Dog Team Tavern

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The Dog Team Tavern is a restaurant that has recently burned, destroying artifacts ^[1] of the Sir Wilfred Grenfell Mission and Labrador handicrafts. The building was originally a mission house that was started by Sir Wilfred Grenfell and his wife in the 1931. In the 1940's the building became the Dog Team Tavern.

The building, which burned down in early September 2006, was located on Dog Team Road, off US Route 7 roughly 8 miles north of the town of Middlebury, Vermont. A local landmark, the rustic restaurant was known for its handsome portions (most notably the prime rib) and the "relish wheel," which (typically) contained corn relish, apple butter, horse radish cottage cheese, beets, sauerkraut. Also, the restaurant's famous sticky buns were always served at the beginning of each meal.

The restaurant was very popular among students from the nearby Middlebury College, who often flocked there with family during the college's fall family weekends.

The Dog Team Tavern was opened in 1936 as a tea house and outlet for handicrafts from Newfoundland/Labrador, and not 1931. That year was the year that Sir Wilfred and Lady Anne Grenfell retired to Charlotte, Vermont, where they built Kenloch House. 1934 saw them opening a Dog Team Tea House in Ferrisburg, Vermont, and about that time they opened one in Oxford, Connecticut as well as one in Guildford, Connecticut. There is a reference to one also being opened in Maine, but where that was has not been found out as yet. When Eben and Catherine Joy purchased the Dog Team Tavern from the International Grenfell Association (of New York City) in 1946 they opened it as a restaurant adding a bar/tavern later when they were able to obtain a license in "dry" New Haven. The Dog Team Tavern is 4 miles north of Middlebury, and not 7 miles. It should be noted that the Dog Team Tavern website says that it was opened in the 1920's, but that is not correct.

Eben Joy, and his second wife, Eileen, sold the Dog Team Tavern to Andrew Golbert of Burlington, Vermont (now of Essex Junction) in 1979, and not to Chris Hesslink. Andrew Golbert sold the DTT to Chris Hesslink and Robert Mahoney in 1987 with Robert Mahoney leaving the business around 1996/97 when Chris Hesslink reorganized and continued the business until it burned on Friday, September 1st of 2006. Submitted by Ralph E. Brooks, Foxboro, Massachusetts

The Dog Team catered to such folks as Eleanor Roosevelt, Neil Diamond, Michael Eisner and more. There was a waitress who worked there for 47 years. Neil Diamond would request her when he came in. Her name was Arlene LaFave. She was an institution in Addison County. The Dog Team Tavern was unique in that most employees encountered there had been there over 10 years! Originally, the staff lived upstairs as the restaurant was only open in the summers. Later, it was open all year. There was a small building next door which of late has been used as a gift shop; but back in the day it was known as The Dog Team Playhouse, and several shows were put on there. Among the treasures lost in the fire: A Grenfell overcoat donated by Arlene LaFave A Grenfell snowsuit for a child A huge collection of old political buttons A beautiful Victorian period dollhouse An old handpainted sign for orange soda The hide of a wallaby and the head of a bear 2 gorgeous Grenfell throw pillows with the face of a husky embroidered on each one Original posters and articles detailing Sir Grenfell's work and lectures 2 oil paintings by different artists of the restaurant 1 painting of Sir Wilfred Grenfell A marble statue of snow drifs with a little dog sled and dogs and of course at least a dozen incredible one-of-a-kind Grenfell silk mats. One with trout, one with a dog team, and so many more.

The Dog Team had an unusual system of serving. Upon arriving at the restaurant, the menu was presented on a board just inside the entrance way. You gave your name and your order at that time, and went inside the building to wait. Waiting times of an hour or more were not uncommon during busy times. However, there were so many interesting things to see within the restaurant that time passed quickly. You could wait within the front parlor, where old overstuffed couches were provided along with old copies of such magazines as "Life" and "Saturday Review", or you could go through the serving area to the bar and wait there while enjoying their amazing horseradish cottage cheese dip with ridged potato chips. There was also an outside porch and in earlier years a gazebo and tables set up in the back by the rushing New Haven River.

Much has been made about their relish wheel and sticky buns (which were strictly rationed), but they also served little loaves of homemade bread and a fresh salad featuring a choice of three of their own dressings (including an "Alsatian" french). This did not include the appetizer (typically a glass of juice or soup) which you ordered when you came in. First-timers were usually stuffed before the entrees even arrived. Food was served family style, with mashed potatoes and green peas. There was even a dessert menu, but only the biggest appetites had any room. Of course, anything you couldn't eat you got to take home in a "doggie" bag (though they didn't have styrofoam boxes so it was hard to pack the mashed potatoes or peas). Arguments would ensue over who got the left-over sticky buns.