miahoyhoy

How far are you willing to travel once in Grafton?

With a new post asking about the area I thought I'd check in to see how your trip went? Did you make it up my way?

It's a bit too early here in VT. Midish May is when I start seeing them if I recall. Every Year I decide to start a detailed journal of the seasons and every year I don't. Who knows, maybe this year will be different? Maybe.

Chantecleer... Serious "fine dining" style service, good food. Kind of old world style imo. Only place I'll order the sweetbreads at. Reluctant Panther... Burned down this fall. face inconsistancy problems the last few years. The Perfect Wife... Like the bar. Food's pretty good when the owner/chef is in. Bistro Henry's... Popular place. I've never been but heard fairly good things. Grafitti's... Great food with some service issues, when everything is right it's very nice. Emma's at the Silas Griffith Inn... Bank took the inn and restaurant. Chef ( that's me) has opened his own place in Danby called Gatewood's. Here's a link to a review from last September...http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll...1029/FEATURES03 For lunch I've heard really good things about depot 62 or 69 in Manchester.

OOPS... Should have put it here... http://www.vtliving.com/michaelsonthehill/index.shtml

Found this one... http://www.vtliving.com/michaelsonthehill/index.shtml

I'd love to help but, unfortunately, I'm a bit further South than that. Hope someone comes around. Have you tried a search of these forums?

Red hot dogs eh? Are they like those pickled spicy ones?

In Rutland Tokyo House has the best sushi I've had in New England. Hemingways has a great rep too. 20 minutes south of Rutland is Emma's at The Silas Griffith Inn. Ya, it's my place. Hope one of y'all will visit sometime so I don't have to toot my own horn.

Hemingway's is good. and you are 45 minutes from my place, which is not too shabby either.

Whoops. My bad. don't know what I was thinking. So that's like 40 minutes from Danby? Come to Emma's for dinner!

It's kind of (sort of) close to Burlington. South of it but north of Pittsford.

Sorry it took me so long to get back. Been busy, I guess that's a good thing! Pig's Ears are from the Chanterelle familly. You need to be carefull with them kind of like Sulfer Shelf. Not everyone digests them well. Tree ears are related to Witches Butter. They are edible too when young and tender. As they age they toughen up quite a bit.

Yup. That's why I only cook them for myself and friends. Of course I tell them there is a chance the sulfer shelf won't agree with them first. Haven't had a problem yet. But for that very reason I don't serve it at the restaurant. Thanks! Jon

Groovy! My kids love to forage with me. Just last month my 6 year old son said to me while holding a big ole Chanty "Dad, thanks for showing us how to pick mushrooms!" Thanks!

This was published Sunday and I wanted to share. Vetmont Fare: Stalking wild mushrooms

What type of food are you looking for and how far will you travel from bennington? 30 minutes, 1 hour? There's a new restaurant in manchester that is getting a good buzz called Grafitti's. Heard they are doing some cool stuff.

Nice to meet you Graham. I'll have to wait until my busy season subsides before I can visit your restaurant. Perhaps in September when school is back in session. Nice looking web site too! Jon

I like my Shad Roe simple. Sauteed in some butter, Once cooked hit the pan with some shallots, garlic, white wine, whole butter, a squeeze of lemon and fresh parsley. Also like it with sauteed fiddlehead ferns, fennel, garilc, tomato, chives and pernod with whole butter.

Morels are popping up here in Southern VT!!!!

here is a great site that helps me track the season as it comes along... http://www.morelmushroomhunting.com/

You were right to leave them alone. The white fuzzy ones are not good eats. Sorry for the semi alton quote. As for the cancerous idea. I seem to recall that all ferns have at least a trace amount of some chemical that has been linked to cancer but upon cooking them that chemical is rendered harmless. So if in doubt cook it out.

Hey GG, I'm in Southern VT. Found mine about 10-ish miles louth of Manchester along the battenkill. On the menu in a heart beat!

With the warm weather the fiddleheads have finaly begun sprouting! Also seeing violets, dandilions and escarole. Too early for morels yet. Anyone else seeing the first signs of culinary spring?

Hi! The kids get chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese sammies. I get spicy pork or chicken bbq hoagies. The spice and robust meal kick that cold's behind! If I'm like knoked on my behind sick and truely nauscious I do the chiky noodle trick too.