GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN

Thisilldous Eatery presents

GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN

tasty places to take your bike

COCOON COFFEE HOUSE 8 SILK MILL DRIVE, HAWLEY, PA 18428

570-2266130 • HAWLEYSILKMILL.COM/COCOON-COFFEE-HOUSE/

A bit back we featured a very snazzy and picturesque hotel called Ledges in Hawley, Pennsylvania.

Come morning we uncharacterizable got a later start than usual – mainly waiting for the Indian Summer sun to do its job and bring us from the 30s to the mid-40s mercury-wise.

Next to the old glass factory, that is now Ledges, we took a tour of the old silk mill which is part historic and part commercial – but in a good way with a few very interesting shops mixed with the history of the mill than has a most unique honor.

Built in 1880 and operated as a Silk Mill until 1956, the recently appointed National Register of Historic Places Hawley Silk Mill is, to this day, the largest laid bluestone building in the world.

We went to call bull shit on this but… maybe not?

The term “bluestone” is derived from a deep-blue-colored sandstone rst found in Ulster County, New York. It can, however, appear in many other hues, mostly shades of grays and browns. Bluestone quarrying is of particular value to the economy of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania.

Recently refurbished as an education center and of ce space, the mill has a rich history as an economic and historic resource to the Northeastern Pennsylvania Region.

Nestled in front of the massive structure sat an adorable little building that once sheltered the cocoons that supplied the silk. Today, it is the home of the coffee house, which proudly carries on the legacy in its name. It is called Cocoon and we want you to think of Cocoon as more a funky historic stop that also has some great food. Cocoon has both. While there certainly take a tour of the mill and stroll down to Ledges to see the hotel and, especially the magni cent waterfalls. Now, as Americans, we are all versed in how real silk is made, right? Exactly. It has to do with worms… tiny, itsy bitsy (tinier than our Marilyn) worms! Silk bers are produced by silkworms when they spin themselves into a cocoon on their journey to becoming a silk moth. These ultra-soft bers are harvested from the cocoon in their raw state by being

boiled in hot water (still containing the silkworms) and stirred until the cocoons unravel. Ouch.

Silly Silk Worm Factoid:

One silk cocoon can contain a thread of raw silk up to 3,000 feet.

Despite it ‘wormicide’ past, today Cocoon is a really neat eatery to seek out while riding around this part of the scenic Delaware River.

This morning the most important part of Cocoon’s name was the coffee part… and they came through very nicely indeed.

The décor was easy and if you really looked there was plenty of history Page 15 to be found as well. Real history, that happened right here. Silkworms might not seem too important to you, but considering how much this mill and the glass factory down the hill affected this part of Pennsylvania’s history and growth – it is important.

Silly Silk Worm Factoid:

It can take up to 5,000 cocoons to make one pound of silk and raw silk once arrived in the USA in bales of two hundred pounds each. It was breakfast time and some breakfast wraps certainly lled the bill this day. But Cocoon has much more … the Breakfast Burrito has egg, roasted peppers. onions, spinach, cheddar cheese, salsa, and then… your choice of meat. Bacon & Avocado Toast… so popular though Shira and I differ on the importance of this. It does have bacon so there is that. But at Cocoon you have choices... in bread alone, they offer – sourdough, honey wheat, birdseed (?) and good ol’ English Muf n. If you get there around lunchtime you are in for a treat as well. Buns Island Chicken: mozzarella, pesto, tomato drizzled with balsamic vinegar on a ciabatta roll. We were there late enough in the morning that one patron ordered the veggie Falafel Pita – roasted peppers, onions, carrots, spinach, and a very creamy vegan spread.

Cannolis and pastries also lined the shelves and were a bit more than enticing.

In the morning or afternoon, Cocoon has you covered.

There are few stops on the Great All American Run that combine a great atmosphere and slightly different history with a great staff and solid food.

Put the Cocoon on your list of places to tag this season – with all that it offers and that is around it – you will not be disappointed. ,