Interesting fact #1: Chocolate chip cookies were invented in Massachusetts.

I know. Mind = blown.

Growing up in Massachusetts, I never knew this fun little tidbit. I always loved Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookies, but had no idea that the actual “toll house” was located in the same county that I lived in. The story goes that, in 1936, Ruth Graves Wakefield, owner of the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts, was making a batch of cookies for some guests when she realized she didn't have any bakers chocolate. She substituted broken up pieces of Nestle chocolate bar hoping that they would melt and be absorbed in to the dough (um, really?) when obviously the chips just melted into gooey delicious morsels in the cookies. While her cookies did not turn out the way she was hoping- they were an even bigger hit than expected. She struck a deal with Nestle- they would print her recipe on every bar of chocolate (and they have kept their word) and she would get an endless supply of chocolate. Sounds like a good deal to me!

First. Ever. Post. Woah!

Welcome to Bread + Barrow, a New England based food and life style blog hosted by me, Meg, and my amazing other half, Philip. I will be doing the writing (yikes) and recipe developing while Phil is the talent behind the camera and web design. I'm going to be honest with you- because I feel that honesty is the best policy while starting a new relationship (and thats what this is, right?) - I am one hundred percent afraid of writing. It gets me all nervous and anxious and I really struggle with it. I am hoping that this blog, to some extent, helps me conquer that fear a bit.

But, that is not the point of this blog (it's just my own little selfish angle) – this blog is our attempt to show others the beauty that our home state, our little piece of this world, holds. Phil and I have both called Massachusetts home for our whole lives. He was born and raised on Cape Ann, and me on Cape Cod. Last year we bought our first home together in a quaint village called Hamilton, on Cape Ann. We instantly fell in love with the many horse pastures and fieldstone wall lined streets. Our home was built in the late 1700's, and while it has a lot of charm and antique details that we don't want to change, it needs some work.