The Farmplate Blog

The men's and women's Cats aren't the only VT contenders in the news right now. Three northern Vermont restaurants--Bluebird Tavern, Hen of the Wood and Kitchen Table Bistro --are anxiously waiting to hear if they'll advance to the final round of the 2010 James Beard Foundation culinary awards. That announcement will be made at a breakfast in New Orleans on Monday morning.

Seven top Vermont chefs will be packing up prized Vermont foodstuffs and caravanning to New York City early on Sunday to prep for the Team Vermont Dinner to be held at the James Beard House on Monday evening. The dinner will showcase the outstanding agricultural and culinary landscape of Vermont today. The all-star chef roster includes:

Lara and Steve Atkins, Kitchen Table Bistro, Richmond
Sean Buchanan, Stowe Mountain Lodge, Stowe
Aaron Josinsky, Bluebird Tavern, Burlington
Rogan Lechthaler, Verdé, Stratton Mountain
Mark Timms, Topnotch Resort & Spa, Stowe
Eric Warnstedt, Hen of the Wood, Waterbury

We caught up with a confident Chef Buchanan yesterday. "We're ready to go," he said. "We worked out the kinks in the menu at a run-through at Kitchen Table Bistro last month." The team will have to set up a zone defense in the Beard House's tiny kitchen to cook this winning meal.

Hors d'Oeuvre
Misty Knoll Farms Chicken Liver BLTs
Jasper Hill Bayley Hazen Blue Toasts with House Pancetta
Black Truffle Ice Cream Cones
Aaron's Corn Dogs
Vermont Beef Tenderloin Tartar with Radishes & Fried Pickles
Wannabea Farm Rabbit Pâté with Long Trail Porter Mustard & Pickled Turnips

Dinner
Assorted Housemade Bluebird Tavern Charcuterie
Heirloom Squash Soup with Roasted Sunchokes & Misty Knoll Chicken
Branzino with Rutabaga, Turnip Greens and House-Cured Guanciale Dressing
Cavendish Quail & Pork Belly with Cider Glaze & Smoked Cheddar Polenta
Maine Lobster with Hen-of-the-Woods Mushroom, Spring-Dug Parsnips & Brown Butter
Deconstructed Beef Wellington with Pickled Tongue, Braised Heart & Virtual Egg

Dessert
Coffee-Chocolate Sundae with Candied Almond & Vanilla Anglaise