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A Taste of Place: The Cellars at Jasper Hill

This post was originally published on the Fromaggio Kitchen South End’s blog.  Fromaggio Kitchen South End is a unique gourmet food shop located in Boston.  What a wonderful description of a visit to the Cellars at Jasper Hill.  Don’t miss the Cellars at Jasper Hill at the Vermont Cheesemakers Festival in July.  Delicious!

Last month, I had the great opportunity to join two co-workers in a pilgrimage to the Cellars at Jasper Hill in Greensboro, Vermont. In previous posts, my colleagues have described the merits of Jasper Hill as the home of award-winning cheeses like Winnimere, as well as an innovative model for sustainable small-scale cheese production. Rather than repeat this much-deserved praise, I hope to share a reflection on my brief time at Jasper Hill as a whirlwind of sights, smells, and of course tastes. The tag line of Jasper Hill is, “A Taste of Place” and thus I will try my best to give you a little taste of my experience in this very unique place.
The first thing that struck me on our journey north was the transition from slushy city streets to smooth expanses of snow-covered fields. At the farm, the quiet pastures belie the busy hive of activity taking place in the Cellars below. My co-worker, Sarah, likes to compare the Cellars to Gringotts in the Harry Potter books and, like the fictional bank, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the scale and complexity of this underground world. The Cellars are divided into seven vaults, each kept at the temperature and humidity level appropriate to the styles of cheese they contain. The heavy sliding doors at the entrance to each vault give way to row upon row of shelves laden with cheeses at different ages, all carefully tended to bring them to their full potential.
Each vault offers a different set of sensory delights. I couldn’t help noticing the range in the colors of the rinds, from the rough, flinty exteriors of Cabot Clothbound Cheddar to the rosy, peachy hues of Alpha Tolman. Meanwhile, patches of salt glittered from the encrusted rinds of freshly made Bayley Hazen Blue, and my eyes feasted on the nooks and crannies on the surface of miniature Moses Sleepers washed in cider lees. By far my favorite moment was in the bloomy rind vault, where we could see the evolution of Harbison over a short period of time. Harbison is one of my favorite Jasper Hill cheeses, in part due to the strip of spruce bark wrapped around the edge. The paste of the youngest cheeses looked like golden butter-cream frosting — fit to bursting and barely held in place by the beautiful, chocolate brown bark.  I could imagine it in the window of a Parisian patisserie. As we walked down the aisle to older batches, we could see fuzzy white mold like cotton balls beginning to cover the paste and give the bark a slightly mottled look. It was a beautiful and mouth-watering depiction of the aging process that Jasper Hill puts such care into fostering.
Of course, smell is an important part of any cheese experience. In each vault I noticed distinct smells from both the cheese and its surrounding environment. In the cheddar vault, there was the smell of fresh wood shavings, earth, and something like a freshly cleaned stable – perhaps the smell of hay warmed in the sun. In the bloomy rind vault, I detected a scent I can only describe as caramelized banana. In the washed rind vault, we were confronted by all the funky and unctuous smells associated with these lovably pungent cheeses: yeasty, fruity, with a hint of barnyard.
The primary goal of our trip to Jasper Hill was to taste Cabot Clothbound Cheddar and select the wheels we thought would best suit our customers. This led us to taste over ten batches ranging from seven to eleven months old. Since coming to Formaggio Kitchen I have begun to understand taste and the ability to describe it as a skill that must be studied and practiced. Jasper Hill is especially dedicated to developing a vocabulary to analyze the flavors of their cheese. Tasting so many wheels side-by-side was a great exercise in understanding the nuances that occur from batch to batch. Multiple senses are utilized in the tasting process: rolling the cheese in your fingers to note consistency, smelling it to activate your gusto-olfactory system, and finally resting it on your tongue to slowly release the flavors. As we tasted, I did my best to scribble down my colleagues’ words, which ranged from “toasted,” “caramel,” and “balanced,” to “green onion,” “mustard,” and “bendy.” In the end, we selected wheels at the older end of the spectrum with lovely sweet and savory notes.
I hope this post gives you a glimpse of the incredible experience it was for me to visit the Cellars. The folks at Jasper Hill are dedicated to creating products that speak to the landscape of rural Vermont. For a complete taste of this truly inspiring place, be sure to stop by one of our cheese counters!
Maarit Ostrow is a cheesemonger at Formaggio Kitchen South End and an aspiring cheesemaker.

Inside a Jasper Hill Vault

Last month, I had the great opportunity to join two co-workers in a pilgrimage to the Cellars at Jasper Hill in Greensboro, Vermont. In previous posts, my colleagues have described the merits of Jasper Hill as the home of award-winning cheeses like Winnimere, as well as an innovative model for sustainable small-scale cheese production. Rather than repeat this much-deserved praise, I hope to share a reflection on my brief time at Jasper Hill as a whirlwind of sights, smells, and of course tastes. The tag line of Jasper Hill is, “A Taste of Place” and thus I will try my best to give you a little taste of my experience in this very unique place.

The first thing that struck me on our journey north was the transition from slushy city streets to smooth expanses of snow-covered fields. At the farm, the quiet pastures belie the busy hive of activity taking place in the Cellars below. My co-worker, Sarah, likes to compare the Cellars to Gringotts in the Harry Potter books and, like the fictional bank, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the scale and complexity of this underground world. The Cellars are divided into seven vaults, each kept at the temperature and humidity level appropriate to the styles of cheese they contain. The heavy sliding doors at the entrance to each vault give way to row upon row of shelves laden with cheeses at different ages, all carefully tended to bring them to their full potential.

 

Cellars at Jasper Hill’s Harbison

Each vault offers a different set of sensory delights. I couldn’t help noticing the range in the colors of the rinds, from the rough, flinty exteriors of Cabot Clothbound Cheddar to the rosy, peachy hues of Alpha Tolman. Meanwhile, patches of salt glittered from the encrusted rinds of freshly made Bayley Hazen Blue, and my eyes feasted on the nooks and crannies on the surface of miniature Moses Sleepers washed in cider lees. By far my favorite moment was in the bloomy rind vault, where we could see the evolution of Harbison over a short period of time. Harbison is one of my favorite Jasper Hill cheeses, in part due to the strip of spruce bark wrapped around the edge. The paste of the youngest cheeses looked like golden butter-cream frosting — fit to bursting and barely held in place by the beautiful, chocolate brown bark.  I could imagine it in the window of a Parisian patisserie. As we walked down the aisle to older batches, we could see fuzzy white mold like cotton balls beginning to cover the paste and give the bark a slightly mottled look. It was a beautiful and mouth-watering depiction of the aging process that Jasper Hill puts such care into fostering.

Of course, smell is an important part of any cheese experience. In each vault I noticed distinct smells from both the cheese and its surrounding environment. In the cheddar vault, there was the smell of fresh wood shavings, earth, and something like a freshly cleaned stable – perhaps the smell of hay warmed in the sun. In the bloomy rind vault, I detected a scent I can only describe as caramelized banana. In the washed rind vault, we were confronted by all the funky and unctuous smells associated with these lovably pungent cheeses: yeasty, fruity, with a hint of barnyard.

 

Cabot Clothbound Cheddar Aging in the Cellars

The primary goal of our trip to Jasper Hill was to taste Cabot Clothbound Cheddar and select the wheels we thought would best suit our customers. This led us to taste over ten batches ranging from seven to eleven months old. Since coming to Formaggio Kitchen I have begun to understand taste and the ability to describe it as a skill that must be studied and practiced. Jasper Hill is especially dedicated to developing a vocabulary to analyze the flavors of their cheese. Tasting so many wheels side-by-side was a great exercise in understanding the nuances that occur from batch to batch. Multiple senses are utilized in the tasting process: rolling the cheese in your fingers to note consistency, smelling it to activate your gusto-olfactory system, and finally resting it on your tongue to slowly release the flavors. As we tasted, I did my best to scribble down my colleagues’ words, which ranged from “toasted,” “caramel,” and “balanced,” to “green onion,” “mustard,” and “bendy.” In the end, we selected wheels at the older end of the spectrum with lovely sweet and savory notes.

I hope this post gives you a glimpse of the incredible experience it was for me to visit the Cellars. The folks at Jasper Hill are dedicated to creating products that speak to the landscape of rural Vermont. For a complete taste of this truly inspiring place, be sure to stop by one of our cheese counters!

Maarit Ostrow is a cheesemonger at Formaggio Kitchen South End and an aspiring cheesemaker.

Source: Dig in VT Trails

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What Kentucky Derby?

 

The first weekend in May promises to be a spectacular Vermont weekend.  Enjoy beer, farms, farmers’ markets, sheep, calves, and wild edibles.  Oh yeah, the Kentucky Derby is happening on Saturday too!  On your mark, get set, go!  

 

If you enjoy great beer, great food, and great community, head to downtown Montpelier on May 3rd. The Capital City Farmers Market is hosting its first outdoor market of the summer season.  Located at the corner of Elm St. and State St. from 9am-1pm, grab a bag and start your farmers market shopping.  You’ll find prepared foods, produce, plants and flowers, meat, and much more.  After you’ve checked out the market and enjoyed some downtown time head over to Three Penny Taproom’s 5th anniversary celebration Montbeerlier.  From 3pm-9pm you’ll find food, music, fun, and of course beer!  

 

If you already appreciate beer or are looking to appreciate it even more, check out the Beer Appreciation Class at Drop-In Brewing in Middlebury on May 3rd. This half-day class is aimed at those who would like to learn more about beer – how it’s made, its history, various beer styles, and how to serve.  An appreciation class wouldn’t be complete without some sampling – beer and cheese please!  After you’ve gained a new found appreciation for beer, head over to the Marble Works where the Middlebury Farmers Market is kicking off its summer season.  You’ll find vendors selling local vegetables, fruits, plants, flowers, meat and dairy items, as well as Vermont crafts.  

 

Perhaps a walk in the woods is more your style.  This isn’t just any walk in the woods this is a walk with wildcrafters Nova Kim and Les Hook.  Nova and Les are a featured part of the Vermont Wild Edibles Culinary Weekend at The Inn at Weathersfield on May 3.  Check out this description from the press release:

“In this unique workshop and field trip, open to both inn guests and commuters, students  learn to identify and enjoy wild foods for culinary purposes. They’ll learn about proper  collection techniques and the tools needed, as well as the concept, ethics and environmental impact of responsible collection. And of course, they’ll follow Nova Kim and Les Hook into the Inn’s fields and woods on an exciting exploration to collect what nature is  offering at the time (10 AM- 1 PM). That evening Executive Chef Jean-Luc Matécat prepares  a special menu featuring wild spring edibles, collected by Nova and Les, to be enjoyed by  participants in the private wine cellar with the presenters. The menu will also be available as the tasting menu in the restaurant Saturday and Sunday evenings, May 3 and 4.” 

 

 

’Tis the season for farmers markets and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares.  In addition to the Capital City and Middlebury Farmers’ Market, the Bennington, Dorset, and Norwich Farmers’ Markets are also kicking off their summer seasons this first weekend in May.  If you’re interested in learning more about CSAs, be a part of NOFA-VT’s CSA Open Farm Day.  On Sunday May 4 from 1-4pm, farms across Vermont will open their greenhouses, barns, and fields to community members.  This is a not to be missed opportunity for everyone to get to know a local farmer.  

 

Tired yet?  There are a few more exciting events happening this weekend that you don’t want to miss.  You’ll find sheep shearing and herding with Border Collies at Billings Farm & Museum and Dairy Days at Shelburne Farms.  On May 3-4 you’ll see spring shearing of the farm’s ewes and demonstrations of Border Colies herding sheep in the farm fields.  At Shelburne Farms you’ll have the opportunity to meet the spring calves and their moms!  This is a time to explore the barns and buildings at the dairy.  And don’t miss the cow parade!!

Source: Dig in VT Trails

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On the Menu at Prohibition Pig

This post was originally published on the Vermont Fresh Network’s blog.  Vermont Restaurant Week starts this Friday (4/25) so read on, make some reservations, and grab a fork!

Chef Michael Werneke cooked in all corners of the country before moving to Vermont to make award winning cheese at Jasper Hill. He fell in love with the state and local food scene but wanted to get back into a restaurant kitchen. He has found his spot at Waterbury’s popular brew pub-Prohibition Pig. “Pro Pig” is known for their extensive beer list, amazing cocktails, and “Creative Americana” cuisine-especially their mouthwatering barbecue entrees.

What is Chef Mike excited about? 
His Eastern North Carolina-style Chopped Pork BBQ…

Chef Mike uses pork raised by Ben Nottermann at Snug Valley Farm in East Hardwick, in fact, Mike was one of the first to sign up for exclusive pork offerings when Ben expanded last year. Chef Mike admires the care Ben takes in raising his pigs, and the proof is in the pork. The BBQ pork dish starts with a whole hog, slowly smoked for 18 hours. The pork is then dressed with a cider vinegar based barbecue sauce that goes back seven generations in Pro Pig owner Chad Rich’s family! The sauce cuts the rich, smoked meat perfectly. Chef Mike serves the barbecue with hush puppies or on a sweet potato bun with coleslaw and a housemade pickle-recipe handed down by Chef Mike’s grandmother.

Source: Dig in VT Trails

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A Taste of Healthy Living: Braising Rabbit & Making Gnocchi in the Learning Center

This entry was originally posted on Healthy Living’s Blog.  Vermont has no shortage of local ingredients, restaurants focused on local foods, and cooking classes and workshops ready to inspire.  Check out this great description of a cooking class at Healthy Living’s Learning Center.

Every month, our Learning Center Coordinators, Laura and Clarina work very hard to put together a variety of Kids, Adults, and even Teenage appropriate, hands-on cooking classes. They range from a variety of topics and there’s something for everyone, no matter what skill level you have in the kitchen; from learning Knife Skills to braising rabbit, they do it all! Check out the rest of April’s calendar by clicking here, there’s still some awesome classes left to sign up for.

I decided to step outside my comfort zone and join in on last week’s Cooking Class; Le Lapin of Luxury. Clarina taught this class and set up the menu which included Herb and White Wine Braised Rabbit with Parsnips and Shallots and Parisian Sheep’s Milk Gnocchi! We were even served beer paired with delicious cheeses from our Cheese Department to snack on while we learned and prepared our recipes.

Clarina started the class by introducing herself and letting us know some of the many benefits that rabbits have. We are lucky to carry local Vermont rabbits in our store; rabbits have very little fat on them, are easy to prepare and (although overlooked) delicious. Clarina demonstrated the best way for us to prep our vegetables for the dish and then it was back to our stations to baton the parsnips, peel and cut the carrots and prepare the shallots.

Now came the part I wasn’t very familiar with, preparing the rabbit for braising. Clarina took extra time to make sure we all understood the different parts of the rabbit that we wanted to remove before seasoning. She then gave us some tips and tricks on oiling the pan and we were off to braise away!

I’ll let you check out the recipe for yourself but one thing I found particularly interesting and a good fact to know in the kitchen is the idea of making a “slurry”. We made the slurry by shaking 2 Tbsp of cornstarch and 4 Tbsp of water in a mason jar. We then poured this into the gravy to thicken. Using cornstartch makes the finished texture almost shiny rather than un-clear and murky as flour does. Some recipes would be better with one or the other, up to you!

Next was the Parisian Sheep’s Milk Gnocchi making. Boy was this fun to do! We mixed a variety of ingredients and used a Kitchen Aid to do so… being very careful when adding the eggs to make sure they were fully mixed, but not over mixed.

We then went back to our stations and added the mixture into a piping bag. We squeezed the dough out over slightly boiling water until just floating and then removed them with a slotted spoon. We let them cool and then heated them up in a pan with some butter and vegetable oil. So easy, so delicious!

All the participants in the class left with a heaping helping of Braised Rabbit with seasonal vegetables and plenty of gnocchi. Clarina and Erin, the Learning Center Assistant, did a great job making sure that everyone felt comfortable with what they were doing and walked around giving individual attention and recipe advice. I would highly suggest anyone interested to grab a friend and sign up for one of our up-coming cooking classes, you’ll learn a ton, gain some great recipes, find yourself with good conversation and a full belly!

Source: Dig in VT Trails

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Southern Vermont Restaurant Week

Getting ready for Restaurant Week?  Looking to explore all the fantastic eateries Southern Vermont has to offer?  This post, which was originally posted on The Golden Stage Inn’s blog, provides you with just enough information so you’ll be making multiple reservations.  Enjoy!

 

The 2014 Southern Vermont Restaurant Week will take place between April 25th and May 4th.  A visit to any of these restaurants for lunch and/or dinner will pair wonderfully with Golden Stage Inn’s Road Trip Package, which will give you access to discounts in local shops and stores.
Manchester and Dorset, the central locations of the Southern Vermont Restaurant Week, are fantastic destinations for visiting Vermont.  You can shop for local products or visit the Manchester Design Outlets.  Both towns have much history and beauty, combining the picturesque Vermont landscape with exciting events year round (such as So VT Restaurant Week!).  Ask Golden Stage innkeepers about our Spring Bed and Breakfast Specials like the Road Trip Package to find out how to get exclusive coupons to Manchester and Dorset stores when you book a stay with us between April 20th and June 20th.  Read on to learn about the amazing restaurants participating in Southern Vermont Restaurant Week!

BRASSERIE L’OUSTAU DE PROVENCE


A French Bistro overlooking the Green Mountains and embracing local foods.  Owner Michel Boyer says “Hospitality is a premium” in the true French spirit.  This restaurant truly fuses Vermont agriculture with French cuisine; the artisinal cheese plate is a perfect example of what both locations do the best!  “L’Oustau” is French for an agricultural homestead that is the center of a community.  With its French roots, it is no wonder Vermont holds many of the same ideals of good food and culture as France.

THE DORSET INN


Enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner at this historic New England Tavern.  Just peeking at the menu on the Inn’s website was enough to make my mouth water!  Like Brasserie L’Oustau, the Dorest Inn is more of an upscale dining place, but has an adjacent Tavern with more casual fare.  If you enjoy fine dining but are on a budget or simply like to save money, So VT Restaurant is definitely the time to check out the restaurants with slightly more expensive menus.  The Dorset Inn’s menus change frequently to make the most of seasonally available ingredients, and they are a part of the Vermont Fresh Network just like the Golden Stage Inn.

BISTRO HENRY


Bistro Henry features fine dining from Southern Italy and Northern France with an award-winning wine list.  The restaurant’s earned several awards from Open Table voters including Diner’s Choice 2014 as well as Diners’ Choice Winner for the categories ‘Fit for Foodies’ and ‘Notable Wine List.’  Their wine list has earned Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence since 1995.  If those credentials aren’t enough, you can rest assured that they use local Vermont food in their cooking.  Oh, and there’s also a bakery for your sweet tooth.  Wow.

BARROWS HOUSE RESTAURANT


The plates at Barrows House are truly art.  The gorgeous meals are twists on classical New England Tavern meals made with fresh local ingredients, as Barrows is a member of the Vermont Fresh Network as well.  The food pairs perfectly with the historic setting and décor…if Southern VT Restaurant Week is warm enough you can spend your evening on the outdoor terrace.  Not only will you experience the best of Vermont’s farm-to-table scene, you’ll also get to sample craft beers of the region.

PERFECT WIFE


All the amazing accolades about food apply to The Perfect Wife Restaurant.  Something that truly sets them apart is their sister tavern…The Other Woman.  Here, live music abounds with open mic nights on Wednesdays and small concerts on Fridays.  Take a seat in the cobble-stoned restaurant or the greenhouse garden room.  The Perfect Wife Restaurant prides itself on catering to all dining tastes and evening-out scenarios.

YE OLDE TAVERN


A traditional eating experience in a 1790 Colonial restaurant.  Enjoy great service and New England classic fare.  The dinner and dessert menus are hearty and will leave you satisfied and full!  Ye Olde Tavern features an entire menu of Vintage Cocktails from the 1930’s, so you can step back in time.  You’ll see historic pictures on the walls and classic New England décor everywhere.  A true New England experience.

TED RESTAURANT


The site of Ted’s Restaurant was originally a dairy farm and was once a safe haven for travelers of the Underground Railroad.  Today, the basement serves as a wine cellar, and the foundation of the building places it on Vermont’s Marble Trail.  And of course, food is what this location is all about.  Choose a salad or soup to start with, followed by a main course that uses humanely raised and sustainably harvested meat and fish.  The chef creates daily specials using the best of Vermont local foods.

AL DUCCI DI NOTTE


An Italian eatery and gourmet food store.  The Trattoria features a mozzarella bar, antipastos, and ‘secondi’ plates.  This may be the closest to Italy you can get in Vermont!  Warm, friendly and welcoming, the perfect place for fantastic food in a laid back atmosphere.  Stop by to simply peek – there are local cheeses, fine spreads, vinegars, oils, and…pizza!  On the run?  Grab a freshly prepared sandwich at the deli.  If you’re looking for something to satisfy the sweet tooth, sit down for a dessert and coffee.


Buon Appetito during Southern Vermont Restaurant Week!


-Sophi Veltrop, The Golden Stage Inn

 

Images Courtesy: SoVT Restaurant Week, Brasserie L’Oustau, The Dorset Inn, Bistro Henry, Barrows House, The Perfect Wife Restaurant, Ye Olde Tavern, Ted Restaurant and Al Ducci.

Source: Dig in VT Trails

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On the Menu – Cafe Provence on Blush Hill

This article was originally posted on the Vermont Fresh Network’s blog.  Visit Cafe Provence during Vermont Restaurant Week and search out other eateries that are passionate about local food.

Chef Robert Barral is famous for introducing exquisite French food to the small town of Brandon, VT and now Waterbury can enjoy their own Café Provence on Blush Hill. Melissa Moore, General Manager at the Best Western in Waterbury had been an avid fan of Barral, and a student in a few of his popular cooking classes. She came up with a proposal to transform the Best Western’s Restaurant into a satellite of the French Café and Chef Barral jumped at the opportunity to expand. “I have the best team ever in Brandon right now, and it’s because of them that I am finally comfortable doing more,” he shared. It is the former Brandon Sous Chef, Ittai Azoulay, that runs the kitchen in Waterbury, and Chef Barral speaks highly of the chef saying “Ittai shares my passion for good food and cooking, making him the perfect man for the job.”      

What can you expect to find at Café Provence on Blush Hill?
Not just local food, but locally trained chefs as well!

Since his time as Executive Chef at New England Culinary Institute, Chef Barral has made a point to hire both NECI Interns and graduates as support in his kitchens sharing, “I’m always pleased with their positive attitudes and great energy.” The menu will also follow the Brandon restaurant’s mission of sourcing locally whenever possible. As soon as the farmers’ markets open in the area, Chef Barral looks forward to seeking out new farmers and producers in and surrounding Waterbury to provide a true taste of Vermont to hotel guests.

Café Provence on Blush Hill is now open to diners 7 nights per week. Dine with them after a day of adventure in Waterbury using this Trail on DigInVT.com as your guide.

Source: Dig in VT Trails

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Warm Days and Cold Nights Yield Sweet Rewards

I’ve always had a sweet tooth. As a kid growing up in suburban Boston, drowning my pancakes in maple syrup, I had only a vague understanding that this gold, liquid sugar came from trees. As I became more interested in the origins of food and moved to Vermont, I discovered the taste of pure maple syrup and all it takes to produce it.
 
The sunny days, cold nights, and delicate, earthy scent from the sugarbush mark my favorite time of year at Shelburne Farms: sugaring season. Usually lasting 4-6 weeks from late February through early April, it’s a sweet sign that the long winter is fading (really!) and spring is finally on its way. 
 
Sugaring is an important part of our working landscape and education programs here at the Farm. It helps us maintain a sustainable and healthy forest, provides food for our farm to table endeavors, and engages people of every age – especially teachers and their students – in a process of learning where food comes from. Sugaring connects all of us to the land, our community, and the local economy. 
 
While steeped in tradition, the maple sugaring world is not lacking in innovation. If you visit our sugarbush this year, you may notice some of these exciting changes. As part of our ongoing effort to reduce energy consumption across the Farm, we’re experimenting with reverse osmosis as a way to boost production and lower energy consumption in sugaring. 
 
The reverse osmosis machine cuts down on boiling time by removing excess water and concentrating the sugar in the sap, generally bringing sap from 2% to 8% sugar content. (The higher the sugar content, the less sap you need to boil to make syrup!) Last year we used 8.3 cords of wood to produce 100 gallons of maple syrup; this year we expect to use just 2-5 cords to produce 100 gallons. This is exciting news, especially for Marshall Webb and Dana Bishop, who steward our green certified woodlands, harvest sustainably produced lumber for craftspeople like our on-site partner Beeken Parsons, and supply firewood for the Farm.

Reverse osmosis machines, along with the vacuum and line collection system we have used since 2011, are now commonplace to many Vermont sugarbushes and sugar houses. I have read estimates that up to 90% of maple syrup on the market has undergone reverse osmosis. 
 
This new technology allows us to represent Vermont industries in our educational programs, including school field trips. But it poses challenges, too. Educator Christie Nold explains, “Often, as technology increases, the distance between people and food products increases as well. We want to celebrate these technological advances while still exposing students to a more ‘traditional’ sugaring method. This shows them not just how product is made, but also where it comes from.”
 
Our educators believe that the most impactful activity to learn about sugaring is for students to see firsthand the sap running from a maple tree and collecting in a bucket. So along with the 2.5 miles of tubing that connect 650+ taps throughout our sugarbush, we use about 50 traditional metal buckets to collect sap.

At Shelburne Farms, we are constantly exploring the balance between caring for our working landscape, optimizing production, and honoring opportunities for learning. As an organization, we grapple with big questions of how to live responsibly in the 21st century. This requires balance between honoring our traditions and embracing new tools. 
 
We are proud to have a forestry operation as part of our working farm. Syrup and other value-added maple products are trademarks of the Vermont brand, known not only regionally but also internationally. There are only 17 states and provinces in two countries in the world, the US and Canada, that make maple syrup within the season’s six-week window,. These days, I enjoy my Saturday morning pancakes and maple syrup with a heightened sense of appreciation for the work – both human and non-human – that went into its production. 
 
If you’re interested in learning more about sugaring in Vermont, check out the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association. You can also feel free to stop by our sugarbush! You can purchase syrup at our Welcome Center & Farm Store or through our online store and check out some amazing ways to incorporate maple into your kitchen. 


Source: Dig in VT Trails

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A Love for Local Food and Farms at Juniper

This post was originally posted on Happy Vermont, a blog dedicated to exploring and enjoying the dynamic Green Mountain State.  As we get ready for Vermont’s 5th Annual Restaurant Week, look for more of these restaurant profiles that celebrate the wonderful farmer and chef partnerships we have in Vermont.

 

Photo courtesy of Hotel Vermont

When Juniper burst onto the Burlington restaurant scene in 2013, it quickly became one of the most popular places to dine in the city.  With a menu featuring everything from goat cheese gnocchi and venison chili to smoked trout cake and roasted quail, Juniper made a name for itself early on.
Located in the LEED-certified Hotel Vermont on Cherry Street, Juniper prides itself on serving locally-grown fare. In a city like Burlington, a focus on local food isn’t exactly groundbreaking. But thanks to executive chef Doug Paine, Juniper does it exceptionally well.

A 36-year-old Vermont native, Doug lives in Richmond and joined Juniper when it opened last year. He grew up fishing and hunting in Waterford and worked his way up through the industry at notable Vermont restaurants including Mr. Pickwicks in Stowe and Michael’s on the Hill in Waterbury.
In February, I was invited by Hotel Vermont to the Vermont Fresh Network Farmer’s Dinner at Juniper, where Doug prepared incredible dishes using local ingredients from Pete’s Greens, Starbird Fish, Butterworks Farm, and Maple Wind Farm. The love and care Doug puts into his dishes is evident, and building relationships with local farmers and producers is what helps drive him as a chef.

“I spend time every day talking with and listening to farmers and producers, and I’ve always enjoyed spending time on farms because it’s one of the best ways to feel connected to food,” Doug says.  “All the farmers and food producers I work with have a real passion for their product. For them, it’s more than a way to make a living – it’s a calling.”

Doug works with 20 to 30 different local farms and producers at different times throughout the year, and he spends about 80 percent of the restaurant’s budget on locally-sourced products.


Building Relationships
Maple Wind Farm in Huntington and Richmond is one of the farms Doug started working with when Juniper opened. Beth Whiting, who owns Maple Wind Farm with her husband Bruce Hennessey, says they have established a strong working relationship with Doug over the past year. Even when he’s not on the clock, Doug makes a point to stop by Maple Wind Farm’s tent at the summertime Richmond Farmers’ Market each week with his fiance and two children.

“He’s a very creative chef, responsive, and connected to our farm,” Whiting says. “We touch base, share ideas, and he is flexible when it comes to what we have available and when.”

Other farmers and producers Doug has started working with include Half Pint Farm, Rockville Market Farm, Templeton Farm, North Hollow Farm, Dragonfly Sugarworks, Hermit’s Gold Wild Edibles, and Adam’s Berry Farm.

His favorite dish to prepare at Juniper? It all depends on the local ingredients he comes across on any given day.  “I really enjoy cooking specials at Juniper. It gives me the opportunity to use the best available products in a spontaneous and creative way,” he says. “In the summer, I like to go to the farmer’s market, see what looks best, and make a dish out of whatever I find.”


**If You Go: Juniper is located at 41 Cherry Street in Burlington and is open for breakfast and dinner. Juniper also features a fantastic bar with an outdoor patio.

 

*My meal at the Vermont Fresh Network Farmer’s Dinner was sponsored by Hotel Vermont.

Source: Dig in VT Trails

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Tapping the Market: Butternut Mountain Farm brings Vermont maple to the masses

This is an abridged version of an article that originally appeared in NOFA Notes, the quarterly newsletter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont. For more information about NOFA Vermont and the benefits of organic, please visit www.nofavt.org
 

Butternut Mountain Farm

In the 1970s, David Marvin started Butternut Mountain Farm, a small sugaring operation on his family’s land in Johnson, Vermont. Over the last 40 years, what began as a very small sugaring operation has grown to encompass approximately 16,000 taps, and employ over 85 people – packaging and distributing syrup from at least 300 producers to a range of customers, including major retail and grocery chains and natural foods markets throughout the nation. This syrup, processed in the heart of Morrisville, is sold locally and online under the Butternut Mountain Farm label, bottled for numerous retailers’ private label brands, processed into maple sugar and candies, and sold to food producers who use it in products ranging from specialty cheese to vodka. 
 
When Marvin began sugaring, Vermont produced an estimated 225,000 gallons of syrup per year, but efficiencies in production have allowed Vermont’s maple syrup industry to expand significantly; last year Vermont’s maple syrup production neared 1,300,000 gallons. That’s a quantity that even Vermont’s devoted maple-loving population can’t hope to consume locally, so much of the syrup is sold out-of-state through various markets: approximately 15% of the state’s production is sold directly through retail channels, and the remainder is sold either as bulk or wholesale. As an aggregator and distributor, Butternut Mountain Farm serves an important role that allows Vermont syrup from many family farms to reach larger markets.
 
Going Organic

In 2000, Marvin was approached by a customer – a large, national natural foods store – with a suggestion that he could expect a 30% increase in sales with certified organic syrup. So, Marvin applied for and gained organic certification for his sugaring operation. He and the store were both surprised when, instead of the predicted 30% sales increase, sales of organic syrup actually doubled. 
 
Next, Marvin challenged himself to grow the sales of organic syrup in his other market channels. Now, 50% of the syrup sold by Butternut Mountain Farms is certified organic, and in addition to his own production, Marvin purchases organic syrup from at least 50 other certified organic maple syrup producers. The organic syrup’s sales continue to outpace its conventional counterpart. 
 
Marvin initially resisted certification; feeling that the guidelines were common sense and that he didn’t want to deal with additional paperwork. He now recognizes the importance of organic certification, not just because of the sales it brings, but as a way to guarantee that he himself, and the sugar makers he works with, follow sound management practices.
 
Organic standards protect the organic integrity of syrup by requiring sugar makers to use non-synthetic defoamers (which are added to sap during boiling), clean equipment with food-grade sanitizers, and avoid galvanized buckets and storage tanks (which contain tin). In addition, organic syrup is periodically tested for potential contaminants.
 
More extensive are the requirements producers must follow to protect the long-term health and future growth of their sugarbush. These practices center around the creation of, and adherence to, a forest management plan that outlines strategies to promote and manage overall forest health, biodiversity, invasive species management and stand regeneration.  In this way, the organic guidelines serve as a set of best management practices to ensure producers keep long-term forest health in mind. 
 

Protecting the Organic Sugarbush  

Organic standards have a lot to say about ensuring the long-term health of our maple forests. Organic producers are required to work with a forester to create and follow their forest management plan, and they also must submit to a yearly inspection where all of these processes are verified by an independent third party. Here are some key management practices required for organic maple production:

Logging practices:

Producers must log in a sustainable manner that minimizes impact. 
Logging roads must not cause runoff, unnecessary compaction, or erosion issues. 
Producers cannot use whole-tree harvesting to remove logs from a forest, the practice of which can significantly limit re-growth of future forests.
Tree selection:
To ensure growth of sizeable trees for a future maple crop, producers must wait until trees are at minimum 9” in diameter before tapping. 
Producers must encourage biodiversity in their sugarbushes to increase nutrient recycling and to reduce the spread of insect and disease.
Tapping: 
Tap holes must be distributed over as large an area of healthy wood as possible. This ensures that the tree will be able to continue normal sap flow and prevents the tree from damage and/or death.
Producers can only put a limited number of taps per tree.
Producers can’t use fungicidal treatments, which prevent tap holes from closing, invite disease and bacteria into the trees, and can stunt their future growth.
 
 Sweet Success
 
Butternut Mountain Farm now has a waiting list of producers who want to sell syrup to them. As Vermont’s maple production continues to increase, Marvin will continue to seek new markets. Butternut Mountain Farm is doing essential work to build the infrastructure and sales channels that support many other farmers in Vermont’s diverse agricultural economy. Vermont is the nation’s leader in maple syrup production, and as long as climate conditions favor its production in this state, Butternut Mountain Farm will be a key driver supporting the strength of the sugaring industry for those involved. 
 
Want more details on organic agricultural practices? Go to www.nofavt.org and browse their extensive resources!
 

 

Source: Dig in VT Trails

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Maple Weekends

The official Maple Open House Weekend is over, but there’s no reason not to create your own maple weekend in Vermont.

We have plenty of sugar houses open to visitors throughout the season, some throughout the year. They offer education, tastings, treats for sale, and often offer their own special events like sugar on snow parties, pancake breakfasts, and a chance to help with the syrup making. You can check them out at the DigInVT Maple Syrup page. We’ve developed these listings with help from our partner, the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association.

The Vermont Department of Tourism, another DigInVT partner, has also developed their own recommended maple vacation packages for weekends away (or close to home) available from their website.

And, of course, our maple-related blog entries give some ideas of how to use the syrup that you acquire while you explore.

Vermont’s Inn and B&B’s can be both a place to stay and a resource for exploring maple and other Vermont foods. Our Places Page lists establishments with a particular interest in Vermont food. One Bed and Breakfast in Chester, VT, Inn Victoria, shares below how they partned with Mitch’s Maple Sugar House to create a maple syrup experience for their guests:

Spring is just around the corner in New England, which means it’s sugaring season here in Vermont! Just minutes away from Inn Victoria you will find Mitch’s Maple Sugar House, where you can enjoy some of the best, pure Vermont maple products including Maple Syrup and Maple Cream!

A great deal of time and passion goes into this sugar house, dating back to 1945 Mitch’s Maples is owned and operated by Mark Mitchell. Our innkeeper, Jessica has been going here her whole life, growing up right down the road. Mark’s father Don would let her taste test the fresh, hot syrup right when it was being made, and you can come do the same! The Mitchell’s run sugar-house tours all season, where you can see  smell & taste the boiling sap. This is a “can’t miss” opportunity while staying at Inn Victoria in the spring. You can come learn about the different grades, where it comes from and how maple syrup is made from sap to syrup. Then taste it yourself the next morning at breakfast, you can’t beat it! Don’t go home without some of Mark’s famous Maple Cream either!

We use Mitch’s maple syrup for a variety of things, from our Crème Brule French toast, to whipped pancakes to our famous maple-nut granola! Thank you Mark for your continued business with Inn Victoria.

Penny and Dan Cote
Owners of Inn Victoria, Chester, Vermont
Written by Jessica Knisley, Innkeeper
This post originally appeared at: http://blog.innvictoria.com/

These are some starting ideas – you can create your own maple adventure by saving new ideas to a My Places folder! And, of course, start planning ahead for Maple Open House 2015!

Source: Dig in VT Trails