Vermont: Enticement Alley-Part 1

While continuing north on Rt.89 in Vermont, we turned off Exit 10 onto Route 100. Approximately the first ten miles of Route 100 are referred to as "Enticement Alley," because this stretch of road includes so many interesting attractions. This includes several stops that will especially intrigue foodies.

Your first stop may be the Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Factory, a very popular site. You can tour the factory, watching the ice cream be made. There is also a gift shop and ice cream store. Numerous events are also held here, such as summer movie nights.

It is a great place for bringing children and they have extensive grounds to explore, including an ice cream graveyard (partially pictured above) where retired flavors are listed.

Further up the road, there is a small shopping area with several shops, including three of particular foodie interest. First, there is the Cabot Annex Store, a fairly large store which carries a wide selection of Cabot cheese and dairy products, Vermont specialty foods, wine and beer. There are plenty of delicious cheeses and other foods that you can sample here. This is definitely worth checking out.

They stock a fair amount of wines, including a good selection of Vermont wines. If you can't visit the various Vermont wineries, you can stop here to pick up any wines you might have missed. They also carry wines from all over the world. In their coolers, they also stock a fair share of beers, including local brews. Plus, there is a tasting area for Snow Farm Winery (which I will talk about in a future post).

The Kitchen Store carries a wide selection of tools, equipment, machines and more for cooks and chefs, as well as a selection of local, artisan foods. From knives to bakeware, from glasses to linens. They have a second location in Dorset, Vermont.

Also worth a visit is Lake Champlain Chocolates, which sells a diverse selection of chocolate products, from candy to fudge, from truffles to ice cream. Their chocolates do not contain any additives or shelf extenders. I tried an ice cream cone, with Chocolate Banana ice cream, and found it extremely creamy with a delicious melange of chocolate and banana flavors, neither overpowering the other. The cone was also very fresh.