Food

You are currently browsing articles tagged Food.

There’s nothing better than a long weekend and a little getaway, is there? Sometimes you just need to change up your surroundings, even if you don’t get far from home. While we would love to have made another jaunt to Sonoma this weekend, our schedules don’t look like they will allow for a real vacation anytime soon.

After working past 10:30 on Friday night, most of the day Saturday, and Sunday morning, I was spent (still am!), and we headed about an hour north of Boston to The Stonehedge Inn and Spa in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts. Surrounded by rolling green fields and lush greenery, Stonehedge really feels like the country. It has that wonderful, woodsy smell, and it’s very quiet, exactly what we needed.

Stonehedge Inn and Spa

Our room was cozy and featured a huge soaking tub, giant, fluffy bed, and a sitting area with a fireplace.

Stonehedge Inn and Spa

After we settled in, we decided to go for a wander over to the pool and spa area. The grounds at Stonehedge are absolutely beautiful.

Stonehedge Inn and Spa

The pool and spa area are also lovely, but we were a little disappointed that the sauna and steam room didn’t seem to be working, and we couldn’t get massage appointments. I was told it was because the spa gets packed on the weekends, but there was no one there; all of the treatment room doors were open, the lights were out. I guess they were just closed for the weekend?

Stonehedge Inn and Spa

Since we couldn’t use the sauna and steam room, I took a long bath in the big tub and then we headed down to the lounge at Left Bank restaurant for a glass of wine. One of the reasons I had been dying to visit Stonehedge was that it has the largest wine cellar in New England. Unfortunately, when we booked, I wasn’t told that the wine cave was under construction.

The restaurant itself is well-stocked with wine, and the lounge was a great, relaxed space. The wine list was a literal book which I had a great time thumbing through. Left Bank also features 60 bottles of wine that are under $60, some well under that, so it’s easy to find a bargain bottle. Stonehedge Inn and Spa

By the time we were seated for dinner, the rain had stopped, and we enjoyed a bright meal in the sunroom area of Left Bank. Our room included a three course meal, and we were able to choose anything off of the menu.

Left Bank RestaurantWe started with a tasty tuna tartare amuse .

tuna tartare

We chose a bottle of Domaine Carneros sparkling wine to go with dinner. Bubbly goes with everything!

Domaine Carnernos

For my starter, I went with a beautiful stuffed Portobello mushroom in a balsamic reduction.

stuffed mushroomFor dinner, I had slow roasted lobster in a lemon thyme beurre blanc.  It was heavenly.

slow roasted lobster

For him, the entrée choice was the grilled tenderloin with a port reduction.

tenderloin strawberry crepes

I was almost too full for dessert, but I managed to eat a few bites of this strawberry crepe roulade with an Irish coffee that was one of the best I have ever had.  We ended the evening in the library at the inn, with my husband playing the resident piano while I listened. He is so talented; we need a piano at home!Stonehedge Inn Library

Overall, our experience at Stonehedge Inn was a good one. We did choose it partially because of the spa amenities and wine cave, so we left feeling a little disappointed but generally happy and definitely more relaxed. We would drive up to go to Left Bank again, especially for one of their wine dinners.

How did you spend the long weekend?

Tags: Food, Massachusetts travel, Travel, weekend trips, wine

Last week, as part of my job, I helped put together a media reception that gave a little preview of summer in Massachusetts. I love planning events, and this one was a lot of fun, thanks to some great sponsors and to the fact that we live in a great place, especially in the summertime!

Boston Chops was our host for the evening, and they provided some fantastic snacks for us to snack on with wine from Travessia Urban Winery. Each is an example of a great Massachusetts business and demonstrate the great things happening all across the Commonwealth, especially when it comes to the culinary scene.

 

Travessia Wine

Harbor Sweets, Salem

Generous gift bag sponsors included Salem’s Harbor Sweets, who shared their signature Sweet Sloops.

Harbor Sweets is launching its first new line since 2001 this summer. Salt & Ayre was inspired by conversations with loyal customers and with company friend/eminent cookbook author Lora Brody. Salt & Ayre boasts seven heavenly bite-size indulgences with flavor notes including Thai ginger, chai, caramel and Himalayan sea salt and its packaging will feature a new distinctive look and style. Harbor Sweets Sweet Sloops

The very sweet Robin of Robin’s Candy, which has locations on Newbury Street and in Great Barrington, gave guests gift cards to the store. I had the pleasure of picking the cards up on Newbury Street, and I have to tell you that Robin’s is absolutely enchanting. It’s like a magical candy land, a fun and delicious place for all ages.

Robin's Candy

Chewy, decadent, yet healthy cookies from Bonnievilles. These power cookies are made of whole food ingredients and leave out things like refined sugars. They are slightly sweet and pack a lot of flavor, definitely a treat you can feel good about!

Bonnieville's Power Cookies

It was great to spend the evening chatting with bloggers I know and some I had never met. There’s a lot going on in Massachusetts this summer; below are just a few of the things I’m most excited about (in addition, of course, to my annual Cape Cod weekend). For a complete guide to travel  in Massachusetts, visit massvacation.com.

New England Brewery Tours provides an unforgettable beer experience and gives visitors an inside look at all the incredible things going on in New England’s beer industry. Visit breweries large and small and, along the way, enjoy gourmet food paired with local beer. www.newenglandbrewerytours.com

Cape Ann Foodie Tours launches the new Taste Gloucester tour, providing a tasty overview of the 400-year-old port city. From chowder to olive oil, to a special sandwich that Gloucester natives have been enjoying for decades, Taste Gloucester will expose guests to local treats they’d be hard pressed to discover on their own. The company’s 2.5 hour (roughly 1 mile) tours led by dynamic tour guides also include Rockport Sights and Sweets, Taste Newburyport, and Ales & Tales. Tours are $47 per person. www.capeannfoodietours.com

In summer 2013, The Wauwinet, the only Relais & Châteaux property on Nantucket, will be celebrating its 25th Anniversary with $25 meals, wines, spa treats and more. Guests can enjoy a $25 two-course lunch select dates in May and June (excl Sunday Brunch) and specially selected $25 wines at TOPPER’s, the on-site restaurant which was awarded a perfect score of 100 for its cuisine on Condé Nast Traveler’s 2013 Gold List. www.wauwinet.com

The Food and Wine Festival on Martha’s Vineyard in October celebrates local harvests from the sea and Vineyard farms. Enjoy wines from around the world, food prepared by local and renowned chefs; attend seminars and tastings and so much more. www.mvfoodandwine.com

Tags: Boston, Food, Massachusetts, summer, Travel, wine

Healdsburg is full of great restaurants. Over the years, we have had fabulous experiences at places like Scopa, Barndiva, Dry Creek Kitchen, Willi’s Wine Bar, Bistro Ralph, and more. Healdsburg is a little like heaven.

With all  of the restaurants available, it becomes difficult to choose. Always one to want to try new things while also wanting to return to old favorites, I end up spending a lot of time trying to figure out where to eat. In the end, it’s best to ask a local.

On our first night in Healdsburg, we had dinner with Two Shepherds winemaker William at Campo Fina. It was so fabulous I forgot to take photos. Or I was jetlagged and on lots of Cartograph Rosé. Actually, it was a little bit of both.

Campo Fina was so great, and we would definitely go back. When we asked for suggestions for our dinner the next night, Spoonbar came highly recommended. After a day in Napa Valley, we headed back to the wine hour at the Healdsburg Inn and then wandered Healdsburg for a bit before heading to dinner. We may have stopped at Cartograph and joined their wine club too. It was a great day.

jalapeno cocktail

Wine tasting pretty much always makes me want a cocktail or a beer. I love wine and wine tasting and talking about wine, but at the end of the day, mixing it up a little is nice, and Spoonbar was the perfect venue for cocktails. I ordered this pretty jalapeno number called Jalapeno Business: Charbay Raspberry Vodka, Clear Creek Loganberry, Lemon, Ginger, Raspberry-Jalapeno Foam. In addition to being pretty in pink, it packed a spicy punch with nice berry accents, perfect for sipping slowly. There was a definite burn.

We weren’t super hungry, thanks to the wine hour snacks, so we decided to order a few appetizers to share as we often do.

Spoonbar

There was a grapefruit and avocado salad with brioche croutons that was fresh, tangy, delicious.

avocado grapefruit saladAnd a smoked trout mousse with homemade potato chips and Spoonbar’s Old Old Fashioned.

appetizers and cocktails  The best and most interesting dishes were also from the snack menu. Baked cheese gougeres were suspended in a pool of melted fontina. Each bite was light, fluffy, and cheesy, so decadent.

cheese gougeres

The rock shrimp and seeded granola was also really memorable for the combination of flavors and textures; sweet and salty, soft and crunchy. I would never think to combine shrimp and granola, but this just worked so well.

rock shrimp and granola

Spoonbar is a vast open space with windows out on to the sidewalk and a very cool vibe. We were on East Coast time and thus early diners, but I am sure once acclimated to Healdsburg time, we would be late night regulars. The restaurant was a perfect recommendation and a fantastic way to end a day of wine tasting.

The real end to the night came at another new favorite we visited twice on this trip, the lounge at the Hotel Healdsburg. Live music, great wines by the glass, and a super sweet staff made this relaxing spot the place we enjoyed nightcaps two nights in a row. Just a block from our home base on this trip, the Healdsburg Inn on the Plaza, the Hotel Healdsburg is a must-visit for anyone staying in town. It also happens to be home to Dry Creek Kitchen; come for dinner, stay for music. . . and be prepared to never want to leave!

What’s your favorite vacation dining memory?

Tags: California, Dining out, Food, Healdsburg, Northern California, Restaurants, Sonoma, Sonoma County, Travel, wine country

« Older entries § Newer entries »

new restaurant
WordPress SEO fine-tune by Meta SEO Pack from Poradnik Webmastera