Vermont Travel Notes

We're always very happy to share our recipes here at the Grunberg Haus. In fact, some of our recipes were handed down by the previous owners 11 years ago when we bought the inn, others we brought with us, and still others we've come across while searching for new ideas to offer our guests. So we don't jealously guard our recipes and instead freely pass them along for others to enjoy.


One person we shared a recipe with has written about it on her blog called A Mom Named Mindy. The recipe is very easy so give it a whirl and perhaps you will fall in love
with applesauce pancakes as much as Mindy has!

Two quick notes: the lemon juice may not seem important but the acidity is what gives the pancakes their "body" and helps them brown properly. Another trick we use here is full flavored Grade A Dark Amber Vermont maple syrup.

Thanks Mindy! We hope to see you again some day.

Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

The Vermont Department of Tourism is giving away $100 in a weekly drawing that you can enter online. It only takes a minute to answer about 12 survey questions and you're entered to win a $100 gas card. Nowhere else will pay you anything let alone a hundred dollars a minute!

[But wait, there's more! We'll even throw in beautiful scenery like the one above!]

Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Vermont Restaurant Week starts today, April 29, and runs through May 5, 2011

Vermont's annual restaurant week is a great way to eat at some of the state's best restaurants at a deep discount. The event, organized by Seven Days newspaper, includes dozens of restaurants with prix-fixe menus showcasing their chefs’ greatest dishes. Each meal(appetizer, entree´ and dessert) is priced at $15, $25 or $35 per person. Moreover, ten percent of the proceeds from event will be donated to the Vermont Foodbank.

This is a very popular event featuring very popular restaurants, so reservations are a good idea.

To find participating restaurants, go to the Seven Days Restaurant Week web page and find the red box with the "Choose a Restaurant" headline on the right side of the web page. I did not count all the restaurants but it looks like more than 75 are participating and they range in location from Middlebury to St. Albans. You can find the list here.

The event has a Facebook
page too if you would like to check news during the week.

Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Eric Warnstedt

Everyone has heard of the Oscar Awards for the movies but far fewer have heard of the James Beard Foundation Award, an equally prestigious award for people in the restaurant industry.

Like the Oscar's, The James Beard Foundation Award has numerous categories even though the most publicized are the awards for chefs. However, there are also awards for food journalists, broadcast media, food and beverage professionals, even restaurant architects and designers.

Three Vermont chefs are semi-finalists in the Best Chef Northeast category. This is the third year in a row that Eric Warnstedt, Hen of the Wood restaurant, Waterbury VT has been nominated. A few years ago, Eric was also named one of the Top Ten New Chefs in the USA by Food and Wine Magazine.

Jason Gulisano of The Green Cup Cafe, Waitsfield VT and Nathaniel Wade, iDuino! (Duende) restaurant, Burlington VT have also been nominated. Only one of the
21 semifinalists will be named the winner at the awards ceremony May 9 in New York City.

Vermont is fortunate to be home to hundreds of great restaurants. Spend some time looking through the Seven Days newspaper's restaurant website and you will begin to get a feel for the scope of what's available.

Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Okemo's "Timber Ripper" coaster is a few weeks late in opening because it was so complicated to build but it's completed now and scheduled to open tomorrow, Dec 23.

The fastest $13 you'll ever spend! . . .



Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

The next time you are at Sugarbush, see if you can tell which trails are groomed by these two guys.



Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus