Ingredient Shopping and a Sandwich or Two: King Arthur Flour

If you follow my other blog, Whitt's Kits Fabrics & Crafts, you will have heard about our trip to King Arthur Flour in Norwich, VT.  We have a pretty busy schedule, to say the least, so I am all about combining trips to get the most out of the time I have.  Bri's girl's softball team had an away game in Hanover, NH and we literally drove by King Arthur Flour on our way.  It seemed to make sense to me...

They are open 360 days a year from 7:30 in the morning to 6 pm at night.  You will find them an online source for amazingly good ingredients and cooking tools, but they also have a fantastic flour you can buy at local groceries stores (at least here in New England) which is some of the best flour going.  On top of that, they have bakery/cafe where you can get a sandwich or treat (see below) and a cooking school offering a multitude of classes you can attend. 

I left Whitt out in the car with the iPad and headed inside.

Let me just say that not only is it a fun place for foodies, it's beautiful in an architectural way.  Pure Vermont at it's best.

A variety of fresh baked-on-site goodies...sigh...

Can you see the donut/bagel cutter on the right?  I am the proud owner of one!

Seriously?  2 pounds of baking chocolate?  What's not to love?

An entire section of "SECRET INGREDIENTS" - oh yes, we need these...

I wandered aimlessly with pure intent for about a half hour, up and down the aisles, perusing the many culinary offerings.  This trip I selected the following items to add to the pantry:

The aforementioned donut/bagel cutter; a scraper, 2 containers of critters to top cupcakes and a bag of baker's cinnamon filling mix (so I can whip up "Cinnabon-type" creations!  Oh, you'll see...).  I was a very happy girl for less than $20.

To keep the hubster happy, it was time to hit the cafe for a couple sandwiches we'd have for dinner after the game (rather than fast food, yah, baby!)  Bri is a roast beef kind of guy, so I got him the "roast beef with blue cheese aioli, slow-braised balsamic onions, and baby arugula".  He loved it!  Ladies, PULEEZE do NOT tell him the ailoi was blue cheese, let him just think it was flavorful with a little bite, okay?  He thought the arugula was a bit strong, but that it went well in the sandwich.

Me?  I went with what is going to be my new favorite chicken salad sandwich: Grilled Lemon Chicken Salad "with yogurt, lemon tarragon mayonnaise, raisins, and toasted almonds".  Let me see, what were the notes I wrote in Evernote while I was eating?  Oh, yes:

• Wonderful hints of lemon - very light mayo/yogurt dressing. 
• Nothing extra on the bread which allows the flavors to shine.  You might think it would be too dry, but it wasn't.
• Bread is nutty and tasty - like the crisp, crusty edge;
• Smattering of raisins and bits of almonds - great accent to the chicken.
• Chicken was in nice small pieces, easy to chew.

Seriously, this sandwich was amazing!  I need to try to make some artisan bread and recreate the yogurt/lemon mayo.  I WILL be working on it and will let you know when I get it right!


While I was waiting for these, I wandered a bit more.  Loved this!  If I'd had someone with me (not in the car) you'd see me there!  Maybe next time...

Till next time, here's to great cooking and eating!
Carrie