Taking It Virtual!

In conjunction with the series of outdoor cooking and education classes we’ve been able to offer to our community in partnership with the Intervale Center, we’ve also been hard at work transitioning to some virtual programming options. We’re grateful to have the opportunity to connect with our community members in a new, exciting way!

Many of you know and love the variety of cooking classes we put on throughout the season in our Teaching Kitchen, and we wanted to capture some of that experience through our instructor video series. We reached out to some familiar faces to cook with us, either in their own kitchens or in ours, sharing their love of food and community in a new virtual way. Melissa Pasanen, author of the recently released The Little Local Vermont Cookbook: Recipes for Classic Dishes, showed us how to grill meat and veggie kebabs inspired by the immigrant populations who came to work in Vermont’s textile mills and the flavors they brought with them. Follow along with the video as Melissa shows you how to marinate ingredients in a flavorful spiced yogurt and grill them to perfection.

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Mulu Tewelde, well known for her exciting Ethiopian and Eritrean cooking events around Burlington, gave us a glimpse into how she makes her simple and delicious spicy lentils. Find the video of how she does it here, the recipe link here, and don’t forget the extra jalapeño slices if you like your food extra spicy! Heike Meyer, bakeress of Brot Bakery, invited us inside her woodfired bakehouse for the day. She showed us how to make and feed a sourdough starter, mix dough, and shape loaves. Find Part 1 on our YouTube page, and keep an eye out for future installments of the series. We’re continually working with new instructors to film and release videos, so make sure to check back regularly!

For those interested in topics outside of the kitchen, Ethan Tapper, Chittenden County Forester, has partnered with us to provide a series of webinars on his forestry efforts in our community. His most recent presentation on Old Growth Forests brought together participants from across Vermont to take a dive into the history of Vermont’s forested landscape, management strategies, and future visions for these types of landscapes. Before that, we learned about his approach to Radical Forest Management, and how forestry work can intersect with community, social, and environmental justice efforts. Both webinar recordings can be found on our YouTube page using the above links for your viewing pleasure.

Lastly, Summervale may have looked a little different this year, but it still brought us together around good music, good food, and celebrating everything that makes Vermont special! We partnered with the Intervale as they livestreamed a variety of musical performances from their gorgeous setting, known as the Spirit of Summervale 2020. It was great to see how many people tuned in each week (and from various locations outside Vermont!), and how many bought a yummy meal or snack beforehand to support local food businesses. As the Intervale staff noted, “We’re grateful to have put on an event that brought local restaurants, business partners, music, and community together at a time when we so badly need it. It was heartwarming to see all the folks who tuned in from around the country. We love to see how far reaching the Intervale Center family really is!”

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Keep an eye on our social media and the Calendar page of our website for more virtual programming options in the future, and please reach out to cputscher@citymarket.coop if you have ideas of programs you’d like to see!