Michael and Lisa Davis run Sweet Doe Dairy, an 81-acre farm in Chelsea, Vt., with 120 Nigerian dwarf goats, all born and bred right there. The goats, with names like Mardi Gras and Chicory, Gretl, and Ally Baa Baa, are short, the size of a golden retriever, but provide milk high in butterfat and without a pungent taste. “Not all goat’s milk is equal,” says Lisa. The couple turns the milk into gelato produced without added cream, and lower in fat than most premium ice creams. The frozen treat’s texture is dense, the flavors robust, and come in four varieties: chocolate, made with Belgian chocolate and Dutch-process cocoa; coffee, prepared with fresh-brewed coffee; vanilla, crafted with quality Madagascar vanilla beans; and chai, made with black tea plus spices (about $10 to $11 a pint). None has swirls or mix-ins. “There are no chunks of anything, for we prefer the velvety texture and pure flavors,” Lisa says. The couple moved from New York City eight years ago, leaving corporate jobs to buy the farm. They are the first in New England to produce goat milk gelato. “We know some people are intolerant to cow’s milk. This is one option for them that doesn’t compromise taste,” says Michael. Available at Olive Connection, 1426 Beacon St., Brookline, 617-879-9980; Debra’s Natural Gourmet, 98 Commonwealth Ave., West Concord, 978-371-7573; Common Crow Natural Market, 200 Eastern Ave., Gloucester, 978-283-1665, or order at farmerstoyou.com, a pickup-and delivery service.
ANN TRIEGER KURLAND