For nearly 14 years, my wife and I have been thrilled that our four kids eat nearly anything we put on their plates. Granted, we aren’t overly adventurous with the meals we serve – for example, we’ve never served tripe or cow’s tongue – but the variety of what we cook is likely broader than average, as are the flavors, spices and combinations of foods.
 

Making Natural Soaps Workshop on September 17th at 7pm at the Old Brick Church inWilliston. Lynne Gavin of Sunflower Soaps, a soap maker for over 10 years, will teach you the basics of making natural soaps. For more information visit www.nofavt.org, pre-registration is required.

How we'll be deciding what's on next week's menu:

Eating local in my household will require the participation (and cooperation) of me, my wife and our four kids (ages 4, 10, 11 and 13). Initial reactions from the kids were generally positive, and it seems like everyone is settling into the idea of letting go of certain foods, primarily chocolate, for a week.
 
To build more support within the ranks, I encouraged my kids to write down what they thought of the upcoming Eat Local Challenge 2009. Not surprising, our family's budding newspaper reporter, my 10 year old son Bradley, jumped at the opportunity.

I'm hoping that the EatLocal challenge is going to win some folks over to eating homemade food.  It's just better, easier, cheaper, and usually healthier to make your own.  (Though, in the interest of full disclosure I'll admit that I am reneging on a promise to make croissants from scratch with my kids this week. )
And applesauce is a great first home-made thing to start with.  There isn't much that's homier, or more people-pleasing, and it's so easy to make.   You could can it if you like, though I froze my last batch to save time.

The boys and I had a completely delicious visit to the Burlington Farmer's Market this afternoon.  I love how this time of year in Vermont can be filled with harvest surprises!
 

Well, I guess it is time for my first blog...ever.  Some of my friends have blogs and I read lots of BBQ blogs so I have plenty of experience on reading but none on writing.   I think of a blog as sort of a conversation you might be having with yourself or perhaps recounting an event that happened.  I have plenty of conversations with myself that surely wouldn't have anything to do with this EatLocalVT website so maybe I should focus this first one on a recent event, an event as recent as a few hours ago, combined with one that occ