Joe Dale Harris & Erika Boudreau-Barbee
Pixie Doodle Farm
We never know where we will "discover" great products and were thrilled when we happened upon Pixie Doodle Farm owned by Joe Dale Harris and Erika Boudreau-Barbee at the MADE Hudson Valley event at City Winery Hudson Valley in Montgomery, New York featuring artisanal products from the area. Held in the Spring and in the Fall, MADE Hudson Valley provides a great introduction to locally made products, and the ability to sample offerings from the curated vendors.
Assortment of Teas
During the MADE Hudson Valley event we sampled a variety of Pixie Doodle Farm teas, and were so impressed that we wanted to learn more about Joe and Erica’s company and their product line. We sampled more of their great products at home including their Alcohol Infusers, Vinegar Infusers, Olive Oil Infusers, and Root Stem Leaf Crown Chakra Tea.
Teas
We sampled their Root Stem Leaf Crown Chakra Teas where their focus is on "herbalism through an Ayurvedic approach." Muladhara Tea (1st Chakra) is to assist with the skeletal system and kidneys, Svadhisthana Tea (2nd Chakra) is to assist the reproductive organs, Manipura Tea (3rd Chakra) is for digestion, skin, and pancreas. Anahata Tea (4th Chakra) is for immunity, heart, and lungs, Vishuddha Tea (5th Chakra) is for the thyroid, brain, and throat, Ajna Tea (6th Chakra) is for eyes and concentration, and Sahasrara Tea (7th Chakra) is for the nervous system, and wellbeing. In addition to being healthful, the Root Stem Leaf Crown Chakra Teas were also delicious.
Tea Service
In addition to their Root Leaf Crown Chakra Teas, the Pixie Doodle tea collection also includes Wise Women Tea, and Seasonal Tea (which we did not sample).
Infusers
In addition to the teas, we also tried three of their Infuser Kits: Alcohol Infuser, Olive Oil Infuser, and Vinegar Infuser. Our Pixie Doodle Infusers arrived separately packaged in logoed boxes. Inside each box, there was a mason jar with a blend of special herbal and floral ingredients, wax paper, and cheesecloth, and another decorative square or round glass bottle with a stopper and a funnel to store the finished products.
Very easy to use, all we needed to do was add one of our favorite spirits, olive oils, and vinegars to the respective Infusers with the Pixie Doodle ingredients, replace the lids, and let them rest for 1 to 4 weeks in a dark location.
As the ingredients in the Alcohol Infuser Kit – Heart contained hawthorn berry, lemongrass, and rose flower, we decided to use a floral gin to complement the Pixie Doodle ingredients. Magellan Gin has 11 botanicals, along with iris root and iris flower which gives it a stunning blue color, which we thought would work well. We let the alcohol infusion rest for 10-days, and the result of infusing the Pixie Doodle’s ingredients with the Magellan Gin, turned the gin a gorgeous green color, with luscious layers of floral and botanicals notes on the nose and palate. Delicious on its own, we knew that our infused gin was going to make delectable cocktails.
Using our infused alcohol, we created a floral version of the classic cocktail, Bee’s Knees (traditionally made with gin, honey, and lemon juice). For Luxury Experience – Lavender Bees Knees we combined the Pixie Doodle infused Magellan Gin with Pleasant Valley Lavender – Lavender Honey, lemon juice, and Fee Brothers Fee Foam, and garnished it with a generous lemon peel and dried lavender. The cocktail was stunning to look at, and sensational on the palate.
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2
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Ounces
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Magellan Gin infused with Pixie Doodle
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0.5
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Ounce
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Pleasant Valley Lavender Honey
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0.5
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Ounce
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Fresh Lemon Juice
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4
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Drops
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Fee Brothers Fee Foam
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1
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Lemon Peel, garnish
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Dried Lavender, garnish
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Cocktail Method: Chill a Martini glass and set aside. Add the Pixie Doodle infused Magellan Gin, lavender honey, fresh lemon juice, Fee Brothers Fee Foam (which creates a lovely foam on the cocktail), and 4 ice cubes to a shaker and shake hard to thoroughly incorporate the ice into the cocktail. Strain into chilled Martini glass, garnish with a long lemon peel, and lightly sprinkle dried lavender on the foam to provide an aromatic and elegant finish to the cocktail. Cheers!
Our Pixie Doodle Olive Oil Infuser – Immunity, arrived with ingredients of Elderberry, Calendula flowers, Chamomile and Mullein in a mason jar, with cheesecloth and a funnel to strain the finished product into the attractive decorative glass bottle. The Pixie Doodle Vinegar Infuser – Warmth, arrived with ingredients of Chili Pepper Flakes, Ginger, and Cloves in a mason jar along with a cheesecloth and a funnel to strain the finished product into the attractive decorative glass bottle.
Elderberry, Calendula flowers, Chamomile, and Mullein
We added our own extra virgin olive oil to the Pixie Doodle Olive Oil Infuser, and white vinegar to the Pixie Doodle Vinegar Infuser, filling both bottles to fully cover the Pixie Doodle ingredients. We let both of the infusers "rest" and waited for the results. Resting time is anywhere from 1-4 weeks (depending on the strength of the flavors you wish to create) from the time that you add the olive oil or vinegar to the dried ingredients, to the time that you strain them through the cheesecloth into their attractive bottles.
Infusing and Resting
We let the Pixie Doodle Olive Oil Infuser rest for 3 weeks, and the olive oil took on a deep green olive color with a lovely aromatic nose. On the palate, the Pixie Doodle Infused olive oil elicited layers of flavors with a slightly spicy finish. The infused oil will be perfect to drizzle over tomatoes and mozzarella for a caprese, drizzled over salad greens, or to use to poach codfish. The possibilities are endless.
Pixie Doodle Infused Olive Oil
We wanted the Pixie Doodle Vinegar Infuser to rest for a longer period (4 weeks) and it is still in the resting phase. We cannot wait until it is ready so that we can use it in cocktail and culinary recipes.
Until next time, be well!
To learn more about Pixie Doodle Farm and their extensive product lines, please visit their website: www.PixieDoodleFarm.com
Pixie Doodle Farm
2924 Brighton 12th Steet
Brooklyn, New York 11235
United States
Telephone: +1-917-684-6533
Email: PixieDoodleFarm@gmail.com
Website: www.pixiedoodlefarm.com
Facebook: www.pixiedoodlefarmllc
Instagram: www.instagram.com/pixiedoodlefarmllc
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