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If you see fudge sauce or marshmallows on the dessert menu, you can bet they’re made from-scratch. No food dyes, corn syrup or hydrogenated oils. Fruit is used when it’s in season and bulk ingredients are organic. No, the sugar’s not local and neither is the chocolate; these are fundamental building blocks of dessert as we know it. I can’t figure a way around that one, but considering everything else we do I’m comfortable with the compromise. 
Make food simple, make the methods transparent. People will be amazed. They’ll try it at home. They’ll come back for more. Cooking is not for everybody. Eating, on the other hand, is and that’s good enough for us. 
My job description now looks a lot like Western Maryland’s local food scene at a glance; I’ve pieced together full-time work by reaching out to surrounding small towns. Between the farm, the hotel, the restaurant, and the creamery, it involves a lot of driving, plenty of good people, and a whole lot of good food. 
Spring on the farm turns Kate poetic! 
It’s worthwhile examining our dependence on canned goods during a season when the lack of sunshine coincides with a shortage of fresh produce at the market. The days are shorter and colder, and popping open a can of soup is just too easy when you need a quick, hot meal. But the difference between fresh and canned extends far beyond the method of preparation. 
One year ago I was working three jobs. I pulled espresso at a coffee shop and shelved armloads of romance novels at a bookstore. At my favorite job, I’d whip up elaborate breakfasts for sleepy-eyed travelers at a local B&B. We ate well and life was good. 
I am by no means an expert on sprouting. There are whole webpages dedicated to the task, online forums full of people sharing the outcomes of their home-kitchen experiments – from novice sprouters like me to expert enthusiasts. I was thrilled to find that the sprout community is just as active as that of the bread bakers and cheese makers. More proof that people are taking an active role in their food – and with sprouts, it’s literally seed-to-plate. 
From the snowy woods of Vermont, Kate offers maple-glazed nuts; now you can make them too! 
At this time of year in Vermont the animals are devoting what energy they have to staying warm. When the hens do lay eggs, they’re often frozen before we get to them. Some chickens have even developed frost-bite, so we stopped opening the doors for them in the mornings – they’re literally cooped up. 
Kate and Ian are WWOOFing in the North East; their advice for others wanting to try it: “It’s likely you’ll also come out of it with a couple of good stories, some delicious recipes, a few great friends, and at least one place you’ll always remember.” |
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