Best of Central Vermont - Spring 2018

Central Vermont best of

SPRING 2018 VOLUME 6, NO. 2

COMMUNITIES AND LIFESTYLE IN THE HEART OF THE GREEN MOUNTAINS

MORSE FARM

SAP, FAMILY & FUN ALL FLOW

THE VERMONT HISTORY MUSEUM THE STORY OF THE GREEN MOUNTAIN STATE

INDEPENDENT BOOKSELLERS ALIVE, WELL & OPTIMISTIC

CONTENTS

FEATURES

42

INDEPENDENT BOOKSELLERS ALIVE, WELL & OPTIMISTIC!

BY PHYL NEWBECK

50 MORSE FARM

SAP, FAMILY & FUN ALL FLOW

BY SUZANNE PODHAIZER

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THE VERMONT HISTORY MUSEUM

SHOWCASING THE STORY OF THE GREEN MOUNTAIN STATE

BY EILEEN P. CORCORAN, COMMUNITY OUTREACH & MEDIA COORDINATOR, VERMONT HISTORICAL SOCIETY

D E PA RTM E N TS

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11 PUBLISHERS’ NOTE 12 ONLINE HUB 14 CONTRIBUTORS 16 OCCASIONS OUT & ABOUT 18

BY CASSIE HORNER

VERMONT VIEWS

24 SPRING HAS SPRUNG! H OT SPOT

28 CORK WINE BAR & MARKET

BY COREY BURDICK

IN THE KITCHEN

BY SUZANNE PODHAIZER

TIME TO TRAVEL

36 THE STORE

66 CHURCHILL’S LONDON

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Contents

BY LISA BALLARD

73

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE

CALENDAR

75 ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT 79 AD INDEX 80 LAST GLANCE

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BEST OF

Central Vermont SPRING 2018 | VOLUME 6 NO.2

COFFEE TABLE PUBLISHING 32 Hermit Thrush Lane South Burlington, VT 05403 PUBLISHERS

Robin Gales John Gales Bob Frisch CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Mike Dunphy ASSISTANT EDITOR

Elaine Ambrose ART DIRECTOR

Robbie Alterio ADVERTISING DESIGN

Hutchens Media, LLC WEB DESIGN

Locable ADVERTISING

Robin Gales (802) 299-9086 John Gales (802) 558-2719 coffeetablepublishing@comcast.net Keep us posted. Best of Central Vermont wants to hear from our readers. Correspondence may be addressed to letters to the editor, Best of Central Vermont, 32 Hermit Thrush Lane, South Burlington, VT 05403. Advertising inquiries may be made by emailing ctpublishing@comcast.net or coffeetablepublishing@ comcast.net. Best of Central Vermont is published quarterly

by Coffee Table Publishing, LLC, ©2018. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. Best of Central Vermont accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, or photographs.

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BEST OF CENTRAL VERMONT | SPRING 2018

PUBLISHERS’ NOTE

NATURE’S BEAUTY SPRINGS FORTH

S

pring is finally taking up residence in Central Vermont! There’s such a wide range of nature’s beauty on display this entire season, similar to our spring issue. We’re starting, as all springs in Vermont do, with maple syrup and a look at Morse Farm and all it has to offer in addition to the sweet stuff. The process of taking sap from a tree and transforming it into sweet maple products is amazing and fun to watch—and even better to taste.

We give a nod to the spirit of Central Vermont with a spotlight on independent booksellers in our area. Not only are these businesses alive and well—they are also an integral part of the communities they serve, and books are not all they offer. We’re dropping into Cork in Waterbury and Stowe for the perfect pairing of wine, cheeses, and tasty dishes that spell an incredible evening.

Our calendar section is brimming with things to do to cure any lingering cabin fever and lure you out into the mild spring air. And we’re introducing you to the new chef at The Store, where exciting and fun cooking classes are being scheduled. Also in this issue, we’re stopping by the Vermont History Museum in Montpelier. If you haven’t been there, you’ll want to put it on your list of spring outings for an entertaining and informative journey into our state’s past. We’re traveling to London to visit another museum, where you can see where Winston Churchill led his nation against Hitler’s reign of terror. If you’ve seen the Academy Award-winning film The Darkest Hour, you’ll find this article fascinating.

Wherever your spring travels take you, enjoy the season!

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Follow us on Instagram @bestofcentralvermontmag www.bestofcentralvt.com 11

VISIT US ONLINE

| W W W. B E S TO F C E N T R A LV T.CO M

MAPLE 4.0 Maple syrup may be steeped in tradition, but a new generation of “Vermontrepreneurs” is finding innovative ways to package and serve the state’s most famous product, be it infusions, barrel aging, or carbonation. Even Oprah has taken noticed. Discover the next generation of Vermont maple products at www.bestofcentralvermont.com.

BEER RUN For the fourth year in a row (fifth time in six years), Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend has been declared the best brewery in the world by RateBeer.com.

It’s no wonder so many beer lovers make the hour drive north from Montpelier, nor is it the only world-class beer in the area. Learn more about Vermont’s signature brews at www.bestofcentralvermont.com.

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SPRING RECIPE

What does our newsletter include?

• A summary of our most popular articles and comments from our readers • Local event listings from our calendar • Special offers from Best of Central Vermont and local businesses • Exclusive insights into upcoming features and articles, and much more . . .

Make your mother’s day on Mother’s Day by cooking this recipe for strawberry basil shortcakes and sweet potato and bacon hash with a poached egg and roasted jalapeno Béarnaise. Start making the shopping list at www.bestofcentralvermont.com.

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Feel free to drop us a line at ryan@bestof centralvt.com, or share your comments on our site or on social media. You might even see your name in our next issue.

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APRI

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BEST OF CENTRAL VERMONT | SPRING 2018

CLICK ON our online calendar to see local events happening in our community, and you can add your own event free!

com/

Stowe, Vermont Bunya Bunya Boutique 1799 Mountain Road In the Red Barn Shops Stowe, VT

Discover, Dine, Stay & Shop

4 Points

Stowe Kitchen Bath & Linens

Brewery Tours

Cooking Classes

rick@4pointsvt.com

11813 Stowe Mountain Road Stowe, VT

(802) 793-9246 www.4pointsvt.com

(802) 585-3699

(802) 253-8050 www.stowekitchen.com

The Country Store on Main

Ferro Estate & Custom Jewelers

Stowe Wine & Cheese

109 Main Street Stowe, VT

91 Main Street Stowe, VT

1799 Mountain Road Stowe, VT

(802) 253-7653 info@countrystorevt.com www.countrystorevt.com

(802) 253-3033 stowe@ferrojewelers.com www.ferrojewelers.com/stowe

(800) 253-8606 www.stowewineandcheese.com Find us on Facebook Open 7 Days

The Body Lounge

The Bench

Commodities Natural Market

1799 Mountain Road Red Barn Shops Stowe, VT

492 Mountain Road Stowe VT

512 Mountain Road Stowe, VT

(802) 253-5100 www.benchvt.com www.facebook.com/benchvt/

(802) 253-4464 www.commoditiesnaturalmarket.com Open 7 Days

(802) 253-7333 www.bodyloungevt.com

CO N T R I B U TO R S

LISA BALLARD is a three-time Emmy winner who has been a familiar face around New England for her work on PBS and various sports and outdoor networks. She contributes regularly to more than 30 regional and national magazines on adventure travel, nature, and wildlife topics. She has written seven books, and she blogs and vlogs regularly for AudubonGuides.com. Visit her website, www.LisaBallardOutdoors.com.

CASSIE HORNER is a writer, editor, and publisher, and the author of Lucy E.—Road to Victory, a historical novel.

Her roots in Vermont go way back almost 200 years and inspire her love of the natural world and history. She lives in Plymouth, Vermont, with her husband and three dogs—an English Shepherd and two Dachshunds.

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BEST OF CENTRAL VERMONT | SPRING 2018

COREY BURDICK is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and Vermont Wine School’s WSET Level II program. She is passionate about local food systems, natural wine, running, and cooking from scratch. When she isn’t writing, you can find her vintage treasure hunting, visiting rescue dogs, and rollerskating through her neighborhood.

Her written work can also be found in Edible Green Mountains and The Other Paper.

PHYL NEWBECK a former flatlander from New York City, lives in Jericho, where she has learned to stack a mean pile of firewood. When she’s not skiing, skating, bicycling, swimming or kayaking, she writes for several local weeklies, biweeklies, and monthlies. Phyl is the author of Virginia Hasn’t Always Been for Lovers: Interracial Marriage Bans and the Case of Richard and Mildred Loving.

After spending 15 years in Europe and Turkey as a journalist and teacher, MIKE DUNPHY has returned home to his native Vermont to become managing editor of The Bridge newspaper in Montpelier. He has contributed articles to CNN, USA Today, Forbes, Fodor’s, Metro, among others, and also teaches article writing, travel writing, and creative nonfiction for the Gotham Writers Workshop in New York City. In his spare time, he plays guitar and wishes he had more spare time.

SUZANNE PODHAIZER is a cooking educator, writer, and chef living in Winooski, Vermont. She used to be a goose farmer and owned a farm to table restaurant in Montpelier called Salt. She also studies kizomba, bachata, and salsa as a member of the DsantosVT dance team.

OCCASIONS

PHOTOS BY BUZZ FISHER/CREATIVE OUTBURSTS

Thunder Road Speedbowl

Above: Vermont Governor Phil Scott is just one of the many drivers whose race cars grace the streets of Barre for the Car Show.

Right: The Car Show has the full support of the city, and fans annually fill Main Street to meet their racing heroes.

Far right: Former Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel’s Flying Tiger Champion Stephen Donahue shows off a paint scheme at a recent Car Show that paid tribute to his late friend Joey M. Laquerre.

O

n Saturday April 28, Thunder Road Speedbowl, “The Nation’s Site of Excitement,” will open its season—not with the roar of the racetrack but with the immensely popular annual Car Show in downtown Barre.

Cars from all of the track’s racing divisions will line Main Street from 9am to noon, and their drivers will be right there with them, signing autographs, posing for pictures, and talking with fans about the summer ahead. Crews of the previous season’s Thunder Road champions will also take part in a pit stop competition.

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BEST OF CENTRAL VERMONT | SPRING 2018

For some, the best part of the Barre Car Show is the end of it. At noon, drivers fire up their engines and parade to Thunder Road, two miles south of downtown. Along the way, fans line the roads watching and cheering the race cars on their way through the city and up Quarry Hill Road to the racetrack. There, they can watch the afternoon practice session free of charge.

The Car Show is only one part of a weekend full of activities to celebrate the 59th season of competition. The first racing event of the

year goes to post on Sunday, April 29 at 1pm with the Community Bank 150, featuring the American-Canadian Tour Late Models. Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel’s Flying Tigers, the Allen Lumber Street Stocks, and the Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors will also be in action that day. Visit www.thunderroadvt.com for more information. 4

OUT AND ABOUT | BY CASSIE HORNER

Island Weekend DON’T LET THE SNOW FOOL YOU!

A beach party is in the works at Sugarbush Resort for Saturday, March 24, when the mountain embraces the Hawaiian spirit and turns into a tropical paradise with island music, cuisine, and beach-themed activities including volleyball tournaments and hula dancing, among other happenings at Walt’s at the Glen House at the top of the Green Mountain Express quad. And what tropical island party would be complete without a tiki bar mixing specialty cocktails?

“The Island in the Sky Luau at Mt. Ellen is really the culmination of Island Weekend,” says Candice White, vice president of communications and brand management.

“People hike up to our mid-mountain lodge for a Hawaiianinspired party, complete with leis and a pig roast. It’s quite a lot of fun.” The party begins at 4pm, as does the Guided Tour de Sol, which meets at the Mt. Ellen base lodge at 3:45pm and embarks on the uphill journey to the Glen House at 4pm. Snowshoe rentals are available. For more information, visit www.sugarbush.com.

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BEST OF CENTRAL VERMONT | SPRING 2018

Above: Guests enjoying the Island in the Sky Luau at Mt. Ellen’s Walt’s at the Glen House.

Below: Drink specials are available all weekend.

Opposite top: Getting ready for a full day of spring skiing at Sugarbush.

Opposite below: Happy skiers relaxing after a full day on the mountain.

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OUT AND ABOUT

Easter Weekend Events at S U GA R BUSH

SUGARBUSH SKI RESORT IN WARREN, VERMONT,

will say goodbye to winter and hello to spring this year with several events on Easter weekend, starting with a seasonal send-off on March 31 at the Mt. Ellen base lodge featuring live music, a terrain park event, long-jump contest, and more. For a bit more kick, head up to Castlerock Pub on Lincoln Peak from 2 to 5pm for a tasting session hosted by Middleburybased Stonecutter Distillery.

After a cozy night of slumber at any of the plush, on-site accommodations, start the first day of April and Easter Sunday with a slopeside mass at Allyn’s Lodge, halfway up the mountain. The service begins at 7:30am with a ride up on the Super Bravo lift loading between 6:50 and 7:10am.

Following the service, kids can join in the annual Easter Egg hunt starting at 9am. Children six and under can search for plastic eggs filled with candy in bushes, under rocks, and in other nooks in the base area around The Farmhouse and Schoolhouse at Lincoln Peak, while older kids may ride the lift to enjoy an egg hunt around Allyn’s Lodge and Lower Jester.

“Who doesn’t love an Easter Egg Hunt, particularly when it involves skiing down Jester and filling your basket with eggs?” says Candice White, vice president of communications and brand management.

When the activities inevitably stir the appetite, find culinary bliss at Rumble’s Kitchen on Lincoln Peak, which will be hosting a beautiful, festive brunch on Sunday from 11am to 5pm. For more information, visit www.sugarbush.com.

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BEST OF CENTRAL VERMONT | SPRING 2018

Opposite left top and bottom: Rumble’s Kitchen serves a full Easter brunch all day.

Opposite, above, and below: The morning Easter egg hunt is a favorite event for kids.

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OUT AND ABOUT

CRAFT BREW RACES WITH VERMONT BEER NOW WINNING the state worldwide fame, the annual Craft Brew Race at Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa in Stowe attracts people eager to taste the glory for themselves after exploring the Vermont countryside in a 5k race.

“It’s a great way to experience Vermont,” says Tera Dacek, marketing manager of Stoweflake.

“It’s a fun event bringing in locals and people from outside the area.”

This year, the fifth annual Craft Brew Race Stowe is set for Saturday, May 19, and begins at noon. Although every runner is timed, it’s a relaxed race, and people who want to walk the course are welcome to do so.

The course starts at Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa and runs out on Cape Cod Road before turning around on the winding Stowe Bike Path and crossing the West Branch Little River on multiple bridges. Volunteers are invited to help with race registration and course marshaling.

The beer fest opens at 12:30pm and runs until 4pm. More than 30 local and regional breweries, including 14th Star, Trout River, Von Trapp, and Lost Nation, are pouring pints of IPAs, pilsners, porters, and stouts. The ticket price includes all beer samples, and a percentage is donated to the Stowe Land Trust, which works to conserve the scenic, recreational, and productive farm and forestlands for the benefit of the greater Stowe community.

Race participants are encouraged to preregister at craftbrewraces.com. Options include the 5k and beer fest, beer fest only, and 5k and designated driver (with complimentary soft drinks). Tickets purchased ahead of time are less expensive, and everyone receives a souvenir pint glass at the end of the beer fest.

The day also includes live music and lawn games, as well as food trucks and vendors serving flatbread pizzas, tacos, chocolates, ice cream, and even gourmet dog treats. To see a map of the course and for more information, visit www.craftbrewraces.com.

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BEST OF CENTRAL VERMONT | SPRING 2018

Opposite, above and below: Fun tops competition at the annual Craft Brew Race Stowe.

Above: Balloons hover over the Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa. Below: Attendees enjoy craft beer and lawn games after the run.

Bottom: Runners take the Craft Brew Race Stowe in stride.

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VERMONT VIEWS

Spring Has Sprung!

As the springtime sun warms the earth, we look forward to seeing tender, pale green shoots poking up from the moist soil. We know that soon we’ll be treated to the first colorful crocus blooms, followed by tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths.

Enjoying a beautiful spring show requires some work the preceding fall. Plant several bulbs in a large hole for a bigger display, and never plant them in a straight line.

For six bulbs of the same type, think of bowling pins, and stagger the bulbs with three bulbs in back, two in the middle, and one in front. Make several groupings of your favorites.

As blooms fade, keep flower beds neat by gathering a one-inch bunch of foliage and rolling it down to the soil’s surface; wrap or tie with a rubber band. The leaves store energy in the bulb for next year, so never snip them off.

Once leaves are wilted and brown, there should be no resistance for you to gently pull them from the ground, leaving plenty of space for planting your summer annuals.

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BEST OF CENTRAL VERMONT | SPRING 2018

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“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.”

— Margaret Atwood,

Bluebeard's Egg and Other Stories

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BEST OF CENTRAL VERMONT | SPRING 2018

Spring isn't just for flowers . . .

Pasta with Spring Vegetables SERVES 4 | ABOUT 20 MINUTES TO PREPARE

1 lb spaghetti ¾ cup fresh peas, shelled 6 oz pea shoots (tendrils, shoots, and leaves) 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil ½ cup spring onions or scallions, cleaned and finely chopped Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 Tbsp fresh chopped tarragon 1 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley 1–2 oz Parmesan cheese, grated 1. Heat a large pot of water for the pasta. When the water in the pot comes to a boil, salt generously and add the pasta. Cook until al dente, removing the pan from the heat about a minute before pasta is done. Reserve ½ cup of cooking water to use in step 4.

2. While the pasta cooks, steam the peas over an inch of boiling water for four minutes or until just tender. Transfer to a bowl. Add the pea shoots to the steamer and steam two minutes until just wilted. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until you can handle them. Reserve about N cup of the steaming water and set aside. Squeeze out excess water from the pea greens and chop roughly. You should have about 1 cup chopped leaves and tender stems.

3. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet, and add the chopped spring onions or scallions. Cook and stir about three minutes until wilted. Add the pea shoots and stir together for about a minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the parsley, tarragon, peas, and about N cup of the steaming water and heat through.

4. When the pasta is ready, use a ladle to transfer K cup of the pasta cooking water to the pan with the peas and pea shoots. Drain the pasta and toss at once with the vegetables and Parmesan. Serve hot.

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HOT SPOT | BY COREY BURDICK

Cork Wine Bar & Market BRINGING NATURAL WINES TO WATERBURY AND STOWE

If you’re like many people, you may not give much thought to what’s in your wine, other than the grapes of course, but there’s a lot more to the story in each bottle.

That’s where Danielle Nichols, owner of Cork Wine Bar & Market, comes in.

She has been helping people get to know their wines as well as they know their food since 2011.

“EVERYBODY SEEMS TO CARE about the food

they eat, but when it comes to wine, many of those notions go out the window,” Danielle explains. In order to help impart the message that natural wines are not only different but also better for you, Cork sources small-production, family-owned wines that are made organically or biodynamically, with very little to no chemical manipulation.

Danielle explains, “Up to 56 chemicals are legally allowed in wines sold in the US, and once you remove all those chemicals, there’s not that much actual wine left over.” This startling fact and the varied flavor profiles that these wines inherently possess from bottle to bottle led her to stock her two locations entirely with natural wines.

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UNCORKING A PASSION Danielle didn’t have a background in the wine or restaurant industry when she opened Cork, but she did have passion. After visiting Napa Valley and traveling the world as a ski-racing coach, including stops in Australia and South America, where she was exposed to numerous varietals, winemakers, and vineyards, she was officially hooked.

When she moved back to her native Vermont in 2011, Danielle began toying with the idea of opening her own wine shop. “I wanted to create a place where wine was approachable and fun.

I didn’t know much about wine, but I didn’t think it should be so intimidating,” she says.

This page: Cork Stowe wine director Katie Nichols shows off the inventory.

Opposite page: Shucked to order oysters are served Fridays from 4 to 6pm at a dollar each (when available).

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Aria atia nonet exceperi volo beaqui bea pa nissi volorem idi ommollu ptatis enis vid ut qui aut quiatiis quibus, nim volut omnime denet ut quo dolores tibus.

Iquist postion sectibus dolorentibus eium que sequiant reribus quias que nitatii scienti onsedigenda quatas quissen ectati quatquam acearios dolupta tisque aspiende eatem estrumquia consequi odipsam sinus cum autes eum videm amet ventium Above: The fireplace lounge is a great place to relax after skiing, hiking, or just a day at work.

Below right: Wine director and General Manager Katie Nichols hosting one of Cork Stowe’s monthly wine dinners.

Below: Maplebrook Burrata is one of a number of delicious nibbles to choose from.

Opposite top and bottom: The bars in Waterbury and Stowe are great places to meet old friends and make new ones.

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She set to work doing research, knocking on doors, and talking with industry professionals.

Eventually she secured a loan through the Vermont Economic Development Authority and shortly thereafter opened the location on Route 100 in Waterbury (and has since moved to Foundry Street, just down the road).

While the Waterbury location lacks a full kitchen, that doesn’t mean guests go hungry.

Local cheeses, charcuterie, olives, and Elmore Mountain Bread with varying accompaniments complement the wines on offer.

Live music often fills the space on weekends, and the setup lends itself well to pop-ups from

various chefs. Recently, Sustainable Kitchen, a Stowe-based, community-supported initiative offering weekly meal pickups, regaled patrons with delicious farm to table offerings such as fresh spring rolls, while Gingerfield Noodles has been in-house whipping up traditional Taiwanese sesame noodles and steamed buns. www.bestofcentralvt.com 31

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Opposite: Gourmet cuisine by Chef Chuck Spock uses local ingredients and is prepared with natural wine selections in mind.

A GOOD FIT IN STOWE After four years of fine-tuning her offerings to include tastings, classes, and an impressive wine selection in Waterbury, Danielle dipped her toe into the Stowe market and found a perfect spot for her second location in 2015.

“I started to get interested in Stowe from a distance, just keeping an eye on spaces as they became available and what was happening in the overall market there from a business perspective.” When the Blue Moon building downtown came up for sale, it seemed like the right fit.

A visit to the Stowe location reveals a larger menu that changes regularly at the whim of Chef Chuck Spock. The theme is bistro farm to table and often features handmade pastas and Wood Mountain fish.

Although Danielle was reticent about having her second location become more of a restaurant, it has worked out well, as people linger longer and experience Cork’s wine program.

Events in Stowe include more formal wine dinners with producers, such as February’s Alsatian wine and Asian food themed dinner.

If you are new to natural wines or wine in general, Danielle recommends seeking out a shop and building a relationship with the staff, sampling a variety of wines to get a better feel for what you like, and not being afraid to venture out of your comfort zone. Two well-known importers in the natural wine movement are Kermit Lynch and Louis/Dressner, so you can’t go wrong with wines from either of these producers. Danielle also wants to dispel the myth that natural wines cost more, adding that she currently has 30 wines in the store for under $16.

Whether you stop into Cork on your way for a hike or perhaps a romantic evening out, you will find something unique in each location and staff who are eager to share their knowledge. For Danielle, “It’s very reassuring to have people come in and validate what you’re doing. I love hearing positive reactions to the wines and the food. It’s important to me to be one of the best if I am going to do it—but also to be unique. I think what we’re doing is different from everyone else, and although not everyone is onboard, the people www.bestofcentralvt.com 33

Cork Stowe bar and Cork Stowe Exterior.

who are have been very happy with what we offer.” For the latest on menus and events, go to www.corkvt.com. 4

CORK WINE BAR & MARKET Waterbury 40 Foundry Street (802) 882-8227 Tue–Sat 2pm–closing Closed Sun & Mon

CORK WINE BAR & MARKET Stowe 35 School Street (802) 760-6143 Wed–Mon 12pm–closing Tue 12pm–6pm for retail only www.corkvt.com

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IN THE KITCHEN | BY SUZANNE PODHAIZER

EVERYTHING FOR COOKS AND KITCHENS

There’s a line in one of the songs from Disney’s The Little Mermaid in which the hero, Ariel, sings, “I’ve got gadgets and gizmos aplenty, I’ve got whozits and whatzits galore.” The line could equally describe the retail area at The Store in Waitsfield, which is filled with every doohickey and thingamabob a cook needs to outfit a kitchen—and more. There’s a silicone butter holder that helps you smear the goodness on cobs of corn and a plastic tube mysteriously dubbed a “garlic machine.” Then there’s a “2-in-1 kiwi tool” and an old-fashioned “super squash scooper.” And that’s just along one wall.

T

here’s plenty of traditional and practical cookware too. Hefty Le Creuset pots and pans made of enamel-coated cast iron gleam in deep red, sky blue, fiery orange, and black. Nearby is less expensive Lodge cast iron, which serves a similar purpose. Shelves are packed with specialty foods, such as artisan salamis, crackers and dips, jams and jellies, and boxes of elegant chocolates. There are food-related products, such as kitchen cleaning supplies, linens, candles, and holiday ornaments. The cookbook collection is ample and well-curated.

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BEST OF CENTRAL VERMONT | SPRING 2018

Part of the fun of shopping at The Store is the organization of items. Instead of merely grouping by type—having all the kitchen towels in one place, for example—items are gathered in a way that hints at how they could be used together in the home. Thus, in front of a display of glassware ranging from champagne flutes to whiskey tumblers, shoppers will find a tray containing Bloody Mary mix, a can of crunchy snack mix, wrought-iron bottle openers, and books about wine.

Cooking class participants have a great time learning, laughing, and eating.

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BEST OF CENTRAL VERMONT | SPRING 2018

Opposite: Chef Arianna Goarin stands ready to teach the fine art of cooking in The Store’s stateof-the-art kitchen.

Above: The old 1834 Methodist Meeting House on Route 100 in Waitsfield was purchased and renovated to house The Store.

CHEF ARIANNA PRESIDES Because of its location in the scenic Mad River Valley, The Store serves locals and tourists alike. They come to buy, but they also come to learn. Behind the shop in an elegant kitchen outfitted with copper pans and a pair of powerful gas ranges, Chef Arianna Goarin, a graduate of U-32 High School in West Berlin and the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), holds sway. Hired in December, Arianna is bringing her expertise to The Store’s longstanding cooking classes, tweaking the existing curricula and creating new ones.

According to owner Kathy Rose, the process of appointing a new chef was much trickier than expected: “I thought it would be fairly easy, but as the months wore on, we weren’t having any classes, and we weren’t having the sales that come along with classes,” she explains.

Nevertheless, she remained committed to finding a perfect fit. The goal was to hire somebody with culinary-school training who was, www.bestofcentralvt.com 39

Above: Chef Arianna Goarin demonstrates culinary techniques during one of her cooking classes.

Opposite: The Kitchen at The Store hosts many culinary events throughout the year.

courses such as an après-ski class, which invites folks coming off the mountain to warm up by preparing French onion soup and meat and vegetarian panini. Another “après” offering focuses on various types of fondue, both savory and sweet.

COME LEARN, COOK, AND TASTE perhaps, a native Vermonter looking to return to her or his home state. “That’s important to us,” Kathy adds. “We decided we were just going to be patient.”

Around Thanksgiving, Arianna, who was living in Philadelphia, came home for a visit and dropped by The Store for an interview.

Within a day, she taught a “spur-of-themoment” practice class, and as Kathy says, “The rest is history.”

Arianna started her new position around the holidays, teaching some of The Store’s classic 40

BEST OF CENTRAL VERMONT | SPRING 2018

At The Store, most of the hands-on, two-hour classes, which are offered Wednesday through Sunday, cost $60 per person, although reticent participants can content themselves with watching the peeling and chopping. Attending also means a chance to eat whatever is simmering on the stove or roasting in the oven.

There are discounts for those who bring friends, and every attendee receives a 20 percent discount coupon for shopping at The Store.

As she teaches classes that were developed by previous instructors, Arianna is making

small changes and improvements. “I want to rely on what we’ve done in the past so I don’t get steered off track,” she explains, “but I’ve modified some of the recipes to make them a bit more classical.”

With a few months of practice under her chef ’s hat, she’s now mixing in several new offerings that appeal to her particular culinary sensibilities. She has “a deep-seated love for Asian food,” for example, and also regularly infuses Mediterranean flavors.

During the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeonchang, Arianna offered a class on South Korean fare in which students made a barbecued pork dish called Dweji Bulgogi, a beef Bibimbap rice bowl, and roasted pears with honey and jujube fruit for dessert. That month, she also taught a ramen class, and while the noodles weren’t made from scratch, the broth and all the fixings were.

Each month, there are sessions focused on particular techniques, such as making ravioli or rolling sushi, that explore seasonal international cuisines. In winter, the fare might lean toward rich, warm braises and stews, while in summer, dishes will be lighter and brighter.

That fluidity, Kathy says, keeps the locals coming back for more.

So do the wares out front. From the simplest wooden cooking spoons to classic white porcelain dishware and the finest pots and pans, there’s something at The Store for every cook—novice or expert, young or old, and everyone in between. No matter how long you’ve been cooking, there’s something on the wall of weird and wild gadgets and gizmos to surprise, tempt, and inspire. 4

THE STORE 5275 Main Street (Route 100) Waitsfield, VT (800) 639-8031 www.vermontstore.com

ONLINE EXTRA

H

elena Sullivan, owner and artistic

Chef Arianna has shared some delicious director, opened the Stowe Dance recipes for Mother’s Day. You can find them (SDA) 26 years ago. atAcademy www.bestofcentralvermont.com.

Originally from Sweden, she spent many years www.bestofcentralvt.com 41

BY PHYL NEWBECK PHOTOS COURTESY OF EACH BOOKSTORE

INDEPENDENT BOOKSELLERS

Alive, well & optimistic!

We Vermonters are known for our independent streak. Pioneers in locavore eating, we’re also making our mark as “loca-readers” these days, devouring books by Vermont writers as well as those from elsewhere. Here in Central Vermont, our independent bookstores are thriving. Some have been around since the 1970s and ’80s, while others are less than a decade old. Here’s a look at several.

BEAR POND BOOKS, MONTPELIER The floorboards squeak at Bear Pond Books, and co-owner Claire Benedict isn’t doing anything about it. “People love our old floors,” she says. “Customers are always talking about it, and when Vermont Public Radio came for a visit, they held a microphone to the floor to pick up the sound.” Claire and her husband, Robert Kasow, moved to Vermont in 2002 to buy Rivendell Books, a used-books store in Montpelier. Four years later, they purchased Bear Pond Books, a 42

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Montpelier institution since 1973, and they closed Rivendell in 2015 to consolidate their inventory.

Aside from its creaky floors, Bear Pond doesn’t have a specialty per se, although Claire says children’s books and local authors make up a sizeable part of the inventory for their roughly 3,000-square-foot store. They have a dozen employees, most of them part-timers. The couple hosts special events like workshops and book signings, and last fall 200 people came to an event called Poetry of the Resistance.

Above: A young visitor enjoys the Children’s Room.

Left: Bear Pond Books, Montpelier, celebrates the Fourth of July.

Below: Say hello to Tucker at Bear Pond Books in Stowe.

The three-year-old French Bulldog is the store’s mascot and official greeter. He does not work on the weekends but poses for pictures daily.

Claire sees online sales rather than big-box bookstores as Bear Pond’s largest competitors, but she isn’t worried about the fate of independent stores. “A lot of stores have gone out of business, but new ones have opened,” she says.

“We had a really good year last year.” www.bestofcentralvt.com 43

Above: Bear Pond Books is a fixture of Main Street in Montpelier.

Right: At Bear Pond in Stowe, more than 500 square feet are dedicated to Vermont authors and illustrators.

Opposite top: Summertime entrance to Bridgeside Books in Waterbury.

Opposite bottom: Local storytelling is just one of several events Bridgeside Books hosts year-round.

BEAR POND BOOKS, STOWE Founded in 1970 and unrelated to the Montpelier store, Bear Pond Books in Stowe is the oldest independent bookstore in Vermont. Owner and manager Jennifer Hale reports that, at 3,700 square feet, her store is the second largest in the state. Jennifer is a second-generation owner, having purchased the establishment from her mother, Susan Adams, who went from clerk to owner in 1978.

Jennifer has placed her Vermont section, including a space devoted to Vermont folklore and Vermont-made greeting cards, at the very front of the store. Another popular section is 44

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children’s picture books, which are displayed on Lucite for easy access and to show their alluring covers. Although Bear Pond carries gift wrap, coasters, puzzles, and wooden bookmarks, Jennifer sees those as small sidelines and has no desire to turn her establishment into a gift shop.

Jennifer reports that sales at Bear Pond have increased over the last several years.

The store has two full-time and two parttime employees and additional help during the summer and holidays, but the most popular presence in the store has four legs.

Tucker, a French Bulldog, gets his picture taken on an almost-daily basis.

BRIDGESIDE BOOKS, WATERBURY Bridgeside Books is the most recent addition to the Central Vermont independent bookstore scene. “I started reading when I was very young,” owner Hiata DeFeo says, “and it was a dream of mine to open a bookstore. When this space became available, everything fell into place.”

Initially the store was only 550 square feet, but little by little, Hiata has expanded to her current 2,500 square feet. The store carries all genres, plus some cards and gifts, but is best known for its children’s section. Hiata is assisted by one full-time employee and four part-timers, although that number ebbs and flows during peak and non-peak times. www.bestofcentralvt.com 45

Above: Sandy Scott, co-owner of the Galaxy Bookshop.

Right: The Galaxy Bookshop in Hardwick, Vermont, has been selling books since 1988.

Opposite: The children’s section at Next Chapter Bookstore features a two-level treehouse with a fish tank in the wall of the lower level. Storytime is every Saturday at 10:30am.

Hiata says sales have grown every year. “It feels like there is a rediscovery of how great it is to have independent bookstores in our communities,” she says. “We have some amazing, dedicated customers who keep us going and sometimes just come in to say hi or bring us Christmas cookies.” For her part, Hiata is thrilled with how things have worked out.

“This was a dream,” she says. “Books are such a part of who I am, and I love being surrounded by them and being able to talk about them and share them.”

GALAXY BOOKSHOP, HARDWICK Sandy Scott and Andrea Jones joke that they have “an arranged bookstore marriage.” Sandy started working at the Galaxy Bookshop in Hardwick in 1999, 11 years after it opened. When owner Linda Ramsdell expressed interest in selling, Sandy was 46

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intrigued but realized she couldn’t do it on her own. Longtime customer Andrea Jones learned that Sandy needed a partner, so she decided to help out.

“It was a whirlwind,” Sandy recalls.

“This bookstore has been here for almost three decades, and it has been a big part of Hardwick.” In addition to the partners, there are two part-time employees and three others on call who fill in when needed.

The roughly 700-square-foot retail space carries a wide variety of books with an emphasis on Vermont authors. “At least half of our best sellers are by Vermonters,” says Sandy. In addition, Galaxy sells stationery, puzzles, toys, games, and other products but tries to ensure that all have some literary component.

“People really care about having a bookstore in town,” Sandy says. “We have a great co-op and interesting entrepreneurship going on, and this is part of the identity of the town.”

Additionally, Sandy believes that with the improving quality of self-published books, there is a greater availability of good books by local authors who might not otherwise have an avenue for sales.

NEXT CHAPTER BOOKSTORE, BARRE Down the road in Barre, Cynthia Duprey has been running Next Chapter Bookstore since 2011. For years, Cynthia worked from home while caring for a relative, but when she learned that Barre Books, a local institution since 1996, was closing, she offered to purchase it. The timing wasn’t great since Cynthia’s home had just been condemned by FEMA as a result of flooding that May, but she had always www.bestofcentralvt.com 47

Above: Next Chapter offers comfy chairs to relax, read the local newspaper, or catch up with neighbors.

Right: Tempest Book Shop spins a whirlwind of books in Waitsfield.

Opposite: A model railroad track runs above the inventory at Tempest Book Shop.

wanted to own either a bookstore or a bed and breakfast, so she persevered. “It’s been amazing to be part of the community and to help bring it back,” she says.

Together with her husband and two part-time employees, Cynthia oversees the 1,900-square-foot space. Her husband built a two-story treehouse with a loft in the children’s area, and her daughter painted the bottom of it to look like a cave. A fish tank has been installed, creating a space that hosts Story Time every Saturday morning. Cynthia sells children’s toys and puzzles as well as gifts for adults, but she strives to make the store a community space, providing room for book clubs and hosting an annual winter poetry contest.

“You can’t put a price tag on that,” she says.

TEMPEST BOOK SHOP, WAITSFIELD Opened in 1977 by Rick Rayfield’s mother and stepfather, Rick took over in 1986 while continuing to work part-time as a teacher. In 48

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OPTIMISM – ALIVE AND WELL! Rick Rayfield’s greatest reason for optimism comes from the fact that the largest-growing section of his store is books for young adults.

“Kids do their homework and their social media on the computer,” he says, “but increasingly, they are choosing to pick up a book made of paper when they want to read.” The other booksellers are similarly optimistic, citing a number of reasons including the buy local movement, American Express’s Small Business Saturday, the rise in self-publishing, and the revolt against Amazon by some publishers.

“It’s amazing when I hear people say books are dead,” says Claire Benedict. “Our store was jam-packed during the month of December.”

At Galaxy, Sandy Scott is hopeful about the future of independent booksellers. “It feels like over the past 10 years, there has been a sea change in people’s attitudes toward shopping locally,” she says. “People are recognizing that if they like the way their town works, they need to support that with their shopping dollars and go downtown instead of clicking a button on their computer.” 4

BEAR POND BOOKS 77 Main Street, Montpelier (802) 229-0774 bearpondbooks.com

BEAR POND BOOKS 38 Main Street, Stowe (802) 253-8236 stowebooks.com

BRIDGESIDE BOOKS 29 Stowe Street, Waterbury (802) 244-1441 bridgesidebooks.com the past, he had two part-time employees, often high school students in their first jobs or retired people with flexible schedules, but these days the store is staffed solely by Rick and his wife Holliday. The 30-by-30-foot space has 240 feet of model railroad track running above the shelves, windows, and door, with two classic standard O-gauge Lionel trains from the ’80s.

Tempest used to serve as the town’s music store, but that part of the business collapsed as music became more readily available on the Internet. Rick replaced it with a section devoted to movie rentals, stocking over 5,000 titles. One unexpected sideline at Tempest is

Rick’s watch-battery replacement business.

“I’m a computer geek, and watches are little computers,” he says. Often people show up with plastic bags filled with favorite old watches that have stopped running, and for five dollars or less, he brings them back to life.

Tempest Books may be the only bookstore in the state to have featured a clothingoptional book signing when it hosted Jim Cunningham’s Nudity & Christianity. Although dressed when they arrived, the author’s fans soon shed their layers, with the exception of a bishop from New Jersey who kept on his black socks and gold cross on a chain.

GALAXY BOOKSHOP 41 South Main Street, Hardwick (802) 472-5533 galaxybookshop.com

NEXT CHAPTER BOOKSTORE 162 North Main Street, Barre (802) 476-3114 nextchapterbooksvt.com

THE TEMPEST BOOK SHOP 5031 Main Street, Waitsfield (802) 496-2022 tempestbookshop.com www.bestofcentralvt.com 49

BY SUZANNE PODHAIZER PHOTOS COURTESY OF MORSE FARM MAPLE SUGARWORKS

Sap, Family & Fun Flow at

MORSE FARM

EIGHT GENERATIONS OF MAKING VERMONT’S BEST SYRUP

O

n a bright winter’s day, the fields around Montpelier’s Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks glitter with newly fallen snow, although scattered, knee-high weeds still poke through the crust.

Farm equipment, old and new, is visible from the lower parking lot, as is a replica of the Vermont State House with its familiar golden dome.

At the far end of that lot, paying visitors can strap on skis—their own or rented—and slide onto the Sugar Loop, one of the farm’s paths groomed for cross-country skiers. From there, they gain access to 15 miles of trails through woods, fields, and properties owned by friendly neighbors.

But if you come to Morse Farm to burn off calories, you might end up adding just a few before you leave. From the upper lot, a path 50

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leads to the gift shop, which offers sugar on snow in season—that gooey candy served with a traditional yeast-raised donut and a dill pickle—as well as renowned maple creemees, fudge, kettle corn, and of course, gallon upon gallon of the liquid gold for which Vermont is famous.

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME Morse Farm wasn’t always a destination for out-of-town visitors and locals alike. It used to be a small dairy operation with a long history of sugaring that stretched back over generations. In 1966, Harry Morse, who “didn’t like milking cows,” says his son, Burr, decided to sell the

A friendly smile greets you at the creemee window where you can choose from Morse Farm’s famous maple or chocolate ice cream, as well as a variety of frozen treats.

Feel free to also pick up some goat food for James and Rex, who are always happy to see you!

www.bestofcentralvt.com 51

Above and opposite: In the sugarhouse window is a collection of syrup grades sampled from each 40-gallon drum of syrup produced.

Right: Sugar on snow is a traditional Vermont treat and is served with raised donuts and dill pickles to cut the sweetness.

herd and turn his attention to the trees and to growing vegetables and raising beef cattle.

Harry believed he could make the family property a destination of sorts. “Being so close to Montpelier where tourists come to see the state capital,” Burr explains, “[he thought] it might be possible to get some of them to come to the farm.”

And come they did. They lined up to see the sap boiling away in the sugarhouse, its fragrant steam pouring from the chimney. They dolloped various grades of syrup on spoons, licked them, and divined the differences. They bought Vermont-made crafts and snacks in the store.

Now, they also come to play with pygmy goats too. And they come to visit Burr.

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THE STATE OF BURR When Harry asked his son to come home after college and work on the farm, Burr wasn’t sure he wanted to, but he did, and for the past 50 years, he’s added his unique flair to the operation. His chainsaw wood carvings are scattered around the property, and he’s famous for his storytelling.

While tapping trees isn’t Burr’s favorite task—there are 5,000 spouts to put into trees

each winter— he gets great pleasure boiling sap, and he loves getting to know the people who stop by. “We get bus tours from all over the world,” he notes. “I like entertaining tourists. I like educating people about the sugaring process.”

An avid writer, Burr has drafted more than 380 newsletters sent from the farm to its customers. In them, he touches on everything from the health of his family members to funny www.bestofcentralvt.com 53

Above: There is usually a smile on his face when Burr is on the tractor.

Right: A group visiting the area is treated to sugar on snow on the enclosed deck.

Opposite: Burr’s wood sculptures add a touch of whimsy to Morse Farm.

stories about farm life to details about the science of syrup. Burr also has a column in the Barre-Montpelier Times Argus. His books, Golden Times: More Tales Through the Sugarhouse Window, and Sugar Words: Musings from an Old Vermonter, are sold in the store, as is Morse Farm Cookbook.

The latter features recipes for dishes such as Maple Mac ’n Cheese, Maple Syrup Peanut Brittle, and Maple-Bacon Roasted Apples and Butternut Squash.

MAPLE 4.0 But as old-timey as Morse Farm might seem, Burr has recognized the benefits of modernization. On March 30, 2013, the New York Times 54

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published an article about maple technology.

A photo showed Burr and his son, Tom, out in the woods with their blue plastic maple lines that are run by vacuum pumps. The story also noted Burr’s adoption of reverse osmosis technology, which dramatically speeds up the sugaring process to save time and fuel. And an online store brings in customers from all over the world.

Along with these innovations, Burr has continually added new offerings to diversify the operation. He started the ski center after his father passed away in 1999, and it has turned the winter from a slow season into a busy one. “It keeps the place alive,” he explains. “Now sometimes in winter, there are more cars in the yard than during foliage season. Just to know that there are people up here does something to the feeling of the place.”

Even if you’re not planning a visit when sugaring season is in full swing, the store itself is worth a stop. With an eclectic collection of goods from Vermont and beyond, it’s perfect for meandering.

In one room, there are children’s books aplenty, magic ink activity books, and games. In another, you’ll find whimsically shaped cookie cutters, aprons, and flavorful spice blends.

Reasonably priced Morse Farm beef—ground at $6.50 a pound and T-bones at $11.95 a pound—is as good a reason to stop as any.

Burr is proud of the numerous offerings his eighth-generation business is bringing to those www.bestofcentralvt.com 55

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Left: The store and creemee stand make a perfect stop for day trippers.

Opposite bottom left: Every season has its own story at the Morse Farm, from fall foliage to summertime cattle care to spring sugaring to winter skiing.

Below and opposite bottom right: A tour group explores the farm and sugarhouse.

around them. “Just to think we’ve been able to preserve a farm this close to one of the 50 state capitals and not have any houses built on it—that’s a good feeling for me. That’s what my father’s design was and what I wanted to do to honor him. And my son, Tom, wants to carry it right on,” Burr remarks. “My father, wherever he is, I think he’d be happy.” 4

MORSE FARM MAPLE SUGARWORKS 1168 County Road Montpelier, VT (800) 242-2740 www.morsefarm.com

ONLINE EXTRA

H

elena Sullivan, owner and artistic

Discover new Vermont maple products, director, opened the Stowe Dance including Oprah’s favorite, online at Academy (SDA) 26 years ago. www.bestofcentralvermont.com.

Originally from Sweden, she spent many years www.bestofcentralvt.com 57

BY EILEEN P. CORCORAN, COMMUNITY OUTREACH & MEDIA COORDINATOR, VERMONT HISTORICAL SOCIETY PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE VHS

Step through the archway to begin your journey through the history of Vermont.

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THE

Vermont

HISTORY MUSEUM Showcasing the Story of the Green Mountain State Steps from the State House, schoolchildren and tourists alike can journey through time at the Vermont History Museum, the premier location to learn the depth and breadth of Vermont’s story. Since 1851, the Vermont Historical Society has presented exhibitions showcasing the intriguing history of our state in the capital city of Montpelier. But what do you do when your museum is offered an important piece of Vermont’s history that’s as long as a semi-truck?

T

he Vermont History Museum resides in the Pavilion Building in downtown Montpelier.

With a major upgrade in 2004, the Vermont Historical Society successfully brought to life the award-winning Freedom and Unity exhibit, which presents a compelling history of the state from its first inhabitants to the 20th century.

The addition of interactive spaces, including a re-creation of the Catamount Tavern where Ethan Allen’s Green Mountain Boys gathered, a railroad station complete with a working telegraph, and a World War II era living room with period music and magazines, allows schoolchildren, out-of-state visitors, and Vermonters of all ages to experience the past in exciting ways. In 2016, a unique donation to the Society’s collections sparked a reimagining of the museum and how it tells Vermont’s story. www.bestofcentralvt.com 59

Above: Fine art and history intertwine with these paintings from the T.W. Wood Gallery.

Right: The mural, Salute to Vermont, immerses visitors in iconic scenes from Vermont’s history.

Opposite top: Exhibit areas were created to appeal to visitors of all ages.

Opposite bottom: The museum includes a recreation of the Catamount Tavern, where Vermont’s Colonial leaders often met.

A PROBLEM BECOMES AN OPPORTUNITY In 1959, the National Life Group in Montpelier commissioned artist Paul Sample to create a mural for its corporate headquarters. Sample, a 1920 graduate of Dartmouth, was the college’s artist-in-residence when he painted the mural. He chose to depict almost 50 scenes across the painting, including Vermont’s agricultural heritage, its then-dominant machine tool industry, its granite quarrying, and its outdoor pursuits.

The finished mural, Salute to Vermont, measured 50 feet across and 8 feet high, and it graced the entrance to the National Life Building for 55 years. It illustrates three and a half centuries of Vermont history, from Samuel de Champlain’s arrival in 1609 to the development of its ski industry in the late 1950s.

But its location in a busy office lobby took a toll over the years, with dirt, grime, paint 60

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www.bestofcentralvt.com 61

Below: Exhibits explore Vermont’s farming heritage.

Right: Find a wide variety of books, gifts, maps, and toys at the museum store. The last known specimen of the now extinct catamount watches over the museum.

Bottom left: Children discover the story of Vermont.

Bottom right: VHS staff and trustees, Vermont Lt. Governor David Zuckerman, and artist Paul Sample’s son, Tim, celebrate the reopening of the museum and completion of the mural installation.

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loss, bumps, and bruises. The mural needed a new home, and the Vermont History Museum was the perfect one, except for one thing—the museum didn’t have a 50-foot wall on which to display it.

With support from the National Life Group, the Historical Society undertook a complete renovation to the museum’s entrance, including creating a custom curved wall for the mural. It is never easy, however, to move artwork of that size. At first, art conservators didn’t know if they could get the acrylic painting off the wall safely. Testing and painstaking work by the team led to a successful removal. The two original pieces of canvas used by Sample were rolled onto large tubes to move the painting across town.

Once the new wall was completed at the museum, the conservators unrolled, installed, cleaned, and further stabilized the painting to ensure its preservation for years to come.

The result is a visitor experience that allows contemplation, immersion, and conversation about what the mural says (and doesn’t say) about Vermont’s history. www.bestofcentralvt.com 63

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Opposite: The mural Salute to Vermont now hangs on a custom-built 50-foot-long curved wall.

INTO THE NEW MILLENNIUM The mural project also afforded the opportunity for other changes and updates at the museum. The removal of walls and doors created a more open and inviting entrance.

The very popular taxidermied catamount (the “last” of the now-extinct catamounts killed in Vermont) was moved front and center to greet visitors as they enter, replaced in its alcove by a “Cabinet of Curiosities” that mimics what visitors might have seen at the first Historical Society exhibits in the late 1800s.

Changes didn’t stop at the entrance. A major renovation within the exhibition space itself created the Local History Gallery, which now showcases rotating exhibits from Vermont’s more than 190 local historical societies and museums. At any given time, visitors can learn more about agriculture in Chelsea, parlor organs in Brattleboro, or the state’s iconic Morgan horse. More rotating exhibits can be found in the new Jackie Calder Gallery, which features temporary displays on a wide variety of topics including historic signs, author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, and indigenous foodways.

New interactive elements were added to the Freedom and Unity exhibit, including a general store where visitors can play shopkeeper, multimedia offerings on topics such as tourism and Tropical Storm Irene, and even an interactive photo booth where visitors can share their own stories, such as their favorite things about Vermont or what “history” means to them.

Continued work at the museum will bring the exhibits further into the 21st century as Vermont’s story keeps growing and changing.

Whether you visit once or many times, you’ll always be able to find something surprising and new about our shared past.

The Vermont History Museum is open Tuesday–Saturday from 10am to 4pm at 109 State Street in Montpelier (Pavilion Building).

The Historical Society also operates the Vermont History Center in Barre, Vermont. More information can be found at vermonthistory.org. 4

www.bestofcentralvt.com 65

TIME TO TRAVEL | STORIES AND PHOTOS BY LISA BALL ARD

Big Ben rises over Central London and the Palace of Westminster.

Opposite: A Queen’s guardsman stands at attention.

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Churchill’s London “NEVER SURRENDER”

W

hen Winston Churchill’s bathroom door showed the word “occupied,” the business inside was not what it appeared to be. Instead of a toilet, the room was outfitted with a telephone that linked the prime minister directly, by a secure line, to the White House in Washington. “The hotline really did exist,” I thought.

A direct voice link between President Franklin Roosevelt of the United States and Prime Minister Winston Churchill of the United Kingdom was a rumor that provided great comfort during World War II. In theory, the two commanders in chief could pick up the phone at any moment of the day or night and be in immediate contact with each other—a concept considered science fiction by many in the early 1940s.

During an era when phones were connected by cables, calling across the Atlantic Ocean could be a multiday affair. One had to place the call with the operator, then wait for a call back once the connection had been made. The hotline was first suggested in war movies and spy novels. To see it in real life, 70 years later, was a revelation. Technology has sure advanced since then! It also made me consider more carefully how those two great leaders, Roosevelt and Churchill, won a war that so influenced our world today.

CHURCHILL’S WAR ROOMS I spotted the famous phone on a visit to a lesser-known museum in London, England, called Churchill’s War Rooms, located in the Treasury Building by St. James Park. I had visited London on numerous occasions and toured the Tower of London, watched the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, strolled through Hyde Park, and explored the boutiques of Covent Garden more than once. When a friend mentioned the War Rooms, I jumped at the chance.

Actually, the museum is below the Treasury. A series of underground bunkers made of steel and concrete, Churchill’s War Rooms were where Churchill and his closest advisors lived and strategized during the tensest moments of World War II. The bunker contained meeting rooms, communication areas, bedrooms (Churchill and his wife had separate ones), a dining room, and storage areas. None of it was luxurious, but most of it was bombproof.

A sign at the beginning of an underground tunnel system emphasized just how tenuous those times were—and how unelectronic by today’s standards. Whistles warned of an incoming enemy attack, then bells gave the all-clear signal. Farther along, handwritten and typed charts listed www.bestofcentralvt.com 67

Top of page: A red telephone at the Churchill War Rooms in London.

Above: Yeomen Warders, aka Beefeaters, keep watch at the Tower of London.

Right above: Winston Churchill speaks to Franklin Roosevelt on the transatlantic phone.

Right: Mapping materials plot the course of the war.

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facts such as the number of bombs dropped on London, the number of runs by the Royal Air Force to the coast, and the number of casualties in the previous 24 hours.

I wandered past the closet-sized offices of the top generals of the British military, observed charts with the Allied and Axis positions around the globe, marked by colored thumb tacks, and took a photo of a long green table sandwiched between yellowing walls where Churchill was briefed by the English brass. The War Rooms made World War II real again.

CHURCHILL AND ROOSEVELT I passed several officers’ quarters, and suddenly, there the fake bathroom was, and behind the

AN HONORARY US CITIZEN Winston Churchill is one of only eight people to be made honorary citizens of the United States. The other seven are Raoul Wallenberg, a Hungarian businessman who persisted in issuing Swedish passports to hundreds of Jews during World War II, saving them from Nazi gas chambers; William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania as an early colony; Hannah Penn, William’s wife, who took over as leader of the colony after William’s death; Mother Teresa, the Catholic nun known for her work among Calcutta’s poorest; Marquis de Lafayette, the French general who was a key leader of the Continental Army during the American Revolution; General Casimir Pulaski, a Polish war hero who founded the American Cavalry and saved George Washington’s life during the Battle of Brandywine; and Bernardo de Galvez, the Governor of Louisiana and a general in the Continental Army who smuggled supplies through the port of New Orleans to the Americans and orchestrated decisive victories against the British in the Southern US, which George Washington declared “a deciding factor in the outcome of the Revolutionary War.” www.bestofcentralvt.com 69

Top left: Staff officers consult maps and develop strategy.

Top right: Cooks prepare the next meal on the HMS Belfast.

Above left: HMS Belfast is one of only three remaining ships from the bombardment fleet that supported the Normandy landings on D Day. Above right: Alarms alert staff to air raids on London.

Right: Charts show the progress of the air war over Britain.

Far right: Cracking the code of the German’s Enigma machine played a huge role in winning the war.

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ANOTHER WAR MUSEUM The HMS Belfast, a battleship of the Royal Navy fleet during World War II, is permanently moored on the Thames River across from the Tower of London and open to the public. It is one of the Imperial War Museums, similar to Churchill’s War Rooms. Sit in the captain’s chair, tour the galley, check out the onboard artillery, and see a sailor get his tooth pulled at sea at www.iwm.org.uk/visits/hms-belfast.

door, there he was. Winston Churchill sat at a gray metal desk talking on the telephone—not the hotline but a black rotary phone more typical of the era. His trademark cigar hung loosely in his left hand as he pressed the receiver to his ear with his right. Using life-sized mannequins, Churchill’s War Rooms imparted the sense of urgency and tension that Churchill himself must have felt as the Nazis bombed the city above him.

Was Churchill asking Roosevelt for food and munitions? Between 1939 and 1945, Churchill and Roosevelt were in close touch, exchanging 1,700 letters and telegrams over that seven-year period, or an average of four to five communications a week.

A group of elementary-age school kids filled in around me as I pondered the way people exchanged critical information during Churchill and Roosevelt’s time. Instead of cracking digital codes with computers crunching gigabytes of data at lightning speed, they used an Enigma machine (on display) that transposed jumbled letters and numbers into legible prose.

It occurred to me that these children might not know what a touch-tone phone was, let alone a rotary phone, in their portable, mini LCD-screen universe.

Had one call over that telephone ultimately led to an Allied victory? We’ll never know, but in Churchill’s War Rooms, it’s amazing to imagine.

MORE INFORMATION To learn more about Churchill’s War Rooms, one of several Imperial War Museums around London, go to www.iwm.org.uk/visits/ churchill-war-rooms. 4 www.bestofcentralvt.com 71

Packages, documents, and letters come and go from the Mail Room on the HMS Belfast.

CHURCHILL TRIVIA Winston Churchill’s full name was Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill.

Churchill served two non-consecutive terms as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, 1940–1945 (during World War II) and 1951–1955.

In 1953, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature based on a lifetime of writing. His works included historical biographies, mostly of his aristocratic ancestors, and his work as a war correspondent.

Churchill’s father, Lord Randolph Churchill, was the third son of the Duke of Marlborough. His mother Jennie was an American socialite and the daughter of New York financier Leonard Jerome.

Churchill served in the British Army and saw action in British India, the Anglo-Sudan War, and the Second Boer War. Though both Churchill and Princess Diana share the surname Spencer, they were only distantly related as fourth cousins twice removed. Their common ancestors are Henry Bayly, Earl of Uxbridge, who died in 1812, and his wife, Jane Champagne.

Churchill picked up his habit of smoking Cuban cigars while covering the Cuban War of Independence for London’s Daily Graphic in 1895.

In 1896, Churchill seriously injured his shoulder while attempting to disembark from a boat in Bombay Harbor. The shoulder never healed correctly. An avid polo player, he had to play with his arm strapped to his side for the rest of his polo career.

The low point of Churchill’s political career came in the late 1920s, when he returned the British pound to the gold standard, which depressed England’s economy and was exacerbated by the shipping industry’s switch from coal to oil for fuel.

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Churchill was against Indian independence, believing the world should let Gandhi die if he went on a hunger strike.

He spoke often of the dangers of German rearmament after World War I, which ultimately proved to be the case.

When he became prime minister after Neville Chamberlain’s resignation, Churchill was 65 years old. His first speech as prime minister stirred the passions of Parliament when he said, “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat. . . . We shall never surrender.”

When Hitler invaded the Soviet Union, Churchill, a vehement anticommunist, sent supplies and tanks to help the Russians. He disliked Hitler even more than Stalin.

Queen Elizabeth II offered to make Churchill the Duke of London, but he declined. He did, however, accept a knighthood as a Knight of the Garter.

Life magazine included one of Churchill’s books, Blood, Sweat and Tears, a collection of his speeches, among its list of 100 outstanding books of 1924–1944.

Churchill was a hobbyist bricklayer. His projects included buildings and garden walls at his country home at Chartwell which allowed him entry into the Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers, but he was expelled when he left Great Britain’s Labor Party and joined the Conservative Party (for the second time).

Churchill received seven honorary degrees from universities around the world, including Harvard, the only Ivy League university to bestow such an honor on him.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Spring 2018 CENTRAL VERMONT BEST OF

Dining Guide J. Morgans Steakhouse Serving steaks, seafood, and Sunday brunch since 1994. Our recent renovation opens a new chapter in this award-winning restaurant. Known for exceedingly generous portions, we feature over 20 aged-in-house steaks, daily seafood, designer pasta dishes, and mountainous salads and desserts.

Located on Montpelier’s historic State Street. $$ Vermont’s Cutting Edge Steakhouse 100 State Street, Montpelier, VT (802) 223-5222 www.jmorganssteakhouse.com

KEY TO SYMBOLS $ most entrées under $10 $$ most entrées $10 to $25 $$$ most entrées over $25

Beyond the Menu

Cornerstone Burger

Classic neighborhood pub serving gourmet burgers, signature sandwiches, over a dozen craft beers, classic starters including half-price wing Wednesday, and our fresh, fun, new burger of the week plus live music and the perfect spot to watch the game. $–$$ 21 East St. Northfield, VT (802) 485-4300 www.cornerstoneburger.com

Sarducci’s Restaurant & Bar

ENTERTAINMENT AND DINING GUIDE FOR CENTRAL VERMONT

2 Loco Guys

Fast, Fresh and Friendly.

Eclectic burritos & bowls made to order using only the freshest ingredients at fair and affordable prices. Perfect for a fast casual-dining option. Daily specials and endless possibilities. Don’t miss out on Taco Tuesday. $ 136 N Main Street Barre, VT (802) 622-0469 www.twolocoguys.com

Red Hen Bakery and Café

Sarducci’s is a Mediterranean-style Italian restaurant serving central Vermont.

We strive to serve superb food with outstanding service and an informal ambience. We cater to families, special occasions, and travelers alike. Renowned by our community for great food at reasonable prices. $–$$

Famous hearth-baked breads, plus an excellent selection of freshly baked pastries­­—croissants, scones, cookies, maple-glazed sticky buns, and more.

Soups and sandwiches made in house featuring local ingredients. Fine wines, beer, cheese, and specialty grocery items. $–$$

3 Main Street Montpelier, VT (802) 223-0229 www.sarduccis.com

961B US Rt. 2 Middlesex, VT (802) 223-5200 www.redhenbaking.com

Ladder One Grill

Owner Valerie White-Beaudet invites you to stop in and enjoy a fabulous meal. Our motto is “Where heroes are made” and we’ve incorporated our menu to honor past and present heroes in firefighting. Enjoy Prime Rib, NY Sirloin Steaks or a BRICK OVEN pizza!

Lunch, Dinner, and Take-out. $–$$ 8 South Main Street Firehouse at Barre Barre, VT 05641 (802) 883-2000 www.ladder1grill.com

Cornerstone Pub & Kitchen

From Swordfish Tacos & Burgers to Steaks & Fresh Seafood. Tuesday is $5 Burger Night. 28 taps featuring Vermont craft beers from Lawson’s Liquids, Hill Farmstead, Zero Gravity, Lost Nation, Good Measure Brewing Co., and more. $–$$ 47 North Main Street Barre, VT (802) 476-2121 www.cornerstonepk.com

SPRING 2018 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

BARRE OPERA HOUSE PHOTO BELOW BY STEVEN GARDNER

The Bookends

MARCH 30 at 8PM Red Molly

Red Molly

APRIL 1 at 2PM

Auditions for Naomi Lizuka’s (Anon)ymous

APRIL 4 at 7:30PM George Winston

APRIL 8 at 2PM

Green Mountain Youth Symphony

APRIL 22 at 7PM

Simon & Garfunkel: Through the Years Performed by The Bookends

MAY 4 at 10AM

Harry the Dirty Dog Presented by ArtsPower

MAY 5 at 7:30PM

1964: The Tribute Best of the Beatles Barre Civic Center

JUNE 4 at 10AM

My Heart in a Suitcase Presented by ArtsPower

Barre Opera House City Hall 6 North Main Street, Barre (802) 478-8188 www.barreoperahouse.org www.bestofcentralvt.com 75

SPRING 2018 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

SPRUCE PEAK PERFORMANCE ARTS CENTER

Dweezil Zappa

Bruce Cockburn

APRIL 14 at 7:30PM

Dweezil Zappa World Tour 2018 Choice Cuts

APRIL 22 at 3PM and 7:30PM

The Great Gatsby

Resurrection: Green Mountain Mahler Festival Roseanne Cash

APRIL 28 at 7PM

An intimate concert with Sean Lee, Jia Kim, and Euntaek Kim Spruce Peak Chamber Music Society

APRIL 29 at 7:30PM

An Evening with Bruce Cockburn

MAY 8 at 7PM

The Great Gatsby Presented by the National Players

Spruce Peak Arts Center 122 Hourglass Drive, Stowe (802) 760-4634 www.sprucepeakarts.org

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mad marathon

SPRING 2018 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

EASTER EGG HUNTS MARCH 31 at 9:45AM Montpelier Egg Hunt Hubbard Park

MARCH 31 at 10AM Barre Egg Hunt Rotary Park

MARCH 31 from 10:30AM to NOON Stowe Egg Hunt Little Kids and Big Kids Have your face painted and meet the Easter Bunny!

MARCH 31 from 10AM to NOON Mud Season Egg Hunt Laughing Moon Chocolates and the Green Mountain Club

Team up for a festive morning of searching for eggs hidden along a trail. Then head over to Laughing Moon and visit with the Easter Bunny.

www.bestofcentralvt.com 77

SPRING 2018 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

SHELBURNE MUSEUM

Fleet Foxes

MARCH 17 to AUGUST 26

In the Garden

Exhibition: In the Garden

APRIL 7 at 7PM

Jam Western Swing

APRIL 22 at 2PM

Film Screening: Portrait of a Garden

MAY 1

Entire Museum opens for the season

MAY 12 from 11AM to 3PM

Webby’s Art Studio: Insect Symmetry

MAY 13 from 11AM to 3PM

Springtime at Shelburne Museum Celebrate Mother’s Day! Listen to music, stroll the grounds, and sip tea.

MAY 26 at 7PM Fleet Foxes

Ben & Jerry’s Concerts on the Green

JUNE 9 at 7PM

The Decemberists Ben & Jerry’s Concerts on the Green

Shelburne Museum 6000 Shelburne Road, Shelburne www.shelburnemuseum.org

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Celebrate Mother’s Day!

SPRING 2018 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

COOKING CLASSES AT THE STORE COME AND MEET CHEF ARIANNA GOARIN

Other Noteworthy Events APRIL 27 from 7PM to 9PM

APRIL 5 from 6PM to 8PM

Fresh Tracks Farm Vineyard & Winery Join Carlin Tripp, Folk Rocker Berlin

Everyday Cooking with Food Processors

MAY 6 at NOON

APRIL 7 from NOON to 2PM

All Species Parade and Spring Pageant

Global Cuisine: A Taste of Vietnam

Hubbard Park, Montpelier

APRIL 12 from 6PM to 8PM

MAY 6 from 9AM to 2PM

Upscale Classics: Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day

Waterbury Gravel Grinder

Pilgrim Park, Waterbury For more information, go to www.waterburytrails.org.

APRIL 14 from 6PM to 8PM

MAY

Cast Iron Cooking

Annual Adamant Black Fly Festival

APRIL 19 from 6PM to 8PM

Visit www.blackflyfestival.org for this year’s date and schedule of events.

Chef’s Table: April Showers Lighter Fare

MAY

For more information, class descriptions and menus, visit www.kitchenatthestore.com.

Cooking Classes at Stowe Kitchen Bath & Linens Cook and learn with Chef Seasha Scribner.

Visit www.stowekitchen.net for dates and times.

best of

Central Vermont ADVERTISERS INDEX

For more information about print and online advertising opportunities, contact John or Robin Gales at (802) 558-2719 or email coffeetablepublishing@comcast.net.

4 Points Tour.........................................................................................................................................13 Aaron Flint Builders...........................................................................................................................39 alla vita..................................................................................................................................................27 Ann Roche Furniture...........................................................................................................................41 Arbortrek................................................................................................................. Inside Back Cover Artisans’ Gallery.................................................................................................................................23 Artisans Hand.....................................................................................................................................27 Bare Medical Spa and Laser Center................................................................................................. 3 Body Lounge.........................................................................................................................................13 Bouchard Pierce Candelight............................................................................................................47 Bunya Bunya.........................................................................................................................................13 Burlington Furniture............................................................................................................................. 5 Burlington Marble and Granite......................................................................................................... 9 Central Vermont Medical Center...................................................................................................63 Church Hill Landscapes.....................................................................................................................21 Cody Chevrolet.................................................................................................................................. 64 Coldwell Banker/Classic Homes....................................................................Outside Back Cover Commodities Natural Market..........................................................................................................13 Cornerstone Restaurants.............................................................................................................. 7,74 Cushman Design Group...................................................................................................................39 CW Print + Design.............................................................................................................................57 Delicate Decadence .........................................................................................................................77 East Warren Community Market....................................................................................................19 ECCO Clothes......................................................................................................................................... 1 Evergreen Gardens of Vermont.......................................................................................................71 Ferro Estate and Custom Jewelers..................................................................................................13 Fresh Tracks Winery...........................................................................................................................19 Fringe Salon..........................................................................................................................................53 Gillespie Fuels.....................................................................................................................................57 Harvest Market...................................................................................................................................33 Inside Out Gallery..............................................................................................................................47

J. Morgan’s Steakhouse/Capital Plaza..........................................................................................73 Ladder One/Moruzzi’s ............................................................................................................. 53, 74 Landshapes...........................................................................................................................................61 Mad River Fiber Arts.........................................................................................................................45 Mayo Health Center..........................................................................................................................69 McKernon Group.................................................................................................................................. 2 Mid State Dodge.................................................................................................................................15 Montpelier Orthodontics.................................................................................................................65 Morse Farm..........................................................................................................................................63 Noyle Johnson Insurance..................................................................................................................71 Outdoor Gear Exchange....................................................................................................................21 Patterson and Smith Construction.................................................................................................55 Peregrine Design/Build.......................................................................................................................11 Red Hen Bakery................................................................................................................................... 74 Richard Wobby Jewelers..................................................................................................................55 Sarducci’s Restaurant and Bar.................................................................................................... 4, 74 Shelburne Museum.............................................................................................................................41 Stowe Area Realty..............................................................................................................................65 Stowe Kitchen and Linens.................................................................................................................13 Stowe Red Barn Realty......................................................................................................................33 Stowe Wine and Cheese...................................................................................................................13 Sundara Day Spa................................................................................................................................69 The Automaster.....................................................................................................Inside Front Cover The Bench..............................................................................................................................................13 The Carriage Shed..............................................................................................................................77 The Country Store on Main..............................................................................................................13 The Store.............................................................................................................................................. 10 Vermont Bed Store/Wendell’s Furniture.......................................................................................17 Wagner Hodgson ..............................................................................................................................35 Wake Robin..........................................................................................................................................35 Windows and Doors by Brownell................................................................................................... 10 www.bestofcentralvt.com 79

L AST GL ANCE

I seldom end up where I wanted to go, but almost always end up where I need to be. — DOUGLAS ADAMS

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COFFEE TABLE PUBLISHING, LLC 32 Hermit Thrush Lane South Burlington, VT 05403