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The Yerbary

Demos are back!

Sharing of food has always been an integral part of the human experience. When we share food, we share so much more than mere sustenance; we forge relationships, bury anger, evoke laughter, spread love, honor our culture, and inspire wonder. It’s a visceral experience that has the power to bring people together. Here at the Co-op, the ability to invite farmers and producers to visit and share food with the community was one of the practices that made shopping in our store feel special. It allowed those who make our favorite foods to share parts of their unique stories that can’t be shared on their product labels. It allowed us to foster meaningful relationships with the farmers and food producers that keep our pantries stocked and our bodies nourished. It deepened that all-important connection between producer and consumer and allowed us to fully experience the love that was baked into those shared treats. 

Andrew of Good Mix Superfoods is a regular at the Co-op demo counter and we love his visits!

Then the pandemic happened. And sharing food suddenly became synonymous with the sharing of germs.  During a deeply critical time for human connection, we lost one of our most meaningful ways to connect. But, for the love and safety of our family, friends, and community, we realized that it was necessary to press pause. Our in-store demo program was shuttered and we wondered if it would ever be safe to revive it. 

Michaela is the founder/owner of the Yerbary and we love when she comes to share samples of her Master Tonics

But the act of sharing food was sorely missed by many of us, exemplified by the record-breaking turnout at the recent Viva El Sabor tasting event held at Middlebury’s historic Marble Works in late June where more than 1,500 people turned up to show their support for a group of women who were cooking from the heart and sharing their rich culinary tradition. If we were waiting for a sign that it was time to revive our demo program, this certainly seemed to be a strong indicator. We were also reassured by the fact that restaurants had resumed full service without limitations. And major news outlets, such as the New York Times, shared articles penned by food safety experts about ways to share food safely during a pandemic. We realized that these measures were already common practice for Co-op tasting events, even well before the pandemic, and this gave us the confidence to explore the possibility of re-launching our demo program. 

Pauline from Golden Russet Farm sharing her love of locally-grown kohlrabi in 2019

So, we’re tiptoeing back in. And we’re taking great care to do so in a way that prioritizes the health and safety of our community. We’re thrilled to have a handful of demos on the calendar for August and we look forward to seeing how that feels and how the community responds.

Local farmer Jill Koppel of New Leaf Organics has the honor of being the first on the calendar. She’ll be here on the afternoon of August 5th sharing some of her delicious local, organic produce. On Friday, August 6th, weather permitting, we’ll fire up the grill on the Co-op plaza with a representative from Niman Ranch to share some grilled pork chops. We’re so ready to feel the festive vibe that comes from a plaza grilling event!! We’ll have a Maplebrook Farm cheese tasting, a few in-house demos from Drew and Sean of MNFC Meat Department fame, and we’ll round out the month with a wine tasting with our friends from Vermont Wine Merchants. It will be so lovely to raise a glass with all of you! 

John Bellavance and Dean Strang from Smart Chicken grilling up samples on the Co-op Plaza in 2019

Stay tuned to our demo calendar in the store or on the web to see when your favorite farmers and producers will be visiting. And be sure to reach out if there’s a particular farmer or producer that you’d love to meet at our demo counter! 

Our friends from La Riojana cooperative travel all the way from Argentina to share wine with our Co-op community!

Wellness Wonders: Oxymels

What is an oxymel?

The term oxymel comes from the Greek word oxymeli, which translates to “acid and honey” and generally refers to an herbal extraction of vinegar and raw honey. While some traditional oxymel recipes have as much as a 5 to 1 ratio of honey to vinegar, most modern oxymel recipes call for an equal balance of the two. The vinegar most often used in oxymels is raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar, which boasts a host of healthful properties on its own. Bringing together the probiotic qualities of raw apple cider vinegar with the beneficial enzymes of raw honey is a fantastic way to get the benefits of both, while also extracting and ingesting supportive herbs, particularly pungent ones that aren’t always pleasant to take on their own. One very popular example of an oxymel that you may be familiar with is fire cider, which was popularized by the esteemed herbalist (and Vermonter) Rosemary Gladstar. 

What health benefits do oxymels offer?

According to a recent Mountain Rose Herbs blog post on the topic of oxymels, both apple cider vinegar and honey have been used for millennia to help boost the immune system, soothe dry throats, and temper digestive issues. Organic apple cider vinegar is high in acetic acid, and when you use the raw, unfiltered version, you are also getting “mother” strands of proteins, enzymes, and beneficial bacteria (similar to what one might enjoy in kombucha). Meanwhile, the honey brings soothing qualities and provides germ-fighting properties. So, these two ingredients alone are beneficial to the body, and when you add herbs, you have an incredibly effective method of getting extra herbal support as well.

 

Does the Co-op carry oxymels?

The Co-op is proud to offer a local oxymel from our friends at Valley Clayplain Forest Farm. Mark and Ammy make this potent herbal preparation with raw apple cider vinegar, local honey, and juice pressed from fruits grown right on their farm in New Haven. Their Black Currant Oxymel features the tart, yet sweet flavor of this potent superfood that has four times the Vitamin C of an equivalent amount of oranges and double the antioxidants found in blueberries. They suggest taking it by the tablespoon, diluting it with water for a refreshing fruit drink, using it as a marinade, combining it with oil to make a salad dressing, or pouring it over yogurt or pancakes. 

We carry another fantastic local oxymel called Honey Lemon Master Tonic from our friends at The Yerbary in Charlotte, Vermont. This powerful herbal ally is a traditional fire cider made with organic apple cider vinegar, organic onion, organic garlic, organic ginger, organic horseradish root, organic lemon, organic raw honey, organic turmeric, organic habanero pepper. The Yerbary founder Michaela Grubbs says that this tonic will keep your systems resilient and boost your body’s defenses in a powerful yet sweet way!

Want to try making an oxymel at home?

Making your own oxymel may be much easier than you think. Some common dried herbs that make great oxymels include dandelion, elderberries, lemon balm, nettle, tulsi, rosehips, turmeric, basil, thyme, oregano, and rosemary. Check out this recipe from Mountain Rose Herbs for making an oxymel with some of your favorite dried healing herbs:

  1. Fill a pint jar 1/4 full of your choice of herbs.
  2. Cover with equal parts apple cider vinegar and honey to fill jar.
  3. Stir to incorporate.
  4. Wipe any liquid off the rim and top with a tight-fitting plastic lid. Alternatively, place a piece of parchment paper under a metal canning lid and ring to keep the vinegar from touching the metal.
  5. Shake jar until thoroughly mixed.
  6. Store jar in a cool, dark place to extract for two weeks. Shake jar at least twice a week to assist in extraction.
  7. Strain out herbs through a fine mesh strainer, pressing down on the herbs to release as much liquid as possible, retaining liquid and setting herbs aside to compost.
  8. Pour strained oxymel into glass storage jars or bottles.
  9. Label and date.
  10. Store in a cool, dark place until ready to use. When stored properly, shelf life is approximately 6 months.

 

Wellness Wonders: Oxymels

What is an oxymel?

The term oxymel comes from the Greek word oxymeli, which translates to “acid and honey” and generally refers to an herbal extraction of vinegar and raw honey. While some traditional oxymel recipes have as much as a 5 to 1 ratio of honey to vinegar, most modern oxymel recipes call for an equal balance of the two. The vinegar most often used in oxymels is raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar, which boasts a host of healthful properties on its own. Bringing together the probiotic qualities of raw apple cider vinegar with the beneficial enzymes of raw honey is a fantastic way to get the benefits of both, while also extracting and ingesting supportive herbs, particularly pungent ones that aren’t always pleasant to take on their own. One very popular example of an oxymel that you may be familiar with is fire cider, which was popularized by the esteemed herbalist (and Vermonter) Rosemary Gladstar. 

What health benefits do oxymels offer?

According to a recent Mountain Rose Herbs blog post on the topic of oxymels, both apple cider vinegar and honey have been used for millennia to help boost the immune system, soothe dry throats, and temper digestive issues. Organic apple cider vinegar is high in acetic acid, and when you use the raw, unfiltered version, you are also getting “mother” strands of proteins, enzymes, and beneficial bacteria (similar to what one might enjoy in kombucha). Meanwhile, the honey brings soothing qualities and provides germ-fighting properties. So, these two ingredients alone are beneficial to the body, and when you add herbs, you have an incredibly effective method of getting extra herbal support as well.

 

Does the Co-op carry oxymels?

The Co-op is proud to offer a local oxymel from our friends at Valley Clayplain Forest Farm. Mark and Ammy make this potent herbal preparation with raw apple cider vinegar, local honey, and juice pressed from fruits grown right on their farm in New Haven. Their Black Currant Oxymel features the tart, yet sweet flavor of this potent superfood that has four times the Vitamin C of an equivalent amount of oranges and double the antioxidants found in blueberries. They suggest taking it by the tablespoon, diluting it with water for a refreshing fruit drink, using it as a marinade, combining it with oil to make a salad dressing, or pouring it over yogurt or pancakes. 

We carry another fantastic local oxymel called Honey Lemon Master Tonic from our friends at The Yerbary in Charlotte, Vermont. This powerful herbal ally is a traditional fire cider made with organic apple cider vinegar, organic onion, organic garlic, organic ginger, organic horseradish root, organic lemon, organic raw honey, organic turmeric, organic habanero pepper. The Yerbary founder Michaela Grubbs says that this tonic will keep your systems resilient and boost your body’s defenses in a powerful yet sweet way!

Want to try making an oxymel at home?

Making your own oxymel may be much easier than you think. Some common dried herbs that make great oxymels include dandelion, elderberries, lemon balm, nettle, tulsi, rosehips, turmeric, basil, thyme, oregano, and rosemary. Check out this recipe from Mountain Rose Herbs for making an oxymel with some of your favorite dried healing herbs:

  1. Fill a pint jar 1/4 full of your choice of herbs.
  2. Cover with equal parts apple cider vinegar and honey to fill jar.
  3. Stir to incorporate.
  4. Wipe any liquid off the rim and top with a tight-fitting plastic lid. Alternatively, place a piece of parchment paper under a metal canning lid and ring to keep the vinegar from touching the metal.
  5. Shake jar until thoroughly mixed.
  6. Store jar in a cool, dark place to extract for two weeks. Shake jar at least twice a week to assist in extraction.
  7. Strain out herbs through a fine mesh strainer, pressing down on the herbs to release as much liquid as possible, retaining liquid and setting herbs aside to compost.
  8. Pour strained oxymel into glass storage jars or bottles.
  9. Label and date.
  10. Store in a cool, dark place until ready to use. When stored properly, shelf life is approximately 6 months.