Kelly’s Blog: Skiing Makes Me Hungry

Skiing is usually the highlight of my day but lunch is right up there!  I thought I would dedicate this blog to all the foods we love at Mount Snow and all the cocktail hours we would hit….if we weren’t working.

The most important advice I can pass onto skiers and riders is to EAT EARLY, EAT LATE AND SKI HIGH NOON.  Food outlets are busiest from 12 noon to 1 pm so it makes sense that lift lines lighten up at the same time.  I like to get to the mountain early and ski my tail off and then eat lunch around 11 am.

With that important advice on the table, let’s move on to our top ten food and drink choices!

#1           If you like Bloody Marys, read on.  We have just introduced a Bloody Mary contest at Mount Snow.  Pick up your Barn Card at any of our bars and try all 8 locations over the winter to see which bar makes the best Bloody Mary.  Locations to sip your Bloody include Double Diamond, Tap Room, Snow Barn, Walt’s Pub, Coop’s @ Sundance, 1900 Burger, Harriman’s and Cuzzin’s.  There is even an incentive for you efforts!  Coop’s Bar at Sundance is a hidden gem.  Rarely crowded with one of the best bartenders in the valley…Marcus.  Knowing Marcus, I bet you will find one hell of a Bloody Mary at Coops.

#2           Crispy Chicken Tender Wrap at Carinthia:  I love to walk over to Carinthia to check on things and order up one of my favorite comfort foods.  What makes this wrap so good is they grill your flour tortilla with cheese and then they wrap in plenty of chicken, lettuce, onions, and tomato…whatever you want.  On cold days I get it with the buffalo sauce, but there are other sauces, like honey mustard, too.

#3           Curry Root Vegetable Soup at Go Fish:  Go Fish is our new sushi shop and it is open Friday thru Sunday and every day during the holidays.  It is located in the Main Base Lodge.  I don’t eat fish but I am in love with their curry soup.    I asked fish lovers around the mountain what they liked and all agreed on the Hama chi Rolls, Spicy Tuna Rolls and Miso Soup.  I know, you’re wondering why you should come to Vermont for sushi.  We purchase our fish fresh from Steve Connolly Seafood, whose docks are out of Gloucester, MA.  The sushi is rolled daily and often while you wait.  There is no “day old” at Go Fish.

#4           Barbeque Chicken Pizza at the Snowbarn:  I learned a long time ago that stopping by the Snowbarn après ski and having a pizza and a beer is way better than messing up my kitchen.  My family loves the BBQ Chicken but all of their pizzas are excellent because they are baked in a Wood Stone Oven.  But what we like best is that the crust has sea salt and sesame seeds baked in – so good!  Did you know that the Snowbarn is totally family–friendly, après ski?  There are all sorts of games and billiards to entertain and when you purchase dinner, the kids are treated to free soda.

#5           Widmer Barrel Aged Brrrrbon Beer at the Station Tap Room:  Located on the second floor of the Main Base Lodge, this is the place to go if you are a beer aficionado.  I like the Widmer Brrrbon for its sweet, mellow taste.  And the hefty alcohol content will take the winter edge off.  The Tap Room has lots of great pours like the Bear Trap by Harpoon (strong brown) or the 90 Shilling by Rock Art (scotch ale), which are both exclusive to Mount Snow.  If you like the Widmer, there is another bourbon beer called the Allagash Curieux, which is made by aging their Tripel Ale in Jim Beam bourbon barrels for eight weeks.

#6           Ahi Tuna Salad @ Cuzzin’s:           I was having lunch with Erik, our Director of Resort Operations, the other day and he ordered this salad.  He says he likes it because, “It’s healthy with a good piece of fish and it doesn’t make you comatose.”  That made me laugh because I definitely know the feeling of eating too much and then needing a nap!  P.S.  order with wasabi on the side.

#7           14 Hour Slow Roasted Pulled Pork Sandwiches at the Summit Lodge:  If you haven’t had lunch at the Summit Lodge in a while, it is worth the trip.  Our mountain chef, Ted, makes many of the specials.  The pulled pork is served with Ted’s homemade bacon BBQ sauce.  I would also recommend the Slow Roasted Sirloin French Dip.  There are rotating specials like scratch-made biscuits and chicken.  And the only place on the mountain to find hearty Beef Stew in a bread bowl is at the summit lodge!

#9           The 1900 Burger at the 1900’ Burger:  When I asked Jason, our Director of Food and Beverage, what his favorite meal on the mountain was, he chose this burger without hesitation.  The 1900’Burger is a house ground (chuck and sirloin) burger with gruyere cheese and mushrooms.  And I can’t forget the pièce de résistance, the bacon jam, that is lovingly spread on the 1900’ Burger.

Last week Ted taught me how to make homemade sausage for the sausage, fried egg and hollandaise sliders!  Hint – he puts Canadian bacon and green onions in there.

#10         The Great North @ Harriman’s Farm to Table – Located at the Grand Summit Hotel, stop by the bar and ask them to mix you up The Great North.  This cocktail was just invented and we’ll be ready to serve you one as soon as the special order whiskey arrives.  This drink starts with WHISTLEPIG Straight Rye Whisky (made right here in VT, up in the Champlain Valley), muddled cherries and oranges, served on the rocks with a Grand Marnier floater.  Now that’s an après ski relaxer!

Like skiing, eating is an adventure.  Thanks to our food and beverage staff, there is a little something for everyone at Mount Snow.  For the complete scoop, click here:  http://mountsnow.com/dining/

So tell me, what are your favorite places to eat and drink at Mount Snow?  And what do you think we should add to our menu?

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