Discover hotel and resort dining, food and wine festivals, restaurant weeks, country farms, cozy inns, recipes, cookbooks, cooking classes, international fare and more.

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Spotlight: Contessa Restaurant at The Newbury Hotel in Boston

Video courtesy of Dining Playbook

Spotlight: Afternoon Tea Vermont Style

Photo courtesy of Shelburne Farms

Savor Afternoon Tea, Vermont Style... Enjoy daily afternoon tea in the Tea Room, one of several lovely common rooms at Shelburne Farms, and more.
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Thursday, December 22, 2011

The Vermont Cheesemakers Festival is set for Sunday, July 22, 2012 at Shelburne Farms

The Vermont Cheesemakers Festival is set for Sunday, July 22, 2012 at Shelburne Farms Coach Barn in Shelburne, Vermont. Each year, hundreds of cheese connoisseurs flock to the picturesque shores of Lake Champlain to experience a showcase of fine cheeses and meet the artisans who produce them.

“Vermont has found its niche in the world of cheesemaking,” said Mark Fischer, farmer and president of the Vermont Cheese Council. “We have over 40 creameries here in the Green Mountain State, many of which are bringing home blue ribbons and national accolades. The Festival is the one time a year we all come together to showcase the best the Vermont has to offer.”

The event features over 100 different cheeses to sample and purchase, educational seminars as well as cheesemaking and cooking demonstrations by star chefs. Also on hand are local wineries and breweries.

Tickets will go on sale in February, 2012.

Below are highlights from the 2011 Vermont Cheesemakers' Festival presented by the Vermont Cheese Council. For more information, visit http://www.vtcheesefest.com


Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Christmas Day Brunch at the Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common

Planning to have brunch with family and friends on Christmas Day? Meet at The Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common, for a delicious feast that features traditional carving stations, seafood station with shrimp, Jonah crab claws, oysters, and an array of other sumptuous selections. Highlights will include kid-friendly foods, live jazz music, children’s dessert decorating and a special visit from Santa.

Seating Times: 12 p.m., 12:30 p.m., 3 p.m., 3:30 p.m.
(In the Ballroom overlooking Boston Common)

The cost of brunch is $95 per adult and $45 per child, 12 years and under, exclusive of tax and gratuity.

Reservations required. Contact the hotel at 617-574-7184; on the web at http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/BostonCommon/Default.htm




Monday, December 12, 2011

Dakin Farm Maple Glazed Spiral Ham [Video]

Watch the intricate process of smoking, spiral cutting, glazing and preparation of spiral sliced, maple glazed Dakin Farm Hams.


Courtesy of Dakin Farm on YouTube


Friday, December 9, 2011

Historic Foodways and Hearth Cooking Workshop

Step back in time, with the "Historic Foodways and Hearth Cooking Workshop," at Coggeshall Farm Museum, in Bristol, Rhode Island, on December 17, 2011. 

Explore what it meant to "eat local" in 1790's Rhode Island. Working from Amelia Simmons' American Cookery, the first American cookbook, originally published in 1796, guests will prepare several receipts at the hearth, using produce raised on the farm, before sitting down to enjoy dinner by candlelight. 

Workshop is from 4pm-8pm.


Courtesy of Coggeshall Farm Museum on YouTube

The cost of this event is
$60.00 per person, $50.00 for museum members.

Visit website for more details.

Friday, December 2, 2011

Making Souffle at Hartstone Inn—Camden, Maine

In this video, get souffle tips and tricks from renowned Chef Michael Salmon of the Hartstone Inn, a fine dining B&B in Camden, Maine.


Courtesy of Hartstone Inn on YouTube


For more recipes, visit the B&B Recipes page on this blog.