Summer 2010
Inside VL
Food for Thought
We’re excited about Vermont’s food scene. We think it’s one of the best things about Vermont today, a perfect reflection of some of our finest qualities: agricultural know-how, a creative spirit, a dash of idealism and pure hard work. That’s why we created this special food-focused issue, and why we are launching two new columns in the magazine: “Out to Eat” and “Cooking in Season.”
Inspired by the abundance of great places to eat in Vermont, Out to Eat (page 32) will highlight everything from neighborhood bakeries to upscale restaurants. In each issue, we’ll tell you about five or six places worth trying. We’ll let you know about the most interesting food creations, what the atmosphere is like and what to expect for prices. But don’t look for any negative reviews ... if a place isn’t worth your time, we won’t be writing about it.
Cooking in Season (page 34) will also tap into our rich food culture. Each issue, we’ll offer intriguing recipes from Vermont chefs, made with fresh, local ingredients. This issue, we focus on tomatoes, and suggest a grilled fruit salad that will make you happier than ever that it’s summer.
Our lead story, “Food Is Hip” (page 40), looks at a new generation of Vermonters who are creating livelihoods around growing, providing and cooking high-quality, local food. This enterprising mindset is putting Vermont at the forefront of innovation and driving economic opportunities well beyond the restaurant scene. Developers in South Burlington, for instance, are putting a farm at the center of a suburban neighborhood, intertwining the two, physically and philosophically (“Seeds of Change,” page 52).
Making all of these stories possible is our new food editor, Melissa Pasanen. Melissa is an award-winning journalist who has met and interviewed national food personalities from Alice Waters to Emeril Lagasse, but she says it is the stories of Vermont farmers, cheesemakers, sugar makers and food activists that stay with her. “When I first started writing about local food and restaurants, I did not realize how it would open my eyes to so much of what is special about our state,” says Pasanen. “Remembering all these people, I am reminded once again that I don’t really write about food, I write about people ... but food is always a good way in.”
Mary Hegarty Nowlan, Editor
mary.nowlan@state.vt.us
