Monday, December 26, 2011

Wishing You Good Fortune in the New Year

Local Food: Celebrate the New Year all weekend, with a combination of good fortune and good local food.  To mark the arrival of 2012, Steven is starting his menu with foods traditionally considered harbingers of good luck for the new year, like pork, beans, and sauerkraut.  But of course he will make unique variations, like the Jacob's Cattle Beans and pork shoulder that comprise a popular plate of good luck also known as pork butt, or a succulent and crispy pork belly melting along with the beans.  And nothing says "good fortune" more than Hardwick's The Butterbeans, whose performance crafts a festive atmosphere from 7-9. Make your dinner reservation before noon on Friday, December 30 and you can enjoy two free desserts as a gift from us, and be entered to win the grand prize, dinner for two on Valentine's Day.   Our special New Year's cocktail this year is the Caledonia Royale, made with Caledonia Spirits Sparkling Mead and Elderberry Cordial, offered for $8.

We're also open for Blunch and Dinner on New Year's Day.  There's no better way to greet the first day of the year (and fortify yourself after the previous nights festivities) than with a good morning or midday meal, which we serve from 11 am until 2 pm.  Call ahead to reserve a table!

At the Bar:
If you need a bit of the hair, remember our Sunday and Monday drink specials. This Sunday, January 1st we offer a $2.50 pint of Trout River, a $4 glass of Boyden Valley Seyval Blanc or Riverbend Red
. Claire's Cosmo, with Green Mountain Organic Vodka and Vermont Cranberry Company juice, is offered for $5.

Around the Galaxy:
The Galaxy will be open during regular hours this week, and begin the move to Main Street after the New Year. If you were lucky enough to get a gift certificate during the holidays, this is a great week to redeem it. David Budbill's Happy Life, featuring a gorgeous cover by Lois Eby, is an excellent book to keep close by as the New Year approaches. Keep up to date with the move here.

Music Notes:
Cosa Buena join us this Thursday, December 29 at 7:30 for acoustic music with a gentle Latin-Jazz feel.  Their sound is romantic while at the same time infused with exciting energy to warm the soul.

Local Events:
Celebrate the Grand Opening of the Vermont Food Venture Center on Friday, January 6 from 12:00- 5:00.  The opening is hosted by the Center for an Agricultural Economy and Northern Enterprises, with guided tours, invited guest speakers and a ribbon cutting ceremony at 1:00 with Senator Patrick Leahy.

Reminders:
 We are open daily after 2:30 for coffee, bar service, and baked goods, and free WiFi, with dinner reservations available from 5-9, Sundays from 5-8. We serve our special Blunch menu Sundays from 11-2. Claire's is closed every Wednesday.

We appreciate it when you use cash or a check - credit card companies charge us a fee that really adds up. Thanks to many of you we have significantly reduced those fees this year.

Friday, December 23, 2011

A Toast to Family and Friends

We will be closed December 24 and 25 so our staff can celebrate the holidays with family and friends.  We'll be back on Monday with more holiday season cocktail specials.

Claire's gift certificates will be available for purchase at The Galaxy Bookshop on Saturday, December 24, from 10-5.  Cash or check only please.

Next weekend, spend New Year's Eve with us and The Butterbeans, who will perform from 7-9 pm on December 31. Every reservation of two or more made by Friday, December 30, at noon, will enjoy two desserts as a gift from us, and all our New Year's Eve guests can enter to win the Grand Prize Drawing, a Valentine's Day dinner for two.

On New Year's Day, come in for our signature Blunch from 11 am until 2 pm, or for dinner after 5 pm.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Happy Holidays


Local Food: Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Boxing Day! Heri za Kwanzaa! Happy Solstice! Bonne Année!

However you celebrate the season, take some time to unwind at Claire's. The cold is finally upon us, and what better way to warm us up than a Cranberry Hot Buttered Rum, made with a spiced cranberry butter created by Steven. Or enjoy a Frothy Nogtini with Strafford Organic Creamery Eggnog and Dunc's Mill Maple Rum to get you in the holiday spirit. Kids can enjoy Eggnog or hot spiced cider. Beef Brisket from Snug Valley Farm arrives just in time to inspire the perfect Shabbat supper on the fourth night of Hanukkah. Celebrate the Solstice or take a break from Christmas shopping and gift wrapping on December 22, and enjoy the sounds of Hazen Union students singing some holiday carols. Stop by on Friday as your family arrives for Christmas weekend.

Spend New Year's Eve with us and The Butterbeans, who will be joining us from 7-9 on December 31. Every reservation of two or more made by Friday, December 30, at noon, will enjoy two desserts as a gift from us, and all our New Year's Eve guests can enter to win the Grand Prize Drawing, a Valentine's Day dinner for two.

We will be closed December 24 and 25 so our staff can celebrate the holiday with their families and friends.

At the Bar: Remember our Sunday and Monday drink specials. We will be closed this Sunday, December 25, and will reopen on Monday, the 26th with drink specials including $2.50 Switchback pints, $4 wine and $5 cocktail.

Around the Galaxy: It is the season for eating and giving, and Galaxy has books for both. The Butcher's Guide to Well-Raised Meat will prepare you to make the best of All About Roasting: A New Approach to a Classic Art. Or if you want to sit by the stove and plan for next year's batch of jams, pick up The Fruit Gardener's Bible to make the most of your berry patch. The book is an updated, revised and expanded edition of Lewis Hill's classic Fruits and Berries for the Home Garden, by UVM Extension professor Leonard Perry.

Music Notes: Talented Hazen Union students will be joining us this Thursday, December 22 at 7:00 to get us in the spirit with holiday tunes and more!

Local Events: Get a head start on your garden with High Mowing Seeds. Join their Community Supported Seeds program and receive 10% off seeds for next season! Put your seed dollars towards supporting an independently-owned company committed to meeting your farming needs with high-quality organic seeds. This discount is offered only through December 31, 2011.

Getting Ready for the Holidays: Buy a gift certificate now until New Year's Eve and we will donate 10% of sales to NOFA-VT's Farm Share Program. When you pay with cash or check, get 5% off!

Reminders: We are open daily after 2:30 for coffee, bar service, and baked goods, and free WiFi, with dinner reservations available from 5-9, Sundays from 5-8. We serve our special Blunch menu Sundays from 11-2. Claire's is closed every Wednesday.

We appreciate it when you use cash or a check - credit card companies charge us a fee that really adds up. Thanks to many of you we have significantly reduced those fees this year.

Click on the image above to get a closer look!

Monday, December 12, 2011

Just Off the Grill

Local Food: While Spanish goats first arrived on America's shores far to our south in the 16th century, they are prized for their ability to adapt to a variety of brush, scrub and brambles, so they require less care than cattle or sheep who need grass. In the Green Mountains, we might be more familiar with "The Lonely Goatherd" than the luxurious soft cashmere and lean meat - particularly succulent when grilled - of Spanish goats. Vermont Chevon Meats in Danville helps us with our first foray into the world of goat meat, and their meat is particularly suited to the deep spices available from the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and the Caribbean. For his opening salvo, Steven rubs the goat leg with Vadouvan, a French spice derived from Indian sources. Like goatherders the world over, Steven turns the leg over fire on the grill, and then he braises it overnight in Caledonia Spirits Black Currant Mead, with garlic from Sandiwood Farm and Cipollini onions from Leslie White. The tender meat is served off the bone with a sweet turnip raita, a South Asian sauce made with yogurt from Butterworks Farm , cilantro and honey.

At the Bar: Remember our Sunday and Monday drink specials. This Sunday, December 18th we offer a $2.50 pint of Rock Art, a $4 glass of Boyden Valley Seyval Blanc or Riverbend Red. The Apple Cider car, with Green Mountain Organic Vodka, apple cider and Vermont apple brandy, is offered for $5.

Around the Galaxy: Galaxy recently announced an upcoming swap with the Center for an Agricultural Economy. In January the bookstore will move to locate between Claire's and the Buffalo Mountain Co-op. Look forward to more events in collaboration with Claire's and evening hours to bring two great things - books and food - closer together. Keep apprised here.

Music Notes: Spider Roulette joins us this Thursday, December 15 at 7:30 for their first visit. Check out the trio playing acoustic blues, roots and Americana.

Local Events: This Saturday, December 17 is the Open House at the Hardwick Inn building in downtown Hardwick. Visit local businesses, including S & J Fitness, who are celebrating their 6th anniversary. From 9-5, celebrate with Julie and Steve with door prizes, food and discounts.

Also stop by Vermont Glass Workshop in Hardwick for their 28th Annual Open Studio on Saturday, December 17 from 10-5. You can find ornaments, firsts, seconds, experiments and even a demo by Harry Besett.

Getting Ready for the Holidays: Buy a gift certificate now until New Year's Eve and we will donate 10% of sales to NOFA-VT's Farm Share Program. When you pay with cash or check, get 5% off!

Spend New Year's Eve with us and The Butterbeans, who will be joining us from 7-9 on December 31. Every reservation of two or more made by Friday, December 30, at noon, will enjoy two desserts as a gift from us, and all our New Year's Eve guests can enter to win the Grand Prize Drawing, a Valentine's Day dinner for two.

We will be closed December 24 and 25 so our staff can celebrate the holiday with their families and friends.

Reminders: We are open daily after 2:30 for coffee, bar service, and baked goods, and free WiFi, with dinner reservations available from 5-9, Sundays from 5-8. We serve our special Blunch menu Sundays from 11-2. Claire's is closed every Wednesday.

We appreciate it when you use cash or a check - credit card companies charge us a fee that really adds up. Thanks to many of you we have significantly reduced those fees this year.

Click on the image above to get a closer look!

Monday, December 5, 2011

Crab Baked

Local Food: When the holiday pace is a little too much - instead of getting crabby, try the new crab gratin Steven is preparing. For a gentle pick-me-up, the tender Maine crab meat is mixed with vegetables including sweet potatoes, earthy celery root, spicy red onion from Hazendale, and preserved sweet corn from Pete's, all sautéed in Boyden Valley Seyval Blanc. Steven mixes in a crème fraîche he makes from Butterworks Farm cream, and this adds a slight nutty flavor. A topping of breadcrumbs is mixed with parsley from Hatchbrook Farm and lemon thyme from Steven's own garden. The gratin is baked until crispy, brown and warm. The final touch is a salad of peppery golden frills mustard greens tossed with herb vinaigrette and bacon (which can be omitted).

At the Bar: Remember our Sunday and Monday drink specials. This Sunday, December 11th we offer a $2.50 pint of Trout River, a $4 glass of Shelburne Vineyard New World Red or Lincoln Peak Starlight Rosé. The Elderberry Fizz with Caledonia Spirits Elderberry Cordial, Barr Hill Gin and ginger beer, is offered for $5.

Around the Galaxy: This is a delicious season for cookbooks and books about food. Come in to browse through Essential Pepin or Molly Stevens' new book All About Roasting to whet your appetite. You may have recently heard the interview with Tom Mueller, author of Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil - get a taste in the Google preview and come in to Galaxy for the whole book.

Music Notes: Laslo Cameo join us Thursday, December 8th at 7:30, playing their unique blend of world cultures. Our neighbors Leslie Campos and Randy Bulpin, with their shared desire to play groove-oriented and roots based material will put on a must see show!

Local Events: Our "Glitter Ball" dance party is this Friday, December 9 from 10-2! DJ Lesson One will be spinning your favorites so bring your dancing shoes and your ID- 18 and over. Creative attire encouraged. $5 suggested donation at the door for music.

Vermont Vaudeville's next show is this Saturday, December 10 at 8:00 at the Orleans Municipal Building. They bring community-centered, live entertainment to the theater spaces in Vermont. Their all ages shows provide opportunities for performers and audiences near and far. Help support their mission to revive the spirit of Vaudeville in the Green Mountain State by producing and performing funny, amazing, broadly accessible shows.

Getting Ready for the Holidays: Buy a gift certificate now through the new year and we will donate 10% of sales to NOFA-VT's Farm Share Program.

Spend New Year's Eve with us and The Butterbeans, who will be joining us from 7-9 on December 31. Every reservation of two or more made by Friday, December 30, at noon, will enjoy two desserts as a gift from us, and all our New Year's Eve guests can enter to win the Grand Prize Drawing, a Valentine's Day dinner for two.

We will be closed December 24 and 25 so our staff can celebrate the holidays with their families and friends.

Reminders: We are open daily after 2:30 for coffee, bar service, and baked goods, and free WiFi, with dinner reservations available from 5-9, Sundays from 5-8. We serve our special Blunch menu Sundays from 11-2. Claire's is closed every Wednesday.

We appreciate it when you use cash or a check - credit card companies charge us a fee that really adds up. Thanks to many of you we have significantly reduced those fees this year.

Click on the image above to get a closer look!

Friday, December 2, 2011

Cocktail Class is Back!

Cocktail Class is back at Claire's on Saturday, December 3, featuring vodka and gin with special guests Duncan Holaday and Todd Hardie of Hardwick's Caledonia Spirits. Duncan started Vermont Spirits 16 years ago to make vodka from his maple syrup and from milk. Recently, he turned his expertise to rum, making the Dunc's Mill Maple and Elderflower Rums featured in our last class. He also is the Head Distiller at Caledonia Spirits, where he makes Barr Hill Gin and Vodka, along with Caledonia Spirits Elderberry Cordial. On Saturday, December 3 from 4-5 pm, learn from the master distiller and owner Todd Hardie about the spirits, and how to mix cocktails to bring out the unique flavor of each spirit. Free admission and specials on cocktails and flights are available if you are so inspired.

$8 Flight and Cocktail Special
Flight- 1 ounce each of Barr Hill Gin and Vodka and Caledonia Spirits Elderberry Cordial
Caledonia Royale
Elderberry Fizz
Barr Hill Bite
Barr Hill Vodka Martini

Attend four classes to earn your degree - a gift card at Claire's or The Galaxy Bookshop!