Vermont - Editor’s Favorites

American Flatbread Offers Dinner in Front of the Oven

The story of American Flatbread, described on its website, has the spooky tone of a creation myth: “American Flatbread began as an experiment in post-modern bread baking. We have reached back to the very beginning of bread baking and used the same methods; simple wholesome ingredients shaped by hands of thoughtful caring people baked in a primitive wood-fired earthen oven.…” The short story is that American Flatbread at Lareau Farm in Waitsfield operates as a production bakery Monday through Thursday. On Friday and Saturday evenings the bakery becomes an informal restaurant, with seating is in the oven room, where guests can see the fire and watch the bakers at work. If you cannot get to the mothership in Waitsfield, the bread also is available at the Marble Works in Middlebury. Phone: 802-496-8856.

Bacon Leads the Pack of Good Foods At This Historic Farm

Timothy Dakin broke ground on his farm in the rolling hills of the Champlain Valley in 1792, and the Dakin name is now synonymous with high-quality farm products. Visitors to Dakin Farm in Ferrisburg can see how time-honored skills and century-old tradition combine with the most modern smokehouse facilities to produce ham, cheddar cheese, Vermont maple syrup, and other specialty foods. Other Dakin products are bacon and sausage, French Canadian meat pie, baby back ribs, and more. Visitors to Dakin Farm can view a movie about the maple sugaring industry; tour a smokehouse; and taste free samples. The Farm, located at 5797 Route 7, 25 minutes’ drive south of Burlington, is open seven days a week, year round. Phone: 800-993-2546.

Better Food and Friendship Are Hard to Find Anywhere
 

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.

Breakfast From the Farm Down the Road Is Sure to Be Fresh

The Farmers Diner in Quechee has an admirably short motto: Food From Here. The ethos of the Farmers Diner is to serve fresh foods from nearby farmers and producers. The goal is to serve rich and wholesome food while putting the brakes on the waste caused by transporting food long distances from farm to table. What’s in it, you might ask, for the eater? The answer -- served in every plate -- is good taste and high quality. The Farmers Diner’s menu even offers local pedigrees for its offerings: Harpoon Handcrafted Soda, Strafford Organic Real Milkshakes, Champlain Orchards apple cider, Vermont Liberty Tea, meats from Vermont Smoke & Cure and PT Farms, flour from King Arthur Flour from Norwich. This is darn good food with a love-the-Earth and love-your-GI tract attitude. Phone: 802-295-4600.

Crowns for Cooks: Royal Standards Reign Here

America's oldest flour company, King Arthur Flour in Norwich -- founded in 1790 – is headquartered in Norwich in a large timber-frame building known as “Camelot”. The Bakery on the property has been named one of the "10 great places to harvest a bounty of artisan breads" by USA Today. For travelers who also love to bake and taste (and taste and bake…) a visit to Camelot is essential. The Baker’s Store offers hard-to-find ingredients, tools, bread machines and other appliances, gadgets, professional bake ware, and King Arthur Flour mixes. At The Baker's Store, visitors can sign up for classes, purchase a baking-related gift, and get baking tips from professional bakers. The Baking Education Center welcomes all bakers, regardless of skill level. Many classes are only a few hours or a day in duration – easy to fit into a vacation schedule. Phone: 802-649-3361.

Harvest Market Offers Foods With European Infusion

A down-home, pretty, rustic exterior greets shoppers at Harvest Market in Stowe, but that is only the start of the story. The proprietor brought to this gourmet food store her years of experience sampling food at eateries throughout Europe. Her knowledge of the Continent is on display in the many choices of cheeses, wines, olives and oils, condiments, and coffees. A wonderful option is the assortment of homemade meat and vegetable dishes and soups to take out. The breads, made in wood-burning ovens, are made from natural ingredients, and the desserts, made from scratch, are divine (look for the brownies and lemon squares). The lead coffee is the Green Mountain brand, of course. And the gifts! Gift baskets can be chosen by theme, like Breakfast Fare, Chocolate Lovers, or The Sushi Chef. The treats are ready to go even for the folks back home. Open daily, year round. Phone: 802-253-3800.

If You’re Serious About Good Beers, Pull Over Here

A visit to the Flat Street Brew Pub in Brattleboro is a step into many pleasures, gustatory and visual and historic. The Brew Pub is located in the historic Latchis Building, a landmark structure built in 1938 and a beauty of the Art Deco style. The Latchis – in the heart of Brattleboro’s downtown – contains a hotel, a movie theater that shows commercial and art films, and charming small shops, in addition to the Flat Street Brew Pub. The pub offers food – try the Ploughman’s Lunch – and a large variety of beers. The Brew Pub features 20 beers on tap, including 10 from the Berkshire Brewing Company, and another 10 representative of Vermont and European micro-breweries. Some of the beer names alone are almost irresistible: Steel Rail, Lost Sailor, Shabadoo Black & Tan, Ommegang Hennepin, Allagash, and Oktoberfest Lager. Open daily at 4 p.m. Phone: 802-257-1911.

Jewel of Colonial Inns Offers Cooking Classes for Guests

The Colonial-style Inn at Essex is a lovely lodging for vacationers and also the state’s premiere culinary resort, since it is home to the New England Culinary Institute. At the inn’s teaching restaurants, future world-class chefs prepare cuisine under the watchful eyes of chef instructors. Guests who have the itch to cook have many opportunities to get into the act. With the Chef Inn Training Package, guests may take part in a hands-on class and prepare a three-course meal as part of their overnight stay. With the Chef's Kitchen Vermont Vacation Package, you can enjoy a private, customized five-course menu prepared, demonstrated, and served by a chef instructor of the institute. Determine your menu theme in advance, and a chef instructor will do the rest. Each course will be created around your chosen theme. Stay, dine, cook, taste, and learn at this classic inn and cooking institute. Phone: 802-878-1100.

Kitchen Store Courts Cooks With Demonstrations, Expert Advice

The story of this kitchenware store begins in the 1940s, with a customer list mostly of neighbors and friends buying cutting boards from the nearby woodworking business. From that early history of a woodworking factory’s sales of boards, knife racks, wine racks and spice carousels, the J.K. Adams Kitchen Store in Dorset has evolved into a three-level store of tools and resources for the home cook. The staff of 12 people can tell you anything you want to know about cheeses from the neighboring farms to the intricacies of the newest coffee brewer. Throughout the year, J.K. Adams offers tastings of products and demonstrations of the latest gadgets. From time to time, the store sponsors themed cooking workshops offering techniques for home cooks. During the cold months, the Dorset Farmers Market operates an indoor market in this store’s facilities. Phone: 866-362-4422.

Never Miss a Chance to Taste More Vermont Chocolate

Almost every region of Vermont is home to many local chocolate producers. For a chocolate tour of the Northern region of the state, here are some do-not-miss stops. At Lake Champlain Chocolates Factory Store in Burlington (800-465-5909) you can take a free tour of the factory (daily except Sundays) and watch the creation of these delicious confections. Free samples are plentiful and a retail store on the property makes it easy to take the treats back home. At Laughing Moon Chocolates in Stowe (802-253-9591), open daily, customers can watch as chocolates are cooked and hand-dipped. Laughing Moon also makes its our own fudge, ice cream, and ice cream sauces; it serves baked goods and specialty coffee and hot chocolate. Demonstrations and workshops are available. Out on the Lake Champlain Islands you can find a smart chocolate niche at Vermont Nut Free Chocolates in Grand Isle (888-468-8373). These gourmet, hand-made chocolate truffles, fruit creams, caramels, raisin clusters and novelty items are free of nuts, opening a wonderful new world for people with nut allergies.

The Old Tavern Keeps Reinventing Its Skill at Good Food and Hospitality

Dining pleasure joins hands with historic beauty at the Old Tavern in Grafton, founded in 1801. Chef David Smith creates menus with seasonal ingredients to take advantage of the Vermont Fresh Network, a partnership of Vermont farmers, food producers, and chefs. The Old Tavern describes its food as inspired American cuisine that "explodes with flavor." The chef explains, “Our goal is to present contemporary food that is not only creative and fun, but also recognizable to both the first-time diner and the seasoned traveler. While many items may seem at first to be exotic or foreign, our service staff is extremely helpful and knowledgeable. They are eager to explain ingredients, methods and sources in for any guest.” To us, that means: hammer your server with questions and learn while you dine. Also, the Tavern’s wine list is one of the best in the area. Phone: 800-843-1801.