Before my time, my dad would serve his version of a Caesar salad at all the holiday events and dinner parties. This was not your typical Caesar salad. It was missing all your traditional ingredients a Caesar would include, which is why I decided to call it a Garlic Vinaigrette. The salad consisted of finely chopped romaine, green onion, with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. My sister and I loved it, everyone loved it. He would make the dressing just before serving the salad to keep the lettuce extra crispy. Details like this need to be considered when dad would make something, he was always so picky and still is to this day. Although he would argue, "I'm not picky, I know what I like". Time passes, my sister and I move out and the tradition continues. An invite to either of our places for dinner included dads version of a Caesar salad, it had to.
Long story short, four children later and a position of needing to put some money away in order to get into the housing market. My late fiance and I decide to move into my mom and dads house to save on rent so we could provide something that was ours for our children. A place that fit our chaos and felt like home. I found myself constantly making my dads dressing while we were there. I decided to make a big bottle so I didn't have to keep making it every time I felt like using it. One night while my fiance was out at gymnastics with the two older girls. I sat at the dining room table with the two babies and my parents, eating my dads salad and it dawned on me. If everyone loves this dressing why not try and build something with it, the flavour being so unique from any other dressing I have tasted. I could spoil my children, help my fiance retire from his contracting business, and buy him a fishing boat. This could be it for our family. I looked into the business, bottling, expanding the recipe and started attending local markets. We were happy and the feedback on the dressing was phenomenal.
A few months later my fiance passed away in a fatal motor cycle accident and everything stopped. Our way of life the kids and I had known for so long was about to be ripped from beneath our feet, and it was. Markets were cancelled with the biggest of sympathies and an invite to come back whenever I was ready. I never thought I would get back into it. The thought of presenting myself at markets with this stuff just wasn't fathomable. My fiance was my biggest fan when it came to this venture. How could I do this without him?
It has been a little over four months since he passed away. Losing my best friend and the father of our children, my grieving will never completely subside. He will always be with us in his way. He is physically gone, but we are still here and with the heaviest of heart life is going on. The camping trips continued and school has started again. With the support of our families and friends, I have picked up where I left off. Behind the scenes of the business are coming together, the markets are being booked and I have something to work towards, something my family can be proud of.
That is a little background on this new family business and how it came to be. If you already have the dressing enjoy! If you would like a bottle please contact us, we would love to hear how you enjoyed Goldsmith's Garlic Vinaigrette.
