Say "Cheesecake" for Mother's Day

Local Food: Have you wondered what makes a cheesecake so special? It has to be the combinations of silkiness and crunch, sweet and tart. Steven combines the best mascarpone from VT Butter and Cheese with Champlain Valley Creamery cream cheese for a superior texture that puts the essence of cheese upfront. For a crust with crunch, he turns to maple and vanilla cookies from Vermont Cookie Buttons. To give the rich cheeses a lighter air, the tartness of the mixed berries accentuates the crisp chill - retained at your table by serving the cheese cake in individual glass jars.

Around the Galaxy: Luke O'Brien from NorthWoods Stewardship Center will be at The Galaxy on Saturday, May 15 at 4:00 to talk about the Center's new publication, Northeast Kingdom Mountain Trail Guide. After short talk, he will lead a walk on the Hardwick Trails.

Music Notes: Town-Wide Yard-Sale returns this Thursday. Their "thrash new timey folk" begins at 7:30.

Local Events: In collaboration with the Jeudevine Library, the Jeudevine Music School will present an evening of exploration into Haitian culture at the Hardwick Townhouse on May 7 from 6:30-9:00. For an $8 suggested donation, there will be films, Haitian educator Godfroy Boursiquot ("Gody") and a silent auction. For more information, contact Emily Lanxner at 472-5913.

Mother's Day is this Sunday. Join us for Blunch from 11-2 or dinner from 5-8. Reservations are encouraged and appreciated. Make a Blunch reservation and be entered to win a $25 gift certificate for your mom.

Trout

Local Food: The quiet pleasures of fishing season are here, but that doesn't mean you have to depend on your own catch to enjoy Vermont trout. We're thrilled to have sustainably raised Brown Trout from Mountain Foot Farm in Wheelock for our menu. Besides, we're sure you'd prefer to see Steven prepping in the kitchen - or even tending his herb garden - rather than enjoying a bit of shade in his waders downstream from your favorite spot. Steven treats the trout with care, serving each fish whole, head to tail, with bacon roasted potatoes and parsnips, spinach and his own house cured pancetta. He brings in a bunch of sorrel from his garden every day to add a lemony tang to the brown butter.

Around the Galaxy: On Thursday at 7 pm, Myra Lewin will talk about her book, Freedom in Your Relationship with Food. She explores common beliefs about food, their effect on daily life, and how to make lasting changes to feel better. Myra will be headlining the Burlington Yoga Conference, and we thank Sophia Light Smith for bringing Myra to Hardwick. Read more about Myra Lewin, her book and events here.

Music Notes: The Rustbucket Brothers return this Thursday, April 29 at 7:30 with their "rootsy Americana rock and country."

Local Events: Don't miss Vermont Vaudeville in 3-D on Saturday, May 1st at the Hardwick Townhouse. The fun starts at 8:00 and admission is by a $10 suggested donation.

Since Lost Nation Theater is almost Local, and our friend and Wolcott playwright David Budbill certainly is a local treasure, we'd like to remind you about the premier of his new play, A Song for My Father, in Montpelier.

Sunday Blunch

Tarte of ramps, spring garlic, spinach and Ploughgate's Hartwell cheese with mesclun and sprout salad.

Pickled Eggs

Pickled eggs are coming soon.

Windhorse Farm

Rob MacLeod from Windhorse Farm in East Hardwick delivering eggs

Pancetta

Steven's house-cured pancetta made from Winding Brook Farm pork belly.

Pancakes

Local Food: Midday Sunday is Blunch! From 11-2, come in to satisfy your savory to sweet cravings. Our menu includes spiced cornmeal and rye pancakes with blueberries. Harvested at their summer peak, we keep blueberries as a sweet gem that rounds out the lushness of the pancakes, prepared with grains from Butterworks Farm. Topped with whipped cream and a mixed berry compote, the pancakes come with a side of dark maple syrup from Calendonia Farm. A great treat for Sundays this spring. If you prefer the savory, you can enjoy a Bloody Mary with your Blunch. Coffee drinks are also available and reservations are welcomed.

Around the Galaxy: Prepare your best original poetry or prose for a special open reading at The Galaxy on Tuesday night at 7. Writers of all styles and ages are welcome to join us for this special event that always brings out surprising and interesting talent from our neighborhood. Call 472-5533 or read here for more information.

Music Notes: Blue Fox returns this Thursday April 22 at 7:30. If you haven't been to a performance, you'll enjoy vocals that Seven Days calls "deep-lazy-growly-sexy, and his guitar playing is ultra-strength."

Local Events: Agape Hill Farm is hosting a Heart of Vermont Fiber Workshop on Saturday, April 24 from 9-11. Bring your own materials or try something new with materials provided. For more information, call Nancy Kish at 472-3711 or email enkagape@aol.com

And we're open at 2:30 daily (except Wednesday) for bar and coffee service as well as baked goods until dinner begins. Come by to read, hold a meeting, view our rotating art exhibits, or plug into our free wifi.

Charlie from Patchwork delivering bread

Steven ramping it up

Gratin

Local Food: With the hens laying like crazy this spring, the glorious egg takes its place as a featured component on our menu. Steven uses the golden and white delight to good effect on a baked vegetarian gratin, contributing a rich custard to bring together layers of thinly sliced celery root, onions, carrots, sunchokes, turnips and ramps. With Shelburne aged cheddar cheese melted over the top to form a crunchy golden crust, this is a perfect blend of a crisp topping on the outside and a creamy inside. A pan sauce of ramp butter and white wine offers just the right hint of acidity to balance the end-of-winter sweet root vegetables and to round out the creaminess of the gratin.

Around the Galaxy: Alice Waters' new book, In the Green Kitchen: Techniques to Learn by Heart is just in. We also have a great harvest of gardening books to help you dig into this early spring.

Music Notes: We are thrilled to have the young singer-songwriter Rory Sullivan join us this Thursday at 7:30, and we encourage you to come in to appreciate his soulful lyrics and powerful voice.

Local Events: Celebrate Spring on Saturday, April 17 at 7:00 with the Spring Thaw Cabaret at The Hardwick Town House. For more information, visit the Northeast Kingdom Arts Council or contact Irene Nagle at 472-8529.

Mother's Day is just around the corner. Sunday Blunch is a great way to celebrate mom. Make a reservation on May 9th for blunch between 11-2, or dinner from 5-8.

Ramp it up

Local Food: The delicate wild leeks we know as ramps provide an early sign of spring, and we anticipate a little foraging this week will have them sprouting on the menu soon. A subtle green like a combination of onions and garlic, Steven uses them in the crab cake, for a unique pesto, and in our house-made pasta.

Around the Galaxy: We welcome Craftsbury poet Peggy Sapphire at the Galaxy on Tuesday evening at 7. Peggy will read from her latest book of poems, In the End a Circle. On Saturday, join us at Claire's at 3:30 for a discussion of The Town That Food Saved. Call Linda at 472-5533 with any questions. Both events are free and open to all.

Music Notes: Following their energetic New Year's Eve performance, Rachael Rice and the Cosmic Americans return Thursday, April 8th at 7:30. Break out your dancin' shoes and come on over.

Local Events: Jeudevine Memorial Library will sponsor an open mic and storytelling celebration on April 9th from 7-9. Celebrate National Poetry Month and kick off National Library Week by sharing your story. Call the library at 472-5948 for more information.