The Toad & The Butterfly, a Blog

The Onions Are Almost Ready

The Onions Are Almost Ready


Claire Georges

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.

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Making hot sauce is empowering. But making mustard is humbling

Making hot sauce is empowering. But making mustard is humbling


Claire Georges

Mustard is almost as versatile as hot sauce. Think sausages, sandwiches, salads, pretzels, tofu, or stir fry. Or, do like my mom and spread on a wedge of cabbage.

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Small farms, big flavor

Small farms, big flavor


Claire Georges

Small farms are more than just a place that grows food. They enrich the soil and the fabric of their communities while giving us a more resilient foodshed.

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The sweetest onions make the best hot sauce

The sweetest onions make the best hot sauce


Claire Georges

I came up with the idea of smoking onions in the summer of 2016, when my husband and I were testing out our new smoker with the "will it smoke" game. Pro-tip: Smoked bananas are ... not good. Smoked walla-walla onions, on the other hand, are just bliss.

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