Weekending: Three Breweries in Three Days

Here in Massachusetts, we enjoyed a much-needed and well-earned three day weekend. Yesterday, Monday, was Patriots' Day, or Marathon Monday (the 120th running). While some companies use this day as a floater, my husband had the day off and so it became an opportunity to plan a staycation, and catch up on a few chores. 

The Señor likes craft brews. He likes trying small batch beer made by local breweries and so we decided to try a local brewery and gastropub, which became the theme of the weekend, visiting three local breweries in three days.

On Saturday, after some house chores, we went out west for a coffee at a bakery which makes my favorite almond-sesame-maple cookie. When we arrived, we were surprised (as was another patron) to find that the bakery had closed early that one day. So, it was on to Plan B, and thanks to Yelp, we found another independent coffee house where we indulged in iced coffees and biscotti. 

After picking up some needed house supplies at the big box store up the road, we went in search of a local brewery and as luck and location would have it, just over the border into Vermont, we found the Whetstone Station Brewery and Restaurant in nearby Brattleboro. 

The brewery and gastropub, with a fire-lit deck and bier garten, overlooks the Connecticut River and features a Mug Club, which rewards you with your own personalized mug and other discounts and benefits once you have tried 99 of the experimental brewery's beers in one year. 

They only make one brew regularly: their own IPA, but they publish their recipes on their website. 

The Señor tried the beer sampler...



And their famous Brewer's Burger; however the local favorite seems to be Tim's Awesome Burger, loaded with Vermont cheddar cheese, red onion, tomato, maple marinated bacon and peanut butter...yes, peanut butter. 

Not the famous peanut butter burger, but delicious, nonetheless. 

On Sunday, we took off for Maine, heading up to Portland. The northern New England coast has its share of local brews as well, but in Portland, after a lovely afternoon tea in a cute French patisserie, 

we went for an in-house brew at Gritty's, self proclaimed as Portland's Original Brew Pub. They also have locations in Freeport and Auburn, Maine. 

We took advantage of the $.50 wing happy hour special and the señor enjoyed their famous BPA.  

On Monday, we went back out west for two reasons. We planned on purchasing our flights for Spain and Portugal, which we did at the travel agency we typically use, and we planned on coffees at a favorite coffeeshop, and dinner at another brewhouse in the Pioneer Valley. 

What we didn't plan was having dinner with a dear friend; what a wonderful surprise, indeed! 

We finished off our weekend with cappuccinos and cannolis at the bakery across the street from the brewery. 

It was a lovely end to a lovely weekend. 

If you're visiting New England, here are the places that made our weekend itinerary. 

Whetstone Station
36 Bridge Street
Brattleboro, VT 
802-490-2354

Portland Patisserie and Grand Cafe
46 Market Street
Portland, ME 04101
207-553-2555

Portland Brew Pub
396 Fore Street
Portland, ME 04101

Esselon Cafe 
99 Russell Street (Route 9)
Hadley, MA 01035
413-585-1515

Northampton Brewery
11 Brewster Court
Northampton, MA 01060
413-584-9903

La Fiorentina Pastry Shop
25 Armory Street
Northampton, MA 01060
413-586-7693

What was the highlight of your weekend? Are you a craft beer fan? Where is the best local brewery and gastropub in your area? We're always up for a road trip. 

Adventures in Macarons

One of the highlights of our last trip to Paris was a stop at the iconic Ladurée for arguably, the best macarons in Paris, if not the world. 

The Champs Elysées location

So many pretty colors and delicious flavors. 

So, when I saw that my local continuing ed program offered a course in The Art of the French Macaron, my heart skipped a beat. I know they're trendy, and I know they are a Parisian cliche, but I love them. That meringue melts in your mouth. What's not to love? 

And to think... I could make them at home? A taste of Paris in my own kitchen? 

Oui, se il vous plâit. 

Our guide for the evening was food writer turned culinary school graduate and chef, Sherry Belotti. 

"My food philosophy is simple," Belotti says on her web page. "There is nothing better than fresh food, prepared well and shared with others." And, indeed, these were lovely. 

Chef Sherry's samples.

The evening began with a tasting plate for us to sample, and a demonstration of how to make the meringue that would serve as the base for the macaron. 

Sherry explains the importance of separating eggs using three bowls to ensure that no yolk fat contaminates the whites and prevents them from forming their critical peaks. 

Macaron batter is a simple mixture...egg whites, almond meal/flour, granulated sugar, and powered sugar....and a smidgen of cream of tartar to help with the meringue. 

But the result is nothing short of magic. 

Then it was time to pipe. 

Once the macarons were piped onto the parchment paper, thanks to a pre-drawn template, they were set aside to dry. 

Tip from Sherry: Draw yourself a template or buy your silicone tray inserts pre-drawn. 

And then it was our turn. With Sherry by our side, we separated our eggs, ground our almond meal and mixed our batter. 

Tip from Sherry: Ground your almond meal with half of your powdered sugar to avoid turning your almond meal into paste. 

I chose an orange macaron that I would later fill with berry butter cream. 

Folding the batter, careful not to over mix. 

I piped like a champ....well, after the first couple. 

Then mine were ready to dry. 

It took a while, but finally, my macarons were ready to bake. 

Tip from Sherry: Don't bother trying this in humidity. It will amount to little more than an exercise in frustration. 

Once the macarons had cooled, I removed them from the parchment and voila! 

They were perfect, and ready to fill. 

I filled them with butter cream and a reduced berry compote that Sherry had made before class. They were si délicieux! Ladurée, no, but it was a taste of Paris in my own kitchen. 

If you're within driving distance of central Massachusetts or southwestern New Hampshire, check out any of Sherry's classes, including this macaron class, cooking with herbs, using your new Himalayan salt block, and Mexican fare for Cinco de Mayo. 

This was a lot of fun, informative, and empowering. 

I can't wait to see what comes next. 

Have you ever made macarons? What is one recipe that is daunting, but you would love to make?

Snow Day Shopping Haul

I am not a shopper. When I go to the mall with friends, I follow them around, but I never buy anything. Often when I go by myself, I walk around with stuff, only to put it back because I don't really need it. 

Today was different. 

Actually, it started yesterday. 

So much for a January, post-holiday spending freeze. 

On my way home last night, I decided that I needed more Quest bars. I have been eating Quest bars since they were only available online from Quest years ago. They're the only bars I eat. 

So, I stopped at GNC for a case of my favorite Raspberry White Chocolate flavor and a case of the Cravings Peanut Butter Cups. But then, I decided to try the Quest protein chips as well. 

Not bad, but a little impulsive. 

Since the wind chill was projected to be -25 to -30F below zero, area schools decided to delay classes or cancel altogether. Mine cancelled. It was a bright sunny day, so I decided to layer up, venture out, and go get the probiotics I was planning to start up again. 

I started at Target...mostly because they have a Starbucks. Although I thought about the Flat White, I opted for the skinny mocha. 

Fabulous!

Then, I decided to see what I could find on clearance....success...a long sleeved tee, compression shorts for the gym, a sports bra and a picture frame.

Then, I went to the Vitamin Shoppe in the same plaza. Kudos to the man working there today, because I asked, what seemed like, a million questions. 

I got my probiotics. 

Then, I thought I would explore Kohl's for work pants, since I had gift card. Apparently, Valentine's Day is in the air. 

And flip flops.

In January in New England...that's optimism.

Nevertheless, pants, I found...and a foot roller that will hopefully alleviate recurring plantar fasciitis.

Thinking I would grab lunch at Panera Bread, I stopped by the mall; however, the 60% off clearance sign at Old Navy was too much to resist. 

Long sleeved tees, a henley shirt, draw-string lounge pants, a button down shirt, a cami, a cowl neck pullover, pajama bottoms, and a package of Pop Rocks...because apparently, I am 5.

Next door to Old Navy is a Panera Bread, but there is also a brand new Burlington Coat Factory. Panera would have to wait. 

Here, I found I could not bear to leave without gym socks, a new gym bag, a cooling towel, a weighted jump rope, a workout tank, a workout long sleeved tee, a draping cardigan, a sports bra, cute underwear and a work blouse. 

I never made it to Panera Bread. I gulped down a Quest bar I had in my purse and decided to go home before I bought more stuff. 

But, I did end up replacing old, ratty staples that I held on to far too long. 

All in all, my snow-day turned shopping day turned out quite nice. 

If this is all I buy for clothes in the next six or more months, it's not bad. Most of what I bought was on clearance and replacing worn out items. 

Still, it gets my minimalist tendencies in a tizzy.

Are you a shopper? Do you have any non-shoppers in your life? 

Friday 5: Creating Holiday Traditions for a Family of Two

The holidays are centered around all things children and family, but what happens when you are a family of two? 

If you have no children, by chance or by choice, there are many ways to mark the holidays and create traditions that you can look forward to every year.  Join the family for traditional celebrations, but create a few that are just for the two of you.

1. Collect ornaments. If you vacation over the summer, look for an ornament  from your special place. Or check sites like Bronner's  or Ornament Shop for just the right ornament for you and your loved one. 

2. See the sights. Attend a holiday concert or tree lighting event. Or take a stroll (or a drive) to see holiday lights in town or in the city. We did this last year, taking the commuter rail into Boston, walking around the Common and, after some hot cocoa and a pastry, taking the train back home. Dress warm and take in the sights. 

3. Volunteer together. This year, we went to a PTO fundraiser at our local Barnes and Noble and I did a read-aloud. Check out Toys for Tots, or organize a coat drive. Donate to your local food bank. Become a Secret Santa to a child in need. Do good; feel good. 

4. Embrace nothingness. Choose a day to sleep late, eat whatever you want, watch movies...whatever you want. No demands, no schedule...just be. 

5. Organize a post-holiday friendsmas gathering or night out. Or get out of town yourselves. Be on the lookout for deals or take advantage of the lower gas prices and do a "tank-away" getaway. 

Need more ideas? Check out holiday date nights or winter date night ideas and get the creative juices flowing. 

If you are a family of two, or flying solo these days, what do you do to mark the holidays in way that is special for you?

A Norman Rockwell Weekend

Last weekend, the town of Stockbridge, Massachusetts outfitted its downtown in the style of its most celebrated long-term resident, Norman Rockwell. 

Main Street at Christmas is a recreation of Rockwell's iconic painting of a quaint New England village at the Christmas holiday. 

Source

The weekend's activities were sponsored by the local Chamber of Commerce and Saturday's rain did not deter visitors to the Norman Rockwell Museum or to the sold-out holiday concert on Saturday night. 

We started our weekend in Stockbridge with a trip to a local coffeehouse and then went to explore the Norman Rockwell Museum, home of the world's largest collection of Rockwell art, including 323 Saturday Evening Post covers.

Stockbridge Coffee and Tea

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

After our morning of culture, we ventured out to Great Barrington for lunch at a solar-powered brewery to continue my husband's quest of the perfect beer. 

The wood stove was the perfect remedy for the cold December rain. 

Pretty good, but still looking...

Wise advice from Mr. Rockwell

Then, after a bit of shopping at the nearby outlet mall, we found another bakery for the best baklava I have ever had. 

The weekend culminated with a recreation of Rockwell's painting, Main Street at Christmas. 

Definitely a destination for vintage car lovers

Lined with vintage cars and shops offering their finest, Main Street came to life with carolers at the historic Red Lion Inn, a colorful jester, horse-drawn wagon rides, and throngs of merry-makers awaiting Santa's arrival on a vintage fire engine. 

On the porch of the Red Lion Inn

Carolers at the Red Lion Inn

Wrestling with the Christmas tree

Santa arrives

What a relief that the rain of the day before had moved out and been replaced with a bright blue sky. 

We had a great time. 

The Berkshires are a year-round destination and this Christmas celebration did not disappoint. With events planned for the whole family, this destination event is a crowd-pleaser. 

Book early, especially if you plan to stay at the iconic Red Lion Inn. 

If you're local, have you ever attended this event? 

If not, does your area host a similar nostalgic holiday weekend? 

Feed our wanderlust for next year.