Our mission at Brit + Co is to inspire women to be creative, whether that means spending five minutes per day with a coloring book or turning an artisanal hobby into a business. With the maker movement in full swing, we’ve seen some incredible people fearlessly putting their craft out into the world and fulfilling their dreams by starting their own companies. Excited as we are to support these folks, we’ve teamed up with TRISCUIT to bring you another inspirational maker story.
Recently, TRISCUIT flash-funded over 50 artisanal food makers’ products on Indiegogo unannounced. Can you imagine!? How awesome is that? They selected artisanal food makers all over the country who start with simple ingredients and simple ideas and dream of making more. Earlier this month we posted our first maker collaboration with TRISCUIT featuring nut butter maker Megan Gibson of PB&Jams. If you haven’t already checked her out, be sure to head over to that article next for a seriously delicious Pad Thai-inspired TRISCUIT recipe. And now, since we’ve already got your mouth watering, let’s talk about today’s maker.
Emily Heizer Hall of Razzbourne Farms has mastered handmade goat cheese. We’ve found that TRISCUIT Crackers are the perfect base for gourmet ingredients, and goat cheese certainly makes that list. In addition to the cheese, we’re going to make an appetizer that includes the oh-so-popular sweet potato. First we’ll show you an elevated version of the recipe, complete with Razzbourne Farms goat cheese, and then we’ll dial it back and make a simplified adaptation with ingredients you can easily grab from your local grocery store… or maybe your pantry right now!
But first, let us introduce you to Emily.
What do you make?
MEET THE MAKER: EMILY HEIZER HALL OF RAZZBOURNE FARMS
“Goat cheese (chevre), with two aged cheese in the works.”
Tell us about your company.
“The goats are my go-to antidepressant. The micro dairy is actually the second business I have started, following my graphic design and consultation business, EmHeiz Designs and Consultation. Razzbourne is an original name we created as our son’s middle name and has become a bigger presence in the world, just like him. The potential Razzbourne Farms has is endless — our product speaks loudly for itself.”
What is the story of how you got to where you are today? What did you study in school? What was your first job? What other jobs and life experience led you to a career as a professional maker/chef?
“I received my bachelors in graphic design in 2014 and that has helped our businesses dramatically — marketing is a huge thing in business. I practically grew up at Rockbridge Vineyards with family friends and my best friend. We ran the register and stocked bottles of wine as teenagers. Rockbridge Vineyard was our first retail location and has done nothing but support this dream. Another first job was in a high-end restaurant in Lexington, Virginia. Southern Inn on Main Street was where I bussed tables and cleaned off plates for the dishwasher. Southern Inn now serves our cheese on beautifully prepared pear salads and steak courses. Endless experience in kitchens and restaurants has prepared me for the production of cheese. Most of the time I’m washing dishes or cleaning things and there are right and wrong ways to doing that. Bookkeeping is also a huge part of the business. Bookkeeping and money handling I learned working at a truckstop and gas station. Working for the goats is much better than working for ‘The Man.’”
What inspires you? Why do you love to create and make?
SWEET POTATO + GOAT CHEESE + AGAVE, ARTISAN STYLE
— butter-roasted sweet potato
— Razzbourne Farms chevre goat cheese
— agave
Let’s get started.
Slice your sweet potato into small pieces and spread them evenly on a baking sheet. Add pads of butter and dust with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit, turning the sweet potatoes halfway through.
Once the sweet potatoes are cool to the touch, top your TRISCUIT Cracker with 2-3 pieces. Crumble Razzbourne Farms goat cheese on top, then drizzle with agave.
Sweet potato pie, meet your competition.
The salty flavor from the TRISCUIT Cracker plus the sweetness from the potato and agave plus the savory, creamy taste of the goat cheese is a huge win. That’s three tasty ingredients atop a TRISCUIT Cracker for a legit burst of flavor.
SWEET POTATO + FETA CHEESE + HONEY, EVERYDAY STYLE
— 1 baked sweet potato
— feta
— honey
It’s go time.
Make a classic baked sweet potato by puncturing the skin of your sweet potato with a fork. Be sure to poke all sides. Next, wrap your sweet potato in tin foil and place it in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 50-60 minutes, or until you can easily stick a fork in it. Let the potato cool, then slice down the middle with a knife.
Scoop out a spoonful of cooked sweet potato and place it on your TRISCUIT Cracker. Add several bits of feta and a drop of honey.
Easy as that! The everyday version of our sweet potato TRISCUIT is a great fit for those who desire the flavor makeup of the artisanal TRISCUIT Cracker but don’t have the time to get the elevated ingredients. (Razzbourne Farms — magically beam some cheese to us, will you?)
TRISCUIT Crackers were made for this topping combo — it is DE-licious.
