Leaf Peeping & Label Lessons Learned in Vermont by Mirabai Holland © 2011

Last weekend I went hiking in Vermont and the Fall color was astonishing.

I went along for about two hours at a brisk pace enjoying the fresh air.

Much of my exercise is teaching fitness classes and creating new routines for exercise DVDs. So, it was refreshing to just free my mind, move my body and drink in all those trees dressed in red, yellow, orange mixed with green. Sometimes its good to mix up your exercise routine. I felt renewed.

When I finished my hike we went into a little country food market.

So cute with all those red and white checkered tabletops filled with fresh fruits, vegetables, homemade jams, honey, maple syrup and cider. I spotted a bottle that said “Fresh Apple Cider” thinking how fresh it would taste, this being apple season and all. I continued my walk and I’d gotten a considerable distance from the store when I decided it was time for swig of cider. As I was about to sip, I glanced at the ingredients label expecting to see APPLES. But instead it read

APPLES, and Potassium sorbate, a preservative.

I wanted to throw that cider against a wall!


I was thirty so I drank a little and whether it was in my mind or not, it seemed to taste not as fresh as I imagined it would. So the lesson here, is just because you are in an adorable country market, don’t take for granted that all the foods will be fresh and adorable too.


So caveat emptor: let the buyer beware!

I also filmed a brief vlog (video blog) post while I was there. Enjoy!

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Healthy Sweets from Vermont

Great Tasting Honey

Champlain Valley Apiaries, Middlebury, Vermont has been producing high quality honey since 1931. Their honey is extracted from blossoms of clover and alfalfa and comes in crystallized and liquid form. Their crystallized honey retains all its vitamins, and nutrients because it is neither heated nor filtered. And the flavor is wonderfully light and delicate making it a perfect ingredient to use in cooking or to simple spread on a piece of whole grain toast. And I like the liquid in my cocoa.

For an extra health boost try Charles’ Royal Blend, a combination of crystallized honey, 10 grams Bee Pollen, and 10 grams of Royal Jelly.

Available online at www.champlainvalleyhoney.com

Deliciously Pure Handmade Jams & Preserves

Side Hill Farm, Brattleboro, Vermont produces all their jams & preserves with small batches of fruit, sugar and nothing else. There are no preservatives, pectin or other thickeners. There’s just enough sweetness so as not to camouflage the fresh taste of the fruit. It comes through strong and pure whether you put some into your yogurt or just eat it plain for a quick healthy treat. There are many wonderful flavors to tickle your palate. Wild Blueberry, Blackberry, Apricot Orange Marmalade, and Strawberry are available online at www.vermontmapleoutlet.com/specialtyfoods.htm.

For more exotic flavors like Mango Habanero, Hot Red Pepper or Cinnamon Pear call 1-802-254-2018.

Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks

200 Year Old Maple Syrup? Not exactly. But Morse Farms, Montpelier, Vermont has been making its Maple Syrup for 200 years. They are part of the reason why Vermont Maple Syrup is the standard by which all syrups are judged. “We think you can taste eight generations of experience in our products.” Their 100% pure Maple syrup is rich in calcium, potassium, B vitamins and niacin. It comes in 4 different grades of syrup from light to full body taste: Vermont Fancy Grade, Grade A Medium Amber, Grade A Dark Amber, and Grade B. I dribble it on my cereal in the morning and use it in my baking.
Available online at www.morsefarm.com

Send YOUR favorites to askmirabai@movingfree.com

 

 

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