These days, the idea of pie as a breakfast food is mostly an idea from a bygone era. In some areas of New England, however, the tradition hangs on…and perhaps this is due in some part to the most elegant of the breakfast pie recipes: apple pie with sharp cheddar cheese served with a great cup of coffee.

Apple pie with sharp cheddar is a great way to curb spring fever or initiate house guests to classic New England home cooking. Consider checking out the following the next time you’re at The Coop:

Champlain Apple Pies—Available in both double crust and crumble top. Located in the Local Products cooler by our bulk department, these pies will be great with a thick slice of extra-sharp cheddar. 

Our cheese department has some great choices when it comes to sharp cheddar. The Seriously Sharp Cheddar from Cabot is a tried and true favorite, and the 2-Year-Old Sharp from Shelburne Farms packs a wallop. 

Choose some apples from our produce department to make your pie. Baking your pie at home allows you to experiment with spreading grated cheese on the apple filling or mixing it with the crust itself. A quick internet search yields a good selection of variations on these ideas.

Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of simplycheese.net

Do these cold winter days have you craving something warm and nourishing? Check out this simple but delicious recipe courtesy of Katie Lavin from High Mowing Seeds. Enjoy!

Beef and Butternut Chili

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped (or use leeks or scallions)
2-6 cloves chopped garlic
3-4 cups water, vegetable or chicken broth, or stock (increase amount of salt and herbs if using water)
1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes,or 4-5 medium-sized frozen tomatoes without skins
2-3 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
3-4 cups of peeled and cubed butternut squash
1 lb ground beef
1 cup chopped carrots
1-2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 cup chopped sweet pepper (optional)
cheese and sour cream (optional)

Brown the beef until all of the pink is gone.Drain the liquid off. In another pan, while the beef is cooking, sauté; the onion in oil until it is translucent and soft; add the garlic and pepper and cook a little longer. Add spices and stir for a minute while it cooks then add your liquid and tomatoes. Add the beef,butternut squash, and carrots and bring to a boil; turn the heat down to let it simmer,stirring occasionally. The chili is done when the vegetables are tender; add the corn in the last five minutes of cooking. Top with cheese or sour cream and serve with bread or tortilla chips.

In early July I had the pleasure of being invited to Riverside Farm in East Hardwick, Vermont. My aim was to get a nice fresh photograph to update the photo that has been hanging over our produce case for over a decade. Check out the beauty that surrounds this wonderful family and farm, and look for the new photo hanging over their fresh produce at The Coop!

A local artist just finished making their new sign (left) complete with a tele-skiing carrot cruising through the fields. “...the carrot picked up a beet on its way through!” says Bruce with a chuckle. The team got right to work. The first thing we did was head down to the fields to cut some fresh heads of lettuce. The fields were filled with giant dew-cover ed rosettes of vibrant purple and

green. Harvesting went quickly, and before I knew it, it was time head to the wash station back at the barn.

The lettuce is washed thoroughly at the farm before it ships out to places like our Coop. The next day, I saw that the Riverside Farm lettuce had arrived in our Produce Department! A big thank you goes out to Riverside Farm for all the labor and love that goes into the local veggies that feed our community. Look for delicious farm fresh Riverside produce through the fall at The Coop.