The Great Pumpkin

Local Food: Though we still await the Great Pumpkin's rise out of the patch, Hardwick pumpkins are popping up all over, including our menu. These symbols of Halloween come to us from Sam Kish at Agape Hill Farm, who has been growing pumpkins on his family's land since he was eight years old.  Steven roasts the pumpkin until the flesh is sweet and soft, and the skin a shiny shell. Wheatberries and groats (the whole oat) from Butterworks Farm fill the roasted pumpkins, adding a crunchy texture to every scoop of sweet and tender.  Leeks from Hatchbrook Garden perfectly pair up with the pumpkin, given their mild onion flavor. Steven cooks the leeks down to a buttery, melty texture, which, mixed with a cream reduction, creates a fondue-like sauce. Roasted cauliflower from Pete adds another slightly nutty and creamy element to this cozy autumn dish. Look for pumpkin popping up at the bar too. Try it with a taste of the new Dunc's Mill Backwoods Reserve Rum.

At the Bar: Remember our Sunday and Monday drink specials. Sunday, September 30th we offer a $2.50 pint of Fiddlehead IPA, a $4 glass of Boyden Valley Seyval Blanc or Big Barn Red. The Whiskey Apple Fizz, with whiskey, Champlain Orchards apple cider and ginger beer, is offered for $5.  Monday enjoy a pint of Switchback with Grilled Cheese for $8.50.

Around the Galaxy: Constance Hale visits Galaxy on October 9th to introduce her new book, Vex, Hex, Smash, Smooch: Let Verbs Power Your Writing. Synthesizing the pedagogical and the popular, the scholarly and the scandalous, Hale combines the wit of Bill Bryson with the practical wisdom of William Zinsser. She marches through linguistic history to paint a layered picture of our language - from before it really existed to the quirky usages we see online today. On October 10th, Constance Hale and Zoe Fitzgerald Carter will lead a workshop in Greensboro called First Person Plural: Crafting Stories from our Lives. Look here for more information.

Music Notes: Last October join us Thursday, September 27th at 7:30.  A truly unique listening experience, this acoustic singer/songwriter duo create a musical journey that will deeply tug at your heartstrings.  Honing their crafts from different sides of the country, Erica Stroem and James Kinne came together through their sheer love and respect for music.  With powerful harmonies, rich song writing, and passionate storytelling, Last October has found a distinctive way to interpret their rapidly evolving style.

Local Events: Pete's Greens Harvest Celebration is this Saturday, September 29th. Pete and others will give farm tours throughout the afternoon, with plenty of food and snacks.  Evening brings a farm to table dinner and a special benefit concert with Anais Mitchell!  Dinner begins at 5:00, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Vermont Farm Fund. The concert begins at 7:30, and a portion of the ticket proceeds benefit the Vermont Local Food & Farms Fund, an extension of the Vermont Community Foundation. Tickets are available to purchase at The Galaxy Bookshop.

The annual Share the Harvest fundraiser will be held Thursday, October 4th to benefit NOFA-VT's Farm Share Program. The program helps limited-income Vermonters afford CSA shares from their local farms. On October 4th, restaurants, co-ops and food stores will participate in Share the Harvest by donating a portion of the day's sales to the program. Both Claire's and Buffalo Mountain Co-op in Hardwick will participate.

Reminders: We are open seven days a week in September!

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. We appreciate it when you use cash or a check - credit card companies charge us a fee that really adds up. Thanks to many of you we have been able to significantly reduce those fees.

Click on the image above to get a closer look!

Muscles From Brussels?

Local Food: If it's Tuesday, this must be Belgium?  Maybe not, as many think Brussels sprouts originated in Roman Italy.  No matter (and despite two movie references in our post so far!).  Modern Brussels sprouts were first cultivated in large quantities near the French-speaking Belgian capital. The sprouts actually resemble a mini cabbage head.  Tender, sweet, and just a bit nutty, Brussels sprouts from Mystic Morning Farm and Provender Farm have all the heft of that other famous Belgian.  Steven roasts them until brown, crispy and flavorful, sprinkles them with salt from Maine Sea Salt and serves them as a rustic starter.  The versatile Brussels sprouts can also be found in Steven's famous beer battered veggies, best dipped in grilled tomato aioli.  Shaved Brussels sprouts delicately enhance the crispy pork belly.  And pickled Brussels sprouts adorn our Bloody Mary and Dirty Martini at the bar.

At the Bar: Remember our Sunday and Monday drink specials. Sunday, September 23rd we offer a $2.50 pint of Fiddlehead IPA, a $4 glass of Boyden Valley Seyval Blanc or Big Barn Red. The Tossed Salad, with cucumber infused vodka, tomato shrub and basil salted rim, is offered for $5.  Monday enjoy a pint of Switchback with Grilled Cheese for $8.50.

Around the Galaxy:  Galaxy welcomes David Budbill on Tuesday, September 18th for a dramatic reading of Park Songs: A Poem/Play. David will be joined by guest performer and Galaxy bookseller Edgar Davis. David and Edgar last appeared together on the occasion of Galaxy's move to Main Street 9 months ago! Come at 7PM on September 18th to welcome them back to the Galaxy stage. Come early to check out these new cookbooks: Burma: Rivers of Flavor and Primal Cuts.

Music Notes: Hair of the Dog returns Thursday, September 20 at 7:30. Check out their variety of tunes- classic rock, alternative and country- a little something for everyone! They will donate their tips from the evening to the Hardwick Trails Cabin Project Fund, so you can support a great cause while having a great time!

Local Events: After a summer of traveling the world, Vermont Vaudeville is back at the Hardwick Town House with an all-star lineup of local and international performers! The shows are Friday, September 21 and Saturday, September 22 at 8pm.  Advance tickets are available at Galaxy Bookshop.  Suggested donation is $10 for adults, $5 for children.

Reminders: We are open seven days a week in September!

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. We appreciate it when you use cash or a check - credit card companies charge us a fee that really adds up. Thanks to many of you we have been able to significantly reduce those fees.

Click on the image above to get a closer look!

A Bite of Italy

Local Food: Take a trip to Milan with a Vermont variation of the classic Osso Buco -- Italian for "bone with a hole" and named for the marrow hollow at the center of the shank or shin typically used in the dish.  Inspired as well by the use of oxtail for American versions of Osso Buco, Steven improvises a tantalizing appetizer. He rubs a small portion of well-marbled lamb from the tip of the vertebrae, where the bone is narrowest, with warm spices including cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. The tender Bonnieview Farm lamb is then braised in Shelburne Vineyard red wine, with sautéed carmen peppers from Pete's, sweet red onions from Provender Farm, tomatoes from Riverside Farm and garlic from Sandiwood Farm, finished with a bit of Vermont Creamery butter.  Steven serves the Osso Buco with its traditional accompaniment, gremolata, made with lemon verbena from Mystic Morning Farm and sage, savory and mint from Steven's garden.  Spaghetti squash from Hazendale Farm is roasted and provides just the right complement to the richness of this small plate.  A great way to warm up as cooler evenings approach, as a starter or as a light supper before dessert, it is especially good when accompanied by a glass of Cantine Barbera's Nero D'Avola from Sicily.

At the Bar: Remember our Sunday and Monday drink specials. Sunday, September 16th we offer a $2.50 pint of Trapp Golden Helles, a $4 glass of Boyden Valley Seyval Blanc or Big Barn Red. The Bemis Block, with Barr Hill Gin, Urban Moonshine Bitters and St. Germain, is offered for $5.  Monday enjoy a pint of Switchback with Grilled Cheese for $8.50.

Around the Galaxy: Elvis is coming! Galaxy is excited to welcome Elvis Munis as a part of his round the world bicycle trip to raise money for the Tanzania Conservation Resource Centre. So far he has logged 9000 kilometers, and he will talk about his trip and his goals at 7PM on Thursday, September 13th. Read more here. Elvis will also be at Provender Farm the night before, September 12th at 6PM. The following week, Galaxy welcomes David Budbill in celebration of his new book Park Songs. The book is available at Galaxy now, and David will be at Galaxy on Tuesday, September 18th at 7PM. Bookseller and actor Edgar Davis will join David for a dramatic reading.

Music Notes: Dale Cavanaugh, will play an evening of John Prine music on Thursday, September 13 at 7:30.  He is currently promoting a "mini" benefit tour called "Wash Out Irene Tour," donating ALL of his tips and donations to the Vermont Disaster Relief Fund.  Enjoy an evening of songs by a treasured songwriter while helping out fellow Vermonters.

Local Events: Tammy Fletcher Trio helps launch the Jeudevine Library Building Campaign this Saturday, September 15th at 8pm at the Hardwick Town House.  Tammy, aka The Mountain Girl, and her trio will bring Tammy's rich sound to launch the campaign to build an addition on the library.  Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for kids six and older.  Call the library at 472-5948 for more information.

Reminders: We are open seven days a week in September!

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. We appreciate it when you use cash or a check - credit card companies charge us a fee that really adds up. Thanks to many of you we have been able to significantly reduce those fees.

Click on the image above to get a closer look!

Tempting Melons

Local Food:  A cantaloupe is a confusing thing.  First, American cantaloupe is not the same fruit brought from Armenia and cultivated in a town near Rome called Cantalupo centuries ago. We enjoy the muskmelon, which might be a less exotic sounding variety but has just as deep a history and flavor.  Second, the sweet meat of this fruit is balanced just right to be the perfect pairing for savory or sweet flavors.  When so-called cantaloupe arrived from Pete's, Steven found an unlikely but tempting mate for the fruit in salty feta from Bonnieview Farm. The flavor combination is complemented with scallions from Hatchbrook Farm, adding a nice bite, along with crunchy radishes.  Steven roasts nutty edamame, also called soy beans, from Mystic Morning Farm, and tosses the salad with a mint vinaigrette and a touch of lime juice to finish.

At the Bar: Remember our Sunday and Monday drink specials. Sunday, September 9th we offer a $2.50 pint of Rock Art , a $4 glass of Boyden Valley Seyval Blanc or Big Barn Red. Our Mojito, with Dunc's Mill Elderflower Rum, is offered for $5.

Around the Galaxy: Lindsey Scott, pictured in last week's blog delivering blackberries to Claire's, has also delivered a new event to Galaxy. On September 13th, her Tanzanian friend Elvis Munis will talk about his round the world bicycle trip and his mission to raise money for the Tanzania Conservation Resource Centre. So far Elvis has logged 9000 kilometers, and he will talk about his trip and his goals at 7PM on the 13th. Read more here and plan to come to Galaxy to welcome Elvis to Hardwick. The following week, Galaxy welcomes David Budbill in celebration of his new book Park Songs. The book is available at Galaxy now, and David will be at Galaxy on Tuesday, September 18th at 7PM.

Music Notes: Poor Howard joins us this Thursday, September 6 at 7:30.  Check out his acoustic delta blues on six and 12-string guitar, punctuated with an endless supply of anecdotes, puns and shaggy dog stories.

Local Events: First Friday in Hardwick is coming up Friday, September 7 from 5-10. Celebrate Hardwick, have a good time with family, friends and neighbors, enjoy live music, sales, snacks, and extended hours. We'll be serving Vermont beer, wine, and cocktail specials from 2:30.

Reminders: We are now open seven days a week in summer!

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. We appreciate it when you use cash or a check - credit card companies charge us a fee that really adds up. Thanks to many of you we have been able to significantly reduce those fees.

Click on the image above to get a closer look!