Hyundai Santa Fe Named a "Best Family Car of 2014"

For the seventh annual "Best Family Cars" Awards, presented by Parents magazine and Edmunds.com, the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe was named one of the "Best Family SUVs of 2014". Vehicle experts from Parents magazine and Edmunds.com pick the top 10 family cars based on safety, reliability, mileage, performance and cargo space, among other things.

"Families expect a lot from their vehicles," said Parents Editor-in-Chief Dana Points in the Hyundai press release. "Safety is every parent's top priority, and we're excited by how many manufacturers are ow offering blind-spot mirrors and collision-advance systems in addition to multiple airbags and government-required electronic stability control."

We're so excited that the Santa Fe has been recognized as a Best Family Car, shop online for yours today or stop by Burlington Hyundai and take one for a test drive!


All information and via Hyundai, image via CarGurus

2014 Hyundai Tucson Tops AutoPacific's Vehicle Satisfaction Awards

The 2014 Hyundai Tucson made it to the top of the Compact Crossover SUV category in the 2014 AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Awards (VSA). These awards measure how satisfied an owner is with their new vehicle by measuring satisfaction across 50 separate categories. These include interior comfort, convenience, fuel economy, performance and more, measured from over 92,000 new vehicle owners.

"The Hyundai Tucson won a decisive victory over tough competition in one the fastest growing categories in the industry," said AutoPacific President George Peterson in the Hyundai press release. "Tucson won based on its all-around product excellence, distinctive style, good fuel economy, Hyundai's long warranty and persuasive pricing."

Congratulations to Hyundai and the amazing 2014 Tucson. Want one too? We don't blame you! Learn more about the 2014 Hyundai Tucson here.


All information via Hyundai News, image via Hyundai

Burlington Wine & Food Festival Restaurant Feature: A Single Pebble

A Single Pebble

Just four days left until the Burlington Wine & Food Festival! Here is today's feature on participating local restaurant and the Chinese cuisine aficionados behind A Single Pebble.

"A Single Pebble was established in 1997 in Barre – Montpelier by Steve Bogart. With Chef Steve’s passion and creativity, A Single Pebble soon set a precedent for classic Chinese cuisine in Vermont. A second location was established in May 2002, located in the heart of Burlington, a short walk from the Church Street Market Place.

In 2004, A Single Pebble in Burlington was named “The Best Restaurant in Vermont” by Vermont Magazine. Unfortunately, the original Barre – Montpelier location was closed. In 2008, A Single Pebble celebrated its eleventh birthday with Chiuho Duval as the present Chef/Owner.

There is a duality to A Single Pebble. We strive to stay connected with classic and traditional Chinese dishes and cooking methods, yet there has been a modern and experimental edge to many of our daily specials.

Founding owner/chef, Steve Bogart introduced a consciousness of fine Chinese food to Vermont and demonstrated what sophisticated Chinese dining was about with stories and history. In May 2005, Chef Steve invited Chiuho Duval, who was one of the chefs in the kitchen, to join the partnership and gradually passed the restaurant over to her, before officially retiring in August 2009.

Since taking over the restaurant, Chiuho has been striving to preserve the legacy of A Single Pebble, whilst refreshing the menu with modern, simpler cooking techniques, and highlighting the freshness of the ingredients provided by local farmers.

A Single Pebble remains a place that allures diners with warm, friendly service and mouth-watering menus. It’s a place that is equally welcoming to those who are discovering it for the first time, and those who come back again to be a part of the story."

http://www.asinglepebble.com/

Burlington Wine & Food Festival Vendor Features: Caledonia Spirits & Studio Cacao Chocolatier

Today we have two guest features that we think make an excellent combination; spirits and chocolate! Read more about Caledonia Spirits and Studio Cacao Chocolatier below, and be sure to enter our Instagram contest to win two FREE tickets to this year's amazing event!

Caledonia Spirits

“Caledonia Spirits is a craft distiller located in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. We partner with local farmers and beekeepers to source organic grains and raw honey for the production of our craft spirits. Raw honey distinguishes our spirits by imparting a pure and soft botanical essence into each bottle. Our craft spirits reflect our deep connection to the land an Vermont's agricultural heritage.

Every weekend you can find us at the Hardwick Farmers' Market Fridays 3-6 pm; Burlington Farmers' Market Saturdays 8:30 am - 2 pm; Waitsfield Farmers's Market Saturdays 9 am -1 pm; and every other Sunday at the Stowe Framers' Market from 10:30 am - 3 pm.

To view or full list of events, please check out the following link: http://caledoniaspirits.com/events/”

Studio Cacao Chocolatier

Burlington based boutique chocolate company, Studio Cacao Chocolatier, is helping to guide Vermont in the ‘Resurgence of Chocolate’. Kevin Toohey, head chef at SC wants to free chocolate from the dungeons of candy and reinstate it in its rightful place as ‘Food of The Gods’. “We want to feature the taste and experience of chocolate and move other ingredients to the background as a support, says Toohey.”

Studio Cacao creates their unique chocolate gifts by blending 100% sustainable, fair trade origin chocolate with organic Vermont cream. Their chocolates are freshly made, applying classic techniques developed within the Swiss chocolate tradition.

Kevin Toohey is head chocolatier of the family owned company. He and his wife Laura began working together in 1978, training under Master Chefs Rene Nussbaum and Ulrich Wagner, both of Basil, Switzerland. They’ve partnered with their son Rowan to bring the world of chocolate to Vermont.

Studio Cacao Chocolatier can be found at Burlington Town Center, City Market and www.studiocacaovt.com.

Burlington Wine & Food Festival Restaurant Feature: Bleu Northeast Seafood

Check out our guest post from Bleu Northeast Seafood, who will be serving up delicious bites at this year's Burlington Wine & Food Festival; learn about the restaurant and their amazing chefs below! And don't forget to enter our Instagram contest to win two FREE tickets to this year's event (click here for contest details)!

At Bleu Northeast Seafood we aim to provide a warm, friendly and refined dining experience in a comfortable and modern setting. We celebrate the connection of Burlington and Lake Champlain to the sea by providing the finest quality regional seafood. While giving a nod to the French heritage of the lake’s namesake we draw influence from the St. Lawrence region as well as the New England coast and the Canadian Maritimes. We work with small purveyors and fishermen to ensure the fish are caught or raised with the most sustainable practices possible. In true Vermont style we also work closely with area farmers and food producers to get the highest quality meat, produce, cheese, and baked goods.

Chef Douglas Paine

“You appreciate a product more when
you learn that a farmer narrowly avoided
losing an entire crop to frost...”

I was born in the small town of St. Johnsbury, VT and raised in Waterford, VT an even smaller town on the Connecticut river. People are very connected to the land there. It is an agricultural area with hunting and fishing being quite popular. I learned early on in life that there were very good things to eat all around. Wild black berries, raspberries, blueberries, partridge, venison, trout, bass…the list goes on and on. One of my earliest food memories is when my parents told me that people eat dandelions. I tried it and hated it. I love them now, but I’ll always remember the first experience of something so bitter. Another early memory is visiting my uncle’s farm and meeting a pig that we named Boss Hog. A while later we got some bacon that was very good and were told it had come from Boss Hog. I don’t remember feeling sad about it, just how good the bacon was. I remember learning early on in school that food was an important part of what made Vermont so unique. In history we learned about what the native Vermonters would have eaten and to this day I remember tasting pine sap gum, birch twigs and maple sap frozen in the bucket. I didn’t realize it until much later in life but these things really shaped my culinary viewpoint.

I was lucky enough over the years to work for chefs who were very talented and willing to share their knowledge and give me freedom to develop my own style. I owe a lot, as every chef does, to those who trained me. The bulk of my culinary training came in Vermont. Most of which came at Mr. Pickwick’s in Stowe and Michael’s on the Hill in Waterbury Center. At Mr. Pickwick’s my first chef was Mark James. He gave me the opportunity to be a line cook with very little experience. Then there was Sam Palmisano, he taught me that it was ok to be as creative as you wanted as long as the end result was delicious. At Michael’s on the Hill, I learned the fine points of European Cuisine from chefs Michael and Laura Kloeti. They also taught me the importance of attention to detail and shared with me their strong beliefs in the local and sustainable food movement. Because of that I got to meet and work with many great farmers and food producers. Through this came the realization that every great Vermont product has a hard working and humble person behind it. You appreciate that product more when you learn that a farmer narrowly avoided losing an entire crop of to frost, by staying up all night and spraying water on the field by hand, because the irrigation pump broke.

My philosophy on food is pretty simple, find the best ingredients possible. Then make them into something fresh and delicious. I also believe that as a chef I have a responsibility to seek out ingredients that are good for the guests, the environment, the community and the future generations of Vermont.

Chef Wayne Freeman

“I believe that as a chef I have a
responsibility to seek out ingredients that
are good for the guests, the environment,
the community and the future generations
of Vermont.”

Hello, my name is Wayne Freeman and I have been in the food service industry for thirty years. I have worked in such localities as Bar Harbor, Maine, Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. I have worked in large seafood restaurants on the coast as well as hotels in Northern Vermont. My passion and commitment to the service industry is only surpassed by my passion for food and happy customers. I have worked for Westport Hospitality for two years and I’m looking forward to working with Chef Doug Paine to create a new and exciting restaurant.

I believe in simple fresh food with an emphasis on quality local products. Together as a team we will provide excellent food and service. I look forward to serving you.

Burlington Wine & Food Festival Vendor Feature: Fortuna Sausage

Meet one of the great vendors that will be showcasing their product at this year's Burlington Wine & Food Festival, Fortuna Sausage. Read more about this amazing family business from their own words below, and check out their website here!

"Our story starts with my Nani and Poppa, my great grandparents, who immigrated to America from Calabria, Italy over 100 years ago. They brought with them only their hopes, dreams and great Italian Sausage recipes with old world techniques. My mother Patti Fortuna-Stannard & myself, Chris are 3rd& 4th generation sausage makers originally from Rhode Island and now live in Sandgate, Vermont. At Fortuna's we use the same recipes as my great grandparents used in the early 1900's. Each recipe has been passed down generation to generation and we pride ourselves on true old world Italian sausages and salami, handcrafted and using only the finest ingredients and unique old world drying process to achieve lean & delicious artisan dry cured sausages that are All-Natural and Nitrate free. Fortuna's sausages have been named "America's Best, aged like a fine wine." from the Los Angeles Times; “Best Coppa in America” from Wall St. Journal.

Here at Fortuna’s we have been making sausages and salami for retail since 1982 and now offer them worldwide through our website www.FortunaSausage.com; we are still a small hands on family business maintaining quality and craftsmanship throughout the decades. Besides finding our products online you can find them at fine gourmet stores and restaurants across the country. We will soon be in our 5th generation, as in 2013 Chris and his wife had their first child, Jack Anthony Stannard! We look forward to meeting you all at the Burlington Food and Wine Festival this year!"

Join us for the 2014 Burlington Wine & Food Festival

We're thrilled to announce that we'll be joining forces with the amazing crew behind the Burlington Wine & Food Festival again this year as a sponsor. This year will be better than ever; they are expanding their lineup with a busy week of events leading up to Saturday’s Grand Tastings, and they have some excellent ones in store. Winemakers from around the world will team up with some of the best chefs in Vermont to create unique menus highlighting their creativity and showcasing thrilling food and wine pairings.

The 2014 Burlington Wine & Food Festival will take place on Saturday, June 21 at the Burlington Waterfront Park. There will be two sessions, a 12 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

We'll be doing another contest to win free tickets to the morning session -- stay tuned for more details coming tomorrow! Take a look at the new events below, and check back because we'll be posting a ton of blogs featuring winemakers, seminar speakers, restaurants, vendors and more.


“GREAT SHAKES” COCKTAIL COMPETITION AT PIZZERIA VERITA
JUNE 18, 2014 | 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
PIZZERIA VERITA
156 ST. PAUL STREET BURLINGTON, VT

WINE TASTING AND "ART UNDER THE INFLUENCE" WITH SEABA -- SOLD OUT
FEATURING BURLINGTON ARTIST LYDIA LITTWIN
JUNE 18, 2014 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
VIN BAR & SHOP
126 COLLEGE STREET, BURLINGTON, VERMONT

“AN AMERICAN GIRL IN BORDEAUX” AT JUNIPER RESTAURANT
FEATURING MICHELLE D’APRIX : WINEMAKER AND PARTNER AT C&P IMPORTS
JUNE 19, 2014 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
JUNIPER RESTAURANT AT HOTEL VERMONT
41 CHERRY STREET, BURLINGTON, VERMONT

"WINE ON THE WATER" WINE CRUISE ABOARD THE NORTHERN LIGHTS
JUNE 19, 2014 | 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM
KING STREET FERRY DOCK
1 KING STREET BURLINGTON, VERMONT 05401

IN-STORE PROSECCO TASTING AT DEDALUS
FEATURING CINZIA CANZIAN OF LE VIGNE DI ALICE
JUNE 20, 2014 | 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
DEDALUS WINE SHOP
180 BATTERY STREET, BURLINGTON, VERMONT

WINE DINNER AT A SINGLE PEBBLE
FEATURING JIM ELSTON OF CHEMIN DES VINS
JUNE 20, 2014 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
A SINGLE PEBBLE
133 BANK STREET, BURLINGTON, VERMONT

LATE NIGHT IN ITALY!
FEATURING ROBERTO DAMONTE OF MALVIRA WINERY
JUNE 20, 2014 | 9:15 PM - 10:30 PM
SOTTO ENOTECA
150 ST. PAUL STREET, BURLINGTON, VERMONT

GRAND TASTING, SESSION ONE
JUNE 21, 2014 | 12:00 PM - 3:30 PM
WATERFRONT PARK, BURLINGTON, VERMONT

GRAND TASTING, SESSION TWO
JUNE 21, 2014 | 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM
WATERFRONT PARK, BURLINGTON, VERMONT