In 2007, Judith Irving, Steve Reid, and their daughter, Calley Hastings, brought home a single French Alpine doe named Jupiter. They had a modest plan for a backyard homestead on their property in Brookfield, Vt. What grew out of it was Fat Toad Farm, and eventually, one of the more beloved caramel sauces in the country.
A pot of beans costs almost nothing, takes almost no attention, and keeps in the fridge for the better part of a week. What it gives back is protein, fiber, and a depth of flavor that most pantry ingredients never reach. They are also, it should be said, one of the more forgiving things you can cook.
Before there was an Oaktown Spice Shop, John Beaver spent his days at the grinding mill of a spice shop in his hometown of Milwaukee. The work taught him valuable lessons about the spice-making process that he would carry with him. For example, the moment a whole spice is ground, it begins to release its oils, and from there the flavor only fades.
