click to enlarge - Courtesy Of Chadwick Estey
- Sugar Shack BBQ blend
How brave are you? Kate Donlon and Garry Smith want to help you find out.
The Bakersfield couple organize their Brave Little Spice blends "by bravery level, with the bravest spices being the really hot ones," Donlon said. "It's a play on the spice level and, of course, the brave little state that we love so much," she added.
In December 2022, Donlon and Smith launched their line of indomitable flavors, named as a nod to the phrase president Calvin Coolidge used in an iconic 1928 speech about Vermont. The home-based spice business currently offers maple sugar, sea salt and six blends, ranging from the very Vermonty Sugar Shack BBQ to a classic Middle Eastern za'atar. They don't all require a high heat tolerance, but each packs a punch.
Brave Little Spice draws on Smith's longtime love of making barbecue blends and spicy foods — Sichuan Chinese dishes, Indian vindaloo and Nashville hot chicken are among his favorites — and Donlon's past career as a whole-animal butcher. The two met while attending college in Smith's native state of Georgia. Last year, they moved to Vermont, where Donlon grew up.
"We always knew we wanted to have a food-focused small business," Donlon said. "The move back spurred us forward to actually make it happen."
click to enlarge - Courtesy Of Chadwick Estey
- Za'atar blend on hummus
Some of the spice recipes, such as a Louisiana-style Creole blend and a chile-filled Mexican chorizo mix, have long been Smith's go-tos. Others, such as a coffee-maple rub and the Sugar Shack BBQ, "are an attempt at mixing local ingredients and trying some Vermont flavors," Smith said. "We want to bring global flavors to Vermont but also share Vermont flavors with the world."
This summer, the biz will release another batch of blends made with that hybrid approach, including Japanese togarashi, which uses North Atlantic-sourced flaked laver seaweed instead of nori. The couple are also sourcing herbs from Berkshire's Dubs Farms.
"So many spices have historically grown in unique global locations," Donlon said. "Whenever we find ingredients that we can use either from Vermont or New England, we get pretty excited."
Brave Little Spices are stocked at Burlington's Common Deer, St. Albans' Rail City Market, Middlesex's the Roots Farm Market, Brownsville Butcher & Pantry and East Berkshire's Barn Owl Bistro & Goods (see "Meant to Bee"). This summer, Smith and Donlon will set up at farmers markets in St. Albans, Jericho and Jeffersonville.
Earlier this spring, I ordered jars of za'atar and Sugar Shack BBQ ($10 each) from Brave Little Spice's website, two of its most popular offerings. The squat glass jars were chosen with sustainability in mind. They're also just the right size for a spoon, which makes it easy to scoop instead of sprinkle the spice.
click to enlarge - Courtesy Of Chadwick Estey
- Chorizo blend
The zesty za'atar has a bravery level of 0.0 — completely mild — and includes oregano, cumin, sumac, sesame seed, thyme and sea salt. I've used it to punch up hummus, cottage cheese and a yogurt-based chicken marinade.
Sales of Sugar Shack BBQ picked up at the end of sugaring season as the weather warmed, Donlon said. To kick off grilling season, I slathered steak tips with the smoky, slightly spicy, slightly sweet blend of maple sugar, smoked paprika, hickory-smoked sea salt, urfa chile, garlic, onion, chipotle, juniper, thyme and basil.
After those successful experiments, I'm feeling brave enough to try whatever Brave Little Spice comes up with next.
Small Pleasures is an occasional column that features delicious and distinctive Vermont-made food or drinks that pack a punch. Send us your favorite little bites or sips with big payoff at [email protected].