Sorry, there's no hot new restaurant so exclusive that it only serves on Saturday and Sunday. The past few days have simply been so food-filled, I thought it would be fun to share how one food writer's life goes when the living is easy and the produce is high.

My weekend started with an invitation to the latest in NECI's series of Slow Food benefit dinners. Executive Chef Tom Bivins thought it would be funny to see a meat-obsessed gal like me at the vegan dinner prepared by his students. It began with a "raw bar" featuring several samples of pickled perfection: garlic scapes, carrots and even finely sliced watermelon. And there was toast spread with herb pesto and topped with mint "caviar."

Five students were responsible for conceptualizing one course each. Highlights included a robustly spiced tomatillo soup with vegan sour cream, and a peach-and-raspberry melba on a tea cracker with almond-milk-based sweet tea ice cream.

The next day, I more than made up for my meat-free evening at the Harpoon Championships of New England Barbecue. My first stop was at I Que's booth, where John Delpha — chef at The Belted Cow Bistro — and his team were selling heavy paper containers of sweet, meaty ribs, plus cha siu pork over sesame-redolent fried rice. I Que's main competition for the honor of being the highest ranking barbecue team in the northeast is Massachusetts-based I Smell Smoke.

I can honestly say, without bias, that I did not. I had a bite of I Smell Smoke's pulled pork sandwich and threw it away: It was mushy, smoke-free and under seasoned. I was a fan of their 'Poon dog, however. The beer brat dipped in beer batter and fried had every bit of flavor the pork was lacking.

A Burlington-based team ran away with the New England Barbecue Society's prize for Rookie of the Year. Eric Gray of Sweet Breathe BBQ admits that he forgot the ingredients for his glaze, but still managed to place fourth overall in the chicken category. I didn't get to try his wings, but his tender ribs were brushed with a unique maple-and-ginger sauce. Overall, the BBQ fest was not what it's cracked up to be. In 95-degree heat, my head was pounding too much to put down all the pork I wanted to.

That evening, some friends and I stopped at Patchwork Farm in East Hardwick for a pizza party. Though the farm is not open to the public, the Emers family sells its creative loaves, bagels, bialys and foccacia all over the Northeast Kingdom. Baker Charlie Emers is considering opening a shop in downtown Hardwick, and I hope he does. The meal started with tart homemade lemonade and a farm-fresh salad, featuring some of the sweetest tomatoes I've ever tasted. Charlie then presented pie after pie from his wood-burning oven. My favorites were the tomato-basil, and one covered in zucchini and lots of fresh mozzarella. I brought home a luscious blue-cheese-and-walnut loaf for later.

The next day, after seeing South Pacific at the Hyde Park Opera House, I wandered across the street for high tea. That's right: On Thursday and Sunday afternoons, an inn called The Governor's House serves a delicious house blend of black tea with all the trimmings. Since I dropped in without notice, I missed the impressive line-up of tea cakes, but was still treated to an ample sampling of ladylike delights. There were delicious curried chicken and cucumber sandwiches, with crusts cut off, naturally. The proprietor also took time to make two different types of scones: a melt-in-the-mouth cranberry and chocolate version, and plain, buttery and flaky ones best blobbed with jam and clotted cream.

Yesterday, I hit my first Vermont Fresh Network dinner of the year at Ariel's in Brookfield. The hour-long drive was easily worth it. The meal began with a cube of pork belly sitting on a slice of pickled watermelon. A straight line of crackling was laid diagonally across the meat like a piece of modern architecture, and it all sat in a delicate pool of mint vinaigrette. Other courses included a deconstructed pork posole — which perfectly captured the flavors of the Mexican stew — and a crowd-pleasing chicken confit over grits and garlic jus. The crisp, salty skin would have been a worthy meal on its own. My weekend of gluttony ended with a trio of berry desserts: sweet sorbet with wild raspberries and blackberries, blackberry clafoutis and ideally balanced blueberry crisp.

Here's the best part of my foodie weekend: Except for the visit to Patchwork Farm, I didn't do anything you can't. There's still plenty of summer fun to be had. My advice is to try a Fresh Network dinner, hit a festival and dine with friends whenever you can!

2545 Shelburne Road, Shelburne 802-985-5009

Two weeks after opening, 7 Nights reviewers have written six reviews of Shelburne Steakhouse. The diners were all eager for a return to Sirloin Saloon form in the space previously occupied by the lost classic. Critiques ranged from one star to five. I had to see for myself.

My server was clearly new  — and nervous. After taking my order, he had to return more than once with a question about something he forgot. When I had questions, he didn't have all the answers, but was eager to please and quickly found out what I wanted to know.

Having already seen the menu online sans prices, I was expecting to pay $20 or more for entrées. I was surprised to see that tenderloin medallions cost only $16. Dinners, with unlimited visits to the salad bar, mostly cost right around that amount.

Though the salad bar is not as large as it was at the Sirloin Saloon, I filled a plate and still regretted missing several items. There were all the basic veggies, plus sweet, grilled squash and zucchini, sesame noodles and bacon-speckled potato salad. The best part: Homemade honey-chile vinaigrette, with a wonderful balance of tangy, earthy and sweet, in which I ended up dipping my bread once the salad was gone.

82 Lower Main Street, Morrisville 888-7889

Ask anyone where to find good food in Morrisville and they will tell you The Bee's Knees is the place. When I spent this past Sunday in Hyde Park, I did consider heading to the Stonegrill Restaurant & Pub, (You cook your meat yourself! On a hot stone!) but was lured to the Bee's Knees by the siren song of chicken and goat cheese pot pie.

You heard me right. As if chicken pot pie weren't already luscious enough, chef Jeff Egan adds Vermont Butter & Cheese Creamery chèvre to the already creamy sauce. I have salivated over that dish for years, and was not disappointed. I usually expect a conventional pie crust or puff pastry on my pot pies. This bowl of stew was topped with a buttery biscuit. Inside, free range Misty Knoll chicken practically melted, along with lightly tangy artichokes, which perfectly matched the character of the sauce. Caramelized onions and small leaves of fresh spinach gave the concoction further character, though it certainly didn't need more flavor.

237 North Winooski Avenue, Burlington 658-3668

I didn't think I'd have to do this, but apparently I do: There are people out there who still don't know about QTee's. Whenever I explain where 99 Asian Market is — right across the street from QTee's — it seems people don't know what I'm talking about. "Where Dairy Queen was," I clarify. Then they understand, but it hasn't been Dairy Queen for years. The inevitable next question: "Is it still good?"

As far as Burlington-area fast food goes, it's among the best. Each month I take a picture of QTee's rotating creemee-flavor schedule and follow it religiously. They always have chocolate and vanilla, but other flavors, from orange to Kahlua, appear in two-day spurts. I like to show up on mint and pistachio days. I've yet to make it over for blueberry, but it's on my calendar — literally.

First things first, though. Pre-creemee, I recommend stopping inside for something savory. I just discovered the Roadhouse burger: two patties with cheese, bacon, barbecue sauce and an onion ring. It sounds simple but it's sublime, with just the right mix of salt, sweetness and crunch.

7 Bakery Lane, Middlebury, 388-4182

I dig controversy. As soon as it was added to 7 Nights, Jackson's caused a minor stir with three comments in the space of about an hour. Two were positive, one very negative. I knew I had to see for myself.

I had never been to Tully and Marie's or Woody's, the restaurants that filled the Bakery Lane location in Middlebury for as long as I've been in the state. The location can't be beat, with waterfront views from every table. Diners can choose to look at Otter Creek from outside, or from one of three indoor levels. The interior is painted bright yellow and decorated with black and white photos of farm animals. You can't help but feel happy in there.

A matching chowder of the day helped, too. The corn and bacon potage got its extra-vivid color from the addition of carrots. Though the soup was creamy, the flavor was unmitigated corn. The vegetable was present both blended into the broth and in floating chunks. The taste was so intense, bacon was — gasp — an afterthought. That said, the soup would have been even better with a bit more salt.

  Appetizers and entrées are evenly split between vegetarian and meat dishes. My party tried one of each. A pair of smoky poblano peppers were each stuffed with a different filling. One held a Southwestern-style Thanksgiving stuffing — bread based, but filled with savory black beans; the other had chèvre, jack cheese and toasted pine nuts. Both sizable peppers were topped with fresh salsa and placed on a sea of black beans. Once again, the beans would have benefited from a heavier hand with the seasonings.

I never turn down schnitzel. I had no choice but to order the pork one at Jackson's. A gigantic, thinly pounded tenderloin arrived on my plate pan-fried and lightly drizzled with creamy wild mushroom sauce. The fungi themselves were finely chopped but flavorful. The meat lay on a bed of mashed potatoes, which were subtly creamy. The vegetable of the day was a collection of cauliflower, broccoli and carrots. Though they added satisfying color to the plate, the under-seasoned veggies would have been improved by more of the brandy-spiked mushroom sauce for dipping.

  Despite any minor shortcomings, the food at Jackson's was filling enough that I didn't spring for dessert. If I had, I would have chosen banana tres leches cake, for sure. Instead, I distracted my sweet tooth with a trip to the bathroom before leaving. A pot of piña colada-scented potpourri made it a pleasure. Points to Jackson's for winning the title of best-smelling bathroom in Vermont from me.