Friday, January 03, 2014

From the kitchen with love xoxo

Thank you to everyone who joined us in our new year celebration!


2014 is only three days old, but so far so good!

Despite the frigid temperatures outside, Kismet is warm and cozy and I'm the lucky girl who gets to tend the ovens! Between rotating large trays of caramelized roots and winter vegetables,  I may occasionally be found cuddling huge bubbling pots of nourishing broths, or gleefully rejoicing in the wafts of smoked apples.  It's possible, that come April I may be pale and found staring blankly at the parsnips and celeriac, wishing for a magic spell to turn them into garden fresh haricotverts;  but at the moment I am happily snuggled in with my myriad of roots and pumpkins, and happily seasoning with  honey preserved herbs.

It's true that cooking in Vermont in the winter is drastically different than in July or August.  For one thing, FINDING fresh local food is more difficult when it's -15 degrees.  If you've managed to put away some storage crops or did a little canning or preserving the previous season, chances are you've got a whole lot of root vegetables, pickles, jams, and a bunch of random cuts of frozen meat.  Going to the coop or grocery store can offer some relief, and though a salad for dinner sounds great in late June, it's definitely not what our bodies deserve while enduring sub arctic conditions.  

It's not a surprise to me that seasonal depression disorder effects so many folks.  For me, I spend the majority of winter fantasizing about being half clothed and surrounded by green leaves and warm breezes, but for many others, seasonal depression can be a much deeper and serious illness that may present all sorts of health issues.  

I know how hard it is to stay warm and well fed during this season- but it is truly the most important thing we can do for ourselves.  At kismet, we take this sort of thing very seriously.  Each day, I meet with my kitchen team, who happen to be my best friends, and we plan the week's menus and lists of prep work based on what to feed ourselves and each other. We talk about you, our regulars, and the folks we have yet to meet, and we talk about the season.  The menus we plan are as much for my own children as they are for the rest of the world, and inspired by my honest belief that food is medicine, and that it should taste good! 

This is kismet's 8th winter, and I truly do feel that we have settled into this season with joy and readiness.  We want to feed you! And most importantly, want for you to be fed good, whole, nurturing, foods that strengthen and support you and all of the good work you do! 

From the kitchen with love,
xoxo