let's do it!!!! GAME ON

THIS JUST IN:

Kismet vs. Taproom

Published: April 29, 2010

MONTPELIER – There's nothing like a little friendly competition for a good cause.

Kismet and Three Penny Taproom, two Montpelier establishments, are going head-to-head to see who can be the fastest to raise $500 in donations for the Children's Garden Project.

The competition is an effort to establish an organic Children's Garden on the grounds of the Children, Youth and Family Services (CYFS) division of Washington County Mental Health on Beckley Hill Road in Barre.

The contest will run from May 2 to May 15, and both businesses will display prominently placed donation jars to encourage customers to make contributions. Due to looming State budget cuts, this project is being run entirely on the steam of volunteers and donations, according to a news release from CYFS.

"The Children's Garden will be a beautiful and nurturing place for children and young adults with emotional, behavioral and developmental challenges…" according to CYFS.

some like it hot

well then.. hello spring!
kismet has been happily receiving lots of sunlight these last few weeks- standing over in my little area of the kitchen, i have enjoyed blazing temperatures nearing 90 degrees! Honestly, if i wasn't completely dependent on local food, I would swear it is June! but the contents of my fridge speak the truth of the season. Like many other chefs in the area, I am still having to use my creative efforts to make light and springy of the dense and heavy. Still doing the most i can with the ends of my squash, and root collection- When writing the easter menu for last week, I put calls out all around town in search of a few mushrooms or wild ramps to serve along side braised rabbit papoosas and tangletown duck eggs. Thankfully, allen lepage knows his woods and with one pound of ramps, I made ramp butter to spread all around.

Thankfully, Joe, of screaming ridge farm, has greens flowing out of his houses and we have successfully sold over 10 lbs of salad greens last week alone! we hope the warm weather will continue, but at the same time, the high temps have forced some of his delicate tender leaves to bolt into tough flowering stems...

With spring comes the hope and promise of summer. For us at kismet, that means utter abundance- our tiny kitchen will cater about 18 weddings this season, beginning in may, which means we will be making food for over 600 people each week through october!! So for now, we are doing our best to enjoy quiet moments, and little pleasures- like watching the trees bud, and tiny leaves and petals emerging from the ground.