When planning your New Hampshire getaway vacation at the Chesterfield Inn, experience a little chocolate heaven in nearby Brattleboro, Vermont.  Tom and Sally’s Handmade Chocolates has it all, chocolate, chocolate, and a little more chocolate!  Nine vats of melted dark and milk chocolate churn 24 hours a day.  A machine with a long conveyer belt creates luxurious European-style bonbons by coating creams, caramels, and ganache with Belgian and French chocolate.

Tom and Sally’s Handmade Chocolates goes toe-to-toe with the best chocolatiers in the world and have won 14 national awards.  They have been featured on CNN, Good Morning America, and in food magazines such as Bon Appetite.  Their true love is clearly zany and unusual and they offer everything from European bonbons to tongue-in-cheek and slightly risqué chocolate treats.  Their best-selling product is chocolate body paint – Belgian chocolate in a cream base with an instruction label that reads:  “Heat the jar to 98.6 degrees, apply liberally and let your imagination run free.”  Or maybe you would like to try cow pies – two ounces of milk or dark premium Belgium chocolate funneled on top of cashews or almonds!

Factory tours are available Monday through Saturday, from 10 A.M. until 2 P.M.  It is recommended to call ahead to let them you know you are coming.  The guided tour takes about one hour and of course includes samples of the delectable chocolates!  The tour costs $7.00 for adults and $2.50 for children up to the age of 18.  Sally is very informative and a lot of fun!  She will explain the whole process from where the cocoa bean originated from to where they import their chocolate and how each piece is carefully handmade.  However, if you just want to stop by the store and check it out, they are open from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. Monday through Saturday and during peak seasons they are also open on Sundays from noon to 5 P.M. 

Wine enthusiasts unite!  The Inn at Thorn Hill in Jackson, New Hampshire has a wine cellar that is beyond compare and that is why they are the only New Hampshire restaurant that holds the Award of Ultimate Distinction for their wine cellar.   With over 3,000 wines in their cellar, they make it very easy to enjoy the very best wines available and all are resonably priced.

When dining at the Inn at Thorn Hill, menu offerings are thoughtfully paired with wines by the glass and also flights of wine.  Currently, they are offering 25-30 choices of wine by the glass, as well as a rotating top fifty list of staff selections, favorites, and reasonably priced bottles.  They also offer a Wine Club which is enjoying tremendous growth and popularity, with over 200 members.  These members dine often and enjoy the benefits of quarterly wine tastings and hors d’oeuvres.   

The Inn also hosts wine dinners throughout the year and the upcoming wine dinners are scheduled for July 22nd & September 16th, 2010.  July 22nd wine dinner will feature Joseph Mellot Portfolio, presented by Wineberries Company.  The vineyard is in the center of the Loire region and the winery is well known for their viticultural and vinification methods.   September 16th will feature Michael Burke from Vias Imports/MS Walker.  The dinner will feature an Italian Harvest style dinner that, weather permitting, may be held on the outside deck.  Please inquire directly with the Inn at 603-383-4242 for details on both wine dinners.

If you are seeking a romantic getaway with access to an excellent wine cellar, plan a trip to visit the Inn at Thorn Hill.  You will not be disappointed!

By Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality

On your next romantic getaway to New Hampshire, be sure to experience a beer and dessert pairing at the Manor on Golden Pond.  The beer and dessert pairing is offered in their Three Cocks Pub and features local Artisan Beer and luscious desserts.  So beer and dessert?  Sounds like an interesting combination and is sure to surprise even the most skeptical of taste buds.

One of the new beer and wine pairings feature Hazelnut-Mocha Crème Brulee and Smutty nose Old Brown Dog Beer.  Rich chocolate and coffee custard with a hint of hazelnuts and a crusty caramel crust which is served with whipped crème, cocoa dusted nuts, and a Nutella-shortbread sandwich.  Pair this with a Smutty Nose Old Brown Dog beer and it is the ultimate in pairings.  The deep, dark flavors of coffee and chocolate will underscore the roasted malts of Smuttynose’s smooth-drinking brown ale.  Aromas of toasted nuts and caramel are echoed in both the beer and in the dessert.

A sampling of other featured local Artisan famous draft beers available for pairing will include Woodstock Inn Golden Loon Ale and Smutty Nose Old Brown Dog.  If you prefer champagne like beer, then try the Allagash Curieux or an Ommegang Hennepin beer.  Once you have enjoyed your first pairing, it is bound to be addictive!

by Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality