Penny Cluse Café [Stuck in Vermont 677]

Penny Cluse Café [Stuck in Vermont 677]
Burlington's Penny Cluse Café opened in 1998 and quickly became legendary for its tasty and creative breakfasts and lunches. Not only is it the place to eat when visiting the Queen City - just ask President Joe Biden - but it also has a tight-knit family both behind the counter and in front of it.
When owners and married couple Charles Reeves and Holly Cluse announced in October that they would close Penny Cluse sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas of this year, the online tributes began to pour in. And the business got busier as everyone rushed to have one final meal - or maybe a few - at the beloved Burlington eatery.
It wasn’t the pandemic or staff shortages that ultimately led to the end of Penny Cluse. Quite simply, Charles and Holly wanted some time off to enjoy their family.
Eva visited Penny Cluse a few times to talk to staff and regulars about what this spot has meant to the community for the past 25 years. And, yes, she had her favorite meal one last time, too.
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Kat Wright, “By My Side”
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[@meynardmowat1105]

Bravo Eva. One of your best stories yet. I can actually feel the love. ❤

[@alexmerrill8538]

A fitting tribute to a Burlington institution. Happy to enjoy one final meal there a few weeks ago to celebrate my dad's birthday. We always split the gingerbread pancakes and a bucket of spuds.

[@jkarov]

Sleepy Nate's Biscuits & Gravy was my all time favorite at Penny Cluse: RECIPES FOLLOW! Penny Cluse Biscuits & Herb Cream Gravy Penny Cluse Biscuits (makes about 10 biscuits) Ingredients 2 cups all purpose flour 1 tbsp + 1 tsp sugar 1 tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 6 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed 1 cup buttermilk (whole milk can substitute) Instructions Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix dry ingredients. Blend in butter until somewhat granular. Add buttermilk (drizzle slowly), mix and let form into a cohesive dough. Add in an additional 1/8 cup if the mixture seems too dry. Roll out on a floured surface and cut the dough into circles with a 2 3/8” biscuit cutter for traditional round biscuits. Or to avoid leftover dough scraps, cut the dough into squares with a knife. Brush on some melted butter. Bake at 425 on an ungreased baking sheet for 14 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once. Penny Cluse Herb Cream Gravy Ingredients 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped 1 cup plus 2 tbsp half-and-half, divided 1 cup whole milk 4 tbsp butter ¼ cup diced onion ¼ cup grated carrot 1 tsp minced garlic 1½ tsp salt ½ tsp ground black pepper ¼ tsp dried basil ¼ tsp dried oregano ⅛ tsp dried thyme 4 tbsp all-purpose flour Instructions Purée fresh herbs with 2 tablespoons half-and-half in blender. Heat milk and 1 cup half-and-half. Keep warm. In a separate pot, melt butter and add vegetables and dried spices. Cook until vegetables are soft. Add flour and stir for a minute. Gradually add warm milk mixture, whisking after each addition. Bring to a low boil after last addition. Remove from heat and add fresh herb purée. Whisk to combine. Gingerbread Pancakes (Makes about 20 3-inch pancakes, can easily be doubled) Ingredients 1 ¾ cups flour 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp allspice ¼ tsp salt 2 eggs 2 cups buttermilk (see note below) 2 tablespoons melted butter, plus more butter to fry pancakes 2 tablespoons light brown sugar 2 tablespoons Vermont maple syrup Instructions In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and then whisk in buttermilk, melted butter, brown sugar and maple syrup. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir just until combined. (Do not overmix or pancakes can become tough.) Set a large frying pan over medium heat. Add a little butter. Ladle ¼-cupfuls of batter onto hot pan and cook, about 2-3 minutes a side, turning when bubbles appear on top. (Reduce heat if exterior of pancakes gets too dark before center is cooked through.) Serve with plenty of Vermont maple syrup. Note: If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own in a pinch by adding 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to 2 cups of regular milk. Let sit to curdle slightly. Another option is to whisk milk into plain yogurt until it is pourable.

[@StuckinVermont]

YUm, thanks for sharing!

[@christinaFaith84]

I only got to eat there once with a good friend who passed away 5 years ago. I went there in 2007, I believe. I always wanted to go back but I never got the chance. Nice to see some Burlington faces I never knew but saw around town. It's been about 10 years since I was there last. Everything has changed. Even if I do go back, it's not the same Burlington.

[@EMTB1992]

Miss those biscuits and gravy.

[@StuckinVermont]

So much. :(

[@amy83079]

So sad. ☹️ Why does it have to close? If everyone donated $5 it could become a community-owned restaurant. And everyone could keep their jobs. I could be the baker 👩‍🍳

[@nuplanner5345]

We haven’t been to Penny Cluse in awhile, I’m sorry to hear it’s gone. A Burlington institution…nothing lasts forever.

[@oDIRECTORo]

Heck yeah!!! I see they are still open?

[@StuckinVermont]

Sadly, Dec 11, 2022 was their last day. :(