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September 19, 2011
If you are reading this, chances are you already know that Simon Pearce is one of our favorite restaurants. We have recommended them to countless guests over the years, and have sorely missed them since tropical storm Irene caused significant damage to the downstairs of their building. The team at Simon Pearce is nothing short of amazing, working countless hours to restore the impacted areas of the mill. The restaurant opened for lunch the past Saturday, and as of today they are open for lunch and dinner daily. Here is a peek at my wonderful lunch today.
 Spinach salad with bacon, pumpkin seeds, cheddar cheese and sherry vinaigrette. (Half-eaten, photographer was hungry!)
 Steelhead trout with roasted butternut squash hash, apple maple mustard sauce. This was unbelievably delicious. Not one bit of sauce left by the time that I was finished!
 Ok, so I wasn't hungry by the time I finished my salad and steelhead, but I am a real cheese lover. Three amazing Vermont farmstead cheeses, served with apricot mostarda and house-made crackers. Amazing finish to a delightful lunch. Please be sure to include Simon Pearce in your plans while you are here visiting our wonderful part of the country. Vermont is open and ready for you to visit, please join us!
May 17, 2011
 Dinner is served! Pasta, welcome back to our world after many years of the low carb lifestyle. A funny thing happened in Italy. Nearly three weeks of eating pasta and pizza every day. Somehow neither one of us gained much weight at all. It seems that walking all day long, and eating modest portions works like a charm. Good news for David, who has been pasta deprived for more than a decade. Things are looking up for him now that we’re back at home in Woodstock, Vermont!!!!
We’ve had lots of rainy weather for the last few days, not so conducive to spending time in the garden, but great for spending time in the kitchen. So, the other day I decided to make ravioli for dinner, which was an absolute blast. I can’t think of a nicer way to spend time – hanging out with my hubby in the kitchen, a nice glass of wine, and lots of flour.
 I love my Atlas pasta machine I made two batches of pasta dough, one with King Arthur all purpose flour, the other with King Arthur Italian-style flour. The Italian style flour is much lower in protein than all purpose. We learned about this flour at Mamma Agata’s cooking class in Ravello. She insists that it is the secret to nearly everything that she makes – light pizza crusts, gnocchi, pasta, her famous lemon cake, etc. The folks at King Arthur concurred. They assured me that it would produce incredible results for ravioli. I made the dough with the Italian-style flour first. I used three cups of flour, made a well, cracked in three eggs, and proceeded to incorporate the flour with a fork. Let me confess that this is the first time that I’ve made pasta in many years, so I am by no means an expert on the topic. I incorporated too much flour, and ended up with a pretty dry craggy mess. I added a little bit of water, proceeded to knead for about 8 minutes, and eventually ended up with a cohesive ball.
 My free form raviolis. I have a mold, what was I thinking? My second batch went much smoother. I stopped incorporating flour when I had a ball that was not so dry. I kneaded for about 8 minutes, adding flour to my hands when the dough felt a little bit sticky. This dough was far easier to roll and to fill.
I admit that I was a bit disappointed with my (very expensive) Italian-style flour dough. It didn’t roll as nicely, and it had a tendency to tear. But my disappointment ended when we cooked the raviolis – no question, the texture of the Italian-style flour made the most tender ravioli. The all purpose flour is great, but not nearly as melt in your mouth tender as the Italian style. I’m anxious to try making the dough again, making sure not to add too much flour. I have a hunch that better technique on my part will produce better results.
 My friend the ravioli form My filling mixture was inspired by some great local beets and spinach from the Woodstock Farmer’s Market, Maplebrook Farm ricotta cheese, and goat cheese from Vermont Butter and Cheese company.
1 pound of beets (mine happened to be golden)
1/2 pound baby spinach
1 Tablespoon each finely chopped garlic and shallots
1 pound ricotta cheese
4 ounces goat cheese
1 to 2 Tablespoons white truffle oil
Wash the beets, place in a pan just big enough to hold them, drizzle with a little bit of olive oil, cover with foil, and roast in a 400 degree oven for about 45 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Cool beets. Mince finely and add to a mixing bowl.
Sautee the spinach, garlic and shallots in a saute pan with a tablespoon or two of olive oil. No need to cook very long, just until the spinach is wilted. When cool, chop and add to the beets along with the cheeses and truffle oil. (My spinach was not wet, but if yours ends up with liquid in the pan, make sure to squeeze it dry before chopping.) Add salt and pepper, taste, and adjust seasonings if necessary.
If you haven’t already done so, now is a great time to open a bottle of wine. Rolling and filling is going to take some time, so get ready to relax.
I rolled my pasta to the thinnest setting on my pasta roller, and had the prettiest results using the ravioli form shown below. After putting a little bit of filling in each pocket, brush the perimeter with a damp pastry brush. Top with another sheet of pasta, and use a rolling pin to seal and cut the ravioli.
 Dusting the form is a great idea - makes it easy to release the finished raviolis Bring a pot of water to the boil, add a liberal amount of salt. The water should taste salty like the ocean, this will flavor the pasta as it cooks. Cook the ravioli in barely simmering water for about 2 minutes. For the sauce, melt a few tablespoons of butter, add chopped chives. Drain the ravioli, top with the sauce, and add freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Would love to hear back from anybody that tries this recipe. I hope that you have as much fun as I did!
I re-rolled all of my pasta trimmings, and ended up with some lovely fettuccini noodles that are now in my freezer waiting for my next inspiration.
 Waste not, want not. Left over pasta dough & scraps put to good use.
December 8, 2010
There are exceptions to every rule. For me, it’s the Fish Stew Club at Simon Pearce Restaurant in nearby Quechee, Vermont. It began innocently enough. A few years ago I ordered one of the specials at lunch at Simon Pearce Restaurant. It happened to be the Provencal Fish Stew. One bite and I was hooked. It was like a trip to the south of France. Fresh fennel, tomatoes, mussels, an assortment of fish, baby spinach simmered in a white wine and lemon flavored broth, topped with saffron aioli and focaccia croutons.
 Provencal Fish Stew My fish stew delight is heightened by the atmosphere. The restaurant is cantilevered over a waterfall, looking at a covered bridge. The atmosphere is both modern and warm at the same time. The glassware is all made by Simon Pearce artisans – hand blown, made in the USA. The dinnerware is also handcrafted by master artisans. Service is wonderful, friendly and efficient. For me, going to lunch at Simon Pearce is like being on vacation, even if for just a few hours.
Alas, that lunch ended, but my craving for fish stew did not. A few weeks later, I called the restaurant to see when fish stew would be on the menu again. The lovely Deanna, restaurant manager, answered my call. She asked if I wanted to be included in the Fish Stew Club. Too funny, I am not the only one that craves the stuff. Sure, I sign up, and will be notified by e-mail whenever fish stew is on the menu. Perfect!
 The water fall, right outside the window by our table Now don’t worry if you aren’t in the club, and aren’t sure if you want to join, either. As of this fall, the Provencal Fish Stew has become a staple on the lunch menu. Not sure if it will stay that way, but I sure hope that it does so that you can try this wonderful dish anytime.
While you are at Simon Pearce Restaurant, be sure to check out the glass blowing downstairs. It is a delightful activity for folks of all ages. You can also see the turbine that harnesses energy from the massive waterfall. The turbine produces all of the energy needed to power the entire restaurant and glassblowing operation. If you are visiting on the weekends, you can see potters at work. And once you’ve come to appreciate all that goes into creating these beautiful pieces, you can saunter back up to the retail shop and treat yourself to a one of a kind remembrance of your visit to Vermont.
If I sound like a hired hand for Simon Pearce, I’m not. I just have a real love for how well they do things. Our guests always rave about the excellent service at the restaurant. Personally I have a bit of an addiction to their glassware. The tables at our Woodstock Vermont bed and breakfast are topped with Simon Pearce hurricanes and their champagne buckets and glass ice cubes are in our tavern. And yesterday I was lucky enough to have another bowl of my favorite Provencal Fish Stew. Life is good.
October 28, 2010
Feels like forever since I have had a chance to write anything on our blog, we’ve been crazy busy with the fall foliage season.  Alas, leaf peeping is about finished, so David and I seized the opportunity last night to try out Woodstock’s newest restaurant, Melaza Caribbean Bistro. Melaza, a Puerto Rican, Cuban & Dominican Fusion restaurant, is just down the street from The Village Inn of Woodstock, right in the Village of Woodstock, Vermont.
We were greeted so warmly by James Van Kirk, one of the restaurant’s owners. He has this wonderful energy and a great smile. The place is so full of energy, you can’t help but love it from the second that you walk in. It was great to see how busy they were, especially since it was a Wednesday in a pretty quiet time here in Woodstock.
We chose to sit in the bar, which like the restaurant, is decorated in warm tones evocative of the Caribbean.
 Caribbean Tapas Sampler, half eaten already The wine list features nice wines starting at about $20.00 a bottle, a bit of a rarity these days. Hard to go wrong with a bottle of Lunetta Prosecco for $21.00. It was the perfect accompaniment for the Caribbean Tapas Sampler, pictured to the left. Sorry, the pictures in the post are not the greatest – camera battery was really low and I was trying to squeak out a few pictures, no room for do-overs.
James said that we should both order the sampler, that it is one of the best small plates on the menu. Neither of us was disappointed, we both enjoyed the different flavors and textures, and were frankly glad that we didn’t have to share.
For entrees, David had the Beef Short Rib, braised in a flavorful tomato cuban creole
 Braised Beef Short Rib "Costillas de Res" sauce, served with garlic mashed potatoes and braised veggies. This was melt in your mouth great, tons of flavor, seasoned just perfectly.
I ordered the Scallops “Veiras” and was equally happy with my selection. Pan seared scallops, served over risotto, with a curry coconut lime sauce, pineapple chutney, and
 - Very blurry picture of my terrific scallops
tamarind glaze. This is where my camera work is awful, but the presentation of the dish was so beautiful that I can’t help but share the photo. The portion was beautiful, not a whole ton of risotto, scallops really were the star, along with the wonderfully tangy sauce.
All entrees are served with a green salad with a refreshing house vinaigrette. I called today to ask what the flavoring is, James said that it is Pomegranate. Nice touch, I must say.
We are thrilled to have such an exciting restaurant join our already wonderful dining scene here in Woodstock. We look forward to returning, and highly recommend that you give Melaza a try!
March 4, 2010
 Dawn, Adam and goat We are passionate about food. We make most things that we serve for breakfast here at the inn. When we do use things made by others, we seek out the best local producers. We have a new favorite local treat – Fat Toad Farm Caramel. Fat Toad Farm is a Vermont Goat dairy that makes goats’ milk caramel, a sweet treat inspired by the traditional Mexican confection, cajeta. The farm also makes wonderful fresh goat cheese, but we are particularly smitten with the caramel.
The caramel is really wonderful stuff just by itself, on a spoon, right out of the jar. Not exactly elegant presentation, but oh so yummy. We have also found it to be great on oven roasted apples and cranberries. The sweetness of the caramel is tempered by the tang of the cranberries, and the apples and goats’ milk caramel are a nice take on a classic combo.
Fat Toad Farm is on the Vermont Cheese Trail , which is a wonderful association of artisanal and farmstead cheese makers. The cheese makers are kind enough to invite visitors. Many are very small producers, so it is best to call ahead to schedule your visit. We did just that, and with friends Dawn and Adam in tow, we made the trip to Brookfield Vermont. It was a beautiful day for a mostly uneventful drive, excepting the last mile or two, which involved some muddy roads. Once at the farm, two friendly dogs came to greet us, and introduce us to the cats and chickens wandering around.
 Judith Irving and her goats Judith Irving, one of the owners of the farm, introduced us to the girls and gave us a tour of the farm. This is an amazing place. The goats all have names and are very friendly; one of the cats, Hector, nuzzled with the goats; baby pigs snuggled in a pile of hay; chickens roam free amongst the dogs and cats. There are acres of pasture where the goats graze in the summertime.
At the end of our visit, we sampled some of the fresh goat cheese that Judith’s daughter and an apprentice were making. The cheese was flavored with pure maple syrup – what a great combination, and nice way to end our visit. Our minds are at work imaging heavenly cheesecake made of the stuff! In the meantime, we think that you’ll enjoy the caramel if it happens to be on the menu when you are here at the inn!
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