Vermont Kitchen Supply

09/11/2026

09/10/2026

There’s SO much to love about working in a kitchen shop in a small town.

GENERALIZATION ALERT:
People who love to cook and/or bake are good humans (99.9% accuracy). And the people who work in kitchen shops are lovely humans, too (100% accuracy).

Case in point:

One of our favorite bakers (and people!!) came in for a 9” cake pan. We had 8” and 10” but no 9”….Does it have to be a 9? Yes, because it’s a three layer cake and I only have two pans. Ugh.

Azra hears our conversation and chimes in “I have a 9” pan at home that you can borrow”. She calls her husband and asks him to pull the pan out of the cupboard (that he built!) and wait for Lauren to get there.

Lauren gets directions to Azra and Hajro’s house and off she goes. To make a cake. A three layer coconut cake. For her son’s birthday.

A couple of days later, Lauren returns the pan to Azra along with a bright bouq cut from her garden.

This is everything I love about living and owning a business in the Green Mountain State.

THIS IS VERMONT.

09/08/2026

I had a wicked (sleep) hangover yesterday.

After work on Sunday, we drove 3+ hours to Gilford NH to see two of my all-time favorite bands: Lukas Nelson and Tedeschi Trucks.

I used credit card miles to rent a hotel room near the venue. So we slept about 5 hours and then had to head back because I was on the schedule yesterday.

We had sucked down a couple of cups of coffee on the drive from Gilford to Manchester but I was still falling apart.

I couldn’t think of anything I wanted to eat. Then I remembered the kale and pineapple smoothies at Works Cafe. I had them toss in a scoop of protein powder. I was desperate to feel better.

It was perfect. Hydrating and healthy. No added sugar. Just fresh fruit and veggies.

Sleep hangovers are brutal. Less harsh than alcohol hangovers (if I remember correctly) but still toxic. And, thankfully, a whole lot easier to bounce back from.

09/07/2026

BASIL PESTO MAKERS:
Do you ever use the basil flowers in your pesto?

09/06/2026

I’m sure I’ve posted a variation of this already. Probably even recently.

If I said it was an encore, I’d be implying that it was so amazing the first time that the crowds begged to have it again.

It wasn’t and they didn’t.

We had been out of town for less than 18 hours. Seven of those hours driving.

Neither one of us had the energy to tackle the grocery store when we got back. We agreed to take pot-luck with whatever was already in the house.

There’s always a couple of blocks of feta in my fridge. It’s high protein and I can make it work it almost anything I prepare. My pantry always has pasta in it. Always. Duh.
I looked out the kitchen window and saw that the garden still had lots of cherry, grape and plum tomatoes. And the basil is still rocking my world.

This year’s garlic harvest is still in the basement. I went down and grabbed a head. It was my first time using this year’s haul. Big thanks to the Bazyks for their awesome seed garlic and for answering endless questions about garlic growing. Bill and Donna were the reason I had great success this year.

I’m big on tossing everything on a half sheet pan. Hit it all with EVOO, S&P and red pepper flakes. That combo make the flavors pop and it’s hard to screw up.

Dinner was ready in less than a half hour. Was it amazing? No. Was it good? Yup.

09/05/2026

09/05/2026

It’s always been funny to hear how many people struggle with what to make for dinner.

My problem is always how do I choose just one thing to make for dinner.

There are so many things I want to cook. Social media makes my dilemma even worse. My camera roll is filled with screenshots of OPD (other people’s dishes).

But there’s nothing like real life inspo.

I took a paella class with Chef Michel Baumann. I had never made paella. Michel made it all look so easy to prepare this classic Spanish delight. I could hardly wait to try it on my own.

Many years later, I still find great satisfaction in cooking a good paella. There are so many variations to try and it’s really hard to mess it up.

Just be sure to use a paella pan (it makes a big difference), paella rice and smoked paprika. And fresh seafood from Earth and Sea Fish Market

Have fun with it!!

09/04/2026

Another LEGEND leaves us.

And just like RBG, Jane Goodall and Dolly, Gloria left us better than she found us.

Huge gratitude to Gloria and all the badass bi***es who did the heavy lifting for us.

I won’t say Rest in Peace because I think wherever she goes, Ms Steinem will continue to do good work.



❤️

09/03/2026

I can’t be sure but I’m guessing that this beauty was fueling up for its 3000 mile flight to the mountains of Mexico.

Monarchs depart for the south sometime between late August to mid-November. Then travel 50 - 100 miles a day.

These special butterflies cluster together on Oyamel fir trees in the Michoacán mountains of Mexico. Bunching together keeps monarchs warm through the cold months.

I await their return in late May and into June.

If you want to attract monarchs and help feed them while they are visiting us in the summer, there are a variety of plants that they love.

Monarchs only lay eggs on milkw**d. And milkw**d is the only plant that the monarch caterpillars eat.

You could also put purple coneflower (echinacea), Joe-Pye w**d, asters and zinnias in your garden.

Get ready to say ‘see ya later’ to the monarchs…🦋