The Toad & The Butterfly, a Blog

All over the state, sugarhouses are firing up evaporators, steam is rolling out the roof vents, and people who know what they’re doing are turning tree sap into one of the greatest foods on earth.

Running a food company that sources directly from small farms means we actually get to know the people behind the ingredients. These women are wonderful, thoughtful, funny, wildly capable humans who care deeply about their land, their animals, and their communities.

If you have ever wondered why Fat Toad Farm Cinnamon Caramel tastes so layered and balanced, here is the secret: we use two kinds of cinnamon. On purpose.

I just finalized our projected needs for the 2026 growing season. I send our totals to the farms we work with, they tell me what they can grow and at what price, and then I spread our orders across all of them.

I think that Valentine's Day is as much about joy as it is about love. Joy for others, joy for yourself, joy for existence.

I have always loved the depth and texture of roasted butternut squash, and I was thrilled to discover it was the perfect foil for smoked onions and red jalapeños. The result was Ooh La La, a sauce I adore just as much as the album itself.

When you cook with alcohol, especially in caramel, you concentrate everything. Good flavors get better. Bad flavors get louder. With only five ingredients in our Salted Bourbon Caramel, there is nowhere for a bad bourbon to hide.

4th time's a charm. We're back on Hot Ones. Meet Smoked Serrano Squash Reaper X!

Every once in a while we make a sauce that folks just can't get out of their brains.

It’s just as good on a cheese board as it is as a snack at the counter while dinner’s in the oven.

My husband is stretched out on the other one, and my daughters are being wonderfully goofy while working on a bunny-in-an-umbrella puzzle at the kitchen table. It’s nothing special. It’s everything.

Wherever you are tonight, however you are celebrating, however much is done or undone, we hope you feel proud of yourself.

It’s hard to believe that “Small Farms, Big Flavor” is less than a year old. We’ve been living that life for over 20 years, but only gave it a name in the last few months. And when something has a name, it has power.

Our microbatch process has shifted a lot over the years, but right now we release three batches a month. Most are brand new. Some are fan favorites that we bring back because we like to keep y’all happy.