Bacon, Lettuce, and Burrata

Local Food: Maplebrook Farm in Bennington introduces locally produced burrata cheese, a kind of stuffed mozzarella that has the softest, most buttery center of fresh cream. Steven carefully places this Italian-style delicacy between layers of baked Empire apples from Champlain Orchards, with crispy bacon from Pete's Greens in the middle. It is served with a salad of greens from Old Barn Farm and drizzled with a cranberry gastrique with a hint of vinegar to add a touch of tartness. Buttered Troika three seed croutons from Bohemian Bread accompany the baked apple and add a bit of crunch. A pesto of rosemary, sage and oregano finishes off the dish with an earthy, herby flavor to complement the creamy burrata. Think of it as somewhere between a traditional mozzarella salad, an Italian bread salad, and a good old grilled cheese.

Around the Galaxy: March means the arrival of gardening books at Galaxy. It's a great time to pick up a copy of The Vegetable Gardener's Bible by Ed Smith of Cabot, a bestseller with over 400,000 copies in print. Or pick up his brand new book, The Vegetable Gardener's Container Bible. Both books are packed with full-color photographs and illustrations to inspire your plans.

Music Notes: Be sure to check out Cinder Conk on Thursday, March 3 at 7:30. This Balkan music whirlwind provides dance tunes aplenty to the delight of enthusiasts and first-timers alike. With frenzied accordion riffs, sometimes adding violin, and warm double bass counterpoint with a classic bardic lyricism, Cinder Conk is inviting and transcendent.

Go Green for Pete's Greens: On St. Patrick's Day, Claire's hosts an open mic celebration to benefit Pete's Farm Fund, to rebuild the barn and help Pete and his crew. Celebrate the day by wearing your finest greens, bring some extra greens in your wallet, and show off your talent in support of Pete's. Pete recently announced that in 2-3 years, when his farm is back on stable financial ground, he will repay the money raised to support Pete's Greens to a special fund to support Vermont agriculture and farms in crisis. We're excited to be part of this effort and hope you will join us on March 17th. Email newvermontcooking@yahoo.com if you are interested in performing. If you want to make a more immediate financial donation to Pete's Greens, stop by Claire's and drop it in our donation bucket or go directly to the farm website.

Local Events: Sterling College in Craftsbury is hosting a Northeast Kingdom Food Systems Strategic Planning Summit on Tuesday, March 8 from 5:30-8:30. Learn about the key findings from the Center for an Agricultural Economy and the Northeastern Vermont Development Association in developing a food systems strategic plan. For more information, contact Erica Campbell at 802-272-0886 or erica@hardwickagriculture.org.

Mark your calendars for the Craftsbury Outdoor Center Marathon Tour on Saturday, March 5th. The ski tour starts between 9 and 10 and goes from the Highland Lodge to the Outdoor Center. The tour is untimed and will feature food stops along the way, including one with Steven's butternut squash and apple soup with wheatberries to warm you up.

Reminders: We are open daily after 2:30 for coffee, bar service, and baked goods, and free WiFi, with dinner reservations available from 5-9, Sundays from 5-8. We serve our special Blunch menu Sundays from 11-2. Claire's is closed every Wednesday. We appreciate it when you use cash or a check- credit card companies charge us a fee that really adds up.

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