Let's start at the beginning of the weekend at 7am Saturday morning when I picked up the car...four hours later, with some traffic interruptions, we arrived at the Brattleboro Farmers Market, less than five minutes off the highway and totally worth the stop. One little note, it is only there Wednesday and Saturday mornings. Fantastic produce, homemade pies, homemade breads, cheeses, local homemade products, and a variety of to-go foods, spanning the gamut from Thai to artisanal pizzas to vegetarian cuisine and more... Looking for borage? An herb with bright blue flowers that enhances any and salad or omelet or pasta dish one might want to make? You can find it here! Maybe you want some heirloom tomatoes, or a variety of summer squash? That's also here!!
After a successful visit to the Brattleboro Farmer's Market we got back into the car and went to the New England Barbecue Championships at Harpoon Brewery in Windsor, Vermont. Always a scene, drawing crowds from near and far with a strongman competition to boot! Unfortunately no cheese to report back here....
From there, we had planned on three farm stops and each of the three was either closed or the directions provided to us, did not lead us to the correct destination. Can we say disappointment much? Well, we made the best of the situation and powered on through to our hotel in Colchester.
After a check-in and freshen up, we headed over to the Vermont Butter and Cheese kickoff cocktail party for this cheese-y weekend at the Burlington Boathouse overlooking Lake Champlain. Gorgeous scenery, a nice selection of wines and local beers, a fantastic cheese spread courtesy of Vermont Butter and Cheese (which we all know makes one of my all time favorite cheeses, Coupole), delicious Israeli couscous, roasted veggies and a salmon and lamb slider option. The stress and frustration of the earlier portion of the day melted away quickly -- we were in Vermont, able to step away from the fast pace of New York City life, enjoy a glass of wine and some cheese and unwind.
From there, after a leisurely stroll around Burlington and a stop at a small French bistro for a glass of wine, we decided to order from the local and artisanal flatbread joint -- American Flatbread. Known for utilizing regional produce, with a simple, clean, and fresh approach, this was the perfect food to bring back to our hotel to enjoy with some wine.
So what did we get?
Their summer "veg special" -- a flatbread pizza with two types of local and organic summer squash, arugula and herb pesto, Vermont Butter and Cheese's chevre, red peppers and fresh garlic. We also split a small "evolution salad" which was composed of organically grown sweet leaf and mesclun greens, carrots, celery, arame seaweed, sesame seeds and a fresh ginger tamari vinaigrette.
Please excuse the to-go containers, I know not the most aesthetic, but still it gives you an idea...
The pizza was unique, fresh, vegetal, herbaceous, light, flavorful and just what we wanted after a long day. It truly sung the praises of the local farmstead produce and delighted! The salad -- classic and crisp with their own inventive twist. Overall a great meal after a long day in and out of the car. If you are ever looking for a simple, straightforward joint in Burlington, I recommend checking it out.
American Flatbread
115 St Paul Street
Burlington, Vermont
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