When I dip my chicken into Cold Hollow Cider Mill’s honey mustard, a mustard with a sweet and spicy tang to it, or take a shower with my Ancient Mysteries Artisan Soap from Chasworth Farm, I am transported to a warm September Saturday at Burlington’s Farmers Market.
I think about the homemade root beer I drank that day while watching a musician duo play on the edge of the market. I casually wandered Burlington, exploring an abundance of fresh produce, homemade cosmetics, local food, and artwork at the farmer’s market.
It was the best farmer’s market I have been to because it had it all: live music, food, and local ingredients straight off the farm. The farmer who sold me beeswax lip balm didn’t even bother to label or brand the product as if to say “it is was what it is, and if you don’t like it don’t buy it!”
Earlier that weekend, I had met my friend who is originally from Vermont. She showed me her hometown which also happens to be the capital of Vermont, Montpelier. We went out for breakfast to a place that had just opened its doors to the public. I would highly recommend Down Home Kitchen if you’re in the area.
The owner greeted us. She had been working hard for several months to gut the interior. She bought the space in a decrepit state. I would have never guessed because the place was sparkling clean and in great condition. The interior gives off a bright, open, and airy feel. It had a bar you could sit at or wooden tables with fresh flowers.
We sat in the front corner booth, which had comfy pillows and a view of downtown Montpelier. We were able to enjoy the unique décor from our table. I admired the exposed bricks, retro memorabilia, such as an old telephone, record player, and old-fashioned black and white photos. Perhaps, the owner’s great-great grand parents’?
The owner showed us a pie that came fresh out of the oven, which smelled amazing. The food is southern comfort style. For example, you can get biscuits and gravy with grits. Alcohol is served too. They have a great bloody mary. I ended out getting the “make your own omlette” option. Overall, I really enjoyed the food, décor, and friendly atmosphere.
After breakfast, we tried to find a particular hiking spot, but were unsuccessful. It didn’t help that our phones had no service and we were following word of mouth directions. However, being in Vermont, you can pretty much find hiking trails down any road so we took a turn, saw a hiking sign, and decided to go for it. We hiked for a bit, but the trail was not marked well. We had already planned to go to Stowe so we bailed on the rest of the hike.
We stopped off for cider donuts at Cold Hollow Cider. The store is fun to walk around because they have free samples you can taste.
After fueling up, we drove to Bingham Falls in Stowe. I had never been to Stowe and found the area extremely beautiful. If you do not have much time, it is worth it to just to drive through Route 108/Upper Mountain Road, which winds through a mountain.
Bingham Falls was one of my favorite spots. There was a short walk to get to the waterfall, which runs along a gorge. The 30-foot waterfall plummets into a clear blue pool and continues cascading down rocks. I had no bathing suit, but how could I resist? I jumped in the ice-cold watering hole with my workout clothes on.
After the invigorating swim, we drove though the mountains and ended out at Boyden Valley Winery. We had a wine tasting with chocolate and crackers. We really packed a lot into one day!
To think of it, we didn’t end there. We ventured off to my friends family’s summerhouse on Grand Isle, which was right on Lake Champlain. This time around we opted for bathing suits and went for a sunset swim in the lake.
Somehow we mustered up the energy to go to Burlington and have dinner at The Farm House Tap & Grill, a farm to table gastro pub. The food was fantastic. There was an hour-long wait to get a table, but it was worth it. There is a large patio with a bar out back so the wait seemed to fly by.
Before the long ride home, I stopped off for lunch on Church Street at the Red Onion. They have amazing sandwiches that are made with thick slices of homemade bread.
Until next time!
Travels With Alison 