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Valley Bounty: Panna Cotta

Want a fancy, easy-to-make Valentine’s Day dessert that features local ingredients? Panna Cotta is a very simple pudding, made with milk or cream and little bit of gelatin. It’s smooth and delicious and a good base for seasonal embellishment. In February in New England, make it with a healthy dose of maple syrup, and add a festive, red and fruity garnish of sugared cranberries (soak them in simple syrup, drain, and toss with sugar). Sources and recipes are on the Valley Bounty page at buylocalfood.org.

Valley Bounty is written by Margaret Christie

Sources: Here’s a list of farms selling their own milk. You can also find local bottled milk at retailers prioritizing local sourcing. North Hadley Sugar Shack sells delicious maple-sugared cranberries!

Recipes:

Maple Panna Cotta: I like this recipe because there’s enough maple syrup to impart real flavor, rather than just serve as a token ingredient.

Sugared Cranberries: These are even better when rolled in maple sugar, available from many maple producers . As noted above, you can buy them ready-made from North Hadley Sugar Shack.