Arethusa in West Hartford

Finally found Arethusa in West Hartford Center; actually I drove around the rear parking lot while my eating companion ran in and bought some ice cream to go. That was a success in both maneuvering the parking situation and getting some real good dessert. Ate the Chocolate Chocolate Chip and Raspberry selections on the porch. What a night!  

The Whey Stationary

What a remarkable little place the Whey Stationary is. I had previously eaten from the Whey Station truck and now there is a place to sit and enjoy the food at leisure. We started with a fantastic rendition of Buffalo Chicken dip served with potato chips. This could easily become an addiction! Most everything else on the menu is based on the grilled cheese sandwich. From this category I chose the 'Shorty' which is stuffed with braised short ribs and caramelized onions. My choice of side was the Tomato Bisque. What a great combination. This was a terrific meal and a family celebration [five men out of the town] for my 82nd birthday. I was gifted by the house of two scoops of ice cream from Grass Roots one of my favorite [but long ride] ice cream parlors. Super selection of beer and Avery sodas. Service was to the point and I will return soon.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Shorty Grilled Cheese & Tomato Bisque

blognote: closed Monday and Tuesday

better butter...

Served with a cheese plate in Paris was an individual packet of butter and I fell in love with it. Looked it up on Amazon and found I could have it delivered to my cottage for about $80 a pound [shipping food from Europe sucks]. Because I am too thrifty for that I contacted Whole Foods in Glastonbury [my favorite] asking them if they had this brand. The Assistant Manager, Doug Pyne, contacted with the message that no they did not carry it. He suggested an alternate of which he comped me a package. I am now carrying on my taste test. The butter that I had in Paris was Echirré Buerre de Baratte and the butter I am trying now is Isigny Ste. Marie. 

Right now the Echirré is winning but maybe it was that I had it during lunch at The Restaurant in the Musée d'Orsay and the Isigny I am eating at home!

Fromager des Clarines

When I was in Miami last week, my neice, Johnson and Wales chef-to-be, brought some of this cheese to dinner. Well I did find it at Whole Foods today and we ate it last night. It is so creamy you can just about drink it with a straw. At $14.99, this is the start of an expensive addiction.


Fromager des Clarines is made from Mountain milk, yielding a smooth, very creamy cheese that is a must to serve as close to room temperature as possible, to release it's fresh white truffle butter flavors.

Fromager des Clarines is packed in a woodchip box like L'Edel de Cleron but is less pungent and more appealing to the less trained palette.

Serve it right inside the box, lifting off the edible top rind with a spoon. Scoop out the gourmet cheese with a crisp bread stick or onto your favorite water cracker or baguette.