Happy Thanksgiving from Boston

eight great friends.

22 pounds of turkey nicknamed "big boy."

one great Thanksgiving in Boston.

Hope you had a wonderful holiday with plenty of thanks.

a surprise vacation in...

Right after I volunteered to bring quiche for my book club's November meeting, Ian told me I couldn't go. He had plans for the weekend.

"Well, can we do it later Saturday? After book club? It's just in the morning."

"No. Actually, it might involve an overnight bag."

The next day, I received the following e-mail:

In preparation for this weekend, please block off your schedule from 3:30 PM on Friday, November 12th until 8 PM Sunday, November 14th, and be waiting at the office by 3:30 on the 12th with the following items packed:

• Nice evening dinner attire for one evening,
• Casual comfortable clothing for 2 days, including fleece/warmly lined pants and outdoorsy shoes,
• "Cozy" clothes for the purpose of vegetating,
• Toiletries,
• Reading materials of your choice, and
• Provisions for automotive travel ranging from three to eight hours of travel.

*If possible, please try and complete all work prior to 3:30 PM on the 12th to ensure maximum productivity during the weekend.

If you have any questions regarding this appointment, please feel free to ask. However, know that at this time, some details are confidential, and therefore I may be unable to answer.

Thank you.

Friday, we brought our bags to work and by 3:45 we were sitting on the bench outside. Ian let me think we were waiting for Enterprise, then Brett and Emily drove up. Discovery 1 — the trip was in honor of Emily's birthday. But the guys remained tight-lipped about our destination.

After one Target stop for an iPod cable, three states (including Mass) and four Frosty + french fry snacks, Brett stopped in a gas station parking lot and pulled out his MacBook for a slide show presentation. Emily made discovery 2 — our destination was the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont — quaint mountain resort town and home to Ben & Jerry's and Cabot cheese. Amen.

We enjoyed a late dinner at Pie-casso (tip from our awesome waitress — order "pigs in a garden," an off-menu pie) before checking in at the Lodge.

The next morning, we had a late breakfast and spent a good hour playing with the modeling clay that came in one of Emily's birthday boxes. We finally decided we should probably get out and explore, so we headed to Pinnacle Trail and conquered Hogback Mountain.

I learned that while I may have the balance and grace of a mountain goat (flattering, right?), I'm not a die-hard outdoorswoman.

In the face of mud and a couple icy sections, we made it to the top and spent some time eating homemade Chex mix while looking at this.

After our hike, we hopped back in the car to catch a Ben & Jerry's factory tour. Short and sweet, you end with a heaping sample of ice cream. Then we headed to the scoop shop to get more.

We finished Saturday with nachos and shepherd's pie at Gracie's, then headed back to the lodge for some well-earned rest and relaxation.

Sunday, we indulged in brunch at the Trapp bakery — possibly the best chocolate croissant I've ever had. After Brett finished his training run, we loaded up the car, then wandered the grounds. Our search for the extra-hairy cows was unsuccessful, but we did see a von Trapp family member giving a tour at the Captain and Maria's graves. Content with our von Trapp experience, we headed into town.

After lunch at the Depot Street Malt Shop, we explored downtown then headed to the Cold Hollow Cider Mill for some tasty souvenirs and Ian and I's first encounter with cider doughnuts. Car and stomachs full, we headed back to Boston.

Brett — thanks for letting us join your surprise for Emily. It was so much fun spending a weekend with you both. And again, happy birthday Emily!

For more photos, click here.

chocolate world tour: Peru

60% cocoa, well-rounded with subtle jasmine notes and a clean finish
Ideal pairing: cabernet sauvignon

I confess, Peru was shortchanged. We were relaxing with Micki and the chocolate bar disappeared with very few tasting notes and no pairing. I did, however, manage to write down two descriptors: "creamy" and "the epitome of dark chocolate." I think it's safe to say this was a satisfying end to an evening with good company.

chocolate world tour: São Thomé

70% cocoa, intense cocoa flavor with an exciting bitterness
Ideal pairing: dry roasted almonds

As we unwrapped the São Thomé bar, a nutty baking chocolate smell wafted past the foil. The first taste revealed a deep molasses flavor, and floral (jasmine in particular) and earthy components. A hint of rubber snuck in, but not in any unpleasant way - more of a memory of summer bike rides than an actual, tangible flavor.

The texture of the chocolate was a good match for roasted almonds - thicker, so it coated the nuts as I chewed. The chocolate was a little bitter at first, but the almond balanced this. It reminded us of hot chocolate at Cafe by the Ruins in Baguio - rich dark chocolate bits melted into steaming carabao milk - if you drank it sitting next to a cozy campfire, everything taking on a hint of woodsmoke.

Since coming back from the Philippines, I get sporadic craving for a cup of Rizal's hot chocolate. It's nice to get some satisfaction without a $2,000 plane ticket.

Catherine and the original Boston cream pie

Last week, Catherine was in town for a food and nutrition convention. Even though her schedule was packed (when your grad school pays, you can't miss anything), she managed to squeeze in an evening with us.

After work on Monday, we met her at her hotel downtown then headed straight for the Omni-Parker House, home of the original Boston cream pie.

We walked in to old money elegance — dark wood, high ceilings, gilt molding, plush carpet. Feeling mildly out of place, Ian led us on to the hotel restaurant where the maître d’ apologized, but as we didn't have reservations he couldn't squeeze us in until after eight. Catching a glimpse of the restaurant interior and patrons, perhaps this was for the best — I'm not sure our attire was quite up to snuff.

Instead, we opted for The Last Hurrah — the hotel bar — for a relaxed dinner while still indulging in that Boston classic at it's birthplace. We caught up over clam chowder, stew, and chili before splitting dessert. It was gone in 5 minutes.

After dinner, we wandered around Beacon Hill and the Common, and Catherine told us more about Hershey — the man, the company, and what it's like to work there. It was a lovely evening despite the rain.

Catherine, it was great to see you and we'll be taking up your offer to visit Hershey!