Kitchen Road Trip: Vermont

Soft, fluffy, buttermilk pancakes. Farm-fresh butter. Blueberry compote. Warm, sugary maple syrup. A side of maple-bacon and a steaming cup of joe. That’s what I think of when I think of Vermont. My dad and I stayed in this adorable bed & breakfast in historic Woodstock where we ate all of the above. It was amazing enough to try to replicate it sometime, but I’m afraid it wouldn’t be the same — the maple syrup tasted so fresh and perfect. It’ll have to live on in my memories forever.

This Vermont gift guide has a lot of reminders of that trip for me. Fresh Vermont cheese, grade A maple syrup and handmade items for your kitchen. When I was in Vermont, I couldn’t help but think it would be the ideal place to spend a winter writing a novel by the fire. Doesn’t that sound amazing? Any of these items would make such a stay even better. And if you need a boozy, Vermont-inspired libation to go along with your writing retreat, this Maple Bourbon Milkshake is definitely the ticket. // susannah

The Kitchen Road Trip series is a virtual ‘trip’ to a different state. Posted weekly on Mondays, each post is a gift guide to items from a different state, in alphabetical order, and features food & drinks, books, home goods and travel items.

1. The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook ($19.95) // 2. Vermont Creamery Goat Cheese* ($5.50) // 3. Blocked Art Print by Katharine Winston* ($22) // 4. Vermont Farmhouse Grade A Maple Syrup* ($18) // 5. Peanut Butter Boy’s Super Smooth Peanut Butter* ($10) // 6. Green Village Works Co. Moroccan Red Clay Soap* ($6.50 for one) // 7. The Arcadian Lunch Tote : Chocolate Brown Waxed Canvas Lunch Box* ($58) // 8. Bee’s Bread Wrap* ($18) // 9. Vermont Farm Table Sap Bucket* ($28) // 10. Castleton Artisan Cheese Crackers* ($16)

*Made or designed in Vermont

(Photo of Quechee Gorge // Susannah Brinkley)