SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Jessica West opened her mobile charcuterie and catering business, The Picking Box, this past April, because she believes in serving and eating food made from fresh ingredients. West started by offering charcuterie and a small selection of sandwiches, and once word got out, her menu grew from there.
West related that she loves putting together charcuterie plates, saying, “My charcuterie is different. I want all the bang for my buck – all the stuff,” which means cured meats, aged cheeses, fruit, vegetables, and nuts, mostly sourced from local farms, are jam-packed into a to-go box and delivered right to your door.
In addition to the specialty boxes, West serves some crave-worthy sandwiches like a BLT on ciabatta, grilled chicken, or pulled pork. But her biggest hit to date, whether she likes it or not, has to be the hot honey fried chicken sandwich.
With a piece of chicken no bun can contain fried to crispy perfection, West’s chicken sandwich has become a summer sensation. “I sold 100 pieces of chicken in one day,” West reported last Friday.
“I smell like French fries,” she laughed. “It’s not glamorous, but people want fried chicken.”
West can whip up special orders for individualized food items, like chili cheese dogs or bacon-wrapped, chipotle-cream-cheese-stuffed jalapenos. She loves cooking, experimenting with recipes, and trying out new combinations of flavors and ingredients.
In order to serve the greater southeastern Vermont area, West created an order and delivery structure that allows her to fill requests from Bellows Falls and North Walpole to Springfield. For instance, Bellows Falls and Walpole residents must place orders by noon on Wednesday for Thursday delivery. For Springfield, orders must be in by noon on Thursday, and delivery is Friday.
West has always enjoyed bringing wholesome food to her community, working for years as a school cook, including at the Springfield Area Parent Child Center (SAPCC), where West introduced a new farm-to-table menu. She baked bread and made pizza with homemade crust and sauce using high-quality ingredients.
“I feel it is important to introduce [children] to vegetables at a young age,” West said.
It was West’s daughter Tia Horton, an educator at Bright Beginnings Child Care in Springfield, who came up with the name for The Picking Box, and West’s son Brandon and her husband, Nate Deluca, support the operations. West reported that she nearly had to turn orders away last week, but was ultimately able to make it work.
The Picking Box will be serving fried chicken sandwiches and more at Tree Farm Campground on Aug. 15, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., and will be set up at the Springfield Fourth Friday at Comtu Falls on Aug. 28. Visit The Picking Box’s Facebook page to view pictures of West’s amazing creations, menus, and contact information.