An Apple a Day...

Local Food: An apple a day keeps the doctor away - and satisfies your sweet tooth as well as cravings for savory.  The first apple trees at Burtt's Apple Orchard in Cabot were planted at the Orchard seven years ago; they opened for pick-your-own in 2009.  Now with over 35 varieties, Steven has plenty to choose from when he's looking for the perfect apple for one of our unique plates.  Start your dinner with the Beet and Apple Salad, with earthy beets and Mossend Blue cheese from Bonnieview Farm complemented by crispy and sweet apples and toasted almonds.  Or, the Baked Apple filled with creamy Farmer's cheese from Sweet Rowen Farmstead and smoky bacon.  Steven mixes sautéed apples with cranberries for a sweet and tart compote served along side the Pork Chop from Snug Valley Farm, with its hint of maple.  The grand finale is dessert, with Steven's famous Apple Gingerbread Upside Down Cake.  Crisp and juicy Honeycrisp apples are baked on the bottom with the new and spicy ginger from Pete's Greens, creating just the right top for the moist and flavorful cake once it's flipped upside down.  Apples are also at the bar in the form of cider - try our variation on a Sidecar, which we call "the Apple Cider Car," with cider, vodka and Vermont apple brandy.

At the Bar: Remember our Sunday and Monday drink specials. Sunday, October 7th we offer a $2.50 pint of Trapp Helles, a $4 glass of Boyden Valley Seyval Blanc or Big Barn Red. The Ginger Lemon Fizz, with Green Mountain Organic Vodka, housemade ginger syrup (with ginger from Pete's) and lemon juice is offered for $5.  Monday enjoy a pint of Switchback with Grilled Cheese for $8.50.

Around the Galaxy:  With the next event, Galaxy introduces bar catering by Claire's Restaurant. Starting at 6:30 you may order a drink (cash only please) to enjoy as a part of the event, which will begin at 7. On Tuesday, October 9th, Constance Hale visits Galaxy to introduce her new book, Vex, Hex, Smash, Smooch: Let Verbs Power Your Writing. Synthesizing the pedagogical and the popular, the scholarly and the scandalous, Hale combines the wit of Bill Bryson with the practical wisdom of William Zinsser. She marches through linguistic history to paint a layered picture of our language - from before it really existed to the quirky usages we see online today. On October 10th, Constance Hale and Zoe Fitzgerald Carter will lead a workshop in Greensboro called First Person Plural: Crafting Stories from our Lives. Look here for more information.

Music Notes: Tom Gregory joins us this Thursday, October 4th at 7:30.  New to Vermont, Tom is a songwriter/performer from Omaha, Nebraska.  He has been writing songs and performing since 2004 with a style that can be described as Midwestern Blues-Folk, with acoustic songs that are ripe with soul.

Local Events: The annual Share the Harvest fundraiser will be held this Thursday, October 4th to benefit NOFA-VT's Farm Share Program. The program helps limited-income Vermonters afford CSA shares from their local farms. On October 4th, 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.

The Heart of Vermont Chamber of Commerce presents its 29th annual Fall Foliage Craft Fair at the Hardwick Elementary School from 9-5 on Saturday, October 6th.  The fair features candles, jewelry, pottery, quilts, handmade greeting cards and other fine arts and crafts.  Snacks and lunch will be on sale all day.  Beginning at 11:30 the Hardwick Kiwanis will hold their annual chicken barbecue on S Main St. across from the elementary school.  Don't miss the Open House hosted by the Hardwick Historial Society from 10-3:30 at the restored train depot on Church St.

Celebrate the second year of Fall Open Studio Weekend October 6th and 7th, when artistic creativity and the brilliant colors of Vermont autumn go hand in hand. Over 100 artists and craftspeople will open their studios to the public this weekend, giving you the opportunity to learn how art and craft is made at the studios of glass blowers, jewelers, potters, sculptors, weavers, furniture makers and more.  Bring us a receipt of purchase from a participating studio and we'll buy you dessert with the purchase of dinner for two.

Our next dance party, Heat it up, is Friday, October 19th from 10pm-2am. Heat up the dance floor with DJ Zach for a good cause- Highfields Center for Composting's Compost Heat Recovery System. Proceeds from a $10 suggested donation at the door will go towards the $40,000 fundraising goal for this project.  Donate more if you can! Designated drivers who pledge to be alcohol free for the night get free non- alcoholic drinks and $10 gift card.

Reminders: We are open seven days a week until October 10.  We will then resume our winter hours and close on Wednesdays.

We are open daily after 2:30 for coffee, bar service, and baked goods, and free WiFi, with dinner reservations available from 5-9, Sundays from 5-8. We serve our special Blunch menu Sundays from 11-2. We appreciate it when you use cash or a check - credit card companies charge us a fee that really adds up. Thanks to many of you we have been able to significantly reduce those fees.

Click on the image above to get a closer look!