Somewhere we had gotten it in our heads that Walpole, New Hampshire was a bustling village filled with artisans, restaurants and such. A visit to Walpole was on our “Bucket List” for this week so we set off with our cameras before noon. The one shop I was sure of was Burdick’s Chocolates as I had ordered their cute mice for my girls on chocolate giving occasions in the past.
Not to malign the town but unless you are on your way to somewhere else or you are just up for a ride, Walpole was less the “bustling”. We did find Burdick’s and purchased an assortment of their really fine candies. The crystalized ginger dipped in chocolate was so fresh it melted on your tongue. Among the assorted delights was a small tray of “seconds”. “How does a chocolate mouse end up as a second?” we asked? “Oh, they may be too tall, slightly misshaped or missing an eye,” came the reply. Hmm, so they don’t taste any less delicious?! I bought an assortment of “not quite up to snuff” mice.
On the way home we turned off at a sign touting Boggy Meadow Cheese and drove down a winding road hugging the river to the right. The meadows were indeed boggy and stiff corn stalks poked through the crust of snow. As we pulled into the barnyard we were overwhelmed with the aroma of corn silage. If you have never smelled corn silage let me just say it isn’t an odor you would bottle for room freshener. The Cheese Shop was untended and operated on the honor system. An array of artisan cheeses filled the refrigerator case. We carefully chose two inviting chunks, the Boggy Meadow Fiddlehead Tomme and a piece of Rosemary Jack. A pair of “cheater” glasses sat next to the cash box and the calculator – nice touch for those of us who are vision challenged.
Dinner was boiled King Crab legs, (think too much rich butter here) topped off with “OK, I just have to try one mouse”. Let me just say there is no such thing as one mouse any more than you can eat just one potato chip. Hence, the leadened feeling in the pit of my stomach when I awoke this morning.
Today I think we will stick closer to home and go for bland food intake.
Therapeutic Misadventures 