Dishes worth a drive
Why wait for vacation? Every weekend you can plan something really wondrous to soothe your wanderlust. Each of the following destinations will offer enough enchantment to fascinate you for a couple of hours or more. So get in the car and start driving.
Slice expert Hillary Davis is the author of "Cuisine Niçoise: Sun-kissed Cooking from the French Riviera" and "French Comfort Food."
Pictured: Pair a beer with the towering classic deluxe burger at New England’s Taphouse Grille in Hooksett. Photo by Susan Laughlin.
| Reason and Where | Description | Tip |
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The Best-ever Gelato |
Morano Gelato makes some of the best gelato I have had outside of Italy. Morgan Morano spent years learning her craft from a Sicilian gelato chef and it shows. Flavors change and are made fresh daily. Favorites have included their amazing dark chocolate, blood orange, pistachio, sweet cream, salted caramel and banana. Find it in Hanover, then tour the village. |
If you’re in the Chestnut Hill area, stop in at their new location. |
| Great Food and Great Beer New England’s Taphouse Grille 1292 Hooksett Rd. Hooksett (603) 782-5137 taphousenh.com |
A must-visit destination for beer lovers who will rejoice in choosing from 48 really cold, clean beers on draught. Pair one with their towering classic deluxe burger or better yet, sign up for a beer dinner, where the chefs play creatively with their food and pairing combinations. |
Super long bar has huge-screen TVs. Try their poutine; it’s the best around. |
| A Farm Where He Makes Wood-fired Artisanal Bread Orchard Hill Breadworks 121 Old Settlers Rd. East Alstead (603) 835-7845 orchardhillbreadworks.com |
Noah Elbers bakes his breads on his family farm. You can visit the rustic retail store and bakery and make a connection to the person who bakes the bread you are buying. It’s not something we can do very often. His bread is featured at Burdick’s Restaurant and is sold at stores throughout southern New Hampshire. Breads are beautifully caramelized on the outside, and inside have a lovely crumb. 100 percent organic. | Plan to visit on one of Noah’s Pizza Nights in the summer to enjoy wood-fired pizza outside at picnic tables. Proceeds go to charity, plus it is very special. |
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The View
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Here’s the plan. Arrive an hour before sunset. Pull up a chair by the window in the Rosebrook Bar. Order a drink or tea and savor the sunset drenching the most exquisite view. In autumn the surrounding mountains are carpeted in orange. In winter they are snow-capped, but turn reddish for a bit of alpenglow. In summer, they are absolutely glorious. |
Stay longer. It’s a historic grand old hotel worth getting to know. |
| French Bistro Food The Restaurant at Burdick’s 47 Main St Walpole (603) 756-9058 burdickchocolate.com |
You don’t need a passport to savor French-inspired cuisine. Just head over to The Restaurant at Burdick’s. Imagine: steak frites, mussels in white wine, Gruyère omelette, sautéed trout with almond brown butter, Lyonnaise salad and onion soup gratinée, among others. The food is definitely worth the drive! | Visit their lovely chocolate shop, check out the case of European pastries, then walk next door to the Walpole Grocery, which carries meats and local produce. You won’t go home empty-handed. |
