Beacon Pantry: Cutest Little Grocery Store

UPDATE [7/8/15]: Beacon Pantry has moved! To 382 Main Street and now has outdoor seating and more seating inside.
 
Food is getting so GOOD on Main Street Beacon! Pretty soon we will have no excuses for not knowing what to make for dinner.  

Beacon's newest foodie destination is the Beacon Pantry, located just past the middle part of Main Street at 382 Main Street, Beacon Pantry sells artisanal and farmstead cheeses, charcuterie and fine foods, with an emphasis on domestic, small-scale products. Tasting of the cheese is encouraged in the shop. Do start including Beacon Pantry on your Second Saturday walks for specialty tastings! Beacon Pantry also plans on offering cheese classes.

Beacon Pantry's cute, cream shelves adorn dark wood floors and are stocked with the finest pastas and sauces. Their freezer is a full meal, dessert included, with vegi burgers from Little Green Food's Handcrafted Burger line. You'll also find in the freezer what seems to be some of the best ice creme on the planet, Brooklyn-based Phin & Phebes. The first flavor these ice creme creators made was based on Ritz crackers, chocolate, peanut butter and a few other crave-worthy ingredients. A must-have in your freezer? Yes. 

Can we discuss this little but mighty sign? Carrot cake, lemon cake, and chocolate truffle tart. Something tells me that this small sign will change at whim. The dessert rack is on top of the fine cheeses and meats. Italian sausages, blue cheese, and many other choices tempt you as you go to pay for your goodies.

Immediately you get a supportive vibe while in Beacon Pantry, and the proof is on the shelves. More Good syrups are available here in at least four flavors including the ginger ale and root beer, which is extra awesome because More Good has opened up their new store down a few blocks.

Bakeries in Beacon, NY: So Many Yummy Bakery Choices!

Main Street in our small town of Beacon, NY is quickly becoming one of the best destinations for bakery-hopping. The actual street of Main Street is quite long, and in fact, used to connect two towns. Our small town is big enough to house a bakery for everyone's craving. There used to be one bakery in town. Now, they need to be organized by category! Take your pick!

BAKERIES
ELLA'S BELLAS
Specialty: Gluten Free Bakery Treats
Treats You Wouldn't Expect: Woopie Pie
Treats You'll Love: Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies, Specialty Cakes, Brownies, Apple Pie, Soups, Tas Cafe Coffee


ALL YOU KNEAD ARTISAN BAKERS
Specialty: Bread
Treats You Wouldn't Expect: Samosas, Chicken Pot Pies
Treats You'll Love: Chocolate Croissants, Blueberry and Different Flavored Muffins, White and Oat Bread, More Bread



GET FROSTED
Specialty: Cupcakes
Treats You'll Love: Butter Frosting, Coffee Garnishes, Pink Sprinkles, Cupcake Art



CAFE BAKERY TREATS
HOMESPUN
Specialty: Lunches and Deep Dish French Toast
Treats You Wouldn't Expect: Chocolate Mouse
Treats You'll Love: Any Flavor Quiche, Middle Eastern Plate (hummus, baba ghanoush, feta), Carrot Cake, Tiramisu, Teas, Coffee, Orangina, Cheeses, Little Toasts, Eating Outside on the Back Patio


BEACON BREAD COMPANY
Specialty: Bread + Eat-In Cafe
Treats You Wouldn't Expect: a honey bread something that I need to double check the name of.
Treats You'll Love: Grilled Cheese + Soup, Beer Bread



GROCERY STORE BAKERIES
BEACON PANTRY
Specialty: European Grocery Items, Cheeses
Treats You Wouldn't Expect: The whole store is filled with different treats. Every day could be different!
Treats You'll Love: More Good Sryup, Phin + Phebe Ice Creme, Dry Pasta, Frozen Vegi Burgers, Tarts


BEACON BAGEL
Specialty: Bagels
Treats You Wouldn't Expect: he's always inventing a special sandwich...
Treats You'll Love: Lattes, Order the "Double Egg + Cheese Bagel Sandwhich"

Warm Lunch at Home Idea: Pockets from All You Knead Bread, Artisan Bakers

Stopping in to All You Knead Bakery, the bread store in the middle of Main Street, to get my breakfast bread and bagels, I saw a larger variety of the warm pockets that you can take home and warm up in your oven for an easy and nutritious lunch! I melt provolone or mozzarella cheese on mine and warm a side of tomato sauce and pretend its a calzone.

And OMG, the proprietress gave me one of her vegetable Samosas that just came out of the oven, and OMG, it is so good! Fresh peas, ginger, other things, and a great dough wrapped around. Thank you All You Knead Bakery! I've been really missing my Samosas that used to be in walking distance when I lived in Manhattan, and now I can walk to you!

Egg and Spinach on a Brioche Bun Breakfast Sandwich at Beacon Bread Company

On Saturday morning, I met with the girls who run Hudson Valley Compass, the new website that helps you find things to do in the Hudson Valley. Beyond meeting two great people, I was really looking forward to trying a breakfast sandwich at Beacon Bread Company. I'm very particular about my breakfast sandwich, and on the weekend, I can pull out all stops for a large meal to carry me through to a great Saturday night dinner.

I ordered the egg sandwich on a Brioche bun. My breakfast partners ordered an omelet with spinach, which we learned was a garlic infused sautéed spinach. I piggybacked that side and added it to my order, and also ordered Gouda cheese in my scrambled egg sandwich. The eggs can come in any style you want. And they were gracious enough to let us be picky with our orders.

I like a cheesy egg sandwich, where cheese is oozing out the sides, and this cheese was scrambled in, so no ooze, but still delicious and hit the spot. Plus, I felt so healthy with the topping of spinach! To add to the excitement was my freshly squeezed orange juice, the squeezer machine of which you can see behind the counter. It's like a Farris wheel of oranges.

The Brioche bun filled me right up and I didn't need hash browns, although could have handled them. Just in the nick of time, the chef had finished cooking a bread pudding with raisins and maybe cinnamon, a sample of which was delivered to our table. OMG. Danger. You could easily have that bread pudding instead of French toast! Was so good.

For a great overview of Beacon Bread Company and how they started, check out this interview done by Wigwam. As for their bread, what owner and boulanger d’pain Ralph Clemente says in that interview is true: “Bread is just something I do. I know bread.” Yes he does. I've been buying loaves from Beacon Bread and All You Kneed for all of my bread needs since they opened.

Deviled Eggs on the Menu at Dogwood and BJ's Soul Food

Even though the thought of beer and Deviled Eggs alone makes me wonder if it's a good idea for a combo, I love seeing it on the menu of Dogwood. Actually, eggs with an order of chicken wings followed by an order of Dogwood's famous macaroni and cheese would be perfect. But we came to try their burger, so I held off on the eggs, but the burger was spot on for a Friday night. The kids liked ours so much , we had to order the kids their own (after they ate their mac and cheese and grilled cheeses).

If you want a little competition for your Deviled Egg, you could go to BJ's on Main Street for a real picnic type meal. Deviled Eggs, fried chicken, mac and cheese that rivals Stouffers, killer butter soaked cornbread, and a generous slice of 3-layer cake.

Zoinks!

If you've had Deviled Eggs in the area, please do tell in the Comments!

Weekend Drive: Woody's Farm to Table in Cornwall, NY

Deep in the hundred acre woods of Cornwall, NY, is Woody's Farm to Table restaurant. Don't let this sign fool you: "Woody's All Natural Burger and Fries". They have an expansive menu inside of chicken sandwiches, grilled cheeses, soups, a lobster roll??

Yes. A lobster roll from the fresh catches of the icy waters of Maine. In fact, most of their fresh meat is from Maine. Which is fascinating about a little restaurant in the Hudson Valley because who would have thought they'd know the secrets of Maine's locally produced food? I know I do because I'm a wanna-be Mainer in the summer when we drive up for vacation.

Speaking of driving, we took a family drive to Woody's to sample their burger, fries and a milkshake. The first hint that it would be good was the vintage looking soda fountain in the front, offering cream sodas of many flavors from Boylan Bottling.

And the burger? So good. So good that I forgot to take a picture of it before gobbling it down. Served on a brioche bun (which I normally fear in a burger because I don't like my burgers too "bunny"), the bun was soft and buttery. The lettus and sliced tomato were crisp, yet complimented the cooked burger. So happy was I, that I couldn't share it with my daughter, which was fine because she was too distracted by the chocolate fudge swirl milkshake.

The grilled cheese was...ok...nothing memorable but certainly worth eating the leftovers on. Why were there leftovers? Because my kids also devoured the fries, which might have been hand cut, and cooked perfectly. Sometimes an order of fries at a burger joint is bountiful and you can split them. At Woody's you'll want to order your own side of fries.

Overall: Worth the drive, and even better in snowy weather on a full belly!

Lattes at Beacon Bagel

Do you know what's really good on a cold but sunny day? A vanilla latte. Do you know where you can get one while you're shopping on the East end of Main Street? At Beacon Bagel. And do look for their muffins on the counter too...they are really good...

Calamari (and bacon rolled scallops) Have Arrived in Beacon at Culture Cafe Bar

For those NYCers who are used to a fresh, crispy, Asian flared calamari, your wish has come true in Beacon. Culture, on Main Street's West End, is serving calamari on its menu with two sauces: a sweet and spicy yet creamy red sauce, or a bold and jolting ginger sauce. Omg, the calamari hit the spot on a hot, muggy Tuesday evening with a glass of dry yet crisp white wine.

And the scallops. Usually these are a gamble on the menu because they leave you wanting more of them. This night, we had three jumbo scallops wrapped in bacon, drenched in some kind of wonderful something sauce with blue cheese, raisins and fennel, and oh my goodness was it good. Be sure to ask for a side of bread to dip into the scallop sauce because you won't want to waste one drip.

Not pictured here is the cold glass of crisp white wine I enjoyed, while my friend enjoyed a Dogfish beer.  All enjoyed on Culture's back patio. Perfection.

Nutella Banana Pancakes at Culture

Watch out West End of Main Street...there's a new coffee house in town, with a full breakfast menu. And lunch menu, and dinner menu. But I'm here for my morning coffee (which I just upgraded to a vanilla latte), to which I added an order of banana Nutella pancakes, because I'm working on a class plan for tomorrow's SEO class I'm teaching for Tin Shingle, and I'm worth it.

To tempt you with lunch consider this:

Camarone Press:
Grilled shrimp...mango...roasted Poblano peppers...avocado...queso...fresco cream cheese...red onion...tomato

To tempt you with dinner:
Roasted Scottish Salmon...Brown sugar peppered bacon Gorgonzola gratinee...Celery root herbed goat cheese purée.

And to tempt you with my latte...it just arrived to my seat in their quite back patio garden, and the latte smells heavenly and I feel like I'm back in Tuscany.

60% off Sale at Cracker Barrel Happening Now

The shopping experience at the Cracker Barrel restaurants is a guilty pleasure of mine that started on road trips, and has blossomed now that we live within regular driving distance of one (oh look, you can shop online, but in-store is better)!!

If you don't know, or have driven by blindly, our Cracker Barrel for Beaconites, Fish Kill and Wappingers Falls folks is on Rt 9 next to the Panera/Starbucks/Verizon plaza right off 84 headed north to Poughkeepsie.

Cracker Barrel's annual 60% off sale is happening right now (didn't know they had one! I always hit 'em up post seasons...hint for glittery holiday decorations at 75% off), and you know I snapped up that stuffed monkey rocking chair for little Cole's first birthday, down from $69.99 to $24.99 or some such. I also snagged two couch pillows for $12 each. So yeah.

Need some birthday presents? Flower tattoo stickers? Bulldozers? Baby cloths with tutus? Yup. Inside of Cracker Barrel. And then you can slide on over to the restaurant for pancakes! (Note: I don't recommend them for dinner...a little flour-y and bland....but still good for kids if you're in a pinch).

Thank You ISAMU for Sushi and Wine

Sometimes a girl just needs to have some sushi like a lady at a table with a glass of wine in a resteraunt. And when that girl is a mom with two kids to have the flu (thank gawd not the stomach flu but the sad head a chest and fever one), a girl needs to get out and sit with adults and use chop sticks and read a magazine.

Tonight I treated myself to such a fresh sushi dinner at Isamu dinner because I was supposed to have been in the City speaking on a panel for Young Female Entrepreneurs about branding your company online, but I pulled out because of the flu and opted to Skype in instead. But the darn wifi password at the panel location could not be found! I'd curled my hair and dressed my office space for the occasion, but alas, not to be.

So? Sushi!  :)

Summertime Apple and Cherry Pie from BJ's

In case you need a quick and delicious dessert to bring to a picnic or dinner party, BJ's on Main Street across from M&T Bank always has freshly baked pies behind the counter. They are mini, good for four mini slices, and come in apple, cherry, peach, sweet potato, and what ever other flavor she feels like baking that day. Delish!

Because you need these oreo cupcakes at Bank Square.

Oh. My. Brigado. As we say in my house for a reformed "omg." I was blown away by these whipped cream frosting cupcakes in an otherwise gluten free coffee house, Bank Square. I'm a lover if the butter and cream, so...yay.

Meltdown! Chocolate Dinosaur at Alps

I've been getting chocolate cravings something fierce, and my cupboards are bare for sweets! Usually I get a chocolate chip cookie, but Crumb was sold out. How silly of me to forget that we have a chocolatier here in Beacon, Alps, on Main Street! And Bank Square also sells Mast Brothers bars of chocolate.

But I wanted a little piece, so my daughter and I strollered to Alps with 3 minutes to spare until they closed. Not only did we find bags of chunked chocolate pieces, but we found this chocolate dinosaur lollipop! A lot less mess than holding a chunk of chocolate (but that's what I got because I like chunks).

Yum!

Diamond Brass Knuckle Rings and a Pink Purse

There's a new boutique in town on the west end of Main Street, and it's called Mi Nena's Boutique. It's in the storefront that has a sign that says: "Credit is a disease, but you won't catch it here." I've always liked that message.

Anyhosey, with my non credit budget (aka cash), I'm adding to my wish list this pink bowling bag style purse, and maybe some diamond brass knuckle rings to bling it off with!