More on fine dining in Brattleboro. Last Sunday, we had the ultimate pleasure of attending a 20th anniversary celebration for Michael Fuller, who is the chef of, and synonymous with, T. J. Buckley's, which is one of the great dining experiences in southern Vermont and lots of other places as well. We often send guests at Hickory Ridge House there, because we like the menu, and the service, and, most of all, the preparations. Our guests come back happy.
There were some truly wonderful things about that party. Top of the list was that we got to sample all of the signature appetizers at Buckley's, which is a major treat. More interesting was that there were scores of people, all of them were happy to be there, all of them made or produced or somehow were involved in food, but, most of all ... it looked like every single person in that room was tied by one common bond -- they love to eat. It was that simple.
One of the nicest parties we've been to here. And even if this appeared to be a kind of surprise party thrown by the people who work at and for the restaurant, it's just as true that the party turned out to be a huge thank you to Michael for doing what he does.
Thank you, Michael Fuller.