In Preparation for a Weekend Away

For some, a weekend away would mean eating three meals out. For me and my friend Kathe, it’s the opposite: It’s an opportunity to cook and eat together. In anticipation of our upcoming getaway to the mountains of Southern Vermont, Kathe and I got together earlier in the week to bake homemade breakfast foods and dessert.

Using three pints of farm fresh blueberries, we concocted B&B worthy blueberry muffins and scrumptious blueberry crumb bread. With a dozen yellow peaches, we whipped up a sweet golden peach pie. And with four very ripe bananas, we created a banana walnut loaf. We tucked these creations away in Kathe’s freezer, so all she had to do was remember to get them out so they could defrost on the ride up.

The first morning in Vermont, our kids devoured a basket of deliciously plump blueberry muffins within minutes. The Banana Walnut Bread and Blueberry Crumb Loaf were the next to go, slices steadily (and stealthily) snatched through the weekend. The peach pie, topped with vanilla ice cream was an intensely flavorful ending to our meal.

Thanks to our advance work in the kitchen, I had the early hours to jog up the mountain, savor breathtaking views, and enjoy a lazy tube ride down the river. I also had time to meander through the Farmer’s market, tasting artisan cheeses and gathering up fresh local ingredients for the evening meal that we would soon create together.

Despite the traffic on the thruway and clamor of irritable kids coming from the back seat, I’m already planning how to use my pure wild honey, smoked maple syrup and sheep’s milk cheese.