Vermont's Independent Voice
Browse News
Browse Arts + Culture
Browse Food + Drink
Browse Cannabis
Browse Music
Browse On Screen
Browse Events
Browse Classifieds
Browse Personals
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Farmers Market Kitchen Farmers Market Kitchen: Cider Gin Fizz
Posted
By Hannah Palmer Egan
on Tue, Oct 27, 2015 at 1:25 PM
Everyone in the Vermont tree-fruit world is talking about it: 2015 has been a historic year for apples. Though we're well into the frost zone and most of the season's apples have been picked, orchardists are still pressing cider by the tanker and we'll have it in stores well into winter.
One of my favorite uses for fresh cider is as a cocktail mixer. Served warm or cold, the sweet, homey flavor of apple blends beautifully with rum, brandy or whiskey. But what about gin?
Alice Eats Alice Eats: A Cuisine
Posted
By Alice Levitt
on Tue, Oct 27, 2015 at 12:21 PM
Burlington is not a place for highly conceptual restaurants. Most go about as far as "locavore" or perhaps "Vietnamese." A Cuisine requires a much more complex explanation.
"Conveyor belt sushi" requires some dense verbiage in itself. A slow-moving track extends along the long, skinny restaurant counter, moving food from table to table. Diners grab what they feel like, when they feel like it. But another detail, "in the mall," adds a whole other layer of gawkers, who watch diners grab their rotating sushi. The view includes Burlington Town Center's Starbucks and FYE.
"Conveyor belt sushi" requires some dense verbiage in itself. A slow-moving track extends along the long, skinny restaurant counter, moving food from table to table. Diners grab what they feel like, when they feel like it. But another detail, "in the mall," adds a whole other layer of gawkers, who watch diners grab their rotating sushi. The view includes Burlington Town Center's Starbucks and FYE.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Farmers Market Kitchen Farmers Market Kitchen: Swiss Chard Brittle
Posted
By Hannah Palmer Egan
on Tue, Oct 20, 2015 at 2:07 PM
My mother grows a huge vegetable patch every year. At season's end, when frost is lapping at her garden edges, she ransacks her plot and brings me whatever she can't use. Inevitably, that includes lots of Swiss chard.
It took me a while to admit that I can't really stand the stuff. It's slightly sweet, but not actually sweet; a little vegetal, but not really; vaguely tart, but not enough to pucker over ... Its flavor is neither weak nor strong, but just generally noncommittal. And the texture's nothing to write home about.
But what if we concentrated its flavor by boiling it down to its very essence? What if we filled the plant's cells with sugar until its flesh became stiff and, if not exactly crispy, brittle enough to break in half when bent? And what if we did so with enough extra syrup to encase the candied stems in toffee?
Then, it's not so bad ... Not bad at all, actually. Just beware your dental work, as this brittle is sticky business!
It took me a while to admit that I can't really stand the stuff. It's slightly sweet, but not actually sweet; a little vegetal, but not really; vaguely tart, but not enough to pucker over ... Its flavor is neither weak nor strong, but just generally noncommittal. And the texture's nothing to write home about.
But what if we concentrated its flavor by boiling it down to its very essence? What if we filled the plant's cells with sugar until its flesh became stiff and, if not exactly crispy, brittle enough to break in half when bent? And what if we did so with enough extra syrup to encase the candied stems in toffee?
Then, it's not so bad ... Not bad at all, actually. Just beware your dental work, as this brittle is sticky business!
Alice Eats Alice Eats: Michel's German Food
Posted
By Alice Levitt
on Tue, Oct 20, 2015 at 1:16 PM
Remember the Cork & Board? The Dorset Street restaurant closed more than a decade ago, but in my early years in Vermont, it was the only place to go for wurst and spaetzle. German cuisine has never really taken off in Chittenden County — perhaps we're just too health-conscious — but it's been back in South Burlington, now on Williston Road, since August.
Michel's German Food doesn't have much in common with the Cork & Board. In fact, it doesn't really have much in common with a restaurant. The space consists of little more than a service counter and a small kitchen in what was until recently the Hairy Bear kids' salon. There are a few tables, but no seats. Takeout is encouraged, but the brave few who choose to stand will be rewarded with Teutonic bonhomie from general manager Addi von Eynern. It's like having a picnic with Heidi Klum, but presumably with better, heartier food.
The grub was flavorful and well prepared nearly across the board, but that doesn't mean it was pretty. The currywurst consisted of juicy bratwurst served sliced and drenched in a sweet, tomato-based sauce. Curry came from both the pool of sauce and a liberal shake of powder. In summary, it was far better than it looked.
Crisp fries on the side completed the typical fast-food dish. Eynern provided ketchup and mayo packets for dipping, but the curry was the most satisfying accompaniment to the hand-cut beauties.
The pork schnitzel was pounded to a uniform thinness, but it was still a bit fatter than usual, which translated to more moisture in the meat beneath the crisp breadcrumb coating. Eynern said that the thin pool of sweet-and-sour mushroom sauce on the side was mostly there to keep the meat juicy. It was an unnecessary measure, but the sauce was still a nice addition to the extra-long stretches of nutmeg-spiced spaetzle.
The dumplings came at an extra price of $3.50, a surprise when we got our bill. A choice of sauerkraut or red cabbage was included. Eynern suggested we try the former, which was indeed sour and uncommonly tender in the wake of some heavy fermentation.
This was my first time trying Hochzeitssuppe, or German wedding soup. The clear, dark broth was flavored with slivers of carrot and leek as well as cubes of soft, stewed beef. But the fun came in the form of rolled crêpes, which took on the role of noodles, along with cubes of fluffy egg yolk cooked to share an uncanny resemblance with Japanese tamago. Yes, it was served in a take-out container, but the effort — dare I say love — with which the soup was crafted was apparent.
We initially ordered two desserts, farina pudding and a chocolate mousse. But Eynern brought out two farinas at the end of our meal, saying that something unappealing had begun to grow on the mousse. TMI, yes, but I appreciated her honesty. I didn't appreciate the burgeoning sour milk taste of the pudding we did get, though. Perhaps it would be smart for the chef, Norbert Sass, to make desserts in smaller quantities to ensure they're always fresh.
But the strengths of the hole-in-the-wall outweigh its weaknesses. How could they not? Home-cooked German comfort cuisine is heavy stuff.
Alice Eats is a weekly blog feature devoted to reviewing restaurants where diners can get a meal for two for less than $45. Got a restaurant you'd love to see featured? Send it to alice@sevendaysvt.com.
Michel's German Food doesn't have much in common with the Cork & Board. In fact, it doesn't really have much in common with a restaurant. The space consists of little more than a service counter and a small kitchen in what was until recently the Hairy Bear kids' salon. There are a few tables, but no seats. Takeout is encouraged, but the brave few who choose to stand will be rewarded with Teutonic bonhomie from general manager Addi von Eynern. It's like having a picnic with Heidi Klum, but presumably with better, heartier food.
The grub was flavorful and well prepared nearly across the board, but that doesn't mean it was pretty. The currywurst consisted of juicy bratwurst served sliced and drenched in a sweet, tomato-based sauce. Curry came from both the pool of sauce and a liberal shake of powder. In summary, it was far better than it looked.
Crisp fries on the side completed the typical fast-food dish. Eynern provided ketchup and mayo packets for dipping, but the curry was the most satisfying accompaniment to the hand-cut beauties.
The pork schnitzel was pounded to a uniform thinness, but it was still a bit fatter than usual, which translated to more moisture in the meat beneath the crisp breadcrumb coating. Eynern said that the thin pool of sweet-and-sour mushroom sauce on the side was mostly there to keep the meat juicy. It was an unnecessary measure, but the sauce was still a nice addition to the extra-long stretches of nutmeg-spiced spaetzle.
The dumplings came at an extra price of $3.50, a surprise when we got our bill. A choice of sauerkraut or red cabbage was included. Eynern suggested we try the former, which was indeed sour and uncommonly tender in the wake of some heavy fermentation.
This was my first time trying Hochzeitssuppe, or German wedding soup. The clear, dark broth was flavored with slivers of carrot and leek as well as cubes of soft, stewed beef. But the fun came in the form of rolled crêpes, which took on the role of noodles, along with cubes of fluffy egg yolk cooked to share an uncanny resemblance with Japanese tamago. Yes, it was served in a take-out container, but the effort — dare I say love — with which the soup was crafted was apparent.
We initially ordered two desserts, farina pudding and a chocolate mousse. But Eynern brought out two farinas at the end of our meal, saying that something unappealing had begun to grow on the mousse. TMI, yes, but I appreciated her honesty. I didn't appreciate the burgeoning sour milk taste of the pudding we did get, though. Perhaps it would be smart for the chef, Norbert Sass, to make desserts in smaller quantities to ensure they're always fresh.
But the strengths of the hole-in-the-wall outweigh its weaknesses. How could they not? Home-cooked German comfort cuisine is heavy stuff.
Alice Eats is a weekly blog feature devoted to reviewing restaurants where diners can get a meal for two for less than $45. Got a restaurant you'd love to see featured? Send it to alice@sevendaysvt.com.
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Farmers Market Kitchen Farmers Market Kitchen: Delicata Pudding
Posted
By Hannah Palmer Egan
on Tue, Oct 13, 2015 at 1:09 PM
Given the choice between sweet and savory, I'll choose savory nine times out of 10. But that ratio flips for winter squash. When faced with autumn's hardy, orange-fleshed fruit, whether it's a pumpkin, butternut, kabocha, hubbard, acorn or delicata, I prefer to embrace the crop's integral sweetness. Its creamy texture and rich, nutty flavor seem to scream for maple syrup.
So, pudding. Here's one that's a cinch to prepare, super simple and made with ingredients whose natural sugars add up to a dessert that's sweet but not cloying, smooth and rich and light as a feather. Also, it's vegan and gluten-free, so pretty much anyone can eat it.
So, pudding. Here's one that's a cinch to prepare, super simple and made with ingredients whose natural sugars add up to a dessert that's sweet but not cloying, smooth and rich and light as a feather. Also, it's vegan and gluten-free, so pretty much anyone can eat it.
Alice Eats Alice Eats: Disco Brunch at Waterworks Food + Drink
Posted
By Alice Levitt
on Tue, Oct 13, 2015 at 12:53 PM
Ever since Sneakers Bistro opened in 1980, Winooski has been a brunch force that belies the city's mini size. In recent years, Our House Bistro, McKee's Pub & Grill and Misery Loves Co. have made the Onion City the place to be for eggs in the afternoon.
The reborn Waterworks Food + Drink began serving a brunch of its own over the summer, with blue skies over Winooski Falls as its primary attraction. Last month, Outright Vermont and DJ Craig Mitchell staged a Disco Brunch to kick off Pride Week with music and an indulgent meal. It was back last Saturday, complete with spangled servers and 10 percent of the meal's proceeds going to Outright.
My waiter, Jordan, committed to the concept better than anyone else. And to match his stardust extravagance, we couldn't resist ordering the menu's most colorful cocktail. The Zombie on the Beach was a true rainbow, starting with blue and indigo at the bottom and graduating to a strawberry-flavored red. The yellow-orange in the center was a classic Zombie, floating amid the varied fruit flavors. In all, the drink utilized four different types of rum for a result that mimicked an incredibly sophisticated multi-strata Slush Puppie.
It would take a stronger woman than me to forgo ordering a housemade cinnamon roll. This version was firmer than would have been ideal, which made it difficult to cut and share among my party. Oh well; next time there will be no sharing. Despite the thick slather of hard sauce on top, the aromatic pastry wasn't overwhelmingly sweet.
The menu included no mention of poached eggs on the biscuits and gravy, which made the runny yolks a tantalizing surprise. Atop pillowy biscuits that flaked apart into buttery layers, the peppery gravy held both chunks and slices of sausage, creating a different texture with each bite.
Just as the poached eggs oozed forth as if they were taking a test in the subject, the sunny-side-up egg on the chicken and waffles was cooked to perfection. The dish's titular bird, however, was dried out nearly beyond recognition. But with house hot sauce to slather over it, I didn't really mind. Manager David Logan told me that the deep-orange sauce will be available for sale soon, and I will be purchasing a bottle for its light burn flavored with vinegar and cumin.
Did it pair well with the fluffy, crisp-edged waffle that I drenched in maple syrup? Well enough. But I didn't really question whether the combo made sense. I was enjoying the individual elements, the tunes and the view more than enough to concern myself with culinary soul-searching.
Alice Eats is a weekly blog feature devoted to reviewing restaurants where diners can get a meal for two for less than $45. Got a restaurant you'd love to see featured? Send it to alice@sevendaysvt.com.
The reborn Waterworks Food + Drink began serving a brunch of its own over the summer, with blue skies over Winooski Falls as its primary attraction. Last month, Outright Vermont and DJ Craig Mitchell staged a Disco Brunch to kick off Pride Week with music and an indulgent meal. It was back last Saturday, complete with spangled servers and 10 percent of the meal's proceeds going to Outright.
My waiter, Jordan, committed to the concept better than anyone else. And to match his stardust extravagance, we couldn't resist ordering the menu's most colorful cocktail. The Zombie on the Beach was a true rainbow, starting with blue and indigo at the bottom and graduating to a strawberry-flavored red. The yellow-orange in the center was a classic Zombie, floating amid the varied fruit flavors. In all, the drink utilized four different types of rum for a result that mimicked an incredibly sophisticated multi-strata Slush Puppie.
It would take a stronger woman than me to forgo ordering a housemade cinnamon roll. This version was firmer than would have been ideal, which made it difficult to cut and share among my party. Oh well; next time there will be no sharing. Despite the thick slather of hard sauce on top, the aromatic pastry wasn't overwhelmingly sweet.
The menu included no mention of poached eggs on the biscuits and gravy, which made the runny yolks a tantalizing surprise. Atop pillowy biscuits that flaked apart into buttery layers, the peppery gravy held both chunks and slices of sausage, creating a different texture with each bite.
Just as the poached eggs oozed forth as if they were taking a test in the subject, the sunny-side-up egg on the chicken and waffles was cooked to perfection. The dish's titular bird, however, was dried out nearly beyond recognition. But with house hot sauce to slather over it, I didn't really mind. Manager David Logan told me that the deep-orange sauce will be available for sale soon, and I will be purchasing a bottle for its light burn flavored with vinegar and cumin.
Did it pair well with the fluffy, crisp-edged waffle that I drenched in maple syrup? Well enough. But I didn't really question whether the combo made sense. I was enjoying the individual elements, the tunes and the view more than enough to concern myself with culinary soul-searching.
Alice Eats is a weekly blog feature devoted to reviewing restaurants where diners can get a meal for two for less than $45. Got a restaurant you'd love to see featured? Send it to alice@sevendaysvt.com.
Friday, October 9, 2015
Restaurant News San Sai Is Closing
Posted
By Alice Levitt
on Fri, Oct 9, 2015 at 2:26 PM
The parade of 2015 closures marches on. Today that Bergman-esque dance with death makes San Sai Japanese Restaurant its latest victim. Kazutoshi (Mike) Maeda and Chris Russo opened San Sai, a sequel to their beloved Tsuki in New York City, in Burlington in the spring of 2011. It will serve its final meals next Sunday, October 18.
Russo explained to Seven Days that the restaurant's five-year lease is up in November. Rather than sign another one, committing to another half decade, Maeda decided to look elsewhere. "The winter is long. You make your money in the summer and lose it in the winter," Russo said. San Sai staffers couldn't stand another November, the restaurant's leanest month of the year.
According to Russo, Maeda is on the lookout for a new location, still downtown. Russo is not yet sure if he'll join his mentor in the business. For now, he will continue to run his more casual sushi business, Bento, on College Street.
Russo explained to Seven Days that the restaurant's five-year lease is up in November. Rather than sign another one, committing to another half decade, Maeda decided to look elsewhere. "The winter is long. You make your money in the summer and lose it in the winter," Russo said. San Sai staffers couldn't stand another November, the restaurant's leanest month of the year.
According to Russo, Maeda is on the lookout for a new location, still downtown. Russo is not yet sure if he'll join his mentor in the business. For now, he will continue to run his more casual sushi business, Bento, on College Street.
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Farmers Market Kitchen Farmers Market Kitchen: Pan-Roasted Chiles Rellenos
Posted
By Hannah Palmer Egan
on Tue, Oct 6, 2015 at 2:06 PM
This week I wrote about Topsham's Sugar Mountain Farm, and how the Jeffries family spent the past seven years preparing to butcher their pastured pigs on-site. The farmers sent me home with some ground pork, and when I put it in the fridge, a drawer of forgotten produce reminded me of harvest stories from the past few weeks. I recalled stops at farmstands, forest walks and garden visits, and the kitchen aspirations that inspired me to bring each item home.
I'd chosen some of the peppers — long, flat, straight ones from Cedar Circle Farm in Thetford — with an eye toward stuffing them. I like to stuff peppers on weekends, when I have a time to relax in the kitchen, and I like making them for guests, because for whatever reason, they feel like a special treat. I made something similar for a friend's goodbye dinner party exactly one year ago.
But there's more than one way to stuff a pepper — cooks from Europe to the Middle East to Latin America do so with aplomb. My base recipe is vaguely Latin American, mostly veggies with some kind of ground meat (or beans) and a little egg or starch to bind it all together. The trick is to use a blend of soft-fleshed cultivars (peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, eggplant, etc.) and firmer ones (squash, carrots, cabbage, other roots).
I'd chosen some of the peppers — long, flat, straight ones from Cedar Circle Farm in Thetford — with an eye toward stuffing them. I like to stuff peppers on weekends, when I have a time to relax in the kitchen, and I like making them for guests, because for whatever reason, they feel like a special treat. I made something similar for a friend's goodbye dinner party exactly one year ago.
But there's more than one way to stuff a pepper — cooks from Europe to the Middle East to Latin America do so with aplomb. My base recipe is vaguely Latin American, mostly veggies with some kind of ground meat (or beans) and a little egg or starch to bind it all together. The trick is to use a blend of soft-fleshed cultivars (peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, eggplant, etc.) and firmer ones (squash, carrots, cabbage, other roots).
Alice Eats Alice Eats: Wow Bao
Posted
By Alice Levitt
on Tue, Oct 6, 2015 at 12:23 PM
Last June, the University of Vermont announced some major dining upgrades for this school year. There would be more local fare available than ever thanks to new contracts with Skinny Pancake, Vermont Bean Crafters, and SoYo Frozen Yogurt. I was already familiar with those Vermont businesses, but a new name stuck out on the list of incoming eateries: Wow Bao.
Turns out it's a fast-food business from Chicago restaurant group Lettuce Entertain You. UVM's Wow Bao is one of only three outside Chicago; the other two are at Baltimore's Camden Yards and Kent State University in Ohio. But I'll be surprised if we don't see the chain mushrooming to greater dominance.
I promise I'm not pulling a Marilyn Hagerty here. Wow Bao is not gourmet. But its steamed buns are not only truly fast, they're full of flavor. The speedy lines at 9 p.m. last night at UVM's Marché attested to the concept's popularity with the college crowd, including a smattering of Chinese students.
Turns out it's a fast-food business from Chicago restaurant group Lettuce Entertain You. UVM's Wow Bao is one of only three outside Chicago; the other two are at Baltimore's Camden Yards and Kent State University in Ohio. But I'll be surprised if we don't see the chain mushrooming to greater dominance.
I promise I'm not pulling a Marilyn Hagerty here. Wow Bao is not gourmet. But its steamed buns are not only truly fast, they're full of flavor. The speedy lines at 9 p.m. last night at UVM's Marché attested to the concept's popularity with the college crowd, including a smattering of Chinese students.
Restaurant News Lake Champlain Chocolates to Close South End Kitchen
Posted
By Alice Levitt
on Tue, Oct 6, 2015 at 10:43 AM
Time to get in those final brunches, lunches and classes. This morning, Lake Champlain Chocolates announced that it will close its nearly 2-year-old Burlington restaurant, South End Kitchen, on December 20.
In a press release, LCC owner and founder Jim Lampman said, “The South End Kitchen has been a place to savor fresh, seasonal fare, a place to connect over a shared love of food and a place for our customers to have a deeper experience with chocolate. Unfortunately, operating this complex, dynamic and risky venture took focus off of our core business making chocolate lovers across the nation absolutely crazy for our caramels, chocolate bars, truffles and more."
Contacted this morning, Meghan Fitzpatrick of LCC media relations and PR explained that the company will keep the 8,500-square-foot building in the family. Offices that are currently in the LCC building next door will move into the SEK space, allowing the LCC production and retail spaces to "reoptimize" as they extend into the former office area. Fitzpatrick said that when that process begins, in 18 to 24 months, customers can expect a new and improved experience at the factory store. "We get 200,000 people coming in for tours every year, so we're trying to make it work a little better," she explained.
Beginning on October 19, SEK hours will be scaled back, with lunch and dinner served Wednesday through Saturday, along with brunch on Saturday and Sunday. Classes will also continue until the December closure. Fitzpatrick says that LCC will work closely with SEK employees to find them employment within the company or elsewhere.
In a press release, LCC owner and founder Jim Lampman said, “The South End Kitchen has been a place to savor fresh, seasonal fare, a place to connect over a shared love of food and a place for our customers to have a deeper experience with chocolate. Unfortunately, operating this complex, dynamic and risky venture took focus off of our core business making chocolate lovers across the nation absolutely crazy for our caramels, chocolate bars, truffles and more."
Contacted this morning, Meghan Fitzpatrick of LCC media relations and PR explained that the company will keep the 8,500-square-foot building in the family. Offices that are currently in the LCC building next door will move into the SEK space, allowing the LCC production and retail spaces to "reoptimize" as they extend into the former office area. Fitzpatrick said that when that process begins, in 18 to 24 months, customers can expect a new and improved experience at the factory store. "We get 200,000 people coming in for tours every year, so we're trying to make it work a little better," she explained.
Beginning on October 19, SEK hours will be scaled back, with lunch and dinner served Wednesday through Saturday, along with brunch on Saturday and Sunday. Classes will also continue until the December closure. Fitzpatrick says that LCC will work closely with SEK employees to find them employment within the company or elsewhere.
find, follow, fan us: