Considering its rather remote location, small population, and lack of tourism industry, down town New Milford actually has a lot to offer a group of camp counsellors on any given hour or day off.
Some of the hot spots include Primos (a Mexican deli/convenient store, great for hangovers), O'Connors (a local watering hole), Bank Street Coffee (currently using their wifi), and Tasty Wave (a frozen yoghurt parlour highly frequented by my friends and I.)
However, the bulk of this post is going to be focused on The Sweet Spot, located on Railroad Street in down town New Milford.
The Sweet Spot is small bakery and cafe that offers a wide variety of sweet treats. From cupcakes, to cookies, to ice cream, The Sweet Spot has it all. And if you're in desperate need of a pick-me-up but not in the mood for something sweet, they offer coffee and espresso beverages as well. As if they needed to improve their situation, they have "coffee cubes" which, in my personal opinion, are a revelation. They are exactly what they sound like: frozen cubes of coffee. Don't like when ice cubes melt and dilute your chilly beverage? No worries, because, when coffee cubes melt, it just means more coffee, and who can really complain about that?
The Sweet Spot also offers the legendary "Scoop Cake," essentially a cupcake with a filling of peanut butter, chocolate, caramel, or whatever other saucy ice cream condiment you can imagine and topped with a scoop of ice cream of your choice. I've never had one, but I can only imagine the wonder that is the Scoop Cake.
But anyone who knows me, knows where this post is headed, so I may as well stop beating around the bush. I love coffee, but lots of places have good coffee. Ice cream doesn't do much for me, personally. Cookies are great, so are cupcakes and brownies, but they're pretty widespread as far as baked confections go.
The real reason to go to The Sweet Spot? The peanut butter bars.
(Disclaimer: although I currently sit just minutes away from The Sweet Spot, at Bank Street Coffee House, I did steal these images from Google.)
Peanut butter bars are exactly what they sound (and look) like. 3/4 peanut butter, topped with 1/4 of chocolate. Delicious granule-y texture. Better when chilled (as they are served.) They are incredibly rich, so go in with an appetite (and a sweet tooth.) If you're not in the mood for the entire bar, they also offer $0.35 peanut butter balls, the smaller and cheaper "equivalent." I use quotes because, while satisfying, the peanut butter : chocolate ratio of the peanut butter balls versus bars is just not the same. In my personal opinion, just say "fuck it" and go for the full experience.
I have converted several of my co-counsellors to "peanut butter bar believers" this summer and I hope to spread the love and knowledge via this post.
Other than delicious baked goods, my summer has been amazing. A lot of personal growth as well as a general cultivation of my creativity and happy reunion with wonderful friends. Not sure what my plans for next summer are but it's hard to imagine not coming back to the beautiful place that Buck's Rock has become for me.
That being said, if The Sweet Spot ever stops making peanut butter bars, it will definitely carry some weight in my deciding whether or not to return to New Milford.
