Today I want to share with you my consistent kitchen disaster: Pancakes! I know, it is funny to imagine that anybody could have a pancake disaster, but I am here to confess that making pancakes has always brought disastrous results for me in the kitchen.

If I make them from a mix, things go pretty well, even if I soak that mix overnight. But if I try to make them from scratch using the same ingredients that are in the mix, things just get really screwy. Why? You tell me.

Recently I bought some buckwheat flour. Most of the Buckwheat Pancake mixes have some whole wheat flout in them, and even though I soak the mix overnight, I wanted to make a pancake that was truly wheat and rice free. I tried to make the recipe that was on the back of the package of flour, which called for whole wheat flour. Instead, I substituted coconut flour for the wheat. The recipe required overnight soaking, which I thought was great, since I do that anyway. It also used yeast, which I thought was weird…but I followed the directions, and then added some kefir (in the amount of water that was asked). I fear that is where I went wrong. I reckon that the yeast and bacteria in the kefir battled it out against each other all night and ended up killing each other off.

In the morning, the batter was really dry and had a funny almost fluffy consistency. So I added some water. The batter just kept soaking up the water, never reaching a thinner consistency. It was looking funky, so I added an egg, since most pancake recipes call for eggs – and I thought it might help the batter with the consistency and at least bind it all together, so I could cook them up.

I heated up my cast iron pan, added some butter to the pan, and tried to make a pancake. All it did was burn on the outside and remain raw inside. I tried again and again, but all I managed to do was smoke up the kitchen (setting off the fire alarms and everything), and allow frustration to set in.

I generally am not a pancake fan, preferring savory breakfasts, but sometimes I get a craving for them. Due to my problems digesting grains, I need to soak the flour, which means I have to wait until the next day to actually make the pancakes. So by the next morning, I really want them! So when I use all these ingredients to make the batter, and have to wait and it still doesn’t work out, it is upsetting and extremely frustrating!!!! It’s not like I can just whip up a new batch and try again…I would have to wait another day!

So I wanted to turn this disaster into a positive experience. I poured all the leftover batter into the cast iron skillet and threw it in the oven, hoping to make a pan-cake out of it. It baked at 350 F for almost 2 hours before the middle was cooked through. I took it out, and tried a bite. It was so bad, I literally could not swallow it. I had to spit it out, and dump the whole mess into the compost bin (the nice little blue bin in the photo). Un-salvageable DISASTER.

So I am asking all of my faithful readers, especially those who are into traditional foods and gluten free cooking: Do you have a recipe for a non-wheat, non-rice pancake or crepe that can be soaked with kefir or yogurt over night, that tastes great and is easy to make the next morning?

Help! I am desperate!!!

On another note, please remember that through the end of this month, all the proceeds of the sale of my e-book – The Secret Energy of Love Through Food will be going to Haiti Relief efforts. You only have a few days to take advantage of this sweet deal!

This is a great dish to serve your loved one(s) for Valentine’s day. The flavors are unique, as are some of the ingredients which makes it a special kind of meal. Yet at the same time it is quite easy to prepare – the oven does most of the work. It is like fancied soul food.

Lately, I have been trying to familiarize myself with artisan brews. For years, like a lot of people, I thought I just didn’t like beer. But I have come to find that once in a while, I do enjoy a bit of the bubbly. I prefer unique brews, generally dark porters and stouts, and I love British style hard cider (which isn’t beer either…), but sometimes a lighter beer catches my fancy. I have always been fascinated with the Ancient world, especially in Northern Europe. The myths, stories and legends of Scotland, England, Ireland, Brittany in Northern France, and Scandinavia have always been my favorites. Of course due to my food obsession, I have also been curious about ancient feasts – the foods and cuisines.

Years ago I found an amazing ale, the likes of which has been made in Scotland for over 4,000 years. This ale is brewed with heather flowers and Scottish malt and has a very floral flavor. It is quite refreshing and crisp, and goes really well with roasted chicken. It can also be enjoyed on it’s own, or with really earthy cheeses, like raw cow or sheep milk cheeses, which often have a grassy quality to them.

In light of recently finding out a bit more about my biological ancestry, I decided that it would be fun to start exploring more of the foods and dishes of Northern Europe (perhaps that explains my long held fascination with that area of the world, and its history). I also happened upon a pack of Fraoch, Scottish Heather Ale,and felt inspired to make roasted whole chicken legs and root veggies with a heather ale sauce. In honor of our upcoming move to Vermont, I also added some maple syrup to enhance the sweetness of the ale, and used Herbs de Provence to enhance the floral qualities. I can honestly say the result was one of the best dishes I have made in a while. If I had known how good this was going to be, I would have made it for Valentine’s Day. It is definitely special enough for that. Thank you kitchen muses for this wonderful meal! Sometimes, hobbies and interest outside of the kitchen, can really inspire us, IN the kitchen. This dish is certainly a testament to that.

For dessert, be sure to try my Spicy Mayan Hot Chocolate . It is a recipe from my e-book The Secret Energy of Love Through Food .

Here is a sweet way that you can give a little this Valentine’s Day – I will be giving all the proceeds for the book, during the month of February, to blogger efforts on behalf of Haiti relief.

Half will go to H2Ope for Haiti (a way to raise funds to supply water to Haiti by BloggerAid-CFF) and the other half will go to

Stir It  28 for Haiti

So please buy a copy today!  And please spread the word! This is a perfect cookbook  for Valentine’s Day and any day to share a delicious meal with any loved one!

You can also send a donation directly to Stir It 28 by going to Bren’s blog There is a Paypal donation box on the upper right hand side and to H2ope for Haiti by going to this Justgiving Page .

Recipe under the cut…

Read the rest of this entry »

Someone told me recently that although the food on my blog looks good, they would never be able to afford the way I eat. I was shocked by that statement. But realized that unless you really break things down, it can look expensive and even daunting to cook with organic and local food. Here is a beautiful example – a root vegetable tart that my mom made for us when we were visiting a few weeks ago. It was delicious – roasted veggies, with goat cheese crumbles in pie crust. Quick, delicious and healthy – and lots of leftovers!

In my last post, I talked about how you can make an awesome Shepard’s or Cottage Pie (depending in the meat, I found out – thanks Donald! ) with all the best ingredients, like grassfed beef and organic vegetables for under $3 per hefty serving.

Food quality is a topic I am seriously passionate about. I believe it is important and a right for everyone to have healthy food available to them. But starting on this journey can be a challenge and like everyone, it was a process for me when I first started. I pride myself in being able to put good, wholesome and nourishing meals on the table while staying within a very conservative budget. It is one of the ways I like to challenge myself in the kitchen. This is something I have been passionate about for a long time, check out my post from 2 years ago, about the cost difference between shopping at the farmers market vs. the grocery store. I know that there are not farmer’s markets in every area, but even if you have to drive 30 minutes – it might be worth the time and extra gas money in the long run. If you can’t find one in your area – Start a Container Garden, it is easy, economical and fun, especially if you have kids!

I have been hearing a lot of conversations lately online, in real life and in the media about how it is hard to afford to eat good food in this economy. I agree, this is a hard time for a lot of us, and I don’t want to make light of people’s very real struggles. That said, I really do believe that you can eat good food for less than a meal at a fast food restaurant, and even cheaper and healthier than the frozen food section of your grocery store, especially over time.

What does that mean? Well say a fast food meal is $3/per person if you use the dollar menu – you can get a burger, fries and a drink for $3. That is still more than most of my meals because in your own kitchen you can stretch meat and veggies and make enough ahead for leftovers (making more of something like a casserole, takes the same time and effort as making enough for one meal – and it saves you time later). This is especially true if you are cooking for a family. Burgers and fries for 4 is about $12 a mealtime for the whole family. It is hard to stretch a fast food meal or have leftovers, so once you eat the $12 worth of food it is gone. Not so with cooking at home and having leftovers.

But the deal is, you have to be willing to cook. You have to make food from scratch. That is where you have to make your stand and your change and take better care of yourself and family. People seem to equate scratch with spending hours in the kitchen, just like equating organic with expensive.  However, this is not true. By making your own yogurt and cheese, which literally takes minutes, you can actually SAVE money by eating organic – as the cost to make your own, is significantly cheaper than buying it from the store. It doesn’t have to take over your life or mean hours in the kitchen everyday! All you need is some planning. Once you have done it a few times, it becomes second nature!

Here are several posts to help you with scheduling that into a busy lifestyle & some quick starter meal ideas:

Making Your Own Convenience Food

Making Your Own Bread

Making Your Own Dairy Products

Three Easy and Healthy Breakfast Options

2 for 1 Chicken

Beans and Rice -The Ultimate Leftover Meal

Eating on the Fly: Acorn Squash with Sausage Stuffing

Recently I was at the grocery store. I had just stocked up on frozen organic berries for smoothies and organic meat (they were on sale) and I was getting all my dairy to make cheese, yogurt and kefir for the week (not a farmers market week). The woman in front of me had her cart, which was not as full as mine, with frozen dinners, boxed lasagna, bags of frozen meals – where you add your own meat, soda and a few organic veggies (she was trying)– enough food for maybe a week of meals. I made sure to take note of her total. When my cart was rung up, my bill was only $2 more than hers. I had loads of fruits and veggies, grassfed beef, organic meats, frozen organic berries, eggs, dairy and pantry staples – things I would be using over the next several weeks. I make sure to stock up my pantry and freezer with good healthy staples during sales – especially on the highest ticket items, like meat. I also visit my health food store and do the same – especially grains, lentils and flours.

I really think there is something here. But you have to do your research and make a schedule. Yes, on the surface, it may seem like eating organic is expensive – and it is if you are going for pre-packaged organic foods. But that is not what I am advocating here. I am advocating you to have fun in the kitchen, prepare whole foods and feed your family healthy and nutritious meals for less than the cost of eating every meal out, or takeout, or from the frozen food section. Try it yourself and see what happens!

As part of my 2010 food related goals, I have almost completed 2 weeks of not eating any wheat. I keep going back and forth with the gluten free thing – and I am still not sure that I have all the answers. So there are going to be some fun experiments coming up! However, as part of my two week abstinence experiment, and my on-going efforts to find a pasta that doesn’t make me fall asleep within an hour, while still satisfying my Italian’s need for pasta, I re-discovered corn pasta. I have made, and enjoyed corn pasta in the past but guess I grew tired of the spaghetti shape. Happily on a recent trip to the health food store, I found corn pasta in an elbow shape from De Boles, a pasta company that I already really like for their use of Jerusalem Artichoke flour in their pasta. So I bought a box to try.

The thing I like about corn pasta is that it looks the same as regular pasta, and cooks the same as well – and I have never gotten a soggy, clumpy result, like I often do with rice pasta. Plus, I think that rice has the same affect on me as wheat. Don’t ask me why…Anyway, corn pasta tastes really good – and works well with any of your favorite pasta dishes.

For this dish, I sautéed 3 links of chicken sausage, added 2 cups of homemade tomato sauce from the freezer, about a cup of frozen peas and 2 cups of leftover roasted cauliflower. I added a dash of red wine, about a cup of homemade yogurt, and some herbs – like oregano and basil, as well as salt and pepper. Then I tossed the pasta in the sauce, and served with a generous helping of freshly grated parmesan cheese. This dish was so good! It made enough for 6 servings. The first night we each had one serving. The next night, we each had two! I justified it as part of the experiment. If I could eat corn pasta two nights in a row, and even double up the second night, and not feel sleepy – then corn would be IN! So for now it is in. Personally I would like to find an alternative, as I am not thrilled with all the modifications that have been done to corn, or how the subsidization of corn has led to a lot of food policy issues in the US. But for now, I am happy to have found pasta that I can enjoy! And my husband is happy too!

Next on my list to try is a handmade soaked pasta that I found via MAHM during a recent Twitter #realfood chat,  and also see if I can find any pasta made from buckwheat – my ultimate, super grain!

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Also, my blogging buddy Pam from A Love for NEW Recipes! gave me a Happy Blog Award, and asked me to name 10 things that make me happy. Thanks for the award Pam! These are in no particular order:

1. My husband, Roberto

2. My animals: Nimue, Pepino and Cipollina

3. Coffee

4. Archery

5. Working out and sweating!!!

6. Vermont

7. Milkshakes  – although I rarely have them

8. Good friends and family

9. Music – especially fiddles

10. Growing things and taking care of my loved ones with good food

On Monday I talked about my fitness goals for 2010 as part of the 10 in 2010 group . Today I want to talk about my food and kitchen goals for 2010. Food and fitness go hand in hand on the road to health and wellness. In order to reach my fitness goals, I have to have the right kind of fuel to do the physical part of what I have challenged myself to do.

As I have stated I am not a doctor, nor any kind of professional – just giving my own opinions based on my own experiences. Experiences always vary – that is part of what makes us human! So don’t take my word for it, as mileage may vary.

Towards the last half of 2009, this blog made a bit of a transformation. It all started this summer when I decided to go to a personal trainer to get my body to look the way I wanted it to. I dramatically decreased the amount of fats that I was eating to try to stay within the guidelines of 20-30 grams per day, which is what is recommended for weight loss. Once I had taken my daily fish oil supplement, had a TEAspoon of olive oil and maybe a handful of nuts, or part of an avocado, I was through my allotment for the day. Most calorie counting systems, like the one I was using at SparkPeople.com do not differentiate between good and bad fats or things like grassfed (which is much leaner) vs. industrialized meat. So to stay within those guidelines after having my essentials meant no cheese, no eggs (w/ yolk), no yogurt, no kefir, and no meat besides boneless, skinless chicken or something out of a package that said “fat free” but filled with additives and preservatives. After about 3 weeks of trying to stay within these guidelines, I had a bit of a breakdown. Not the strength and feelings of “Fitness” and “Health” I was hoping to achieve. Recently I found this article that might shed some light on why: Is Weight Loss as Simple as Calories In  – Calories Out?

So these last few months have been full of experimentation and trying to find my own way – both as it pertains to food to fuel my body and also in terms of the types of exercise I enjoy, and putting it all in sync with the way I think about food, and trying to eat more locally. Thankfully, on the food end, I have started learning more about “real food”, traditional foods, and food prep and have been slowly implementing those ideas into the way I buy and prepare foods. So far, so good. I feel much improved, despite a few set backs over the holidays (don’t we all have those?!).

When we were in New England during the fall, especially our 2 ½ weeks in VT, where local, minimally processed food like this is widely available, even at restaurants, I had a bit of a revelation. I lost a belt size, was getting up earlier in the morning and generally feeling much more energetic and motivated without really trying. Obviously I would like to see this continue. This year I received a Vitamix for my birthday from my lovely husband, so I would love to make quick and healthy meals using that – saving time. I also want to get more use out of my Yogotherm which I can make yogurt, kefir, creme fraiche and some soft cheeses in.

Here is what I plan to do in 2010:

* Make soups in my Vitamix 2-3 times a week for lunch – tomato, cauliflower, and squash come to mind – made from good quality canned supplies or what is seasonally fresh (local is an absolute bonus)

* On weekdays substitute an after dinner smoothie in the Vitamix for what has become an almost daily post dinner ice cream treat

* This spring when we move, expand the existing garden in VT, and try to produce as much food as possible from it. For year one, things like potatoes, tomatoes, squash, carrots, onions and greens – the things we eat the most of

* This summer begin to raise some chickens for eggs, and possibly, if that goes well, get one or two goats (and or sheep) for milk by the end of the year

* Continue eating regimen – but adding all local sources, once in Vermont (which is thankfully EASY in Vermont )– while still in FL, go to the farmers market on the weekends that we are here, and buy organic from the store

* Continue the adventure in cultured dairy making – add to the regimen buttermilk and make at least one cheese or creme fraiche per week

* Start making fermented veggies like sauerkraut and kimchee and have either a serving of that, homemade kefir or yogurt with every meal for probiotic goodness

* Continue to experiment with grains/ grasses. So far I can say yes to buckwheat, quinoa, and (Non-GMO)corn products. No to wheat and rice. Try millet, amaranth, sorghum and kamut – both grains and flours

* Experiment with sourdough bread

This may seem like a lot, but I am already doing a lot of it – so this is a way to help my stay on course and really make a commitment to it. Some of the new stuff is going to be challenging – like raising animals, but it is something I have been looking forward to for a long time. Other things will be easier to implement. I find like with any new changes, it is good to keep track of them and then every so often see if you are reaching your goals, and if you are, is it giving you the results you were hoping for? If you are reaching your goals and getting the results you want from reaching those goals, great! If there is something lacking or still not right, it might be time to re-evaluate and come up with a new set of goals, until you get it right. Best of luck to everyone with your goals this year!

(This is part of the Nourishing New Year’s Resolutions Carnival, 2010)!

Next post – Yummy Creamy Tomato Soup in the Vitamix!

I am really excited to announce that over the next 10 weeks, I along with many of my fellow food bloggers spanning the globe, are taking part in Ten in 2010. #10in10 is the brainchild of Lori from Recipe Girl. I think it is a great idea for those who want support in getting a jump on their health and fitness goals this year, whatever they are. If you are already on your way, or just starting, this is a great group to join!

I have really been working on “getting healthy” over the past year. For those of you who follow me on Twitter and Facebook, you know I talk about my fitness goals a lot. It never used to be that way. I used to be “allergic to exercise”, and try to find any other route to look the way I wanted to, that didn’t involve exercise. But when we decided we wanted to move back to VT, and raise animals and garden, I knew I had to get some strength. It started out as my New Year’s Resolution for 2009 – this would give myself over a year to get there. But what I found, was a new passion! Now, my day just isn’t right if I don’t sweat a little But you will never find me in a gym (unless I am doing martial arts). I have been hunting for regular exercise and strength training that I can do with as little equipment as possible and that I truly enjoy. If possible, ones that teach me a skill while getting exercise in at the same time- factors I know will keep me on track, personally. One of my goals is to get into a fitness routine – that doesn’t feel like a fitness routine, but is FUN!

But what does “getting healthy” mean? And how does one get there? And what does this have to do with food blogging?

First, “getting healthy” means different things to different people. For me, it means building endurance. It means having an increased measure and reserve of energy (I tend to be a low-energy person) so I can do the things I love without being tired. It means being balanced emotionally. It means having the ability to lift heavy things without hurting myself. It means being able to enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, kayaking, and possibly snowshoeing without extremely taxing myself or holding back fellow participants. It means, conditioning my body to be able to handle the manual labor that comes with farm work. It also means giving my body the best chance I can to live to 100 years old, staying off prescription drugs and staying away from the doctor as much as possible. It also means having arms like Sarah Connor and being able to outrun the Terminators

How you get there, is by doing a lot of research, making a very specific plan for yourself based on what you want to achieve, and sticking to it. It also means having the right fuel for your body. That is where the connection to food blogging comes in. This year I am freeing myself of buzzwords. Finding a new set of rules that works for me and my body – beyond low-fat, low-carb, sugar-free, protein packed, and all this terminology that is supposed to get you to optimal health and fitness, which never worked for me anyway. Besides humans were fit and healthy before any of this stuff was imagined into existence. So we have the capability to do that again!

I am not a big fan of protein bars/shakes as an everyday thing. I don’t like the word “diet”, I like “lifestyle change”.  I will never eat a diet meal plan that come out of a box, jar, or plastic square, and I certainly don’t like low-fat, low-sugar foods, which are generally a key word for “full of chemicals”. So my diet is not likely to change from the kinds of foods I have been blogging about over the past several months. It is important for me to continue to make foods from scratch, using whole foods that make me feel good and give me the energy to go on. Since this is a large part of what being healthy means to me, I won’t sacrifice real, nourishing foods, for the sake of “getting healthy”. To me, it is an oxymoron.

This summer I tried the low-fat, 1300 calories/day avenue and it did not work for me. I was tracking my caloric intake and calculating grams of protein, fat, and carbs. I was trying to lose about 5-8 lbs of fat, while at the same time gaining muscle. I went to a personal trainer and followed their diet and exercise plan, which required eliminating 20 grams of fat per day from my diet. After 2 weeks I started getting really clumsy, I was bruising easier, I lost productivity with my work. I was losing things. My digestion was bad. I was also very emotional and mentally exhausted. This is the very opposite of my definition of “healthy”. It was then that I realized how much my brain needed fat – good fat – things like nuts, fish oil, olive oil, avocados, eggs, cheese, yogurt and kefir –items which cannot be consumed in regular amounts while trying to stay under 30 grams of fat per day (since those calculators don’t differentiate between good and bad fats). My body also thrives on protein, but gets bogged down with a lot of grains – which is not the same thing as carbs.

I am not a doctor, nor am I certified to tell people how they should pursue their own health goals. I am speaking from my own experience when I say everyone’s body is individual and responds differently to exercise and food. So sometimes it takes a while to reach your goals – because first you have to figure out how to get there. So don’t get frustrated! You can get there! Sometimes it is easier, and sometimes you gotta work for it a little harder!

So here marks the second year on my journey to health. I will continue with weight lifting, calisthenics and cardio. I will also continue with archery. However, I will let go of Martial Arts (for now), as we just don’t have time for everything, something has to give, and this year, it will not be my sanity! I will add kettle bells to my routine and some outdoor activities, especially once we move to Vermont in April.

My goals for this 10 week challenge are:

* Bicep curl sets (3 sets of 10) w/ 20 lb free weights (one 20 lb. dumb bell per arm) – currently I am at 15 lbs.

* One unassisted pull-up – Currently I can do 7 assisted (with a chair under me)

*Turn upper/ inner leg flab to muscle – my biggest problem area

* Lose one pant size

How am I going to do this?

* I will continue my healthy eating plan – but instead of almost daily ice cream treats, I will enjoy a smoothie from my Vitamix 80 % of the time, instead.

* I will not succumb to bread, pasta and grain ladened foods. Instead choosing to eat exclusively veggie pastas like corn, or jerusalem artichoke, and enjoy my grasses like buckwheat and quinoa.

* I will exercise 4-5x/wk, for 30-45 minutes per session – either doing weight lifting, kettle bells, a cardio routine, outdoor activities, practicing martial arts at home, or a combination thereof.

* I will go to range 3x/month to continue with archery training.

Thank you Lori for putting this together for everyone! It is a great way to start the new year and get the support of others!

To read more about the challenge and see how is participating, check out this link!

(At The Bee’s Knees in Morrisville, VT – YAY for free wi-fi!)

This is the final post I will write about our travels to New England this fall. Last time I wrote about a “Localvore Dinner” at a nearby farm, and how “eating local” is not just a buzzword in this part of Vermont. Today I want to expound upon that, and talk about restaurants that are “doing it right”.

I got a bit of an education about Eating Local while in New England this year. Here in Florida, we have a nice year round Farmers Market with several produce stands, local artisans and various other sundry products. When you drive around the state, you see billboards that exclaim: “Eat Local!”. But what does that really mean? You would think in FL, where the climate is warm, people could eat their local farm produce year round, but I have been disappointed time and again going to the market, and seeing organics from CA mixed in with what is available locally. As for the restaurants, my idea of “eating local” has meant supporting local businesses vs. chain restaurants. Which I think it is great idea. However, in Vermont it is brought to a whole different level. I was actually quite blown away. Let me explain.

Outside of the larger cities in Vermont, of which there aren’t many (Montpelier, the state capital has the smallest population of any state capital in the United States, but has also been rated as one of the top ten places to live in the States by AARP), people might have the idea that things of necessity are scarce or hard to come by, especially when you are used to the variety that city, or even suburban life brings. In VT, it is pretty much life in the country. This is true, however, there is an abundance of good things, where someone like me who is very discerning about what they buy, and eat, can have a certain level of comfort and trust. As Roberto and I toured the area, we noticed there might not be a lot of variety, or duplication, or tons of stores, but that what was there, was well done. Take for example the pet/feed store. It is the only one in town, but they sell only the highest quality foods for all the animals in your life. Then there is the awesome holistic vet we found who does both family pets and livestock. We came to find this level of quality true of the eating establishments in the area as well.

There were a few restaurants in our general area that we were able to visit on this trip. One is The Bees Knees in Morrisville. A stone’s throw from where we will be living. Their menu focuses on home cooked meals with locally grown and organic ingredients. So there it is – a locally owned business that also serves local food. But it is more than that. The owner Sharon Deitz had a vision to start a cafe where people could come and stay as long as they wanted. She wanted the atmosphere to feel like a place that would be like “going to a friend’s house — you never know exactly what’s in the fridge, but you know it will be good.” That is exactly what it is like at The Bee’s Knees. It has a coffeehouse atmosphere by day, and then in the evening, more like a pub and restaurant. It is a well rounded and family oriented place that the people of Morrisville and surrounding towns enjoy for the food, local music and the company of their neighbors. When you are dining, you see families with children and elderly, couples and groups of friends, everybody.

The Bee’s Knees also has a very special story behind it. You can read more about this community effort on the Bee’s Knees About page. But here it is in a nutshell.

Over a year ago, Bee’s Knees owner Sharon Deitz “had considered selling her little restaurant, which desperately needed a new kitchen and more seating. The problem was, the money wasn’t there. But, the community came to the rescue. People who cared about Bee’s Knees and what it means to their town came in droves to offer support, either financially or with their time and hard work. Deitz realized the Bee’s Knees must continue. “The response she got- that this is a really important part of life in Morrisville- just seemed to light her fire,” said Nina Church, a Morrisville resident who contributed financially and showed up to work a screw gun in the final days of the expansion project. “As the economy goes south and global warming continues and all these other things happen, we need a place like Bee’s Knees. We need a place to gather that’s local, a place that brings people together and refocuses us on what we have on hand…People come here to eat Vermont food,” Deitz emphasizes. “Morrisville is where normal people live. This is where locals come to listen to local music and eat local food and connect with their community.”

How cool is that?! So yeah, it is true, there aren’t hundreds of choices of restaurants in Morrisville, but you don’t need many when one does it so right! This one little place really defines what local eating can mean – a locally owned business, serving local food, that has the community’s blood, sweat and tears in the foundation.

There is music every night of the week, awesome food, you can feel good about supporting and eating, great coffeehouse drinks made from Fair Trade coffee and roasted in VT and several awesome local microbrews on tap. Check out their menu on their website! We went there several times, once for lunch and once for dinner and had a great experience and great food each time. There is a warmth to The Bee’s Knees. You really do feel at home. I loved that parents brought their kids to listen to music and have dinner. It reminded me of the pubs in Europe, where it is not an “adults only” atmosphere, but where all locals are welcome, no matter what their age.

The next restaurant I would like to talk about is Claire’s in Hardwick, VT. I found out about Claire’s when they started following me on Twitter (@clairesvt) many months ago. They also have a blog New Vermont Cooking . I saw from their Twitter profile that they are a restaurant in Vermont with a menu focusing on seasonal and local foods. I was excited to hear that such a place existed (this was before I knew about The Bees Knees or any other place like that). So when we finally got up to the area, I was excited to see that Hardwick is about a 15 minute drive from Morrisville! Small world! So we knew that during our trip, we had to have a meal at Claire’s.

Claire’s is another amazing place, and their blog New Vermont Cooking really talks a lot about their challenges with buying exclusively local ingredients (for example, some needed are not available locally, like cooking oils). But yet they strive to do the best they can. For example, “9 cents of every dollar of our food purchases within 15 miles of the restaurant, with the bulk of the remaining purchases to farms and artisans within Vermont.”

We went one day for lunch, to find out that Clarie’s does not serve lunch, so we made a point to go back the next night for dinner (they also have “blunch” on Sundays). Claire’s is what I would describe as affordable upscale dining. Small plates are under $10 and main courses under $20 and each featured dessert is $7. But the style of the restaurant, as well as the menu layout, and food prep is much like what you would find in an upscale place. However, I was happy to see, again, people of all walks of life there for dinner. This is part of their misson : “farm to plate model needs to be carefully planned on the basis of three principles: profitability for farmers and food businesses, affordability for Vermonters, and availability of product”. There are several restaurants in and around Northern Vermont who are working on this very thing. I really suggest reading the whole blog post if you want to learn more about this movement.

Since we had never been to Claire’s and were so excited to be eating there, we decided to get all three courses. Generally we don’t have stomachs big enough (well, Roberto might disagree with that statement!) to handle three courses. But we had to indulge. I must apologize for the photos – the lighting in the restaurant was very dark, and this was the best we could do! LOL!

(Bread with Trout River Chocolate Stout, Fried Calamari small plate)

First they brought a delicious chunk of country baked bread with chocolate chips inside. We decided to pair that with a Trout River Chocolate Stout. It was delicious. As a small plate, we shared the Fried Calamari with radishes, green tomatoes and Kalamata olives. It came with a Feta vinaigrette and aioli. We both agreed this is one of the most delicious and interesting versions of fried calamari we had ever tasted. It looked like it was fried in a cornmeal batter. The crunchy veggies playing off the super crunchy calamari with the tangy, salty vinaigrette was amazing!

For main courses we both got something different. I went for the Chicken with Mole sauce. It came with mashed potatoes and warm Napa cabbage slaw with apples. I very much enjoyed this meal. The chicken was falling off the bone, the sauce was the perfect balance of chiles, chocolate and spices and the slaw was a nice crunchy counterpart. Roberto had the Brisket with Carrots, Early Riser polenta and  wheatberries. It was served with Apple, cranberry and BBC Coffehouse Porter Sauce. The brisket was super tender, and the Coffeehouse Porter sauce was incredible. We decided to get a glass of the Coffehouse porter to share for the main course and it paired really well with both of our dishes. In New England I really discovered my love for coffee porters. Wolavers, our favorite brewery, which just happens to be in Vermont, and is organic,  makes a version as well (called Alta Grazia )which is out of this world and officially my favorite beer!

Unfortunately the pictures of the main course were just not salvageable. So you will have to use your imagination!

The same cannot be said about the dessert course! We just were too enthralled with our desserts, that we actually forgot to take a photo! There were many desserts I would have loved to try. But I finally settled on the Gingerbread with caramel apples, eggnog ice cream and maple fluff. This dessert was incredibly good, each element executed to near perfection. I would have loved the ice cream to be a bit more egg-noggy, but nonetheless, it was amazing. The gingerbread was dark, spicy and moist, and the maple fluff, a fun little substitute for whipped cream. Roberto had the Strawberry Chocolate Pudding Cake. It had strawberry ice cream as well as strawberry caramel swirled in. He liked it. Strawberry and chocolate has never been a real exciting flavor combination for me, so I wouldn’t be a good judge of this dessert. But if he liked it, that is what mattered!

From Claire’s website: “From farm to table, emphasizing local and sustainable produce, artisan products, and responsible business practices that support our communities. From Hardwick, Vermont, an open philosophy inspired by the flavors and cooking of the world.”

So what I learned this fall is what “eating locally”, “farm to table”, “sustainability” and all these other buzz words that are being thrown around lately ACTUALLY can and should mean. It was enlightening and encouraging. So when people ask us why we want to move from Florida to Vermont, where it is so cold most of the year, this is why. These communities are a microcosm for how things could be in the world. So when you see any of the above words being used in your communities, find out if it can be backed up by business practices – and if not, ask why not. Demand better! Be a voice for change in your community. As you can see community efforts can really make big changes. I am proud to be a Vermonter!

If you want to learn more about Real Food check out Real Food Wednesdays  on Cheeseslave.

Are you looking for Finest Foodies Friday? If so, please go over to Foodieblogroll.com. From now on, all Finest Foodies Friday posts  will be featured over there! Click here to check out today’s featured blogs!

It has been almost two years since I have written a non-Finest Foodies Friday post on Friday on this blog! So I decided to post something simple, yet profound (for me, in any case). A few months ago I posted about Breakfast being the most important meal of the day. What I like to call my “Breakfast of Champions”.  In that post I mentioned that I soaked my grains or grasses (buckwheat/quinoa) for 24 hours before cooking them in my breakfast. The post also explains my reasons behind soaking. I got a lot of comments about how good the breakfast looked, but about how it was too time consuming with the soaking for most people to make everyday.

I have wanted to write a post addressing this for a while, so yesterday as I was doing my weekly soaking and dairy product making, Roberto reminded me that I should post about it. So here I am. Basically I am here to say that you can soak your grains, grasses and legumes and make dairy products on a weekly basis, without taking much time out of your busy schedule. In fact, doing this helps you to save time during the week, because you have food ready to go. As I was telling Amy the other day, that this is my idea of convenience food. You can check out her time saving efforts here.

Basically prep time for getting beans and grains soaking is about as long as it takes to boil a cup of water and mix it with apple cider vinegar and more water to cover. Then it does the work itself over 24 hours. If you want to take it further you can cook them to almost al dente, and then freeze them for throwing into quick meals later in the week. The beauty of that is that while they are cooking, you can be doing other things. You can even cook them in your crock pot, and you don’t even have to be home!

The same can be said for dairy products. Every week I make yogurt, kefir and some kind of cheese. If you let your milk come to room temperature before cooking it to make these items, the whole process takes about 5 minutes. Maybe 15 for yogurt. Then you let it sit for 12-24 hours, while you are doing other things.

This week I made creme fraiche, which is a delicious version of sour cream! It is well worth the extra few minutes in taste as well as health because you can monitor exactly what goes into it.

All you need is 2 days – and really only about an hour or two on both of those days of actual labor. If you don’t have that much time, you could break it up into ½ hour over several days. Between yesterday and the day before, I made 8 cups of homemade turkey stock in my crockpot. I also soaked chick peas, buckwheat, 2 kinds of rice and oatmeal AND I made yogurt, kefir and creme fraiche. If you can spare 2 hours a week, you can do this too! It is fun, easy, a way to save money, and much better tasting than what you can buy at the store in cans, as well as better for your health! So try it today!

To get you started on the benefits of soaking beans, grains, grasses and making your own stock, please check out: Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats

If you want to get into making dairy products, please check out: Home Cheese Making: Recipes for 75 Delicious Cheeses

Have fun and enjoy!!!!