New Hampshire Weekend-Part2

Since my last post covered the outdoorsy part of our weekend in New Hampshire, it's time for the indoorsy part!  Our stay at the Sugar Hill Inn was very nice, and quite the snazzy little treat.  To truly understand our appreciation, you need to know just 2 things:

1) we have been living in a 620 square foot, one-bedroom apartment with 1 tiny bathroom--featuring a small stall shower--for almost 4 years now.  there are several invaluable PRO's to living here, but space and comfort don't fall on that side of the list.

2) we run on the frugal side and generally won't splurge on accomodations.  there are some exceptions (i.e.-honeymoon)...but we usually stay at hostels and other budget-friendly establishments when we travel.  (and we have the communicable diseases to prove it!  juuuuuust kidding.)

So, now that you're in the know...how do you think we feel about super comfy king-size beds and big ole jacuzzi tubs?  If you guessed "smitten", you're right on point.  Add yummy breakfast that we don't have to cook?  Yup, a GREAT weekend.

 Steven & I, in my favorite room at the inn:

I bet you didn't think I was going to say LIBRARY, did you?  But this room was awesome--comfy furniture and loads of books & mags about my favorite things...home, travel, and food.I could have spent way more time in there.

Another one of the public spaces, the tavern, where tea and snacks are served in the early afternoon, right before cocktail hour:
It was at this "tea time" that I tasted a new-to-me DELICIOUS cheese, called Cana de Cabra. It's the cheese on the left...

Since I'm pretty sure I'd sound ridiculous if I tried to describe it, here is a description from Gourmet-Food.com:

"Cana de Cabra is a soft-ripened goat's milk cheese that is native to the Murcia region of Spain, aged for only 3-4 weeks.  Murcia is a region renowned for its high quality of goat milk, and Cana de Cabra is one of the finest examples.  It is similar to the French Bucheron.  Cana de Cabra is creamy and mild but has a full flavor.  Tangy citrus notes balance the rich creaminess of the cheese and there's a hint of mushrooms as well.  It is often presented sliced into thin rounds with a simple salad, fried or baked in a pastry."   

And here are a couple pics of our suite--specifically, the sitting area with the jacuzzi in the background, and the bedroom area.

Lastly, I just want to mention the food.  (Can't forget that!)  We had their breakfast both mornings, which was very good, but perhaps not as innovative as their online sample menu suggests.  While the breakfast entrees did change each morning, they pretty much stuck to the classics--scrambled eggs, pancakes, granola--albeit with quality local ingredients, which I think they deserve a lot of credit for.  However, I'm not gonna lie...I was really hoping for some crabcakes benedict or zucchini fritters. 

Dinner, however, was a whole different story.  Not only was it delicious, but it was an experience.  There were ingredients, combinations, and presentations that were novel and interesting to me--and I could tell that a lot of thought went into these creations.  While the portions were small, the prix fixe menu consisted of 4 courses and we were both full when all was said and done.  My favorite part of the meal?  Ginger creme brulee. :) 

All in all, a wonderful weekend....and here's to the next 10 years!