Brunch – The New Vintage Kitchen

Light and Lively Grilled Oysters

Once you get them shucked, this is as simple as it gets, and memorable for any gathering! May is the month of my mother’s birth, her death, Mother’s Day, and, of course, here we are in the middle of Memorial Day Weekend, my thoughts turning to all of those who are no longer here: my…

Grilled Shrimp with Ginger, Lime, and Garlic, and Sesame Baby Pak Choi

Quick, delicious, healthful! Our farm stand had some lovely new baby pak choi (bok choy, Chinese cabbage) this week, and I knew I had to build a meal around it. It is extremely nutritious, delicious, and easy to grow, especially in cold climates. A great source of fiber, antioxidants, Vitamins C and K, zinc, and…

Maine Crab Fritters with Potato Chip Crust and Horseradish Sauce

Had you at the potato chip crust, right? These could be a lovely little starter, or a fun addition to a party buffet. Not quite as fussy as a crab cake, easier to cook, but still filled with crab flavor. A cup of good crab is better than gallons of preservatives I’ve used the meat…

Finally, we have asparagus! Now, let’s make some mayonnaise.

They’re here, and what a glorious season it is in the north! That first bite of fresh local asparagus is like a gift from the heavens. There are certain vegetables I only eat when they are in season. I’ve learned disappointment is likely to follow if I’m tempted to buy corn on the cob or…

Meyer Lemon and Herb Hummus with Confit Garlic

So many possibilities! What do you like? Anyone who has been to my kitchen knows there is always a bowl of hummus in my refrigerator. It is often lunch, a snack, sometimes even breakfast or supper. We have it on a salad, offered up with cucumbers or endive leaves, smeared on rye crackers, or dressed…

When Life Hands You Dandelions, Make a Salad, but Let the Experts Make the Wine

Pest or gift, they live in our memories in so many ways! Long before the peas grow and blossom and fruit, when tomato plants are just inches high, and well before even the radishes are ready to slice, the weeds begin to grow in the garden and lawn. If the weeds happen to be dandelions,…

The Potato Pages: How do I love Thee? Can’t possibly count the ways!

Pan Roasted Baby Potatoes with White Wine and Herbs, that’s one! How many ways can one make potatoes? I think probably countless ways, and there seems to always be something new or different to add to this simple staple. I’m always ready for one more. Anyone who knows me, knows that potatoes are in the…

A Spring Salad of Three Peas and Some Pods

Peas are the star of this delightful spring salad, but the Meyer Lemon and Ginger Vinaigrette is one you’ll surely use again! A large salad can really set the tone for a holiday meal, especially if it is one that is a little different and makes its own statement of the season. Spring salads can…

Celebrating Spring with a Flower Show and Salmon Glazed with Sambuca Maple Syrup

It’s Vermont’s first crop of the year! Once you spy steam escaping from your neighbor’s sugarhouse, you know spring is truly here, even if it is snowing. The temperatures have been above freezing during the day (barely) and below freezing at night, and that means the sap is running in Vermont, the nation’s…

So, where was this Toll House and why did they make chocolate chip cookies?

We’ve all made them, possibly your first cookie adventure. But how did they become such a part of our baking landscape? When I was a kid, I loved baking chocolate chip cookies; you know, the recipe we all made. My kids followed in this love, and my grandkids do now. During the baking frenzy of…

Because sometimes we all need to be coddled.

Coddled eggs may have gone out of fashion, but they are always a delight. One of the last gifts my mom gave me was a set of egg coddler cups from Williams Sanoma. They were beautiful little treasures in Delft white with blue, which she knew I loved, with shiny stainless-steel tops. She thought my…

Goat Cheese Marinated with Herbes de Provençe

Keep a jar in the refrigerator, and you’ve got a quick appetizer! One of those happy accidents. I had prepared a plate of sliced goat cheese for a gathering and I sprinkled it with herbs and crushed red peppers, drizzled it with olive oil, and had a bit left over at the end of the…

Let’s Play! Steamed Mussels with Leeks and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

There’s probably a hundred ways to make mussels in white wine, so why not 101 and use some sun-dried tomatoes! Mussels are pretty popular in my house. Whether serving as a starter, a component on a buffet, or a quick and humble main dish for supper, these lovely little bivalves are always welcome, and always…

Radish & Sesame Winter Salad

There’s sesame in three ways in this lovely salad! After the holidays are over, all I want to eat is salads and light meals. My body has long since told me to behave, and I certainly listen as I turn the page on the calendar. While we try to keep things fairly healthy even during…

My favorite leftovers!

We try hard to reduce waste in the kitchen, and planning for use of “leftovers” goes a long way to help! It can be a challenge to repurpose those leftovers hiding in the refrigerator. One can toss the remnants of yesterday’s casserole in soups, vegetables and grains in frittatas and omelets, and lots of leftovers…

Warmed Mixed Olives and Artichokes

Simple, but quite addictive! I often make an olive and artichoke tapenade at gatherings. It is always well received, and any leftovers keep for quite some time. You can also make it well ahead of time because it keeps well in the refrigerator. Let’s try something new However, this year, I decided to switch things…

Feast of Seven Fishes – Stew!

You can honor the idea of the Feast of Seven Fishes in a one-dish meal that takes a fraction of the time, but delights with great flavor! Time is short, and I’m sending you a rerun of a previous post. Happiest of Holidays to you all! Dorothy I prepared the full Feast of the Seven…

Sherried Mushrooms on Sourdough Toasts

A simple recipe that is perfect for a snowy day! Growing up in rural New England, I was fortunate to be surrounded by forests. I was also lucky to have an uncle who was an avid forager for all things wild and wonderful in our woods. Fresh food and antique glass He lived just up…

Aunt Jeanette’s Luscious Lemon Tart

This tart is all about the lemon, so don’t be shy! Anyone who knows me, knows I love lemons! To me, my idea of lemonade is freshy squeezed lemon juice and water, that’s it! I was delighted when I realized that all three of my grandchildren loved to suck on raw lemons since they were…

How to make an egg-white omelet that won’t send them sneaking off to the local diner…

We’ve all seen them, a pale white floppy omelet with little appeal and no flavor. But it is easy to remake a classic omelet that is satisfying and still heart healthy. Since my husband’s heart attack last year, we’ve been cautious about saturated fat and cholesterol in our diet. Cautious is probably not the right…

Jan’s Parsley and Cheese Bread

This was one of my sister’s favorite bread recipes. Dear friends, I have been absent here for a while. Sadly, I lost my beloved sister Jan on the morning of Halloween after a brief and unexpected one-month battle with lung cancer. It still doesn’t seem possible she won’t walk through my door, and my heart…

Chilled Strawberry and Red Wine Soup

This is vibrant, simple, delicious, and make ahead. Who could ask for more from the last of the Autumn strawberries? My friend Ray gave me this recipe many years ago, and it always makes an appearance in our house along with the local strawberries. We often served this soup at high summer for a brunch…

Sweet & Sour Autumn Slaw

Who doesn’t love a nice crunchy slaw? This one is packed with flavor that only gets better with time. Sometimes I find the weirdest things at the farmers market. This week, my eyes spied a cone-shaped cabbage. Yes. Connie Conehead would have snapped it up in a minute. I already had a head of radicchio…

One last zucchini recipe for the season, no apologies…

We’ve enjoyed them every which way we can, and still they grow with glee. This recipe is just for fun. Ever since my own children were little, we made zucchini boats at this time of year. They enjoyed making them as much as eating them, and we’d stuff all kinds of extras in the little…

Orzo and Radicchio Salad Cups with Honey Lime Dressing

Summertime, and the living is easy, at least a little longer. We love a chilled salad, something packed with flavor that we can enjoy over a few meals without any additional cooking. Pasta salads are always at the top of the list, whether a humble macaroni salad, or colorful pasta primavera. They feed a lot,…