Empire eatery spreads food love
By Pat Stinson
Sun contributor
Chef Jeff Colby tries to run out of fresh ingredients he prepares each day and serves from his food counter inside Horizons ‘n Sunsets, a new destination in Empire for food, gifts and fresh produce.
“An all natural food experience,” is how Colby describes the business he owns and runs with Dick Colbath and Susan Mekula, and which opened July 1. Colby serves breakfast all day (egg sandwich, quesadilla or farmer’s breakfast), muffins and pastries, submarine sandwiches, salads and ice cream. He says he’ll only serve fresh items, such as local produce, his own baked bread, and salad dressings and herbed butter spreads he creates.
The seven types of herbed butters (Maison, Latin Maison, Fresh Basil, Oregano, Lemon-Dill, Rosemary and Veggie) are sold frozen and can be used for cooking or grilling, though he says some people prefer to spread them on bread.
Colby relocated here from Florida, where he ran a T.G.I. Fridays and Cracker Barrel. He spent summers at the family’s Glen Lake residence (built in 1962) with his mother, a former schoolteacher. His late father, Donald Colby, worked as the personnel manager for NASA’s shuttle program (not including the astronauts) and was a pilot, flying the family in his Piper to Empire from their home on Merritt Island. (“The house would shake,” Colby says of the nearby shuttle launches.) Donald Colby, originally from Milan, Mich., was also one of the first crop dusters and was a member of the Flying Js.
Seating inside Horizon’s is limited, so plan to carry out or sit at outdoor picnic tables. Stick around for a game of checkers on the store’s giant tabletop “board” that co-owner Mekula says is almost always in use.
Horizon’s ‘n Sunsets is open from approximately 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. this fall, and located at 11590 S. LaCore St. (M-22), south of the Empire Museum. Visit the eatery on Facebook, and learn more about herbed butter spreads at ChefColby.net. Call (231) 835.2060 or email empiresunsets@gmail.com for more information.
