A Danish Grandmother’s Salad Dressing Goes to Market
by Rachel Trachten
“If your salad tastes really good, you’re going to eat more veggies,” says Alex Gray, cofounder of Farmor’s organic salad dressings. She feels strongly about the importance of healthy eating as she and her husband, Adam Gray, juggle parenthood and careers with their small but growing business.
Adam’s family is Danish, and the dressing recipe was developed in Copenhagen by his grandmother (farmor in Danish), Alice. The original blend is a mustard and extra virgin olive oil vinaigrette, which the Grays often prepare for family and friends. In 2023, they made it for their daughter’s preschool graduation and got an outpouring of encouragement to bottle and sell it. It was an idea they’d toyed with before, and this time they decided to move ahead. They dove into the paperwork and were able to start selling at the Orinda farmers’ market in spring 2024. For their label design, they took inspiration from the little houses they saw on an island in Denmark.
Adam appreciates the chance to honor his grandmother and his Danish heritage, and Alex says that encouraging people to eat more salad aligns with her work as a nurse practitioner. “I tell people all day long that half of their diet should be fruits and vegetables.” The couple also opted to use organic ingredients in spite of industry advice that the red tape and higher prices might work against their business. However, they felt strongly about how organic practices support the environment. In the process of developing and marketing the business, the Grays got plenty of advice from other small business owners and are especially grateful to Dianna Dar of Cult Crackers.
Farmor’s is quickly expanding, both in its product line and availability. To satisfy their farmers’ market shoppers, the Grays created Honey Mustard Vinaigrette, Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Zesty Lemon Vinaigrette to join their Classic Mustard Vinaigrette. They also sell some of the dressings at local grocery stores including Three Stone Hearth, Andronico’s, and Good Earth Natural Foods.
Alex and Adam prepare the dressings once per week at The Lafayette Kitchen, a shared commercial kitchen space. “It’s just the two of us with giant bowls, an electric whisk, and sanitizing bottles,” says Alex.
The couple describe themselves as avid supporters of local farmers, a need they understand well because Alex’s sister is a vegetable and egg farmer at Rhizing Ground Farm north of Mendocino. “We hope people will support local farmers as much as they can,” says Alex. You can find Farmor’s dressings at six East Bay farmers’ markets in Berkeley, Concord, Kensington, Orinda, and Walnut Creek. Learn more at farmorsdressing.com.
Photos courtesy of Farmor’s
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Harvest Crunch Salad
Description
Alex Gray, cofounder of Farmor’s organic dressings, was inspired to make this salad using kale her sister grew in Mendocino. The ingredients are just right for fall.
Ingredients
- 1/4 lemon wedge
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt
- 1/2 bunch dino kale
- 1/2 butter lettuce
- 2 small/medium golden beets boiled in salted water until tender, sliced
- 2 turnips sliced
- 1 large handful of cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 1 ripe avocado sliced
- 2 chives/green onions chopped
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 5-10 sprigs of cilantro, destemmed
Instructions
Roughly chop kale and lettuce. Massage kale in lemon juice, olive oil and a pinch of salt for 30–60 seconds. Chop and then boil beets in salted water until tender – no need to peel! Add lettuce, beets, turnips, and tomatoes to the massaged kale. Top with avocado, onions, pumpkin seeds and cilantro. Dress with Farmor’s Classic Mustard Vinaigrette.
