Stemwinder Wine Bar

I was recently whisked away for a bachelorette weekend in Vermont for some much needed rest and relaxation. We spent most of the day at the spa at the charming Hartness House Inn in Springfield but by the time we got out, most of the shops were already starting to close early. Worried about a repeat of mediocre takeout Chinese from the previous night, we ventured out to the nearest town where we encountered Stemwinder Wine Bar in the ski town of Ludlow. It was love at first sight as we were greeted by the words "duck fat" on the menu. The rest of the menu was an experience to remember:

Oven Roasted Potatoes: These crispy yet creamy potatoes were glistening in duck fat but it was the bits of braised beef brisket and herbed aioli with Plymouth Hunter cheese that made it extra special.

Seasonal Vermont Cheese Board: I can't recall the names of each cheese, just how delicious each nibble was. This particular board was curated with much thought, from the condiments to the bread. The baguette was a house-made bread with "everything bagel" toppings; house-pickled radishes; and a tangy balsamic caramelized onion chutney. Cheeses were a trio of an award-winning cheddar, a cumin infused hard cheese, and by far my favorite, an ash-covered goat cheese.The charcuterie was as delicious as the cheeses; the Vermont-made soppresatta was a particular standout.

Roasted Marrow Canoes: The best bite of the night was hands down these marrow bones. It's meat butter at its best. The marrow is so luxurious but the addition of a bright and acidic jalapeno scallop ceviche cut the richness just enough, elevating this dish to a whole new level. 

For good measure we ordered a salad to balance out all the dishes we were indulging in and even that was phenomenal with elements like roasted beets, grapefruit, and pepitas. A couple glasses of wine and this bachelorette was in food heaven!

Benkay Japanese Sushi Bar

I cannot begin to tell you how well we ate in Maine. Our vacation culinary adventures began in Portland, Maine. This coastal city is foodie bliss. We've written about our weekly sushi cravings and being right by the sea coast, we couldn't resist taking advantage of some of the best and freshest seafood in town. What I really wanted to try was Miyake, mainly because Alex Guarnashelli declared their mushroom miso soup The Best Thing I Ever Ate  and I remember seeing Andrew Zimmern making a Bizzare Foods stop, but being on a limited budget and because J hates mushrooms (one of these days he'll be a convert), we decided to go on a Yelp sushi search. 

Our findings led us to the best sushi meal we've ever had at Benkay Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar. We consider this our #1 all-time sushi spot now. Too bad it's now 4hrs away from Albany. We might very well consider a weekend trip just to eat this sushi again.