Fire and Ice, The Alchemist

The inspiration for Fire and Ice Paella, a 15-year vendor at the Marco Island Farmers’ Market, came when owner Paul Schmidgall was serving in the military.

“I was stationed in Europe, saw paella and just fell in love with it,” Schmidgall said.

The secret to Naples-based Fire and Ice’s success is its homemade ingredients, many from Spain.

“We import the rice they’ve been using in Spain for over 1,500 years, as well as the saffron,” he said. “We make our own sausage, the way it should be done,” noting the stand also sells its homemade hot sauce.

This year, Schmidgall expanded his market stand to include his new concept, The Alchemist, which sells homemade gelato and rotates its flavors each week, including blueberry cinnamon, vanilla, and Belgian chocolate, among others.