Autumn leaves falling

This Needs Hot Sauce, chalet edition

Oct 02, 2023

Hi there,

I’m writing from the coziest chalet in Stowe while other people are on a hike (one of the best things about getting older is feeling more empowered to say no to things you don’t want to do). Outside the window, leaves are falling and it’s so cozy. We’re here for Julianne’s bachelorette party which has been such a blast (we had a time leaving New York during Friday’s flooding but I’m so glad we made it here safely). It’s October (how?) already and begin farther north is a preview of the foliage we’ll soon have in New York. I just picked up the book Wintering at Suzanna’s recommendation and am excited to read about a different way of looking at winter. Will report back!

Now, let’s dive in. On Thursday, I’ll be sharing something I got for my birthday that I’m obsessed with (I didn’t bring it with me to Vermont and wish I had).

Something to cook:

I didn’t cook much this week between Yom Kippur and getting my booster but food was my job for planning the weekend. I placed a grocery pickup order at the local Shaw’s (they were so nice and highlighted everything they couldn’t find so we could replace it). Stocking a house for a group with different tastes and dietary restrictions is hard but so far, so good. I cooked breakfast a few mornings and we all made breakfast sandwiches with soft scrambled eggs (cook your eggs in butter, it makes all the difference), sourdough toast, avocado, hashbrowns, sliced Cabot cheddar (the best and local), and of course, hot sauce and ketchup. Kathryn was on coffee duty and made a fresh pot every morning (necessary).

We took a sailboat ride at sunset (it was stunning, highly recommend the company Whistling Man and our all female crew, Captain Treasure and Tex). They have cups on board and we brought potato chips (Cabot makes good ones too), grapes, a charcuterie platter from the store, cheese, crackers, and drinks on board. I absolutely love being the on the water and Lake Champlain is stunning, especially at sunset. It was calm and we saw birds, took photos, and learned more about the lake’s history. The boat was called The Friend Ship, which was very apt (Hillary did a great job planning it). I loved Vermont last time I was here in 2020 and not surprisingly, it’s really special in the fall.

Note to self: find a local grocery store that sells these chips

On Sunday night, we had the coziest night in and I made tacos with many options—black beans, ground turkey, and fajita veggies. People made nachos, burritos, and even a version of a crunch wrap supreme (shoutout Julianne). I also got guac, so much salsa (I was happy they had SOMOS in Vermont), chips and a huge bag of shredded cheese. We made s’mores in the fire pit and and cookies from storebought cookie dough (I did travel with a mini container of flakey salt, I am who I am).

Something to order:

I broke my fast with cacio e pepe from Le Fanfare with Dale and Julia (not traditional but delicious). It’s such a cozy spot and it was exactly what I wanted.

Leah took me out for a belated birthday celebration at Misi Pasta and we had the best time! The space is gorgeous and the menu is small but well edited—we had the sungold toast, zucchini, mozzarella en carozza, the artichoke sandwich (a must get), and lemon pasta. Leah is my business coach turned friend who I started working with in 2021—she’s the absolute best and I’d recommend talking with her if you’re feeling stuck (her newsletter and Instagram are also packed with good things).

I got to see Erica for a dinner out in her neighborhood which was such a treat! We went to Margot in Fort Greene and had bread with the best garlic butter, a better salad, and clam pasta. The restaurant is very cute and the highlight was catching up and seeing so many pics of her baby’s fall wardrobe.

I got my Covid booster on Wednesday at Walgreens and the side effects weren’t as bad as previous ones. I had a sore arm and was a little achy but no fever. By the next evening, I was feeling back to normal. Dale ordered us Vanessa’s Dumplings and we watched the Golden Bachelor (highly recommend). I got the veggie dumplings with their spicy toppings (scallions & chili oil) and the cucumbers and it really hit the spot. He also loves their noodle soup.

On Friday, we had quite the travel day with the weather. In the end, we had to rent cars and drive but we needed fuel. The Denny’s in East Greenbush, New York (near Albany) was about the halfway point and is open 24 hours. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a Denny’s but the pancakes were great (I got the whole grain ones for a little texture) and I’m never mad at a hashbrown. They also have GF english muffins and coffee to keep you going. Susan was the best!

This is not a good picture but these were good pancakes and we were in the middle of a 13+ hour travel day.

I picked up groceries first thing Saturday morning and Amy, Julia and I got coffee on the way at Woodland Baking and Coffee. It was so good and the seasonal pastries are delicious. The line is long for a reason.

After the boat ride, we had dinner at Santiago’s in Burlington, a new Cuban spot that was absolutely perfect for a group dinner. The space is colorful and fun and Cuban food is naturally very GF friendly (Lissette, who is Cuban and GF, loved it). We shared tostones, maduros, avocado salad, and fries and then everyone got mains. Everything was so flavorful and thoughtfully made, even simple stuff like rice and beans (they use a lot of the owners’ family recipes). They also had great mojitos (and NA nojitos). The host said it’s the only Cuban restaurant in the state and it’s one I hope will stick around for a long time. If you’re visiting Burlington, make a reservation and go enjoy! Thank you to Myriah for the rec!

A small portion of the apps! Would love more tostones rn.

Vermont is the home of Ben and Jerry’s so we had to experience the local flavors at the location on Church Street, which has a VW bus you can sit in. Ice cream is always a good idea. We ended the night at Matterhorn back in Stowe where we played headsup and met another Bachelorette group.

Will usually get some form of coffee ice cream

Yesterday, we got breakfast at Round Hearth, a former ski dorm that pivoted to a cafe/b&b/antiques market during Covid. The owners were so sweet and the space is so homey with an actual hearth/conversation pit and really good food. I got a breakfast sandwich and a delicious maple latte in honor of the first day of October.