Contacts:
Ann Curran, Vermont Public Television, (802) 655-8059
Jeff Vande Griek, Vermont Public Television, (802) 655-8062

Monday, February 25, 2008

Vermont Public Television continues its tradition of showcasing local foods with two programs in March. On Monday, March 3, at 7:30 p.m. on Vermont Public Television’s “Profile,” Fran Stoddard interviews food writer Melissa Pasanen and Rick Gencarelli, head chef of the Inn at Shelburne Farms, authors of “Cooking With Shelburne Farms.”

During the interview, which takes place on the VPT kitchen set, Chef Gencarelli prepares a slaw of local root vegetables. They talk about the people who produce the Vermont foods featured in the book, how they developed the chef’s restaurant recipes into a format for the home cook and Vermonters as leaders in eating local foods.

VPT’s newest live cooking special, “VPT Cooks: Maple Time!” will invite chefs and sugarmakers into the studio kitchen to demonstrate favorite recipes featuring Vermont maple. The program will air live on Saturday, March 8, from 2 to 4 p.m. and will be repeated on Sunday, March 9, at noon and Wednesday, March 12, at 9 p.m.

Sean Buchanan, executive chef of the Stowe Mountain Lodge, will host the program. His guests and the dishes they will prepare are:

• Kim Lambrechts of Stowe Mountain Lodge, Maple Chili-Tini and Maple Mustard Mussels
• Ben Gates, Vermont Maple Festival King, Quick Biscuit Sticky Buns
• Keren and Petra Wheeler of Swanton, Vermont Maple Festival winners, Maple Snowballs
• Melissa Pasanen and Rick Gencarelli, authors of “Cooking with Shelburne Farms,” Maple and Black Pepper Chicken and Red Cabbage, Pear and Cranberry Slaw With Maple-Yogurt Dressing
• Michael Kloeti of Michael’s on the Hill, Waterbury, Maple-Glazed Winding Brook Farm Lamb Chops With Vermont Vegetable Salad
• Aaron Millon of Restaurant Phoebe, Montpelier, Tamari-Maple-Glazed Kampachi Loin, Carrot-Ginger Flan, Pickled Fiddlehead Fern, Kampachi Sashimi and Sticky Rice.