Picture perfect postcard
Let me be clear. I don't ski. My family does and my friends do. I lodge. I sip coffee, workout at the sports center if there is one, read books (thank you E.L. James for last year's companionship) and I schmooze with friends ~ those that come with me or those that I meet saving seats!This winter we booked a few weekends away ~ one long, the others normal ~ up at Stratton Mountain Ski Resort in Vermont. We have no vacation for President's week this year so we're making a mid-winter break where there wasn't one scheduled. Each time we go we are spending that time with different family friends, which makes the time away feel even more different than a day trip to ski on its own.
The bar you see as you walk in the front door
When we headed up north a couple of weeks ago, my friend looked on Zagat to find a decent place to eat along the drive, and was directed to The Farm Table at Kringle Candle. Located in a home built in 1800 in Bernardston, MA, just an hour south of Stratton, it was a gem of a find, with Zagat ratings at 22 and above!
Out friends had 7pm reservations and, due to traffic and weather, we wound up arriving there at about the same time, somehow scoring a last minute reservation at the next table. We could not have been more surprised by this beautiful spot that looked like a quaint movie set from any Christmas movie.
When we walked inside, and saw the rustic, warm surroundings and lit fireplaces, we felt like we landed in the perfect spot to escape a cold, snowy night. How much more so did I even feel at home when I saw the menu!
Warm quinoa salad
Vegan mushroom risotto
Salads, like the appetizer I chose with warm quinoa and roasted butternut squash in a maple vinaigrette or the farm table salad with picked onions, were exciting choices, and the light bites like warm brick oven olives and marcona almonds were surely beckoning to be ordered. For entrees, pizzas could be made cheese-less or gluten free, pastas could be adapted, wonderful sides were presented and yet the winner (not that I tried the others...) was a fabulous vegan mushroom risotto that was to die for! Seriously ~ piping hot, savory, creamy...comfort food at its finest. Oh, did I mention the cocktail? You know me ~ I need to share that too. Grapefruit juice, sparkling wine, lime juice and vodka in a champagne flute...fabulous!If you find yourself on the East Coast and headed north for ski season, this is a do not miss. Drive safely, enjoy, and if you wind up in the lodge, look for me!
