Greetings from the middle of yet another blizzard here in the Northeast! Although this current Nor’easter started a few hours later than originally expected last night, it has quickly gained both speed and momentum. As I’m writing this, I can barely see outside of my windows and the roadways have all but disappeared from view. I’m fortunate enough to be able to work from home today, but I am definitely not looking forward to starting the cleanup when I’m done!
I digress. Leading up to this storm, I made sure to grab the essentials early: a few things to cook with, juice/milk, and some extra batteries in case I lost power and needed to keep my universal chargers juiced up. But I also stocked up on some non-essentials and some things I wanted just for fun, especially since I found myself in Granby, Connecticut this past Saturday and made sure to swing by Julien’s Farm Store while I was there.
After relocating to Connecticut in 2020, the owner – Julien – a former private chef from Southwestern France, opened his bakery/café on the picturesque back roads of Granby where he serves freshly made baked goods, desserts, beverages and what has been dubbed one of the best hot chocolates in New England. Orders are usually taken to go, but there’s also a lovely little seating area outside (where there are individual woodstoves to keep guests warm in the Winter!) for anyone who wants to sit and savor their treats on the spot.
Whenever I’ve been to Julien’s, there’s always a line outside the door, and for very good reason – everything is absolutely delicious and, more often than not – too-pretty-to-eat! I grabbed a handful of chocolate croissants, pistachio pastries, and doughnuts to split with my mother before we parted ways to hunker down for the storm. I also got myself a hot chocolate with one of Julien’s famous homemade marshmallows to enjoy by the outdoor stoves for a while, which was a delicious pause in my day!
After this storm dies down and I’m able to travel again, I’m thinking I might heat back to Julien’s for a post-blizzard restock and another cocoa for the road – especially since it’ll likely snow again soon – but if you find yourself in Granby before it does, this is a must-visit. You should absolutely pencil in the time to drop by!
But for now – stay safe and warm out there, everyone!
xo
Coffee & Chiffon 