The Defiant Traveler

Friday, September 16 - Pickity Place, Mason, NH

It has been almost two weeks since my last post. Much has happened!

Between the every day stuff I have had a few major car issues - U-joint replacements, cracked radiator, etc. All is well now, and boy am I glad it happened close to home.

I meant to post yesterday, but was busy with other things.

Friday my sister, her daughter (my niece!) and I headed up to Mason, NH, for lunch at Pickity Place. For those who do not know what it is, it is a cottage built in 1786, and is now a small restaurant with an abundance of herb gardens (and gift shop). With a history!

Entrance

Everyone knows "Little Red Riding Hood" from Grimm's Fairy Tales. You might also remember "Little Golden Books" - each fairy tale condensed to one book. In 1948 Elizabeth Orton Jones chose the red cottage and grounds at Pickity Place upon which to base her illustrations for the book :)

What big eyes you have, Grandma!

It is now a very excellent restaurant located practically in the middle of nowhere. At the end of a very narrow and winding dirt road. With a TON of excellent and herb gardens and flowers that reward at the end!

The restaurant has 3 seatings a day, and the menus are fixed almost a year ahead of time. The menu changes monthly, and the same courses are served throughout the month. Reservations are necessary, as it is small (and crowded). Lunch is a 5-course meal, served at 11:30, 12:45, and 2:00. We opted for the 12:45 seating. It gave us time to peruse the herb gardens and take our time as we wandered through them and work up a bit of an appetite.

Herb gardens

Herb gardens (mostly sage)

Herb gardens

Purple peppers

It was a gorgeous day! Could not have ordered better :) Not too warm and not too chilly. Needed a jacket when I headed out in the morning, but it warmed up quite nicely later on.

The food.... wow.... to die for!!! They use their own herbs and veggies in everything. We began with caramelized onion dip and crackers, followed shortly by soup - Arugula potato. A Caprese salad and rosemary olive oil foccacia bread came after. The bread was warm and I could not stop eating it! Then came the entrees: my niece and I had asiago stuffed meatballs over spaghetti squash, and my sister opted for the vegetarian alternative. Summer veggies over grilled polenta (broccoli, portabellas, sweet peppers, tomatoes and summer squash).

They do not serve alcohol, but you are welcome to bring your own. I had 2 wine coolers, which the front desk kindly sent to the kitchen refrigerator while we were waiting, and were served on ice in a lovely ceramic container. Sister and Niece split a few same size small bottles of Prosecco :)

I was already full - overfull! Could not finish my entree (well it WAS 5 meatballs, and made very excellent leftovers!). Then dessert arrived. White chocolate praline cheesecake. With home-made whipped cream and raspberry sauce on the side. Of course I could not resist, and dug in.

It was an awesome gastronomic experience! All the food was freshly prepared, and absolutely to die for. Flavors and fresh herbs were outstanding. I think I had tears in my eyes by the time I was eating the soup :)

I did not get many pix of the food. I know it is a "thing" now, but we were all hungry and focused on the food, company, and enjoying the day. Here are a couple (I did not take).

Caprese salad

Whit chocolate cheesecake

After we rolled out of the dining room, we perused the gift shop. Pickity Place dries (and mixes) and sells a lot of what they grow for the home cook. Along with quite a few other treasures.

Shortly after that, we headed back. It was such a wonderful day, and I loved every minute of it! Made even more special by sharing it with 2 people who mean the most to me - my sister and my niece.

Rolled into bed that night (still full!), but so very, very glad of the day, the experience, and the company. I would love to return.

There is an ash tree that grows on the property. It is 60+ feet tall, and as old as the cottage. A tree well over 200 years old! Now there is another part of Mother Nature one cannot help but awe :)