Bite Club

Scalpers Are Selling Bogus Tickets to Vermont Brewers Festival

by Alice Levitt Posted on July 19, 2013 at 11:26AM

Desperate to join the pack for an orgy of brewed goodness? You're probably not alone.

Will Trader Joe's Anchor South Burlington's 'New' Downtown?

by Corin Hirsch Posted on July 18, 2013 at 1:58PM

For those anxious to get their mitts on frozen turkey meatballs and pecan pralines, this week brought welcome news: South Burlington's Development Review Board finally gave the green light to a Trader Joe's on Dorset Street by voting unanimously to approve the store's final plans — as reported in the Burlington Free Press.Soon, developer Malone Properties will break ground on the roughly 13,000-square-foot store, tentatively slated to open early next year. Across a pedestrian plaza will be another, slightly larger building that will eventually house a blend of retail stores, offices and and possibly a restaurant. With all of the popular support behind the project, why has it taken so long for approval? Because plans for a Trader Joe's landed in a sort of development limbo created by the development freeze known as 'interim zoning' adopted by SoBu in February 2012, and plans to create a new form-based code and city center project.To wit, the facade of the Trader Joe's will abut the street, with parking behind the building.

Sneak Peek of the Vermont Brewers Festival

by Corin Hirsch Posted on July 17, 2013 at 4:02PM

If you don't have tickets for the sold-out Vermont Brewers Festival on Burlington's waterfront this weekend, you might want to stop reading — unless you're a glutton for punishment. As usual, the line-up is amazing, and the few thousand people who were on point enough to buy tickets (they sold out in 34 hours) will soon be marinating in liquid goodness.

Guild Fine Meats Prepares to Open in Burlington Next Month

by Alice Levitt Posted on July 16, 2013 at 11:55AM

In this week's paper, we share the news that the Guild Commissary, which will supply all the restaurants in the Farmhouse Group with meat and baked goods, is now open. That means delicious things for the Farmhouse Tap & Grill, El Cortijo Taqueria Y Cantina and Guild & Company.But when we spoke with chef-partner Phillip Clayton, he also had lots to say about the forthcoming Guild Fine Meats butcher shop on St. Paul Street in Burlington.The goal is for the store to open next month.Clayton says that now that they're moved into the 5000-square-foot Winooski commissary, master butcher Frank Pace and chef Tom Deckman are perfecting products in three categories.

Alice Eats: Southern Smoke

by Alice Levitt Posted on July 16, 2013 at 11:05AM

If you think the only way to get chef Brian Stefan's mobile Southern specialties is braving the crowds at the weekly South End Food TruckStop (right), you've been missing out.Southern Smoke has become my Wednesday ritual when it parks behind the Seven Days offices at Maglianero. But last week, I missed the boat (er, truck) and needed to get my fix at the South Burlington Farmers Market on Sunday after picking up beautiful garlic scapes, cilantro and lettuce from Lewis Creek Farm.It turns out, Stefan was feeling keen on scapes, too.

Grazing: The Happy Marriage of Vodka and Lemon Verbena

by Corin Hirsch Posted on July 15, 2013 at 8:53AM

Cocktail writer Warren Bobrow uses the term "gartending" to describe the practice of using seasonal ingredients in cocktails. This is certainly my preferred method of mixing drinks, at least in the summer: Walk out the back door, grab a handful of thyme/basil/sage/mint/berries from the garden, them combine them into something simple, bright and delicious.This no fuss, little muss, late afternoon method of cocktail-making doesn't always yield perfect results, but with ingredients grown yourself — or picked up at the farmers' market — the drinks are always scrumptious and fresh.A loved one recently gifted me with a curly, fragrant lemon verbena plant, which I stuck in the ground of my kitchen garden.

Alice Eats: Feldman's Bagels

by Alice Levitt Posted on July 9, 2013 at 12:23PM

660 Pine Street, Burlington, 540-0474Since it opened on May 1, it's been no secret that Feldman's Bagels has the best New York-style bagels around. (Of course, Myer's Bagel Bakery still dominates in the Montréal-style category.)For this native of the New York City suburbs, the world is finally right again now that I have a chewy artisan bagel I can rely on.

Grazing: The Best Maple Creemee?

by Corin Hirsch Posted on July 7, 2013 at 4:09PM

It's been so sticky these last few days that I've hardly been able to think straight. To stay cool, I've jumped in a lake (twice), showered twice a day and consumed Stracciatella gelato, Salted Caramel Pretzel frozen yogurt, strawberries with crème fraiche, guava sorbet and several glasses of rosé.Another sure-fire way to cool down is to take a long ride in an air-conditioned car, especially if it's to obtain more frozen dessert.

Alice Eats: Breakfast at Juniper

by Alice Levitt Posted on July 2, 2013 at 11:35AM

41 Cherry St., Burlington, 651-0080Tomorrow morning (or today in the Bite Club newsletter), you'll be able to read my review of dinner at Juniper, the first restaurant to open at Burlington's brand-new, boutique-beautiful Hotel Vermont. To keep in step with the style of that piece, I offer you my first (and possibly last) roman photo blog post.

Cronuts Hit the Queen City

by Alice Levitt Posted on July 1, 2013 at 1:12PM

Usually Vermont is slow to see national trends, but not in the case of the "cronut." Dominique Ansel, pastry chef at the bakery of the same, debuted the croissant-doughnut hybrid on May 10.