Vermont!

Yesterday Rick and I were talking and he mentioned that he had two free hotel rooms coming and did I want to go anywhere this fall? Vermont! Of course! King Arthur's Baking Store! Ben & Jerry's! Yankee Candle in Massachusetts! He's making arrangements for a nice, long weekend. 

I've been wanting to visit the King Arthur store now for a few years and we never seemed to get there. They have baking classes and Rick even said he'd take a bread-baking class with me. All kinds of interesting things to look at (and buy!). Rick wants to go to Ben & Jerry's as well as a few other places. And then, on the way back, stop at Yankee Candle in MA; we had been there a few years ago and enjoyed our visit. I would love to visit Salem, too, but I don't think it's doable...I think it would be difficult, if not downright impossible, to find hotels during October in Salem. A quick stop at Penzey Spices in CT on the way home, too.

I don't know if we'll go alone or end up taking another couple with us; frankly, I think I'd like to go with just Rick. It's been a while since the two of us went anywhere; we went to Ohio back in the spring, but another couple came along and, while we had a nice time, I think we could use some alone time. I'm going to call our petsitter to make sure she's available mid-October and then we'll take it from there.

I'm excited!

How fun! I've been to Vermont a few times. My mom's boss owned a cabin there and he let us go once or twice a year. It's mostly my parents and another couple going every year though.

I love Ben and Jerry's.. we took the factory tour too. I don't think I've ever been to King Authors. You'll have to tell me about it!

Have fun on this trip!!

Here's a link:  http://www.kingarthurflour.com/visit/ 

The weekend we might go there is when they're doing a class on pizza! 

I love KA flour and they have a dough enhancer that I'd love to try. Oh and their bakers ammonia, too. I have four of their cookbooks: The Cookie Companion, The Baking Companion and The Whole Grain Companion as well as the 200th Anniversary Cookbook. I have yet to try a recipe that has not worked well. I only use their Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe when I make chocolate chip cookies. 

I'm just so excited. I put in for three days vacation and he's already told me that it's OK! Need to see about Rick.

ah, yes! I've been there! I recognize it now. It's an awesome place! I remember buying a bundt pan as a gift for a friend

Winchester said:

 
Here's a link:  http://www.kingarthurflour.com/visit/ 

The weekend we might go there is when they're doing a class on pizza! 

I love KA flour and they have a dough enhancer that I'd love to try. Oh and their bakers ammonia, too. I have four of their cookbooks: The Cookie Companion, The Baking Companion and The Whole Grain Companion as well as the 200th Anniversary Cookbook. I have yet to try a recipe that has not worked well. I only use their Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe when I make chocolate chip cookies. 

I'm just so excited. I put in for three days vacation and he's already told me that it's OK! Need to see about Rick.

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How exciting!!! I agree that you and your husband should go alone. Make it a honeymoon weekend!

I would love to visit that store you linked to!!! OMG! I'd camp out!  LOL

One of my old boyfriends and I visited New England, first to CT, then Maine where we stayed for a week in a beautiful hotel practically on the water, then we went to Vermont.  I came home with their famous syrup, wish I had kept the bottles.  We loved Maine so much that we went back a year later,  it was just beautiful.  I'll look for pictures.  I think there was someplace we went in New England but I can't remember.  You'll love it and yes, don't take another couple with you.  Last time you didn't get to go where you wanted because they wanted to go elsewhere. Looking thru my pictures, the other places were New Hampshire and New Bedford.

Pam, where should I post the pics, here or another place or to your home???

That sounds like fun! Right down the road from Ben & Jerrys is Cold Hollow Cider Mill. That's worth a stop too. I'm not sure if it's on your route, but the Vermont Country Store is also interesting.

http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/store/

That sounds like fun! I second the Vermont Country Store recommendation. They have all sorts of things that you can't find elsewhere.

I never thought about the Country Store! Cool! Thanks, Karen! My MIL gets catalogs from there, I believe, and they have all kinds of interesting things. The Cold Hollow Cider Mill sounds interesting, too!

Carol, I've been to Maine twice, both times in Jay, during the labor dispute between the Paperworkers and International Paper. It's beautiful country. One time we went up in November and just as we crossed the border into Maine, it started to snow like crazy....and you know how much I love snow. Thankfully it didn't last and that was all we saw of snow for the time we were there. I'd love to see your pictures, you can either post them here or PM me, whichever you prefer. I always get Vermont maple syrup whenever I can. Lia usually gets me a couple quarts when she goes to the Big E and then when I visit with her, I pick the syrup up. I only use Grade B for baking.

We were talking last night and I said to Rick that it would definitely be sweatshirt weather in Vermont in mid-October and he started laughing. He said, "Honey, it could easily be coat weather!" So we'll see. I'm excited.

The cooking class is $95 a seat for the pizza session. I'm balking at the price a bit, but Rick says go for it. I've been wanting to do it for a long time and, who knows, I may never get another chance. But I'm such an introvert and I don't know how well I'd do in a class of bakers. Know what I mean? Yes, I can make pizza dough and I can make a darned good pizza. But I'd be so nervous! Rick says he's just going to go ahead and pay the fee and then it's done. He told me to consider it part of my Christmas present this year. (And he won't do it, not at $95. He says he wouldn't get that much out of it and there are other things he might enjoy while I'm taking the class. So I don't know.)

Winchester said:

 
Carol, I've been to Maine twice, both times

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Pam, since you've been to Maine before I won't bother sending the pics.  You've already seen it up close and personal. I hope you enjoy your trip and hey, you may learn to make an even better pizza.