When I started my food business in 2012, I had a two-part mission: one was to serve healthy food options and the second was to support local farmers. The mission is also my passion– spend as much money locally as possible. This dedication to “support local” hasn’t faded over time and guides our decision making on the farm to this day.
One of my very first farmers that I met in 2012 was Jack Brown. I took this picture the first day that I met him and it hung in my commercial kitchen for many years. He has seen me become a mother, move kitchens 4 times, and witnessed my business transform.
The two main things we purchase from him are maple syrup and honey. Our most popular drink on the Signature Cocktail menu is our “Honey Lemonade,” and we buy it by the gallon. Back in the day, I used most of his maple syrup for my homemade root beer and peanut butter brownies. Now, we use the maple syrup to sweeten our roasted nuts and as the base for our Zen Tonic – a drink that we infuse our fresh herbs like lemon balm into a maple syrup simple syrup, then add fresh lemon juice and sparkling water. This drink is also delicious with gin!
In the spring, he also grows asparagus and his asparagus is always tender, with no huge fat overgrown pieces or flimsy premature stalks. How? Because he cares. He has immense pride in his work, which means he is meticulous about when he harvests and sorts his product.
As I celebrate 14 years of being his customer, I can honestly say he has always shown up with what I ordered. He is in his 70’s and refuses to email or text, but is always chatty when I call him with my order. The most random thing about him is that his wife’s name is Jill (Jack and Jill). It makes me smile every time I write a check out to him– Jack and Jill Maple Hill Farm.
My most favorite new item that I started buying last year is maple sugar. It is maple syrup, but cooked longer. I swap it out for a lower glycemic sugar option for baked goods like muffins, granola bars, and other snacky items.
