Originally published at https://www.escondido.org on December 16, 2020.
Escondido Insight — Business Spotlight
Bring Sweet and Savory to Your Holiday This Season
Kismet Refining Company is Creating Traditional Vinegars for Food and Drinks
This holiday season, consider making something old new again when it comes to your food and drink menu. Husband and wife team Greg and Chelsea Enright may have some ideas for you. The Escondido entrepreneurs are creating rich, flavorful vinegars using the methods developed in Modena, Italy, where traditional balsamic vinegar has been produced for generations.
Founders Greg and Chelsea Enright. Courtesy Photo.
The duo traveled to Italy in 2016 and learned how to create flavorful, authentic vinegars.
Since then, the Enrights have opened Kismet Refining Company, a business they named after their beloved dog who they rescued. Kismet is a boutique refinery that creates quality craft balsamic and shrub vinegars for culinary and cocktail creations using traditional methods and the authentic Italian production style to create a much purer product than what is currently found in most balsamics throughout the US.
“True balsamic, is 100% grapes that are processed and then aged for a minimum of 25 years,” Greg said.
Vinegar has been used in culinary dishes and in cocktails since ancient times. Balsamics, which are dark purple and syrupy, have a sweet tangy flavor, and are used in meals from sautees to salads, or as marinades. They are also a popular dipping delight when mixed with oils. Shrub vinegars are vinegars made from fruits fermented until they produce their own vinegar. Like balsamics, they tend to also have a sweet tartness that is excellent when added to a mixed drink.
No matter how Kismet’s vinegars are used, the Enrights want their product to be about taste first. “Our pursuit is always just about making things that taste delicious and have a wide range of uses,” Greg said.
A selection of Kismet Refining Company’s vinegars. Courtesy Photo.
Their most popular balsamic is the black garlic balsamic. “This is pretty much the cornerstone of our vinegars,” Greg said, adding that with it’s sweet, nutty flavor even a small amount splashed on a dish as it’s plated will elevate the flavors of the entire meal.
In December, the couple will debut a new balsamic called Tempranillo, named after the tempranillo grape, a dark-colored grape that usually comes from Spain or Portugal.
Kismet’s shrub vinegars make a perfect addition to sparkling drinks and cocktails. “We like to make Sunday Funday Bloody Mary’s with a mixture of our vinegars,” Greg said.
Sunday Funday Bloody Mary Recipe
1 oz Celery Vinegar
2 oz Tomato Vinegar
1 oz Black Garlic Vinegar
4 oz Tomato Juice
2 oz Vodka
A splash of Worcestershire sauce
A dash of Ground Pepper
Shake and pour over ice in a glass.
A nice holiday drink he suggests uses their hibiscus vinegar. “The hibiscus vinegar is really nice and tart. It has a sharp kick and works really great with cranberry. Mixed with sparkling cranberry water and maybe a splash of gin, the next thing you know, you’ve got a really great holiday cocktail.”
Spiced Cranberry Hibiscus Winter Cocktail
2oz Hibiscus vinegar
1oz Ginger vinegar
1 oz Triple sec
4oz Cranberry juice
2oz Spiced rum
Dash of nutmeg
1 Cinnamon stick and star anise for garnish
Mix all ingredients together, except garnish spices.
For a warm winter cocktail:
Heat on the stovetop or in a mug in the microwave until hot.
Add garnish
For a chilled cocktail:
Shake with ice and pour into a chilled glass.
Add garnish
The recipe easily scales up for sharing or making for a party!
Kismet vinegars are being used in mocktails and cocktails at The Plot restaurant in Oceanside. And the couple is working with Chef Stone at Plan 9 Alehouse, who adds their balsamics to select menu items. “We were featured on their Valentine’s Day menu,” Greg said. “Chef Stone has been a really good asset to bounce ideas off of.”
The Enright’s have been a two-person operation since they began producing vinegars in 2019. Producing vinegar is a long and arduous process. When they began, they started barrelling vinegars that will continue fermenting for several years. “We have long-term goals and plans,” Greg said.
He added the pandemic gave them time to really build out their business. “The pandemic allowed more time to be devoted to establishing Kismet Refining Company and working towards completing a transition from hobby to sustainable business as I was furloughed from working a full-time job.”
From March 1, 2020 through November 23, 2020, the City of Escondido received 696 new business license applications for Escondido-based businesses, many of which are home occupations. Entrepreneurs in the City who may have been laid off or had hours reduced due to the pandemic are starting new businesses. Kismet Refining Company is a great example of one of these home occupation businesses, which is run from the couple’s home, including fermentation tanks, barrel storage, and bottling.
Vinegar barrels in the fermenting process. Courtesy photo.
That was one of the reasons they chose to start their business in Escondido. “It was easy to operate under the cottage food laws,” explained Enright. “And so we’ve been building our entire production in and around our home.”
Cottage food laws in San Diego County allow small food businesses the opportunity to prepare and/or package non-potentially hazardous foods in their home and sell them indirectly or directly to the public. Enright admitted that with the growth of their business they are running at near capacity.
“Escondido is one of the most business-friendly cities in North County,” said Amber Tarrac, Escondido’s Deputy Director of Economic Development. “The City is always available to help new businesses find ways to establish themselves and grow. Many businesses here in our City have started with an idea in a home kitchen or garage and have grown to become successful companies.
The Enrights feel they have established themselves in the perfect reason. “Escondido has been an asset in a variety of ways from being centrally located with access to the North County farming communities, the coast, and the City as well as being an up-and-coming area in San Diego County with many opportunities for growth.” Greg said. “We've often driven Grand Avenue and imagined what a storefront/production facility would look like. We're especially thankful for the support Escondido has given to small businesses during this challenging season with the small business grants.”
As their business is growing, so is their family. The Enright’s welcomed their first child, daughter Marin Joy on Halloween, the couple’s favorite holiday. Looking ahead to next Halloween, Enright hopes to add some sort of pumpkin spice flavored vinegars to their offerings.
Kismet is one of the Escondido businesses that are participating in Escondido Eats 25 Days To-Go, a continuation of November’s Escondido Eats event which now includes local businesses such as Kismet. The event runs from December 1-25.
Kismet vinegars are available for sale in the cut shop at Plan 9 Alehouse. Additionally, Kismet products can be purchased from Market Box, an El Cajon online Farmer’s Market that sells local San Diego products, or directly on the Kismet website.
Direct orders can be delivered to any location within the county and pickups are by appointment only.