History and Psychology Today tell us that there is a very close relationship between love, sex and food. “The human need for food and sex are basic, part of the foundation of our nature, which makes it sensible that they are so closely knit together.”

This is why the kitchen is the heart of the home. Think about the exciting scenes in Tom Jones, Like Water for Chocolate and 9 1/2 Weeks…all the passion starts in the kitchen.

Let me suggest a few sexy kitchens in Charlotte and Addison that might fuel such fires this Valentine’s Day (click on each image for full property details):

	The gourmet kitchen in this magnificent Adirondack Style home in Charlotte features granite counters, custom tile & top-end appliances, and a fireplace, not visible from this view. Wait until you see the dining room. From here, you’ll have spectacular unobstructed views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks.
	This cook’s kitchen in Charlotte is the ultimate room for entertaining a large party – or just one. 68 private acres, expansive Adirondack views, 400+ feet frontage on Lake Champlain abutting conservation land, and a 4-bedroom guesthouse complete this picture of paradise.
	This absolutely beautiful home on Mountain Road in Addison is on 132 acres. It features panoramic views overlooking fields and woodlands stretching over the Champlain Valley to the Adirondacks…and a fabulous dream kitchen. This historic home, built in 1800, was restored to perfection in 1993.

Perhaps oysters are on the menu? Followed by Foie Gras, famous for its aphrodisiac qualities. And fresh figs (ala DH Lawrence) for desert?

Every fruit has its secret. Ooh la la!

image credit: http://www.lakechamplainchocolates.com

Years ago California was a haven for garlic lovers, today Vermont is a Mecca for gourmet bread lovers. From the free loaves of the politically charged Bread-and-Puppet Theater to the elegant brioche of New England Culinary Institute, Vermont is synonymous with good bread.

The very first great artisinal Vermont bread I tasted here in the 1970′s was made by Gerard Rubaud in Westford. He was followed by many others, notable among his followers are: Deeter’s Bakery in Northfield, Stewart’s Bakery in Williston, Baba A Louis in Chester. Good Companion Bakery in Vergennes even offers a winter bread CSA (Community Supported Agriculture – wherein bread lovers invest in a share of the farm).

Bakeries have become more popular than liquor stores in many parts of the state:
Burlington has Mirabelles
Middlebury has Otter Creek Bakery
Middlesex has Red Hen
La Brioche is in Montpelier
Richmond has On the Rise
Shelburne has O’Bread at Shelburne Farms

Every small town and village has a farmers’ market where fresh-baked breads reign supreme. Here in Vermont, gourmet, Slow Food, and Localvore are not passing fads, but lifestyles epitomized by the breaking of bread – good bread.

Many Vermont kitchens have been renovated and new homes built around the hearth; others feature their original, center-of-the-home kitchens. A few of my favorite kitchens on the market include a great property listing in Cornwall and two homes in Lincoln. Take a look at these listings and I’m sure you’ll be able to imagine great, steamy loaves of bread coming from these kitchens.

This historic Cornwall home features more than 4000 sq ft of living space, featuring 4 fireplaces, formal dining, studio space, chef’s kitchen w/ walk-in pantry.	This custom built Lincoln home features a unique Waterford wood cook stove and large pantry. The property is on 43.7 acres of meadows, woods , streams.  with extensive gardens/edible landscaping.	A Gourmet kitchen with mahogany & soapstone counters, Dynasty 6 burner gas range w/Viking hood & custom cabinetry in a beautiful Federal style reproduction built by Connor Homes in 1999.

Cornwall's Twig Farm sampling Tomme.

Given that Vermont has always been synonymous with dairy farming (sheep and cows), it makes perfect sense that Shelburne Farms would create an annual festival highlighting Vermont farms and cheeses. Despite shifting weather and threat of storms, the second annual Vermont Cheesemakers Festival, held at the beatific Coach Barn on Sunday, July 25th was a sold out event.

With 50 cheesemakers present, choosing a favorite chevre or sharp would be a daunting task. Still, Maplebrook Farm, in Bennington, was Vermont Lodging Properties’ hands-down winner for their fresh mozzarella and ricotta cheeses which Christine called, “stupendous.” Michael Leed, of Twig Farm in West Cornwall, handed out wonderful, nutty samples of his Tomme. Christine also greatly enjoyed the samples of Bourree and the Lindy Hop, made from the raw milk of grass-fed cows at Dancing Cow Farm in Bridport.

Vermont Gold

Another favorite artisan cheese? The fabulous Oma from the Von Trapp Farm, cellared at Jasper Hill in the Northeast Kingdom.

In addition to all the mouth-watering cheeses, 15 purveyors of specialty food items and 20 wineries and breweries were also on-site. Champlain Orchards, in Shoreham, featured its decadently smooth apple butter. Vermont Spirits in St. Johnsbury, showcased its elegantly bottled, Vermont Gold vodka, created from pure maple sap. Olivia’s Croutons, located in New Haven, shared their delicious, buttery croutons. Olivia’s Croutons will soon be milling their own wheat at their factory and barn on North Street. And anyone who sampled the handmade French nougat at Vadeboncoeur couldn’t have walked away disappointed.

Those of us who have a harder time getting to the market or fitting in a trip to the grocery store before company arrives, might be interested in the Vermont Cheese Club. This is how it works: sign up for a selected amount of time, from one to three months. Each month fresh, artisanal cheeses are delivered directly to your door, accompanied by stories about the farm where the cheese was produced and wine pairing suggestions.

The Vermont Cheese Club also offers “cheese shares,” similar to Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares, where you can pick up fresh, local cheese at a predetermined location. Cheese shares are offered seasonally, so contact the Vermont Cheese Club directly for more information.

Provisions International, Ltd. —Wholesale Purveyors of Fine Specialty Foods had an awe-inspiring array of foodstuff.  Located in White River Junction, delivers weekly to fine restaurants, grocers, food cooperatives and specialty food stores all over New England. Grains, legumes, fresh vegetables, herbs and spices are but a few of the offerings Provisions International has sold for the past 20 years.

If you missed the Vermont Cheesemakers Festival, take heart. It will come again next summer. In the meantime, you might want to attend the Plymouth Cheese & Harvest Festival, to be held in Plymouth Notch, on September 19th. More details about this festival and a detailed list of cheese making classes are offered on the Vermont Cheese Council website.

Sunrise at Almost Home Market, in Bristol Vermont.

This is your chance to own an iconic Vermont landmark: Bristol’s  Almost Home Market is for Sale!

A gourmet Vermont country store for the 21st century, Almost Home has become the hub of this busy bedroom community.

Fiddlers on the porch at Almost Home: music is the food of love...

In a state known for great country stores, Almost Home stands out as a culinary polestar.

Gourmands come to Bristol, Vermont to find manna from heaven, commuters get their espresso fixes, brides land their wedding caterers, busy moms grab healthy gourmet meals to go.

Known for its:

• Extraordinary deli
• Fine catering
• Outrageous Espresso Bar
• Select Wines, Beer and Champagne
• Fabulous Gifts and Home Goods

Almost Home brings the local food movement home to an audience of eager, hungry locals.

Almost Home has also become a popular gathering place. In season, the front porch is filled with music, families, and food. In winter, commuters warm up at the espresso bar, and shop for the holidays.

Become a part of this tight-knight, vibrant community and fulfill your dream as a chef. The sale of this well-loved property includes full inventory and equipment. Contact us for more information about this extraordinary property.

Take this opportunity to Express your culinary genius to a captive local audience.	At Almost Home, it’s all about celebrations, daily specials, seasonal favorites, gourmet local.

From editor Edward Behr, “the Art of Eating, which first appeared as a food letter in 1986, is published four times a year. There is no advertising. Along with in-depth articles, there are recipes, letters, a wine review (“Why This Bottle, Really?”), restaurant reviews, book reviews plus, according to the subject, addresses for exceptional open-air markets, individual growers and craftsmen, bakers, cheesemakers, wineries, olive-oil mills, charcutiers, chocolatiers, or restaurants (from haute cuisine to very simple).”

Published quarterly, subscriptions are $48 for one year, $80 for two, and $128 for three. You can check out the current issue’s contents here.

Twice a month we do wine tastings in our shop.
We feature 6 wines, a mix of white and red
These tastings are free on a first come first serve basis.
Eight people at a time can try the wines,
and you must be at least 21 years old to participate.
The hours for the tasting are from 1PM to 5PM
Please come and enjoy.
Sign up on our e-mail list (on the table by the exit)
for bi-monthly e-mails about our tastings and current wine offerings.
Call for more info. 985-8922

Bronwyn Dunne visits Village Wine and Coffee. She teaches specialty cooking classes at Healthy Living Market and raises grass-fed beef at Bryn Teg in Greensboro, VT.

Classes are $75 for one or $140 for a couple, but reserve your spot early! You can find the year’s schedule of classes here. Upcoming topics include “Cooking Vermont’s Heritage” (incorporating Algonquin, English and French-Canadian traditions), “Free and Good for All” (how to cook with dietary restrictions), and “Smoked and Grilled” (meets out on the patio!).  Chef Mack also offers Wine Pairing Dinners to accompany some of the weekend classes.

The Inn at Baldwin Creek is a wonderful place to stay if you are coming from a distance or if you’d like a romantic getaway. The have five beautiful rooms and a stay includes a three-course, farm-fresh breakfast as well as a discount for dinner at Mary’s. You can check their availability here.

Here are some pictures from the pasta class…Chef Mack is the one in white!

Fall is a wonderful time to visit Vermont’s wineries. Grapes are harvested in September and October, which also happens to be when Vermont’s landscape is exploding with vibrant, warm color. Many may not think of Vermont when they think of vineyards, but thanks to an active grape breeding program at the University of Minnesota, there are several varieties of grape that can withstand the long cold winters. There is no need to travel to enjoy vineyard tours and tastings when there are so many right in Vermont! The Vermont Grape & Wine Council has a very informative website dedicated to teaching people about the different types of wine grapes that grow well in Vermont.
Grape-growing and wine-making is fairly new to Vermont; to read about on of the first vineyards, check out our past blog on the Lincoln Peak Vineyard.

Here’s a list of some of the vineyards in the northern Vermont:

Boyden Valley Winery, Vermont 104 Cambridge, 644-8151, www.boydenvalley.com

Charlotte Village Winery, 3968 Greenbush Road, Charlotte, 425-4599, www.charlottevillagewinery.com

East Shore Vineyard, 69 East Shore North, Grand Isle, (877) ESV-VINO, www.eastshorevineyard.com

Galloping Hill Farm & Vineyard, 344 Moody Road, Huntington, 434-3332, www.gallopinghillfarm.com

Grand View Winery, 2113 Max Gray Road, East Calais; Tasting Room: Vermont 100, Waterbury Center, 456-7012, www.grandviewwinery.com

Honey Gardens Apiaries, Inc., 2777 VT Route 7 in Ferrisburgh, 877-6766, www.honeygardens.com

Lincoln Peak Vineyard, 142 River Road, New Haven, 388-7368, www.lincolnpeakvineyard.com

Shelburne Vineyard, 6308 Shelburne Road, Shelburne, 985-8222, www.shelburnevineyard.com

Sugar Bush Vineyard and Butler Island Vineyard, Hillis’ Sugarbush Farm & Vineyard. Colchester, 893-292

Snow Farm Vineyard, 190 West Shore Road, South Hero, 372-9463, www.snowfarm.com

Source: Vermont Grape & Wine Council, www.vermontgrapeandwinecouncil.com.