lemon

from the FarmPlate Kitchen This old-fashioned southern dessert is ever-so-good on its own and even better when served with fresh-picked raspberries or blueberries. 1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell (try a frozen one from Vermont Mystic Pie Company) 4 large eggs ¾ cup sugar 2 tablespoons flour 1½ cups Monument Farms buttermilk 4 tablespoons butter, preferably Vermont Creamery cultured butter, melted Grated zest of 1 lemon 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon lemon vodka such as Green Mountain Organic Lemon Vodka or Absolut Citron, or pure vanilla extract Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line the pie shell with a piece of parchment paper and add a handful of dried beans. Blind bake the pie shell...

Summer's here and everybody's thirsty. We've pulled together our favorite thirst-quenching quaffs to have on hand for the 4th's young parade-goers and seasoned revelers. Pick and choose a couple favorites so you can stock up on the ingredients before the long weekend is here. Strawberryade Pack 1 quart hulled strawberries, 1 cup orange juice, the grated zest and juice of 2 lemons and 2 tablespoons honey or sugar in a blender. Puree until smooth. Pour into a pitcher filled with ice. The Patty Sheehan Mix 2 parts unsweetened green tea (Citrus Blossom from Vermont Artisan Coffee & Teas is ideal) with 1 part lemonade (try Santa Cruz Organic Lemonade). Pour over cracked ice and raise your...

from the FarmPlate Kitchen Fresh mussels should be closed when you buy them. Make sure they can breathe on the trip home by leaving the bag open so air can circulate. Refrigerate immediately in an open container and use within a day or two. If you are lucky enough to have chives that are on the verge of blooming, snip a handful of buds and add them to the salad as well. 3 pounds (2 quarts) rope-grown blue mussels 4 cloves garlic (2 smashed, 2 minced) ½ cup white wine ½ cup olive oil 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar Juice from ½ lemon Pinch of saffron threads Aleppo pepper or other ground red chile, to taste 1 red bell pepper, diced 2 to 3 scallions, thinly sliced 1 to 2 tablespoons capers...

It's May and it's Vermont. The dribs and drabs of snow left over from Mother's Day have finally disappeared from everywhere but the highest elevations. It's time to get something, anything in the ground. It's still too early for beans and tomato starts will have to wait until Memorial Day. But there's one plant whose seeds almost blast off even in cold soil, and that plant is arugula. The English call it rocket, a perfect name for this cool-season salad green that grows at a rate approaching lightspeed. The plants are often ready to harvest as early as four weeks after seeding. If left to set flowers and seedpods, arugula will easily self-seed. It's unstoppable. Arugula may look like baby...

from the FarmPlate Kitchen Not all curries take hours to prepare. Keep a jar of prepared curry paste on hand for quick recipes like this one. One 14-ounce package Vermont Soy firm tofu 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped 3 to 5 tablespoons prepared curry paste, such as Patak's biryani, garam masala or Vindaloo curry paste One 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted, with juices Juice from half a lemon or lime Chopped cilantro or scallion greens for garnish Pat the block of tofu with paper towels to absorb excess moisture. Cut the block into ¾-inch cubes and set aside on paper towels for a few minutes to absorb...