We decided to end our summer with a weeklong trip to Cape Cod with our family of 6 and my brother’s family of 4. Although we stayed in a 4 bedroom house with a regular-sized kitchen, I found it difficult to cook without my own tools. So, while on vacation, I indulged in baked goods not made by me. (Gasp! Michele served non-homemade desserts!)

Heading out for daily ventures, we drove by Marion’s Pie Shop. This little shop on the side of the road always had parking lots filled with customers, which piqued my curiosity. So, one morning my sister-in-law and I went right at opening time to purchase breakfast for our tribes.

Stepping inside the bake shop the smell of freshly baked pies, rolls, and muffins filled the air. All of their treats were generously sized, including cookies almost the size of cds. While awaiting our turn to order, I heard a clerk caution a shopper that the brownie she was about to be handed was very warm. What a great warning to receive!

Checking the display case, we decided to order cinnamon rolls and Chatham muffins for our breakfast. Tempted by the large assortment of pies available, we couldn’t resist and chose a Dutch apple for our dessert later in the day. With 2 bags full of treats, we headed home to surprise our families.

The Chatham muffins were the big winner for our breakfast. Described by our clerk as coffee cake batter baked as a muffin and then dipped in melted butter and cinnamon-sugar, this muffin was amazing. Heated for a few seconds in the microwave, it was delicious.

The cinnamon rolls were very large with a generous amount of frosting. The dough was tender, though a little undercooked. The cinnamon swirl was in good balance to the dough, enough to give flavor but not overwhelming. Although, enjoyed by our crew, there were mumbling of preferring a certain someone’s homemade version.

In the evening, we served the Dutch apple pie for dessert. This was the overall winner for baked goods, surpassing the muffins. The crust was perfect with a hint of sweetness and flaky consistency. The apple filling had a pleasing cinnamon flavor, which was complimented by the crumb topping. The one detractor from this treat was the presence of apple seeds in some pie slices. However, even with seeds, everyone in our crowd found this to be the best tasting baked good.

If you are on Cape Cod, a trip to Marion’s Pie Shop is well worth the drive.

If you read this blog frequently, you will know that Monday evenings are crazy in our house. This past Monday was even busier than usual, as our younger daughter had a doctor’s appointment at 5:30 about an hour from home. Therefore, not only were the adults going to have a late dinner, but so were the kids.

Although the kids suggested doing take-out, I thought I would make a quick dinner at home. With vacations and special events, there had been enough fast food already. As a trade, I offered to make homemade waffles, which was accepted as an excellent alternative by all four. So, after the whirlwind of making and serving waffles, coordinating showers, and reading bedtime books, we were ready for dinner for the adults.

Obviously, I didn’t want to make a late dinner that would require a lot of work, but I wanted something with a quiet, romantic twist. I have made fondue many times, but I wanted to try something different, as we had a block of aged provolone cheese in our refrigerator. Adding some fresh mozzarella for gooey-ness and basil for Italian flavoring, it seeemed that this recipe should be a hit.

My next decision was what to serve as dippers for the fondue. My favorite item to dip in any fondue is good sourdough bread. I decided also to use green apple pieces, broccoli florets, and pear chunks. All of these items were delicious, except for the pear. Although I enjoy pear, it’s flavor was too delicate to compliment the fondue.

Served with a glass of Riesling, this made a delicious, late night dinner.

Fondue with an Italian Twist

1 garlic clove

3/4 cup Riesling (or Sauvignon Blanc)

1-1/2 Tb. flour

3/4 fresh mozzarella, diced

1-1/2 cup provolone, shredded

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1 loaf sourdough bread, cubed

2 green apples, diced

1/2 lb. broccoli florets, blanched

Cut garlic clove in half, and rub cut sides on inside of fondue pot. Add Riesling to pot, and place on burner. While wine is heating, toss mozzarella and provolone with the flour. When wine begins to boil, add cheese mixture in small amounts, stirring constantly. When cheeses have melted, add basil, and stir well. Reduce heat, and begin dipping bread, apples, and broccoli!

On a recent Saturday night, my wife and I were invited to hear a friend perform at a place called Tom’s Gourmet Marketplace in Northborough, Massacusetts. Our friend, Steve Centorino, is an acoustic guitarist and singer and has performed at a variety of places, but few of the places could be as eclectic as this establishment.

Tom’s Gourmet Marketplace has a little bit of everything. It is part coffee house, part bar, part gourmet food store, and part diner. It has the decor of an old country store, but serves martinis and double espressos. And every Saturday night they have a a live music performer.

The food choices are presented in deli display cabinets, but they have an air of gourmet inspiration to them. For my choice, I chose their “famous” baked fish & chips while my darling wife chose broccoli stuffed chicken. Each meal came with two sides.  We each chose herb encrusted potato fries, while I had coleslaw and “Gorgeous” chose honey glazed carrots.

The baked fish & chips that I chose was very deserving of its self-proclaimed title of “famous”. It was moist and unbelievably favorable. The haddock was light and tasty, and I savored every bite. My wife’s broccoli stuffed chicken can best be described as huge. It was a massive portion of chicken breast that wrapped around broccoli and bread stuffing. Although a little dry, a Bearnaise sauce that came with it helped to add flavor and moisture. We found our sides to be solid, but not overwhelming with the herb-encrusted potato fries to be the most original of our accompanying dishes.

To go with our meal, we had a couple cocktails that were satisfying and economical ($6/each).

For dessert, my darling spouse had a coconut bar that she found to be wonderful and we each had a coffee drink to close out the meal. For a $60 evening, it was fine and well worth the visit. Steve performed a wonderful extended set, and we enjoyed our time at the eclectic establishment known as Tom’s Gourmet Marketplace.