Facebook is everywhere, including your car.

Mercedes has just announced that their 2013 models will have the unthinkable - Facebook. This feature will be standard on all of their 2013 models and will be incorporated into the already-included navigation screen.

Sorry Subaru fans, Subaru won't be including this "app" on their 2013 models - but if you drive a Subaru, you don't really need Facebook in your car, do you?

Check out the full article on gizmodo.com

How to: Enjoy a full meal worthy of Enticement Alley

We've talked about Enticement Alley, we've covered a few recipes, but have we put them both together? What could possibly be better than making delicious food with ingredients our state is proud to make? I stole a few recipes from my favorite VT manufacturers and put them together into a meal that you can enjoy right at home.

These recipes are made with ingredients from Enticement Alley, but don't require a trek there to make them. All of the supplies can be found in the grocery store. Enjoy the meal! I would recommend adding some veggies or a side dish to the entree, so it's up to your creative will to come up with what you think would go best. And again, please send me your favorite recipes! I'll be sending out a recipe book to our fantastic Subaru fans once enough entries have been submitted. My email address is Madeleine_Cave@vtcars.com.

Bon Appetit!

Cabot Cheddar Cream Biscuits
(courtesy of the Cabot Cheese website)

2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 ounces Cabot Sharp Cheddar, finely diced (roughly 1 cup)
1 ½ cups heavy cream



Place rack in upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Butter a baking sheet and set aside.

Into a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in cheese. With a fork, stir in cream a little at a time until do dry buts remain and dough has formed. The recipe calls for 1 ½ cups, but you may not need all of it.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and knead about six times. Roll of press dough into ¾ inch think circle. Cut out rounds with a floured 2 ½ inch cutter or inverted glass, pressing scraps together to cut additional biscuits.

Place biscuits one inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Cider-glazed chicken sausages
(recipe and photo courtesy of the Noble Pig)

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1 inch wedges
1 pound chicken sausages
7 fresh sage leaves
3 cups apple cider (Cold Hollow)
Coarse salt and ground pepper

In a large skillet or shallow heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sausages and cook until sausages are a deep golden brown (usually about six minutes), turning sausages and stirring onion halfway through.

Add sage and cider, season with salt and pepper and bring to a rapid simmer.

Cook until cider is syrupy and coats the back of a spoon (about 30 minutes).

Lake Champlain Hot Fudge
(courtesy of Lake Champlain Chocolates)

1/2 cup sifted LCC Unsweetened Cocoa
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons sweet butter, cut into small pieces
1 pinch of salt


In a saucepan, stir the cream and butter over medium heat until the cream just comes to a boil. Add both sugars and stir until dissolved. Reduce heat and add the salt and cocoa. Stir briskly with a whisk until smooth. Remove from heat. Serve immediately or reheat slowly, stirring frequently in the top of a double boiler over hot water, or in a saucepan over very low heat.

What to put the fudge on? Anything you'd like. But this is after all an Enticement Alley meal, so why not one of these?

Thanksgiving Recipes from Twin City Subaru!

It’s the week of Thanksgiving (finally!), which can only mean one thing – just a few days until we can enjoy amazing food with our wonderful families – and be thankful for doing so. We’ve compiled a few recipes that some of us enjoy at our own Thanksgiving dinners, we didn’t coerce the secret family ones out of our staff, but these ones are still ultimately delicious. So a very Happy Thanksgiving to our fans and Subaru lovers throughout Vermont, we hope you enjoy these tasty recipes before, on, and after the Holiday.

Pepper Jelly & Cream Cheese Bake

The moment I read this recipe a Subaru coworker and I went to the grocery store, bought the ingredients and made it at home after work. Even though we ate most of it in one sitting, we’re glad we did – it is mouth-wateringly delicious.



½ cup mayo
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 green onions, chopped
6 Ritz crackers, crushed
8 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
½ cup pepper jelly (any kind is fine – we tried it with Cabot’s chipotle pepper jelly and it was amazing!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix mayo, cream cheese, cheddar cheese and onions then empty mixture onto a greased 8x8 inch pan.
Top with crackers and bake for 15 minutes.
Top with bacon and pepper jelly, and service with crackers or pretzels.

Lobster (or turkey or chicken or crab or anything) Dip

I grew up on the coast of Maine, so my family has always had something lobster-related at Thanksgiving. This is the all-time favorite. It’s always a hit, and it’s absolutely to die for. Not a lobster fan? Try using leftover turkey, canned chicken or crabmeat instead.


1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayo
1 tsp horseradish
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Large handful grated mozzarella cheese
Large handful grated parmesan cheese
¼ lb lobster meat (this can be bought as is in the store, frozen is fine as long as you thaw it beforehand. If you’re going to pick your own lobster meat, one 1 ¼ lb lobster is fine, two is better, but the more meat the merrier!

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (if you’re already cooking something that’s 375-425 that’s fine! Just take it out a few minutes earlier)
Mix the cream cheese, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce and lobster all together in an oven-safe dish.
Top the mixture with the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.
Bake in oven for 25 minutes or until cheese on top is bubbly.

Blue cheese & Pear Tartlets

A perfect bite-sized treat. These are better as an appetizer than a dessert because they’re more salty than sweet, but if you’re a honey fan drizzle some on top for a sweeter taste.





4 oz blue cheese, crumbled
1 ripe pear – peeled, cored and chopped
2 tablespoons black pepper – to taste
1 (2.1 oz) package mini phyllo tart shells
Prebake phyllo shells according to package directions. Set aside to cool.

Mix together blue cheese, pear and cream.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Pumpkin Pie Cake Squares

These mini cakes are the perfect combination of pumpkin pie and vanilla cake tastes. This is such a great and easy recipe for Thanksgiving, and it spices up the original pumpkin pie!




1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
1 (12 fl oz) can evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 (18.25 oz) package yellow cake mix
1 cup butter, melted
1 ½ cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, milk, eggs, sugar and spice. Mix well and pour into the pan.
Sprinkle dry cake mix over the top, then drizzle with melted butter. Top with walnuts.
Bake at 350 degrees F for one hour (to tell that they’re finished, insert a knife near the center and if it comes out clean, they’re ready!)

Pumpkin Pie Roll

Another dessert I commonly have at my own Thanksgiving. As you can see, we’ve gotten really cream cheese happy here at Subaru. This recipe really speaks for itself and is a must-have this Holiday!




¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, softened
¼ cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch cookie sheet.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda and pumpkin pie spice. Stir in pumpkin puree, eggs and lemon juice. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Spread evenly.
Bake for 15 minutes.

Here’s where it gets a little tricky!

Lay a damp linen towel on the counter, sprinkle it with confectioner’s sugar, and turn the cake onto the towel. Carefully roll the towel up (lengthwise) with the cake in it. Place the cake/towel combo on a cooling rack and let it cool for 20 minutes.

For the icing, use a medium bowl; blend cream cheese, butter, vanilla and sugar with a wooden spoon or electric mixer.

When the cake has cooled for 20 minutes, unroll it and spread icing onto it. Immediately re-roll, without the towel, and wrap it with plastic wrap. Keep the cake refrigerated or freeze it for up to two weeks in aluminum foil. Cut into slices just before serving.

---

We hope you enjoy our recipes this Thanksgiving, or any time! Don’t worry – the pumpkin desserts aren’t redundant, just equally amazing in different ways. We’ll be hosting a contest during the holidays for our Christmas recipe blog, so take pictures of your meals this Thanksgiving so we can post them in December! We’d also like to create a recipe book to send out to our wonderful customers and readers at the end of the winter Holidays, if you have a recipe you’d like to share, please post it on our Facebook walls or shoot me an email and we’ll feature it here and add it to our recipe book. Happy Thanksgiving all and safe travels!

Love,

Twin City Subaru

Subaru of New England Donates $100,000 to the Vermont Disaster Relief Fund

The following is the Press Release from Subaru New England:

ERNIE BOCH JR, PRESIDENT & CEO OF SUBARU OF NEW ENGLAND, DONATES $100,000.00 DOLLARS TO THE VERMONT DISASTER RELIEF FUND ON BEHALF OF
SUBARU OF NEW ENGLAND

GOVERNOR SHUMLIN THANKS ‘CORPORATE ANGELS’ FOR THEIR
IRENE RECOVERY DONATIONS

(NORWOOD, MA)  “Subaru of New England has proudly been doing business in Vermont for over forty years.  It breaks my heart that this is happening to the State I love, that due to the devastation of Tropical Storm Irene so many homeowners, businesses, and the infrastructure of Vermont’s beautiful roads have been destroyed.  Today I have joined forces with Governor Shumlin and become one of his ‘Corporate Angels’ in the Irene recovery efforts.  On behalf of the entire Subaru of New England family, I am donating a check for $100,000.00 dollars to the Vermont Disaster Relief Fund, stated Ernie Boch Jr,” President & CEO of Subaru of New England.

Donations received from ‘Corporate Angels’ around the country provide housing, food assistance and case management, along with a full-range of resources for people who were impacted by Tropical Storm Irene.  “These donors have stepped forward to provide well over one million dollars towards Vermont’s recovery,” said Governor Shumlin.  “This assistance will provide both short and long term recovery opportunities to Vermonters who need help getting back on their feet.”

People who are still interested in donating to assist in Tropical Storm Irene recovery efforts can call 1-800-VERMONT to donate to either the Vermont Disaster Relief Fund or the Vermont – New Hampshire Red Cross Chapter.

Vermont to the Core

Cold Hollow Cider Mill is one of the many attractions in Enticement Alley, alongside being the top New England producer of apple cider. The cider pressed at the mill is spectacular, using 12 pounds of Vermont apples in just one (yes, one!) gallon of apple cider, and oh does it pay off.

But that’s not all they have to offer.

Cold Hollow Cider Mill has shelves upon shelves of cider jelly, maple syrup, cider barbeque sauce, cider vinaigrette and more stacked everywhere you can see. The best part, however, is the samples. Indulge in the sweet taste of fresh Vermont fall by tasting their delicious cider jellies in a variety of flavors, or head over and watch the amazing Cold Hollow employees make cider donuts right in front of your eyes.

Check out the Apple Core Gift Shop right across the parking lot, where they make their fudge and offer tastings of Vermont-made wines and hard apple cider. You can even order their products online – fudge, donuts, maple butter, maple shortbread, maple granola and syrup – but the scenery blended with the enticing smell are enough to want to visit the place in person.

We don’t need to give you the whole 4-1-1 on how they make their homemade treats (especially the cider, which the apples it’s made from get pressed before your eyes in the 1920’s vintage press) because they can show you that. We will tell you though that they use tree-picked, hand-selected apples that are inspected for perfection bin by bin. But check it out for yourself. You can go almost any time; they have self-led tours open to the public where you can explore and enjoy the alluring aroma that encompasses the Cold Hollow Cider Mill.

Their old fashioned, all-natural method creates the best tasting cider in New England (or ever!), and as Vermonters, we love the tangy taste of those juicy apples that come right from our own soil. So go on and enjoy a little bit of fall with a whole lot of yummy tastes. Grab a cider donut and hot cup of cider to take on the road in your Subaru. Roll down your windows, enjoy the taste, enjoy the views, and enjoy the ride.

Cold Hollow Cider Mill is located at 3600 Waterbury-Stowe Road, Waterbury Center Vt. They are open seven days a week, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. (7 p.m. in the summer), and closed only on Thanksgiving and Christmas.


The rest of our photos from the Cold Hollow Cider Mill can be viewed on Twin City Subaru's Flikr.

Jessica Owens: Her First Subaru

" I always wanted a Subaru but when you're 16 well, my parents needed to sign for a loan. When I first started dating my now husband in 2004 he had a 2000 Impreza RS 2 door coupe. That was a hot little number I tell you! I wanted to drive that car so bad that he handed me a book; Bob Bondurants High Performance Driving." He said I couldn't drive it until I read the book. Needless to say I read the book, and learned stick on my bf's Subaru. I loved his car so much that I immediately sold my old Chevy for my own 2000 Subaru Impreza Rs 2 door coupe in white. Since then Jonathan and I have been a Subaru only family. We both owned a pair of Rs's and also a pair of WRX's (I have the wagon, he had the sedan). Today I still own the WRX Wagon with 120k on it and Jonathan has a Baja Turbo. We love Subaru so much that we even had Subaru decor and designated Subaru parking at our wedding!
Love is what makes a Subaru a Subaru, and in our case Subaru and Love found common ground :) "

Where-to in your Subaru: Enticement Alley

It’s that time of year where the leaves change colors and Vermonters start to bundle up. Fall – a beautiful season here in the mountains where we can relax with a cup of hot cider, take a hike with stunning views, and of course, enjoy a beautiful drive in our Subaru.

For this month’s Where-to in your Subaru, we’re featuring Enticement Alley. The stretch of highway off of exit 10 on 89 that includes Ben & Jerry’s, Cold Hollow Cider Mill, Cabot Cheese and Lake Champlain Chocolates, among many others.

We’ll feature the big guns first. Then we’ll take you through an online tour of our personal, more hidden favorites. So take a day, or even an hour and visit one of these amazing Vermont spots in your Subaru. And as always, we hope you enjoy the ride.