Catching Up,...

Today I met a former co-worker for lunch. It was time to renew old friendship and catch up on children, grandchildren and life in general. Halfway between our homes is Baxter Mountain Tavern. It was an overcast day with a steady wind. The flags on the restaurant sign were whipping back and forth. It felt like snow would start falling any minute!





A welcome sight was the cheery fireplace!
Over the fireplace is a wonderful photo of the Adirondacks by noted photographer, Carl Heilman.

Moving on past the fireplace, sofa, and through the inner dining room,...

We arrived in the second diningroom with windows giving every diner a mountain view...

Looking out from our table...

The walls are decorated with interesting Adirondack items. What could be better than a wonderful view of the mountains, a fireplace, great food and service while lunching with a friend? Thanks for a such a nice visit, Deb!

Day Tripping,...

Saturday morning dawned to snow covered trees. Not a heavy snowfall, but enough to "frost" everything. A few big flakes were still falling when we pulled out of the driveway heading to Burlington, VT to drop a load of things off at Goodwill. The roads were snow-covered, but not at all dangerous to drive on. Within a short time that had all melted.

The river looked lovely as we drove by... And soon we arrived at the new ferry across Lake Champlain at the site of the Lake Champlain Bridge . The bridge is now gone and soon construction of a new bridge will begin. If you check that link you will see the original and majestic bridge. Now this is all that remains...

But life goes on, and so did we, ... boarding the ferry for the three minute crossing to Vermont. That's just a little bit more than the actual driving time to cross via the old bridge.

There is no more bridge. But,... in keeping with North Country humor,... The local favorite restaurant on the Vermont side is now called:

And now that the ferry service is established,.... the Bridge Restaurant, for now called the "No" Bridge Restaurant, welcomes New Yorkers back to the Vermont side of the lake.

For a great breakfast (or any meal!) visit the Bridge Restaurant in West Addison, Vermont. Say hello to owner, Lisa, and enjoy some eggs over easy,... my favorite! After breakfast we continued north to Burlington, dropped off our donations to Goodwill, did grocery shopping and arrived back home by mid-afternoon. A great trip for a late winter day.

35 Years and Counting,...

The word is out, Ethel's is open! Ethel's Dew Drop Inn, which opened in 1974 is celebrating 35 years of serving hungry people! Ethel's is a summer eatery in Willsboro, NY. Until early fall people will be flocking to Ethel's for some of the best food in the North Country. These people are ordering both food and ice cream.

That's Ethel herself behind that screened window taking an order.



What is my favorite on the menu? A "Michigan" of course! There are many recipes for the sauce. Since I was a teenager, my order is always "michigan, onions buried, fries and orange soda"... Here I am about to enjoy my first Michigan of the season... Mmmmmm, good!


A nice evening is taking your food "to go" and driving a short distance to the boat launch on Willsboro Bay. It's early for a lot of boats but there were already a few moored. One person was just bringing his in from a day on Lake Champlain.

Looking in the opposite direction from the launch ramp the sun sparkles on the water. In mid-summer this area will be full of boats anchored for overnight as people vacation up and down the lake.
Back home again... my wild daisies are blooming right outside my carport...


And a lone buttercup keeps watch...

What a perfect evening, good food, beautiful lake, and wild flowers!
P.S.... I may not be online for a few days as I hope to be leaving for a camping weekend today or tomorrow. See you soon!

The Hot Biscuit...

This morning a friend and I decided to drive to Ticonderoga for some errands. The fun side of the morning was going to breakfast at one of our favorite restaurants.... The Hot Biscuit Diner.

In warmer weather you could take your coffee to the front porch and read the paper while enjoying a rocking chair.

As you walk through the front door the first thing you notice is the map. Each pin represents the home town of people who have eaten at the restaurant.

Usually we go on a Sunday morning and the booths are always full. This was late on a Saturday morning, so there were only a few people still there eating breakfast.

After ordering breakfast I walked around and admired all the great items to look at.

There is even a section of one wall devoted to "The Duke"...

The next time I'm at The Hot Biscuit I want to ask about this picture. It really captured my curiosity.

I wonder how many meals were cooked on this antique stove?

If you want a pie or other bakery items to take home they are waiting for you as you leave...

First to arrive was my friend's cocoa. A mountain of whipped cream adorned the top!

She said her breakfast was excellent!

I know my breakfast was wonderful to the last bite! The bacon may look over-cooked, but I always request that my bacon be "well done"... so I was completely happy with my plate of good food. Eggs over-medium, english muffins with grape jelly and bacon,..well done.

And of course the "dessert" of any breakfast for me.... good coffee!

The Hot Biscuit is now ready to cater your events. They have tents, outdoor kitchens, ... whatever it would take to make a special occasion perfect. But for me,... it's always breakfast!

Breakfast at Gus'...

Sunday morning tradition in the North Country is going out to breakfast. One of my favorite places is in Plattsburgh.

Usually every booth is filled. This time we got our pick of where to sit.

From 1951 to the present time, Gus' has been famous for "red hot" hotdogs. Or as also known here in the North Country of NY, "michigan hotdogs." But I can attest to the great meatloaf dinner, and just about any breakfast meal you would like to order!

My favorite breakfast: crisp bacon, eggs over medium, thick toast and home fries and grape jelly. We won't even calculate the calories on that plate! It's a good thing I only do this about once a month.

And for dessert,... perfect black coffee!

A Salad to Die For!...

This past weekend at the bluegrass festival the weather was sunny, and during the day absolutely hot! Of course we'd brought food in the camper, but it would involve cooking either inside or out on the bbq grill. Hmmmm.... wouldn't a cold supper taste good? How about a green salad instead of a hot supper? Do you think there is a restaurant in North Creek?

My friend Kathy and I drove to the village,.... and saw this sign....

The sign in the door said "Open"...

I decided to go in and get some salads "to go" ...

The interior was so warm and welcoming! A waitress greeted me and yes, we could get salads to go. I looked around while they were being prepared.

I saw a picture of a lovely lady on the wall, and her marriage certificate, dated 1927.

Skip ahead 24 hours,.... the salads were so wonderful that we went back the next afternoon to enjoy a re-run of the same!

This time I went to the kitchen to compliment the "chef" where I met Joanne, one of the owners. She and her brother Francis Smith are daughter and son of the woman in the picture on the wall. Francis is the Chef deCuisine, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. He was very busy in the back of the kitchen.

Here is what I call a "salad to die for!" A mountain of fresh greens topped with tomoato, cucumbers, onions, beets, croutons, broccoli,....with a hearty bread and cole slaw on the side. A small spice cookie slice finished the presentation. Also on the table were Francis's biscuits, with a touch of cinnamon on the top,... unusual, but absolutely delicious.

If you are in North Creek do check out Smith's Restaurant,... you will not be sorry! Joanne suggested that you call as they are only open seasonally. You will find them at 296 Main Street. 518-251-2363. http://www.smithsrestaurant.com/ . Poke your head into the kitchen, Francis and Joanne love to chat with their guests. I promised Joanne that we would be back. I am looking forward to keeping that promise!