VPR Cafe

Ownership of a vegetable farm in Burlington's Intervale has recently changed hands. Although small, Half Pint Farm provides many area restaurants with fresh produce and is known for its colorful stand at The Burlington Farmers Market. While new owners, Emily and Sean Mitchell, continue to provide what customers have come to expect, they've also added some new veggies.

A Vermont distillery recently moved operations from The Northeast Kingdom to the capitol city and its new location is as sweet as the honey infused in its spirits. Caledonia Spirits , previously in Hardwick, now has a beautiful, new space in Montpelier which also includes a bar and store.

Somewhere on Route 2 at the intersection of rock 'n roll, good intentions and culinary whimsy, is a taco truck making a small difference in the world. No menu, no fixed prices and live music!

It has taken a while for Vermont wines to get noticed, and the crawl for the state's winemakers has been slow and steady. However, even sub-genres are now being recognized; in particular, natural wine.

When it comes to food, we see lots of labels like "all natural," "free range" and others that have no legal definition, are unverified or meaningless. But Health Hero Farm in South Hero is, in fact, certified 100 percent grass-fed and animal welfare approved, and recently received a grant to promote why those certifications matter.

Cheap eats aren't always the best options when it comes to nutrition; however, restaurants do indeed exist where you can find a good, solid, quality meal that's affordable. Those descriptors are part of the criteria for the Seven Days food feature, "Dining on a Dime." In this podcast, we'll hear about some of their recent picks for grabbing a decent bite.

The New Farmers Project from UVM Extension aims to assist new farmers with creating a successful agricultural business. From educational courses and seminars, to financial management and marketing resources, the project helps farmers start, develop or expand their operations.

Last year, Sally Pollak - a food writer for Seven Days - enjoyed a gourmet, multi-course dinner in a dumpster at a location known as 18 Elm in Waterbury. The purpose of the event was to make a connection between food insecurity and food waste. Pollak shared that story in October 2018 and joins us again to explain what exactly 18 Elm is, and a bit about the family that occupies and operates it.

The American Cheese Society set forth a challenge for their annual competition: create a new category of cheese unique to America. Three cheesemakers answered the call, including one from Vermont.

The restaurant business can be brutal. It's evident by how quickly some places open up and then shut their doors forever. Yet some eateries have serious staying-power and go on to serve generations of hungry customers.

Tropical Storm Irene was a big wake-up call for Vermonters in 2011. Severe weather events, like flooding and drought, have been on the rise in our region and are causing farmers to adapt by altering how and where they grow.

When Winooski replaced its downtown with urban renewal and then with a traffic circle, who could have guessed it would turn into a dining destination? Well it did, and it continues to grow and offer a wide array of cuisine.

The idea of farms diversifying their offerings is not a new one, but it's always interesting to hear how the concept is put into practice. After a challenging start, one Bristol farm is standing out with everything from grass-fed beef and laying-hens, to a sugar house that produces both maple and birch syrup.

Growing from a farmers market stand, to a food truck, to a full-fledged restaurant, Lebanon, New Hampshire's Phnom Penh Sandwich Station recently crossed the Connecticut River to open a second location in Vermont. Taking over the space once occupied by the legendary Polka Dot restaurant, Phnom Penh's Cambodian cuisine is now available in White River Junction.

In a 12,500-square-foot former granite warehouse in Barre - free of sunlight, rain and insects - with cement floors, artificial lighting, and a sensor-controlled climate, you'll find trays upon trays of beautiful greens. The vegetation found in this space includes various styles of lettuce and basil, and is part of a wave of a new style of farming.

Everything about this VPR Cafe episode is pretty sweet. We'll hear about two medical writers who shifted career paths to become candy makers, the confections they create in South Hero, and the love story that made it all possible.

At 7 Bakery Lane in Middlebury, two very different restaurants occupy the same space. One starts the day with baked goods and caffeinated beverages; the other operates in the evening serving Italian fare and sophisticated cocktails. These coupled eateries are owned and run by the couple of Caroline and Matt Corrente.

Ludlow, Vermont, is a small town with a big ski resort and a vibrant culinary scene. Like many Vermonters who leave the state only to eventually return, some of Ludlow's restaurants are run by locals who moved away but then came back with cooking skills in tow.

Visitors to Burlington tend to focus their attention on The Church Street Marketplace for shopping and dining. But just a few blocks away - on the fringe of the Old North End - is North Winooski Avenue, and it appears to be evolving into a restaurant zone.

Even if bitter cold temperatures and mounting piles of snow aren't your cup of tea, there is one thing to love about winter: comfort food! From chicken soup to chili and mac 'n cheese to dumplings, many of these dishes not only warm us physically, but also emotionally.