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Monday, March 31, 2014
Beer / Grazing Grazing: Fish-and-Chips at the Knotty Shamrock
Posted
By Corin Hirsch
on Mon, Mar 31, 2014 at 8:37 PM
The first time I crossed St. George's Channel from England into Ireland — aboard a ferry — I immediately noticed a shift in people's temperaments. While the English were crisply polite and helpful, the Irish seemed brusque, beleaguered and indirect yet poetic. I had the sense they didn't give a sh*te that I was visiting their country, and looked upon most tourists with bemused resignation. "Irish, are ya?" they'd ask, bored, convinced I was (like every other American) in search of my roots.
Their tartness didn't bother me — possibly because I have Irish blood, possibly because I don't mind being left alone, and possibly I appreciate obliqueness.
My experience with Northfield's Knotty Shamrock Irish Pub and Grill reminded me of all this. Since it opened more than two years ago — and I heard then pub owners John Lyon and Kevin Pecor had plans to brew their own beer — I've made little headway in writing about the place. I called a few times to find out more but never heard back. I waited a few months and called again. Then months flew by, and finally I made it to Northfield to check out the Shamrock in person.
Judging from the late Friday afternoon throng at the bar, the Knotty Shamrock is a beloved locals' hangout. Both without and within it resembles a typical Irish-American pub: lots of dark wood, green accents and a billowing Irish flag next to the front door. Everything seems neat, though — fresher and better kept than some of the Irish watering holes in which I have passed hundreds of Guinness-soaked hours.
Their tartness didn't bother me — possibly because I have Irish blood, possibly because I don't mind being left alone, and possibly I appreciate obliqueness.
My experience with Northfield's Knotty Shamrock Irish Pub and Grill reminded me of all this. Since it opened more than two years ago — and I heard then pub owners John Lyon and Kevin Pecor had plans to brew their own beer — I've made little headway in writing about the place. I called a few times to find out more but never heard back. I waited a few months and called again. Then months flew by, and finally I made it to Northfield to check out the Shamrock in person.
Judging from the late Friday afternoon throng at the bar, the Knotty Shamrock is a beloved locals' hangout. Both without and within it resembles a typical Irish-American pub: lots of dark wood, green accents and a billowing Irish flag next to the front door. Everything seems neat, though — fresher and better kept than some of the Irish watering holes in which I have passed hundreds of Guinness-soaked hours.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Alice Eats Alice Eats: Bone Yard Barbecue
Posted
By Alice Levitt
on Tue, Mar 25, 2014 at 1:43 PM
Thanks to Burlington's ArtsRiot, the pop-up restaurant has become a daily occurrence. The only problem is, "daily" can quickly transmute into "everyday." Lately, I've come to take the idea for granted.
But shake-ups are on the way. Beginning on April 7, Misery Loves Co. will return to its roots with a series of Monday night pop-up dinners. I kicked off the one-night-only dining season with a visit to the New England Culinary Institute.
On March 21, the school's B.A. program students converted Main Street event space Chef's Table to Bone Yard Barbecue. Chef-instructor Jeffrey Andre told me that the barbecue theme was the students' choice. They identified a hole in the Montpelier marketplace and decided to fill it, if only for a few hours.
The school project came to fruition in one night, but all the bases were covered, from country-ish checkered tablecloths to off-menu sweet tea made to match the fare. There were some kinks. Our server seemed too nervous to refill my water glass without a reminder, for example, but the dinner was intended as much a learning experience as something for diners to enjoy.
Before we ordered, our student server asked whether we wanted bread. Hell, yeah, we wanted bread, especially when it turned out the students had prepared three different kinds. I was most fond of the flaky, chewy biscuits. My dining partner and I prided ourselves on eating just one apiece.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
NECI Taps Jean-Louis Gerin for COO Spot
Posted
By Kathryn Flagg
on Thu, Mar 20, 2014 at 10:15 PM
When Seven Days spoke with leaders at the New England Culinary Institute earlier this month about the future of the storied but struggling culinary school, execs and board members pointed to executive chef Jean-Louis Gerin as the "new face" of the institution. A youthful fiftysomething, Gerin brought top-notch credentials (think James Beard Award) and a flair for celebrity (Food Network appearances) when he signed on as NECI's executive chef in late 2012.
Turns out, the face is getting a promotion. In a press release today, NECI announced that Gerin is taking on the role of Chief Operating Officer at the school. The release touted Gerin's "business acumen" and "eye for detail" in addition to his culinary accolades, and credits Gerin with introducing new areas of expertise to NECI students, including sous vide cooking and institutional food service training.
(To judge by a 2012 interview with Seven Days food writer Alice Levitt, Gerin is also bringing a dash of good humor and charisma to the school. To Levitt's question, "What's your most embarrassing favorite food?" Gerin — who earlier professed to being a wine snob — winningly 'fessed up: "The little red triangle that you buy in the gas station ... Doritos!")
Farms and Agriculture / Locavore Movement Chewing the (Local, Organic) Fat With Alice Waters
Posted
By Alice Levitt
on Thu, Mar 20, 2014 at 12:10 PM
Alice Waters will be visiting Vermont early next month. She'll speak at Sterling College's Dunbar Hall on April 3 at 6:30 p.m. But she isn't just a celebrity chef, restaurateur and Slow Food pioneer passing through on a press tour. Waters has New England connections: Her daughter, Fanny, attended the Mountain School in Vershire, and Waters herself has an honorary degree from Dartmouth College.
Most importantly, she has friends in Vermont. The first leg of her tour will be under the guidance of famous food writer and sometime Northeast Kingdom resident Marian Burros. After her visit to Sterling, Waters will tour Burlington's Intervale Center with its community relations manager, Joyce Cellars.
Spearheading such events has been Cellars' job when other luminaries, such as Mark Bittman, came to town. But this visit will be special. According to Waters, "[Cellars] came to work at Chez Panisse when she was very young. She was my right arm."
Waters is not only a restaurant luminary but an activist: Her Edible Schoolyard Program has gained traction in bringing real food to K-12 schools, and she hopes to see the movement expand to schools and hospitals across the country.
In anticipation of her whirlwind tour, we checked in with Waters about Vermont cuisine, food ethics and eating shoes.
SEVEN DAYS: What brings you to Vermont?
ALICE WATERS: I think there are a lot of things that bring me to Vermont. Sterling is certainly a place that I’ve heard about for a long time from Marian Burros. She just wants me to see the way the curriculum works, the way food is served, and I’m very, very interested in that, of course.
I also have a very, very good friend, Joyce Cellars at the Intervale. She is connected with Slow Food Vermont, and they're very excited to have me come and sign books and talk the talk.
I guess I always have these big visions of what can happen there. I’ve thought for a very long time that Vermont is the state that is really ready for edible education in the public schools — to officially get [to a point] to feed all children real food for school lunch would be an irresistible model for this country.
Most importantly, she has friends in Vermont. The first leg of her tour will be under the guidance of famous food writer and sometime Northeast Kingdom resident Marian Burros. After her visit to Sterling, Waters will tour Burlington's Intervale Center with its community relations manager, Joyce Cellars.
Spearheading such events has been Cellars' job when other luminaries, such as Mark Bittman, came to town. But this visit will be special. According to Waters, "[Cellars] came to work at Chez Panisse when she was very young. She was my right arm."
Waters is not only a restaurant luminary but an activist: Her Edible Schoolyard Program has gained traction in bringing real food to K-12 schools, and she hopes to see the movement expand to schools and hospitals across the country.
In anticipation of her whirlwind tour, we checked in with Waters about Vermont cuisine, food ethics and eating shoes.
SEVEN DAYS: What brings you to Vermont?
ALICE WATERS: I think there are a lot of things that bring me to Vermont. Sterling is certainly a place that I’ve heard about for a long time from Marian Burros. She just wants me to see the way the curriculum works, the way food is served, and I’m very, very interested in that, of course.
I also have a very, very good friend, Joyce Cellars at the Intervale. She is connected with Slow Food Vermont, and they're very excited to have me come and sign books and talk the talk.
I guess I always have these big visions of what can happen there. I’ve thought for a very long time that Vermont is the state that is really ready for edible education in the public schools — to officially get [to a point] to feed all children real food for school lunch would be an irresistible model for this country.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Beer The 2014 Vermont Brew Bracket Is Open!
Posted
By 7D Staff
on Wed, Mar 19, 2014 at 4:54 PM
Will Bobcat Brewery's Baltic Porter quash Drop-In Brewing's Heart of Lothian? Will 14th Star Brewing's Honey IPA eliminate ...14th Star Brewing's Valor? And will the Alchemist's Heady Topper cut the nets again this year?
These are some of the miniature dramas that may play out during the third annual Seven Days Vermont Brew Bracket, which went live today. This "road to the final pour" pits 64 Vermont beers against each other, following some of the same complex bracket math used in the NCAA.
(And with a new brewery opening seemingly every week, we employed these basic rules: To be included, a brewery needs to be six months or older, and each qualifying brew should have been available to the public for at least three months.)
The first round of voting will last until Friday and can be found here. You'll need to sign in to participate. Just be sure to click on (and vote in) all four regions — Northwest, Southwest, Northeast and Southeast.
Let the madness begin.
These are some of the miniature dramas that may play out during the third annual Seven Days Vermont Brew Bracket, which went live today. This "road to the final pour" pits 64 Vermont beers against each other, following some of the same complex bracket math used in the NCAA.
(And with a new brewery opening seemingly every week, we employed these basic rules: To be included, a brewery needs to be six months or older, and each qualifying brew should have been available to the public for at least three months.)
The first round of voting will last until Friday and can be found here. You'll need to sign in to participate. Just be sure to click on (and vote in) all four regions — Northwest, Southwest, Northeast and Southeast.
Let the madness begin.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Alice Eats Alice Eats: Essex Chinese Restaurant
Posted
By Alice Levitt
on Tue, Mar 18, 2014 at 12:39 PM
137 Pearl Street, Essex Junction, 872-2600
The latest edition of the 7 Nights Guide to Vermont Restaurants & Bars hits stands next month to correspond with Vermont Restaurant Week. That means my fellow food writer Corin Hirsch and I have been busy updating nearly 1,000 restaurants' listings. Because of language barriers, Chinese spots always pose a unique challenge: How do we make the most of their menus without clear verbal communication with the owners?
This year, I tried to collect as many menus as possible to find dishes worth mentioning myself. Most places traded exclusively in the sesame chicken and lo mein you'd expect, but my favorite surprise was Essex Chinese Restaurant, which recently took over the space occupied by Vietnam Restaurant.
Turns out, the usual Americanized suspects are available at Essex Chinese along with a succinct selection of Cantonese dishes from its Guandong-native owners. Many of the choices are noodle soups, such as the one above. Beef brisket, pork or shrimp are available with three types of noodles.
I tried mine with ho fun, basically pappardelle made with rice rather than wheat. As the server brought my bowl to the table, the air popped with the aroma of five spice. The lightly beefy broth of the $6.95 dish was indeed dominated by the mix of spices.
The classic flavors also suffused the tender brisket in the soup. With every bite, the thick slabs burst with cinnamon, anise and clove. The quality of the meat itself and its preparation were both pleasant surprises. I was expecting the thin, crunchy slices I find in pho. This was more like my Jewish grandma's brisket, with a Chinese touch. The only inkling that the butchering was another culture's was the presence of a few folds of flesh that appeared to be tripe, not brisket.
The latest edition of the 7 Nights Guide to Vermont Restaurants & Bars hits stands next month to correspond with Vermont Restaurant Week. That means my fellow food writer Corin Hirsch and I have been busy updating nearly 1,000 restaurants' listings. Because of language barriers, Chinese spots always pose a unique challenge: How do we make the most of their menus without clear verbal communication with the owners?
This year, I tried to collect as many menus as possible to find dishes worth mentioning myself. Most places traded exclusively in the sesame chicken and lo mein you'd expect, but my favorite surprise was Essex Chinese Restaurant, which recently took over the space occupied by Vietnam Restaurant.
Turns out, the usual Americanized suspects are available at Essex Chinese along with a succinct selection of Cantonese dishes from its Guandong-native owners. Many of the choices are noodle soups, such as the one above. Beef brisket, pork or shrimp are available with three types of noodles.
I tried mine with ho fun, basically pappardelle made with rice rather than wheat. As the server brought my bowl to the table, the air popped with the aroma of five spice. The lightly beefy broth of the $6.95 dish was indeed dominated by the mix of spices.
The classic flavors also suffused the tender brisket in the soup. With every bite, the thick slabs burst with cinnamon, anise and clove. The quality of the meat itself and its preparation were both pleasant surprises. I was expecting the thin, crunchy slices I find in pho. This was more like my Jewish grandma's brisket, with a Chinese touch. The only inkling that the butchering was another culture's was the presence of a few folds of flesh that appeared to be tripe, not brisket.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Restaurant News / Farms and Agriculture / Books Two Vermonters Are Among Who's Who of Food & Beverage Inductees
Posted
By Alice Levitt
on Thu, Mar 13, 2014 at 3:19 PM
The James Beard Foundation announced its 2014 Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America inductees this afternoon. Of the six recognized this year, four are chefs, including New Orleans legend John Besh and David Chang of the international Momofuku brand. Only two are writers, both of whom are Vermont residents.
"These four influential chefs and two talented journalists represent the best of the best in our culinary world," said president of the James Beard Foundation Susan Ungaro in a press release. "They join a prestigious group of over 200 people who have made a significant impact in how Americans think about food."
St. Johnsbury author Ed Behr is no stranger to the James Beard Foundation. He's even blogged for the culinary association's website. But the international speaker and founder of magazine the Art of Eating wasn't expecting a call from New York's Beard House last week. "It wasn't anything that was remotely in my mind," Behr tells Seven Days.
"I'm actually shocked," says multiple James Beard Foundation Award winner Barry Estabrook of Ferrisburgh. He also got the call last week, but was sworn to secrecy until now. "This is a great day for Vermont. It's a state full of wonderful food writers and I sort of accept this on behalf of all them," he says.
Behr says he is especially surprised to see himself and Estabrook awarded the same year because most Beard honorees come from big cities. "I represent the point of view that is not a restaurant point of view," he says. "Beard restaurants are few and far between [in Vermont]." He suggests that his and Estabrook's recognition may point to a greater awareness of nature and connection to the land in the country's big-name, mainstream food culture.
Both men will receive their awards at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater at the black-tie James Beard Foundation Awards Gala on May 5.
"These four influential chefs and two talented journalists represent the best of the best in our culinary world," said president of the James Beard Foundation Susan Ungaro in a press release. "They join a prestigious group of over 200 people who have made a significant impact in how Americans think about food."
St. Johnsbury author Ed Behr is no stranger to the James Beard Foundation. He's even blogged for the culinary association's website. But the international speaker and founder of magazine the Art of Eating wasn't expecting a call from New York's Beard House last week. "It wasn't anything that was remotely in my mind," Behr tells Seven Days.
"I'm actually shocked," says multiple James Beard Foundation Award winner Barry Estabrook of Ferrisburgh. He also got the call last week, but was sworn to secrecy until now. "This is a great day for Vermont. It's a state full of wonderful food writers and I sort of accept this on behalf of all them," he says.
Behr says he is especially surprised to see himself and Estabrook awarded the same year because most Beard honorees come from big cities. "I represent the point of view that is not a restaurant point of view," he says. "Beard restaurants are few and far between [in Vermont]." He suggests that his and Estabrook's recognition may point to a greater awareness of nature and connection to the land in the country's big-name, mainstream food culture.
Both men will receive their awards at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater at the black-tie James Beard Foundation Awards Gala on May 5.
Burlington / Restaurant News Menu and Chef Details for Farmhouse Group's Newest Endeavors
Posted
By Alice Levitt
on Thu, Mar 13, 2014 at 1:31 PM
The Farmhouse Group's latest project, Pascolo Ristorante, will debut in early May, says chef-partner Phillip Clayton. In anticipation of the Italian restaurant's opening, he has hired an executive chef and sous-chef to get the ball of pasta dough rolling.
Opening Guild & Company (now Guild Tavern) sous-chef Kevin Sprouse has returned to Vermont to take on the role of executive chef at Pascolo. In the interim, he gained seafood experience at Blue Point on North Carolina's Outer Banks. "He was looking to come back to the area right around the time we started searching for an executive chef for Pascolo," says Clayton of the Culinary Institute of America grad.
Sprouse's sous-chef will be Brattleboro native Michael Moranski. Most recently at chef Sean Brock's Nashville sequel to his famed Charleston restaurant, Husk, Moranski's Nashville career also included farm-to-table eatery Flyte World Dining & Wine and his own Sunday brunch pop-up at the Nashville Farmers Market, the Speckled Hen.
Meanwhile, a new executive chef is also onboard at Guild Tavern, longtime Trattoria Delia chef de cuisine Bruce Stewart.
Why not place the chef best known for Italian food at Pascolo? "Bruce’s skill set extends well beyond Italian food, and he’s really excited about the opportunity to spread his wings a little bit and explore different types of cuisine," Clayton explains. "Kevin and Mike both have a passion for Italian food and great experience with it."
Opening Guild & Company (now Guild Tavern) sous-chef Kevin Sprouse has returned to Vermont to take on the role of executive chef at Pascolo. In the interim, he gained seafood experience at Blue Point on North Carolina's Outer Banks. "He was looking to come back to the area right around the time we started searching for an executive chef for Pascolo," says Clayton of the Culinary Institute of America grad.
Sprouse's sous-chef will be Brattleboro native Michael Moranski. Most recently at chef Sean Brock's Nashville sequel to his famed Charleston restaurant, Husk, Moranski's Nashville career also included farm-to-table eatery Flyte World Dining & Wine and his own Sunday brunch pop-up at the Nashville Farmers Market, the Speckled Hen.
Meanwhile, a new executive chef is also onboard at Guild Tavern, longtime Trattoria Delia chef de cuisine Bruce Stewart.
Why not place the chef best known for Italian food at Pascolo? "Bruce’s skill set extends well beyond Italian food, and he’s really excited about the opportunity to spread his wings a little bit and explore different types of cuisine," Clayton explains. "Kevin and Mike both have a passion for Italian food and great experience with it."
Beer Midweek Swig: Vermont Maple Wheat Ale From Rock Art Brewery
Posted
By Corin Hirsch
on Thu, Mar 13, 2014 at 11:55 AM
Cost: $6.49 for a 22-ounce bottle at Price Chopper in South Burlington
Strength: 5.4 percent abv
The pour: Frothy, cloudy, coppery. The ale smells faintly of biscuits and moves languidly in the glass, as if it's going to be a full-bodied swig.
The taste: Given its looks, the beer's brightness is surprising at first — but the mid-palate carries custardy flavors laced with hints of lemon. The sweetness is subtle and seamlessly interwoven; if I was blindfolded, I'm not sure I would call this a maple anything. Vanilla and butterscotch spill over the tongue with nary a hint of hoppiness.
Drink it with: Totally randomly, I sipped this with some pork chops sautéed with gochojang, and the ale's ample body softened the dish's spicy edges. But I'd also drink it with savory, flaky tarts and pies (such as chicken pot pie) or ... vanilla ice cream.
Backstory: Rock Art's Matt Nadeau first brewed this wheat ale more than a decade ago, according to the label, and this most recent release was bottled in late February. It was brewed with maple syrup from Dodge's Mansion House in Johnson.
Verdict: It's hard to believe that sugaring is upon us, given the buckets of snow falling outside. Yet the Vermont Maple Wheat Ale bridges both kinds of days — the snow-whipped afternoons and the crisp, sunny, 50-degree days when the sap flows. It's like a beer-butterscotch sundae, albeit an elegant one. But don't let it linger in the glass: I drink beer slowly, and this loses its head (and zing) quickly.
Strength: 5.4 percent abv
The pour: Frothy, cloudy, coppery. The ale smells faintly of biscuits and moves languidly in the glass, as if it's going to be a full-bodied swig.
The taste: Given its looks, the beer's brightness is surprising at first — but the mid-palate carries custardy flavors laced with hints of lemon. The sweetness is subtle and seamlessly interwoven; if I was blindfolded, I'm not sure I would call this a maple anything. Vanilla and butterscotch spill over the tongue with nary a hint of hoppiness.
Drink it with: Totally randomly, I sipped this with some pork chops sautéed with gochojang, and the ale's ample body softened the dish's spicy edges. But I'd also drink it with savory, flaky tarts and pies (such as chicken pot pie) or ... vanilla ice cream.
Backstory: Rock Art's Matt Nadeau first brewed this wheat ale more than a decade ago, according to the label, and this most recent release was bottled in late February. It was brewed with maple syrup from Dodge's Mansion House in Johnson.
Verdict: It's hard to believe that sugaring is upon us, given the buckets of snow falling outside. Yet the Vermont Maple Wheat Ale bridges both kinds of days — the snow-whipped afternoons and the crisp, sunny, 50-degree days when the sap flows. It's like a beer-butterscotch sundae, albeit an elegant one. But don't let it linger in the glass: I drink beer slowly, and this loses its head (and zing) quickly.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Alice Eats Alice Eats: Neighborhood Market
Posted
By Alice Levitt
on Tue, Mar 11, 2014 at 12:08 PM
457 St. Paul Street, Burlington, 497-0541
It's only minutes away from the Seven Days office, but I never thought to venture into St. Paul Street's Neighborhood Market until a Russian friend recently told me it was her source for old-country groceries.
Yesterday, I finally made time to snap up some hazelnut-filled chocolate and frozen Siberian beef dumplings. I was tantalized by soup mixes, hard and soft cheeses and an impressive array of cured meats, but those will have to wait for next time.
I was too busy choosing my lunch to do a serious shop. Neighborhood Market recently started promoting its deli fare, prepared to go or served at the small counter near the cash register.
I was disappointed to see there was none of the Russian cuisine I expected. Some blinchiki or pelmeni would have really hit the spot. But the young Moldovan woman working the counter told me she believed that the market's neighbors were only interested in American basics.
It's only minutes away from the Seven Days office, but I never thought to venture into St. Paul Street's Neighborhood Market until a Russian friend recently told me it was her source for old-country groceries.
Yesterday, I finally made time to snap up some hazelnut-filled chocolate and frozen Siberian beef dumplings. I was tantalized by soup mixes, hard and soft cheeses and an impressive array of cured meats, but those will have to wait for next time.
I was too busy choosing my lunch to do a serious shop. Neighborhood Market recently started promoting its deli fare, prepared to go or served at the small counter near the cash register.
I was disappointed to see there was none of the Russian cuisine I expected. Some blinchiki or pelmeni would have really hit the spot. But the young Moldovan woman working the counter told me she believed that the market's neighbors were only interested in American basics.
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