Vermont Public is independent, community-supported media, serving Vermont with trusted, relevant and essential information. We share stories that bring people together, from every corner of our region.

© 2026 Vermont Public | 365 Troy Ave. Colchester, VT 05446

Public Files:
WVTI · WOXM · WVBA · WVNK · WVTQ
WVPR · WRVT · WOXR · WNCH · WVPA
WVPS · WVXR · WETK · WVTB · WVER
WVER-FM · WVLR-FM · WBTN-FM

For assistance accessing our public files, please contact hello@vermontpublic.org or call 802-655-9451.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

A professional taste tester tells all

Taste is in many ways subjective, but it’s also a learned skill. There is a craft to tasting, and it plays a big role in the food and beverage industry.

Today's guest, Roy Desrochers, is a global sensory expert— what you could call a professional taster. He works with University of Vermont Extension’s northwest crops and soils program, which helps local farmers and manufacturers gain traction in the marketplace. He’s trained thousands of tasters all around the world, including at Borderview Farm in Alburgh.

Roy joins us to tell us about his long career helping major brands develop their best-selling flavors, training others to become finely tuned tasting experts, and about the subtle notes found in Vermont delicacies like maple syrup and milk from grass-fed animals.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Mikaela Lefrak is the host and senior producer of Vermont Edition. Her stories have aired nationally on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, Marketplace, The World and Here and Now. A seasoned local reporter, Mikaela has won two regional Edward R. Murrow awards and a Public Media Journalists Association award for her work.
Jon has spent his entire adult life working in broadcast journalism. He began his career in Baltimore at WYPR, and has since been a producer for WHYY, Vox, The Majority Report with Sam Seder, and The Talkhouse. Jon is a lifelong recording artist whose projects include Repelican, The Art Department, and Dungeonesse. He lives with his wife in Panton, Vermont.
Maeve joined Vermont Public in January of 2026 as Production Intern for Vermont Edition. Her prior journalism experience comes from working for the University of Vermont Community News Service as an Environmental Reporter and Radio Journalism Intern. She is learning to produce live radio shows and will also make feature stories for Vermont Public this spring. She's a senior at the University of Vermont, majoring in Environmental Studies and minoring in Reporting and Documentary Storytelling.