Otter Creek, Middlebury's Hometown Bakery

            Located in the heart of Middlebury is the quaint Otter Creek Bakery. Upon entering this small establishment, you can’t help but be drawn to the display case, which hosts some of the most gourmet and mouthwatering desserts I have ever seen. Otter Creek has everything from Petit Fours to homemade Oreos. While I personally am a huge fan of their cakes, for those who don’t have an outrageously sweet tooth you may find this dessert type to be a bit rich for your taste. If so, I recommend trying any of their cookies, the cinnamon twists or the apple turnovers.  But before you dive into dessert, you should be sure not miss their sandwiches, served on homemade breads.  The display case also offers several ready-made options, such as a delicious chicken salad with grapes and celery, as well as other fresh daily options.

            Arguably one of my favorite sandwiches, the West Coaster is a combination of everything good in life. The smoked turkey combined with the avocado, sprouts, jalapeño jack cheese and tomatoes forms one of the smoothest sandwiches I have ever tasted. Today I tried it on their Honey-Oat bread, but often go for the Sourdough. Whatever bread you choose, you cannot go wrong with this sandwich. It should also be noted that this sandwich is typically served with sun-dried tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes. I change the order because the flavor from the sun-dried tomatoes is too overpowering and doesn’t allow for the spice of the jalapeno jack cheese to contribute.

Another sandwich that is certainly worth trying so long as you don’t mind of eating yourself into a heart attack is the BLT with Brie. This treat is a twist on a classic but be sure to get it paninied, as the melted Brie helps form a cohesive bond amongst the ingredients.

After a month of overindulgence where I made sure to eat just about everything that my heart desired, I found that, as with the majority of people, there are specific items that I tend to be drawn to.  For example, despite having dined at many different dinner establishments this January, instead of trying a vast array on entrees, at the end of the month, I found myself with many different experiences of salmon under my belt.  Not ideal for a supposed food critic. As a result, when I went to Otter Creek, instead of looking at the menu and seeing what I personally would have liked (which probably would have been Lauryn’s West Coaster. Yum.), I asked the cashier to give me their most popular sandwich.  This sandwich, called the Norwegian, came with Norwegian smoked salmon, dill cream cheese, and cucumbers on thinly sliced rye bread.  Nope.  Not what I would have ordered.  The sandwich was, in a word, interesting.  I’m not the biggest fan of dill and thinly sliced rye bread isn’t the first thing I jump for.  Yes, I am surprised that this is Otter Creek’s most popular sandwich because I can’t say that I would be tempted to order it.  To be fair, the ingredients were incredibly fresh and top grade, which was a saving grace for the interesting combination.  However, after passing around my sandwich at the hockey game (I didn't really want to eat it), I was given several extremely positive reviews from both dill lovers, smoked salmon lovers, and growing boys that will eat just about anything.  Despite the less than stellar experience, this sandwich has not stopped my quest to expand my palate and step out of my comfort zone.

Otter Creek is located in the heart of town, right across from the new bridge.  They are open seven days a week and serve both breakfast and lunch.  Otter Creek is the perfect place to pick up a cake for any special celebration or for anytime you are craving a little sweet.  Make sure you have cash when eating at Otter Creek as they do not accept credit cards. 

 Delicious Display Cases

 The West Coaster Sandwich

 The Norwegian Sandwich