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2019 Chevrolet Blazer RS
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To Woodstock, Vermont in a Chevrolet Blazer

by David Dadekian May 5, 2020
written by David Dadekian

Time for another road trip, courtesy of Chevrolet and their all-new 2019 Blazer RS which they kindly provided along with a stay in beautiful Woodstock, Vermont for me and my family. As usual when traveling I sought out some good eats and drinks. While not as abundant a culinary town as Portland, this trip still revealed a lot of local deliciousness. But first, the wheels.

Driving the 2019 Chevy Blazer RS
Driving the 2019 Chevy Blazer RS

The Chevy Blazer arrived the day before we were set to leave on our trip, so I was able to take it out to run a couple of errands, which was a good thing, since I barely drove it once my wife Brenda got her hands on it! As I’ve mentioned before when writing about these sponsored trips, I’m not the driver that my wife is. I’m very content sitting in the passenger seat and playing with all the features while she hugs the road.

I realize hugs the road seems a bit of an out-of-place description for an SUV like the Blazer, but the RS trim version that I was loaned seemed to have more in common design-wise with its sister Chevy model the Camaro than a larger SUV like a Chevy Tahoe, right down to the back grille, black Chevy bowtie emblem and wide aluminum wheels and dual exhaust. Though I’m pretty sure a Camaro doesn’t come with all-wheel drive and towing capabilities like the Blazer has. We didn’t get to tow anything in the few days that we had the Blazer, but we certainly gave the AWD a go on one serious backroad in Vermont.

First up, loading the four of us into the car for the a three-and-a-half-hour drive to Woodstock, Vermont. As you would imagine, there was plenty of cargo room for a family of four, even with both our daughters insisting on bringing way more than anyone would need for a weekend away. One great feature, which my girls got a kick out of—literally—is the Hands-Free Gesture Liftgate. Much like if you have the key fob on you your door would unlock, this feature allows you to open the rear hatch just by lightly kicking your foot out at a certain spot under the rear bumper. If you haven’t used this feature on a car before it’s easier to ask you to watch the video here than to describe. There also a very useful floor-mounted rail Cargo Management System so you can customize the cargo space for your needs.

Once the car was loaded up, Brenda drove us through the rain from Rhode Island to Vermont while I set up the Apple CarPlay, hands-free charging and other newer features I hadn’t seen before. I’ve never used ventilated seats but could see how that could be a welcome feature with leather seats during the hotter months. The Blazer also has cameras upon cameras to see behind, in front of and around the vehicle. We’d gotten familiar with the Surround Vision from the Bolt EV back in October, but a new one for us was the Rear Camera Mirror. By flipping the switch on the bottom of the rearview mirror the whole mirror turns into a video screen with a wide view out the back of the car. It took some getting used to but was pretty neat and the girls enjoyed watching it. Though without a doubt my daughters’ favorite feature, especially for a long car ride like this one, was the built-in 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot.

Onto Woodstock, Vermont where we checked into the 506 On The River Inn and the girls immediately went to check out the pool, which was a very nice pool, but I was more in the mood for their beautiful bar and cocktail list. I had a Maple Manhattan. It was kind of an inevitable drink. I know Vermont is land of maple syrup, but wow did I see a never-ending parade of syrup and syrup-centric products all weekend long. That said, it was an excellent aperitif for me. When the girls came out of the pool, we were treated to dinner at the Inn’s 506 Bistro which all four of us greatly enjoyed. We had chicken wings—Maple Chili of course—along with three excellent pasta dishes and a steak for one of my daughters. The desserts didn’t disappoint my daughters either. I thought my youngest was going to scream when she tasted the flourless chocolate torte.

  • Maple Manhattan
    Maple Manhattan
  • Maple Chili Wings
    Maple Chili Wings
  • Dinner at the 506 Bistro
    Dinner at the 506 Bistro

After dinner we checked out the Inn’s Games Room and I wandered around for a bit taking in a photographing the tons of wonderful antiques the line the halls and pretty much every open space in the Inn. It’s a beautifully designed space and was excellent for the family, as we further discovered in the morning during the breakfast that’s included with your stay. There’s a Farmhouse Kitchen that has a gorgeous workbench/butchery table in the center where they put out a big buffet of pastries, fruits, home fries, pancakes, bacon—you name it, and of course several local Vermont products, some containing the ubiquitous maple syrup.

Farmhouse Pottery
Farmhouse Pottery

The 506 On The River Inn is next door to Farmhouse Pottery, so we wandered over there after breakfast. If you’re not familiar with their creations, you should take a look at their site and social media pages. The best part about visiting their flagship store in Woodstock is you can walk right into their workshop and watch the master potters at work, which is precisely what my daughters did. Every single one of the potters couldn’t have been nicer or more informative, showing all of us through the process of creating several pieces. It was fascinating and delicate work and the final products are iconic.

From there we headed for the Sugarbush Cheese & Maple Farm and we got a chance to test out the All-Wheel Drive features of the Blazer. Not only did we switch to AWD, which you can do while driving—no need to stop to switch modes—but Brenda tested out driving in Off-Road mode. As you can see from the video, the road to Sugarbush Farm was pretty washed out after a very rainy winter and spring. Brenda noted she could definitely feel the change between modes while driving and could tell she was getting better traction on the muddy, pockmarked road in the Off-Road mode. The Blazer also has a host of safety features including Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist and Departure Warning, Rear Traffic Alert, Forward Collision Alert and Forward Automatic Braking. Sugarbush Farm posted on their Facebook page a few days after we visited that the town sent out a crew and regraded the road for the year.

As we pulled into up at Sugarbush Farm we saw a trio of 1920’s Model A cars in the parking area. What made these antiques stand out even more was they all had Rhode Island license plates. Brenda parked the Blazer alongside what we learned was the oldest of the three. The owners were all gathered by their cars and were happy to chat with us. They showed the girls the engine, the interior and the actual trunks strapped to the back of their cars.

2019 Chevrolet Blazer RS alongside 1920's Model A's
2019 Chevrolet Blazer RS alongside 1920’s Model A’s

Inside at Sugarbush Farm we sampled a wide selection of Cheddar cheeses and of course, maple syrups. The sugar shack had stopped production for the season but was still open to walk around and see how they produced syrup from their 550 acres of approximately 8,500 sugar maple trees. The cattle were still in the barns and not yet out on pasture but would be very soon. There’s a great little store at Sugarbush Farm with all the cheese and syrup you could ever want to buy and after some shopping we headed down into the town of Quechee.

Our first stop in Quechee was at Simon Pearce which has a gorgeous store, restaurant and glass-blowing production facility on the Ottauquechee River. We spent some time in the gallery watching the glass blowers work and walked outside along the river. Then we did another quintessentially Vermont thing and drove through our first covered bridge. Down the road from Simon Pearce we sampled some more cheese at the Cabot Company Store and, while I do love some cheese, next door was the Vermont Spirits Distilling Co. I took the opportunity to try a couple of excellent gins and, of course, a bourbon with maple syrup and a spirit distilled from maple syrup.

  • Simon Pearce
    Simon Pearce
  • Simon Pearce
    Simon Pearce
  • Quechee Bridge
    Quechee Bridge

From there we found ourselves at the Quechee Gorge and took a brief, muddy hike down into the gorge and back again. Fiddleheads were starting to come up and there were hordes of foragers on the side of the trail filling all the bags they had. After that hike I wanted a beer. A little past the 506 Inn on the River on Route 4 in neighboring Bridgewater is a brewery. Wow did Long Trail Brewing Co. pick a beautiful spot for their brewery and brew pub right on the banks of the Ottauquechee River. To end the day, we drove back into Woodstock for dinner at Worthy Kitchen and another swim in the pool at the Inn.

Sunday morning came and sadly had to check out, but before we did, we had another Vermont breakfast and played in the Games Room. I highly recommend the 506 On The River Inn, especially for a family, and would happily stay there again if in the Woodstock area. Before getting back on the interstate we took another drive through a covered bridge and made a stop at Artisans Park in Windsor on the Connecticut River where there is a collection of great local businesses. There’s a sculpture garden and Great River Outfitters give float and camping trips from there. Simon Pearce has storefront and there’s more cheese from Vermont Farmstead Cheese Company. But I was really interested in Silo Distillery and Harpoon Brewery, though I couldn’t resist checking out Blake Hill Preserves. After a lot more tasting, we were back on the road home, with one stop for dinner at Volturno, one of our favorite restaurants in Worcester, Massachusetts. If you haven’t been, Worcester has come a long way in recent years and Volturno is in a great area that includes Wormtown Brewery, though that would have to be another trip.

Thank you to Chevrolet for the Blazer loan, hotel stay and two dinners. You can learn more about the Blazer here.

Click any image below to open a gallery of all the photos:

  • 2019 Chevrolet Blazer RS
  • 506 On The River Inn
  • 506 On The River Inn
  • 506 On The River Inn
  • Maple Manhattan
  • Maple Chili Wings
  • Dinner at the 506 Bistro
  • 506 On The River Inn Games Room
  • 506 On The River Inn
  • 506 On The River Inn Farmhouse Kitchen Breakfast
  • 506 On The River Inn Farmhouse Kitchen Breakfast
  • Farmhouse Pottery
  • Farmhouse Pottery
  • Farmhouse Pottery
  • Sugarbush Cheese & Maple Farm
  • Sugarbush Cheese & Maple Farm
  • Sugarbush Cheese & Maple Farm
  • Simon Pearce
  • Simon Pearce
  • Simon Pearce
  • Quechee Bridge
  • Simon Pearce
  • Quechee Gorge
  • Quechee Gorge
  • Long Trail Brewing Co.
  • Long Trail Brewing Co.
  • Long Trail Brewing Co.
  • Worthy Kitchen
  • Worthy Kitchen
  • Middle Bridge Covered Bridge in Woodstock, Vermont
  • Taftsville Covered Bridge in Woodstock, Vermont
  • Silo Distillery
  • Silo Distillery
  • Harpoon Brewery
  • Harpoon Brewery
  • Volturno
  • Volturno
  • Volturno
May 5, 2020 0 comment
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chefs & restaurantsnews

Chef Michael Scelfo of Russell House Tavern Wins Three Trophies at 2013 Boston American Lamb Jam

by David Dadekian February 17, 2013
written by David Dadekian

Chef Michael Scelfo of Russell House Tavern with his three Lamb Jam trophies

Chef Michael Scelfo of Russell House Tavern with his three Lamb Jam trophies

The American Lamb Board held their fourth annual Lamb Jam at The Charles Hotel in Boston tonight. Chef Michael Scelfo of Russell House Tavern in Cambridge, Massachusetts took home three trophies, one for Best Overall dish, as well as winning Best Belly & Breast dish, and the People’s Choice Award, all for his Smoked and Braised Lamb Belly on a Steamed Bun With Pickled Radishes and Herb Salad.

We spoke with Scelfo after his win. He had to this say, “I’m very happy to be a participant for the third year in a row. It’s a great event and I always love cooking with American Lamb. I’m excited to go to New York and eat some good food and hang out.”

There were eighteen chefs and restaurants represented at the event, including three from Rhode Island, each preparing one lamb dish using either a leg, shank, shoulder or belly/breast cut of American lamb. There was also a lamb butchery demo given by butchers from Tavolo, shepherds from North Star Sheep Farms and The Farm Institute, along with beer served by seven area breweries and wine from 90+ Cellars. A portion of the proceeds went to support Lovin’ Spoonfuls Food Rescue.

As Best in Show winner, Scelfo will now compete in New York later this year against the winners of Lamb Jams being held in cities around the country. The winners in other categories this evening were: Chef Cassie Piuma of Oleana was the Best Shoulder dish winner for Moroccan BBQ Lamb Roll With Pickled Cabbage, Goat Cheese and Fried Sweet Potato; Best Shank dish went to Chef Brian Rae of Rialto for Lamb Shank Fritter With Garlic Chive Spatzle, Blood Orange , Fried Rosemary and Lamb Jus; Best Leg dish went to Chef Brian Reyelt of Citizen Public House & Oyster Bar for Adobo Lamb Leg Taco With Pickled Onion and Queso.

At last year’s Boston Lamb Jam there was one Providence chef in the competition. This year there were three from across Rhode Island competing. Chef Matt Gennuso of Chez Pascal competed in the Shank category with his Braised Lamb Shank Ragout With Bread, Lamb and Kale Meatballs, Golden Raisins and Curried Cloumage Cheese; Chef Champe Speidel of Persimmon competed in the Belly & Breast category with his Slow Roasted Breast of Lamb with Medjool Dates, Pine Nuts, Cauliflower and Petite Anise Hyssop; and Chef Beau Vestal of New Rivers competed in the Shoulder category with his Crispy Lamb Shoulder Rillettes with Greek Yogurt, Aromatic Herbs and Curry.

Congratulations to Chef Scelfo and all the winners.

Smoked and Braised Lamb Belly on a Steamed Bun With Pickled Radishes and Herb Salad

Smoked and Braised Lamb Belly on a Steamed Bun With Pickled Radishes and Herb Salad

Lamb Jam VIP hour included lamb charcuterie from Chef Evan Mallett of Black Trumpet Bistro

Lamb Jam VIP hour included lamb charcuterie from Chef Evan Mallett of Black Trumpet Bistro

The Chez Pascal team plating Braised Lamb Shank Ragout With Bread, Lamb and Kale Meatballs, Golden Raisins and Curried Cloumage Cheese

The Chez Pascal team plating Braised Lamb Shank Ragout With Bread, Lamb and Kale Meatballs, Golden Raisins and Curried Cloumage Cheese

The New Rivers crew plating Crispy Lamb Shoulder Rillettes with Greek Yogurt, Aromatic Herbs and Curry

The New Rivers crew plating Crispy Lamb Shoulder Rillettes with Greek Yogurt, Aromatic Herbs and Curry

New Rivers' Crispy Lamb Shoulder Rillettes with Greek Yogurt, Aromatic Herbs and Curry

New Rivers’ Crispy Lamb Shoulder Rillettes with Greek Yogurt, Aromatic Herbs and Curry

Oleana's Moroccan BBQ Lamb Roll With Pickled Cabbage, Goat Cheese and Fried Sweet Potato

Oleana’s Moroccan BBQ Lamb Roll With Pickled Cabbage, Goat Cheese and Fried Sweet Potato

Shepherd Lisa Webster of North Star Sheep Farms with butchers Nuno Alves and Chris Douglas of Tavolo

Shepherd Lisa Webster of North Star Sheep Farms with butchers Nuno Alves and Chris Douglas of Tavolo

Chez Pascal co-owner Kristin Gennuso with Lamb Jam host Billy Costa

Chez Pascal co-owner Kristin Gennuso with Lamb Jam host Billy Costa

Chef Champe Speidel plating Slow Roasted Breast of Lamb with Medjool Dates, Pine Nuts, Cauliflower and Petite Anise Hyssop

Chef Champe Speidel plating Slow Roasted Breast of Lamb with Medjool Dates, Pine Nuts, Cauliflower and Petite Anise Hyssop

The four chef winners, from left to right: Cassie Piuma of Oleana, Michael Scelfo of Russell House Tavern, Brian Reynelt of Citizen and Brian Rae of Rialto

The four chef winners, from left to right: Cassie Piuma of Oleana, Michael Scelfo of Russell House Tavern, Brian Reynelt of Citizen and Brian Rae of Rialto

February 17, 2013 0 comment
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chefs & restaurantsnews

Three Rhode Island Chefs Compete in 2013 Boston American Lamb Jam on Sunday, February 17

by David Dadekian February 12, 2013
written by David Dadekian

from the 2012 Lamb Jam: The Red Lion Inn's Executive Chef Brian Alberg accepts his Best in Show trophy from host Billy Costa with Oleana's Cassie Piuma and Farmstead's Matt Jennings looking on

from the 2012 Lamb Jam: The Red Lion Inn’s Executive Chef Brian Alberg accepts his Best in Show trophy from host Billy Costa with Oleana’s Cassie Piuma and Farmstead’s Matt Jennings looking on

This Sunday, February 17, all Rhode Island lamb lovers should head to Boston to root for—and more importantly eat the lamb dishes—of Rhode Island chefs Beau Vestal of New Rivers, Champe Speidel of Persimmon and Matt Gennuso of Chez Pascal at the Boston American Lamb Jam. Last year Chef Matt Jennings of Farmstead competed for Rhode Island and brought home the award for Best Loin dish for Jennings’ Korean Lamb Reuben: Red Miso Cured Lamb Loin, Sauerruben, Gochujang 1000 Island and Smoked Emmentaler on a Semolina & Lamb Fat Roll, served with lamb fat fried potato chips.

Below is the news release for this year’s event along with links to purchase tickets. You can find details here on the 2011 Boston Lamb Jam or the 2012 Boston Lamb Jam.

 

BOSTON GEARS UP FOR 2013 AMERICAN LAMB JAM
The American Lamb Board brings together New England chefs and shepherds for feast, fun and Lamb Lovers’ Month

Get ready, lamb lovers. February is Lamb Lovers’ Month, and in celebration, with the help of BostonChefs.com, the American Lamb Board is bringing together top local chefs plus top chefs from Providence, RI and Portland, ME for the 2013 Boston American Lamb Jam.

On Sunday, February 17, from 3–6 pm at The Charles Hotel (1 Bennett Street, Cambridge), lamb-loving chefs will create ewe-nique dishes showcasing a variety of different lamb cuts as they compete for the ultimate title of Boston Lamb Jam Master and a chance to take on other regional winners at the national Lamb Jam Finale in New York City next fall. Chefs who woo the crowds and win the hearts of attending media judges will take home awards for Best in Show and People’s Choice. Attendees will also enjoy a number of local beers, wine and butchery demonstrations. Shepherds Lisa Webster and John Previant will be on-hand to talk about raising lamb. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Lovin’ Spoonfuls, a food rescue organization that serves Boston neighborhoods.

“We’re looking forward to the fourth year of bringing together top Boston chefs and producers,” said Megan Wortman, Executive Director of the American Lamb Board. “We’re excited to expand this event into New England this year and showcase lamb’s versatility with the help of our local partners and Boston’s talented culinary community.”

This year’s event will also feature a pre-party VIP hour, where ticket-holders will enjoy lamb charcuterie from Portsmouth’s Black Trumpet and Somerville’s Bergamot, sheep’s milk cheeses from Formaggio, and cocktails featuring Jefferson’s Bourbon by local renowned bartender Jackson Cannon, Bar Director of the Eastern Standard and Island Creek Oyster Bar and Co-Owner and Bar Director of The Hawthorne.

Participating Boston-area chefs and restaurants include: Franco Carubia, Sel de la Terre; Brian Rae, Rialto; Jim Solomon, The Fireplace; Brian Alberg, Red Lion Inn; Robert Sisca, Bistro du Midi; Peter Davis, Henrietta’s Table; Brian Reyelt, Citizen; Michael Scelfo, Russell House Tavern; Cassie Piuma, Oleana; Nuno Alves and Chris Douglass; Tavolo; Rich Garcia, 606 Congress; Justin Melnick, The Terrace.

Participating Portland chefs and restaurants include: Peter Sueltenfuss, Grace; Nikos Regas, Emilitsa; Mitch Gerow, East Ender.

Participating Providence chefs and restaurants include: Beau Vestal, New Rivers; Champe Speidel, Persimmon; Matt Gennuso, Chez Pascal.

Participating sponsors include: Blue Hills Brewery, Mayflower Brewing Company, Harpoon Brewery, Mercury Brewing Company, Berkshire Brewing Company, Cape Ann Brewing, Rapscallion Brewing, High & Mighty, Black Trumpet, Bergamot, Formaggio and Jefferson’s Bourbon.

Lamb Jam tickets are $60 each, and include all food and beverages. A limited number of VIP tickets are also available for $75. To purchase tickets, visit www.FansofLambBoston.com.

Fresh American Lamb is available year round at local Boston markets and grocery stores.

For more information about the American Lamb Board, please visit www.AmericanLamb.com, become a fan on Facebook or follow @FANofLAMB on Twitter.

February 12, 2013 0 comment
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