The Skinny 10.21.09 through 10.27.09
Friday, October 23rd, 2009Pssst…really great music lineup this weekend. Scroll to the bottom for details…
But first, drum roll please….
65.56%
65.56%….this is the percentage of the Skinny Pancake’s food spending at our Burlington location that went directly to VT farmers & VT value added food producers in September. Our Montpelier location was slightly lower at 65.04%. Combined, we spent over $34,000 into the local food economy in September alone!!! In our September 2008 food audit, this number was 55.44%. This substantial improvement is the result of several changes including the introduction of numerous new local meats!!!
It is core to our mission as a business to help build a stronger local food economy. Why? In short, to improve the “view”…the local food S.C.E.N.E: Security, Community, Environment, Nutrition, Economy. How? Well, we can’t donate (much of) our money away…its just a drop in the bucket. But we can exercise our substantial consumer power as a food buyer and direct that meaningful cash flow towards these local farms & value-added food producers. To that end, we also create an opportunity for you to exercise your consumer power by sourcing, receiving & preparing these foods to include in our reasonably priced menu.
Why not buy 100% local? Two big reasons: first, local food can be more expensive, so we balance price & purpose to deliver a product you can afford. Our goal is to make locally sourced food available without breaking the bank…to make it part of a daily diet, not a luxury. As we like to say, “localvore is not haute-couture!” Second, because food security means diversifying our food sources. In fact, if all of our food was pr
oduced locally, our food security would also be at risk. As Bill McKibben observed in his 2008 UVM debate with Russel Robert, trade & foreign food production is not inherently bad, but the pendulum needs to swing back towards more local food production.
What’s the difference between a farmer and a food producer? Well, we all know what a farmer is…I hope. Our local food producers make value added products: sodas (ex: Rookie’s Root Beer), hot sauces, cheeses, mill grain into flour, roast raw coffee beans, microbrew beers and much much more. While the raw ingredients for these value-added producers are not always from Vermont, they still improve the food S.C.E.N.E. by adding to the security, community, economy & at times the environment and nutrition too. In short, we believe they have a meaningful and positive impact here in Vermont and we support them with our consumer power as a restaurant!
Food Specials this week at the SP:
The Swavory Crepe (Burlington): Boyden Farms Beef Meatballs cooked “the Swedish way” with a Light, Creamy, Onion & Beef Sauce. Served Over Gleason’s Grains Whole Wheat Crepe Noodles. Â $10.00
The Brown Bird (Montpelier): Misty Knoll Chicken With Bacon and Cider Braised Mt. Eden Farm Pears, Taylor Farm Gouda, Caramelized Onions from Pete, and “Farmers Choice” Greens From Screaming Ridge in a Gleason’s Whole Wheat Crepe. $10.50
Pssst…don’t forget to scroll down to check out the super-duper califragilistic music line up this weekend…
Main Street Landing Presents
Green Drinks is a-comin’
Green Drinks has been growing each month this year, peaking last month with well over 100 
people. And why not? There are 100 cold pints of Wolaver’s Organic Ales at no cost to you just for coming!!! Ok, so you like food with your beer? Great news: there is free food every single month too!!! Bite Me Organic Pizza has generously provided delicious pizzas in the past few months (and will surely do it again in the future)…and the Skinny Pancake puts out a spread of chips & dips too. On top of all that, Green Drinks is a gathering of engaging people with whom you can meet, mingle & network. 
When & where does this incredible happening happen? Green Drinks Burlington is always held on the last Tuesday of each month from 5:30 to 7:30 pm in the Main Street Landing’s Lake Lobby (next Tuesday, October 27th). We are deeply grateful to our host sponsor, the Main Street Landing Company, for donating this wonderful space to us each month. MSL has spaces available for daily or long term rentals, you can learn more by visiting them at www.mainstreetlanding.com.
We have an exciting sponsor this month: CarShare Vermont. Here’s a bit about them:
CarShare Vermont is a local non-profit on a mission to provide an affordable, convenient, and reliable alternative to private car ownership that enhances the environmental, economic, and social wellbeing of our region and planet. Members get 24/7 a
ccess to CarShare Vermont’s entire network of cars parked around Burlington to go where they want, when they want and pay only for what they use. Rates start at just $4.95 an hour and 25 cents per mile, and include gas and insurance. As a nationwide movement, car-sharing helps some families get by with fewer cars, while helping others get around without owning a car at all. Members save money, avoid the hassles of car ownership, and help to improve the environment. Learn more by visiting www.carsharevt.org or call Karen at 802.861.2340.
Appreciation is also due for our two sustaining sponsors:
Seven Days Newspaper (www.7dvt.com/)
The Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce (www.vermont.org/)
A quick note on the Burlington Food Council/Brighter Planet Grant:
For those of you who took the time to vote for the Burlington Food Council as per request in the last edition of “The Skinny,” our sincere thanks. We did not end up winning the grant…we faced remarkably stiff competition from New Orleans & West Virginia. Ultimately, the WV project won with “Sustainable Energy & Economic Diversification in the Coal River Valley.”
The Burlington Food Council may re-enter this competition in a 
future month. The process was fascinating & we learned alot. We have resolved to watch the competition for one or two months before re-entering.
For more information about this grant awarded based on voter-participation, visit brighterplanet.com/project_fund_projects.
MUSICÂ THISÂ WEEKÂ ATÂ THEÂ SKINNYÂ PANCAKE:
Wow, there’s alot of content to get through before browsing this wonderful line-up of music. Hoping folks made the journey down the page so you can realize that this week’s line-up is worthy of your listening ears!!!!!
Thursday, 10.23.09
The New Familiars (9-10:15)
Joshua Panda (10:30-11:45)
***$8 suggested donation FORÂ BOTHÂ ACTS
www.myspace.com/thenewfamiliars
From the foothills of Appalachia comes The New Familiars five gentlemen who combine an amazing passion for harmony with multi-instrumental talent and unusual storytelling abilities. A new musical combination grown from seeds of folk, blues, and bluegrass shaped by the undeniable power of rock and roll. More info is on our website at www.skinnypancake.com/proddir/prod/281/180 or theirs at www.myspace.com/thenewfamiliars. Also worthy of note is the HUGE amount of props Dan Bolles of the Seven Days gave this group:
“If The New Familiars sound, well, familiar, there’s a good reason. The Charlote, N.C.-based quintet represents the next wave of an increasing groundswell of hybrid Americana music. Blending pop and rock sensibilities with down-home flair, the band should appeal to fans of fellow crossover acts such as roots punk darlings The Avett Brothers, or even raucous grass-blazers the Old Crow Medicine Show.” NOW THAT’S A HOT ENDORSEMENT!!!
As for our buddy Joshua Panda: JOSH IS ONE OF OUR LOCAL GEMS. We’re honored that he chooses to play at our venue and I personally make a point of catching his performances TIME AND AGAIN!!! If you haven’t seen Josh yet…what’s your problem, dude? And if you have…sweet, see you tonight!
Friday, 10.24.09
Utah Green (folk singer/songwriter)
***$5 suggested donation
www.myspace.com/greenutah
Utah Green comes to the Skinny stage all the way from her home in Asheville NC. Playing acoustic guitar, banjo and harmonica, Utah’s music is reminiscent of the folk sound of the Appalachians, yet is uniquely her own. Utah is a traveler and has performed in such diverse places as Ketchikan, Alaska; San Cristobal de Las Casas, Mexico; and Nof Ginosaur, Israel. Listen here www.myspace.com/greenutah and join us Friday Oct 23rd. Utah will be performing with mandolinist, Billy Bones.
In her words, ” Its my mission to lift the spirits of the audience and invoke an appreciation for the curious and fantastical aspects of Life”.
I
n others words: “Utah Green sings like some kind of torn and frayed mountain angel born of a long forgotten backwoods American town. Her music is quixotic and purely genuine; simultaneously modern and ancient. If you listen closely, it resonates and makes the outside world go quiet for a moment..”
-Kevin Calabro, Hyena Records
In others words #2: “Utah is a wordsmith and poet of the first rank. Her songs speak of life experiences take to profound and epic proportions, and strike to the very depths of one’s soul and fill the mind with vibrant and colourful images. She is a uniquely talented and prolific artist and a species unto herself. Our lives are enriched by her presence.” -David Shelton, writer
In other words, #3: “Every once in a while as we pass through life we stumble upon a musical treasure. Such was the case for me a few years ago when I first met Utah Green. She has a unique style that I’ve never heard before and doubt I will again. She has a way with words any wordsmith would envy.” Smokey Joe Peoples, musician
Saturday, 10.25.09
Brown Bird (indi/folk)
***$5 suggested donation
www.myspace.com/brownbird
Ladies and gentlemen, can I get a round of applause for Colleen Korniak for booking this incredible weekend of music? Gosh, I’m blushing…and hoping the uber-hip folks at the Monkey House don’t mind us stealing their 
thunder for the weekend 
Anyhow…here’s a bit about Brown Bird:
Saturday October 24th, the Burlington Cake takes flight on the original musical stylings of the indie-folk band Brown Bird (www.myspace.com/brownbird). A miniature orchestra of harmonized voices and instruments carrying lead singer Lamb’s haunting lyrics on surging waves of Appalachian, gypsy, and shanty music. The group pulls from the talents of each member to create a quiet, dark, folk music that often swells into high-spirited, foot-stomping madness.
“I love this band. Like, a lot.”-Dan Bolles, Music Editor, Seven Days
Show begins at 9p.m. but we suggest you arrive early as we predict standing room only for this show.
In the pipeline…
Thursday, 10.29.09
Nicole Erin Carey & The Dirty String Band (folk)
***$5 suggested donation
www.myspace.com/nicoleerincarey
Friday, 10.30.09
Mary’s Lane (Celtic)
***$5 suggested donation
Saturday, 10.31.09
NOÂ MUSIC…GOÂ HAVEÂ HALLOWEENÂ FUN!!!
larger than the State of Vermont!!! We know we can win because we have a strong community, strong networks of support & because VERMONTERS VOTE!!!
What has the Burlington Food Council accomplished? The BFC was formed in 2003 and created the Burlington School Food Project which helps connect schoolchildren and their families with nearby farms by bringing more fresh local foods to cafeterias and more hands-on agriculture education to classrooms. Having successfully launched this nationally recognized program, the Burlington Food Council is now turning its attention to 
and community members interested in learning more about local food systems and the role local and organic food has in mitigating climate change.
Lady Lioness & Alex Greiner (avant-garde folk)
Tumbledown House (saloon jazz)
Paul Cataldo & 
Need another reason to come to the ‘Cake tonight? 
akery promoted its famous “Montpelier Crackers” and “Betsy Ross Bread.” Cross crackers were quite frequently delivered in “cracker barrels”, each containing about 1,200 Cross crackers. 
Joshua Panda & Sarah Blacker (folk double bill…again!!!)
Also of note: local phenom Joshua Panda will be warming up the crowds for Sarah at 9 pm. Sarah’s set will go from 10-11:30.
Skellig (celtic/world)