The Urban Omnivore

Katie and I just got back from a winter getaway in Stowe, VT. It turns out that Vermont residents have a wealth of resources available to them if they’re interested in changing their eating habits. Among these resources is The Vermont Fresh Network that helps Vermont farms and restaurants team up to provide local food at restaurants. One such restaurant is Gracie’s in Stowe, VT. After a white-knuckle ride along the Stowe roads, we pulled into the parking lot, navigated the ice and snow drifts, and found the entrance. We met up with our friends, ordered some Otter Creek beer (the Oatmeal Stout is delicious), and settled down into our booth. When the waitress stopped by to deliver our drinks she asked if we had any questions about the menu… I did. I wanted to know specifically what “locally grown beef” and being a part of the Vermont Fresh Network meant for the restaurant. The simple answer is that Gracie’s buys its beef from a local farm that feeds their animals on a grass diet. When she finished her explanation, I knew that we were about to lose our grass-fed virginity. I immediately chose the ribeye steak (medium rare, heavy on the rare) while Katie opted for the burger (medium).

The steak was quite good. Tender, tasty, and… beefy. My only complaint is that I couldn’t get it salty enough. This is strange for me since I’m sensitive to salt and can pick it up easily. I almost never add it to restaurant food. This time I did and I still thought it needed more. Maybe it the heaviness of the beer had dulled my tastebuds but I think it was the sauteed vegetables served on top of the steak that took away from the taste. Overall, I was more than pleased with my dinner.

The burger was even better. It had the perfect amount of char and a rich taste. Served as a burger should be, with fries and a pickle.

We also had time to frequent a local favorite, McCarthy’s Restaurant, for breakfast. At McCarthy’s, they serve local eggs in all sorts of standard diner fare. I had my old standby: two eggs, sunny-side up, with corned beef hash. I always order that meal at a new diner so that I can compare it against others (not to mention its my favorite). Don’t take this lightly because I wouldn’t write it without being serious… McCarthy’s makes the best eggs and corned beef hash that I’ve ever tasted. The egg yolks were deep yellow, firm with almost a creamy taste. The whites were thick and meaty(?). Not too buttery but flavorful nonetheless. The corned beef and hash was crispy and thick with beef and potatoes. Extra stars to McCarthy’s for having hot sauce on the table without having to ask.

Should us urbanites be jealous of Stowe Vermonters and their food resources? They have an organization dedicated to connecting local farms and restaurants, enthusiastic localvores, Cabot cheese, Ben and Jerry’s, and Green Mountain Coffee. What do we have? Plenty… as we’ll soon find out with more posts and reader comments.