Cabot Cheese Store
Route 4
Quechee, Vt
There is a whole lot more to this store than Cabot Cheese. Not that just Cabot Cheese would be a bad thing but man or woman cannot live by cheese alone. But before you decide be sure to try all the cheese they offer. Oh yes, you get to taste, there are little bowls filled with cubes of all the different cheeses. What got us the door however was popcorn topped with Cabot Cheese powder, oh my it makes the popcorn taste as good as that famous brand of cheese popcorn.
I began on one side of the store and worked my way to the other picking up made in Vermont products. Jam from Farms for my mother, pancake and scone mix from King Arthur Flour for my girl friends, a pound of Green Mountain Coffee beans for me. Since I was spending all of Al’s money I didn’t get any maple syrup, any dip mix, any of the really cute tea shirts, the bottles of local wine or the nice selection of Vermont cookbooks.
You can not only have a snack out here but so some serious shopping. I even got some Vermont made dog biscuits for Brie and Beau in the shape of a heart, very cute.
Mesa Factory Store
Route 4
Quechee, Vt
This is another one of the stores that I just love to browse though. Mesa offers some beautiful pottery, wrought iron wear, glasses and garden items made around the world and in a variety of styles and colors. They were having a buy one get one at half price sale but this is one place where I just looked and resisted the temptation to buy. All of Mesas pieces are individually designed and handcrafted. It’s a great place to get a special mug and not one that everyone else has. These have that hand thrown look so don’t expect to see Vermont, or special teacher or something like that. Do expect to find a wide selection in unique colors and combinations.
Laro’s New England Specialties
Route 4
Quechee, VT
Now having loaded up on Vermont products at Cabot Cheese you would have thought that I would not be in the market for anything else made in New England but you would be wrong. I was still not only looking, I was buying.
Now the difference is that here all of New England is represented and since I am a big lover of Maine’s Stonewall Kitchen, I was in heaven. Again there were lots of choices including New England honey, spices, and mustard that include maple in their ingredient list, homemade fudge and lots more. You can also get yourself a cup of Green Mountain Coffee in one of their many flavors in a pod machine. They sell bags of the ground coffee and the whole beans as well. They have a nice selection of scone, pancake, and waffle and muffin mixes to go along with your coffee.