Yesterday, Steve and I decided to take a drive up to Vermont. It’s the off season, or as we say, mud season, but still, the view is lovely, even from the highway.
On the backroads you come across houses built more than two hundred years ago. They don’t look much different than when they were constructed.
Rivers and streams are full from ice and snow melt, which makes the requisite view of a covered bridge all that more dramatic.
But, we didn’t go to Vermont to meander down country roads. We had a destination – the King Arthur Flour Store.
Since the last time I was there, they’ve expanded the building and cafe, but they’re still focused on bringing the best flours and products to bakers. In the store there’s inspiration on display,
and for sale. I came home with four types of flour. I’ve recently been baking homemade pizza at least once a week. I’ll let you know if I can tell the difference between these two products.
They also have very good chocolate. I confess that on the way home I opened a bag, which fueled us up for the two-hour drive home.
I also bought bread salt, pizza seasoning, clearjel, canisters for the flour, a spatula that looked just right for flipping our morning eggs, some sparkling sugar and a cookie cutter in the shape of a hen (participants in my upcoming Chicken Keeping Workshops will get those cookies!)
Amazingly enough, after doing all of this shopping, Steve and I had time to go to one more destination.
These days, everything is available on-line, but it’s always better to see the fit and quality in person. Besides, there’s nothing like browsing through a shop filled to the brim with horse stuff. And it’s always fun to chat with shopkeepers who love what they’re doing! (The Vermont Horse Country Store also sells on the internet. Especially if you’re a trail rider, you’ll find products that are hard to locate elsewhere.) I finally found exactly the saddle pad that I’ve wanted – one with large pockets. I’m planning on long rides this summer, and I’ll be able to bring a sandwich and a drink, and a carrot for Tonka.
On the way home, we drove through Woodstock, Vermont. It has charming stores, but I had no need to do anymore shopping. However, there was one establishment we had to stop in. The Yankee Bookshop is the oldest independent bookstore in Vermont. The young woman behind the counter was the fourth generation of her family to work there.
Small bookshops have limited shelf space, and thousands of new books each year to choose from, so I was very pleased to see a copy of my Farmstead Egg Guide and Cookbook on their shelf!
Despite the dreary weather, it had been a good day. The sky spit rain on the way home. But, even that was okay, because on the highway in New Hampshire we saw this fat rainbow. Which we celebrated by eating more chocolate.
What a fun day! I absolutely LOVE the look of the flour store. Let us know how to make pizza. I bought a stone but the crust part I am not good at!
I will!
what a nice way to spend a Sunday drive.
Thanks for sharing
Thank-you for the virtual road trip. What a beautiful part of the world you live in! I envy you having so much history in buildings to explore and enjoy. We live in a relatively new place with no old stores like that. It must be hard to come away without some of the treasures you find on your road trips? Good thing you have your trusty camera!
Ohhh. We love Vermont and visit almost every year usually before leaf season or at the end of leaf season. It’s a seven hour drive for us from Pennsylvania.
I’v never been to the King Arthur store because it’s a little off of our well worn path of favorites but maybe next time we’ll make a detour. By the looks of your cart, it looks like it could be a dangerous stop.
Vermont is such a beautiful state, no billboards, malls, trash, just natural beauty. We stay in a lovely BB in south western Vermont. Love it.
We go knowing that I’ll be pulling out my wallet! I was actually restrained in my purchases this year.
Beautiful…!
As for pizza, whenever I have a really really good pizza, it crosses my mind that I’d like to order a pizza crust baked without any toppings, just to see how good it is. I can only imagine the kind of look I’d get when ordering a topless pizza!
Make you own pizza dough. Roll out. Rub with a fresh garlic clove. Brush with very good olive oil. Bake. Delicious. A little salt is nice, too :)
Oh how neat to get to go to the King Arthur Flour store. I get there email and read and reread. I know my cart would have been as full as your. Vermont is beautiful. I have never made pizza crust will hope you show us yours sometime.
Oh I am SO JEALOUS! It is actually the number one item on my bucket list to go to Vermont and to the King Arthur Flour shop as I really want to take a week long class on how to make bread! Every year I keep telling myself it will be this year but something always comes up…life!!
Thanks so much for sharing your day and pictures. Maybe this will be my year :)
Ah yes! The Baker’s Store. I’ve only been there once and envy you being able to do it in a day trip. But I make up for it with The Baker’s Catalogue on line. Used several of their shipping cartons (with Bake BAKE bake in all different fonts on the sides) to deliver my various breads to a neighborhood bake sale that was held last Saturday. For spices and seasonings I rely on Penzey’s who opened a store in Raleigh a couple of years ago. I especially like their double strength vanilla extract.
Knew where you were going from the first sentence on FB. Wow — has King Arthur’s storefront changed. Then again, it has been over 20 years since I was last there when the shop was about the size of your kitchen and dining room. I am seriously considering treating myself to one of their week-long bread courses. Thanks for the virtual trip.
Ahhhhh! I am so envious. I am a hugh fan of King Aurthur. I live in Oregon and order so many supplies from KA.
I would love to visit the store! I love baking. It is my go to in what ever spare time I get. Pizza is a big item on our weekly menu. I have a KA sourdough starter that is awsome and keeps me baking because of its need to be fed.
Thank you for sharing the pictures.
Terry this brought back so many memories of our trips to Woodstock to visit my parents. I love that bookstore and am glad to see they have the good taste to have chosen your book. We also visited the King Arthur store many times and it is a wonderful place!
Oooohh, King Arthur’s Flour! Financial issues have limited my purchasing ability, but I have gotten many yummy things from them in the past. And, groan, the chocolate! Will be waiting for your pizza report!
Vermont is such a pretty state! I’m a New England girl through and through. I made an egg and asparagus pizza the other night. Soft poached eggs and cheese! It was yummy! Its fun to create new recipes with so many eggs to play with this time of year!
King Arthur Flour! You were in my neck of the woods :) We really enjoy heading there for lunch and my children love peeking through the observation window to watch the bread making magic happen!
What…..no maple syrup!
We have maple trees in Carlisle, and neighbors who boil the sap. I buy a jug from them :)
That’s good, you should buy your neighbors syrup!
What fun! I will be very interested to read your opinion on KAF Pizza vs Italian flour: I figured they were the same, but carried different names so that “all the bases were covered” and maybe sell a few more bags of each! I’ve been using the Italian version and find it really great for pizza, savory pies, etc. It really stretches and holds together nicely.
Terry, Steve, Play Nice Now…
That was all quite nasty spam by someone elsewhere. He’s been banned.
You should have signed the book, That would habe been a pleasant surprise for the purchaser. ..
I did :)
That’s fantastic!