When I first started this local foods journey it was the beginning of January and I had never been to a farmer’s market before. The weather was cold, the crowd was thin, and the vendors were sparse. It didn’t take long to survey the few produce tables and pick out some end of season carrots, kale and cabbage from Nash’s and storing apples from Tonnamaker’s. I headed over to Loki for some smoked salmon and spied Rockridge apple cider vinegar bottles next door.
We weren’t juice or hard cider drinkers so I had passed them by the first time. But vinegar I had not considered. I certainly didn’t want to give Heinz any of my money and the thought of what went into those white plastic jugs made me shudder. It was more money than I had ever spent on non-balsamic vinegar before but I splurged. At the time I remember justifying it because I could save the bottle and make my own apple cider vinegar in it next time. Wade graciously told me how so I happily took my bottle home.
Immediately Chicken Little asked to try some. He’s been a connoisseur of vinegar since he was old enough to open the lids in the pantry. I poured a small sip into a shot glass and handed it over. “Wow.” he said, “More please – that’s really good. I want a whole glass this time.”
Rockridge apple cider vinegar is not like any vinegar you’ve ever had before. It’s equal parts fruit and acid with no skunk to be found. That first summer I pickled some things using the rest of my Heinz vinegar and other things using Rockridge Orchard vinegar. Once we were spoiled by Rockridge it was hard eating the Heinz pickled items. I am a choir singing gospel from the pulpit of Rockridge here. I will find other ways to save money but vinegar will not be one of them.
And as far as my home made apple cider vinegar is concerned? I finally threw it out 6 months later. It never developed a flavor I would want to eat – in fact it was fairly vile. So I cleaned out Wade’s bottle and returned it for a new one.
Last week I had the chance to drive out to Rockridge Orchards and visit the new Country Store they have just taken over. It’s bare bones but boss Judy is hot on the case, adding quality NW food items and organic produce as quickly as she can. She’s working the store 6 days a week and the Ballard market on Sundays. Wade is still working the distillery and cider making operations and the remaining farmer’s markets. Oh and they are both tending to the orchards and fields of produce they grow to boot.
In the last year I’ve learned a lot from talking to Wade and Judy at the farmer’s markets. Although I’ve been trying to nurse a Meyer lemon tree along I’m thinking about letting it go because I have my Yuzu from Wade – the only citrus that can stay in ground in Washington state year round. I’ve bought a Sancho pepper and tea plant from him.
My most recent Rockridge additions are the hardy ginger and shiso plants.
Did you know Rockridge now has young balsamic vinegar in their lineup? That’s right – local balsamic. And just when I think they couldn’t get any cooler they went and started a distillery for brandy, hooch and ethanol to power their farming equipment. Their newest project will be running the distillery on wind power.
Now if only they could figure out how to grow coffee and cocoa beans I’d be completely in heaven.
One of my favorite uses for their apple cider is turning it into popsicles. All natural juice, no sugar added and local. I don’t think he cared about that though. He just knew it tasted good.
Oh, this is great-my parents are moving to Auburn so I am looking for good real food sources for them in the Auburn/Enumclaw/Black Diamond area.
I’m up north so I go to Medea Farms on Redmond-Woodinville Rd. Great cider, vinegar, and leftover apples that I use for homemade applesauce.
Wow! I have only had their cider… had no idea they were doing so many other things! Fantastic!
That last photo was precious. What a sweet serious expression.
The ciders and vinegars sound delicious.
A good apple cider vinegar (or, really, any vinegar for that matter) is a thing worth spending a little extra mullah on!
Also, I just bought a Meyer Lemon tree this year – the blossoms perfume up the entire greenhouse, and a small lemon is trying to grow! Living in WA state, too, is this a difficult plant to grow?
Nice post Annette, one that will get me in the truck and head to Enumclaw–a quick trip from the south end of the island. I made apple cider vinegar from a friend’s start and I was lucky; it came out beautifully, and was (as you pointed out) drinkable. I also tried making red wine vinegar, but the end results were harsher. Sherry vinegar is another culinary winner — though unfortunately not locally produced. Perhaps a trip to Portugal, that is after I visit Enumclaw.
Did you get a bottle of Rockridge’s balsamic vinegar this year? Oh, so delicious. Wade had been telling me about it for three or four years, and it is well worth the wait.
I haven’t made it out to their place in Enumclaw yet, but hope to do so this summer.
Rebecca – I’ve never heard of them before. I’ll put them on my list to check out.
Meg – I hope you do, it’s amazing stuff.
KFG – thanks! Popsicles are serious business around here. I made some lattes into popsicles and pretty sure I had that same expression on my face when eating.
Roberta, I can’t keep meyer lemons alive. Click on Tom’s name underneath you and go to his blog – he is the green thumb who inspired me to try them. I’m sticking with my yuzu!
Tom do you have a post about your vinegar? I may try it again. It makes me mad when things I make don’t come out. I make them over and over until I get a BOO-YA!
Kimberly I did! I have some small chickens that I’ll be using it in the sauce for tomorrow night. Hoping to bake them under a brick. Have fun up there!
I may have busted you because I ran into Wade at the market today and told him I was stopping by to check out his stuff because I had read about it on your blog.
You’re right, his stuff is amazing. I was disappointed that he didn’t have any plain apple cider vinegar, but he assured me he’ll have some next week.
Jenny, thanks so much for mentioning me. I swung by real quick Sat with whining post birthday party at Pump in Up preschooler only to find out they sold out of all their balsamic vinegar in 2 weeks. I guess I’ll have to wait until next year now! He tole me he would give me a deal for buying the apple cider vinegar in bulk which is great since I go through a LOT of it during pickle season (which we may not have this year given this blasted weather…)