of alcohol ad posters, glass shelves full of colorful collectibles and the biggest empty tequila bottles ever seen.

There are hundreds of fabulous restaurants located throughout Eugene. The Daily Emerald suggests that Sushi Pure is one of the top 10 places to visit. (Courtney King/ Emerald).

6. Sushi Pure
Beautiful plates, beautiful decor, beautiful wait staff — this place is gorgeous. Dimly lit and intimate, with string-picking, quietly humming Japanese background music, Sushi Pure has joined Eugene raw fish regality. It doesn’t get much more hot date spot-y than this.

7. Sam Bond’s Garage
This is an up-cycled barn type atmosphere, in the best way possible. Rustic white beams hold the roof and mismatched wooden furniture pieces seat the eccentric, live music listening, on-tap drinking Whiteaker community. Join for rowdy game nights and floor-rattling concert goodness.

There are hundreds of fabulous restaurants located throughout Eugene. The Daily Emerald suggests that Perugino Cafe is one of the top 10 places to visit. (Courtney King/ Emerald).

8. Perugino
Tastefully decorated in accordance to Italian Renaissance art maestro Pietro Perugino, this downtown chill spot coffee shop serves well to art history aficionados and coffee-philes alike.

There are hundreds of fabulous restaurants located throughout Eugene. The Daily Emerald suggests that Townsends Teahouse is one of the top 10 places to visit. (Courtney King/ Emerald).

9. Townshend’s Eugene Teahouse
Never will you feel as in touch with the art of tea brewing as you will here. Always sporting a crowd, the energy here makes for a great friend-meeting, hand-heating hang spot. Color-popping decor and big couches keep customers cozy and the on-Broadway location provides prime downtown people watching through the large front window wall.

10. Little Big Burger
Minimalism done right. Little Big Burger keeps it modern and simple, with anything-but burgers and fries. Watch your food being made and enjoy it in a clean, relaxing environment with a great variety of background indie tunes.

 

Less than two months since opening its heavy wooden doors, Grit has experienced wild success. Located within the historical Shamrock building off of diners’ dream Blair Avenue and in the vicinity of other Eugene talk-of-the-town hotspots such as Izakaya Meiji, Papa’s Soul Food Kitchen and Mame, the local boom comes unsurprisingly. Already sporting a large social media and highly rated Yelp following, it appears as though chef  proprietor Ashley Hawkins and her farm-to-table, slow food philosophy may be settling to stay.

The slow food movement, already popular in Eugene but still spreading, places emphasis on locality and freshness, ethical agriculture and regional community within kitchens and on plates. Its name means to contradict and oppose the eating lifestyles that many Americans might have grown accustomed to.

Check out the restaurant’s Facebook page for an album following the piecing together of the heavy wooden dining tables, direct from local lumber. The rustic, homey interior makes for a unique and warm dinner date spot and the lively wrap-around bar near the entrance caters well to the night scene with a chef-selected wine list and innovative herby cocktails like the “Fennel Fizz,” which consists of vodka, fennel juice, fennel syrup, lime and orange.

Combining western comfort foods with modern-tuned cooking techniques, Hawkins builds her menu with locality and seasonality in mind. Expecting consistent menu items? Don’t. The menu items change weekly, sometimes nightly, depending on what’s accessible and fresh at the time. The Chicken Gizzard Confit with pickled chantrelles and plums happens to be a feature of the restaurant, however.

Popular starters, always available, include oysters with mignonette, house made bread and butter, and a changing selection of savory cheeses and meats for the charcuterie. Salads, like this last weekend’s chicory featuring hazelnuts and a lemon boquerones (anchovy) dressing, also change often based on seasonality and availability. Prices for the small plates range from about $7 to $13.

“I’m from Portland, so I’ve had good-ass food,” said waiting diner and proclaimed slow-food movement enthusiast Connor Burns. “And this is good-ass food. This is my third time here, and I don’t repeat visits to restaurants often.”

Burns’ favorite meal to date?

“The chicken and dumplings are ‘grandma status,’ and I promise that’s a good thing,” he said.

A good thing it all must be: many exiting customers express joy and fulfillment following their new Grit experiences.

“Try the four course meal!” said enthusiastic Whiteaker native Jessica Medina as she was leaving the restaurant with her fiancé. “The items are featured for a reason, honestly.”

Weekly changing and seasonally inspired, Chef Ashley features a four course meal every night for $35. This last weekend’s: a gem salad of radishes, herbs and a lemon poppyseed dressing; a cheese squash and turmeric soup; a main-course rabbit ragu pasta; and for dessert, a chocolate buckwheat cake with a honey raspberry sauce.

Medina’s favorite?

“As if I could tell you,” she said with a laugh and a satisfied tummy pat.

Curious about vegetarian and vegan offerings? Take a look at the weekly menus at GritKitchen.com, and check out Eugene’s new upscale slow food dining experience for yourself at 1080 Van Buren St from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Make reservations at 541-343-0501.

For many students at the University of Oregon, food may be the last item to budget, taking place behind a long list of needed textbooks, pricey rent shares and home necessities. Granola bars and microwavable dinners may become a convenient norm, while nutrition-packed produce and proteins are expensive luxuries. Food is expensive and college students don’t always have a whole lot of money to spend on it. Doug Hale knows this.

“We’re here to help,” the Episcopal Campus Ministry reverend and food pantry director said. “College students have enough to worry about and eating shouldn’t be a part of that.”

The student food pantry, which makes accessible a large selection of free grocery staples once a week to UO, Lane Community College and Northwest Christian University students, aims to reach more students — many whom are unaware of the program and many who dismiss it as help not needed.

The food comes from a large number of charitable sources, particularly Food for Lane County. On the “carb shelf”, you’ll find  bread donated from Market of Choice such as ciabatta and garlic French bread. In the refrigerator, you’ll find containers of Nancy’s Yogurt stacked high, direct from the production facility. Cash is also directly donated to the pantry, which Hale uses to purchase healthy food staples like fresh produce and grains.

“A lot of food pantries aim to simply get calories into those that they help,” he said. “Here, we prioritize nutritional content.”

For those in the front of the line, surprises sometimes await.

“Once it was a big pesto pizza, and another time a 10-pound Butterball Turkey,” said UO student Aaron Halbert. Halbert, who has visited the pantry for about four months now, heard about the program through word of mouth.

“It’s a great program … We’re all college students and there shouldn’t be any shame in it,” he said.

From those exiting the shed first, cartons of eggs, containers of organic leafy salad blends and full loaves of multi-grain bread are clearly visible. For those exiting last, the same. There is always plenty to go around.

Since his time with the student food pantry last spring, Hale has seen a tremendous increase in the number of students looking to utilize the ministry. During his first months, he helped about 30 students through the shed. Today, that number tops 90. He hopes for it to continue to grow and for students to be more open to accepting the help.

“If there’s a taboo behind it, there shouldn’t be,” said UO economics major and pantry frequenter Justin Brown, waiting in line for a go at the numerous shelves of free food inside. “The food is good. And free!”

The pantry is open every Thursday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the corner of 19th Avenue and Onyx Street — this is also where donations are accepted. Visitors must bring their own bags.

To some it’s excessive. To others, it’s the only way to live. It’s the vegan diet: where you don’t eat meat or dairy. Although hardly taboo in Eugene, the lifestyle has for many years been a subject of hot debate regarding its pros and cons.

The animal product-free vegan diet saw an emergence in 1944 with the foundation of The Vegan Society in England. The founders, radicals in the already disputed vegetarian lifestyle, both coined the term “veganism” and set up the first community for those curious.

Today, the way of eating has spread around the U.S., with reasons for adopting it spanning from weight loss to animal activism. Once a taboo, the lifestyle has been made highly accessible, with many specialty restaurants and shops offering a great deal of meals without animal products.

Many are convinced that the nutritional content meat and dairy provide is replaceable with a wide array of fresh fruits and vegetables. When asked about his opinion regarding the vegan lifestyle, Eugene holistic family medicine doctor and vegetarian Orestes Gutierrez suggested the popular documentary “Forks over Knives.”

“Longevity and optimal health are entirely attainable without eating animal products,” Gutierrez said, “and may only be in that respect.”

According to Gutierrez, many meat-eaters make the mistake of not integrating enough produce into their diets, which provides incomparable health benefits.

“When you remove meat from the equation, you’re forced to explore the alternative … an endless selection of awesome ‘super foods,’” he said.

By “super foods,” he means vitamin-packed spinach and kale and a variety of antioxidant-rich berries and nuts.

“We began as hunters and gatherers. Plant-based foods have always been more widely available to us, and so it’s important that our diet consists of them more than anything else,” said Jaime Dexter, a University of Oregon anthropology graduate teaching fellow who’s currently teaching a class on the emergence of modern-day agriculture and food domestication titled Food Origins. ”Meat comes secondary.”

In spite of this, Dexter integrates meat in her diet. Humans have a long history of hunting and eating protein-rich meat, after all. Plus, our bodies can digest it.

“It is a natural part of our diet,” Dexter said.

Cornbread Cafe, a vegan hotspot in Eugene known for its unique twist on Southern soul food with mock meat classics, includes menu items like “phish philets” and “barbecued wheat meat.” The food, although potentially off-sounding, has a large, even non-vegan following and sports a 4.5/5 star rating on Yelp, based on 111 ratings.

Cornbread Cafe manager and long-term vegan Rebecca Waterman is happy to play a role in the eccentric Eugene vegan scene.

“We’re lucky here (in Eugene),” Waterman said. “If you’re looking to try the diet out, you’re likely to have a good experience with it.”

Other popular vegan joints in town include Garbanzo Grill, a small cart specializing in handmade veggie burgers and ran by a professionally trained chef, and Holy Cow Cafe, a campus favorite.

When it comes to budgeting and convenience, however, veganism may not be be suited for everyone. Waiting for her curry dish at the EMU’s Holy Cow Cafe, UO student Lea’ah Keita said that the commitment to eating vegan requires some work — and money.

“I know people who are self-proclaimed vegans, but because of the convenience and cheap cost, end up microwaving frozen Boca patties every night. It isn’t really healthy,” she said.

Boca is a popular meat-alternative brand that offers quick convenience in many supermarket freezer sections.

At the mention of it, Waterman winced. “Vegan eating is meant to be health-centered, not quick and easy,” she said.

However, health benefits of the vegan diet have been disputed for years. Many believe the nutritional content, most notably protein, of some meats is irreplaceable.

“Humans have always eaten meat,” said UO environmental studies student Jay Barnum. “It just makes sense to integrate it into our diets, right?”

And Barnum may be right. Meat does provide nutrition. According to the Livestrong website, red meats such as beef, in moderation, provide certain oleic acids that may help improve cholesterol levels. One serving of white chicken, about six ounces, provides up to 48 grams of protein, and fish is, by common knowledge, high in essential omega-3 fatty acids.

Whether one chooses to live life with or without integrating meat or dairy is a personal choice, and there are healthful ways for doing either option.

“It’s definitely subjective,” said UO Health Center nutritionist and registered dietician Christy Morrell. “Some people need more protein than the vegan diet can provide. Some people don’t and can make it work wonders for their health.”

Morrell herself was once vegan and decided to integrate meats back into her diet after finding herself continuously craving them. “I found myself binging on brown rice!” she said, laughing.

UO Health Center dietician Jessica Wilson agreed with Morrell’s claims.

“Both sides can be really beneficial health-wise, if done right,” she said. “And both sides can also affect health negatively if done wrong.”

It doesn’t get much more versatile than a grilled cheese sandwich. Crisp, buttery bread and a large glob of the melty good stuff? You can add a giant potato in the middle and still shamelessly manage your way through — whatever gives you an excuse to polish off that last bit of stringy, hot cheddar.

You can also add other things that taste good, too. Here you go, folks: the after-school classic, reinvented.

Note: To achieve a perfect, lightly browned and buttery outer shell, keep the temperature low. Always use a clean pan and never skimp on the real butter which, along with providing rich taste, also prevents burning.

1. Caprese: your favorite insalata — still fresh but hot and grilled.
On both inner slices of your bread, spread basil pesto. Begin to grill and immediately, on one slice, lay sliced mozzarella. On the other, lay fresh tomato slices and baby spinach. Check bread often and remove when lightly browned and crisp. Slice in half, and enjoy with a fine glass of that chilled, bottomless Franzia your roommate swore off and won’t touch.
Try with: thinly sliced ciabatta. 

2. Broccoli Cheddar: The soup you’ve always pretended to hate, plus buttered carbs.
Frozen broccoli will do. In not-quite boiling water, cook until softened — about five minutes. In this case, you’ll want the florets cooked past the usual al dente, borderline mushy. Thickly lay atop sharp cheddar on both slices of bread. The ooey-er and gooey-er, the better-er. Pair with a proud phone call to your mother.
Try with: sourdough, mmm. 

3. Autumn Grilled Cheese: Crisp bacon, thinly sliced green apple wedges, sharp cheddar and dijon. You already know.
Try with: lots of lit HomeGoods clearance Yankee fall candles and Dave’s Killer Good Seed bread for a nutty, honey-sweet taste. 

4. Grilled Kimcheese: American cheese and a Korean pickled delicacy. An international match made in toasty warm heaven.
Lay slices of American cheese on both pieces of bread. Drain kimchi and thickly cover one side. On the other, place thinly sliced crisp, green apples. If you’re one of those, slice and serve with a dollop (entire bottle) of Sriracha.
Try with: that soft, irresistible country buttermilk bread that sticks to the roof of your mouth.

5. California, on a roll: We’ll pretend it’s healthy.
On both inner slices of bread, spread a layer of cream cheese. Begin to grill and add pepper jack to both pieces, as well. Slice fresh avocado and cucumber (the outer skin, too) and place toward the end of cooking to avoid warming. Add alfalfa sprouts if desired.
Try with: whole wheat and an elliptical binge.

6. Spinach Alfredo: We won’t pretend it’s healthy.
In a small bowl, microwave (for 30 seconds) a small amount of Alfredo cream sauce with sprinkled black pepper — enough to thickly spread on both slices of bread. Do so and grill, and add sliced provolone to one side. On the other, place and press a large handful of baby spinach — the heat will wilt and significantly shrink it. For a dinner treat, grill, slice and add chicken.
Try with: sliced French bread, swiped with minced garlic. 

After school never tasted so good.

It began over a basket of tater tots. After being dissatisfied with the bar’s offering of condiments: ranch, hot sauce, etc., Jessica Zutz and her team of other University of Oregon business school graduate students came up with the idea: a line of flavorful, perfectly pairing, tater tot-enhancing ketchup.

Thus, “Red Duck Ketchup” was born.

“Every other condiment had been varied and innovated. Ketchup hadn’t,” Zutz said.

They were students of the UO project-based class New Venture Planning when Zutz and the other co-founders Kurt Barajas, Shannon Oliver and Karen Bonner knew they wanted to work together, all having specialized in different areas of business organization. When they came up with the idea for Red Duck Ketchup, an “A” was excitedly expected for class, unlike the real-world business endeavor.

When it was time for their final presentation, the team decided to actually make ketchup and share it with the class. Their flavors, Spicy, Curry and Classic, were enjoyed by all and welcomed with a fanatical response. They got an A and encouragement for real-world expansion.

After entering the Lundquist College of Business’ prestigious graduate-level Venture Quest investment competition and winning first place, the team locked in on a plan: Red Duck Foods, in time, would go international as a real business endeavor.

Enter the Kickstarter campaign: Over a one-month period last May, the Red Ducks raised over $25,000 for a production facility, well surpassing their goal of $20,000.

“It was the best thing we did for the business,” Zutz said. “Many of the backers are still regularly buying from us.”

And it’s because the ketchup is good. The Classic, smoky and sweet, was inspired by summer food favorites — such as heirloom tomato salads and balsamic reductions.

“With this guy, the sky is the limit,” reads their website, RedDuckFoods.com. Their spicy, Latin-flavor infused ketchup proves nostalgic to Barajas and his San Diego, near-the-border roots, and their flavor Curry had help from Bonner, the team’s world traveler. The team also takes pride in the quality of their products, which are organically sourced and preservative-free.

“I thought ketchup was kind of an interesting choice,” said New Venture Planning professor Nathan Lillegard. “They passed up some really great job offers.”

Lillegard, who received a large thank you from the team, has seen the entire Red Duck Ketchup transition from an initial class project idea to the successful and promising expenditure it has become today. A little surprised at the product itself, Lillegard isn’t at all with the team.

“They’re really motivated and hard working,” he said. “And that’s why they’ve seen success.”

Think that you may have an idea for the next big thing? Commercial and conventional or quirky and ketchup-y?

“Go for it! Try!” Zutz said. “It’s a great thing to be able and share.”

In the future, Red Duck Ketchup hopes to introduce new flavors and expand to different condiments and spice blends.

Far from the comforts of campus, in a place where the most eccentric of Eugene residents humbly abide sits Wandering Goat Coffee Co., a coffee shop and  roasting company with just as much personality and beards as you’d expect in the offbeat Whiteaker neighborhood cafe.

Inside, death metal is playing. The place is dimly lit, crooked, and framed pen illustrations line the worn walls. I take my place in line. Something about the mixture of the music and the long black ponytail and beard-sporting cashier takes me back to a late night Adult Swim “Metalocalypse” episode. The song ends and a soft Grizzly Bear tune begins. Ordering coffee becomes significantly less intimidating.

The crowd is typical of the area — dreadlocks, hiking boots and perfectly straight baby bangs. When did my clothes get so dull? It’s my turn to order, and the ponytail dude behind the counter ends up being a pretty nice guy. The eyeliner-ed, fringe cut barista behind him, however, appears less so: “Pour-over! Who had the pour-over? POUR-OVER! Ugh.” Your swirly designs may be the talk of the town, ma’am, but it’s what’s inside your heart that truly counts.

I order a 16-ounce drip coffee — “brewed fresh every 20 minutes!” — a small hot Chai, house made and reputably strong, and a shot of espresso on the side. I open my mouth to order one of their large cased pastries, but at the word “vegan” close it. I trust that the “cheeze bagels” are good. They sure look it, but I decide to save my appetite for something butter-filled later on.

I take a seat at a table next to what appears to be your typical Oregon Duck pullover-bearing dad with New Balance sneakers. But with a closer look, I see that his reading glasses hang around his neck by a rasta-colored rope. I wonder what kind of summer camp his daughter made that for him at.

“Coffee! Espresso shot! Chai!” The loud, peeved and familiar voice lets me know that my order is ready.

At the cream bar, my hand momentarily hovers over the “hemp milk” but reaches for the half and half instead. I fill my espresso and coffee to the top and take a seat to enjoy. The shot of espresso, cooled significantly by the chilled cream, goes down easily. Probably the best acidic mud I’ve ever tasted, and I mean that in the best way possible. I cozy the coffee, nutty and smooth. Through a window, you can see the shop’s roasting machinery in a room in the back. Eat your heart out, Starbucks, for it doesn’t get much fresher than this.

The chai comes last. The first sip largely consists of milk foam and too much cinnamon, which formed a leafy design on top. It makes me cough a little. About three sips in, the liquid goodness begins making its way down and warms my tummy. It’d likely be soul-soothing, had I not previously filled said soul with too much caffeine. The spices, innumerable and kept secret, sting my sore throat, but do indeed clear my stuffy sinuses. Eat your heart out, Starbucks, and your syrupy sweet chai concentrates, too.

I enjoy the cafe for an extended period of time. The eclectic crowd and interesting music playlist leaves me content and comfortable. Death metal tunes come and go but are mixed with songs by a large array of artists like Fleetwood Mac, Coldplay and Fleet Foxes. Outside, a Santa Clause is bumming cigarettes. It doesn’t get much more Eugene than this. I like it. I like the Wandering Goat Coffee Co.

Five out of five swirly, milk-frothed stars for some of the most worthwhile caffeine jitters I’ve ever had.

Check it out for yourself at 268 Madison St., off of Sixth Avenue.

Follow Jessica on Twitter- @PAJARTIAZ.