“Fortunately, vinegar is the base ingredient for vinaigrette—where the true fun begins! Staying close to Vermont Vinegars’ mission of keeping it local, the main flavors revolve around local fruit infusions and flavors, which are enhanced with maple syrup. A naturally low-calorie vinaigrette is the result.” –Debra Boyer
Vermont Vinegars is the logical extension of generations of Vermont farmers doing what we love. Ultimately, vinegar production was inspired by my brother and his family of fruit growers in Monkton, Vermont. I strayed from the family’s farming tradition for a full-time career in banking in Vermont and then in the developing world, before finding my way home again. Traveling the world, I met visitors to Vermont who often enthused over their experiences visiting our small towns and discovering specialty food that made their Vermont experience exceptional. I had to travel 10,000 miles away to discover the potential of what was in my own backyard.
The lessons from conversations with consumers and producers for the Vermont market were to use what I find locally, keep it small batch, and pay close attention to the quality.
When possible I start with local fruit that I juice, ferment it into alcohol, and then ferment it a second time into vinegar. But as with anything you love doing, it’s hard not to keep finding new ways to be creative. The standard wine and cider vinegar lineup often includes some new flavors, such as crabapple, peach, honey mead, malt, champagne, tarragon infused, and maple flavored. Because anything you can make into alcohol can be made into vinegar, I’m worried the vinegar lineup may truly get out of control!
Fortunately, vinegar is the base ingredient for vinaigrette—where the true fun begins! Staying close to Vermont Vinegars’ mission of keeping it local, the main flavors revolve around local fruit infusions and flavors, which are enhanced with maple syrup. A naturally low-calorie vinaigrette is the result. The recipes have evolved mainly thanks to the constant feedback available at weekly farmers’ markets every summer. While selling through stores is easier, it doesn’t give the wonderful one-on-one conversations with my consumers and best critics.
