I had never been to New Hampshire before this week. I’m not really the outdoorsy type and I honestly didn’t know much about the area so therefore, I just hadn’t been tempted to go. But one of my husband’s best friends lives up there and we’ve been promising him a visit. So as we set on our journey to Martha’s Vineyard, we decided to tack on a visit to New Hampshire as well. What I found is that New Hampshire might now be one of my favorite places.

Pic courtesy of Winter Hill Farm Market’s Foursquare page.

Yes, the usual entertainment consists of “outdoorsy” type activities. I was taken hiking and my husband’s friend does own a kayak and chop his own wood. But we also relaxed and enjoyed s’mores and a cook-out around a bonfire while watching fireworks. I was surprised to find the slower pace of life and friendly “small town” atmosphere strangely appealing.

I was also blown away by the quantity and availability of great food. We divided our time between the rural area of Antrim, which has a population of about 1,400 people and the neighboring town of Peterborough which is a bit larger. As spread out as the area is, there are a number of great restaurants and fresh food available. In fact, some of the best food we experienced was from some unorthodox places. I had what might be the best ice cream I’ve ever had from an Airstream truck outside of a barn at Winter Hill Farm Market. A Kiddie cup is over two scoops. And when I say scoops, I mean HUGE bear claw sized scoops. The scoops then contain creamy, whipped heavenly ice cream with chunks of chocolate and other delights. The barn also sells other locally sourced products like maple syrup and fresh honey. There is also fresh milk, eggs and other products from the local farms.

Gluten-free also appears to be the buzz-word up there. Every single place we went had homemade gluten-free bread and other available options. I enjoyed tons of great sandwiches like fresh grilled blue cheese and homemade cranberry relish, and Turkey Cobb with avocado and bacon. I also had one of the most amazing vegetable omelets I’ve ever had at Nonie’s Restaurant and Bakery in Peterborough. This thing was packed to the brim with fresh grilled vegetables and took up almost my entire plate! Every server I encountered not only knew the gluten-free lingo, they were fully able to accommodate my requests. Also every single restaurant or bar we happened upon carried gluten-free beers and ciders.

Overall, it was refreshing to for once not be feeling like the outcast begging for the kitchen to accommodate my needs. Up in New Hampshire I felt like I was one of the gang with gluten-free being the norm. So while I was there visiting I stuffed my face and enjoyed every second. I think from now on I’ll be pushing my husband to go back for another visit.

-JPM (Joyana)