You might think it's very odd that a cheesemonger would tell you not to buy a cheese, but here I go: if you're going to shell out the bucks to buy brie, you're better off spending that money on another variety.
Now, there's really nothing wrong with brie... if you're in France. According to the United States Food and Drug Administration's regulations on dairy products, if a cheese is made of unpasteurized milk, it has to be aged for at least 60 days.
But real brie is made of unpasteurized milk, and it's aged for just a few weeks. (At 60 days aged, you wouldn't want it. It'll have the distinct and powerful aroma and flavor of ammonia, except you can't wash the floor with it. Don't bother trying to trim it - just throw it away.)
So, for export to the United States, France makes pasteurized brie.
The 13-year-old Brattleboro Food Co-op Cook Book is getting a complete makeover. Apart from the exacting detail of assessing the ingredients in more than 250 recipes contributed by a variety of people and organizations, the task is made even more challenging by how much food tastes and recipe styles...
It was 7:45 p.m., and dinner had just come to an end: roasted baby peppers stuffed with leftover risotto and goat cheese. They were sweet, caramelized, simultaneously crunchy and creamy, and very good. But the star of supper was salad. It was a crazy, mixed-up bowl of wonderful flavors,
Editor's note: When Colin Tedford, a comics artist from just over the river in New Hampshire, proposed this piece, we thought it was a great idea. What better place than the Arts section as a venue for sequential art in journalism? We'd love to know what you think. Long-time readers of The Commons might remember Tedford's strip, “Spinning World,” which ran on the comics page. Tedford is cofounder, with Daniel Barlow, a former Brattleboro resident, of Trees & Hills, a...
Pretty much everyone knows about brie: spongy, ivory-colored cheese that starts to ooze if left out on the counter for too long, covered with this bright-white, cottony sort of stuff that is maybe edible (or at least you hope it's edible, since you're the one who usually eats it). People like it for parties. But do you really know brie? Do you know that, within its specific category - the bloomy-rind cheeses - there are much better cheeses than brie,
Some things defy categorizing. Take for instance The Convergence Project. Led by composer and pianist Eugene Uman, this sextet is an eclectic mix of extraordinary musicians, and each brings individual influences and flavors to Uman's richly spiced compositions. The Convergence Project concert will take place on Saturday, June 9, at 8 p.m., at the Vermont Jazz Center at the Cotton Mill. Uman, the artistic director of the Vermont Jazz Center (VJC), says he put together the sextet to interpret his...
Obituaries • Muriel L. Andersen, 83, of Keene, N.H. and Sarasota, Fla. Died May 11 in Florida. Wife of the late Arnold “Arnie” Andersen for 61 years. Mother of Karen Andersen of Portsmouth, N.H.; Barbara Dee of Dover, N.H.; Susan Deyo and her husband, Jim, of Brattleboro; Mary Arnault and her husband, Tom, of Rochester, N.H.; and Christine Phillips of Gilbert, Ariz. Sister of John Andersen and his wife, Carole, of Westwood, Mass. Born in Dedham, Mass., the daughter of...
A Russian invasion is coming to Southern Vermont this weekend. On Friday, June 8, at Landmark College in Putney, and Sunday, June 10, at the Latchis Theatre in Brattleboro, the Windham Orchestra, under the direction of Hugh Keelan, will present “Russian Festival.” Three Russian composers and a young artist provide the inspiration for Russian Festival. The spirited program includes Stravinsky's Violin Concerto in D and the Firebird Suite, Tchaikovsky's Overture-Fantasy Romeo and Juliet, and Glinka's Ruslan and Lyudmila overture. Keelan...
Connecticut River Valley Trout Unlimited Chapter to meet WESTMINSTER - The Connecticut River Valley Trout Unlimited Chapter meeting will be held Thursday, June 7, at 7 p.m. at the Westminster Fire Station. The chapter will hear from Ken Cox, a fisheries biologist from the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. He will present a slide show about post-Irene stream conditions, including pre- and post-storm wild trout populations, the effects of the storm itself and the pros and cons of various repair...
New England Youth Theatre will hold auditions for “Romeo and Juliet” and “Annie” in June. “Romeo and Juliet” auditions will be held on Monday, June 11, from 4 to 6 p.m. The show will rehearse beginning Tuesday, Sept. 4. Performances will be held Oct. 12-21. Director Peter Gould said, “This will be a very emotional, accurate, demanding production - an ensemble cast of mixed ages, 12 to 18. It will be a challenging senior production, but with ample important roles...
The town is considering a switch to the Windham County Sheriff's Department for its police coverage in the coming fiscal year. Brookline currently has a contract for six hours a month with the Vermont State Police, which also answers all 911 calls and performs occasional patrols in town, at a cost of $3,600 per year. The current contract is set to expire on June 30. Sheriff Keith Clark outlined his department's proposal to the Selectboard during its May 2 meeting.
Rain forced a very compressed first week of the Vermont high school playoffs. At the end of last week, there were three local teams that made it through to the semifinals - the Brattleboro softball and boys' tennis teams and the Leland & Gray baseball team. How compressed was last week's schedule? There were 84 games played last Thursday statewide in Vermont, and several teams moved their Saturday games up a day to Friday to avoid another rainout on Saturday.
The ongoing outbreaks of individual madness/cannibalism in North America are being mocked as a “zombie outbreak,” but there's nothing the least bit funny about it. As the economy and country continue to spiral, these desperate acts embody just how far we're slipping, whether from hunger (the July 2010 Los Angeles account of a homeless woman seizing and biting a baby's arm) or the conflation of drug abuse/insanity (the infamous Florida attack and killing in May). We've tolerated a succession of...
Friends of Music at Guilford's third annual A Cappella à la Carte on Saturday, June 9, will be especially robust. It features three groups from Brattleboro Union High School in a brief warm-up set, as well as nearly two dozen singers in the Vermont-New Hampshire group “House Blend.” The performance is part of a full evening of Friends of Music activities at Guilford Community Church, with the public welcome. The evening begins at 6 p.m. with a 30-minute annual membership...
I have to say I am absolutely disgusted by the May 23 Viewpoint article about the Connect the Dots movement [“Connect the Dots: desperate and misguided”]. This is perhaps one of the most condescending and unnecessary rants to be found anywhere off of trashy talk radio. If the author's intent was to incite the reader, he certainly accomplished it, though not how he might have imagined. The author refers to the members of the movement to be “desperate and misguided,”
On May 5, the United Way of Windham County joined forces with local dentists and oral surgeons to fight dental disease by providing a Free Adult Dental Care Day for Windham County residents. Dental professionals worked a combined 689 hours in one day; nonmedical volunteer time totaled more than 60 hours. Value of the care provided topped $90,000. Overall, 166 patients received dental treatments including 17 cleanings, 89 fillings, 138 extractions, and 149 X-rays. One uninsured patient who declined to...
The Greater Falls Prevention Coalition (GFPC) would like to thank reporter Allison Teague and The Commons for taking an interest in our work and the Greater Falls community in the April 25 article “State grant lets GFPC extend its outreach.” The story covered a number of our initiatives and what we hope to accomplish moving forward. We would like to make a couple of small, but important clarifications. First, the bimonthly youth radio program “The Underground Hour,” airing on WOOL...
It is no surprise that the Vermont Republican Party has been one of the most vigorous critics of Gov. Peter Shumlin's plan to bring the state a universal health care system by 2017. With health care about the only issue that the GOP has at its disposal to attack the governor as he begins his campaign for a second term, Republicans have complained that the Shumlin administration is deliberately delaying announcing how Green Mountain Care will be funded until after...
Next Stage Arts Project presents former Vermont Gov. Madeleine Kunin on Friday, June 8, at 7:30 p.m. Kunin will be reading from and discussing her new book, The New Feminist Agenda: Defining the Next Revolution for Women, Work, and Family (Chelsea Green Publishing). Following the presentation will be a question-and-answer session. Kunin will be signing copies of her book, which will also be for sale. Kunin was Governor of Vermont from 1985 to 1991 and is the first woman to...
A published copy of the new book will not be ready in time for the Co-op's planned move into its sparkling new quarters. Long time Co-op Manager Alex Gyori emphasizes that the opening plans are subject to change, but if current plans prevail, on June 12, the retail store will close early at 7 p.m. and will remain closed all day June 13. Opening day in the new quarters is planned for June 14. At the store for 30 years,
I was extremely excited to read Olga Peters' article that Kate O'Connor will be running to represent the Windham 3-3 district of Brattleboro in the Vermont House of Representatives [The Commons, June 1]. I have known Kate for many years and admire not only her incredible intellect but also her down-to-earth style, her sense of humor, her firm grasp of the issues, and her dedication to Brattleboro. As someone who considered running for this seat in 2010, I know that...
Newfane is the Windham County seat, and an imposing Federal-style courthouse dominates the town green. The court faces the sheriff's office, famous for once having had a hotel attached to the county jail with a single kitchen that served both. Just behind the courthouse and slightly to the side is the white-steepled Congregational church. I like the way the courthouse is prominent in Newfane. As a member of a religious minority and a skeptic, I hold dear the separation of...
The Vermont Press Association (VPA) presented The Commons with first prize in the “Best of Vermont - General Excellence” category for the non-daily division at the association's annual awards luncheon on May 31 at the Capital Plaza Hotel. Commons News Editor Randolph T. Holhut also won two awards in the non-daily division: second place for best local news story and third place for best editorial. Kevin O'Connor, a reporter for the Rutland Herald with local roots whose beat includes his...
Grafton Ponds Outdoor Center has added a new twist on summer camps this year by offering a Big Kids Camp for adults. Grafton Ponds is known for its summer week-long day camps for children aged 5 through 16. Now Big Kids Camps will be offered in conjunction with children's summer camps, which run from June 25 through Aug. 3. Big Kids Camps are offered to adults Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and include mountain biking, swimming,
Following the damaging effects of Tropical Storm Irene and responding to demand for updated affordable housing, the Brattleboro Housing Authority (BHA) has begun a housing alternatives study. The study will investigate what types of housing redevelopment are possible at current BHA properties Hayes Court and Melrose Terrace, as well as alternative locations throughout Brattleboro. The project will explore possibilities for approximately 150 housing units, and include affordable housing, senior housing, and housing for the disabled. Over the next four months,
On Friday, June 8, Dr. William New will present a talk called “Lessons Learned by a Seasoned Social Entrepreneur” at Marlboro College Graduate School. New has pursued a career as physician, engineer, educator and serial entrepreneur. He was a venture capitalist, investing in companies across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. New's goal was to create and nurture businesses that put the customer first, and are sustainable. He shares these experiences with the hope that young entrepreneurs can...
On Sunday, June 10, the Brattleboro Bike Revolution (BBR) will hold the first in a series of rides and workshops to help residents learn to ride a bike for transportation. BBR will be offering an overview of basic bike maintenance, tips on riding safely, and a celebratory ride. Its aim is to create community, encourage skill-sharing, and help boost the level of competence, confidence, and comfort for bike riders of all types. It is encouraging novice, intermediate, and highly experienced...
Volunteers for the Exit 1 Gateway Project (E1GP) have established their second perennial garden. The E1GP is a year-old citizens' initiative to transform Exit 1 into an attractive gateway to the town and the state. Last month, more than a dozen individuals and groups gave their time, energy, and funds to make it work. Martha Ramsey, E1GP facilitator, said the group was pleased it had met its goal of planting the new garden in time to present an appealing welcome...
Vermont summer readers can explore insights into community and heritage, while enjoying a compelling story. That's because The Vermont Book Shelf is linking Southern Vermont authors Laura Stevenson, Jessie Haas, and F.D. Reeve with other fiction writers throughout the state. Available online as http://vermontbookshelf.blogspot.com, the newly formed author collaborative is also bringing together authors in person for events. Residents can meet some of the writers at the Vermont History Expo in Tunbridge on June 16 and 17. Check the Vermont...
Former CIA Chief of Counterterrorism Haviland Smith will examine current U.S. policy in the Middle East in a talk at Brooks Memorial Library in Brattleboro on Thursday, June 7, at 7 pm. His talk, “U.S. Foreign Policy in the Complicated and Incendiary Middle East,” is part of the Vermont Humanities Council's First Wednesdays lecture series. This is a rescheduled talk from May and takes place on a Thursday, instead of the usual Wednesday. Smith, a retired CIA station chief, will...
According to Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell, the federal judge who ruled that the state legislature doesn't have the authority to shutter the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant took some lawmakers' comments out of context. “The district court's cherry-picking from the incomplete legislative record for favorable snippets was erroneous, therefore, and should be reversed,” the attorney general wrote in a brief filed with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals Monday. Under federal law, states are not allowed to regulate radiological...
The Putney Community Theater will be holding an open casting call on Sunday, June 10, at the Putney Community Center from 3 to 5 p.m., for the theater company's inaugural season's play, “Food, Putney.” The Putney Community Center is located at 10 Christian Square. The Putney Community Theater is a new theater project dedicated to giving people with little or no acting or performing experience the opportunity to tell their stories around a particular theme. This year's theme is food,
On Tuesday, June 12, health care leaders will gather at Marlboro College Graduate School to discuss the effects of national and state health care reforms on hospitals, providers, and health care management professionals. The event will be held at the Graduate School, 28 Vernon St., from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend and admission is free. Employers and employees are wondering what will happen to traditional employer-sponsored health insurance under state-operated exchanges. Hospitals are wondering if...
Greyhound, the nation's largest bus company, has announced that it will eliminate all station stops along the Interstate 91 corridor between Springfield, Mass., and White River Junction, effective June 20. This means the end of interstate bus service for Brattleboro and Bellows Falls in Vermont, Northampton, and Greenfield in Massachusetts, and Keene, N.H. Greyhound blames a decline in ridership at these locations for the service cuts. Greyhound will continue to make stops in Burlington, Montpelier, and White River Junction in...
Could slowing down be the new fast track to a better future? Strolling of the Heifers weekend began in town with the second annual Strolling of the Heifers Slow Living Summit, a conference celebrating a phrase that serves as an umbrella for the concepts of mindfulness, vibrant local economies, and building communities and commerce around a common good. Summit registration rose 25 percent over last year, to nearly 400 participants from across the United States, and from Norway and Australia,
May 29, 2012: Here in Brattleboro, the heat hugs the ground as dark clouds hover over the mountain; the air is as silent as a drone and as oppressive. I cannot look at the video of 49 children posted on YouTube, a video that shows bloody bodies, executed at close range, bodies with small skulls bashed open and bullet holes in their heads. There are gaping wounds everywhere I look. Whole families were murdered in cold blood in their own...
RE: “Calling the meeting to disorder” [The Commons, June 1], another good article by Olga Peters. One addition: I was trying to get the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to admit that although the agency knew that Entergy had said the company regularly releases strontium-90 from Vermont Yankee, its director of communications, Larry Smith, publicly stated that the plant did not. The NRC did nothing to let the state or public know that VY lied to the public and did not set...
It is so often the simple things that bring down complicated mechanisms. In a May 24 report, Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee discovered a missing conduit seal, which opened below-grade electrical switch rooms to flooding via an exterior manhole chamber. It is likely that the missing seal was discovered during an examination of VY flooding vulnerabilities, recently ordered by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in response to lessons from Fukushima. Otherwise, the missing seal might not have been discovered until flood-induced failure...
RE: “Connect the Dots: desperate and misguided” [Viewpoint, May 25]. Finally, someone who agrees with most people I know: that the whole “global warming” scheme is only going to enrich the corporations that come up with so-called carbon trapping, and carbon-tax-collecting banks. This money will be taken from the people until we can't afford the electricity to plug in an electric car even if we choose to get one. These people try so hard to force their views on everyone...
In respectful response to “Pressure Congress to get waste out of Vermont” [Letters, April 11], I empathize with the writer's desire to protect our families, friends, and community here from the effects of nuclear waste. This proposed nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada is situated on the Native Lands of the Western Shoshone. This community already suffers a disproportionate rate of exposure to toxic waste; most of the nuclear mining and testing (bombing) in the United States takes...
I was disappointed by your willingness to print unattributed slurs against Sen. Peter Galbraith in your recent article [“State senator resigns from committee over campaign finance bill,” May 9]. As a frequent visitor to the Statehouse, I have heard similar comments and have a context to understand them. I read your article as an unattributed interview with Senator Jeanette White. I found it interesting that nothing was said about how unusual it is for a Senate committee chair to forget...
Nearly 10 months after Tropical Storm Irene swept through Windham County, local business owners are still wading through the red tape. Meanwhile, millions of federal disaster funds might not trickle down to some of the businesses and homeowners in need. Still, the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development's Department of Economic, Housing, and Community Development (DEHCD) hopes to funnel more funds to the local level. DEHCD staff hosted the first of three public hearings in Brattleboro on Tuesday to...