by Kelly Mohr
There’s nothing quite like fresh produce from your local farm stand. And here’s some good news, this summer you can stock up on local Vermont organic produce from Foote Brook Farm while you’re vacationing at Smugglers’ Notch. You can shop for all your favorite brightly colored farm-fresh fruits and veggies either during the Resort’s weekly Farmers Market in the courtyard or take a trip to Johnson, VT to enjoy the farmstand shopping experience and picturesque views firsthand. This Vermont-certified organic farm grows 145 varieties on 45 acres of land. FootBrooke Farm is owned and operated by 3rd generation farmers, Tony and Joie Lehouillier. Building relationships, caring for the land, maintaining soil, and growing sun-loved organic healthy vegetables is their mission. And they grow a wide array of fruits and vegetables from artichokes to zucchini and everything in between. We caught up with Joie to learn more about what’s in season throughout the summer and to gather a few of her easy summer recipes, which you can easily make in your Smuggs condo. According to Joie, summer brings around some of the best produce of the year and each month has its specialty. A few June favorites include strawberries, peas, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and fresh onions. Spring and early summer are all about the greens, a simple pasta primavera is one of Joie’s favorite meals.
Pasta Primavera with Asparagus & Peas
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and let it sizzle a minute. Add the asparagus and toss to coat in the oil. Cook and toss until the asparagus just begins to soften, about 5 minutes (add a splash of pasta water if the garlic is in danger of burning). Cover with a lid. Uncover the asparagus, and at the same time add the pasta to the boiling water. Add the peas to the asparagus and season with the salt. Toss to combine and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add the scallions, stir, and add 1 1/2 cups of pasta water. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by about half, 3 to 4 minutes.
Caprese Salad Three Ways
Ingredients:
Tomatoes
Mozzarella (we love Maplebrook)
Fresh basil
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper
STACK ‘EM
Slice and stack thick layers of heirloom tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic reduction. Sprinkle with salt & pepper.
TOSS ‘EM
Cut tomatoes and mozzarella into chunks. Chop basil into ribbons. Combine in large bowl and mix with olive oil, balsamic reduction, salt & pepper.
SKEWER ‘EM — the no utensils edition
Thread cherry tomatoes, basil, and chunks of mozzarella onto wood skewers or long toothpicks. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic reduction. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Grilled Vegetable MedleyChunk zucchini and summer squash, as close to the same size as possible. Toss with your favorite Italian dressing, salt, and pepper. Place in a Ziploc bag or bowl with tight-fitting lid and let marinate. Stack veggies onto skewers and grill for 15 minutes. Turning as needed. Don’t over grill, you want the vegetables to be a little crunch.
Grilled Vegetable Medley
Chunk zucchini and summer squash, as close to the same size as possible. Toss with your favorite italian dressing, salt, and pepper. Place in a ziploc bag or bowl with tight fitting lid and let marinate. Stack veggies on to skewers and grill for 15 minutes. Turning as needed. Don’t over grill, you want the vegetables to be a little crunchy.
We have hit the peak of variety in August! Make sure to pick up some corn, new potatoes, blueberries, pineapple tomatillos, leeks, melons, and fresh garlic. Pineapple tomatillos are also called ground cherries in Vermont. They have a very unique flavor and are a kid favorite. They’re mostly snacked on fresh in the car on the way home, but can also be simmered down with a ¼ of a cup of sugar and ½ cup of water for a delicious topping to ice cream.
No matter how you slice it, you don’t want to miss out on sampling the incredible flavors of the straight-from-the-farm produce you get from Foote Brook Farm.
Easy Roasted Potatoes
Cut potatoes in half. Season the bottom of a glass baking dish with olive oil, melted butter, sliced garlic, salt, pepper, and shredded Parmesan cheese. Lay the flat side of potatoes on top of the seasoning and bake for about 40 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
Additional information:
Foote Brook Farm
641 VT-15 West Johnson, VT 05656
Open 9 am to 6 pm
June 24th until mid-November
802-635-8962
footebrookfarm.com
Smugglers’ Notch Resort Farmers Market
Monday’s 8:30 am – 11:30 am
Smugglers’ Village Courtyard
Fresh produce, cheese, wine, meat, maple syrup, and desserts
