Women in Food
Upper Valley (Vermont and New Hampshire) Edition
Hello! It feels like it has been a long time since I wrote anything of substance on food-related news and events happening around the world. To be honest, as I’ve been doing the reading and research, I’ve started to feel a bit overwhelmed by just how much there is to talk about and address when it comes to the food system.
I’m taking a brief step back to better organize my approach to this particular piece of my newsletter. I hope to be back in April with a monthly focus on a relevant food topic.
In the meantime, in celebration of Women’s History Month and all past, present, and future female entrepreneurs, I wanted to highlight a few of the women-owned food businesses I know about in the Upper Valley of Vermont and New Hampshire.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but I would love to make it such (and keep it updated us much as possible). If you know of other awesome women-owned food businesses in the Upper Valley, please don’t hesitate to share their names and businesses in the comments. I’ll populate this list and keep it pinned on my newsletter website accordingly.
Vicky Allen owns and operates Blake Hill Preserves with her husband Joe Hanglin. Together with their full team, they make and sell award-winning and innovative sweet, savory, and spicy jams, marmalades, and condiments. You can buy their preserves from their website or their store in Windsor, as well as from other retailers. Their store is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Amber Boland owns and operates both Blue Sparrow Kitchen in Norwich and The Nest Kitchen and Café in Hanover. Both locations offer a selection of bakery and café items (their whole wheat maple blueberry scone is my favorite scone in the Upper Valley), and The Nest is also open for happy hour and dinner — including smash burgers with local grassfed beef— several nights a week. As of this writing, Blue Sparrow is temporarily closed due to staffing issues, but Amber does intend to reopen 5 days per week in the near future. The Nest is open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays.
Andrea Franklin owns and operates Upper Valley Coffee Roasters with her partner Cal Lynes. Together they roast, distribute, and sell their coffee from their West Newbury, VT roastery. Their bags of whole beans are sold at local retailers throughout the Upper Valley (and at a bookstore in Illinois, where Lynes is from). You can also order bags of coffee (as well as other merchandise) from their online store.
Carina Gressit owns and operates Straw Brook Bakery. She bakes and sells breads and tarts made with regional flours and grains to local retail outlets. Currently she delivers to the farm store at Norwich Farm Creamery and Chapman’s General in Fairlee on Fridays (no delivery this week, 3/25).
Messay Hall owns and operates Munchie-Rollz with her husband Marvin Mentor. They make and sell new-style egg rolls in 10 different flavors — including steak and cheese, buffalo chicken, and veggie burger — from their home kitchen in Windsor. You can find their egg rolls (and a variety of their side dishes) at food markets and convenience stores throughout the Upper Valley (see full list and delivery days below), at various farmers markets (Rutland in winter; Norwich, Lebanon, and Woodstock in summer), and at certain events and pop-ups (like the Taste of Ethiopia event highlighted on their Facebook page). For more on Messay, her journey, and Muchie-Rollz, check out this article from The Valley News.
Jakes Market & Deli — Springfield, VT; Enfield, NH; and Lebanon, NH (M, Th)
Mike’s Store and Deli — Hartland, VT (M, Th)
Singleton’s General Store — Proctorsville (T)
Woodstock Farmers Market — Woodstock, VT (W)
12 Percent Solution — Cornish, NH (M and sometimes Th)
Ascutney Market — Ascutney, VT (3 days per week, depending how quickly they sell)
Lori Bliss Hill owns and operates Enfield House of Pizza. Since 1991 she has been making and selling high-quality pizza, grinders, seafood, salads, and more; all at reasonable prices. She’s open for dine-in and take-out Tuesdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (closed Mondays). Call 603-632-5800 or 603-632-7211.
Suzan and Mary Ignacio own and operate Chappy’s in Canaan. They opened this breakfast and lunch spot on January 8th this year after many years of operating Chappy’s Concessions Truck. They offer breakfast choices like eggs, breakfast sandwiches, waffles, muffins, donuts, and more; as well as a great selection of lunch items including burgers, cold sandwiches, soups, and ever changing specials. You can find them at 1182 US Route 4 Canaan (Main Street) 7 days a week from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Muriel Maville owns and operates Muriels Donuts. She opened the shop with her husband, Francis, in 1967 and has kept it running since — despite his passing in the early 2010s. She sells a simple variety of doughnuts (plain, jelly stick, sugar, cinnamon-sugar, and “krullers”) out of her shop every day except Sundays from 10 to 1. To discover more about Muriel, her business, and the history of the shop itself, check out this article from The Valley News or read Food & Wine’s article on “The Best Doughnuts in Every State”.
Elaine McCabe owns and operates Red Kite Candy with her family. She handcrafts and sells caramels, toffee and bark, Nougat de Montélimar, turtles, and other specialty items. You can order her candy from their website, or buy it at their retail shop in Hanover. You can also find certain products available at other retailers. Their shop is open Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Yaniris McLenithan owns and operates Hato Viejo Coffee. She ships fresh roasted coffee that she buys from Ramirez Coffee in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic and has roasted at a partner facility in Massachusetts. The coffee is roasted weekly then packed (ground first if desired) and delivered to customers within days of roasting. Yaniris also sells green coffee for those wishing to roast their own. Orders can be placed on the website and are shipped Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Shona Sanford-Long owns and operates Flying Dog Farm and is a founding partner and anchor tenant of the White River Land Collaborative. She is a regenerative farmer, raising cattle, pigs, and sheep. She sells her grassfed beef, pastured pork, and grassfed lamb directly to customers. Options for purchasing include signing up for a summer or winter CSA, preordering and picking up at various sites and times throughout the winter, and stopping at the Luna Bleu/Flying Dog Farm stand at the Norwich Farmers Market on Saturdays from May through October.
Laurie Shive owns and operates Blue Loon Bakery in New London. She and her team bake a variety of breads, pastries, and desserts (including custom cakes, pies, cupcakes, and éclairs) and serve a selection of breakfast and lunch items. The bakery is open Thursdays through Sundays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Nellie Smith owns and operates Red Wagon Bakery in Canaan. With her team, she makes and serves breakfast and lunch as well as a variety of baked goods and hot beverages. Currently she’s open Fridays through Sundays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1194 U.S. 4 in Canaan. She is also selling some of their prepackaged baked goods, “locally made wares”, and Red Wagon Bakery apparel and merchandise through her website.
Katie Stamper owns and operates UVJustBagels. She bakes and sells bagels directly to customers either at rotating pick-up sites (see her online store for updated locations, days, and times), or at local farmers markets and other events.
Julie Sumanis and Elena Taylor own and operate Juel Modern Apothecary in White River Junction. They prepare and serve an assortment of smoothies, juices, gluten-free prepared foods, and coffees, teas, and elixirs. Their hours are Tuesdays through Fridays 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. To discover how Julie and Elena got their start and their approach to the business, check out this article from The Valley News.
Jennifer Tetreault owns and operates Knot Just Pretzels in Canaan. She is a licensed home bakery, selling — you guessed it — pretzels and a variety of other baked goods. The business’ facebook page is the best way to discover what Jennifer is baking any given day and all you have to do is swing by her porch to grab what you want. She also takes pre-orders and sells to Red Wagon Bakery (see above).
Lauren Tillotson owns and operates Lo’s Bakehouse. She bakes and sells custom cakes and desserts from her home-based bakery in White River Junction. Her menu is available on her Facebook page, and she takes orders via direct messages, or by phone (802-683-5153) or email (laurentillotson10@gmail.com). She also delivers pastries to Fairlee’s Chapman’s General for purchase on Fridays.
This list, I’m sure, has a lot of women and businesses yet to include. We’ll call it a start and go from here. If you’re a woman-owned food business in the Upper Valley or if you know of one, please do reach out!
If you are a woman and thinking of starting a business (of any kind) in Vermont, here are some great resources to check out:
I’ve met a few writers in a series of workshops this newsletter platform, Substack, has sponsored. Because I’ve enjoyed their writing, I think you will too, so please check them out!
Victoria de la Maza writes Diary of a Serial Hostess, a weekly column about the ins and outs of entertaining at home and witty anecdotes of life in the stylish lane.
Gus Clemens writes Gus Clemens on Wine, a daily column about… you guessed it! Wine! Wines, humor, nationally syndicated wine column, photographs, and podcasts. Take a look at his archives and read about your favorite wines.
Leigh Olson writes As We Eat, a multi-platform storytelling project exploring how food connects, defines, and inspires. As she travels around the US with her partner in their caravan, they explore food and share thoughts through newsletters, websites, and podcasts.
And a couple of corrections to last week’s FFF email. Friday the 18th was also the Hindu festival of Holi. And Sunday the 20th was not only the spring equinox, but also Nowruz. Apologies for omitting these when I listed all the holidays and observances that occurred last week!
Knot just Pretzels in Canaan owned by Jennifer Tetreault
Check out two businesses in Canaan both owned and operated by women: Red Wagon Bakery and Cafe owned by Nellie Smith Kondi and Chappys owned and operated by Sue Ignacio. Both top notch