Babette's Table: Old-world Charcuterie in the Heart of Vermont
In early winter, Erika Lynch was busy preparing her charcuterie business, Babette’s Table, for another bustling season at the Waitsfield Farmers’ Market, where her European-style cured meats will once again beckon with tantalizing whiffs of smoky saltiness. Given the variety and quality of meats offered and the attention to detail evident in each delicately wrapped package, it’s hard to believe Lynch has only been in business for one year. Lynch owes much of this finesse to the training she underwent in France, but along the way, she has developed her own unique expression of traditional curing and butchering.
Lynch, originally from Kentucky, and her wife, Julie (from Vermont), have made their life here with their two young daughters, Clara and Hazel, for the past eight years. Lynch was working as a teacher for ReSource’s YouthBuild program in Burlington when she made the decision to pursue her passion for meats and began toying with the idea of opening her own business.
Official training would be paramount, and it was important for Lynch to find a unique program that suited both her objectives and lifestyle. Initial research into schools and internships in the United States weren’t netting the results she had hoped, but a serendipitous Google search ultimately led her to France for eight weeks in February 2016 to study under the tutelage of master butchers Kate Hill and Dominique Chapolard.
A sabbatical for Julie allowed the entire family to join Lynch for her studies, which included butchering, curing and making everything from head cheese to saucisson. The seed-to-sausage operation in which she was engaged (the pigs and all of their food come from the same 100 acres, and the sausage was sold directly to consumers) married European traditions with the principles of slow food, a concept that resonated deeply with Lynch.
When she returned to Vermont, Lynch went to work with Artisan Meats of Vermont where she continued to practice her craft, and in May 2017, Babette’s Table officially launched. The name of her business was inspired by the 1987 Danish film Babette’s Feast, renowned among foodies. Although the main character, Babette, can be viewed in myriad ways, Lynch sees her as one who is generous with her craft while doing something special for herself and others.
Lynch makes all of her products by hand at the Mad River Food Hub, a USDA-certified facility in Waitsfield, and sources her pigs from Von Trapp Farmstead, Snug Valley and Sugar Mountain farms. Lynch stressed the importance of having strong relationships with her farmers, noting that they all have gone out of their way to get her the products she needs.
While Lynch’s technique certainly makes her unique in Vermont, another aspect of her business that sets her apart is her custom-made refrigerated trailer, which made its debut at the final few farmers’ markets last fall. After researching butchering operations in the U.S. to see who had something similar, she embarked upon the challenge of having one made to her specifications. Lynch contacted On the Road Trailers of Maine and worked with them as well as with state officials to ensure the trailer was up to code. The trailer comes in at 10 by 14 feet and is powered by a “very quiet generator.” At market this summer, Lynch anticipates customers visiting her window being able to purchase items right out of the case, choosing as much or as little as they like, and even having bacon sliced to order.
In addition to potentially raising her own pigs, Lynch envisions being able to mentor people and pass along the craft of butchery. The experience she had in France is the driving force behind why she takes precious care with her products, such as hand-tying all of the salamis. She often thinks about Dominique and if he would be proud of what he saw if he walked in at any given moment. “I want to feel good about what I’m giving my customers,” Lynch says. “If I don’t want my kids to eat it, I shouldn’t be serving it to anyone.”
When Lynch and her family were in France, she was taken by the fact that although everyone worked incredibly hard throughout the day, there was always a two-hour break for lunch. Taking an extra five minutes to set the table with intention, arranging jars of flowers and truly talking were the hallmarks of these meals. This philosophy is something Lynch embodies and hopes to share with others. “The idea of grace, that healing can take place around a table, and that time spent there is never wasted.”
For now, you can find Lynch’s cured meats at the Waitsfield Farmers’ Market and the Mad River Taste Place, but don’t be surprised if you see them popping up on restaurant menus soon.
Babette’s Table | @babettestable
Waitsfield Farmers’ Market | @waitsfieldfarmersmarket
ReSource’s YouthBuild program
Kate Hill | @katedecamont
Dominique Chapolard
Artisan Meats of Vermont | @artisanmeats
Babette’s Feast
Mad River Food Hub | @madriverfoodhub
Von Trapp Farmstead | @vontrappfarmstead
Snug Valley | @snugvalleyfarmer
Sugar Mountain
On the Road Trailers of Maine
Mad River Taste Place
