fresh tomato bisque

This is absolutely my favorite soup to make (and eat!). It's delicious hot or cold -- so it's versatile for any season. I can't wait until my heirlooms are ready to pick, and I can make it again. It's a little labor-intensive, but so very worth it. As usual, I don't write official recipes, but will tell you about my method.

I quarter the tomatoes, slice some onions (shallots would be great here, too, but I use sweet onions), add some whole garlic cloves, and throw them into an oven with olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper.
I roast them until the onions are soft...
Then I add chicken stock, puree everything with a stick blender, and strain it twice. The result -- a sweet, savory and silky bisque. Lovely by itself or with bread to sop it up -- you won't want to leave a drop. =)

Shiitake Ravi-bobi

I made this ravi-bobi (as my niece calls it) a while back with re-hydrated and minced shiitake mushrooms, parsley, garlic and parm. I used wonton wrappers as the dough, and topped each serving with what I call "liquid gold" -- eco olive oil that I carried back from Spain -- grated parm, and cracked peppercorns. It's hearty and light at the same time.

Vermont-y Dinner & Visitors from the North

Super Vermont-y dinner tonight -- delicious chorizo sausage from Jericho Settler's Farm, a new kind of spinach from Half Pint, and a Revolution flatbread pizza (on the grill!) from American Flatbread.
Some Canada geese we saw on the way out to see our new apartment. The little guys were making quite a racket!

The Firebird Cafe

I've been to The Firebird Cafe a few times - most recently last Saturday. They have a great selection of breakfast fare, paninis & wraps, salads, and daily specials. The prices are very reasonable and the food (and coffee!) is always good. I usually get the C.A.B. - a panini filled with juicy chicken, creamy avocado, bacon & garlic mayo -- it's the perfect size for lunch and it's always delicious. If you're looking for breakfast food, they always have a special burrito or omelette. On Saturday, I stepped out of my C.A.B. box and ordered the special omelette - a pesto and mozzarella omelette with fresh tomato salsa. It came with homefries and was especially satisfying. Just what I needed after a long workweek...

Here's my omelette (my mom's choice, "The Traditional," is in the background):
...and now the homefries join the party!