Cover Girl

Check me out...Miss October! This was the image for the month of October in The Bread Book: A Baker's Almanac, by Ellen Foscue Johnson. Back in the day...(over used phrase I know Pops!), my brother and I were very willing kiddy labour for a family friend's bread book illustration. 

 

Mutt tells the tale that she was preggers with my younger brother Al, and they took a shot of her holding this bowl of dough, then one of her with a baguette and baby in her arms. Must dig out those pics. Bun.In.The.Oven...literally.  I had a whole wardrobe of those smocked dresses and James? Well, he was permanently in sweat suits, Izods, towelling wristbands, green flash sneakers...leisure-wear! This was shot on the front porch of our house in Weston,VT. Man, still so many memories of that magical place.

Thanks to my dear friend Anna Dibble for digging this one out.

 (We made the cover too...couldn't get a good image, will have to dig out our copy)

Eeeek! Ebaytastic

OK, I have to take a big breath....I have finally hunted down my long lasting obsession on The Bay...Vintage Franshaw State Hankies! I haven't seriously sought after these on a full time basis and frequently forget that I want to own some, but since I have lots of blank walls to fill in my new flat I decided to commit myself to finding souvenir handkerchiefs from States I love.

You see, I am all about framing fabric these days and I have to admit that I got this particular idea from the set design from the movie Julie and Julia...I can't wait to show you the results.
(Psst...I am still bidding on a couple more, for a New England set..fingers crossed).

The Downtown Grocery, VT (TDG to those in the loop).

A truly satisfying and exciting dining experience can be hard to find, especially in these rural parts, but recently I found one that hits the mark in all the right places, The Downtown Grocery in Ludlow VT. Let me say that the owners are friends, comprising of husband and wife team Rogan and Abby Lechthaler and assisted by Alyssa Prouty. Rogan is the Chef Owner and Alyssa his Sous, both previously of the fine dining restaurant Verdé, at Stratton Mountain. Abby also worked there, delivering her own dynamic enthusiasm and Southern charm to the front of house, as she does at TDG.

Let me also say I have made my career in restaurants and they are my passion, but when you work in them you look for all manner of tiny things that can naturally turn you off. Hard sell. Suffice it to say, I take my work home with me and am not swung by personal ties when assessing any dining experience I have. TDG promises to deliver pretty much everything that I want in a dining experience. Wonderful warm and bustling atmosphere with perfectly dimmed lighting, plenty of gorgeous decorative detail but with restraint and consideration for the overall look, casual individual but informed and friendly service, killer cocktails....oh and the food? The food is divine. Clever, witty, skilled and most of all delicious. The emphasis is on local ingredients and the best of seasonal fare and the kitchen cooks up inventive pairings of flavors making for a truly exciting taste fest.

The menu itself is small but left me completely crippled by indecision about what to order. It all looked so good. The specials boards are stuffed with alternatives that just made the process even harder, only eased by the fact that those dishes sell out in lightening speed and so by the time we forced ourselves to choose some of our decisions were made for us by the 86-ed specials.

 

To start, a board of house made sausage, pickles, mustard and local cheddar, teamed with an arugala, pancetta and shaved parmesan salad. Then onto a slow cooked pork belly that was the definition of "melt in the mouth".

 

 

A special that took our fancy was this house made gnocchi with rabbit that was so light and bright in flavor it took us pleasantly by surprise.

Desserts are a small and perfectly formed list. The late night breakfast (freshly made french toast, buttermilk bacon ice cream, maple syrup) is one that I will have to go back for, but the homemade sorbets (cherry was my fave) were a perfect way to cleanse the palate at the end of the meal. 

The interior boasts many details that emphasize the casual and local nature of the restaurant's ethos. Handmade birch light fittings, barn boards used to make blackboard frames, quirky coat hooks made from upcycled forks and the chuckle inducing restaurant signs painted by Alyssa's sister Lucy (they are in fact local Vermont birds).

The Downtown Grocery is relatively new to the scene and is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication to the craft by this trio, and it shows. So why not reward them at the end of your meal by more than just the tip?

By them a round of tall boys (Narragansett is the current beer du jour) and they'll thank you for it. This business is a thirsty job!

Not so wily Coyote

Imagine my surprise when I stepped out this afternoon and saw a coyote sauntering around our yard! Even more amazing was that it wandered up into our field and snuggled up in the horses' hay. Can you spot him?

Once the horses came over to have a chat, he decided to move on.

A while back I trapped a fisher cat (notoriously hard to do as these critters are vicious and crafty), which had been eating our chickens so this is just another example of my keenly honed nature skills. Maybe I should become a professional trapper or something, my talents are being wasted...

Snow Day

Another Snow Day came upon us yesterday. 8 inches overall, topped off with freezing rain. Brrrr... Lucky for me I work from home, so no need to tackle the roads on a day like this. Instead, I thought I would go with the snow white theme from an Etsy Treasury I did recently, for a bit of colour therapy.

Left to Right: Row 1: Alyssa Ettinger, Tiny Toadstool, Jackie Rueda Photography Row 2:  Sycamore Street Press, Sweet Bestiary, Lola's Room Row 3: Amye 123, NzL Bags, Tuuni Row 4: La Pomme, May Third, Diem Design

This collection makes me feel very calm. I guess white does that though, I have always held that crisp white sheets on a bed make you feel like you are going to have the most peaceful night's sleep. Is that strange? It's wild how a simple colour like white has so many variations in tone and hue when you put them all together.

Pony Up!

My latest Vermont find is Oughton Limited, based in Pawlet. This accessories company makes gorgeous leather handbags and wallets taking inspiration from the equestrian field. Each piece displays details such as bronze halter squares, rafted in Italy for custom horse halters. Their style is "understated, country elegance" and the use of the highest quality top-grain leather, 22oz waxed canvas, Italian milled faux fur fabric and RiRi zippers puts Oughton Limited in a different class.

The full range consists of totes, cases, overnight bags and wallets. Oughton Limited bags have a beautiful simplicity and classic style that is stylish but not overly style conscious. The kind of thing that would last you a lifetime.

 "Much like the ringmaster trumpets the start of a Grand Prix event, distinctive luggage announces ones arrivals and departures. OUGHTON bags suggest a sensibility of long-lasting utility and timeless equestrian traditions. An heirloom for the next generation, who will wear the patina of your travels with pride." More here.

1. Overnight II Bag 2. Thoroughbread Wallet in Waxwear 3. Field Tote in Waxwear 4. A monograme can be added for the ultimate extra detail 5. Girth Purse in phony pony 6. Wellie Overnight Bag

I have my friend Anna to thank for introducing me to Oughton Limited and I hope to take a trip over to their showroom and take some snaps of their range in person soon. Stay tuned!

HANDMADE THERAPY

Project 9: Wreath Decorating

I know it is a little late in the day to start talking about decorating wreaths but the truth is that we bought our wreath some time ago and had committed to decorating it ourselves. Naturally, our good intentions fell slightly by the wayside so it was only today that I managed to deck it out. Probably best to file this post under "For future reference"....

We bought our wreaths (and tree) at the DeCell's Christmas Tree Farm in Weston, Vermont. Since we were mesmerized in by the immense beauty and scale of the 4 foot wreath which is now mounted on the side of our barn, the wreath for the main door had to be downsized. We bought a 14 inch undecorated wreath and I pledged to gussy it up.

So what to do with a bare wreath? Why tie a bow on it of course! At Glebe Mountain Gardens in Londonderry, Vermont the staff will gladly demonstrate how to create the perfect bow for your wreath and if you ask nicely you can make one alongside them and get a professional helping hand in the end result. They have a fabulous selection of ribbon for you to purchase and then you can take pride in the fact that you added the crowning glory to your wreath. The Cowles family who own it are friends of ours and they have a huge assortment of wreaths, trees and other greenery for the festive season.
I think the key to tying your own wreath bow is to choose a wired ribbon with color and pattern (I chose a buffalo check flannel ribbon) to draw attention away from the amateur flaws, but I think I can be justifiably proud of my efforts.

Ta Da!! Ready just in time for Christmas.

Grain Store Goodness

The Saturday before Christmas brings with it a unique lunch date that is simply not to be missed....meatballs at Erskine's Grain Store (R.B. Erskine Inc Grain Store to be precise) in Chester, Vermont. Want to know where to find it? Why, Grain Store Road of course! This is the place we get our feed for the chickens and horses and invariably I am the one dispatched to place the order for 150lb of Cracked Corn, 150lb of Layer Pellets and 150lb of Sweet Feed. Naturally the unfailingly lovely gentlemen at Erskine's take pity on me and chivalrously load the car up for me every time.


I realised I was becoming a regular the day that our account papers were sitting out on the desk waiting for me as I walked through the door. They still use a very simple system of paper chits (the filing system above) and it works for them....none of that new fangled computer stuff. Keep it simple! Anyway, back to the meatballs....nestled in among the rows of shovels, mason jars, potting soil and barbed wire are a number of crockpots gently care-taking an array of meat based dishes.


On offer today were Swedish meatballs, meatballs in an Italian-type tomato sauce, chilli made with venison (from Pete Carson, a regular customer, see label on pot below) and bread to mop up the delicious juices. Oh, and a little token "salad" which was basically a crudite platter that rightly got passed over. No need for vegetables in this spread! The owner Mike and his staff made up the meatballs (over 500) the day before from the best meat around, bought from the locally famous Lisai's Market just over the railroad tracks, literally. This day is a thank you to their customers and Erskine's goes all out.

Meatball day is quite the institution around these parts and we have Art Putnam to thank for that. "Put" was a long term employee at Erskine's and is credited with starting the meatball tradition in 1980 (this picture is hung above the coffee station, beside the meatballs so that Put can still take part).

Alongside this meat feast is the addition of some musical accompaniment provided by John Specker (also to be seen at the Peru Fair, among many other local and national events). John plays floor stomping fiddle music that fits perfectly in this setting. He is simply a legend around here.

John sat tucked away among the vegetable seeds and work gloves, but his music filled the place.

John Specker taking a coffee break between songs.

To get a taste of John's supreme talent, have a listen to this....

So there you have it, a taste (literally) of some festive fair from Vermont. Mark your calendars, the Saturday before Christmas every year. Come and hang out for a while, everyone is welcome and the hospitality is second to none. It is Vermont after all...

Retail Therapy: Practical Pretties

If you are like me, you will be looking for a new season Winter coat or boots right about now. Actually, you probably already have that on lock down. Thanks to my stellar purchases from L.L.Bean last year (a down coat and pair of shearling lined Bean Boots) I really do not have an excuse to buy anything new for the next 20 years. But a girl can look, right? Here's what is catching my eye this fall/winter season, for that practical purchase that ticks the swoon box too.

From Sorel...
1964 Premium™ Boots in a gorgeous rich plummy color (cinder). You can't beat patent in my book.

Tivoli™ Boots in a classic houndstooth check.

Tivoli™ Slip Boot (the pinstripe/ticking fabric pays homage to the work uniform of the fabulously iconic, Rosie the Riveter). Don't you just love the "brogue" detail at the front of the toe?
Don't make me choose between these two colors. I want both!

From Joules...taking a major chunk of inspiration from Barbour.
The Byland quilted jacket in Saddle (I have a weakness for this style of jacket, beloved of the British upper class and the Eurotrash set). The floral lining is a beautiful twist.


The Chase wax jacket in Saddle again (this is a decidedly horsey clothing line!). Love the subtle femininity of this take on a classic British staple.

Sperry Top-sider/J.Crew Tweed Buffalo Check Shearwater Boots (heritage/collaboration pieces like this can often disappoint, but here there are so many reasons for this to be right). Steep price tag though...

Damn my long lasting, hard wearing, lifetime guaranteed, sensible purchases last year. I would love to own any of these....surely I can justify another pair of boots?

One Year On....

I left Britain almost exactly a year ago, to move to Vermont. I can hardly believe that a year has gone by and so much has happened in that time, not quite as I had expected but thrilling none the less. My plans to open a boutique here have been axed as I don't see a positive financial outlook in investing in a business here in a time that the economy is tough and businesses are closing rather than opening, for the most part. Anyway, that has given me much food for thought and I am undecided as to my next move but loving the life I have been introduced to here in the most beautiful part of the States, the Green Mountains.

So, I thought I would take a look back at some of the things I was writing about a year ago just in case you missed them the first time around.

Here goes...

DESIGN THERAPY: PlanToys
Perhaps being an Aunt as opposed to a mother, causes me to lean towards the aesthetic in the toys I want to give to the little foxes in the family. Those toys that are unique and do not come with batteries, produce siren noises or have flashing lights! No doubt the wee ones prefer the all singing all dancing versions, but I can only hope they will appreciate the beauty of my choices, and use their imaginations to enhance their playtime. I am not a total purist when it comes to toys. I have a guilty pleasure for Playmobil, my brothers' having their Pirate Ship when we were kids, and me left wishing for their Dolls House.

PlanToys' mission is to "create innovative educational toys for every developmental stage of childhood. PlanToys incorporates thoughtful design and age-appropriate challenges to stimulate children's creativity. Our toys encourage healthy social interaction, promote natural learning and instil a sense of wonder."
PlanToys are made from non-chemically treated rubber wood, and their green principles of reducing waste and saving energy in the production of their toys are behind everything they do. They are inventive and unique with a simplicity in their design and vibrant colours that serve as a platform for children's imagination to run wild. These are toys that any parent would surely be happy to have cluttering up their home.

My picks for Oliver...




My picks for Noah...




My picks for Honor...




For the entire range of PlanToys delights, go here.