Pear and Cherry Bread

This is a pretty hearty bread - it has more fruit than dough.

First, find yourself a pear tree.  Luckily, we have one in the back yard behind the inn.  Next - find someone tall enough (or use a ladder) to pick the harvest. In our case, that was Bruce.  Even with a tall ladder, we couldn't reach all the pears. This made the resident groundhog very happy as he beat us to the ones that fell to the ground.

Once you have your pears, peel and chop two cups full. 

Preheat the oven to 350.

Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 loaf pan - or I use a mini pan (sold in restaurant supply or kitchen stores).

Combine pears, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons canola oil and 1 egg, mixing well.

Combine 1 1/2 cups sifted flour, 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a separate bowl.  I like to just sift all my dry ingredients together.  It seems to make them get along better.  

Stir in 1 cup of dried cherries (I have used fresh cherries and think the dried look better after baking).  

Optional:  Add 1/2 cup walnuts.  I usually add these in, but leave them out if we have guests with nut allergies. 

Combine the dry and wet ingredients and pour into your pan.  Bake for about an hour for a full loaf, about 35 minutes for the smaller loaves.  I have no idea why the image below insists on standing on its head, but trust me, it went into (and came out of) the oven correctly.

Serve with pear butter.  Enjoy!

Another original recipe from The Artist's Inn and Gallery. 

The Secret Behind Innkeepers' Great Breakfasts….

Part of why the food tastes so good at bed and breakfasts is because it looks so nice.  Most innkeepers know how to create wonderful food with fresh local ingredients.  They dress it up, serve it in a beautiful atmosphere….and voila - guests feel pampered!

Certainly garnishing plays an important role – as does an accessible herb garden.  But most innkeepers  I know have great stuff.  From beautiful linens to quirky serving dishes, B&Bs set a table that matches their excellence in the kitchen.

So….what do two innkeepers from Lancaster County do when they get a rare day off?  Well, go shopping for more stuff, of course.  That’s just what Lynne Griffin (of the Australian Walkabout) and I did.  I discovered Marlyand China years ago.  They used to sell only wholesale, but have now opened up their showroom and website so that you, too, can enjoy all that great china you find at The Artist's Inn.

This is the overstock room - a treasure trove of vases, dishes, cups and platters.

I don't often use them for breakfast, but I have the covered casseroles,

several of the pitchers, and the platters on the bottom shelf.

Although the showroom is small, we managed to fill several bags full of great "stuff". My friends are usually more organized than I am; Lynne's the one that marked the boxes so that we could get everything back to the right inn.

The folks at Marylnad China are very helpful trying to wedge fragile packages into a small car.

Whether you need platters for your muffins,

berry bowls for fresh fruit,

serving dishes for jam,

or a tea set for your Babymoon package, you can fine all that and more at one of my favorite "secret" shopping places, Maryland China.

Bed and Breakfasts, Soap, Lancaster County and the World

Did you ever wonder what happens to all those wonderful used soaps that are left at a bed and breakfast? Innkeepers take great care to seek out a nice scent, design a package (often touting their private label) and proudly display them. Some offer a plastic sandwich bag so that guests may take their leftover soap home. But most folks leave them behind, often hardly used and still sporting the inn logo that is carved into the soap.

Years ago, we donated our used soap to some missionary organization, but they ruled that the soaps were unsanitary and discontinued the practice. And so, over the years, thousands of our soaps from The Artist's Inn were thrown out.

Last year we heard about the Clean the World program. We now had a new place to send our soaps....and we could either mail them or save them for a Bed and Breakast conference to be held in Lancaster County. That conference was last week, and I hauled in 17 lbs of soap from our inn. There would have been more, but throwing away soap is a hard habit to break! (Finding a place to store them until the conference was a challenge too.) I’m guessing I finally got with the program in August of last year.

At the conference, there was a competition sponsored by the generous folks at the Hummingbird Inn in VA, offering $100 to the innkeeper that brought in the most soap.  My good friend, Ruth, from Flowers and Thyme B&B won – she saved 81 lbs! YAY Ruth! All together the innkeepers at our conference brought in over 300 lbs. of soap.

Still more amazing is the company that processes the used soap, Clean the World.

To read about how they recycle the soap, click here:

http://www.cleantheworld.org/operations.asp

We’re proud to be a small part of such a great program.

And now they are helping with the gigantic clean-up efforts in Japan.  To read about how you might help, click here:  http://www.cleantheworld.org/japan.asp

A Paradise of Patchwork in Lancaster, PA

Today was the opening day of the American Quilters Society Show in downtown Lancaster. I attended with two friends – not because we are quilters, but because we appreciate art and wanted to see the quilts on display.

Within the first twenty minutes, I felt like my eyes could not possibly take in any more color. This is a universe with its own language and beauty. There are fabrics from around the world (I especially loved this blue and yellow pile from France and could imagine what I could make with it), quilts spanning the centuries and made from all over America, and state-of-the-art long arm machines that look nothing like the sewing machine I have!

This booth is Hinkletown Sewing Machines - located five minutes from our inn.

Actually, many of the vendors are located within several miles of our inn, others hailed from Texas, Missouri and Kansas.

Even if you don’t plan to take any classes, the joy of seeing all of the quilt entries is worth the price of admission. But the different techniques, styles, patterns and the unending color schemes are mind-boggling.

Some of my favorites didn’t make first or second place, but I’ll share them with you here...
Called The Little Juggler, I love the colors here...be sure to double click on the picture to enlarge it.

Double click to read the name of this quilt and apprecaite the quiltmaker's sense of humor.

I have always loved quilted jackets, and watching the parade of women with their jackets was fascinating – each one seemed to get prettier. By the time we made it to the third floor, I wanted one—badly. Well, not badly enough to devote the time required to quilt one...that will have to wait for a day when I’ll have more time for hobbies other than running a bed and breakfast!

The show will continue for three more days. That’s time enough to make your plans and head to Lancaster. If you go, wear comfortable shoes – the show spans four floors at the Lancaster County Convention Center and Liberty Place. At the Convention Center, I recommend using the escalators to avoid the lines at the elevator. There is cushy seating in the lobby of the Convention Center....you’ll be looking for it later. If you stay with us, I’ll share my secret parking places – within easy walking distance of the LCCC.

If you happen to head out on Thursday, there’s a free party for all quilters at Mulberry Art Studios from 6:00 pm to 8:30pm. I’ll be there – our bed and breakfast association, along with its partners, is hosting it. There will be lots of food, beverages, music, free shoulder massages—and yes, more quilters and quilts.

25 Ways to Add Romance To Your Getaway in Lancaster County

We have some very romantic guests at our Bed and Breakfast....here are some of their ideas on how to make your Valentine’s Day (or any other day) a special one.

1) Men often call and order special flowers to be placed in the room so that their partner sees them when she arrives. I’ve seen everything from two dozen red roses, to a simple bouquet of yellow daisies. Both were greeted with a sweet “ohhhhhhhh”.
2) While a romantic dinner out is wonderful, couples who are looking for extra privacy really like our Lover’s Basket – stuffed with crusty bread, cheeses, fruit, crackers and chocolate. It’s perfect for sharing on their private porch or in front of their fireplace.

3) Several women have called to see if we can have a special CD playing upon their arrival. There’s nothing like music to put one in a romantic mood.

4) If a couple is spending their wedding night at the inn, usually the groom will arrive earlier in the day to bring in some of the luggage and his special gifts for his bride.
5) Dave wanted to propose to his girlfriend at sunset, so we arranged for a bottle of bubbly and chocolate-covered strawberries on the little porch at the top of the inn – with a perfect view of the sunset. When they checked in, he couldn’t wait any longer and ended up proposing just past 4:30. No matter, they were both so excited I’m not sure they saw the sunset that night.
6) We had one couple get engaged at our breakfast table. Instead of the usual “Bon Appétit” on the bottom of the menu, there was a proposal to Selena from Paul. When Selena was asked to read the menu, she started to cry, and Paul went down on one knee and asked her to marry him.

7) One couple told us that they go to sleep every night holding hands.
8) Many couples take walks together – they say it’s something they rarely do at home, but the world seems to slow down when they are on vacation, or maybe it’s just the magic of Terre Hill.

9) Some couples spend the day watching movies in bed. This is a luxury that doesn’t happen when kids, jobs and housework seem to demand much of your time at home.
10) We recommend sitting on the porch and talk and watching the moon rise and the stars come out at night.
11) Go to a gallery or art museum together and learn why your mate likes certain pictures.
12) We tell all couples to kiss in the middle of a covered bridge – it’s good luck! 13) Go antique shopping – it’s not like going to the mall – you never know what you’ll find.
14) Take a buggy ride through the countryside.
15) We have had honeymooners ride their bikes to a nearby park and enjoy a picnic lunch.
16) Read a book to each other while snuggled up on the couch.
17) Cross country ski (or hike) and come back to the inn to shower together. Ok, we’re not really sure if our guests do this, but we do!
18) Some couples share a wine tasting and fall in love with not only each other, but some of the local wines.
19) Join us for one of our culinary tours – it’s a day to spend together without the hassle of driving – we even toasted one honeymoon couple by clanging the spoon against the glass so they would kiss!
20) Take a hot air balloon ride over the beautiful Lancaster County countryside. 21) Bring a kite and walk to Terre Hill Park to fly it – because we are on a hill, we usually have a dependable breeze
22) Explore a new food together – whether it’s German, Amish, Thai, Italian, Vietnamese or Cajun – we can steer you to the right place to eat.
23) Take a walk in the rain.....or snow!
24) Get a couples massage – our massage therapist lives right next door to the inn, and our guests love her.
25) Take a yoga class together – we highly recommend The Yoga Place in Ephrata.

Some would say that the visit to a B&B alone is romantic – and they would be right. Special care is taken to decorate rooms so that each one is different, and many antiques lend themselves to the sentiments of bygone days.

Breakfasts are also different at bed and breakfasts – usually on a more private scale than at a large hotel, and much, much more leisurely. We serve four courses by candlelight. If you need a little help with romance, we’ve made it easy for you here at The Artist’s Inn, - Romance baskets, My Forever Valentine Basket, Lover’s Baskets, Anniversary baskets and others – are all available on our specials page.

And remember, Valentine’s Day may only come one weekend a year, but romance never goes out of season.

What are your favorite romantic ideas? Let us know – post your comments!

The Art of Innkeeping, 101

Guests often ask me, “So when do you get away? And do you stay at a hotel or B&B?” I smile and usually admit that it’s a rare occasion that I leave the inn, but just such an opportunity arose this week.

I attended the Mid-Atlantic Innkeeping Conference held at The Homestead in Hot Springs, VA. While I normally frequent other bed and breakfasts, my second choice is always an historic hotel. My love of history seems to pull me there, and this impressive grand old hotel has many charms.

The minute my foot landed on the marble steps of the front portico, I could feel the history pull – almost expecting my shoe to disappear into a high-topped ladies’ boot of 1901. The massive wings of this brick and building curved forward in both directions, almost enveloping you in their arms.

I was most impressed by the beautiful marble and tile underfoot, and the massive carved columns and majestic lights overhead. Furnishings are all coordinated and the designers touch is here, to be sure, but the workmanship that this building demanded and the fact that it took five years to build is what impressed me most. I’m not saying that I don’t stand in awe of the engineering needed to build shiny new superstructures that reach to the sky, but the buildings of old are the ones that tug at my heart. They speak of a sacrifice we can scarcely comprehend – what it must have taken in time and labor to build a grand hotel in the middle of the mountains, with the vision of catering to folks who would come here to relax and take to the waters. I thought it was the perfect place to hold an innkeeping conference - what better place to learn about hospitality than an inn originally built in 1766? It has stood the test of time, reaching out to weary travelers through three centuries, surviving a Civil War, a Great Depression, and our current economic situation.

So what are we to learn here? Perhaps the lessons of history are that people, from all walks of life, through the years, are the most important part of an inn. That time today is no less valuable and precious than it was two hundred and fifty years ago. That people need to get away now and then to slow down and take time to be grateful for our role in life – whether that is the important work of raising a family or contributing to the welfare of mankind.

I came away from The Homestead thinking that every innkeeper should strive to give each guest special attention and respect. Though today’s world demands that innkeepers spend time on the latest technical gadgets, and that we now must be concerned about social media, websites and management programs, the basics still count as most important.

After 13 years in the bed and breakfast business, I am supposed to be burnt-out. They tell me that seven years is the limit. Yes, there are days when I am tired, or overwhelmed at the amount of work that needs to be done – whether that means a pile of laundry or trying to change something on the website. But here’s the thing that makes it all worthwhile – the smile that is the same the world over and throughout history – whether it’s on a child’s face from England, on a couple from Tasmania, or on the repeat guests from Delaware who have become close friends. I feel privileged because they all walked through my door and enriched my life in some way. It is my reward as an innkeeper – and what makes my heart beat fast.

The Homestead was a study in graciousness. From the smile of the Jamaican man at the front desk who was studying hotel management, to the waiter that remembered what kind of tea I liked, to Traci, our dinner server, who told us about her nephew that just made the Olympic team. To sit in the lobby while someone attends the fire, another person plays the grand piano and yet another serves you afternoon tea takes you back to an earlier era when people scheduled relaxation as part of their day.

That is the feeling that I hope to create at my small inn, a 160-year old Federal-style home in Terre Hill. And though it is only a fraction of the size of The Homestead, I’m grateful to be able to provide a place where people can celebrate their relationships with each other, create memories, and slow down to relax. What I re-learned this week is that it’s important to be real, to be yourself, and to share the history and beauty of a place I call home.....Lancaster County.

The summer of Two Tomatoes in Lancaster County

Bruce thought we should plant tomatoes. I looked at him, and said “why?” Our bed and breakfast is in a great little town in Lancaster County, surrounded by the richest non-irrigated farmland in the country. These farms produce a bounty of the best foods - just outside our door - at unbelievably fair prices. Why on earth would Bruce, an artist and big fan of staying indoors on hot summer days, want to grow tomatoes? The answer was as good as any, “I just want to”.

And so off I went to the nurseries. I looked at all the different kinds of plants, mostly heirloom. This is shear torture in April - as you begin to salivate just reading the description…your mind wanders back to summers past and the bright red meat of perfect tomatoes. I picked out five tomato plants, knowing that this would produce way too many tomatoes for the inn, but thinking that I would make sauce out of the rest, as I have done for the past ten years.

After a rainy spring, I got behind on planting and so the tomato plants went in late.

Then there was the issue of watering them. It seems both of us forgot – even when reminded – and after a week away, I returned to find them gasping. A little digging by Bruce produced the old tomato baskets that I had used long ago when I had a real garden – now we just hoped the plants would someday grow into the cages.

But I’m afraid we just got too busy to pay much attention to these plants. And, let’s face it – tomato plants are not the prettiest sight in the garden. So I didn’t want them in my flower gardens where guests would see them. Their location in the herb garden by the side of the inn tends to get overgrown but hopefully most guests don’t ever see it. It doesn’t get all-day sun but I had hoped that it would get enough to make them happy. I put them next to the basil, thinking that they should get to know each other as they most surely would meet again.

I have fond memories of my dad in his garden, tending to the plants, pinching off the suckers, training the branches, tying white cloth to help bear the weight of the fruit,. His garden was planted in straight rows, basked in plenty of sunshine and watered consistently. Weeds didn’t have a prayer of surviving. Our tomato plants could only dream of such care.

And so it is now the end of summer and time to harvest our bounty.

Both of them.

There is hope that there will be a third, but it is pretty small and still green.

But I’m grateful to be a neighbor to these farmers and support them. They produce crop after crop, one as delicious as the next. As I look at the box of tomatoes in the kitchen, I know that the sauce (or gravy as they say in New Jersey) they will produce will be so much better than anything I could buy in a jar.
Lancaster County farmers are safe for another summer - there’s no competition here!

Here is how I roast my tomatoes.

Sundried Tomatoes:

Cut thin slices of fresh tomatoes, remove excess seeds and place on a silpat (or parchment paper) on cookie trays. You can place them close together, they will shrink a little.
Sprinkle with a little of your best olive oil and a small amount of kosher salt.
Bake for about 2 hours in a cool oven – about 175 or 200. You don’t want them to completely dry out but this will really concentrate their flavor.
You can freeze them, store them in the fridge for a week, or serve – I like to top them with a nice Parmesan cheese and serve them at the inn with an egg dish. Bruce has been known to eat an entire tray while standing at the kitchen sink…..hey, maybe that’s why he wanted to grow tomatoes!

Enjoy!

Mrs. Garrabrandt Goes to Harrisburg

(with apologies to Jimmy Stewart/Mr. Smith!)

I was there with the Queen of England, Ben Franklin and about 200 other folks. The common interest? All of us were attending the Tourism Rally on June 10. We are very concerned about proposed cuts in funding for tourism in Pennsyvlania.

The advertising budget may be slashed, and we are hoping to convince the legislature and Governor to preserve it and to support the 400,000 jobs in the state that rely on this industry. Tourism is the second largest industry in the state – and raised $28 billion in revenue for 2007. The money that our local Convention and Visitors Bureau gets from the state is used for advertising – and for supporting small businesses like ours in Lancaster County that rely on the CVB.


So, when I was asked to represent the bed and breakfast industry, I accepted and gave my speech in front of the steps of the grand rotunda in the Capitol Building in Harrisburg. Four other people spoke, all from different backgrounds and jobs, all representing the many different businesses that are affected by tourism.

It was a bit like Mr. Smith’s trip to Washington so many years ago. Here’s a picture of me being

videotaped. The Capitol was dedicated in 1906, modeled after St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. It is a strikingly beautiful building – although the acoustics are not conducive for taping. So we searched for what we thought would be a quiet corner near a side entrance, only to discover that our taping would be interrupted by half a dozen people hurrying past us to get to work.

The press conference itself was interesting – legislators coming and going, most of the people not easily identifiable as press – and then the camera crews rushing in, testing the light settings, taping, running around to interview spokespeople.

It was all very exciting.

And, in light of what is occurring in Iran this week, we are reminded that our freedom is something that we should not take lightly. This government that we have created is like nothing else anywhere on the planet. The fact that we can rally, protest, write letters to the editor, call our representatives, vote…all of those freedoms did not come easily. Let us not take for granted what has been given to us. There are people halfway across the world who are risking their lives to do what I was able to do.

If you are serious about preserving funding for tourism, I urge you to take action. Get the facts, see pictures (including some bad ones of me!) and listen to part of the rally here: http://www.patourismequalsjobs.com/?page_id=3ualsjobs.com