a candy corn upgrade.

oh, hello, monday. you snuck up on my once again. i really hate when you do that! but this week is going to be full of sunny warm days here in vermont (woo hoo!) and lots of anticipation for the weekend to come (eek!) and not to mention, it's the last week of october, so there is lots to be done before november hits (yikes!)

but, before we get to all that, i have to share with you a few of my foodie favorites from last week that i just didn't get a chance to post before the weekend got a hold of me. i promise, less food, more vermont fun this week. but, let's indulge just one more time in some seasonal sugary inspiration (yum!) who needs to treak or treat when you have these lovely confections? (ok, i still do - i love me some candy corn)

...i love me some pop tarts too - and how amazingly gooey do these pumpkin pop tarts look!?

individual pumpkin pies in mason jars?! yes, please.

king arthur flour does it again...creepy & tasty is a tricky combo, and they have simply mastered it.

how tasty do these chocolate pumpkin cupcakes look? (obviously, i love the placemat and wicker balls too)

reasons to have a halloween party include this dessert buffet from the talented ladies at twig & thistle.

so - any clever halloween ideas up your sleeves?!?!

ok, now back to your regulary scheduled monday morning! boo!

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adventures in baking: apple pie

i was missing in action yesterday for a very very good reason. what might that have been? i was baking an apple pie. (seriously, i was)

and, no, to answer your next question, i was not playing hookie. it was actually a work outing - apple picking included. seriously, not to be boastful, but how cool is that?

well, i suppose it would have been even cooler had i not been so dreadful a pie baker. let me let you in on a little secret....it's tricky, really tricky, especially the part with the rolling pin.

so, i dare you, cyberfriends - give it a try and let me know how it goes. sadly, i was sworn to secrecy by my talented coworkers and can not share with you the secret recipe we used, so i bring you this classic option from our friends at shelburne orchards. trust me, they know apples. also, trust me that even the ugliest apple pie tastes pretty darn good, just ask mr. frederickson.

shelburne orchard's not-so-secret apple pie recipe

what you need:

Crust for one pie, 2 crusts

• 2 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 sticks of butter (yes, I use butter!)
• 1/3 cup ice cold water
• pinch of salt

In a food processor - Add the flour, butter (cut into 1/2 inch chucks), water and salt. Mix until the mixture starts to thump around, less than a minute. If you don't have a food processor then put the flour on a cutting surface and make a pond in the middle of it for the water. Add the cut up butter and salt. With a large knife, chop the butter into the flour, using the knife to keep the water from running off. Chop until mixed, knead into ball, cover and cool.

Filling

• 8 good size apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch pieces.
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice to taste
• 1 tablespoon instant tapioca

Simmer apples in large skillet with brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice and instant tapioca. Simmer until apples have softened. Let cool.

Directions Preheat over to 350 degrees. Take the ball of crust dough and cut in half. There should be enough in each half for a bottom crust and a top crust. Role the first one out using plenty of extra flower on the rolling pin, and on the dough. When the size is right, (10’ circle for a 9’ pie.) brush off extra flower and set in the pie plate. Add the apple mix, slightly wet the top edge of the bottom crust, pop on the top crust , pinch and trim. Then with thumb and first finger of right hand and thumb of left hand, work your way around the crust pushing the edge between your fingers making a ruffled edge. Slice 2 holes in the top of the crust for air to escape. ( every body has there own design for this.) OK, now into the oven. 35 to 40 minutes. I check for doneness by poking a fork through one of the holes in the top into an apple piece inside to see if it is soft but not sauce.

Special Crust Treatment Soften 3 table spoons of butter. mix with 1 egg white. This mixture if the butter is soft enough can be brushed right on the crust while the crust is hot, Brush it right on the ruffles and all over the top after 15 to 20 minutes of cooking. Sprinkle sugar over this and slap that baby right back into the oven. When the pie is done the crust will be slightly golden brown and the filling will bubble and ooz a little. Let cool...and wait...and hope...

{image via bake or break: confessions of an amateur baker}

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only in vermont...

...do you have trees this colorful and mountains this white. just a reminder that - ready or not -winter is just around the corner.

so what do you think - are YOU ready?

{image of mt. ellen via @sugarbush_vt}

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a pumpkin road trip.

i have a soft spot for jack-o-lanterns that dates back to the fall of 2006 when i surrounded myself with 30,128 of them (see life is good pumpkin festival) since then, my love has only intensified, so you can imagine the panic attack i had when i realized that there was a giant pumpkin event happening in vermont that i did not know about! luckily, i discovered it just in the nick of time as the vermont state pumpkin carving day happens THIS saturday in manchester, vt.

so, who is in? any one up for a last minute road trip? fyi, a quick stop at the outlets included.

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comfort food thursday - it's baaack.

it's here. comfort food/crock pot season that is, and i for one could not be happier. this is not only the time of year that my neck disappears, but also the time when i start eating soup for atleast 2 meals a day...so in honor of that season, and in an effort to mix up my dining routine, i am going to set a goal of trying a new recipe every week and sharing it with you on the reenergized version of comfort food thursday.*

so in my first attempt - i bring you from our friends at eating well - squash, chickpea & red lentil stew. it's in the crock pot as we speak, so check back (or follow me on twitter) and i will let you know how it goes!

squash, chickpea & red lentil stew

what you need:

• 3/4 cup dried chickpeas
• 2 1/2 pounds kabocha squash, or butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup red lentils
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/2 cup chopped roasted unsalted peanuts
• 1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
  

what you do: soak chickpeas in enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches for 6 hours or overnight. (alternatively, use the quick-soak method: place beans in a large pot with enough water to cover by 2 inches. bring to a boil over high heat. remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour.) drain when ready to use.

combine the soaked chickpeas, squash, carrots, onion, lentils, broth, tomato paste, ginger, cumin, salt, saffron and pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker. put on the lid and cook on low until the chickpeas are tender and the lentils have begun to break down, 5 to 6 1/2 hours. stir in lime juice. serve sprinkled with peanuts and cilantro.

*please keep in mind this is a long season here in vermont, so i am certainly going to need your help and suggestions on dishes to try. comment or email me with ideas - i beg you!

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back road beauty (& chalkboards)

my friend at whole lotta love shared with us this image from her recent weekend drive through vermont. don't you love when you stumble upon inspiration and human goodness when you least expect it?

(although, i might argue that, in my opinion, beauty often exists without us adding a darn thing. just check out the other photos from her drive for proof)

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a make up post & some weekend wishes

{cider mill, essex, vt via yankee magazine}

i didn't get to post much this week (ugh, life how i hate when you get in the way of blogging) so i have lots to share with you on this fantastically foliage-y friday (it's pretty perfectly peak up here in vermont) and from the bottom of my little heart i hope these tidbits from around the web bring you as much joy as they did me.

this time of year i have the urge to get back in the kitchen and start baking up a storm, unfortunately for my waistline, this hobby stays with me until long after the snow melts. but i think i will start with this unfussy apple cake from 101 cookbooks.

i need. yes, need. this scarf/neckwarmer thing. reason being, october is known by some as the month my neck disappears, only to be seen again in the spring....ok, fine...summer. so this piece of knit wear has my name all over it.

if you hadn't yet figured it out, i have a soft spot in my soul for wedding photos - especially ones that look this ethereal and were taken in vermont by the talented folks at landwherle photography. to see more of their magical day in stowe, check out this lovely blog.
this weekend is the ibex tent sale in quechee, vermont. go, please, for me. brave the crowds. it's amazing. trust me.

also noteworthy, the long awaited new restaurant church & main - located at, yup, you guessed it, the corner of church st and main st - opens on monday. mr. frederickson, i see a date night in our future. cider donut breadpudding - are you kidding me?!

there is just so much good stuff happening on the web and in real life this time of year...i almost can't stand it!

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an apple overdose.

just like life, this fall is going by waaaayyy too quickly. i had a complete panic attack tonight after learning that apple picking season is coming to an end. how did that happen!??! where did the time go? and why, oh why have i not taken advantage of the best time of year here in vermont?! aka meltdown.


however, i relaxed a bit when i learned, thanks to the folks at farm plate, that its not just me and that this year's crops have ripened about 10 days ahead of schedule due to an unseasonably warm april...although due to a may frost, the overall crop yield is down about 17%. (gotta love vermont!)

in an attempt to be somewhat proactive against future meltdowns, i am going to "go big" in the world of apples and dash out to as many pick your own orchards as possible in the coming days and stock up for the long winter.


so, since these next few days will be reminiscent of "mrs. k's bulk pick" circa august 2008, i will need your help on what to do with all these darn apples. what do you think? what's your favorite recipe? pies? chutneys? tarts? sauce? i need you all. help me prepare for the impending overdose.....pleeeaase!

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floating pumpkins.

it would be the understatment of the year to say that vermont "got some rain" last week. the truth is the rain started on monday and didn't end until friday evening (just in time for the weekend - well done) so we welcomed the first weekend of fall a little bit waterlogged. there were road closures, raging rivers, and a pumpkin patch or two sent underwater. so, while my heart breaks a little bit for the farmers who lost their crops and the jack-o-lanterns that could have been - it made for quite the scene on the connecticut river over the weekend. nothing like floating pumpkins to welcome october...

so in honor of all the fallen pumpkins, let's do our part to enjoy their month and all the wonder that it brings to this little part of the world. starting perhaps by hitting up the pumpkin regatta coming up in burlington this saturday! floating pumpkins are all the rage this year.

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october is...

october believes in indian summer.

she loves the mystery of things.

october loves a full moon.

she sings in autumn sun.

october has a walk-in closet of costumes.

she understands cycles.

october believes in layers and interpretations.

she dances in rhythms.

october loves landscape paintings.

she is the heart of all inspiration.

october collects falling leaves (maples, especially)

she can keep a secret.

october is an artist. it works with its hands.

she feeds the birds.

{image via, who is october courtesy of a 2006 KOCO NY calendar}

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scarf heaven.

my heart stopped this morning when i stumbled across this website. all it is is scarves. scarves in a zillion colors and in a million sizes (all delightfully enormous) i have died and gone to scarf heaven....

thanks for this discovery, unruly things! you have made my thursday.

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feel like getting lost?

new goal for october: find my way thought one of vermont's corn mazes. yes, you heard right - mazes - there are several. you just gotta love vermont for that!

• sam mazza's corn maze - colchester
• hathaway farm & corn maze - rutland
• great vermont corn maze - danville
• isham family farm - williston
• weybridge gardens - weybridge
• whitcomb's land of pumpkin - williston

so, fellow fall/vermont lovers, what do you think? any favorites?

{image via FFFound}

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fall gatherings & happy weekend!

i am a believer in dinner parties. there is something so magical about the conversations that happen around a table filled with tasty food, great friends and good wine. it may be more work than going out, but i have to say it never fails to be well worth the effort.

i also believe there is something even more sensational about a dinner party this time of year. the air gets cool at night and things move inside (or better yet, you bring blankets and candles outside) the conversations get more intimate, the ambience a bit warmer and the food a bit tastier and bottom line, they are just more fun to plan.

further more, i believe that a dinner party with a good tablescape is the best dinner party of all. so, to start off your weekend, check out these inspiring photos and get your imaginations going.

long story, longer - i believe in the magic of fall.

figs + beet colored flowers + bread + a burlap table runner = a perfect new twist on fall decor

ok, this may be a brunch table scape, but it still works in my book! just substitute wine for mimosas (or don't...) i am also in LOVE with the milk bottles.

emerson made can do no wrong, especially when it comes to her dinner parties and table linens.

simon pearce can do no wrong either. and what's not to love about jack-be-littles?

and if you feel like going really big...how about this dreamy barn setting? shut the front door. amazing.

{inspiration via snippet & ink, the sweetest occasion, emerson made, simon pearce, riverside farm }

so, on that dreamy note...i am off! happy weekend to you all! XOXO

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thank goodness...

...it's friday. i for one could not be happier! mr. frederickson and i are headed to yet another wedding, but this one is in our home state of vermont, so you just know it will be a good one! other than, we are just going to take in the crisp fall air and the welcomed change of season.

but to take you all through the last few hours of the week, check out some of these inspirations from cyber land. the internet never fails to amaze me.

• cozy fall fashion(aka giant sweaters) can be found here, here and here.
• diy fire pits - the newest fall necessity
• rue magazine is here! and it's sensational.
• how lucky am i to have this little lady as my cousin? think she is cute? just wait till you hear what she has to say next tuesday.
• what better way to round out eatlocal week than by prepping one of these localvore recipes? major bonus points if the recipe calls for squash.
• ...or if cooking isn't your cup of tea this weekend, just head down to the chubby muffin - burlington's newest bakery (i can't get enough of that name!!!)

{image via}

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sweater season.

i've been known - like many of you i'm sure - to get lost in the magical cyber shopping world known as etsy. and today, thanks to the many lovely crafters out there, my virtual closet has been filled with warm, cozy, handknit masterpieces.

some of my favorites...

how yummy is this raspberry color?!

and i just love these major cables.

see? contrary to popular belief, a giant aztec wool sweater CAN be sexy. thank you, marilyn.

um, so this is heaven, in knit form. i mean, a giant cream colored hood - what could be better?

so, now that i have lured you into this cable knit heaven, i think now is the time that i should also let you all in on my little secret....so here it is...as you know, i have many loves in life (mr. frederickson, butternut squash, the cold side of the pillow, pinics, anything by kate spade) but my love for the giant sweater surpasses them all.

you know the sweater i mean - the giant almost cocoon like creation that engulfs your whole being and makes you feel tiny and warm all at once, even on the chilliest of vermont days. although, i must admit, at times this obsession has caused tension and lead to slight depression (i.e. the shapeless gray turtleneck circa winter 2005 - 2008) however, thanks to the beauties above, i have good faith that this winter i will master the art of being slightly stylish without giving up an ounce of warmth.

so, happy sweater season to you all! make it a great one, i know i will.

{all sweaters via etsy...1, 2, 3, 4}

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i say apples...

"even if i knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, i would still plant my apple tree." - martin luther

i am dreaming in apples today. all kinds of apples. i am sitting at my desk fantasizing about dinner parties that look like this....

and cozy fall picnics with spiced cider and apple snacks...

and of spending sunday afternoon at the small farm food fest at shelburne orchards looking just as stylish as she does...

so, i feel i have no choice other than to embrace this new obsession and therefore pass it along to you all. so, i apologize in advance, but the next few weeks are going to be all about apples here at lovevermont. it is a fleeting, but important season and one that i want to celebrate while we can....after all, it will be pumpkin season before we know it. (although to be fair, pumpkin season just might trump apples, but only time will tell!)

p.s. did you know the average person eats 65 apples per year? seriously, they do. start counting!

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how 'bout them apples?*

on the to do list this weekend is a trip to one of the many pick your own orchards in this lovely state. 'tis the season! although, if i can be honest with you for a few minutes, i have to admit that i tend to get really overwhelmed when picking apples...which kind are good for eating on the spot? which ones are going to make my apple pie taste like the one my grandmother used to make? and what should i pick with the intention of making vats and vats of applesauce this fall? so many choices...

so when i was stalking emerson made's blog today and stumbled across this photo, i was suddenly at peace knowing that i am not the only new england lady who doesn't have her apple types memorized. phew. and it made me feel even better knowing that i am in pretty stylish company - check out her apple picking outfit! that is pure orchard elegance if you ask me.

*this line is from one of the best new england movies of all time - good will hunting. and while i thought the prhase was perfect for this blog post, to be honest, i still don't really understand what that phrase means. any insight would be much appreciated.

**also, if any know how mutsu and red delicious apples are for eating, please let me know! that guy's dome is really crimping my apple picking style and skill set.

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september is....

september lives in reality.
september never forgets to renew a library card.
she is part of the world. she is the world.
september's appointment book is always full.
september gets back to basics.
she believes that life has purpose.
september has her feet on the ground.
she reads between the lines.
she takes herself very seriously.
september has 236 recipes for apples.
she is a woman in literature.
september has high expectations.
she understands space and time.
september loves #2 pencils.

{calendar via etsy and who is september courtesy of a 2006 KOCO NY calendar}

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VTuesday Shoesday

my friend seb hit the nail on the head with her post today. i have to wholehearedly agree with her sentiment that that fall is a really fabulous time of year in vermont. as she so eloquently wrote, there are few things better than those chilly nights at the end of august that remind you that fall is right around the corner.

in my family, we are summer people, so signs of fall used to fill us with disappointment (my mom used to call it the f-word) and wish that you could rewind to the early days of summer that were filled with so much freedom and excitement about what's to come. but recently, i have come to learn that with this change in season come so many good things - cool nights & warm days, sweatshirts & shorts, open windows & blankets, scarves & boots, apples & squash. it's a season in transition, and in my opinion, that is a great place to be.

today, however, thanks to seb, my fall focus is on boots. september is all about getting new back to school shoes, and really there is no better option here in vermont than a new pair of boots. boot season is a long one, so it's important to find the perfect pair...not to high, or low and really they should be the perfect shade of brown...yes, it is a daunting task, but, one that i am ready and willing to tackle.

some current favorites...

{frye & banana republic}

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