Norwich Vermont

A girls weekend complete with a baking class, lunch and cake, bed and breakfast happy hour, dinner, breakfast, beautiful scenery, and a friendly 11 year old golden retriever. Is there anything more fun?

As you read last week, I spent a really fun weekend with a bunch of Boston bloggers at King Arthur Flour baking brownies, crackers, and pizza. Following our baking classes, we headed to our home for the evening, Norwich Bed and Breakfast, a lovely country farmhouse a few miles outside of downtown Norwich. With views of the mountains, and a chill in the air, the city felt far, far away.

Check-in was followed by a little toast in one of the B & B’s rooms, a cheers to new friends, new baking skills, and a great night ahead.   

Prior to the trip, Alicia had gotten in touch with a restaurant in Norwich called Carpenter & Main, and they had arranged for us to have a special prix fixe menu and a room off to the side of the restaurant. With our talking and laughing, that was probably a good thing 😉

The lighting wasn’t great for food photos, but each and every course was fantastic because the focus was on locally sourced ingredients.

I love this quote on their website from Chef Bruce MacLeod:

“My personal love of the finest products combined with the economic, environmental, and health benefits of buying local is what drives this endeavor for me. Continuing a tradition of excellence motivates me daily, and I hope it shows in our food and your entire experience with us.”

We started with an amuse bouche of a white bean cassoulet, a rich little bite that tasted like fall cooking. My appetizer course was a beet “Bento Box”, miniature boxes made out of beets, served with hazelnuts, salad, and goat cheese. Some of the others thought it was too much beet, but I loved it, and after a few days of eating not-so-healthy food, eating a giant beet was a good thing!

We shared a couple of bottles of sparkly Domaine de Vaugondy Brut Vouvray during the meal and then switched to a deliciously spicy Nero D’Avola from Sicily. For my main course I ordered the roasted chicken, something I usually pass up in restaurants, but exactly what I wanted that night.

I finished with an old fashioned ice cream sundae that dreams are made of, vanilla bean ice cream topped with melted Valhrona chocolate sauce. There’s nothing like the contrast between warm chocolate and cold ice cream. I have always loved it and always will.

I had my own room at the B & B, and it was adorable and comfortable but a little bit creepy. We live in such a small condo that staying by myself in a big, creaky house in the middle of fields and forest creeped me out a little! What can I say, I’m a baby! 🙂

The next morning, was a different story. It was a picturesque Vermont Sunday, and after eating delicious stuffed French toast and purchasing farm fresh eggs, I went for a little walk with Zoe, the resident dog and everyone’s new best friend.

Clean, fresh, country air, the smell of falling leaves and the sound of dry leaves crunching beneath my feet, and a pretty and loyal canine companion completed the weekend.

I can’t wait to go for another mini-getaway. It’s such a great way to recharge and renew, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Speaking of recharging, I had a massage at the new Bliss Spa in Boston on Monday, post to come soon, but it was pretty amazing!

How do you recharge when you are stressed or exhausted?