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The Publyk House: Fine Neighborhood Fare and a Superb Salad Bar

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A very American sign!

I experienced my first visit to The Publyk House back in the simpler times of the spring of 2018. My husband and I were visiting Bennington at the time, staying at the lovely Harwood Hill Motel while trying to find an apartment to rent for our upcoming move that summer. We decided to try this restaurant due the proximity to the motel, and we were both quite glad we did.

There is a cozy and inviting atmosphere at the Publyk House. The entrance is carpeted, the bathrooms are clean and spacious, and candles are present on each of the tables. In the winter, they set up the fireplace, which I appreciated greatly when we ate here to celebrate my January birthday in 2019. Outdoor seating with pleasant mountain views is available when the weather allows. It is one of the larger restaurants in Bennington, but it is also popular, so reservations are recommended, especially on weekends and Fridays. The prices for entrees range between $20.00 and $35.00, making it one of the more expensive options in the area. The Publyk House is open 7 days a week during dinner hours, 5:00 – 8:00 PM Monday through Saturday and 4:00 – 8:00 PM on Sunday.

Most entrees at The Publyk House come with access to their salad bar, and we have been continually impressed by the offerings of their salad bar since the first visit. In addition to the usual salad ingredients (lettuce, tomato, etc.), they also offer hard boiled eggs, roasted red peppers, several kinds of pasta salad, and an assortment of crunchy toppings including slivered almonds. At the time, the only downside to the offerings here was the potential to easily fill up ahead of one’s meal. I believe the restaurant did discontinue the salad bar for a time during the pandemic, though it was open the last two times we visited, during this past summer of 2021. My husband and I have different salad bar strategies here: he usually piles what appears to be every topping on top of his lettuce base, while I like to split my salad bar plate into halves, one with a simple salad of lettuce, tomato, peppers, and dressing and the other with whatever pasta salads they are offering. Both strategies can be delicious, but both can also lead to a meal that’s potentially way too filling.

  • Salad bar fun!
  • Lobster mac and cheese.
  • A very enticing dessert menu.

Another special feature of the Publyk House is a honey wheat bread loaf served with whipped maple butter, offered as a complimentary starter for all meals. It’s a crumbly bread that can make quite a mess (or at least it can when I eat it…), but it’s also quite tasty and freshly baked; the butter is a great mix of creamy, savory, and sweet.

The dining room menu has a wide variety of appetizers and entrees to choose from, as does the tavern menu. There are also daily specials in all categories, which is always a plus, and special menus available during holidays like Thanksgiving. I’m not super into steaks or meats, but I sure do love carbs and seafood, so some of my favorite dishes at the Publyk House have been the buttermilk calamari appetizer, the lobster mac and cheese (pictured above), and the stone kitchen pasta. The last two times I’ve visited the Publyk House, I have been pregnant (I am 8 months pregnant while writing this), so I was not able to try any of the amazing looking drinks on their cocktail lists, but I definitely made a note of some to try in the future; the caramel apple mule and the key lime pie martini sound particularly interesting to me.

Awesome way to end a meal: brownies, fudge, and ice cream.

Though I could not partake in all of the beverages during pregnancy, there was certainly nothing stopping me from having desserts (in fact, cravings were encouraging this to happen a whole lot more than usual). There was a special s’mores brownie dessert that totally made my meal recently, and over the summer I was delighted to split a Reese’s peanut butter pie slice with family members who were visiting; it tasted just like a peanut butter cup in pie form. I also have a distinct memory of enjoying a special, homemade cinnamon ice cream during that time went here for my winter birthday in 2019. The establishment has certainly left a positive impression on this dessert-appreciator.

The Publyk House is a lovely restaurant that provides tasty food and a pleasant atmosphere. Though it is on the expensive side, the inclusion of the salad bar and the excellent bread and butter makes everything feel like more of a value. The only issue is the crowds, though of course that is an issue most restaurants would like to have! I would recommend this restaurant to any individual or family; just make sure you either go at a quiet time or have a reservation.

Freshly Vermont rating: five out of five stars. ★★★★★

2021 Viral Update

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The last time I shared about how the coronavirus has been affecting life here in my Vermont town, it was March of 2020, when COVID-19 had only just started to up-end the world as we all knew it. Since then, there’s been a lot of challenges and a lot of changes, though many changes are pointing in a positive direction. This is what’s been going on over the past year or so of the pandemic, from my experience here in the Green Mountain State.

Professional Life

Some highlights of in-person teaching during the pandemic: outdoor lunches and constant hand sanitizing!

My professional life as an educator has definitely been the aspect of my life that has been most dramatically altered by the pandemic, and it has been altered and re-altered multiple times throughout, as guidelines have changed and cases have popped up in school.

For the end of the 19-20 school year, from March to June, I, along with countless other teachers across the country and the world, was tasked with learning to teach remotely in an unthinkably short amount of time, especially considering I’ve never done anything close to this as a teacher of early elementary grades. I did my best, though, and came out at the end of the year knowing Google Classroom and Zoom fairly well after working out how they worked best with young students over the final few months of school. Of course, having everything remote had its disadvantages, including the fact that there were several kids in my class who simply didn’t participate, whether due to not having enough support at home with parents as essential workers or just not being developmentally ready to learn in this very different manner. There were benefits, too, though, including a chance for the kids to learn all of this new technology along with me (it definitely helped prepare them for the next wild ride of a school year) as well as really basic but amazing privileges like being able to use the bathroom whenever I needed it (such a rare luxury in the teaching profession).

That was certainly an experience, but approaching its end, I can confidently 20-21 school year has required more adaptation on the parts of educators, students, and parents than any I’ve witnessed as a teacher or even during my own years as a student. It would take several posts to fully detail all of the changes that took place, but in a nutshell, in my district/school, we started with remote learning (this now involved me learning a whole other digital learning platform, as Google Classroom was not the one chosen for the younger grades), shifted to a model where most kids were remote with a few exceptions, went to an A/B hybrid model, and finally ended up on a 4 day in-person/1 day remote model with some kids doing the full remote option. While all of that was going on, we’d also have full remote weeks here and there after vacation weeks like December break, as well as at least one due to positive cases. My brain has been admittedly overloaded with all of this, especially having to plan in-person and remote activities for the majority of the year. Helping kids learn to manage all of the virus-related expectations, such as wearing masks correctly and social distancing, has been another new aspect to the job. Despite the challenges, I have been extremely impressed by how understanding and flexible the parents of the kids in my class have been, and the by the level of resiliency shown by the kids themselves. That being said, I am very much hoping that next school year will be more consistent and less taxing for students and staff alike.

Personal Life

This is a bit related to my professional life, as I was able to get it slightly earlier (though not as early as I wanted!) as an educator, but a big thing that happened for me (and hopefully many of you) recently is that I received my covid vaccine toward the end of March 2021. I got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, along with many others at a vaccine clinic specifically for educators.

Though it was very uplifting to see so many school staff members out and I don’t regret getting it, I did have fairly severe side effects that resulted in several doctor’s visits and missing an entire week of work.

Thank goodness for nature.

Vaccine aside, things in my personal life have not been too eventful at all. I started getting more comfortable with things outside of the home in the summer of 2020, enjoying some outdoor dining and getting a haircut for the first time post-pandemic. When in-person school started, I was more cautious in my personal life out of concern for my students and their families. However, after the vaccine I am feeling a lot more open to different experiences; my husband and I have gone back to the occasional outdoor dining and I’ve even been back to the dentist by now! Of course, the pandemic has done nothing to stop me from spending a lot of time in the great outdoors running, hiking, and, naturally, walking my sweet dog. Fiddle has not been bothered one bit by pandemic life over the past year or so.

Fiddle’s point of view: quarantine = more time to snuggle!

It has been a long time since my husband and I have seen our friends and family in-person, especially considering we live far away from them in any case (Zoom has been helpful with this!). We have several potential visits planned and/or in planning stages for this summer, though, which will involve seeing many people we haven’t seen in a year or longer. This is very exciting!

State and Neighborhood Life

Throughout the pandemic, I’ve been keeping up with the Vermont Dashboard on a daily basis, and the experience has been incredibly informative and occasionally anxiety-producing. However, it’s been great to look at over the past few weeks and see numbers of new cases as low as 10 and 11, after months and months of new case numbers in the hundreds (this might seem minimal but keep in mind that Vermont is the second-last-populated state in the U.S.).

Things seem to be going well in town, too. Though my husband will forever lament the loss of our nearby Burger King, lots of local businesses have either continued to thrive throughout the pandemic or are coming back up as things loosen up. There are even places that have opened during these wild times, such as Farm Road Brewing right in the downtown area, a place I’m certainly interested in checking out in the future.

This past year has been an intense time, but my hope is that it’s helped many of us grow stronger, as individuals and as communities. Here’s hoping that things will only improve more from here.

Fantastic Feasting: The Dutchman’s Tavern

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Back in the summer of 2020, things were difficult but they did seem a little brighter than they did here in the winter of 2021, at least for me personally. Even with the pandemic raging across the country, there was no problem with finding a lovely trail to explore outdoors and the constant fresh air did wonders for the spirit. The summer was greatly appreciated for me as an educator, being preceded by a sudden change to remote learning and being followed by complete uncertainty. Knowing I might not feel this would be a safe activity after returning to work in person, I took advantage of the opportunity to support local businesses and enjoy some culinary indulgences through outdoor dining. The Dutchman’s Tavern offered a great experience in this area.

My husband and I first visited this establishment in June, after I had just completed a bigger roller coaster of a school year than I would have ever imagined. I was a bit nervous, as this was my first time going anywhere populated since COVID-19 had closed Vermont’s school buildings in mid-March. However, my worries were put at ease when it was clear how many careful precautions were taken by the staff. All staff members were wearing masks and clear directions were posted for customers to do the same, when not eating at their individual tables. Before even looking at a menu, we were asked to sign a paper with our names and numbers so that contact tracing could take place if needed. Seeing the precautions being taken seriously made it easy enough to relax and enjoy a great meal.

  • Cheese on cheese = my kind of appetizer!
  • A fish sandwich with a side of coleslaw.
  • A refreshing beverage on a summer evening.

On this perfectly sunny and warm June evening, I enjoyed the selection you see above: mozzarella sticks, a fish sandwich, and one of the lighter ales on the drink menu. Everything tasted just as delicious as I would have hoped and it was so enjoyable to simply sit outside and chat with my husband after spending such an enormous amount of time inside our home over the previous months. He ordered the Gouda Burger and let me have a bite; I was quite impressed with how savory it was and, when he finished, he declared it the best burger he’s eaten in Vermont (an honor that still stands). We left feeling pleasantly full, tranquil, and ready to return in the future.

We ended up enjoying the outdoor dining experience one more time, closing my summer with another visit in late August, before I would return to a most unique school year. Since this was a bit of a “last hurrah” before getting back to business, I was in the mood to indulge. So when I saw the option to add cheese and truffle oil to tater tots as an appetizer, I was in no place to resist. I ordered that just for myself, which ended up being a mistake. While it was one of the tastiest “starters” I’ve ever had the pleasure to try, the fat from the oil and cheese filled me up extremely quickly so I could only handle so much while also saving room for a burger. My husband was very pleased with this development, as he agreed wholeheartedly on the tastiness factor. He ended up eating most of them. I tried the Cajun Burger, based on the excellent taste of the burger during our previous dining endeavor, and I was not disappointed – it had just the right amount of heat. Even though my stomach was bursting at the seams following this particular experience, there are no regrets; everything was memorably delectable.

  • A spicy Cajun burger.
  • Tater tots with truffle oil and cheese = an experience like no other.
  • Tater tots with truffle oil and cheese, Part 2 – takeout edition.

Once school began again, I elected to be as careful as possible out of concern for my coworkers, my students, and their families, as I’d rather be too careful in this regard than not careful enough. So, in 2020, I did not partake in any outdoor dining from September on. That being said, I have been fairly comfortable with supporting local businesses through takeout/curbside pick-up and decided to try the Dutchman’s Tavern’s menu this way, for my January birthday.

A “Forbidden Sour”. Shh, don’t tell!

This time I knew what I was getting into with the cheesy truffle tots so I ordered some for my husband and myself to share, taking the added precaution of eating very little during the earlier parts of the day to prepare for the richness of this dish. With preparations in place, we were both able to enjoy the truffly, cheesy goodness without going overboard. I also ordered a Gouda burger for myself, with fond memories of the one bite I had taken back in June in mind. Again, this turned out really well. The roasted red peppers were an excellent accompaniment to the smoked gouda and bacon, and the medium rare burger was cooked to perfection. Since it was for my birthday, we also ordered drinks to go. The Dutchman’s Tavern posts specials every day on Facebook and the post on this day advertised the “Forbidden Sour”, a cocktail with pomegranate liqueur, grenadine, and cherries. I was most interested and was even moreso when my husband arrived home from picking up our order with gigantic mason jars filled to the brim with this “forbidden” cocktail. All in all, it was a great meal that definitely helped me feel better about getting older during the winter of the pandemic.

I would recommend a visit to the Dutchman’s Tavern to anyone. They do currently offer indoor dining for those who are comfortable with that option, and the takeout, in my experience, involved food just as tasty as you’d get “in-house”. The service is great, with staff members following safety precautions and a positive attitude all around. The prices are super reasonable and the daily specials keep coming. If you follow the Dutchman’s Tavern on Facebook, be prepared to feel super hungry and thirsty every day as they share dinner specials for every day of the week in addition to the occasional (and irresistible) drink special.

This is an excellent pub/restaurant and I’m thankful it’s part of my town.

Freshly Vermont rating: five out of five stars. ★★★★★

Pleasant Places to Play: Arlington Recreation Park, Greenberg Headwaters Park, and Willow Park

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One of the main reasons my husband I decided to move to Vermont from the “big city” was to be able to spend more time outdoors enjoying nature. This is an opportunity that we have absolutely taken full advantage of since our move, and I’m incredibly grateful that exploring new hiking trails is something we have been able to continue to do despite the trials of the coronavirus pandemic. Trails are great adventures indeed, but sometimes you want a more leisurely outdoor experience. This is where parks come in. There are three very noteworthy parks, each one we’ve visited quite often, that I’d like to highlight here: the Arlington Rec park, of course located in Arlington, Vermont, as well as the Greenberg Headwaters Park and Willow Park, both located in our town of Bennington, Vermont.

Arlington Recreation Park

The main reason my husband and I first decided to visit the Arlington Recreation Park, back in the much more care-free summer of 2019, was the fact that part of the park is a dog park. At this point in his puppyhood (he was about 8 months old then), our loveable corgi Fiddle had not had too many chances to socialize with other dogs, so we thought trying out a dog park would be a good idea. Of course, when we arrived the dog park was completely empty, not one other canine to be found. We still managed to have a good time letting Fiddle run freely around the dog park in a way he does not usually get to, considering our current lack of a yard. There is a lot of space for a pup to play here and Fiddle clearly enjoyed it, even if he was playing with usual humans instead of making new dog friends.

Arlington Rec Park boasts a spacious and, usually, very empty dog park.

Aside from the decently-sized dog park, there is a lot to admire about this charming town park. When you first enter, there is a modest pond with a relatively shallow area roped off for kids to enjoy a swim or playing in the water. (Fiddle enjoyed taking a splash in this pond after his dog park adventures.) Surrounding the pond is various playground equipment and structures for children to enjoy, as well as signs and structures encouraging guests to try out a “fitness challenge” while visiting the park. The landscaping is notable, especially in the spring and summer with a wide variety of brightly-colored flowers blooming. There are a few swinging benches throughout the big field that constitutes the entrance to the park, and those are always a fun time.

  • One of several swinging benches at the park.
  • A pond for swimming and playground fun.
  • The Battenkill River on a sunny summer day.

Further into the park, there is an absolutely lovely nature trail that is located along the path of the Battenkill River. Though the trail is not long, it is well maintained and offers several chances to take in a beautiful view of the river. If you go far enough on the trail, you will reach an area that is restricted due to being a “research farm” for “industrial hemp” but thankfully signs are posted clearly to avoid any confusion.

By now, I’ve visited the park four times, twice before the pandemic and twice in its midst. In the time of the coronavirus, this Arlington Rec Park offers a peaceful reprieve from the stress and anxiety of our current times. A visit here is a great way to bring some outdoor beauty and leisurely fun to anyone’s day.

Freshly Vermont rating: five out of five stars. ★★★★★

Greenberg Headwaters Park

The Greenberg Headwaters Park is not a park in the same sense as Arlington Rec or Willow Park; it’s a series of trails located in the town of Bennington, apparently only recently available to the public.

A Headwaters Park trail on a bright autumn afternoon.

This park is very special to me, as it includes a variety of hiking trails that I can very easily walk to from my home, something that is still revolutionary in my mind as a former New York City resident. In addition, the trails are all quite easy and flat so it works well for trail running, as well.

There are a few entrances to this park in town, with one being the Beech Street field. This entrance is a great place to start your exploration, especially if you have a dog, as it includes a portable toilet as well as dog waste bags and a bin to place your yucky, used bags.

Within the trail system, there is a decent variety of scenery, including views of wetlands, a bridge over the Walloomsac River, and meadows that become startlingly green in in the spring and summer. In some areas the trails are marked clearly, but in other areas they are most decidedly not. This is fine for people who live nearby, like myself, and can get to know the woods, but it’s more easy than it should be for a more occasional visitor to get lost.

  • A wetlands view.
  • A snowy path.
  • The super green-ness of summer.

In general, this park is a gorgeous place with easy and pleasant trails. I enjoy visiting at least once a season, as the scenery here certainly expresses the seasons well. It’s also one of the few trail systems I will still visit in the winter as the ease of its trails works well for the ice and snow. However, I do wish it was more clearly marked within.

Freshly Vermont rating: four out of five stars. ★★★★☆

Willow Park

As an elementary school teacher, I first heard about Willow Park from the kids in my class; it is absolutely all the rage with the under 10 crowd. From my perspective as an adult (and a dog owner), I am a bigger fan of the Arlingon Rec Park (the landscaping, the river!), but this is unquestionably a great place for kids and families to play, and a splendid park in general.

There’s a lot to check out at Willow Park; thankfully there’s also a helpful map!

The playgrounds in Willow Park are very unique and charming, with lots of emphasis on wooden structures. There are a lot of walking paths throughout the open fields, as well as a disc golf course – something I have seen people taking advantage of pretty much every time I have visited the park. There also specific fields for playing specific sports, including a soccer field and a softball field. Several picnic areas, with many tables, as well as places to possibly grill some food in the warmer months, are an important attraction of the park.

There is also a small nature trail that packs in a lot of lovely arboreal scenery and even some moderately hill-y terrain in its short distance. This nature trail has earned a soft spot in my heart, this being the first place my husband and I took our corgi puppy on a “trail” back in the snowy February of 2019.

  • Fiddle’s first adventure!
  • A peaceful place for a picnic, with a great view.
  • The nature trail is short but pretty, especially in the fall.

During the start of the pandemic, Willow Park closed all of its playgrounds, tennis courts, and anything similar, while leaving its trails and walking paths open. I took a walk here in March (a very socially distant walk, as no one else was present at all) and the desolation of it all was heartbreaking, considering how lively it had been during my last visit, which had been in October of 2019. Though the virus numbers have only gotten worse, everything here now appears to be open again, for families to use at their discretion.

Sign of the times: an empty playground in the spring of 2020.

I have been back to Willow Park since the pandemic began, mainly to walk along the nature trail or to finish up a long run on the paths. The last time I visited, this past October, it was pretty crowded for the situation, with a lot of families and children likely trying to soak up as much as outdoor experiences as they could before the dark winter of the pandemic would begin.

I am hopeful that the next time I visit will be in better times, and that children and families will be able to enjoy themselves here without worry. I also hope that Fiddle can have fun here, too – though he does enjoy a leashed walk through the trail, I think he’d be quite happy to hear that a dog park may be on the way as a new addition.

Freshly Vermont rating: four out of five stars. ★★★★☆

Satisfying Sandwiches: The Elm Street Market and Your Belly’s Deli

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Back where I used to live, in Brooklyn NY, sandwiches and delis abounded. In my neighborhood of Bay Ridge, you only needed to walk a few blocks to find a place where you could pick up a hearty sandwich, usually overloaded with meats and/or condiments to the point where about 10 napkins per food item were a necessity. Here in Bennington, Vermont, there are definitely far fewer establishments of this nature, but the two sandwiches places the neighborhood offers do both happen to be affordable and delicious. These places are the Elm Street Market, located on (you guessed it) Elm Street, and Your Belly’s Deli, located on Pleasant Street in the downtown Bennington area.

The Elm Street Market

The first time I visited the Elm Street Market, it was completely spontaneous. It was late in the September of 2018, rather soon after my husband and I had moved to Vermont from New York City. We were taking a walk around the neighborhood to explore when we passed by its charming building, where a sign outside was advertising a deal on cups of cheesy soup. I could not resist the appeal of this soup on a brisk autumn day, so in we went. I ended up ordering a Mount Antonio sandwich – their vegetarian mozzarella sandwich – as cheesy soup would, of course, be best paired with more cheese. We ate at a small table in the market, though now that we’ve lived here a few years, we have been appreciating this establishment more for the great takeout it provides.

  • Elm Street Market signage.
  • The building.
  • Cheesy soup.

I’ve enjoyed trying many more of the Elm Street Market’s sandwiches – I have never been disappointed (every time I’ve eaten lunch from here, I’ve been satisfied), but I have definitely found some sandwiches more remarkable than others. My two favorites are the “Maplelicious”, the perfect blend of turkey, ham, cheddar, and healthy additions like thinly sliced apples and spinach, and the “Wild Bill”, the market’s buffalo chicken sandwich. In both cases, the sauces really bring the sandwich to a standout level – the “Maplelicious” features Elm Street Market’s house-made maple sriracha mayo and the “Wild Bill” features a house made jalapeno sauce. I wish I had these condiments at home, as they are both top notch stuff. I also have a strong appreciation of the “Southshire Shrimp” sandwich, due to its uniqueness (it comes on a pretzel roll!) and the fact that it is literally overflowing with shrimp.

I have been fortunate to work near Elm Street Market, and the few days where I had the time, energy, and money to pick up one of their sandwiches in the middle of a school day were sweet. Speaking of money, the prices at Elm Street are reasonable. The price of sandwiches ranges from $6.95 to $10.49, depending on the ingredients used (vegetarian sandwiches are on the cheaper side). There are good selections of cold and hot options. If you want to beef up your lunch a bit you can make your sandwich order into a “lunchbox” for $14.50. If you choose this option, the sandwich will come with a cookie, chips, a pickle spear and a water bottle or can of soda. You can visit and/or order from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM on weekdays, and from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Saturdays. The Elm Street Market is closed on Sundays.

  • The “Wild Bill”
  • The “Maplelicious”
  • The “Southshire Shrimp”

Another really cool aspect of Elm Street is its daily special. Every single day, there is a unique sandwich available, often with a season twist (for example, a “sandwich of the day” in the spring might involve strawberries) . You can see what the “sandwich of the day” is by following Elm Street Market on Facebook or signing up for an email list. However, you should only do this if you want to be tempted to buy sandwiches on a daily basis – they always sound ridiculously tasty.

  • Outdoor seating available.
  • Safety precautions are serious business here.

Finally, I must mention that the Elm Street Market has been a great model of safety during the coronavirus pandemic. They enforce capacity limits (last time we went it was 2 customers at a time), are strict about mask wearing, and bring your order to your car to encouraging distancing as much as possible. There is also an area now set up to enjoy your food with outdoor seating, if and when the weather allows. This is a business that I feel confident takes health and safety seriously. I appreciate this attitude and with that and the general delectability of all of the sandwiches, I consider myself a very big fan.

Freshly Vermont rating: five out of five stars. ★★★★★

Your Belly’s Deli

Your Belly’s Deli is another establishment my husband and I visited very soon after moving to Vermont, and continue to visit on a regular basis. In comparison to the Elm Street Market, this is more of a sit-down deli restaurant and there seems to be more of an emphasis on the hot sandwiches here.

While the sandwiches here are delicious, if you are going for a sit-down experience, I would recommend making sure you have a lot of room in your stomach – these sandwiches are very filling, and when you are eating on the premises, they come with chips.

The “Belly Up!” sandwich with chips.

Just as with the Elm Street Market, I have enjoyed trying different sandwiches with each visit. Here, since the sandwiches are so hefty and it’s hard to make a choice with so many tasty options, my husband and I will often do a half and half deal, where we order two sandwiches and we each have half.

My favorite sandwiches at Your Belly’s Deli (so far – there’s still plenty I’d like to try!) are the “Belly Up!” sandwich, which involves an excellent, savory combination of roast beef, roasted red peppers, cheddar, and horseradish aoili, as well as the “Turkey Rachel”, which is a turkey sandwich on marble rye that comes with coleslaw and Russian dressing on on it. I’m also a big fan of the “Green Mountain Cheese-State”, a grilled roast beef sandwich that is completely covered in melted jack cheese.

  • A charming menu.
  • Half and half, takeout: “Knuckle Sandwich” and the “Green Mountain Cheese State”.
  • The “Turkey Rachel”.

Aside from sandwiches, you can also purchase snacks such as chips and cookies and even Vermont-made beer and wine. The food is a bit pricier than the Elm Street Market, but all items are similarly priced – here, every sandwich is between $9.00 and $9.50. Your Belly’s Deli is open from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM Monday through Thursday, as well as on Saturdays. Its hours extend until 7:00 PM on Fridays and it is closed on Sundays.

During the pandemic, we have only ordered from here through takeout, though Your Belly’s Deli is open for indoor dining as of my writing this blog post in October 2020. Not having gone in during this time, I don’t feel I know enough about the establishment’s safety guidelines to form an opinion or comment on them.

In general, Your Belly’s Deli offers substantial and enticing meals. I would recommend a visit or, in times when one may want to be more careful, a takeout order.

Freshly Vermont rating: five out of five stars. ★★★★★

The Standard Viral Update: Small Town Edition

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Like everyone else in the world right now, the main thing on my mind is COVID-19 and all of the changes going on related to it, as well as concerns over the future of our country and the world at large. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have moved out of New York City (where 60% of cases in the U.S. can be found right now at the moment of writing this) with my husband when I did, in the summer of 2018. In addition, my brother moved out of the city years before I did, and my parents moved out this past summer of 2019 (they now live in Colorado and South Carolina, respectively). However, several of my friends and many former colleagues still live there and my thoughts are with them whenever I consider the dangers of this destructive pandemic.

The morning of our trip out of NYC, back in July 2018.

Here in small town Vermont, the dangers may not be as extreme as within a big city, but our government has responded with serious measures to contain the spread and flatten the curve and our town and workplaces are taking it seriously. This is what my life looks like right now, which may seem very familiar to you:

Professional Life

I am an elementary school teacher. My last day working with students before the height of this crisis started was on March 16. I had two kids in my class that day. Those two kids had a blast, receiving tons of attention and earning lots of play breaks, even if they also were instructed to wash and/or wipe their hands 20+ times in the day (there were so many times I’d see a hand go into a mouth 5 seconds after the child in question had just washed…). On March 17 just the teachers went in to create learning packets to help the students practice their academics over a period of weeks. The idea of social distancing while all sharing one copier was a bit of a challenge, but we made it work the best we could that day. After that, everything has been from home. I am using a classroom app, sharing videos of myself and sweet corgi Fiddle, calling and emailing families, meeting with my colleagues virtually, and completing report cards from my home office space. I am extremely grateful to be able to continue working without a serious loss of income at this time. I realize that many, many people are not so fortunate right now, including members of my students’ families. There are several kids in my class who are constantly on my mind during this period of school closing – ones who have told me that they are bored at home over the weekends and wish they had school every day, ones who are in foster care and were already dealing with the trauma of missing their parents, ones who struggle with learning despite their best efforts. It’s a strange and tough situation to be sure but I absolutely agree with the decision for schools to be closed right now (see: anecdote above, about frequency of hands in mouths in a K-2 classroom) and I am thankful that the safety of my students, their families, and my fellow educators has been seriously considered.

Personal Life

My husband already worked from home so nothing has changed for him, aside from me being around more, which he appreciates, at least for now. For my dog Fiddle, this pandemic means both his parents are home and with him all day, and he is overjoyed. Though when we go out for walks and he sees someone else, especially when he sees a child, I can tell he’s upset that he’s no longer allowed to walk up to them and roll around cutely in expectation of endless belly rubs.

Fiddle loves being with humans all day but he misses meeting new people.

I am only going out for exercise and dog-walking. I had planned on running my first marathon in July 2020 and I started training for this in the first week of March. I am quite aware that it may not happen but I’m continuing to follow the training plan anyway. I used to switch between outdoor runs and runs on the treadmill but of course our local gym is now closed and it’s currently outdoor runs only – I do my best to run six feet or more off to the side if I see anyone else in my path. If I start to feel sick in any way, I will completely stop outdoor exercise aside from walking my dog.

My husband is in charge of all of the shopping for grocery and pharmacy needs. He is wearing gloves on his trips, being as careful as he can, and washing his hands upon return, but I’m still concerned each and every time. We have a couple of rolls of toilet paper left and haven’t been able to find any more. We have one large bottle of hand sanitizer that I had bought before the coronavirus had even appeared in our state (teacher life means frequently restocking one’s hand sanitizer collection). We have plenty of food but it’s been difficult for me to follow the diet I was trying to previously to lose a few pounds. I’m trying to focus on the positive aspects of the situation, though: I am fortunate to live with a husband who cares about me very much, to have pets to keep me entertained and add a little more in-person (in-animal?) social interaction in daily life, and to have all my basic needs met.

I am thinking of my friends and family members all over the country at the same time: friends who have just given birth, friends who are pregnant, friends and family members who have or will have to delay wedding plans, family members who are older and who have health conditions…there are many people I know who have had to make big sacrifices for safety in this time and while this is necessary, it also stinks.

Neighborhood Life

Our local river walkway.

Aside from my own friends and family, my town is on my mind a lot. Within the past year, our town has suffered major losses in the closing of a local college and a factory, both of which employed many people in the neighborhood. I saw the effects firsthand as a teacher as many families moved out of state after the loss of jobs. Considering the economic difficulties many already faced around here, I am highly concerned about what will happen to many local businesses.

I am thinking of the places I’ve reviewed on this blog, such as Madison’s Brewing Company, Fuji, and The Marina. I am thinking of the diner and the kennel, each owned by parents of my students. I am thinking of all of the local shops on our main street. I can only hope that our lawmakers are thinking of them too.

Delectable Delights Right on Main Street: Madison Brewing Company

Restaurants One Comment
Creamy and savory cheddar ale soup, available in bowls or cups at Madison Brewing Co.

Madison Brewing Company is one of the first places my husband and I ever visited in Bennington, Vermont, which is now our hometown. It was during a rainy, cold April afternoon that we first stepped foot into this popular establishment, looking for a satisfying lunch on a busy weekend filled with travel. Seeing the words “cheddar” and “ale” next to each other was all that was needed to convince me to try the cheddar ale soup and my husband knew a brilliant decision when he heard one. This soup is deliriously satisfying, especially on a chilly day, but this restaurant and brewery has even more to offer.

After this first experience at Madison (where the soup was followed by a large plate of messy wings and the delightfully cheesy Parmesan truffle fries, served with a roasted garlic aioli that I wouldn’t mind adding to all meals, forever), my husband and I have returned many times. Whenever we have a visitor, whether it’s a family member or a friend, we make sure to introduce them to the tastiness of this local establishment.

Since it is called Madison Brewing Company, it’s no surprise that a craft beer menu is provided upon each visit. I really enjoy the way the beer menu changes with the seasons, so that one can revel in pumpkin-flavored glory during the autumn or appreciate the crispness of a German lager as winter ends and spring begins. In addition to the seasonal changes, there are also the mainstay standards that are a taste for all times – my husband has demonstrated a fairly steady relationship with the Sucker Pond Blond Ale while I usually like to check out what’s new, especially if there are any kind of berry-related flavors involved.

  • Seasonal pumpkin ale, complete with cinnamon rim!
  • A scallop special.
  • Dos tacos. fish-style.

In addition to changes in the menu of brews, Madison provides a list of specials for every evening, a few appetizers and a few entrees each night. On their list of specials, I recall being very impressed by a squid ink pasta dish and the lightly breaded, white-wine soaked scallops I enjoyed just a few weeks before the time of writing this blog post. The standard menu is full of variety enough to please any kind of crowd – there are salads, soups, burgers, sandwiches, pub food entrees, meat dishes, and so on – plus the side selection is top notch. The portions are generally very large, which is great in terms of value (considering the absolutely reasonable prices here), but not always great in terms of the tightness of pants across one belly. I remember coming here to celebrate completing the first full week of school one September and my husband and I got it all that Friday: appetizers, beers, truffle fries, and, of course, our main meals. It was all delicious but we could barely walk out of the restaurant with how completely full we were. So the only thing I can say about the desserts here is that I’ve been too full to even think of them during each of my visits. I have a sneaking suspicion that these are delicious and beyond filling, as well, though.

  • A nightly list of specials.
  • A springtime lager.
  • J.Law on the wall.

The food is wonderful (if abundant) and the brews are fun, but what about the ambiance? It’s definitely got an interesting look. Across the walls are portraits of various famous people drawn by a skilled hand, but it’s not clear what these portraits really have to with anything. At our last visit, we sat next to portraits of Jennifer Lawrence and Adele. Why these ladies, I don’t know, but I suppose it does give guests some opportunity for discussion. The theme of the restrooms is much clearer, with each gendered room labeled “mALE” and “femALE”. The connection to the brewery can’t get much clearer than that. In addition to the paintings and the restroom play on words, the dining room also features brewery tanks and equipment in plain view, and a full bar (complete with bartenders) near the entrance. This all definitely works well in terms of celebrating the drinks made here, and keeping the guests’ minds on such things.

The service at this establishment is excellent. Despite the fact that it is often crowded at peak times (Friday and Saturday evenings) and one might need to wait a bit for a seat, the servers are absolutely on it once you’re in. We’ve never needed to wait long for any of our courses and everyone who works here has been friendly and accommodating of any request (my husband and I often need extra napkins because we’re not the neatest eaters, and when our friends with a baby visited with us, a chair and general adoration were provided for him with minimal fuss).

Despite the handful of times I’ve left Madison Brewing Company uncomfortably full, I love it for its variety and sense of indulgence, and I am very glad to see how successful it continues to be in the midst of small town where many businesses are having difficulties. We will definitely be back, and soon.

Freshly Vermont rating of Madison Brewing Company: five out of five stars. ★★★★★

Fuji: Fine Small Town Fusion

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The extravagantly delicious Bennington Roll at Fuji

Back in New York City, all kinds of dining experiences were available everywhere. It was a given that even within my relatively smaller neighborhood of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, that one could find a delicious Asian food-related establishment on any block on 3rd or 5th avenue; you could get Hibachi, Chinese, Thai, Japanese, and so on, by walking less than a mile from wherever you might reside.

Things are very different, food-wise, in small town Vermont. While there are many great restaurants here in Bennington (as well as in relatively nearby towns such as Manchester and Brattleboro) , Asian establishments are few and far between. Luckily, one of these rarities happens to be Fuji Hibachi & Asian Bistro, a restaurant with a most excellent ratio of taste to pricing and a great variety of delicious options.

I had only heard of this place’s existence because of my coworkers – many of them have taken advantage of the amazing lunch special during a professional learning day and I still need to try this myself – you can get a combination of 2 or 3 rolls, sushi, sashimi, a bento box, or some kind of Thai noodle, with many of these options available for under $10. After hearing only good things, of course my husband and I had to try it for ourselves.

  • Ginger dressing of the gods!
  • An okay Pad Thai.
  • Mochi madness.

During my first visit to Fuji this past August, I went all out: I ordered a plum wine (if there’s wine with the name of a fruit preceding it on a menu, I’m pretty much sold every time), a salad with the most perfectly flavored ginger dressing, pad thai, and a vanilla mochi. Both my husband and myself were highly impressed by the ginger dressing – nothing ginger-related has ever compared for him. As for the pad thai, I was less than impressed. I ordered the shrimp type and while there was a sizable amount of actual shrimps in the dish, the flavor was weirdly sweet. It tasted like there was a thin veneer of sugar over everything and the noodles were a bit gummy. I had a few bites of my husband’s extravagant sushi platter and knew I had made a mistake; his meal was fantastic. I did get over my jealousy when the main courses were done and I indulged myself with vanilla mochi. The plating was beautiful, with ribbons of chocolate sauce embellishing the preciously sweet creation on the plate. It was an A+ dessert, would definitely consume again! Overall, I was pleased with the experience but made it a point that I’d avoid the Thai foods and focus on sushi the next time.

Good news – there has been a next time! My husband and I returned in early November – we were out and about and he needed to eat something quickly due to a health condition when, what luck, we happened to be right near Fuji. This time I kept it simpler. I forgot about my goal to avoid the Thai foods and ordered the chicken satay as a starter – fortunately, this was great, with a really rich peanut sauce. Then I finally got my sushi, in roll form. My mouth is still watering thinking about the Bennington Roll, one of the Chef’s Special Rolls, which contains salmon, eel, crab, avocado, cream cheese, spicy mayo, and caviar on top. The amount of savory items all crammed into one little circle of rice doesn’t sound like it should work so well, but it absolutely does. Every bite is an adventure.

Though I’ve only been two times, I’ve been generally impressed with the food at Fuji. The service is decent and there’s an efficiency with how the food is prepared and delivered. It’s generally not crowded and there’s a great variety of food to choose from. You can enjoy a wine or beer with your meal and if you have more than a half hour to grab your lunch on a general weekday (as I surely wish I did) , you can get a great deal. As long as you avoid the pad thai, you’re golden.

Freshly Vermont rating: four out of five stars. ★★★★☆

White Rocks: Beautiful Boulders

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Summer view at the White Rocks lookout.

Since moving to Vermont, I’ve had the pleasure of hiking on a frequent basis, both within my town of Bennington and beyond. The “White Rocks” trail is one of the trails I’ve spent the most time on, and I’ve had the chance to experience it in several seasons. Each time was a positive experience.

“White Rocks” is a section of the Bald Mountain Trail, located in Bennington, VT. Basically, you stop at the beautiful lookout (pictured above) and head back from there, rather than going for the summit. I’ve completed this section once, with my husband, though we’ve also gone for shorter bursts on this trail with our corgi puppy, Fiddle, as it is perfectly dog-friendly. Sometimes when I’m out for a run I stop at the beginning of this trail just to take in the sight of it.

Fiddle gives this trail 5 stars!

The trail begins with going up some steps, passing a kiosk, and then heading over some small hills that may be covered with wildflowers, depending on the season. One of the neatest parts of the trail takes place before the first mile is even up, as one passes through the “free expression tunnel” underneath the nearby highway, with various graffiti of interest on the walls – not your usual hiking trail scenery, for sure! It’s strange to hear cars whizzing by during this portion of the trail, but it’s also neat in its own way.

  • Wildflowers in summer.
  • The “free expression” tunnel.
  • A simple path.

After the tunnel, the “White Rocks” trail turns more into your typical hiking trail, though it is a pleasant one. It’s all uphill, but it’s a moderate uphill at worst in this section. Much of the trail is heavily wooded, with a few small clearings throughout. There are a few streams to cross, but it’s nothing challenging (and I say this as someone who is not a fan of rock hopping) and, of course, these are appreciated by Fiddle, who needs to cool off after working his short little corgi legs to the max.

You can just step across, thank goodness.

Just before reaching the lookout, one will find out exactly what this “White Rocks” nickname is all about, as white rocks very literally cover the ground. From here, there’s a few steeper climbs as the paths become rockier, but it’s all worth it for that magnificent view of Bennington and its surrounding mountains at the end of this section. I have fond memories of eating sandwiches with my husband while taking in this view – nothing helps a peanut butter and jelly sandwich feel more exciting like awe-inspiring natural beauty! It’s all downhill from there, unless one were to go on and complete the full Bald Mountain Trail.

  • A rocky, yet lovely, path.
  • As advertised, some white rocks!

Overall, “White Rocks” is a good workout, with a decent variety of terrain and fantastic views. It takes a few hours to reach the lookout but it’s possible to complete the hike in a morning or an afternoon.

Freshly Vermont rating: five out of five stars. ★★★★★