5 Reasons to Lunch at Red Clover, and other Antidotes to this Ceaseless Cold Rain
Going stir-crazy with the umpteenth day of rain? Me too. Decided to seek out the not-so-usual place for lunch and then scour the UV for at least two other rain-be-damned Saturday-sort of things to do. Red Clover Cafe and Creamery in East Thetford, Vermont was the starting point. (Click here for menu, hours, details.) Here are five reasons to give it a go.
Freshness: It roasts its own chicken and turkey, makes its baked items in-house (except for some locally sourced donuts), and fresh-squeezes its lemonade.
Variety: It has a wonderfully curated sandwich menu, including—curried chicken salad with chutney and pineapple, jambon beurre, a killer caprese panini, Reubens and Rachels—plus salads and soups.
The broccoli slaw that you will end up craving: broccoli, carrots, a hint of chopped apple and dried cranberries with a light dressing. It comes as a seriously good side with every sandwich.
Nice ambiance, nice people: Janet and Tom Call opened this seasonal spot in East Thetford three years ago (click here for the initial story on Artful) in the former Isabell’s Cafe and it has maintained its high standards.
Drum roll: While the cafe has always served ice cream (hence the “creamery” in its name) a new addition this year is. . . . maple creemees. Oh yes.
My annual, if limited, gardening expedition took me down the road on Route 5 to Honey Field Farm in Norwich. Greenhouses upon greenhouses, nicely labeled and with helpful people who know exactly where to direct you. My search every May is for New Guinea impatiens, my mother’s favorite. When we moved to our new home this year, I realized that I had left behind the impatiens garden I made every spring to remember my mother. Sigh. So I am improvising, maybe some containers of New Guineas on the deck and a few in the front ground beds. Mom would be happy, with the move and with the evolving memorial garden.
My final task for the day was more urban: driving down Main Street in Hanover, NH for a look-see of the location of a new summer venue for the arts and for gathering outdoors. No more shutting down Allen Street as in past summers and sometimes to the discontent of the merchants there; the alley that runs alongside Ledyard Bank is slated to be transformed.
“The lot is owned by neighboring Ledyard Bank, which has leased it to the town at no cost and also is donating money to spruce it up. The goal is to open for events by Aug. 1, Hanover Town Manager Rob Houseman said.” —Valley News, 5/20/25.
Here’s the whole story.
(All photos by Susan B. Apel)
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And in case you are wondering . . . Susan B. Apel shuttered a lifelong career as a law professor to continue an interest (since kindergarten) in writing. Her freelance business, The Next Word, includes literary and feature writing; her work has appeared in a variety of lit mags and other publications including Art New England, The Woven Tale Press, The Arts Fuse, and Persimmon Tree. She connects with her neighbors through Artful, her blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley. She’s in love with the written word.