169 Church St., Burlington 802-540-3095

It's always nice to see restaurateurs giving people what they want. Not surprisingly, in Burlington, that means only the most local, seasonal ingredients available. That wasn't originally a focus at El Gato Cantina, but in recent weeks, owner Tree Bertram has made it clear that she's been listening.

Out went the popular elotes (grilled corn topped with queso fresco). In came specials focused on local meat and even Lyndon-made Sheffield Seitan.

When I tried the the new dishes last night, several things were missing, most notably, the pork mole made with braised local shoulder, which was out of stock. No matter, the chicken version is now made with Misty Knoll Farms chicken. I've had plenty of local lengua, and the truth is, tongue is tongue, even when it's from LaPlatte River Farm. I decided to go for the seitan instead.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas every year of my growing up, my stepmother, Susan, would steal away in the late afternoons and evenings to bake batches upon batches of Christmas cookies. Most she learned from the Italian women of her family, and all were irresistible. As she loaded trays and tins with fig cookies, anisette cookies, chewy chocolate-chip cookies and gingerbread, she sometimes had to shoo us away from eating them as fast as she turned them out. 

I loved them all, but my favorite was her simple Italian butter cookie — light and almost lemony, even though it contains no citrus. Unfortunately, with my tendency to be far from home, I only learned the basic strokes of her recipe before she passed away. She had written down some recipes, but this one was lost. I've tried to recreate it, though, if only to capture Christmases gone by. It's one of the mysteries of food — how certain dishes can transport us directly back to the past.

190 Boxwood Street, Williston, 878-7082

If two makes a trend, this was the summer of the movie theater restaurant. Club Take 2 opened at the end of May at the Essex Cinemas. Oscars Bistro & Bar opened at the Majestic 10 in Williston just a week later, joining the elder statesman, Big Picture Theater and Café in Waitsfield.

Owner Harold Blank had grand ambitions for Oscars, with regular music and comedy performances and upscale fare such as Misty Knoll Farms chicken with lemon risotto. Unfortunately, folks didn't bite, and Blank closed the restaurant for retooling earlier this fall. It reopened as Oscars Casual Dining & Best Picture Bar over Thanksgiving weekend.

And casual it is. When we arrived for Sunday lunch, we were told to order at the bar, where the young woman working there asked if we'd like "menus, or anything."

In fact, we did like them. Though the more exciting dishes were gone in favor of burgers and fried appetizers, the menus themselves were a fun read. Dishes were named after movies, a potentially cheesy choice, but done right with apropos films selections. Who could resist a kids' hot dog named "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" or a bowl of chili called "Lethal Weapon?"

I'm currently on an animation kick, so we started with the "Chicken Run" salad. As soon as I saw it, I was worried. The chicken breast wasn't fully sliced and looked disturbingly plain. The greens, listed on the menu as "spring lettuce," was clearly iceberg.

Though 'Kalegate' may have grown quiet for the moment, soon hundreds — if not thousands — of people will be wandering around in brand-new Eat More Kale (and Team Kale) T-shirts made by Bo Muller-Moore, whose orders have exploded during his well-publicized ordeal with Chick-fil-A. 

In solidarity with Muller-Moore, or even just to live up to the slogan across their chests, some Vermonters might be trying to, well, eat more kale. But despite its wholesome image and wealth of vitamins and phytonutrients, the leafy cabbage also suffers from the stigma of tasting bitter. 

Fortunately, there's more than one way to cook a head of kale and capture its intensity while lessening its unsavory qualities. Gov. Peter Shumlin likes to cut kale's bitterness by sautéeing it in chicken broth, olive oil and garlic.

An even easier way is to bake its leaves into crispy, waferlike chips that are so addictive, you'll be tempted to eat most of them straight from the pan. Baking the leaves with olive oil and salt performs an alchemical act, transforming them into crunchy treats with an earthy, smoky flavor. Beats potato chips any day. I like to season baked kale the same way I do popcorn: with sea salt, garlic powder and cumin, or even a grating of fresh Parmesan cheese.

438 South Prospect Street, Burlington, 656-4664

This week, my feature in Seven Days focuses on Vermont Kosher, the new kitchen that provides food for observant Jewish students around the University of Vermont. Sunday through Thursday, students and community members alike can grab a Middle Eastern-style kosher meal at Redstone Unlimited Dining. I was so impressed with chef Rachel Jacob's food, I wanted to see what else was available at the newly renovated cafeteria, formerly Simpson Dining Hall.

For an old fart like me, the LEED-certified space seemed impressively techie at first. Nonstudent diners enter and pay $10.35 at the door. From there, they head to the FÖD (Food on Demand) ordering system, a line of touch-screen computers at which diners choose what they'd like to eat. They can then elect to be sent a text message when the food is ready, or just keep tabs of their order number on one of the dining hall's TV screens.

I love, love, love oysters, but since I can't shuck them with any grace, I'm dependent on others to satisfy my addiction. Yet for some reason I rarely ventured up to Riverside Avenue to have them at Bluebird Tavern, where they were usually on the menu.

When the relocated Bluebird opened on St. Paul Street this week, though, the pusher had come to town. Shimmering bivalves a few blocks' walk from work?

23 Commercial Dr., Waterbury, 496-5504

Two weeks ago, many hearts broke when owners John and Jen Kimmich announced that they would not reopen the Alchemist Pub & Brewery in Waterbury. To some, it seemed Tropical Storm Irene had won.

In some cases she has. Last weekend, I decided to look on the bright side and visit a story of triumph. Juniper's Fare, the localvore café owned and operated by the Moretown Church of the Crucified One, was gutted by Irene. With faith and hard work, the restaurant reopened in September, less than a month after it flooded.

I had tried its food just a week prior to the disaster and was eager to get back for another taste.

The interior, with its chalkboard menu against a bright-red wall is new, as is the addition of table service. Reminders that the restaurant is run by a Franciscan ministry, including the Bible and prayer request form at right, remain. Statues gathered on missions in Africa remind diners that a portion of all proceeds go to Everyone's Child, Inc., a charity that builds schools in third-world countries.

There is nothing third-world about the food at Juniper's Fare, though it is rustic and proudly handcrafted.

4000 Mountain Rd., Stowe, 253-6445

My favorite Alice Eats meals involve sharing great deals. Usually, they're meals for two for less than $35. Norma's Restaurant at Topnotch Resort might not exactly fall into that bargain-basement category, but last night I had a feast worthy of Thanksgiving, for which I am suitably grateful.

Now through December 18, Sunday through Thursday nights, Norma's is offering a deal called "Supper Club," in which diners can partake of any appetizer, entrée and dessert or cheese plate for $30. This is borderline ridiculous at a restaurant where the steak rings up at $32. I had to see if they were cutting corners.

As usual, the meal started with "Stowe spring water" -- tap water to you and me. Servers were careful to note that the crusty sourdough was "Harvest Market" bread (above right). It came with a pretty pallet of soft butter, rich olive oil and tangy, herbaceous hummus. I very nearly asked for more bread to finish the last, but decided to save room for three courses.

With so many flavors jangling together on the Thanksgiving table, choosing a wine to match them all can be a puzzle. While pinot noir is the oft-praised queen of Turkey Day, there isn't much local pinot to choose from. Fortunately, our frigid climate yields some excellent medium- to high-acid wines that play well with food. If, like me, you get a thrill drinking something local on Thanksgiving, choices abound.

First, though, ask yourself some questions. Will the meal be dominated by sweet dishes, or more savory fare? Will the gravy be light or dark? Do your guests typically drink wine at all? The answers can help you whittle down your choices — from an off-dry wine for sweeter fare and wine newbies, for instance, to a hard cider for more adventurous foodies. 

Rosé. A people-pleaser, rosé's candy-like color and aroma can comfort elderly aunts who usually only drink white zinfandel. But its fruitiness also appeals to novice wine drinkers, and even the wine-pairing geek can appreciate the tart edge a dry rosé provides against the fattiest meal of the year. Boyden Valley's Rosé la Ju Ju — made from Cayuga and Frontenac grapes — is full-bodied, a tad sweet and plays well with marshmallowed yams. 

3 Main St., Burlington, 802-657-3377

The Mexican explosion in Vermont just seems to continue. Last week, Corin reported that a new Mad Taco is opening in Montpelier and that the Farmhhouse Tap & Grill team is throwing its sombrero into the ring with El Cortijo.

This new glut owes directly to the long-standing complaint that Tex-Mex food in the Burlington area was lacking. Amidst all the chatter, I recently realized that it had been years since I'd given a chance to one of Burlington's elder statesmen, Madera's Restaurante Mexicano Cantina. Was it as lackluster as people said? Perhaps it was a hidden gem and folks were simply ordering the wrong thing.

The restaurant smelled great as I entered, though the spices reminded me more of Indian cuisine than Mexican. Immediately upon being seated, our server proffered chips, salsa and steaming hot refried beans. Nice touch. Too bad they were all a little disappointing. The chips were crisp but low on flavor. The beans, too, were bland, but they were so warm and soft, I couldn't stop eating them. I had an easier time resisting the salsa, which was punctuated throughout by stale-tasting dried herbs.