Category Archives: Slow Food

Slow Food, Vermont Food Blogs

Breakfast at the Inn

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Our clothing optional inn in Vermont has been serving beautiful breakfasts since we opened our doors in 2004.One might think that we would run out of creative ways to make breakfast more interesting or special. Our new chef has been surprising us every weekend with new muffins, coffeecake & egg dish recipes. This weekend was no exception.

quiche with brown rice crust
cajun quiche with brown rice crust
Ricotta Coffecake
Ricotta Coffeecake
fresh fruit salad
fresh fruit salad

Our guests came into the dining room to find a gorgeous fresh fruit salad, a quiche made with a brown rice crust, sauteed peppers & onions and andouille sausage & Vermont cheddar cheese. A coffeecake made with ricotta cheese created a moist buttery crumb and the addition of freshly grated nutmeg provided a fresh spice flavor. It was topped with a sugary nut crust  with no butter. It was light moist & yummy. The best part, it can be prepared the night before & baked in the morning. It just might become a favorite!

Ricotta Overnight Coffeecake

2 cups flour

1tsp. baking powder & baking soda

1 tsp. grated nutmeg

1 1/2 cups softened butter

3/4 cups white sugar

2 eggs

1 cup ricotta cheese

Topping

1/2 cup brown sugar & 1/2 cup walnuts

1 Tbs. cinnamon & 1 tsp.freshly grated nutmeg

Grease 13 X 9 cake pan. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder & soda & nutmeg. Set aside.

Beat butter & sugar until fluffy. Add eggs & ricotta.

Then stir in the flour mixture.Scrape the sides of bowl & then stir again.

The batter will be thick. Spread into the greased pan.

Whirl the topping ingredients in a processor  but only long enough to chop the walnuts.

Sprinkle atop the batter, cover & let sit overnight in the refrigerator, uncovered.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 40 minutes. Serve warm.

 

 

 

Slow Food, Vermont Food Blogs

Vermont strawberries & asparagus

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asparagus & strawberries
fresh from the garden asparagus & strawberries

We are approaching mid June & I am still getting beautiful asparagus from our garden. We never tire of it no matter what meal it makes it way into. We often steam it once we have cut it into 2 inch pieces then it is ready for a quick saute with shallots. Then we scramble up some eggs & mix the asparagus in with a generous shaving of good Parmesan cheese. Simple , healthy breakfast food.

Another favorite way to enjoy it is simply grilled. I toss it with olive oil , salt & freshly ground pepper & then place it on the grill med heat for just a few minutes. The trick is to not loose any between the grates.Once they are grilled to your liking, dip them in a homemade aoli sauce. Mine usually has a good quality mayo, a tsp. of dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt & pepper & at least a Tbs. of minced garlic.Yummy.

The strawberry patch is just starting to redden. A small handful was gathered to tempt my husband to the breakfast table, where we enjoyed them bare, & savored their sweetness freshly picked moments ago. If you are a foodie or gardener, the season keeps getting more exciting.

Slow Food, Vermont Food Blogs

Memorial day weekend

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Our summer at Abbott’s Glen Inn in Vermont, starts on Memorial day weekend. Friday afternoon is a bustle of activity getting ready for 3 days of entertaining our guests.Weather always plays a big part in how we enjoy the weekend. It is a challenge to select a menu that fits the forecast.

We try to dine outside as much as possible, but it was a wee bit chilly for the patio so we opted for the warmth of the Inn dining room to enjoy grilled Italian sausages, roasted Vadallia onion marmalade, focaccia rolls with a homemade herb garlic butter & warm tortellini topped with an uncooked tomato basil caper sauce & pearl mozzarella.the sweet finish to the meal was a premium gelato & homemade butterscotch biscotti.

 

Slow Food, Vermont Food Blogs

Italian sausage & kale, white bean stew

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Friday night dinners in our Inn’s restaurant tend to be more casual than Saturday evening meals. With guests arriving in Vermont tired from a day of work & their drive up from Massachusetts, Connecticut or NY, they want something uncomplicated. During the summer season it is easy to pop something on the grill and in winter, we often have a pasta dish or homemade potpies. Since our spring here has been unseasonably chilly, I opted for a Kale Stew for my Friday guests. Italian sausages, kale & white beans simmered in a chicken stock come together for a satisfying easy meal. I served it up with ciabatta bread & a green salad served with a homemade Caesar dressing.naked-gardeners-abbotts-glen - Copy

Italian Sausage , Kale & White Bean Stew
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium vadallia onion, chopped
3/4 lb hot Italian sausage, casings removed
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2- 15 oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed & drained
4 cups chopped kale
1/2 Tsp. oregano
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1/4 cup Parmesan Reggiano cheese, grated

1.) Heat oil in a 6 qt. dutch oven on medium heat. Add onion & cook stirring until tender 5 – 6 minutes.
2.) Add sausage meat until brown. Break up sausages into bite size pieces as it cooks.
3.) Add garlic & kale and cook down until kale is wilted. Add oregano.
4.) Add chicken broth & cook for 15 minutes. Add beans. Cook another 15 minutes until kale is tender.
5.) Season with salt & pepper. Add red wine vinegar.
6.) Transfer into individual bowls & top with the parm.

~Serves 5~

Slow Food, Vermont Food Blogs

It’s spring on the calendar

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Spring arrived on Saturday morning around 6:45. I kept looking for signs, but there were none. Another cold day  (26 was the high temp,) the piles of brown snow made it feel more like mid-February. Vases of colorful tulips, purchased while grocery shopping, would be my only reminder of spring this weekend.Spring tulips in Abbott's Glen's Dining RoomWe celebrated it anyway with a Spring-inspired dinner!

spring salad
Beautiful Spring Salad

Baby greens topped with avocado, red onions, fresh slices of navel oranges & kalamata olives, topped with maple vinaigrette. Roasted salmon with a lemon & herb panko crust and a quick saute of snow peas, asparagus & chopped shallots.

 

Pineapple Upside-down cake
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Dessert was a variation of a pineapple upside-down cake. The cake batter was enhanced with molasses & cinnamon and a touch of maple extract. Rather than using pineapple rounds, I finely chopped fresh pineapple so you got a mouthful of pineapple in every bite. We topped it off with a nice scoop of vanilla gelato.

Then it was over to Club Sugar Shack for a little dancing. Our theme was the 60’s. Peace, love & happiness was the mindset for hours of nostalgic music, hopefully our hippie dances to the sun-gods will make the warm weather arrive soon!