Queso blanco is a Latin American cheese. The name means white cheese. There are many variations of this cheese throughout Latin America. It is hard and rubbery, with a bland, sweet flavor. It is excellent for cooking, and has the unique property of not melting even if deep-fried. Read More
Tabouli
May 9, 2009 – 6:04 pm
Spring vegetables are starting to appear on the shelves at the co-op. They are as much a suave to my winter weary eyes as the lilac blooms and apple blossoms. Baskets of sugar snap peas, spring onions, asparagus & baby radishes beckoned me. Before you could say jack-in-a-pulpit I had my basket full. Read More
Wild Leeks
May 2, 2009 – 5:55 pm
As if early spring walks or jogs in the woods are not rewarding enough, you can actually take a break from your ramblings and harvest the makings for a great dinner.
My friend Liz and I did just that a few days ago, and were rewarded with an abundance of wild leeks. Wild Leeks, also known as ramps, are the cheeky little cousin of the common cultivated leek. When eaten raw, they have a bright peppery flavor that is often compared to a combination of scallions and garlic. The pungent flavor mellows with cooking, making them a delicious addition to soups, eggs, rice and potato dishes. Read More
Raw Milk
May 10, 2008 – 7:05 pm
Vermont law makers recently passed a bill doubling the limit on the sale of raw milk from 25 quarts to 50 quarts per day; and lifted the groundless ban on advertising. At $5 to $7 a gallon, 50 quarts per day is still just a small step in significantly affecting the viability of Vermont farms however, it is a leg-up. The new bill enables farmers to sell more of their milk directly to the consumer, bypassing the middleman, and increasing their profits considerably. As powerful as word of mouth advertising can be; it’s just plain nice to hang out your shingle. Read More
Fiddleheads
May 3, 2008 – 5:57 pm
I grew up in Vermont eating fiddleheads and didn’t particularly care for them. I didn’t appreciate the delicate flavor and rare seasonality of them or I suppose mostly, I didn’t appreciate the way my grandmother prepared them. She was from the old school; vegetables were cooked until their consistency was that of mush. The unfortunate fiddleheads were boiled to a grayish color then served to her squeamish grandchildren like slugs swimming in a soup of butter and milk. What I did enjoy however, was foraging for them; I would accompany my grandfather, long since retired from his life on the farm, down to the riverbank. Read More
Farmers’ Market
April 17, 2008 – 5:55 pm
There’s an old saw that goes, “If you don’t like the weather in Vermont just wait a bit”; and it couldn’t be truer than during the month of May, a month that teases us with the unrelenting heartlessness of an older sibling. One day we are biking and gardening under clear, blue skies, and the next we are wrapped in a blanket, wondering if it was a little premature to clean the wood stove and put it to bed for the season. While our taste buds are craving strawberries and asparagus, our local produce shelves still are stocked with kale and cabbages. Or are they? Read More