Marion Lajoie

After 4 days of rigorous hiking and eating from Ziploc bags we exited the Long Trail and began our 5.5 mile road walk to Richmond, Vermont. Not knowing what we would find there our road songs turned to the theme of food and dreams of club soda under the hot Vermont sun. When we did (finally) arrive and after a big hand from Mama and Papa Bower we were guided to the beautiful Marion Lajoie (pronounced LaJoy). Her home: a 100 year old two story house with a huge vegetable garden and bunches of onions and garlic hanging in the garage. Her: an spunky and spry octogenarian, Army veteran widow, mother of four Grandmother to 9. Us: Stinky, sweaty, hungry and tired backpackers plus Earl the dog. We gingerly knocked on her side door. She greeted us warmly, looked us over and said "Alright! You can come on in...Earl too!"
After she accepted us and Earl (she’s not a dog person but later in her words claimed she "fell in love") Marion walked us through her home, pointed out the bathroom, and our bedroom, but we were too busy looking over her carefully placed mementos, marveling at the layered wall paper and linoleum flooring which crackled under our tired feet. We then paid her a modest accommodation fee and off she went (leaving us alone in her house!). To gather as she put it "supplies". The next morning we awoke to a scrumptious breakfast of eggs, thick slabs of ham, toast, tomatoes and homemade preserves. Full and content we praised Marion for her warm hospitality and tried to figure out our ride back to our friends house. While Shane helped her hang laundry (always the helper and asked her if there was anything around the house she needed help with…) I worked out a ride with my Friend A; she would be there in about an hour. Upon this news Shane immediately became disappointed, "But Marion needs help picking blueberries!" How could I deny that? So off we all went (Earl too!) in Marion's little car (with her blueberry picking outfit on and buckets of course) to Owl’s Head Farm. We helped her pick 9 quarts of the fattest most delicious blueberries EVER. While Earl barked at the piped in raptor sounds to keep the birds away. After picking we returned to the house and Marion immediately bagged her blueberries and placed them in the freezer, for eating throughout the year. She then asked us if we knew how to make stir-fry. S of course nominated me and after two weeks and 5 days of not touching food I was honored. Post with photos and Zucchini Lunch a la Lajoie recipe below…

We spent our day in Richmond wandering, discovering and eating. We explored many unique nooks and met many folks in the short amount of time in this small suburb 12 miles east of Burlington. Who knew that our road walk would lead us to such an amazing place? Thank you travel Gods! What we found:

On the Rise Bakery We could have eaten EVERYTHING here, but decided on the Nasturtium flower Pesto pizza...they also had the most beautiful veggie garden planted right in front of the bakery. Freedom and Unity FarmThese kind boys entertained us and our questions about their farm. And watched Earl while we explored the Round Church across the street...We wish you the best of luck!
Old Round Church
Who can resist a round church?

Maple Winds Farm

Nitrate free summer sausage...why did we not buy more???AND Marion Lajoie is a force…thank you for a truly magical experience.

iphone photos by shane...

Zucchini Lunch a la Lajoie

What you need for a...
Zucchini Lunch a la Lajoie
serves 3

A adorable little old lady
A well weathered cast iron skillet
A wooden spoon of equal experience
A 100 year old Vermont Farm house
A porch
A snoozing dog
A loved one reading on the porch
An overcast sleepy day
Garden fresh zucchini, onions, red peppers, garlic and basil

Well you don't need all those things but it may help with the magic feel of it all. You do however need the following:

3 Medium sized Zucchinis cut into 1/4 coins
2 small onions (or one medium) sliced into 1/4 rounds
2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
Half of a red pepper sliced into thin strips
Handful of fresh basil, washed, dried and torn into pieces
Soy sauce

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in your frying pan. When hot add the Zucchini, onions and garlic. Saute until the zucchini is slightly browned. Add the pepper, saute for 2 minutes add the basil for one minute more. Voila! Call in the troops!

We had green tea with our lunch and topped the Zucchini Lunch a la Lajoie with Chow Mein noodles and soy sauce. You could also serve this with brown rice. Marion wanted ice cream for dessert, with spoons of course.


iphone photos a la shane...

I Heart Vermont

There’s nothing better than growing your own food. Ask any Vermonter and they will proudly show you their vegetable garden. If they don’t grow their own they can tell you who did and usually it’s just right down the road. Vegetables, fruit, honey, bread, beer, maple syrup, eggs, milk, sheep, goats, cows, pigs, cheese, kombucha, did I mention maple syrup? The list of what’s available to you fresh and local is incredible and most Vermonters that I spoke to take pride in all things made in Vermont. Needless to say I was in food heaven and I did not want to wake up from my lovely food coma. My first two weeks were spent at Vermont Studio Center where I had a two week artist residency. I did not have to lift a finger. Which meant no cooking. Fine, I’ll live I thought, at the whim of some school line-cook! I judged way too soon. Almost all the food was from the Vermont Fresh Network. NETWORK!!! And our "school line-cook" was the former head chef of a five star restaurant in Montpelier, VT. I ate my own thoughts.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner were all expertly done. Lunch and dinner always had a vegetarian main course option, only once in two weeks was red meat served and above all the food was amazing. One night we had Bouillabaisse with key lime pie for dessert. How decadent is that? When I asked the Chef how much of his ingredients came from VFN he said he guessed about 75%.
I took no pictures of the food I ate. Looking back it was probably because I was too busy enjoying scrumptious meals with fellow artists and basking in one of many of Vermonts fine qualities: complete food fulfillment.

More Vermont to come!