Category: Travel

Massachusetts

I confess… I don’t remember many details regarding American History from having gone through school. I bypassed 4th and 5th grade when I moved to the US. In middle school, I was learning English and didn’t find US history interesting or understand much of it. Come high school, I had other things on my mind besides The Pilgrims and The Revolutionary War! I learned more US history while homeschooling my girls and took more interest in it. I think it’s because I’m an adult now, and the older I get, I feel like I find more interest in things I never cared about before. We have learned so much by visiting Massachusetts. The history of the US started here, and you can see it everywhere you go.

Home where Nathaniel Hawthorne lived while visiting his cousin, and wrote House of the Seven Gables. He is also the author of The Scarlet Letter (You remember reading it in high school, right?)

Being in the old historical buildings, statutes, and homes that are hundreds of years old, stepping inside them gives one the feeling of stepping back in time and into the life of that person, be it a writer, a solider, or even a “witch.”

I have to say my favorite tour that we did was the Plymouth Plantation. I would highly recommend this to anyone planning on visiting MA. Plymouth Plantation is basically a living museum. It’s incredible in that people are dressed as they were in the 1600’s when the Mayflower landed in Plymouth, MA. They “live” in this village that is a replica of what a village would have looked back then. You can go inside their homes where they are doing their daily chores, taking care of their animals, gardening, sewing, carving wood, etc… You can ask them questions regarding their journey on the Mayflower from England, their way of life here, their daily activities, and anything you can imagine reading in a history book regarding these pilgrims.

A pilgrim was showing us how he uses his carbine.

One of the men was watering his garden. He was so full of information. He told us it took them two months voyage of the Mayflower, another six months of living on the vessel before they could come on land and build their homes because of the winter months.

A typical house and garden in the village where people grow their food

Woman sewing cloth dolls for her children

Visiting Massachusetts was the perfect trip this summer, since my daughters just finished 5th and 8th grade where they were studying US history. I feel we were able to see all the things they learned about and it was an amazing experience.

Tags american history, education, Massachusetts, Nathaniel Hawthorne, plymouth plantation, summer vacation, witch trials

Tips Travel

Ben and Jerry’s

Of course you gotta do the Ben and Jerry’s tour while in Vermont. Many people are familiar with the creamy and delicious ice cream with fun names like “Chunky Monkey” and “Phish Food”, but many might not know the history of Ben and Jerry’s. This fun tour last about 30 mins and at the end you get to sample ice cream or buy it by the pint, or cone in many of their delicious flavors.

You can visit the graveyard of ice cream flavors of the past….

And grab some ice cream to enjoy there of take home with you…

Nice tour to do on a hot day, or any day for that matter. Ice cream knows no season!

Tags ben and jerry's, fun tours, ice cream, summer fun, vermont

Recipes Tips Travel

Cheesemaking in Vermont(with fresh mozzarella recipe included)

Post author By WhollyCupcake
Post date July 14, 2018
2 Comments on Cheesemaking in Vermont(with fresh mozzarella recipe included)

Bread and Butter Farms located in Shelburne, VT, offers a mozzarella cheesemaking class ( recipe to follow)through Vermont Farm Tours which the family and I partook in. Chris Howell from Vermont Farm Tours was kind enough to let me post the fresh mozzarella recipe for my readers, so now you can try and make this easy and delicious cheese with only a few basic ingredients and tools you already have at home. The only ingredient you might not have lying around is rennet, which is needed to help with the curdling process. You can find it on Amazon, Cheesemaking.com, or health food stores. My girls said this was their favorite activity while we were in Vermont. Our instructor, Phoebe, was so knowledgable about the process and the farm, and answered all the questions we threw at her. We were lucky enough to be the only ones attending the class that day, so it felt like a private lesson for the four of us. The class itself is about two hours long, and while the cheese rests we were able to tour the farm and learn a few things about it.

Taking pieces of mozzarella and shaping it into small balls. The longer you shape/handle it, more of the whey drains off and leaves a firmer cheese. If you like a softer cheese, handle it more lightly when you shape it.

The mozzarella balls sitting in the brine on the left. We sampled it with garden fresh tomatoes and basil we picked that day from the farm’s garden.

Freshly made mozzarella, so delicious! The mozzarella get lighter and softer the longer it sits in the brine, so it will have a different texture/flavor the next day compared to when it’s freshly made

This was such a fun and informative class, I can’t wait to recreate that mozzarella at home!

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MOZZARELLA CHEESE

This mozzarella recipe makes a fresh cheese, meaning it has not been cultured–worked on by bacteria.

Prep Time40

Cook Time20

resting20

Total Time1

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Servings: servings

Author: Vermont Farm Tours

Ingredients

1 Gallon Milk yields 12-16oz cheese
1 tsp Citric Acid Crystals found at grocery stores
12 drops Rennet
Ice Cubes
6qt Stock Pot Thermometer, Rubber Gloves, Kinfe, Slo ed Spoon or Spatula
sea salt about a handful

Instructions

Mix salt into a bowl(3-4 qt) of ice water to make brine (used to cool finished cheese), set aside
Pour milk into 6qt or larger stock pot
Dissolve citric acid crystals in 1⁄2 cup cool water; add acid solution on to the cold milk, stir thoroughly
Gradually heat the milk to 90F; stir occasionally to heat evenly
Dissolve ~12 drops rennet in 1⁄2 cup cool water
Take the milk off the heat and thoroughly stir in rennet solution
Let milk sit undisturbed for 20 minutes or until the curd sets and breaks cleanly
Use a long knife to cut the curds into 1 inch by 1 inch squares
Place stockpot with the curds back onto stove and very gently stir the curds as you heat to 130-140F. The curds will become stretchy and stick together when they are ready(it will look like slightly melted cheese)
Using a slotted spoon, remove a fist-sized ball of curd from the whey. Using gloves to avoid burning your hands, stretch and work the curd for 5-10 seconds. The more you work the curd, the more dense/rubbery the final product
Submerse the mozzarella in the brine to cool for 10-15 minutes. Mozzarella will last for up to a week in the fridge if stored in the brine

Notes

Warm milk is made slightly acidic, enabling rennet (an enzyme) to knit together milk proteins (casein), causing most solids (curd) to separate from the liquid (whey).

We use raw—unpasteurized/unhomogenized—milk in the workshop, but store bought milk may also work if it has not been ash or ultra pastuerized (heated to 161F for 15 seconds or 275F for 1-2seconds). Look for “vat pasteurized” milk—meaning the milk was heated to 145F for 30min. This low temperature pasteuriza on retains more avor and, important for cheesemaking, also retains the protein structure necessary for the curd to properly set.

Enjoy! Share photos on Facebook/VermontFarmTours

Tags cheesemaking, fresh mozzarella, making cheese, summer vacation, vermont

Tips Travel

Shelburne Farms, Vermont

Also known as “The Green State”, Vermont is just that, very green. My husband and I came to Burlington, VT about eight years ago and I can say it’s changed since. Driving around I’ve noticed many chain restaurants/stores that were not here before. Maybe that’s good for jobs and the economy, but I feel it kinda takes away from the charm of the town. There are many farms around that have activities during summer/winter months. A very popular one is Shelburne Farms located in Shelburne,VT.

They are a working/educational farm that offers daily tours of the farm and Inn (where you can stay during the May-October months.). They have animals, vegetable garden, a bakery on site, and cheesemaking building where you can watch them make the Shelburne Farms cheddar, taste all the varieties they make, and purchase them at the farm’s store. They offer summer camps, and many activities for the little ones.

Their vegetable garden.

O Bread Bakery at Shelburne Farms. IT SMELLS DIVINE INSIDE!!! The Chile cheese ciabatta is to die for.

The Inn at Shelburne Farms is a functioning Inn that has been restored. It features unique rooms, great history about the town, farm, and Inn itself, and tea time complete with tea sandwiches and baked goods.

Shelburne Farms is a great place to come to and explore. They have so many things going on everyone will surely enjoy it!

Tags farms, Shelburne farms, summer vacation, Travel, vermont

Tips Travel

Marche Public (Montreal&Quebec)

Post author By WhollyCupcake
Post date July 8, 2018
2 Comments on Marche Public (Montreal&Quebec)

I love the public markets in Canada. These types of markets are popular in most countries, and provide consumers with farm fresh fruits, vegetables, fresh baked goods, bread, meats, and other foods. In Canada you can see the farms that produce these goods when you are driving towards that cities, so you know all the food is super fresh and very local. When you enter the market, you’re hit with the scent of fresh herbs, and seasonal fruits and veggies, most of them picked that same morning. The farmers bring their produce to these stands where people come and shop for their groceries. I wish these markets were available in the States!

Those little strawberries are the sweetest I’ve had in a long time. Everything is so beautifully displayed it makes one crave all this fresh and delicious produce.

Tags fresh produce, montreal, public markets, quebec, summer fruit, Travel

Tips Travel

Montreal

Les chuchoteuses (English: "The Gossipers").

Parle vu français? I don’t either, but I still find Montreal very charming. A multi cultural island, here you can find Italian, Jewish, French, English, and Chinese neighborhoods just to name a few. There are so many things to see and do, unfortunately we were there for two days only, and took a walking tour in order to learn more history about Montreal. The weather was pretty warm (in the 90’s) so it wasn’t the best weather for a 3 hour walking , but nevertheless we were able to see many neat places like the Notre-Dame Basilica (last time we were here 8 or 9 yrs ago it was closed for a wedding), City Hall, and some of the charming cobble streets in the Old Montreal.

They remind me so much of Europe, the cobble streets dotted with restaurants, cafes, and creperies.

The food here is delicious as well. We had foundue and crepes at Chez Suzette ,and we walked 2 miles in 90+ degrees to try this Portugese restaurant called Ma Poule Mouille and it was so worth it(even though it might not look so appetizing in the pictures, we were so hungry I almost forgot to take a picture.) They specialize in grilled chicken over smoked wood, delicious poutine(fries topped with cheese curds and gravy), and salads. The chicken is roasted to perfection them cut and topped with a sauce that is made from the chicken drippings and wine. The lines to order are out the door but move pretty quickly.

(Chicken and Chorizo Poutine)Ma Poule Mouille

I found the little balconies with their bistro sets so charming I had to photograh this one.

Statue of Amphititre wife of Posidon (underground Montreal)

There is an underground city in Montreal which has shops, offices and restaurants. Above is one of the art pieces in front of a beautiful marble fountain. A piece of the Berlin Wall resides here as well.

I just love this bronze statue called Les chuchoteuses (English: “The Gossipers”). It was placed in this part of Montreal to beautify this specific neighborhood.

We even made a little friend who liked to sit by the water and dip it’s paws in it.

Tags Canada, montreal, notre-dame basilica, on the road, restaurants montreal, summer, summer vacation, Travel, vacation

Travel

Maine

Endless lobster joints and costal shoreline, Maine is the “Vacation State.” This is our first stop among the 5 US states (and couple cities in Canada) we will be visiting for the summer. In Maine I fell in love with the beautiful cottages dotted along the rocky shorelines, the lighthouses, and all it’s history.

We tried whole lobster at two different restaurants and I have to say that for me in the end lobster is lobster if it’s boiled. I can’t imagine any place would have different tasting lobster than another, especially in the summer when tourism is at it’s peak. Sweet and briny, the lobsters range in size anywhere from 1.25-4Lbs! (We tried the 4 pounder and the 2 pounder and I would recommend the latter. The big one was chewier and super hard to crack!) Not recommended if you don’t have a man to crack your lobster, unless you’re very strong 😉

While driving around we spotted this quaint little town where the girls got “the best ice cream I’ve ever eaten” from a place called Stone Fox Farm Creamery. I have to say it was possibly the best, super creamy, you could literally taste the fresh creamy milk and blueberries. Blueberry ice cream is real big here because of the amount of blueberries that grow here in the summer. We won’t be here to pick them since they are ready end of July-Aug.

You can pick blueberries in many spots around Maine, especially around Acadia National Park. Acadia National Park is a 47,000-acre Atlantic coast recreation area primarily on Maine’s Mount Desert Island. Its landscape is marked by woodland, rocky beaches and glacier-scoured granite peaks such as Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the United States’ East Coast. Among the wildlife are moose, bear, whales and seabirds. The bayside town of Bar Harbor, with restaurants and shops, is a popular gateway. It has something for everyone, beaches, hiking trails, gardens, many gift shops and a few restaurants. We took a 4 hour trip with Olis Trolly. The trolley takes you around the park on either a 2 or 4 hour tour. I recommend the 4 hour since you get to see more of the best parts of the park then you can decide with ones to further visit on your own if you so choose to.

There are many lighthouses in Maine along it’s coastline. Each one is unique in the way it looks, but all of them have the same purpose,to serve as a navigational aid and to warn boats of dangerous areas. It is like a traffic sign on the sea. Up until the 1980’s, lighthouses were operated by lighthouse keepers who lived in houses next to the lighthouse towers with their families. While visiting these lighthouses it reminded me of a book I read called The Light Between Oceans by M.L Stedman. The novel is about a lighthouse keeper’s life during WWI.

The lighthouse we had time to visit were Portland Headlight on Cape Elizabeth and West Quoddy Head Lighthouse. Each unique in it’s own way, from the way they look to their history. Equally beautiful though.

Tags Bar harbor, Lighthouses, lobster, Lubec, Maine, on the road, Portland Headlight, restaurants maine, summer vacation, Travel, West Quoddy

Travel

Selkirk Loop-Sandpoint,Idaho

Post author By WhollyCupcake
Post date July 16, 2017
No Comments on Selkirk Loop-Sandpoint,Idaho

We have completed the Selkirk Loop and what a site it was. Wild flowers in all colors sprinkling the hills and valleys. Waterfalls galore. Does delicately eating the fresh grass as their fawn stand close by. Hawks and eagles grazing the tall pine tops ready to dive for a meal scurrying on the ground.

Sandpoint is a town in Northern Idaho sitting on the banks of Lake Pend d’Oreille. With an abundance of water sports, beaches, nature trails, a ski resort, and let me not forget my favorite…antique shops, there is something for everyone here.

We love going into town and having lunch at this little place called The Pie Hut. You have to get there early in order to grab a pot pie because they run out fast. If you miss out, try their sandwiches and pies, they are equally delicious. I recommend the chocolate peanut butter pie. Not too sweet and not to peanuty, just right and very silky. You can enter the antique store next door right from the restaurant. We always end up finding some kind of treasure there.

Such a beautiful, unspoiled place, Sandpoint should be on everyone’s “must see” list.

Tags Idaho, nature, places to visit, road trip, scenic drives, scenic towns, Selkirk Loop, thing to do, Travel, wildlife

Travel

Selkirk Loop-Nelson BC

One of the last cities we stayed in while driving the Selkirk Loop, was the town of Nelson. It is a hippie, cute town that kinda reminds me of Berkeley in that way. The people are friendly and very outdoorsy. We spent one of the days at Lakeside Park. It’s a park that basically has everything you would want for a great summer day. There is grass and beautiful flowers, plenty of benches, an outdoor bar that serves snacks, cold drinks and even delicious ice cream. There is a beautiful beach next to the lake (Kootenay) where you can rent paddle boards, canoes or kayaks for $7/ person for 3 hours!

I think that’s pretty incredible. We had so much fun kayaking and paddle boarding. My husband lost his second pair of sunglasses on this trip while trying out the paddle board.

The downtown area is full of boutique shops and restaurants. We stopped for crepes at this adorable place called Sanderella’s boutique and Starbird Tea house. Inside is a charming boutique selling jewelry, candles and soaps, but towards the back of the store they make crepes, paninis and drinks.

We didn’t have all the time we wanted to explore this little town, but the three days we spent here were wonderful. Hopefully we can come back one day and explore some more.

Tags adventure, boutiques, British Columbia, Canada, museums, Nelson, outdoor, road trip, summer vacation, summertime, Travel

Travel

Ghost Town of Sandon

Considered one of the last ” true ghost towns” Sandon B.C was booming in the late 1800’s. It had stores, brothels and even a school. A fire almost destroyed the whole town, but it was rebuilt over a period a few years. Sandon was a mining town, silver mining to be exact. It has an interesting story about two men from different places partnering up the find the mother load of silver and strike it rich. One of them betrays the other (sounds like most stories in history) and strikes it rich while the other moves on.

What’s left of the town can still be seen in the leftover shantys and few buildings. The miner’s old housing was turned into a museum. It has great information and artifacts about the town and its history.

Walking through Sandon a few trolley buses from the 1940’s can be seen on what used to be the Main Street. The buses are awaiting refurbishing and possible placement back into circulation in Vancouver.

It’s believed there are possibly 10,000 silver coins along the bottom of Carpenter Creek which runs along the ghost town. Anyone interested in a swim?