Excerpts from the Maplewood Falls, Vermont Town Day Recipe Contest Winners

1911 – Mrs. Edith Templeton

Maple Apple Brown Betty

Excerpt from the Maplewood Broadside, October 1911:

“It was with great pleasure that the Ladies’ Committee awarded first prize in the inaugural Town Day Cookery Contest to Mrs. Edith Templeton of Church Street. Her Brown Betty, humble in ingredients but noble in flavor, warmed the hearts of all who partook. It is said the Reverend himself returned for seconds.”

Recipe:

Ingredients:

4 tart apples

¼ cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

A pinch of nutmeg

A scrape of lemon peel

6 slices of stale bread

4 tablespoons sweet butter

4 tablespoons warm cider

Method:

Butter a small bake-pan well. Toss the bread crumbs with melted butter and set aside. Slice apples thin and stir with the sugar, spice, and lemon. Lay a scattering of crumbs upon the bottom of the pan, then a layer of apples. Repeat until all is used, ending with crumbs on top. Moisten with cider. Bake in a moderate oven for three-quarters of an hour, covered for the first half, uncovered for the rest. Serve warm, with thick cream if available.

Note in Margin (penned by Mrs. Templeton):

"Best made when the air turns and the maples begin to show. Pairs nicely with an afternoon fire and quiet company."

1929 – Mrs. Mabel Washington

Victory Root Stew with Dumplings

Excerpt from the Maplewood Broadside, September 1929:

“In a year marked by uncertainty and hardship, Mrs. Washington’s plain but hearty stew captured the prize. Submitted with a note reading, ‘It feeds six and wastes nothing,’ her recipe was praised for its thrift, nourishment, and quiet dignity. Proceeds from the contest were donated, at Mrs. Washington’s request, to the local poor box.”

Recipe:

For the Stew:

3 carrots, peeled and sliced thin

2 turnips, diced small

1 parsnip (or potato, if preferred), cubed

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic (optional)

6 cups water or soup broth (if on hand)

Salt and black pepper to taste

1 bay leaf, if available

Drippings or lard (1 tablespoon)

For the Dumplings:

1 cup flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup milk

1 tablespoon butter or drippings

Method:

Heat drippings in a heavy-bottomed pot and sauté onion until soft. Add remaining vegetables, stir, and cover with water or broth. Add salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Simmer gently for an hour or until the vegetables are tender.

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add butter and rub with fingers until crumbly. Stir in milk to form a soft dough. Drop by spoonfuls atop the simmering stew. Cover tightly and steam for 12 minutes. Do not lift the lid while cooking.

Serve hot, with bread if you have it and thanks if you don’t.

Note in Margin (written in pencil, presumably by Mabel):

"Tastes better the second day. If meat is on hand, add it, but no one will miss it."

1944 – Miss Agnes Loring

Baked Beans with Salt Pork and Cider

Excerpt from the Maplewood Broadside, October 1944:

“At eighty-three years of age, Miss Agnes Loring was the oldest entrant in this year’s contest, and by her declaration, likely the last of her line to submit a dish. Her baked beans, slow-cooked and sweetened with cider, were praised for their depth of flavor and resemblance to the ones ‘Grandmother made before the War, meaning the first one.’ When told she had won, Miss Loring simply nodded and said, ‘Well, that’ll do.’”

Recipe:

(As dictated to the Ladies' Committee Secretary in longhand)

Ingredients:

2 cups dry soldier beans, soaked overnight

½ pound salt pork, scored but not chopped

1 small onion, whole

¼ cup molasses

¼ cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup fresh apple cider

Water

Method:

Boil beans in plain water for 30 minutes. Drain and reserve some liquid. In a bean pot, layer onion, beans, and salt pork.

Mix molasses, sugar, mustard, salt, and cider. Pour over beans. Add just enough reserved water to keep moist.

Bake at 250°F for 6 hours, checking occasionally. Let a crust form. Serve with brown bread or nothing at all.

Note (as submitted in Miss Loring’s own hand):

"This recipe has been in my family since before Vermont became a state. If you take it into your own home, treat it with some measure of respect. The beans are plain but patient."

1953 – Mrs. Mary Margaret Donnelly

Cod and Potato Cakes with Parsley Cream

Excerpt from the Maplewood Falls Gazette, October 1953:

“Mrs. Donnelly’s entry surprised the judges, not for its extravagance, but for its humility. Submitted during Lent, her cod and potato cakes were offered not as indulgence, but as tradition. In a town where meatless Fridays once marked outsiders, her quiet win seemed to say that perhaps we all fast from something, and perhaps that’s something we could share.”

Recipe:

For the Cakes:

2 cups flaked cooked salt cod (or white fish, if cod is too dear)

2 large potatoes, peeled, boiled, and mashed

1 egg

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Salt and pepper

Breadcrumbs, for coating

Butter for frying

For the Parsley Cream Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Salt and a dash of pepper

Method:

Soak salt cod overnight, changing the water twice. Boil and flake. Combine with mashed potatoes, egg, onion, parsley, salt, and pepper. Form into patties, dredge in breadcrumbs, and chill for an hour if time allows.

Melt butter in skillet and fry cakes over medium heat until golden on both sides.

For the sauce, melt butter in a saucepan, whisk in flour, and cook until pale. Slowly add milk, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in parsley, season, and serve over warm cakes.

Note on Submission Card:

"For Fridays or any day, one must make do. Best served with quiet."

1966 – Mrs. Rebekah Klein

Sweet Noodle Kugel with Apricot and Pineapple

Excerpt from the Maplewood Falls Gazette, September 1966:

“Mrs. Klein, new to Maplewood Falls by way of Brooklyn, entered a dish unfamiliar to many on the judging panel. ‘Is it a pudding? A casserole? A pie?’ one asked. ‘Yes,’ she answered, smiling. Her kugel, a baked noodle pudding rich with fruit, cinnamon, and cream, was unlike anything seen at Town Day before. It was met with curiosity, warmth, and second helpings.”

Recipe:

Ingredients:

8 oz wide egg noodles

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

4 eggs

½ cup sugar

1½ cups sour cream

1½ cups cottage cheese

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ cup crushed pineapple, drained

½ cup chopped dried apricots

Pinch of salt

For the Topping:

1 cup cornflake crumbs

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons melted butter

Method:

Cook noodles and toss with melted butter. Mix eggs, sugar, sour cream, cottage cheese, cinnamon, salt, and fruit. Fold in noodles. Pour into a greased dish.

Mix topping ingredients and sprinkle over. Bake at 350°F for 45–50 minutes.

Note in Margin (in blue ink, signed R.K.):

"For Rosh Hashanah, but good for any gathering where people are kind."

1974 – Mrs. Lorraine Jackson

Sunday Chicken with Vermont Maple Glaze

Excerpt from the Maplewood Falls Gazette, October 1974:

“The Jacksons came from Boston the year before last. The schools there were changing fast, and not always kindly. When asked why she entered the contest, Mrs. Jackson replied, ‘I want folks to know we’re here and that we cook with love.’ Her chicken, lacquered with maple and mustard, was a hit. Her daughter, Patrice, carried the blue ribbon back to their house on Elm Street like it was a torch.”

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces

¼ cup Dijon mustard

¼ cup Vermont maple syrup

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and black pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. In a bowl, mix mustard, maple syrup, vinegar, and garlic.

Brown chicken pieces in a skillet with a bit of butter or oil until golden. Transfer to a baking dish and brush with the glaze. Bake for 35–40 minutes, basting once or twice, until chicken is cooked through and the glaze is sticky and browned.

Note from Lorraine (as shared with the Town Day Committee):

"This isn’t exactly how my mama made it, and not quite how the neighbor up here showed me. But it’s got a little of both, and it tastes like Sunday to me."

1978 – Mrs. Sunita Patel

Chana Masala with New England Turnips

Excerpt from the Maplewood Falls Gazette, October 1978:

“When Dr. Patel took up his post at Maplewood General, the town gained its first cardiologist. His wife, Sunita, entered a chickpea stew that brought spice and warmth to a very traditional table. Some hesitated. One judge called it ‘surprisingly fragrant.’ But by the second bite, there was silence, and by the end, there was none left.”

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1½ cups dried chickpeas (or two 15 oz cans, drained)

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated

2 small New England turnips, peeled and diced

2 tablespoons oil or ghee

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1½ teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon garam masala

½ teaspoon cayenne

1 cup diced tomatoes

Salt to taste

Fresh cilantro

Method:

If using dried chickpeas, soak and boil until tender. Heat oil and sauté onion, garlic, and ginger. Add spices and cook briefly. Stir in tomatoes, turnips, chickpeas, and enough water to cover. Simmer until thick. Salt to taste. Garnish with cilantro.

Note submitted with recipe (written on lined paper in looping cursive):

"The turnips are new to me. I asked the grocer what to do with them and he said, ‘Anything you’d do with a potato, but with more nerve.’ I suppose that’s true."

1987 – Mr. Kenji Nakamura

Soy-Glazed Trout with Apple Slaw

Excerpt from the Maplewood Falls Broadside, September 1987:

“Mr. Nakamura, a structural engineer from Nagano Prefecture by way of Palo Alto, came to Maplewood Falls to assist with the mill’s transition from paper to microchips. Quiet and precise, he almost did not enter the contest, but his neighbor, Mrs. Loring’s niece, insisted. His dish, local trout lacquered in soy and mirin, balanced by a crisp apple slaw, was simple, elegant, and utterly new. Some whispered, ‘Is that even New England cooking?’ The answer, resoundingly, was yes.”

Recipe:

For the Trout:

4 trout fillets, skin on

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons mirin (or sweet rice wine)

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 teaspoon oil

For the Slaw:

2 crisp apples, julienned

1 carrot, grated

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

Pinch of salt

Optional: Sesame seeds for garnish

Method:

Mix soy sauce, mirin, syrup, vinegar, and ginger. Brush onto trout fillets and let sit 10 minutes.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high. Cook trout, skin side down, until crisp. Flip and brush with more glaze. Cook until just done.

Toss apples and carrots with vinegar, syrup, and salt. Chill slightly before serving.

Serve trout over a bed of apple slaw, garnish with sesame seeds.

Note submitted (typed neatly, signed K.N.):

"The trout is from the river behind our house. The apple is from the neighbor’s tree. I combined them because they are beautiful and quiet, like this place."

1994 – Elizabeth “Betsy” Crane

Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie

Excerpt from the Maplewood Falls Gazette, October 1994:

“Betsy Crane returned to Maplewood Falls in uniform, boots still dusty from Kuwait. She didn’t say much at the judging table, just handed in her pie, nodded once, and stood off to the side with a coffee. Her entry was rich, deep, and just a little bitter, like someone who’s been through a thing or two. The crust was perfect. The bourbon came through like truth. When she won, she tipped her head and said, ‘Guess some things stick.’”

Recipe:

For the crust:

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup cold butter, cut into cubes

3–4 tablespoons ice water

For the filling:

1 cup Vermont maple syrup

½ cup dark brown sugar

3 eggs

2 tablespoons melted butter

¼ cup bourbon

1½ cups pecan halves

Pinch of salt

Method:

Mix flour and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Add water until dough forms. Chill, roll, and fit into a pie plate.

Whisk together syrup, sugar, eggs, butter, bourbon, and salt. Stir in pecans. Pour into crust and bake at 350°F for 50 minutes. Cool before serving.

Note, handwritten on the back of a VA appointment card:

"It’s my grandmother’s pie, but I stopped measuring the bourbon when I turned twenty-one. Feels more honest that way."

2005 – Mrs. Rosa Martinez

Tamale Pie with Sweet Corn and Green Chilies

Excerpt from MaplewoodFalls.vt.gov – Town Day Highlights Archive, October 2005:

“This year’s winning dish came from Rosa Martinez, Maplewood Elementary’s beloved school nurse. Her tamale pie blended family tradition with weeknight practicality, earning praise from the judges for being ‘as warm and comforting as Mrs. Martinez herself.’ When asked what inspired the dish, she smiled and said, ‘It’s what I make when someone’s had a hard day. And there’s always someone who’s had a hard day.”

Recipe:

For the filling:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 pound ground beef

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies

1 cup frozen corn

For the topping:

¾ cup cornmeal

¼ cup flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 egg

½ cup milk

2 tablespoons melted butter or oil

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Method:

Brown meat with onion, garlic, and spices. Stir in tomatoes, green chilies, and corn. Simmer 10 minutes.

Mix cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, egg, milk, and butter. Spoon over meat mixture in a greased dish, top with cheese, and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes.

Note submitted with recipe (via email to contest@maplewoodfalls.vt.gov):

"This is the recipe my mother used when we didn’t have time to roll tamales. We called it ‘the shortcut that still feeds the soul.’"

2016 – Calvin and Ayesha Jackson

Spiced Peach Cobbler with Cornmeal Biscuit Topping

Excerpt from the official Maplewood Falls Facebook Page, posted September 11, 2016:

🏆 Town Day Recipe Contest Winners Announced! 🏆

Congratulations to Calvin & Ayesha Jackson for taking home the blue ribbon at this year’s Town Day Bake-Off!

Their Spiced Peach Cobbler with Cornmeal Biscuit Topping was the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and comforting , and it turns out, it runs in the family. Calvin’s mother, Lorraine Jackson, won back in 1974 with her Sunday Chicken recipe. This year, her son and daughter-in-law brought their flavor to the table and reminded us why food and family are at the heart of Town Day.

“Mama used to say food gets you into places before your words do,” Calvin told us. “Turns out she was right.”

Swipe for the recipe and pictures from the judging table 🍑🥄

📸 [Photo 1: Calvin and Ayesha smiling behind their cobbler dish.]

📸 [Photo 2: The cobbler mid-scoop, biscuit topping golden and crisp.]

📸 [Photo 3: A scanned clipping of Lorraine Jackson’s 1974 Town Day win, framed on their kitchen wall.]

Spiced Peach Cobbler with Cornmeal Biscuit Topping

Filling:

6 ripe peaches

⅓ cup brown sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

2 tsp cornstarch

Pinch of salt

Biscuit Topping:

1 cup flour

½ cup cornmeal

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

6 tbsp cold butter

½ cup buttermilk

Instructions:

Toss filling ingredients together and pour into greased 9" baking dish.

Mix dry topping ingredients, cut in butter, add buttermilk to form dough.

Drop spoonfuls over peaches. Bake at 375°F for 35–40 mins until golden and bubbling. Serve warm.

2024 – James Templeton & Mateo O’Brien

Brown Betty with Black Sesame and Ginger (Sous Vide Apples)

Excerpt from the official Maplewood Falls Facebook Page, posted September 8, 2024:

🍎✨ A Full-Circle Moment at This Year’s Town Day 🍎✨

This year’s winning dish wasn’t just delicious, it was history.

Congratulations to James Templeton and Mateo O’Brien for their stunning reinterpretation of the original 1911 Town Day winner: Brown Betty.

James is the great-grandson of Edith Templeton, who took home the very first Town Day prize with her maple apple dessert. In 2024, James and his husband Mateo honored that legacy , but brought a few new tools into the kitchen.

“We wanted to keep the spirit of Edith’s recipe,” James told the crowd, “but we cook how we live, slow, intentional, and maybe a little nerdy.”

Their version features sous vide apples infused with ginger and cider, layered with black sesame buttered crumbs, and baked until crisp. It was subtle, elegant, and wildly memorable.

📸 Swipe to see a split photo of Edith on her front porch in 1911 and James standing in the same spot today.

Brown Betty with Black Sesame and Ginger (Sous Vide Apples)

For the Apples:

6 Granny Smith apples

¼ cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

2 tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cup apple cider

Pinch of salt

For the Crumb Layers:

3 cups brioche torn into rough crumbs

2 tablespoons black sesame seeds, toasted

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions:

Sous Vide Apples:

Combine sliced apples, maple syrup, ginger, lemon juice, cider, and salt in a vacuum-sealed bag. Cook in a water bath at 185°F for 90 minutes. Let cool slightly before using.

Crumbs:

Mix breadcrumbs with toasted sesame seeds and melted butter.

Assemble and Bake:

Layer crumbs and sous vide apples in a buttered baking dish, starting and ending with crumbs. Bake at 375°F for 25–30 minutes or until top is golden.

Serve warm with crème fraîche, whipped coconut cream, or a scoop of black sesame ice cream (James's suggestion, off the record).