Seasons in Vermont

Blistered Shishito Peppers with Aioli and Fried Breadcrumbs

Rhetorical question: How can something so simple be so elementally good? This simple dish of blistered peppers is an homage to a deliciously unexpected and uniquely memorable lunch at Nina June in Rockport, Maine one recent summer afternoon. Chef Sara Jenkins offers an amazing Sunday lunch in the time-honored Italian tradition of a long, leisurely mid-day meal with lots of wine, simple rustic food, and conversation. And deliciously leisurely it is. Consider a small, sunny table on the terrace overlooking the gently rocking boats in the harbor, a very cold bottle of Italian white and a parade of… pickled herring… Read More

Blueberry Banana Shortcakes

Still more blueberries. Blueberries every which way. This is a different take on shortcake. I love bananas with blueberries. In fact, tropical fruits like banana, coconut, pineapple and mango all work superbly well with blueberries. Without further adieu or yapping, here’s my recipe for Blueberry Banana Shortcakes. It’s an easy and tasty adaptation of one of our favorite summer sweets. Blueberry Banana Shortcakes Save Print Author: Lisa Cassell-Arms Serves: 8 Ingredients Banana Shortcake 2 cups flour 2 tablespoons sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon cardamom 6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into little pieces ⅓ cup buttermilk… Read More

Spicy Blueberry BBQ Pulled Chicken

It’s blueberry season in Vermont, and my freezer is not big enough. It happens every year. I go blueberry picking (only a couple of quarts I tell myself, don’t go overboard..) and then two hours later, I’m emerging from my purple-haze with flats and flats of blueberries in tow. Blueberries will find their way into almost everything I make for the next couple of weeks–it’s a lucky thing they’re so darn good for you! This recipe (the second in my blueberry mini-series) is one of my favorite ways to use blueberries in a savory dish. It’s an easy, spicy BBQ sauce that you… Read More

Stone Fruit, Blueberry & Frangipane Galette

Summer baking is the best. Yes, it’s hot and no one feels much like looking at a stove, but early morning is actually a good time to indulge in a little dough rolling. It’s quiet and still cool, so turning on the oven is tolerable. Baking with summer fruit is very satisfying. Voluptuous, juicy, overripe peaches, nectarines and plums wrapped up in pastry – or fresh, plump blueberries and raspberries bubbling in a cobbler and topped with melting ice cream, honestly, who doesn’t love that? Free-form galettes (also called crostatas) are easy to put together and look beautifully imperfect and… Read More

Goat Cheese Tart with Mango Habanero Jam Video

This tart is a quick and easy adaptation of a recipe from my cookbook, Seasons in a Vermont Vineyard. It’s a great tart for a summer lunch and is super easy to make. And it falls within one of my favorite pairing dynamics: opposite flavors attract. There is something about the tangy punch of goat cheese alongside the spicy/sweet jam topping that works like a charm. There’s a particular Vermont product I love to use when I make this tart. Sidehill Farm Mango Habanero Jam, which I can get at my local stand right around the corner. But you can… Read More

Tomatillo and Grilled Corn Salsa

The humble tomatillo. They’re tart and piquant, and go well with any protein you might want to throw on the grill. To me, tomatillos are summer on a plate. I’ve never particularly like them raw, I think they’re best when roasted, grilled or just simmered in water for a few minutes- the cooking mellows the sharpness and rounds out the flavor. You can grill them and then puree into a smoky sauce to top a burger or fold into your potato salad, or for a super quick and easy salsa that packs a big flavor punch- simply blanch them in simmering water before… Read More

A Cloudy Day in the Garden

I love a garden on a cloudy day. Maybe it’s the atmospheric look of mist drifting over dark green foliage, or droplets of rain, like little crystals, clinging to a leaf. Or maybe it’s the soft light that mutes the bright colors of the flowers while bringing out the subtle shades of green and delicate, prickly textures of the leaves and stems. Forgive my waxing poetic, but gardens are definitely better on a cloudy day. And if there’s a chance of rain, well then, you’re really just going to have to wait until tomorrow to weed. There’s always that. The… Read More

Portugal Road Trip

Let me just start by saying that road tripping is not my usual mode of travel. First of all, I really dislike long distance driving, highway driving and cliff-hugging, hairpin turn driving. Thankfully, my husband loves to drive and I am a Magellan-like navigator (ahem), so our arrangement works out pretty well. Secondly, I’m not the lightest packer in the world, and a successful and enjoyable road trip requires one to be light on their toes and able to toss a bag in and out of the trunk with style and ease. The style and ease part not withstanding, I did… Read More

Quick and Healthy Carrot Soup Recipe Video

The humble carrot. My fridge is chock full of them right now. You can cook them in a million ways – they come in a rainbow of colors and are packed with healthy nutrients. As a storage crop, locally grown carrots are available year round in Vermont. This super easy and delicious Carrot Soup is a classic and essential recipe, with bright, clean flavors and a velvety texture. I make it at least once a month. It’s simple, and chances are you’ll always have the ingredients hanging around your kitchen. You can build on this basic recipe by adding ginger or curry flavors,… Read More

Muffuletta

I can almost remember the exact date that I discovered the famous Muffuletta, the “original Italian sandwich” made famous in…Louisiana. It was on my very first visit to New Orleans, mid-September 1989. While my husband attended a conference, I happily occupied myself walking around the French Quarter, checking out the galleries and desiccated alligator heads on Royal St. and looking for a good place to have a little lunch by myself. Hungry, I stumbled into Central Grocery. I had no idea what a famous destination it was, but it looked like my kind of place. Dusty shelves straining under the weight… Read More

Maple Sugar Bread Pudding

I hope I don’t sound like a broken record, but honestly, for a tiny state the size of my beloved Vermont, how is it possible to have so many amazing food products, produced by hand in small batches by REAL LIVE humans?! It’s an embarrassment of riches. I’ve lived in Vermont most of my life and I adore this state for so many reasons, not the least of which is… the food! Speaking of great food products, I have a friend who has a small, family-run maple sugaring operation called Couching Lion Maple Sugar Farm. She recently shared some of… Read More

Goat Cheese Tartlets with Beets and Butternut Squash

Did you happen to get beets and butternut squash in your winter CSA share this week? Go elegant – and make these cute little bite-sized appetizers! They are like little jewels, filled with a fluffy mixture of goat cheese, ricotta and herbs, and capped with roasted beet and/or butternut squash. They can be vegetarian of course, but I couldn’t help myself, I’ve hidden a little bacon in the ones in this picture. And, bonus! – they can be baked, cooled and frozen so you can make them ahead of your dinner party and heat them up just before. Goat Cheese Tartlets… Read More