This is the Heady-Topper 4-pack!

To the great delight of beer enthusiasts in Central Vermont, the owners of the Alchemist Pub & Brewery in Waterbury have opened a 15 barrel, small production brewery specializing in fresh, unfiltered India Pale Ale.

John and Jennifer Kimmich built a state-of-the-art canning line to package in 16-ounce cans their flagship Double IPA - Heady Topper. Canning allows to package, preserve and protect the beer against the impact of UV light and oxygen.

Eight years after opening the Alchemist, which became a big success, and ushered in a renaissance in the dining & nightlight scene in downtown Waterbury, the region was hit by Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene on August 28 which caused tremendous flooding and lots of property damage in the Northeast.


Many homes and businesses along parts of Rt 100 and Rt 2 in Waterbury suffered severe flooding, which left behind a coating of mud and debris. Plans call for the Pub & Brewery to re-open sometime in the next 5 or 6 months, or more - who knows. But, in the meantime, we've got the Heady Topper in a can!

 

Be sure to read the instructions first, ("Drink this beer in a can"), or be adventurous and enjoy from a glass!

Appreciation Dinner

Here are a few behind-the-scenes snapshots from inside a commercial kitchen at a culinary school preparing a classic French five-course dinner for nearly sixty guests; (students, faculty, staff and special guests).

Additional images may or may not be added at any time!

Francis Moran
photographer/writer

(Special thanks to NECI, Justin, Amy, Chef Paul and Chef Tom)

 

"Say cheese!"

One of the incredible things about Vermont is the vibrant and growing number of artisan cheesemakers, (it's official, no matter what the spell-checker says; cheesemaker is one word). There's even a Vermont Cheese Trail listing over 40 cheese producers to track down and explore.  I recently had the opportunity to visit the Bonnieview Farm in Craftsbury and meet with 21-year-old cheesemaker Joe Alstat.

The Bonnieview Farm is owned and operated by Neil and Kristin Urie. The land has been farmed by the Urie family for five generations, since 1890, when it was purchased by Neil’s great-grandfather. The farm now has over 500 acres.

The farm is home to 200 milking ewes which graze on lush green pastures from May to October. It is the delicious rich and creamy milk from these ladies that produce our award winning cheeses. The breeds of its flock, chosen especially for the quality of their milk, include East Fresian, Laucone, Tunis, and Dorset.

 

The rich and creamy milk from these ladies produce award winning cheeses.

Bonnieview Farm currently makes six varieties of cheese with unpasteurized sheep’s milk from it's flock.

"farm-to-plate"  Look for Vermont cheese next time you're out and about, or better yet, create your own cheese tour by purchasing a variety of cow, goat and sheep cheeses and serve up a sampler.

 Cheese plate menu item at NECI on Main

Local Grow-Fest

It's finally here. Today is the 3rd annual Growing Local Fest, and I'm excited - but disappointed too, because I can't stay for the whole thing.  It takes place at the green of Vermont College in Montpelier, Vt. from 2pm -10pm

The mission of the Growing Local Fest is to nurture the local organic food movement by building a  community culture of self-sufficient food production.

The event will include workshops, demonstrations, and music & arts performances. I also noticed signs around town announcing a home-brew competition and a pesto contest. So, it's all about education and inspiration ... with the goal of creating a strong and resilient local food system for a mindful community of producers and consumers.

Today's motto is: Grow Local. Eat Local. Drink Local. Dance Local. Sing Local. Build Local. Buy Local. Create Local.

Which leads to the question; what is "Local"?  Organizers of the Grow-Fest tell us:

"At its simplest, “Local” is a geographic unit (or things associated with said unit). It is also a perspective from which to view the manifestations of the world around us. And, perhaps in its grandest sense, “Local” is an ethic that seeks to respect, and appreciate to the fullest, the attributes that make each place unique."

That's food for thought.

Many farmers in the Rt. 100 corridor of Vermont lost much of their fall crops to flooding caused by Tropical Storm Irene on August 28. The heavy rainfall caused many rivers to rise over the banks at more than 100-year-flood levels, flooding fields and residences in many communities and causing a lot of destruction. The Santa Davida Organic Farm in Waitsfield, Vt. managed to save 25% of some of it's crops, including pumpkins, squash and corn.