Mt. Washington, NH
Autumn Trip
Welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 where we put 4 questions up each week for you to ponder and answer. Then we hope you visit all the other participants too. so we can get to know one another better.
Let's plan a lovely vacation through New England to see the Autumn leaves.. Money is no object and we have all the time we would like.
1. How many days and nights would you like to be away?
Oh, at least a week. I would love to go again during the first week of October, which corresponds to our grandson's birthday and also the Fryeburg Fair in Fryeburg, Maine. That is when we used to always travel up there. It is the most beautiful time of the year for New England. I've written about that before HERE.
2. What kind of car would you like to take on this trip? Maybe you would enjoy the train? Would you sail up the coast in a yacht?
Well, first I would need to fly up there from Florida so more time can be devoted to the actual fall tour. Then we would need to rent a car to get around to places. I would love a scenic train trip through the White Mountains again. HERE is a link to The Conway Scenic Railroad, which we have done before many years ago. And also traveling up to Mt. Washington via the Cog Railroad is quite the adventure. That is well worth the time, but not for the faint of heart or person afraid of heights. And no, I am not interested in sailing anywhere. I am a land lubber.
3. Would side trips be on your agenda? Perhaps to Mystic, Connecticut, Salem, Massachusetts, Plimouth, (yes, they spelled it with an "i" ) Massachusetts, Walden Pond, Lizzie Borden's home or maybe the home of Emily Dickenson, etc.
3. Would side trips be on your agenda? Perhaps to Mystic, Connecticut, Salem, Massachusetts, Plimouth, (yes, they spelled it with an "i" ) Massachusetts, Walden Pond, Lizzie Borden's home or maybe the home of Emily Dickenson, etc.
I guess I'm not really into a lot of scenic tourist places. Just the natural beauty of Maine and New Hampshire and the White Mountains and Mt. Washington Valley is good enough for me. If you've ever been there, you'd understand why. I used to work at a place called Nordic Village Resort many many years ago, in the heart of the White Mountains. If I could go back and stay there for a few days, I'd be happy.
4. Lobster roll, chowders, boiled dinners, brown bread, baked beans, pancakes with real maple syrup, blueberry muffins, Parker House Rolls (well loved by Charles Dickens, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the Kennedy clan.), Toll House Cookies, Red Flannel Hash, Tourtiere pork pie, — what native foods catch your attention?
4. Lobster roll, chowders, boiled dinners, brown bread, baked beans, pancakes with real maple syrup, blueberry muffins, Parker House Rolls (well loved by Charles Dickens, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the Kennedy clan.), Toll House Cookies, Red Flannel Hash, Tourtiere pork pie, — what native foods catch your attention?
Well, when in Maine you have to have some real seafood "chowdah". No one makes it like they do. And then of course the real brown bread came from New England...I love it. You can buy brown bread in a can if you can find it. I love it. Especially good with Boston Baked Beans. 
Our hostess Annie posted this recipe for Red Flannel Hash, which is a New England specialty. I have had it and it is very good, so I will include the recipe here. I've never made it, however:
"Here is a recipe for the hash that I found a while back that might interest you."
Red Flannel Hash
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) sliced beets, drained and chopped
2 cups chopped cooked corned beef
2-1/2 cups diced cooked potatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup half-and-half cream
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add all remaining ingredients. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir until lightly browned and heated through, 20 minutes.
And yes, I love blueberry muffins made with fresh Maine blueberries. Of course, here in Florida we just make them with whatever kind of blueberries we can find, but there's something special about going out and picking your own blueberries in the woods, which is what we did in NH and Maine. And of course, there's no better maple syrup than that which comes directly from the maple trees in New England (after it is boiled down to syrup, that is). Did you know that it takes 40 gallons of sap from the sugar maple tree to get just one gallon of syrup? No wonder it is so expensive!
"Here is a recipe for the hash that I found a while back that might interest you."
Red Flannel Hash
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) sliced beets, drained and chopped
2 cups chopped cooked corned beef
2-1/2 cups diced cooked potatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup half-and-half cream
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add all remaining ingredients. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir until lightly browned and heated through, 20 minutes.
I hope you enjoyed this little trip to New England with me. Please click on the different links above to get the full tour. Thank you, Annie, for coming up with these questions each week.
The trip you had to New England sounds lovely. The train trip sounds like a lot of fun too.
ReplyDeleteWell, we used to actually live there, and I tried to take advantage of every opportunity to see the real beauty of the area while we were there. It's a very beautiful place and I miss it, but not in winter. LOL.
DeleteWe had the best blubbery pie with ice-cream in Maine back in 2008. I bet those train rides would be fun and scenic. I took one to Colorado once and it was great!
ReplyDeleteOh yum! Blueberry pie with ice cream is the best!! And yes, you would enjoy the train rides...I am sure the one in Colorado would be even more exciting...much higher elevations there!
DeleteWe didn't ride up the cog railroad at Mt. Washington, but I will say just driving up the mountain in thick fog was not for the faint of heart, either. Another thing we did that I loved was visit a sugar shack and watching how they make the maple syrup (and getting a taste of maple candy).
ReplyDeleteYes, the thick fog makes for scary driving, along with snowstorms and ice...That's why we came back home to Florida. LOL. And yes, a trip to a sugar shack would be fun. It's quite a procedure they go through just to get one gallon of syrup!
DeleteI love New England in the fall. I hope to get out to visit my grandgirl in Connecticut this fall. I love lobster and it is the best I have ever had in Maine! I used to buy that brown bread all the time and my son liked to take it in his school lunch with cream cheese spread on it as a 'sandwich'. Great memories. I haven't see it here in years though. xo Diana
ReplyDeleteOur Publix grocery store has the brown bread stocked where they sell the B&M Baked Beans. They don't always have it, so I buy a couple of cans when I can find it...and yes, with cream cheese is the best!! And yes, Maine Lobster IS the best. I hope you can get over to CT in the fall. I wish we could go, but not this year. Hoping the gas prices will continue to fall and then maybe we can think about taking a trip again.
DeleteWell, I didn't think any of the excursions sounded particularly interesting -- then here you come with some real winners ... count me in, on both the cog railroad and Nordic Village Resort! My father's was from the Boston area, so yes. That brown bread (he used to call it 'black bread') in the can was often found on our Sunday dinner table.
ReplyDeleteOh, I believe you would LOVE riding up on the Cog Railroad to the summit of Mt. Washington! It is quite the adventure for certain! Be prepared for extra cold weather when you get to the top, no matter how warm it was at the bottom. And yes, we can still get the brown bread at Publix when they have it. I try to buy several cans when I can find it because it's hard to find.
DeleteThe first week in Oct is the perfect time go to!! One of these years I will make that our vacay destination! Brown bread in a can, never heard of it. Interesting. Have a great Tuesday!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jodi. Yes, early October is the prime leaf peeping season in New England. If you wait another week you'll miss it! You can look for the B&M Brown Bread in a can on the grocery store aisle where they sell B&M Baked Beans. Usually they have them near each other. But not every store carries them, which is a shame because they are so good! I hope you have a blessed day too.
DeleteSuch beautiful pictures. I think I would enjoy the Cog Railroad as hubby and I did the one in Colorado and loved it. Hope you have a great day, Pam
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cathy. Yes, if you like interesting mountain railways, then the Cog is for you...but it is pretty much straight up and down...with amazing views at the tip top of Mt. Washington. Just be sure to take a jacket, no matter what season you are there. It's always cold on top of that mountain! I hope you have a wonderful day as well.
DeleteThat was fun. ☺️ Nice to see it through your eyes. I will pass on the Red Flannel Hash. It was such a unique dish that it was the only one I was never required to even taste. Of all these culinary delights, my favorite is Boston Baked Beans with biscuits or brown bread. And toasted brown bread is a leftover delight. Hope that you can come and visit again some fine day.
ReplyDeleteOh, thank you, Vee. I know you get to live in all that beauty all the time, so maybe it isn't as special to you as it is for those of us who only got to spend a few years there. I never had the red flannel hash either, but those who love it really love it. Usually made after they make a boiled dinner, with the leftover corned beef. And yes, authentic Boston Baked Beans and the Brown Bread is a real treat. I do hope we can get back up there again someday, especially in the fall. If our grandson ever settles down and starts a family I think we will definitely be up to visit. I'll be sure to let you know if we do! Would love to meet you!
DeleteWhen I was growing up, we visited Massachusetts every summer to see all my relatives; never went in the fall because of school. However, one year, we lived near Boston where Dad was taking a Sabbatical. Oh, how I loved the fall, the leaves and the snow! I think we went to Mr. Washington once, but it was so foggy that day, we decided not to drive up the mountain as there would be no view. Maybe, one day, I'll get back there . . .
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Pamela!
Oh, I can well understand your not be able to see Mt. Washington because of the fog. That was one of my regular sayings when showing people around the area, "On a clear day you can see Mt. Washington from here...". but so often it was encased in clouds and fog you couldn't see it even when standing at the base of the mountain! And driving yourself up the mountain is a white knuckle experience even when it is clear, let alone when it is cloudy! LOL. Have a blessed day my friend.
DeleteI love the area. I have been to 46 states, and that area is gorgeous. I do not like these types of blogs...answers and questions are so canned. You make them more interesting. Thank you...I usually read blogs for books....life experiences...thanks for making yours the way it is. I am so excited for your family and your business. We had our own business for ten years...retail was quite time consuming, so I became a teacher...you are doing a great job.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Brenda. I am glad that you enjoyed my answers. I do try to make it as interesting as I can, but somedays I am at a loss for anything new and clever to share. The brain gets bogged down in everyday "stuff" and my creativity goes out the window. LOL. So sometimes these little memes with questions help to jog the mind back into action. This is actually the only one I normally participate in, because Toni Taddeo was one of my blogging friends and she was always so creative and interesting. Those of us who "knew" her here have truly missed her presence, and this is one way of keeping her memory alive. Thank you for the interest in our family business, etc....Yes, it is quite time consuming, especially for our son and DIL. They are working night and day to keep up with everything, since they do all the painting of furniture, plus seeking out new items to repurpose, refinish, reuse, etc. We enjoy the interaction in our little town and how receptive they have been to our store, but yes, it does keep us busy. My hubby and I are enjoying having something "fun" to do. It keeps our minds more alert. Have a blessed and wonderful rest of your week. If you are ever in the area, please stop by and say hi!!
DeleteI'm really not hankering for a trip to the north-land but I would love some of that Maine lobster!! I enjoyed your answers, Pam. We could travel well together, I think! xo
ReplyDeleteI would love to go back up there during the fall especially, but leave before the snow flies! LOL And yes, Maine Lobster is the best, and so is their seafood chowder. And yes, I am sure we would make good travel buddies.
DeleteI could just stay in a cottage and enjoy the scenery myself. I am really wanting to go stay in the mountains eventually. I have never done that, and I think it would be beautiful. Loved your answers! Have a nice week.
ReplyDeletehttps://lorisbusylife.blogspot.com/
Oh, Lori, I do hope you can make that trip someday! I think everyone should see New England. It has such a variety of beauty to enjoy, from the ocean to the mountains and the lovely lakes and rivers and especially the autumn foliage! We enjoyed living there for about 5 years, but the winters are just too cold for me. Thank you for visiting! Have a blessed week.
DeleteBrown bread is so good but its 400 mg of sodium a slice so a no no for me. Thanks for joining in.
ReplyDeleteWhoa! I never realized it had so much sodium! I need to look at that again...but it's something I eat maybe twice a year, so not a huge threat for me. Thank you for keeping Toni's memory alive through this weekly meme. We all have a good time here sharing our thoughts and dreams. I know Toni would be pleased.
DeleteIn all my traveling as a child, youth, young married, and parent, we never go to New England. The scenic photos look very inviting. Thank you for sharing them with us. Peace and blessings.
ReplyDeleteNew England is a beautiful place. Just be sure to go before winter! LOL. Although it has a real beauty in winter as well, just very cold and the winters are too dark and long for me. Autumn is gorgeous and summers are pretty nice there too. It's worth the trip.
DeleteHow fun to read your answers to these questions. I prefer the fall colors in the northwest mountains, although admittedly I've never been to the northwest.
ReplyDeleteI have a great recipe from my MIL for Boston Brown Bread. Love lobster rolls, parker house rolls, pancakes with maple syrup, baked beans, blueberry muffins. Actually, all of it! :-)
Have a wonderful Wednesday evening.
Blessings,
Betsy
Oh, I wish you'd share your recipe for the Boston Brown Bread. Please let me know if you do so I don't miss it. I have a recipe somewhere, but would love to see the one you have. Thank you!!
DeleteI've read a couple of these posts - which all sound delightful. I have never been to New England in the fall. Which does sound wonderful!! I must admit none of the "you gotta have it" foods have tempted me in any way. (and who knew you could get bread in a can!!?) I must make plans to go north - but for the foliage...not the food. LOL!!
ReplyDeleteLOL. As for the food, the brown bread in a can is very moist and delicious, esp. with cream cheese! But it's also good with baked beans, although I know most of us who grew up more southern would never have thought of it. If you do go to New England for the fall foliage, you really should try some of the local food...the "seafood chowdah" is so good...
DeleteLoved your answers. We're heading there in a few weeks for 10 days. I'll have to try some of the food mentioned.
ReplyDelete