The Farm Guide

You choose your wines carefully. You select great cheeses to go with them. You look for just the right type of olive oil for whatever dish you’re preparing. So why are you still eating supermarket bacon? It’s wimpy, it shrinks into nothing when you fry it, and it’s way too salty. An easy alternative comes from Vermont Smoke and Cure. These folks make a Thick Cut Bacon that’s the stuff of which carnivores’ dreams are made. Brined with Vermont maple syrup and corn-cob-and-maple smoked, it’s hearty and porky and everything good bacon should be. The smoke doesn’t overpower the meat (very important in a good bacon) and, while there is salt present, it’s not the only thing you taste. There’s Slab Bacon in several sizes, for those who prefer to slice their own. You’ll also find Bacon Ends & Pieces, great for soups and casseroles. Recognizing that some people are nervous about nitrates these days, this company also has an Uncured Bacon in two forms: Uncured Thick Sliced Bacon and Uncured Bacon Ends & Pieces. Both products are made from pork raised without antibiotics, fed a vegetarian diet, and Certified Humane under the Humane Farm Animal Care program.

For some weeks now, I’ve been conducting a large-scale taste test of whole grain and multigrain pancake mixes. One thing that has surprised me a great deal has been the trouble I’ve had with batter consistency; even when prepared according to package instructions, the majority of batters have been too thin or too thick. But with one exception, the folks at Littleton Grist Mill seem to have figured out this whole pancake mix thing. True, I had some difficulty with the Organic Oat Pancake Mix. But the three others I tried (Organic Whole Wheat, Multi-Grain, and Organic Buckwheat) produced batters of ideal consistencies…and, even more important, the pancakes taste great! The Buckwheat, in particular, is wonderful. Buckwheat can be a tricky mix to get right; most buckwheat pancakes are either too wimpy or too assertive in flavor. But these pancakes somehow struck a perfect flavor balance. They had a hearty, grainy flavor, but it didn’t hit you over the head. There was a slight sweetness to them, too, so you almost didn’t need syrup (although they’re even better with it). And these pancakes weren’t gummy at all, a common characteristic in some whole grain/multigrain hotcakes.

The co-founders of this small business are neighbors in Vermont. Tom Kenyon has been growing organic grains for over 15 years, with most of his crop going to the industrial market. Jane Kirby is a registered dietitian and food editor with experience in both recipe development and food marketing. Nitty Gritty Grain Company of Vermont was created to get Tom’s good grains into the hands of consumers in a form they’d enjoy.

You hear a lot of talk from companies these days about sustainability and organics, but not everyone walks the walk. Nitty Gritty Grain Company of Vermont does. First off, their products are certified organic. The grains are grown, produced, and packaged in one small region; they aren’t shipped vast distances for processing or manufacturing. The products are packaged in a biodegradable cellophane that is not petroleum-based. The labeling is printed on recycled paper with soy ink. One of the varieties of corn they use is an heirloom variety, as well.