Saturday July 21, 2018
Dear Thomas,
A travel writer visited the inn yesterday.
"Tell me what makes you different," he asked. "In Vermont, everyone says they're farm-to-table."
I woke up early thinking what we're doing is not a trend we decided to jump on. It's a way of life, a commitment that takes serious skills and passion to make everything from scratch, from the butter to the desserts. In today's world, we can buy prepared foods and serve them as if we made them. Insane, right?
We cook with the seasons, teach the lost skills and buy 50 to 90% of produce and proteins from within a 25-mile radius. Do all Vermont "farm-to-table" restaurants do this?
I wondered, do these other chefs grow gardens they start from seeds they've saved, plant them under lights inside (I'm sure I lost you here), baby them until they're safe to move into the garden? Do they have root cellars stuffed with vegetables to carry them through the winter?
Do they know the farmers by name and visit them regularly, break down whole animals so that every part is used, down to the bones?
If all these restaurants are doing this then we Vermonters need to do a better job spreading the news.
If anything we're returning to the way you cooked or your wife cooked, but with all do respect, our food tastes better.
And Thomas, please don't hold this against Chef Michael, but I think its because he began his career in French kitchens.
Until next time, your house's faithful caretaker,
Marilee