The Hearth and Candle, Smugglers' Notch Resort

When Smugglers' Notch Resort invited us to come stay at their resort, I started immediately scoping out the food choices. Located right at Smugglers', my expectations for the Hearth and Candle were low, based on childhood experiences eating burnt hamburgers at another Vermont ski mountain. I couldn't have been more wrong. In fact, my meal there has been one of the highlights of the summer.

The owner, Akash Parikh tries to make the best use of local summer produce, in conjunction with Chef Michael Fitzgerald. Our waitress was clearly very familiar with the menu, too, and steered us well.

We began with an amuse bouche of watermelon, truffled cippolini onions and asparagus. It was light and delicious. My favorite part? The balsamic syrup that glazed the bottom and provided a sweet-tartness to the produce. My kids loved the warm bread, the scrumptious maple butter, and the fresh vegetables from our house salad. An even more playful treat was their version of the amuse: fresh strawberries in a little tart with a bit of the balsamic syrup. I loved that the restaurant offered the children such a sophisticated opportunity to share the meal.

Next, a bargain and indulgence. One of their appetizers (that could easily be a light meal) is the chance to choose 3 of their 5 local cheeses, served with a seasonal chutney. My favorite was the "Bijou" from Vermont Butter and Cheese. It was smooth, rich, and so good, that my 2 year old reached for a handful! (The blessing and curse of a foodie son is that I need to share these types of treats!) The "Inspiration" from Mt. Mansfield Cheeses in Morrisville, Vermont was smooth and mild enough that it pleased even my mother, never a lover of strong cheese. Finally, the cloth bound Cheddar from Cabot, as nutty as a fine Gruyere. Served with garlic, mellow and sweet from a long roast, I was nearly full after the plate.

However, the Hearth and Candle went further, treating us to a second amuse: a melon granita with warm honey and crisp almonds. It was a refreshing mid-meal taste, that my two year old loved as much as I did.

As for main dishes, I was able to find some room, thankfully as my chicken was so delicious. It was a Misty Knoll chicken, with crispy skin and moist meat. Served on top of homemade fettuccini, the icing was the the sauce. By using a Vermont chevre, from Vermont Butter and Cheese, they created a creamy sauce that was perfect to highlight the earthy combination of shiitakes, chanterelles, hen of the woods mushrooms, pencil-thin asparagus and cipollini onions. The dish was so good, that I enjoyed it again at lunch the next day.

My mother enjoyed the "Flatbread of the Day." In this case, it meant chewy, grilled homemade dough, layered with fresh mozzarella, summer tomatoes and basil.

The Hearth and Candle has 2 (!) kids menus. The first has your more standard listings of burgers, pasta, pizza, hot dogs, etc. And in fact, my kids chose noodles and a hot dog. But the fries tasted like the best double browned steak frites and the homemade sauce was as fresh as could be. For kids that are a bit older, they can chose from the Young Diner's Menu and get "tempura fried green beans", trout and risotto or baby back ribs.

By the end of the meal, our kids were so spent that they headed out to play (unknowingly in the herb garden (!) creating thyme scented toddlers!). Alas, I had to pass on desserts such as a pear cream tart.

Last points. First, full disclosure: we paid for this meal, but they did know I was blogging about that. That being said, I would definitely visit again. For the quality, the price is reasonable, I loved the seasonal use of local ingredients and, this place is worth a visit, even if you aren't staying at Smugglers' Notch.

The Hearth and Candle, Smugglers' Notch Resort, Jeffersonville, Vermont, 802-644-8090

Why My Sons Treasured Treasures Child Care Center at Smugglers' Notch

One of the benefits of many resorts are the childcare programs. When we went to Mexico this past winter, I chose not to send our children, wanting to be with them as they froclicked at the beach and in the pool. I also was hesitant about the quality of the care, their safety and their comfort with a new group of people. However, when Smugglers' Notch Resort offered to treat my kids to time at their camp, I figured we would give it a try. I also kept my expectations low, assuming that I would get a phone call 5 minutes after I dropped my sons off, asking me to pick them up. Instead, they barely wanted to leave, choosing instead to keep playing trains!

Smugglers has two programs for young children. The youngest, under age 3, can go to Treasures, their day care center. Older children take part in a huge range of camp and activities. In that sense, it is possible to consider Smugglers' a change of pace from paying for camp at home. (Camp and day care are included in one package price. However, you can also pay another price that doesn't include the camp option. Finally, you can send kids to the daycare center on an hourly basis.)

While my 4 year old could have gone to camp, he wanted to stay with his two year old brother instead at the Treasures Child Care Center. Smugglers was happy to accommodate that request.

I couldn't have been more impressed, nor my mother who is an elementary school teacher. The facility itself is spectacular, full of color and light. Each room is set up for a different age child, from infants to 3. The rooms have books and interactive toys with huge windows facing the mountain. In fact, in the winter, young children can learn to ski right on the edge of the daycare center and parents can ski up to pick up their children! The facility includes a nice playground, as well as access to the Smugglers' grounds.

The staff couldn't have been more wonderful. In fact I am sure that the sweetness of my children's counselors made them excited to return for a second day, even when we gave them the choice to be with us. The counselors clearly took the time to get to know my kids, to welcome them and make them feel safe. And my kids were so happy to just play. I was thrilled that their morning activities included a nature "hike" and a painting project that I wouldn't have done in our immaculate condo!

The facility offers lunch and tries to keep it healthy, At the height of the produce season, they are even part of a CSA that provides food from the Valley Dream Farm. On the first day my boys had mac and cheese, brocolli and apples. Other options include English muffin pizzas, pasta and meatballs and summer salads. I also appreciated that the Food Service manager, Peter Brown, eliminated all trash from the food program, teaching kids to compost instead! (You can read more about that here.)

Finally, this place felt so safe. As soon as you enter, children are giving name tags, and I received a card that I needed to pick my kids up. They asked detailed questions that included addressing allergies. On our second day, the counselors began by asking, "Has anything changed since yesterday." And, as we left, each child got a written report about their time at the Center! All these details created an atmosphere that encouraged parents and children to smile.

For more about the Treasures Center click here.

For more about camp for older children, click here.

Sleeping and Staying at Smugglers' Notch: Accommodations

There are many ways to spend time at Smugglers' Notch Resort. We hope to return next summer and plan to stay in one of their smaller, one bedroom condos closer to the center of the resort. But this time, Smugglers' treated us to lovely accommodations in a "premium" two bedroom situated in their North Hill area. At over 1,000 square feet it was almost as big as my new apartment.

Except that this place had a gorgeous view of mountains, the sounds of woodpeckers and bullfrogs, a whirlpool bath, and a spectacular deck. And, on top of all that, the North Hill area includes its own Indoor/Outdoor Aquatic facility that has an indoor splash playground, perfect for rainy days. (Obviously the sprinklers aren't yet on in this photo.)

Our condo had two substantial and immaculately clean bedrooms, and two large bathrooms (one of which included a whirlpool bath!)

It also included a fully-equipped kitchen. From what I saw many families take advantage of this option, as well as the barbecue pits scattered throughout the resort, to cook and eat together.

There was a large living space for playing games and reading books. When we travel, I try to minimize screen and computer time, trading it for mornings identifying birds and guessing at the food frogs prefer. But their were 4 (!) TVs, many DVD players, as well as Internet access (for a fee), if one wanted to stay in touch.

Had we paid for this vacation (the resort treated us to our stay) the package (including accommodations, camp for the kids, and all the activities) would have cost about $2,000. However, if you are willing to have smaller accommodations, and to pay for the child care programs separately, you can stay in a studio for under $700 for 3 nights.

It is worth spending time talking to the staff at Smugglers' when you make the reservations. Our condo, for example, was far enough away from the center of the resort, that we often had to drive down the hill. However, Smugglers' also has golf carts for rent or a shuttle service. But another option with young children, is just to stay in one of the condos closer to the center of the resort.

For more about accommodations and pricing, at Smugglers' click here.

Of Mountains, Moments and Maple Syrup: Smugglers' Notch Resort, Vermont

"Mountains, Grandma! I see mountains!" My two year old, previously a mountain novice, sang this refrain throughout our 3 days at Smugglers' Notch Resort in Jeffersonville, Vermont. The four year old hasn't stop asking when we can move to Vermont, now that we are back at home. Our vacation to Smuggs, as the resort calls itself, was a special one and I am appreciative that they invited us up to visit. I am also thankful that my mom (better known as "Grandma") came with us to help with pool visits, sunscreen application and car-snack distribution.

I was lucky to grow up visiting Southern Vermont. However, Smugglers' Notch, which is located near Burlington, is a new world for me. And it is a glorious one. As soon as we headed up Route 89, the Green Mountains stood upon us, quickly helping to leave life's stresses behind in Metrowest Boston.

There were so many wonderful aspects to our trip to Smuggs, that I have written about the experience in a few separate posts.

(I will hot link them later this week)

Click here to learn more about our gorgeous 2 bedroom accommodations.

Click here to learn about the activities we did (from hiking to mini-golf, to egg races, to pool visits).

Click here to read about my children's time at the daycare center.

Click here to learn about my food recommendations or here to read about our meal at the nearby 158 Main in Jeffersonville or here to read about our meal at the Hearth and Candle.

Click here to read about the Farmer's Market at Smugglers' Notch.

Click here to learn about our food stop in Waterbury, Vermont when we ate incredible cider donuts, Cabot cheese, Lake Champlain chocolates and wonderful iced mochas from the Muddy Paw.

A Perfect Lunch Stop, En Route from Boston to Smugglers' Notch Resort

I can't get from point A to B without doing some investigative research (otherwise known as searching the web) into finding a great place to eat. But despite my best attempts, I wasn't able to find a quick, decent place to feed antsy toddlers on the drive from Metrowest Boston up to the Smugglers' Notch/Stowe/Burlington area on our trip to Smugglers' Notch.

So, I decided on this gorgeous day, we would picnic. I filled our bags with sliced apples, carrots, turkey, crackers, and fresh bagels. And then I hoped we would find a nice place to eat. In fact, our spot was, kid you not, one of the highlights of the trip. Alas, I didn't think to photograph it, but trust me, the rest stop in Springfield, Vermont, just over the New Hampshire border, on Route 91 is lovely. It consisted of a clean indoor area, full of maps for the kids' entertainment, clean bathrooms and your requisite vending machines. But through the building was a covered picnic table, with other picnic areas up on a hill. It overlooked bodies of water and the glorious greenery of a July in Vermont. My kids ran and explored and ate.

So, while it wasn't a memorable meal for the food, it was a perfect start to our trip.

That Savy Mr. And Mrs. Mallard: The Swan Boats

This past week, on a sweltering hot day, I watched my children's eyes widen as they saw fiction come alive. They are fans of Robert McCloskey, and with Make Way for Ducklings clutched in their hands, they shook with excitement as they saw the actual Swan Boats that are featured in this classic book.

The ride itself was as delightful as I remembered from my childhood and offered many chances for my sons to recite the names of the ducks in the book. After our little boat ride, we followed the Public Garden path around to the sculptures of the ducks, giving my sons chances to, well, sit on them! As they pondered why Mr. Mallard was missing, we directed them to Tadpole playground at the edge of Frog Pond.

Finally, at 11:00 the Frog Pond wading pool opened, and along with many other sweaty children, they frolicked in cool water. By 12 they were starving, and despite my FoodieMommy desire to eat healthy food, convenience reined me in. So the kids ate (inhaled!) their smooshed grilled cheese and hot dogs care of the Lily Pad cafe located at the Pond itself.

Finally, one last highlight: a ride on the Merry-Go-Round situated directly at the edge of the Pond. As the kids grinned from ear to ear, they reveled in the chance to ride on a pony and, well, a frog.

The day couldn't end without ice cream (actually frozen yogurt) from the Lily Pond cafe, giving my kids such great memories that they are already asking to return.

The Swan Boats of Boston

The Frog Pond (and Lily Pad Cafe)

Day 4: Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking: Roast Pork!

Our last day cooking from Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking this summer was a pork feast. We had made pork using both the Momofuku cookbook.

Barbecued Pork-Total heaven. Sure, we needed to find preserved tofu but it made the difference between good pork and really fabulous Chinatown style pork.

Barbecued Pork with Leeks-Once the pork was made, this took literally minutes. I rarely cook with leeks and this dish made me question that decision.

Vegetable Dumplings: These were yummy.  And they were suprisingly easy to make.

Pot Stickers-I enjoyed these, though I preferred the vegetarian version. They were just a bit too salty for my taste.

Steamed Pork Buns-Okay, so I will never love these as much as the Momofuku style steam buns. But the pleasure of these was having them in the freezer, ready to be steamed up at anytime.

Baked Pork Buns-These reminded me of calzone with a dough sweet wrapping. Good and again, they froze beautifully.