After a day on the slopes, head to The Brown Bar and Kitchen, Windham’s latest go-to spot, serving hearty après-ski fare like squash ravioli, wild Alaskan salmon, and stick-to-your ribs beef bourguignon. The desserts alone are worth the trip: homemade ginger ice cream cookie sandwiches and Dutch apple pie are customer favorites. (383 Route 296, Hensonville [a hamlet of Windham]; 518.734.4261; www.thebrownbar.com)
Another great reason to visit Woodstock: Reynolds & Reynolds Tap Room, Cafe and Bottle Shop, featuring a locally sourced selection of small plates plus rotating tap of stouts, lagers, and ciders from unusual suppliers. (104 Mill Hill Road, Woodstock; 845.481.1081; www.rrtaproom.com)
A food court minus the grease, newcomer Troy Kitchen is perfect for grazing: Korean BBQ, Mexican, lobster rolls in season, dessert crepes — the list goes on. After hours on Fridays, it morphs into a clubby scene. (77 Congress St, Troy; 518.268.0068; www.facebook.com/TroyKitchenNY)
Mark your calendars for the reopening of The Souk in Piermont, an exotic epicurean market where you are invited to dine in or take out. Choose from soups, roasted raw milk, a treasure chest of cheeses, empanadas, and gluten-free and regular pastries and pies of all sizes and sorts. Open Sundays from January 8 through April 9. (249 Ferdon Ave., Piermont; 845.398.0706; www.theoutside.in/thesouk)
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Lastly, Hudson Valley Rail Trail WinterFest is a great excuse to get outside and actually experience chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Join the day out on January 14 to sample meat and vegetarian chili from local restaurants and vote for the one that sings to your palate. (11 a.m.-2 p.m.; 12 Church St., Highland; 845.691.8880; www.hudsonvalleyrailtrail.net)
Save the Date
The Albany Wine & Dine for the Arts Festival
January 12-14, Downtown Albany
This annual, epicurean extravaganza showcases 70 of the best chefs and restaurants from across the Capital Region. Created to aid funding for Albany’s not-for-profit arts community, it’s a chance to check out cooking demos and educational seminars, as well as sample 250 global wines, assorted spirits, and New York-made craft beer. This year’s programming honors one of the most well-known sculptures of the antiquities — The Three Graces — and will feature food, wine, and art of ancient Greece. (Assorted Albany locations; www.albanywinefest.com)
