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Food in New England Editor’s Favorites Vermont

Vermont Is the Place to Go for Cheese, Chocolate, & Restaurants with Passion

Traveling is a window to adventure, novelty, and family fun. One expression of all those things is good local food and the restaurants that serve it. New England’s long history, forests and farms, and ingenuity in using its resources make the region a potpourri of interesting cuisine. Food tourism covers much more ground than just dining. Vermont cooks embrace the use of local foods, which abound in the state’s restaurants and diners. Vermont is the place to find artisan cheeses, beer, chocolates and other wonderful things, many rooted in the state’s dairy farms. Below are some Editor’s Favorites; check back for frequent updates.

A Ball and Chain You Will Come to Love

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If you like to feed your stomach and your mind at the same stop, you should know about Briggs Carriage Bookstore and the Ball and Chain Café on Park Street in Brandon. Briggs takes its name from the old old Briggs Carriage House on Conant Square, where the bookstore opened in 1997. In August 2003, the bookstore moved to 16 Park Street, next door to the venerable Brandon Inn. It is a 6,000-square-foot parcel of literary paradise, and the second floor features the Ball and Chain Cafe, which serves up not only tasty coffee and espresso beverages and homemade baked goods, but also free wireless Ethernet and a darned swell ambiance. The staff is comprised of some of the finest people you will ever meet: gifted, attractive, witty, wise beyond their years, and mostly friendly. Stop in! Phone: 802-247-0050

At This Cozy Tavern,
It's Only the Name That Stinks

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An authentic country tavern built in 1790, the Skunk Hollow Tavern on Brownsville Road in Hartland has been a local favorite for many years. People gather downstairs in the closest approximation of true English pub in Vermont to play darts and backgammon and to munch on fish-and-chips, mussels, or pizza. More formal dining is offered upstairs in the inns original parlor. The menu also varies from Pub Grub downstairs to fresh seafood, filet mignon and rack of lamb upstairs. Other welcome aids for some diners are children's portions and a vegetarian entree every day. Exercise your vocal chords to an appreciative audience in the pub at open mic night on Wednesdays. Friday brings live music from the professionals, including local rock ‘n’ roll, blues, folk and reggae bands. Phone: 802-436-2139.

Balwin Creek Hosts Cooking Classes With Vermont Flavor

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Working directly with the owner/chef of the Inn at Baldwin Creek in Bristol, visitors can take part in hands-on Vermont cooking classes throughout the year. Learn the secrets of the culinary trade from a Slow Food perspective. Prepare seasonal dishes using high-quality ingredients, then dine with the chefs. In 2009, four of the Vermont cooking classes are held as companion events with wine-pairing dinners, as follows: The Red Heads Wine Dinner and the Braising and Stews cooking class (February 6-7); the Bridging Vermont and Tuscany Wine Dinner and the Bridge to Tuscany cooking class (March 14- 15); the Born on the Bayou Wine Dinner and the Born on the Bayou cooking class (May 1- 2); the Wine, Cheese, Vege Love Wine Dinner and the Vegetable Love cooking class (August 15- 16). These dinner-and-class pairings are just a taste of what’s coming up in 2009. Other stand-alone classes cover pastas, sauces, the Vermont harvest, and Thai cuisine. In the warmer months, classes begin with a tour of the gardens at Baldwin Creek. With a chef as guide, students survey the day's harvest and pick herbs and vegetables to use during the cooking class. Phone: 888-424-2432

Cooking By Day, Relaxing By Night
at Rabbit Hill Inn

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A luxurious weekend of cooking and dining at a warm, comfortable inn in northern Vermont is a great boost to get cooking hobbyists through the chilly months. At Rabbit Hill Inn in Lower Waterford, two-day classes with two overnight stays in February, March, May and June are a blend of relaxation, fine dining, and culinary instruction. The results will pamper your soul and enhance your expertise in the kitchen. Each class explores a specific topic and also includes a Bonus Bites topic designed to de-mystify a particular food or culinary skill. A memorable dining experience awaits each night. On Sunday evening, the group gathers for a festive chef's tasting dinner with wine. On Monday, enjoy an intimate dinner for two. Phone: 802-748-5168.

Dorset Inn Guarantees Healthful Good Taste

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Fresh and delicious American comfort food in a quiet, serenely beautiful Vermont inn. That is the winning combination for the Dorset Inn in Dorset, under the direction for the past 23 years of owner and chef Sissy Hicks. Hicks is a strong supporter of the Vermont Fresh Network, which builds partnerships among farmers, chefs, and consumers, thereby assuring that the freshest local foods land on the table at the Dorset Inn. Demand for her food from local customers and frequent guests inspired Hicks to write a cookbook, "Flavors from the Heart," published in December 1999. The menu at the Dorset Inn emphasizes filling, delicious classic favorites. It never disappoints. Phone: 802-867-5500.

Family Farm Visits Are Unforgettable at Adams

Adams Family Farm in Wilmington is not just a working farm; for visitors it is more like a farm-based party for the whole family. Now in its sixth generation of operations, Adams Family Farm welcomes people to enjoy the farm experience with all one of the senses. People can visit, pet, and feed the animals; watch quilting and fiber arts in action and see the products; make purchases at the Farm Store; and join in on many special events. A typical winter visit to Adams Farm may a sleigh ride, visits to livestock in the barn, guided snowshoe tours, and more. Phone: 802-464-3762.

First-Rate Food in the Capital City

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For more than 30 years, the Capital City Farmers’ Market in Montpelier has been bringing local producers and customers from near and far together to create this eclectic community event. Over 40 vendors gather each Saturday to sell locally grown and made products, unique to Vermont and astounding in quality. Live music every week and special events throughout the season make the market a lively gathering place. Here you’ll find fresh vegetables and fruits, quality meats, specialty cheeses, artisan bread, baked goods, ethnic foods, herbs, plants, flowers, arts and crafts, honey and maple syrup…the list goes on and on. Location: 60 State Street. Time: Saturdays from 9 a.m. –1 p.m.; May 3 through October 25, 2009. Information: 802-685-4360. Click here for a full listing of farmers’ markets in Vermont.

Restaurant on the Canal Offers Italian Favorites

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Bellows Falls is a historic railroad town on the Connecticut River that is undergoing a cultural renaissance. Several new restaurants have opened, including Boccelli’s on the Canal at 46 Canal Street. At this warm and casual Italian restaurant, guests can dine in a European-style café at cozy window tables with lovely views of the historic Bellows Falls canal or enjoy a lively gathering of family and friends around the big harvest table. (There’s WiFi access if you want it.) The restaurant is paired with a grocery store that sells local and imported products, many different and interesting ethnic and organic items like four varieties of capers, Thai and Indian curry sauces, truffle oils, and maple-sugared walnuts as well as lovely soaps, candles, bath products, country antiques and Vermont products. Phone: 802-460-1190.

Visits to the Calves Are Among the Treats at Shelburne Farms

Shelburne Farms in Shelburne, with the motto, “Cultivating a Conservation Ethic,” is a place to learn about the sources of our food and have fun tasting the outcome. Start your visit with a stop at the Welcome Center and Farm Store, where you can find award-winning cheddar cheese, children’s and adult books covering natural history, agricultural and environmental topics, and many Vermont crafts and products. Other features for visitors to this farm include eight miles of walking trails through woodlands and meadows; and a children’s farmyard with animals and activities, and live cheesemaking. Special events include an open house to meet the year’s new calves, a Draft Horse Field Day, community picnics and potlucks, sheep shearing, and harvest festivals. Phone: 802-985-8686.