What's Cooking: Altered Genius to add Findlay taproom; Rochester gets Stacey’s Sweet Spot

For the first time, a Beaver County craft brewery will add a second location.

Altered Genius Brewing will open its Trailside Taproom at 258 Main St., in the Imperial section of Findlay Township. The stone and brick building is a stone's throw away from the Montour Trail, a popular destination for bicyclists, joggers and walkers.

A yoga center is across the street; the Findlay Township Activity Center is a block away.

Realizing folks keep asking, Altered Genius posted on Facebook, "The Trailside Taproom is coming along just fine," helpfully adding that people can "stay tuned" for updates.

Altered Genius opened its Merchant Street, Ambridge, brewery in March 2020.

Buzzi's getting sweeter

Within a month or two, Stacey’s Sweet Spot will have a permanent spot inside Buzzi’s Pizza in Rochester.

"I will be selling whole cheesecakes, slices of cheesecake, regular cake and pineapple upside-down cakes," owner Stacey Young, of New Brighton, said. "(Plus) pound cake slices, different flavored pretzel salads, cookies and so much more."

Stacey’s Sweet Spot will have its own oven and customer display case inside Buzzi's, which reopened last year on Brighton Avenue in Rochester. Buzzi's new owner Anthony Hall, who took the reins after the original owners retired, has been offering Stacey's Sweet Spot desserts there and at his original pizza shop, Pappy J's in Monaca.

"She has a loyal following," Hall said, recalling a time someone visited one of his pizza places and bought all 32 slices of Stacey's cheesecake that were available, to give to family members as holiday gifts.

Young, a single mother of three, said she began baking privately for people 20 years ago. She graduated with honors online from the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in February 2022.

Her first vendor event occurred at the Ambridge Fireworks festival.

"Within a week, I had four shops calling me, asking if they could sell my cheesecake slices," Young said. "I was like, 'Whoa, my dream is coming to reality.' So, since June, my cakes are in Buzzi's, Pappy J's, Comfortably Yumm in Monaca, Rochester Smokehouse & BBQ, Jus1more Sports Bar and Grill in Beaver Falls, Tracks End (in Harmony Township) and Police Station Pizza, Ambridge."

Jason Aldean's saloon opens in Pittsburgh

Part sports bar, part country honkytonk, Jason Aldean's Kitchen + Bar is now open on Pittsburgh's North Shore.

Aldean memorabilia, such as guitars, photos and the custom Pittsburgh Pirates jersey from the country star's 2014 PNC Park concert, adorn the walls. Behind the main bar is a vintage John Deere, referencing Aldean's song "Big Green Tractor," with his hit "My Kinda Party" represented via a sign on the ceiling above a second bar.

A third bar in the back and an outdoor patio also are options where customers can sip cocktails like the She's Country (Bombay Sapphire gin, lime, sugar, blueberries and thyme), Any Ol' Barstool (Grey Goose vodka, St. Germain liqueur, grapefruit, lime, passion fruit and soda), Aldean's Margarita (Hornitos Plata Tequila, Grand Mariner, lime, agave) and the You Make It Peachy (Knob Creek bourbon, blackberry liqueur, peach schnapps, pineapple, sours and Owen's ginger beer.)

The menu ranges from Southern Nachos topped with pulled pork and smoked bacon, to Filet Mignon Steak Salad (fries added in Pittsburgh), plus Jason’s Mac and Cheese to Grandma’s Pot Roast with braised beef. which comes directly from Aldean’s family recipe book.

Aldean's two other restaurants both are in Tennessee. What made him pick Pittsburgh for his first eatery outside The Volunteer State?

"I love coming to Pittsburgh and the state of Pennsylvania to perform, some of the best country music fans in the world are in the area,” Aldean said in a press release. “I’m proud to have a permanent destination where fans can stay connected to my music, hear great country music any day of the week, and sit back and enjoy some of my favorite food and drinks. I can’t wait to get up there soon to celebrate with Pittsburgh.”

Jersey Mike's teams with Mario Lemieux

The Mario Lemieux Foundation will join forces with 25Jersey Mike’s Subslocations in the Pittsburgh area, including the Center Township site, for a 14th annual March “Month of Giving” supporting local charities. Throughout March, customers will have the option to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar or donate $1, $3, or $5 when placing their order.

The Month of Giving campaign will culminate with Jersey Mike’s “Day of Giving” on March 27, when the regional Jersey Mike’s restaurants willgive 100 percent of the day’s sales – not just profit – to the Mario Lemieux Foundation, a charity launched by the Pittsburgh Penguins legend dedicated to funding cancer research and patient care, and supporting families in challenging medical situations.

Since Month of Giving began in 2011, Jersey Mike’s has raised more than $88 million for local charities.

Tea up in Freedom

An American tea session − as would be observed in Southwestern Pennsylvania in the 1820s − will be the unusual offering of the Beaver County Historical Research and Landmarks Foundation on April 7.

From 2 to 4 p.m. that day, at the Vicary Mansion in Freedom, attendees will experience total immersion in the period, with food and drink based on recipes of the 1820s, and staff wearing early 1800s style attire.

Along with sipping historically accurate tea, visitors will learn to make their own pot of piping drink from loose-leaf tea.

“As an organization focused on history, we take extra steps to ensure this is an experience authentic to the time period when the Vicary Mansion was built," Brenda Applegate, executive director of the foundation, said. “Everyone will have a two-cup teapot and make their own tea − English Breakfast and Gunpowder. We will offer decaf and a variety of tea bags as well.”

Foods served also will mirror typical 1820s bites: Gingerbread cakes, Martha Washington’s Great Cake, and likely pound cake, lemon cheesecakes, chocolate biscuits and strawberry tarts.

“All food is made from 18th or early 19th century recipes,” Applegate said.

Seating will be limited to 30. Admission is $20; $15 for those under-12.

Reservations must be made by March 25, by calling 724-775-1848.

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Scott Tady is entertainment editor at The Times and easy to reach at stady@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: What's Cooking: Altered Genius Brewing and Stacey’s Sweet Spot to open new sites