Having unexpectedly taken last Friday off from both work and blogging to be in-person at the courthouse for closing arguments and the beginnings of jury deliberations in my partner’s (still) ongoing civil trial, this past weekend was all about trying to decompress and re-energize now that the case is officially and literally “out of our hands” as both he and I await a verdict and, hopefully, some closure.
Part of those efforts to decompress and re-energize, although briefly thwarted by the dreaded Daylight Savings Time, involved getting some fresh air, going for a brief drive up North, and grabbing some comfort food at a famous-but-still-charming country store in Brattleboro, Vermont. And yes, this is my second ‘Local Loves’ post in a row that has involved both Brattleboro and mac & cheese!
The Vermont Country Deli, a popular general store and deli, has been in operation since 1986. They offer plenty of locally sourced goods like wines, cheeses, and maple syrups- but it’s the stuff that they make in-house that really steals the show. Empanadas, pasta salads, fried chicken and fish, BBQ and tons of freshly baked goods- they have pretty much anything and everything you could ever crave and they make it in abundance given how busy they get on the weekends.
Their baked mac & cheese, however- is so popular and in-demand that they have a limit on how much you can buy per person. When Troy and I tried it for the first time a few days ago, we immediately understood why. It’s so good that it’d be all too easy for someone to just buy their entire inventory in one swoop!
Instead, we got enough to last the two of us for a couple of lunches this week- along with some wine and blackberry soda- before we headed to downtown Brattleboro for some antiquing and strolling.
The deli is pretty busy on Saturdays and Sundays, with lines snaking through the store as people come and go- so if you can visit during a weekday- you may be able to have more time to take a good look around. And it’s really worth it!
I’ll be heading back soon to stock up on more food on my next day off!
xo
Coffee & Chiffon 