Gingerbread is in the House

Local Food: Summer's turn to Fall marks the end of fresh herbs, but the cool, crisp weather means that spices call out for greater attention. Steven's blend of cinnamon, star anise and black pepper - along with some secrets - combine with the zip of crystallized ginger in his warm gingerbread cake. He adds molasses and maple syrup from Caledonia Farm for a touch of our orange and red "leafy"sweetness. Caramelized apples and pumpkins are added for texture, and cider-butter sauce to round out the spice, along with vanilla ice cream from Strafford Organic Creamery. Try the gingerbread cake with a taste of WhistlePig Whiskey, the new rye at our bar, distilled in Shoreham, Vermont.

Around the Galaxy: If the cooler weather puts you in the mood to stay near the stove, try some recipes from two new books Apples: More Than 75 Delicious Recipes and The Comfort of Apples: Modern Recipes for an Old-Fashioned Favorite. Perhaps some Cider-Braised Ribs, Apple and Sage Burgers with Camelized Onions or Curried Apple Lentil Soup? And you can keep apples all Winter long with the help of The Complete Root Cellar Book: Building Plans, Uses, and 100 Recipes. Come by and check out these books along with many more in the Fall crop of books.

Music Notes: Mark Struhsacker has played guitar and sung in Montana and Vermont based bluegrass bands for over 35 years. He created and has fronted the WDEV Radio Rangers radio show which has aired on WDEV every Saturday morning at 10:30 since June 1986. Check out his bluegrass flat picking and cross picking guitar style on Thursday at 7:30.

Local Events: The sixteenth annual Share the Harvest fundraiser will be held Thursday, October 7th to benefit NOFA-VT's Farm Share Program. The program helps limited-income Vermonters afford CSA shares from their local farms. On October 7th, restaurants, co-ops and food stores will participate in Share the Harvest by donating a portion of the day's sales to the program. Both Claire's and Buffalo Mountain Co-op in Hardwick will participate.

Reminders: We are open daily after 2:30 for coffee, bar service, and baked goods, and free WiFi, with dinner reservations available from 5-9. We will return to our regular Sunday dinner hours on October 17, seating arriving guests from 5-8. We serve our special Blunch menu Sundays from 11-2. Claire's is closed every Wednesday.

We appreciate it when you reserve a table with us, as it helps us plan a relaxed and hospitable experience for you and all our guests. To show our appreciation, when you call, email, or stop by to make a reservation, you will be entered into our weekly drawing for a $20 gift card for your next visit.