Seasons in Vermont | A Vermont food, drink and travel blog

Panna Cotta with Rosewater Rhubarb Compote

It’s rhubarb time! This steadfast and faithful vegetable comes up dutifully year in and year out. My rhubarb plant came from a clump that my father grows, which came from a clump that his father grew, which came from a clump that his father grew. It’s the only heirloom plant that I’ve managed to keep with me (and alive) through various moves and renovations. And not for lack of abuse! I cringe when I think about the heirloom roses that proliferated on my fence, that had been originally cultivated by my grandmother (and from which she made rose petal jam)- … Read More

Dandelion Green Soufflé

As a kid, I remember my grandmother going out into the front yard with a small knife and cutting dandelion greens to braise with a little lemon and garlic for dinner. And, I also remember, I didn’t want anything to do with them. Why do we not appreciate the wisdom of our grandparents until we’re (ahem) older ourselves? She came from a Greek tradition of eating wild greens and weeds (horta), traditionally foraged among the rocky landscape of her Aegean island, and then later cut from her American, suburban (thankfully not sprayed) front yard. The collection and preparation of wild… Read More

Deep Dark Chocolate Truffle Cakes

If you are one of those people who sometimes has an immediate, deep need for chocolate, this dense, dark and bittersweet truffle cake made in mini format is just for you. It’s easy and pretty quick to make and is just the right size for one. But if you can limit yourself to only one, you’re doing better than I. Start with an excellent quality bittersweet dark chocolate (60% cacao is good, I used Ghiradelli). This is a flourless chocolate cake and is meant to be dense and rich, so be sure to bake them until just barely set,… Read More

Radish and Blood Orange Salad with Basil

Did you know that radishes and citrus go really well together!? When you adhere to the “opposites attract” theory as I do, it makes sense. Peppery, crunchy, bitter radish + sweet, sour, juicy citrus = very refreshing salad. We will soon be into spring radish season (usually in May, but I fear they will be late this year as spring has only just arrived yesterday). Not to worry, even the plain Jane red ones you can get all year long in the supermarket are good. They are an under appreciated vegetable, often appearing as limp disks (read that carefully), relegated to… Read More

Blood Orange Meringue Tart

In the 80’s, during my Silver Palate phase, I bought a blow torch. Not a cute little Williams Sonoma kitchen-sized torch, but a scary looking industrial thing that I found at a restaurant supply store in Brooklyn, one that needed to be ignited with a match. I was living at the time in a tiny Brooklyn apartment over a deli, and the torch, from end to end, was almost half as long as my entire kitchen. My slip of a countertop was chipboard, painted flammable brown. Probably not to code. Needless to say, torching my trendy 1980’s creme brûlées in… Read More

Orange Blossom Madeleines

We’re in the grip of another big snowstorm here in Vermont. From where I sit, there is no wind and it’s dead silent outside. The snow isn’t heavy yet, it’s fine and light and looks like confectioner’s sugar being sifted from above. It’s beautiful. And quiet. Ok, I’m hungry. So what would be a nice little snack to go with a cup of tea on a snowy day? Madeleines. I love them. They’re just as adorable as french macarons, but a million times easier to make. And they can be made in all kinds of flavors and combinations. You will need… Read More

Herbed Pita Bread (Greek Flatbread)

Store bought pita bread simply does not compare to home made. Not even close. And believe me when I tell you the home made version is actually easy to make! While it is a yeast dough, this recipe only requires one short rise so you can go from dough to pita in practically under an hour. And once you taste this, you will not want to eat the stuff in plastic ever, ever again. The pita we fell in love with in Greece a few years back did not have a pocket. It was a fluffy Greek flatbread that was… Read More

Pistachio and Coconut Baklava

My grandmother and her sister, my great-aunt, both came to this country from the tiny Greek island of Tenedos (now called Bozcaada, which is part of Turkey, and just so happens to be on the New York Times list of 52 places to see in 2017! I hope to make it in 2018.) They were in their late teens when they immigrated to the United States on their own, bringing with them traditions from their island and a desire to build a life in America. I grew up calling them both “Yia Yia”. They shared a duplex in Albany NY, so… Read More

Gnocchi with Vodka Sauce, Smoked Mozzarella and Crispy Prosciutto

I love light and fluffy gnocchi but all too often my attempts at making them at home have resulted in slightly heavier than desired (read: little leaden lumps..) and not the ethereal, fluffy little pillows I know and love. I really wanted to learn the technique for making a consistently delicious and light gnocchi so I headed over to Craftsy Cooking and purchased the online class: How to Make Gnocchi Like a Pro with Gerri Sarnataro. Wow, what an epiphany! I am blaming my potato masher for all my past frustrations. It turns out there are a few basic tips to… Read More

Mini Apple-Maple Crisp with Salted Caramel Sauce

I’m a little bit snowed in today. The snowplow left a nice big pile for me at the top of our steep driveway, so while I contemplate looking for the snow shovel (..I saw it last year) and trudging my way up the hill to dig out, I figured I’d bake something instead. Well, isn’t that what you’d do? These mini apple-maple crisps are decadently delicious, and when topped with Vermont granola, vanilla ice cream and quick, easy-to-make salted maple caramel sauce, it’s an over the top dessert that’s perfect for your holiday dinner, or as something to indulge in… Read More

Grittibänz – Swiss Bread Men

There are so many great things to love about Switzerland. Chocolate, Emmentaler cheese, fondue, Roger Federer, Raclette cheese, precision timepieces, Gruyère cheese, Swiss banks, Roger Federer, stunning mountains, rösti, alpine hiking, .. did I mention Roger Federer…? Lucky for me, I have a good friend who is Swiss. Whenever Pamela comes back from a trip to Switzerland, she always brings back wonderful goodies from her home country, like chocolates, cookies, and biscuits. She’s also a fabulous cook and baker who knows a lot about Swiss food traditions (and incidentally hits a mean tennis ball). Last week she invited me to spend a fun morning in… Read More

Lobster and Veggie Chowder

Soup season is here! Now that temperatures have plunged to a more seasonable mid-20’s, a steaming bowl of chowder would hit the spot. As a New Englander, I love all kinds of chowder. The other day I was looking through pictures from a recent trip to Maine and they got me thinking about (and craving) a really good clam chowder we ate at Peter Ott’s restaurant on the waterfront in Camden. They do chowder really well there. Not overly heavy or rich, but full of warmth and flavor, and super fresh clams of course. But for my first chowder of the… Read More

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