Beep Beep Beep Goes My Kitchen

Much like “The Trolley Song” that Judy Garland made famous, my kitchen is as noisy as that trolley she sang about.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmx1L8G25q4

The stove beeps with every press of my finger, then it beeps three times when it’s preheated, and gives an extended, annoyed beep if I dare to open the door while the broiler is on.  It beeps if I open the oven while baking too– although I’m not sure how I’m supposed to exchange the cookie trays without opening the door.  A loud and long beep greets me should I decide to self-clean the oven, as though it dislikes this task as much as I do!

Then there’s my coffee maker….it beeps loudly when the coffee is made…even though I’m standing right in front of it, waiting for it to finish.

My dishwasher has a mind of its own.  Not only does it beep with every button I push, but also beeps three short beeps, then waits, and beeps three again, then waits and beeps a final three – to boast that it has successfully cleaned the load of dishes in a quick 2 ½ hours.  I’m just surprised that it doesn’t play the trumpet.

Let’s not forget the crockpot – once it warms up to the correct temperature, it sounds like a foghorn in the kitchen.

And then there’s my waffle iron – 5 beeps means it is hot and ready for the batter.  Three beeps means that it thinks the batter is fully cooked…sometimes it’s right, sometimes it’s wrong. 

Thankfully the microwave can be programmed so that all beeping can be silenced.  This is my one and only requirement for buying a microwave, even though I have to look deep into the owner’s manual to figure out how to turn off that irritating beep.

The dryer has the good sense to have a button that silences the beeping – the only polite appliance that I own.  Sigh.

Well, I have to go now….my washer is calling me.  You can probably hear it...all the way from The Artist's Inn, in Lancaster County! 

Yes, You CAN Zip Line in Lancaster County!

 

Even if you aren't particularly fond of heights - as in the case of my husband, Bruce.

 

The guides will handle all the hooking and unhooking

 

 And then you are free to fly between the trees!

 

They will teach you how to slow down, hang upside down or free fall.   Or to just enjoy the ride.

 

Family and friends can watch from below,

And they have a really cool way of getting you back to the ground. 

Available at Refreshing Mountain, about half an hour north of The Artist's Inn.

Tell them we sent you!

Spinach and Quinoa Salad

Our friend and neighbor, Kathy, brought this salad to our annual New Year's Eve Party at The Artist's Inn.  I promised to share the recipe!  It was quite yummy and pretty healthy.  Hope you like it!

Salad

1 cup quinoa (or orzo pasta)
4 - 6 oz. baby spinach (cut up)
1/3 cup oil packed sundried tomatoes (chopped)
small cucumber peeled and diced
1/4 cup Kalamata olives - (cut in half)
3/4 tsp. dried oregano
3 oz. feta cheese

Red Wine Vinaigrette

1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. chopped shallots
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup canola oil

To prepare the vinaigrette, combine all ingredients in a jar - shake to mix.

Cook orzo or quinoa according to package directions.  While that is cooking, combine spinach with sundried tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and oregano in a large bowl.
When the pasta or quinoa is cooked, drain under cold running water until room temperature.  Toss quinoa and the other ingredients with mixed vinaigrette to taste (I don't always use the entire dressing mix).
Serve at room temperature, topped with crumbled feta.

Makes 6 - 8 servings.

 

The Best Way to See the USA, According to the Red Chair

It has often been said that the best way to explore an area is to take the road less traveled, seek out some hidden gems and get to know the locals.

Sound like good advice?  Yep – even if it is coming from a new source....a chair.

A red chair.

The Red Chair.

The chair’s humble beginnings (you can read about them at www.redchairtravels.com) taught it well.  Starting in New England, it is on a journey across America…courtesy of innkeepers from coast to coast.

Red couldn’t have picked a better group – innkeepers are some of the best concierges in the country – they love where they live, and they love to share their surroundings with guests--even guests of the four-legged variety.

We know that guests love to have fun and explore new places, just like Red.

They like to see things from a new perspective and take in the views.

  Guests like to learn about our local culture...

Lancaster County is known for the amount of food that we grow...especially corn

 lots of corn...

Just like guests, Red also enjoys meeting new folks,

like Senator Mike Brubaker,

Ed Stoudt, master brewer and owner of Stoudt's Brewery,



 

and Whoop-E-Pie of Shady Maple Smorgasbord!

 

Guests like to do something new and daring, like going for a hot-air balloon ride with New Horizon Balloon Team.

They also enjoy venturing out, looking for great food--like local organic cheese...

and home-gown produce.

 

The artist in Red knows he always looks good against green--that's his complementary color.



 

And most of our guests really like the animals...especially the cows.

And who could resist a swing at a local one-room schoolhouse?

At the end of the day, Red is just like all of our guests....they are looking for a great place to kick up their feet and relax,



perhaps have a glass of wine on the hammock,

 

and enjoy a chuckle or two from Bruce's artwork in the gallery.

  But most of all, guests (and Red) want to feel loved.

After all, life is about the connections you make.

And that is why Red has chosen to stay at bed and breakfasts across the country.  Red knows that no matter where his travels may take him, he'll find terrific hosts, a great breakfast and clean and comfortable accommodations. 

Bruce and I were honored to host the Red Chair at The Artist's Inn in Lancaster County and we hope that all our guests feel as welcome and special as the Red Chair.

Let’s All Scream for Ice Cream in Lancaster County!

July is National Ice Cream Month.  What better excuse for exploring ice cream parlors in Lancaster County.   And, in my opinion, the best tasting ice cream is the kind made from scratch by small, local businesses.   Yes, Friendly’s and Ritas and Baskin Robbins dot the landscape throughout much of the U.S.  We’ve all been to these places and know what they look like.  Yes, they are good, but I like to support local, “mom and pop” businesses that are passionate about what they do.  After all, no one screams ice cream like Americans – we are the top consumers of ice cream in the world!

 

Here’s hoping you seek out and enjoy these gems, all near The Artist's Inn.  Please feel free to add your favorite – especially if I missed it. 

Boehringers , Adamstown – This is pure Americana,  stuck in time somewhere in the 50’s.  Actually, they’ve been in business since 1937! Staffed mostly by high school kids and spotlessly clean, there is one rule you must follow.  Reminiscent of Seinfeld, you must step up to order and step back to wait!   

It’s the only way they can keep the orders moving.  Enjoy your sundae or cone on the picnic benches near the stream.  Bring the kids, their water shoes and maybe a fishing line.  They’ll have a ball.  Boehringers  also serves burgers and fries.  My favorite ice cream flavor here:  Chocolate Almond Amaretto--but the Peach and Lemon are great, too.

 

Carmen and David’s, Lancaster – You never know what special flavors will be waiting for you, but there’s always a sugar-free ice cream, sorbets and sherbets.  This is a great location to grab a cone and walk the streets of downtown Lancaster.  I love the waffle bowls here.

The Creamery, Strasburg – This old-fashioned parlor serves up food as well, but the hot fudge sundaes served in thick parfait glasses are my favorite.   I have no idea what they are feeding their hanging baskets out front, but the flowers are spectacular!  With over 140 flavors throughout the year, their selection of home-made ice cream may be one of the largest in Lancaster County.  They also serve sandwiches and have a candy shop in the back.

 

Freeze and Frizz, Leola – Reminiscent of food at the Shore, this location has been around for about 30 years.  There’s also one in Lititz.  They offer burgers and fries too, but we go for the ice cream.  Lots of flavors to choose from, including soft serve with a bazillion toppings.

 

Jigger Shop, Mt. Gretna – This is my favorite quirky restaurant--with a tree growing in the middle of the deck.  It’s a terrific stop after biking the Cornwall Rail Trail.  Opened in 1895, the Jigger Shop serves up meals and colossal sundaes - some of which are served flaming!  There’s a Baked Alaska sundae, a beignet sundae and a gigantic one that will serve six people.  Definitely put this place on your list.

 

Lapp Valley Farms, New Holland – Long a Lancaster County favorite, this pristine Amish farm is surrounded by corn fields. It boasts wonderful views, a peaceful setting, and incredible ice cream.  They keep the ice cream a pure experience here - you have a choice of about 10 flavors, served in a dish or a cone.  The best entertainment is sitting and watching the Amish buggies go up to the drive-through window.  They sell five-gallon buckets of ice cream and I can remember my dad taking 6 of these back to Ohio!  My favorite flavor is coconut.  Kids love to watch the milking of cows and the feeding of the calves, and there’s usually a peacock around, too.  There’s a large deck with picnic tables.   When we first started going here, Lapp’s was just a tiny little room where they scooped the ice cream – and the line of customers stretched outside and around the building!

 

 

Lickity Split, New Holland – Housed in the old Kauffman’s Hardware Building, this restaurant serves a full menu of food, but its ice cream concoctions are the main draw for me.  If you’re lucky, you may catch one of Lickity Split’s food trucks around, too.  They feature Leiby’s ice cream and creative sundaes like Plowed Field and Sweet Road Apples.  And something called Philadelphia Water.  If you drink their Cowabunga Shake (6 Pounds and equal to 2 ½ regular shakes) in 10 minutes or less, you’ll get it free.  Don’t forget to take your picture out back in the photo booth – props and disguises are included in the fun.

Shady Maple, Blue Ball – Although the ice cream only takes up one little spot on the gigantic buffet, we had to include Shady on this list because they usually carry 3 sugar-free varieties, making my husband very happy.  Be sure to check out both ends of the smorgasbord as they can be different.

Splits and Giggles, Lancaster – This is a tiny neighborhood parlor, whose menu is almost bigger than the building!  There are only two tables inside, but they serve up soups, sandwiches and 24 flavors of Hershey ice cream, sorbets and Italian Ice – and usually have a sugar-free flavor or two on hand.

Squireside Café, New Holland –  Squires is a favorite of locals – especially those in high school, and they know a good thing.  There’s a rotating selection of Turkey Hill Ice Cream combined in a dizzying array of flavors, toppings and sizes, including several sugar free choices.  Enjoy your ice cream inside or at the walk-up window outside.

I can’t forget to mention great local ice cream like Turkey Hill which is available everywhere (read our previous blog to learn more about the Turkey Hill Experience), and Hershey brand, which is available almost everywhere!

 

Hungry yet?   Remember to tell us your favorite ice cream spot in Lancaster County.  What’s my favorite?    I haven’t decided.   I’m still tasting!

Special thanks to my mom for accompanying me to most of these spots!

The Signs of Lancaster County

Ever feel like you are bombarded with signs or advertising?  Click on a website and there’s a video about THE secret formula for losing weight, drive down the road and there’s a sign flashing your speed for the entire world to see.  Gosh, you can’t even look up the weather without being forced to sit through a car commercial.

While the rest of the world goes high tech crazy with QR codes, banners, pop-ups, or sites asking you to like, tell a friend, click through or submit information, parts of Lancaster County are still decidedly low tech.  Somehow I find that refreshing and don't mind this sort of advertising at all!

These are some of my favorite signs on the back roads around The Artist’s Inn.

 

 

 

And this is my all-time favorite. I'm sure that lunch special really pulls in the crowd!

 

 

Oh Tanenbaum

I’ve always loved White Pine for our Christmas trees.  We used to be able to find them at a local tree farm and cut them ourselves.  Now we’re lucky enough to find them at all. It seems that Concolor and Fraser Fir are all the rage.  Feeling a bit like Charlie Brown, we search out the lots and usually find a few white pines.  Way at the back of the lot.  This year the selection was particularly small.

But we're fortunate enough to live in a part of Lancaster County where several local businesses  carry trees.  There's no need to go to Lowe's or Home Depot, or, gasp, Costo.  It really adds to the experience when the entire business is dedicated to Christmas.   Frysville Farms is one of our favorites.  It's family run and in business since 1760.  They not only carry trees, but have pine roping and a great selection (over 80,000) of poinsettias. I’ve blogged about these beautiful poinsettias before.  See:  Great Places to Shop.  

But on this particular day it was all about the tree.  So we set out looking for White Pine.

Concolor and Fraser Firs were piled high over my head.   

 Spruce and Douglas Fir were also plentiful.

 

As we made the long walk to the end of the lot, I wished we had come earlier in the year—even though it was still November.

 

There they werek, at the very end.  We usually take advantage of the tall ceilings at the inn and get a very substantial tree, but this year, we had to settle for one just a little over six feet tall.

 

It looked even smaller after it was wrapped.

But once our modest White Pine was decorated, it was transformed- just like Charlie Brown’s - into a beautiful tree, with its long graceful needles softly enveloping the ornaments. 

Holidays are often noisy and fun.  They fly by way too fast.  But those days that the tree is in the house are wonderful, filling the air with its scent.  I love to light the tree in the morning while it’s still dark outside, or sit in the room at night with only the tree lit.  It’s about my favorite thing to do at Christmastime.

Perhaps it’s the symbolism of light in the darkness, or the memories reflected in the ornaments, or the fact that ours will be a quiet celebration this year, but more than ever before it seems that the little things mean the most - like the tradition of caring for a live tree.

And when the quiet, bare days of January come, I will surely miss the noisy, cluttered days of Christmas, but I’ll be especially aware of the empty spot in the sitting room where our tree stood.