The UXLocale

08/20/2026

I miss scallops. But the prices are just too extreme right now to put them on the menu, so I started looking at similar flavor profiles and landed on cod cheeks.
And then, naturally, I went down a rabbit hole of homework: recipes, techniques, lots of videos.

Somewhere along the way, I found a technique for making a velouté without a roux that intrigued me. I started by sweating down onions and potatoes, then put them in the Vitamix with cold butter and heavy cream. And, in the spirit of never actually following a recipe, I decided to make a lobster stock to take it a little further. I wanted that seafood flavor to be more than a background note.

Next, I bloomed saffron in that same lobster stock and used it for the risotto.
The basil oil wasn't an afterthought either. One of the recipes I watched blended fresh watercress right into the velouté, but I wanted to keep that fresh green flavor separate. The basil came from the farm that morning, so I gave it a quick blanch in salted water, cooled it over ice, then blended it in the Vitamix with a mix of pomace and extra virgin olive oil.

And then, at the last minute, I decided to dredge the cod cheeks in gluten-free flour before cooking them. I'm glad I did.

So here you have it:

COD CHEEKS
Lightly dredged cod cheeks with potato, onion & lobster velouté, lobster-saffron risotto & fresh basil oil.

This one is outside our usual scope, so I'm not sure how it will be received. Last night, I was surprised by how many people ordered it and how well it went over.
I'm thrilled.

Sometimes the best dishes start with something you can't get, send you down a rabbit hole, and end up somewhere completely different.

Hope you enjoy it.

xo-Elaine

08/13/2026

Next Tuesday, August 18th, it’s time to start getting your calendars ready. I’ll be publishing our full upcoming event schedule, and there is A LOT on it.

Some things we’re bringing back because we loved them. Some are completely new. There will be cooking workshops, art, terrariums, books, writing, food, wine, and plenty of reasons to gather around the table.
And this year, FIVE Chef’s Tables. Kicking off with a Beer pairing with Murder Hill.

CHEF’S TABLE: Sundays
I October 25 | 5–8 pm
II December 13 | 5–8 pm
III February 14 |5–8 pm
IV May 16 | 5–8 pm
V July 18 | 5–9 pm

They’ll build throughout the year, culminating with the big one in July. More soon.

We’re also really excited to welcome some new ideas to the hill. Pop Writing will join us for a Winter Writing Workshop & Lunch in January, followed by a six-week workshop where we’ll journey together toward a reimagining of what it means to keep a “writer’s notebook.”

Pasta and pizza workshops are coming. A terrarium workshop. Bob Ross with Caryn. Jenni’s anti-inflammatory cooking workshop. A beading workshop. Our Pop-Up Book Fair & Wreath Workshop in the Greenhouse. Jim Welu. Our BVT Art Show. And our Tenth Anniversary celebration.

Believe it or not, I still haven’t finished going through all the photographs from our Tuscan dinner. There is so much I want to talk about, so much we’ve done, and so much to get involved in. But I also need the time to give these things the attention they deserve.

Social media has a way of reducing everything to a sound bite, and sometimes there should be room for more beauty and joy than that.
So I’m asking you to visit our website. theuxlocale.com

The full events calendar will live there, but I’ve also created a blog section called Memories & Moments. That’s where I can unpack the dinners, workshops, people, food, photographs, stories, and all the things we’ve done together that deserve more than a quick post.

There is a lot ahead of us. And there is also a lot worth looking back on.
Thanks for reading, if you made it this far.

Cheers! ~Elaine

Pop Writing

08/13/2026

Today’s haul from Rattleroot had all our usual weekly items: kale, tomatoes, herbs, carrots, cukes, etc. But we also got the most beautiful heirloom tomatoes, Berkeley Tie-Dye eggplant, and rattlesnake beans, which taste rich, savory, slightly sweet, and a little nutty when they’re young and tender. And Farmer Joe assures us —they are so young.

I’ve also been wanting to clear up the whole Camembert vs. Brie debate that I have with myself, and myself only.

Brie is the gentler cheese. It’s buttery, creamy, and approachable…like me.

Camembert has a deeper, more complex flavor with earthy, mushroomy, and sometimes slightly cabbage-like notes as it matures…also like me.

So, between this week’s vegetable haul and the cheeses I had on hand, I ended up here…

CRISPY EGGPLANT & BRIE
Crispy breaded eggplant layered with melted Brie and roasted tomato, finished with fresh basil and balsamic reduction.

And…

WOOD-FIRED CAMEMBERT & PINEAPPLE
Warm Camembert with wood-fired pineapple, hot honey, and rosemary, served with grilled rustic bread for dipping.

But while I was using the wood-fired oven, I thought…

WOOD-FIRED ROMAINE
Charred romaine hearts with house Caesar dressing, toasted garlic breadcrumbs, shaved pecorino, and a wedge of lemon.

And I can’t have eggplant in the house without making…

PASTA ALLA NORMA
A Sicilian classic with roasted eggplant, San Marzano tomato, garlic, and basil tossed with rigatoni, finished with Ricotta Salata and extra virgin olive oil.

And last but not least, our friends at Foppema’s hooked us up with the JUICIEST peaches.

So, buh-bye Georgia peaches. Hello, Northbridge peaches!

This really is the best part of the summer, when what comes through the door decides what ends up on the menu.

I hope you’ll join us this week.

08/11/2026

All interested parties must submit a resume and two professional references to [email protected], Subject: Pizza Cook
References must include the Full Name, Title, Relationship, Phone number, and email address.

Woodfired Pizza Cook Position Overview
Part-time, 24 hours Wednesday-Saturday, four-6-hour shifts
Must be 18 years of age or older.
Hourly Rate will be commensurate with experience.
Food Service Experience; Woodfired Pizza experience preferred.

Woodfired Pizza Cook
We are looking for pizza cooks with experience in the food service industry. The candidate must be used to working in a fast-paced environment and possess an outstanding work ethic. A solid track record in the restaurant business is a must.
They are responsible for making pizzas, operating a wood-fired oven, and maintaining and stocking the designated station by performing the following duties.

Their duties include:
• performing tasks like cutting, weighing, and rolling dough
• sanitizing their workstation during and after service
• Prepares pizza, dough, and sauces according to recipe guidelines.
• Reads and fills all orders according to specifications.
• Ensures local health and safety codes are met.
• Maintains and stocks pizza station, refrigerator, woodpile, and storeroom daily.
• Uses electric choppers, stoves, pizza ovens, pots, slicers, graters, can openers, knives, and other preparatory utensils.
• Follows portion and quality control standards of the menu.
• Maintains cleanliness of work areas according to state health and safety guidelines, as well as keeping them stocked and organized.
• Communicates any health and safety concerns/violations immediately to management.
• Notifies the Manager or Assistant Manager when stock is low.

Below is a list of some of the important qualifications for our ideal candidate:

Requirements
Food service experience
Capable of working quickly under pressure.
Accurate while making multiple orders simultaneously.
Ability to lift 50 pounds.
Ability to organize and time orders.
Conscientious of product quality and freshness.
Ability to learn how to operate all equipment safely.

08/08/2026

A friend lost his father recently, and I remember when we first met; I remember hearing a story about his dad through a story about food.

It made me think about how many of my own memories are tied to food.

Not necessarily the special occasions. Sometimes it’s something as simple as a bulky roll, or an egg and pepper sandwich. A smell, a recipe, the way someone made something, or a dish that only tastes right when it’s made the way they made it.

I sometimes think there is an invisible string that runs through food, connecting us to the people we’ve lost. We make what they made. We cook the way they taught us. We sit around tables and tell the same stories. And somehow, without even realizing it, we keep a little piece of them here with us.

Food has always been more than food to me. It holds people, places, moments, and entire chapters of our lives.

I would really love to hear yours.

What is a food that immediately brings someone back to you? A dish your grandmother made, something your dad cooked, a Sunday dinner, a sandwich from childhood, a smell that can put you right back in a kitchen you haven't stood in for years?

Tell me your food memories. I think these stories are worth sharing.

07/30/2026

Sometimes the best plans take a little detour.

Yesterday I posted a video of the pouring rain, fully intending to follow it with shots of everything we were cooking and say, "At least it's not raining inside."

Well... it did. Just a little.

But that's restaurant life.

A friend's beautiful tomato salad inspired me before Dave from Oxcart Farm walked in with stunning tomatoes, Joey from Rattleroot dropped off this week's harvest, and somehow our Wednesday menu started evolving all over again. There was barely enough time to rewrite it before dinner.

Every Wednesday is a fresh start. Every harvest changes the story. Every week gets a little better.

So I turned it into a song.

It Rained Inside Just a Little 🤟

I hope it makes you smile as much as it made me.

07/29/2026

Nothing tastes better than coming in out of the rain to something warm, creamy, and made from scratch.

Our new specials are here: bright Chicken and Shrimp Piccata with lemon, white wine, butter, and capers, rich Truffle Alfredo finished with shaved summer truffles, and creamy risotto or bucatini to soak up every last bite.

Or mix it up and add our plump shrimp to the truffle alfredo. Your call. Tone Bones said it best: "Oh wow".

Join us on the hill tonight; we'll take care of dinner.

Menu: https://theuxlocale.smartonlineorder.com/

07/25/2026

A heartfelt thank you to Matthew Tota, who took the time to tell our story so thoughtfully. In a world of quick headlines, it means so much when someone is genuinely curious, asks great questions, and captures the heart of what we're trying to build.

The article wasn't just about adding another beer tap. It was about the relationships behind it, the years of learning, and the collaboration between small businesses that care deeply about what they create. That part meant a great deal to me.

I'm especially grateful that the story highlighted our partnership with Murder Hill Brewery. Watching their Generation beer become one of our most-loved taps has been rewarding, not just because it's a great beer, but because it represents what can happen when local businesses believe in one another.

Thank you for shining a light on independent restaurants, local breweries, and the people behind them. We're honored to have our little place on the hill included.

@craftmass

The UXLocale has been steadily revamping its beer offerings, including offerings from Murder Hill Brewery.