The Toad & The Butterfly, a Blog

When we want a weeknight dessert, but don’t have time to make a weeknight dessert, caramel comes in clutch.

Growing up, I always associated corn with the East Coast. I grew up in California, which has an abundance of great produce, but you can’t get corn picked just hours ago when you live in the "big city."

Today, goat's milk caramel is still made by only a handful of companies in the US. And we're by far the largest. Which is crazy to say because, um, have you noticed how not-large we are?

I became a Guster fan when I saw them opening for Barenaked Ladies in 2000, and then more so when my now-husband and I bonded over our love of the band. And then even more so when Guster’s lead singer and I bonded over our love of all things weird and wonderful.

Vanilla and peaches belong together. And the rich, nutty depth of the goat's milk caramel completes it.

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to speak in the Fermentation Tent at the Vermont Brewfest. I spoke there last year and had a great time, but this year we'd already sold out of our only fermented hot sauce, Rum Barrel Fermented Smoked Jalapeño. I needed something new to bring with me.

Most folks buy a jar with one idea in mind. Then they discover three or four more before the jar is empty.

Word of mouth built this company one bottle, one jar, and one customer at a time. It worked - for over 20 years. But over the last year I realized that nobody can tell our story the way I can.

The caramel mixes into the yogurt while the granola stays crunchy, giving you creamy, crunchy, sweet, and toasty all in the same bite.

Walking those fields last week reminded me that every bottle starts long before we light the smoker or pour the sauce. It starts with choosing the right varieties, healthy soil, and months of tending a crop that we'll eventually turn into hot sauce.

I was positive that I'd figured out the best possible ice cream sandwich.

Turns out I hadn't bought a caramel company yet.

My favorite thing about making new micros every month is that we're pushed to be creative on demand. Sometimes creativity comes in a flash of insight, but there is a special earned feeling to creativity that you have to build as a skill.

These days, I still love caramel (I mean, why else would I buy a whole caramel company?). But what I want out of my caramel has changed.

This is exactly what I want Pepper Patrons to feel like. A chance for connection and learning, understanding why ingredients taste the way they do, and share in the experiments happening around our kitchen.