Regarding Large Pancakes and Bad Diners

Yesterday, Dan and I went out to breakfast. If we aren't cooking it ourselves or eating at Haven, we're every bit in love with Sylvester's in Northampton. Did you happen to click that link? You should, because no one can fully understand the glory that is Sylvester's without at least looking at their menu. Huevos rancheros, eggs benedict, ham-apple-chevre omelet, banana bread french toast, homemade corned beef hash... it's too much! And that's just breakfast. They do lunch, too!

But we eat at Sylvester's A LOT. And my greatest fear is eating there so much that we grow to hate it. How sad would that be? So Dan and I decided to go to a new place, about 20 minutes past Northampton, for breakfast. It offered locally sourced and organic ingredients, had an interesting menu (French meat pie, anyone?) and seemed quirky and fun.

It wasn't. Ugh! This place was in the middle of nowhere, we got lost, had to turn around twice, it was humid and musty in the dining room, and the food ended up being pretty much bad. What a disappointment.

I have always been an optimist, however. So out of the pile of burnt homefries, microwaved turkey sausage, and cold pancakes I found something precious. A blog topic. I give you:

The World's Most Atrociously Large Pancakes:

Now at first glance, they might not seem that big. But that's a butter knife on the left there. This pancake was at least one-and-a-half butter knives in diameter and almost an inch thick. And there were two of them. You can barely see the second one peeking out from the monstrosity on top of it.

When Dan ordered "two blueberry pancakes, please", the waitress asked him if he'd like one instead, "They're plate sized, you know".
"Nah, I'll take two." he says. Because he had been craving pancakes. Really craving them.
"Alright," says the waitress, "But I rarely see any man finish two."
And then, the eavesdropping gentleman across the room joins in and says, "That sounds like a challenge!"

What man can stand up to that kind of pressure? Dan couldn't. The sleeping gladiator in him awoke and attacked those pancakes with fire and zeal. He suffered and perservered but, after eating about two-thirds of he mess, he was beaten. And a little bloated and kind of drowsy.

That was breakfast. you know where we went to dinner? Roberto's. A sister restaurant to Sylvester's. And it was delicious.

The lesson of the day? Sometimes it's a good idea to just stick with what works!

With Love,
~Brande N.

On Slow Days...

Have you ever taken the time to really look at a freshly zested citrus fruit? Sometimes it is really quite lovely. Other times it is the funniest looking thing.

Case in point:
(Image - You Can Count On Me via Flickr)
An incredibly beautiful zested lime. It makes me want Key Lime Pie. Mmmm. Key Lime Pie!



Versus:
(Image - Hyperbolation via Flickr)
Hilariously Naked Lemon. Remember those horrible dreams you had in High School where you would get on the bus naked? This lemon is living that dream. The only thing this makes me want is a sweater!



As Opposed To:
(Image - Jocelyn via Flickr)
Luscious Blood Orange. This photo has awakened in me memories of its incredible raspberry-citrus flavor. And after seeing the intense red color of its zest, I find myself deeply longing for a Blood Orange. (I am now making a note on next week's grocery list)



OR:
A sad, sad little orange that I zested to make biscotti. He looks so very naked. Like a sheep. A freshly sheared sheep.


Hmmm...I wonder if....



...And now you know what [some] innkeepers do on the slow days.

With Love,
~Brande N.

Because They Never Ask for Directions...

During our last installment of Traveler's Resources I left you hanging with this:

"But it gets better.
If you're a traveler, presumably, you're unfamiliar with the Village of Lenox. So when you choose "Lenox Coffee" on "52 Main St" you probably don't know how to get there. Google comes to the rescue again!

..But you'll have to wait until my next installment of Traveler's Resources to find out how."

It was terribly unkind of me to leave you hanging like that. I mean, what if you had actually been in Lenox, reading my blog on your BlackBerry, desperate for coffee, and I just left you lost and decaffeinated? That makes me a bad person. And heaven knows I don't want to be a bad person, so here's the next installement of Traveler's Resources!

Google SMS (Text)
In my last post, I mentioned how GOOG 411 can send you a text message with the name, address, and phone number of the business you inquire about. Well, they can also give you directions to get there. So lets say you're in the parking lot of the Inn, ready to get to Lenox Coffee. 52 Main St reads like Japanese to you because, well, you're not from around here. But you do know that the Inn is located at 135 Main St.

This is what you do:
1) Create a new text message to 466453 (GOOGLE)
2) Enter the words "Directions 135 main st lenox ma to 52 main st lenox ma"
3) Press send

Done.

Google sends you a series of text messages giving you step by step directions on how to get there. I've used this for trips of hundreds of miles "Directions Syracuse, NY to Greenfield, MA" and it works just as for trips of a few blocks, like the one above.

The only critical elements here are the words "Directions" and "to". You can also use zip codes to get from city to city. And from what I'v heard, Google can actually send you a map of the directions if you have a web enabled phone. I don't unfortunately, but I'd love to hear how this works for one of you that tries it!

This service is also useful for finding movie times, local weather, definitions of words, even currency conversions and stock prices. Google has a great tutorial if you click here that details all of the awesome features of this texting service.

Next time, I'll tell you about my favorite resource for finding local events and happenings in the city you're visiting. Until then, happy travels!

With Love,
~Brande N.

These Anti-Fatigue Mats Make Me Tire-d

On the left, you see our old kitchen mats. On the right is our new one. what's the difference, you ask? The new one is made from recycled tractor trailer tires. How cool is that?

The gentleman that runs the company makes these by hand, custom sized to his customers' specifications. By recycling these old tires, he diverts 15,000lbs of waste from entering the landfill. Wow!

And the best part? They're significantly less expensive than traditional kitchen mats. Another great example of how going green doesn't mean spending green. Sometimes you actually save some.

With Love,
~Brande N.

Kindness

Today, at check-out, a guest gave Dan and I this gift "for taking good care" of them. You know what guest? THANK YOU for taking care of Dan and I! I don't think you could ever know how much such a small gesture means to us...

With Love,
~Brande N.

My Favorite French Toast

THIS is my favorite new French Toast recipe. I wish I had a name for it. Right now it's just "Coconut and Walnut Crusted French Toast" and that's just not very exciting. And "Coconut Walnut" really doesn't even sound good, but this recipe is more than just good. Served with cream cheese, i might even go as far as to call it divine. Yet a name eludes me. Divine French Toast? Heavenly? Coco-Nut? Ugh! This is the French toast that needs not, and has not, a name.
But it does need a recipe, so here it is for you, my lovely readers. Enjoy!

Nameless French Toast
1/2 C raw walnuts, processed into a fine meal (use a food processor, blender, or just a good old fashioned sharp knife)
1/2 C shredded coconut
4 slices bread
2 eggs
Pinch of cinnamon
Splash of cream or half and half

Mix coconut and walnut on a plate, set aside. Whisk eggs, cinnamon, and cream until well combined. Dip bread in egg mixture, then coat each side in coconut and walnut mixture, pressing to adhere. Fry in skillet until golden on each side.

Serve with any number of toppings, but I found cream cheese and maple syrup to be my favorite.

And now, a few more pictures for your enjoyment:




With Love,
~Brande N.

PS: Have you seen our Valentine's Day package? It's now available on our Specials page, and I'm really excited about it. As a sonnet-reading, red rose loving, chocolate eating, die-hard romantic, I had so much fun putting this together. I hope you (and your sweetheart) like it!

Hilltop Orchards on MSNBC

Last year, Hilltop Orchards was featured on an MSNBC segment about fall mini-vacations. Due to the lack of speakers on my computer, I hadn't had a chance to watch the video until just now. There's some really beautiful photography and it does a great job of detailing some of the activities available at the orchard. And while there are no apples to pick this time of year there is cross-country skiing and showshoeing with rentals available on site.

Check it out!

On a side note: The segment didn't mention it but Furnace Brook Winery is also a part of Hilltop Orchards and is located in the same building. A few of the wines are gold medal winners at the Big E Regional competition so it's certainly worth heading up there to check it out. (I personally recommend the Johnny Mash, delicious!) And if you're an inn guest the wine-tasting and skiing/snowshoeing is free!

What better way to kill winter ennui than with wine?

With Love,
~Brande N.

Forgive me Blog Readers...

...for I have sinned. When I should have been updating last night, I confess: I was playing Donkey Kong.

I know, "For shame!" I should be tar and feathered, drawn and quartered, or worse, made to eat fresh gooseberries. But I believe I have a valuable gift that I want to give to you in exchange for your forgiveness.

You see, before becoming an innkeeper I fancied myself a pretty wise traveler. When Dan and I first vacationed to Massachusetts, we left NY with 6 pages of places to visit, food to eat, and events to attend. I had a page for each city, and each establishment was categorized and itemized to provide a name, description, address, phone number, and rating system. We were ready to attack anything those cities could throw at us!

Of course, I didn't come up with these lists telepathically. I had a bouquet of resources that I scoured for days in advance so that I could find easy to overlook events and local haunts. Very few places we hit were misses, and we experienced the true joy of a great vacation: five days feels like three months when you're having a great time.

And so, to make recompense for my sins against you I've decided to start a series of my favorite traveler's resources. Today's lesson is a quick one so that I'm not confining you to your chair, forcing you to read my words for another day and a half (I'm full of wind today!). So, without further adieu:

Brande's Favorite Traveler's Resource #1:
-GOOG 411-

When I first got my cell phone I hated that it cost $1.25 to use 411. I mean really. It's an automated service. Is such a steep charge really necessary?? Then one day, I discovered this incredibly useful marvel of Google engineering. Let's say you're in Lenox, Ma and you're dying for a good cup of coffee.

Here's what you do:
-Dial 1-800-466-4411 (1-800-GOOG-411).
-An automated voice will ask you for the business** and city and state that you're inquiring about. Say "coffee, Lenox Massachusetts"
-The voice will speak back to you what it heard (which is occasionally something hilarious like, "hair cut, Hartford, Connecticut". If it's wrong say, "Go back" and this time say just the City and State.
(Personal Tip: I usually just say the City and State at the beginning and it tends to work better that way. If you do this, you'll be prompted to say the business afterwards.)

After this point, GOOG 411 is so easy that I will make it seem terribly complicated if I further explain. In short, just follow the prompts to either be connected to your destination. Or you can say the number of the listing (i.e. "Number 1") and then say "text message" to automatically receive a test message with the name, phone, number, and address of the business.

And it's FREE! How great is that?

But it gets better.
If you're a traveler, presumably, you're unfamiliar with the Village of Lenox. So when you choose "Lenox Coffee" on "52 Main St" you probably don't know how to get there. Google comes to the rescue again!

..But you'll have to wait until my next installment of Traveler's Resources to find out how.

Until then have fun GOOG-ing!
~Brande N.


**If you know the name of the specific business you're looking for, you can say that instead of a category. For example, saying "Fin Sushi, Lenox Massachusetts" is just as effective if not more effective than "Sushi, Lenox Massachusetts" Also, if you'd like to watch a handy-dandy video of how to operate GOOG 411, click here.

Eco Update!

It's time to announce yet another easy green change for us here at the Inn.

What do you notice about this picture that is AWESOME?

That's right, almost every tea is Organic and/or Fair Trade Certified! It's a little bit more of an investment to offer these options, but we believe that they're completely worth it due to the wealth of ecological and social benefits that come with growing organically and trading fairly.

And I wish I had more to expound on for this post, but I really don't! Change doesn't get much easier than this!

With Love,
~Brande N.

Goosberries

Dan has always been much braver than me when it comes to trying new/strange/ethnic/uncommon foods. First to try sushi? Dan. Curry? Dan. Kombucha? Dan. Hemp anything? Dan. He's just not afraid of having his palette assaulted like I am.

Well, last night at the grocery store we saw a reasonably priced package of fresh Cape Gooseberries. Were they in season? I haven't the foggiest. But it was weird, it was inexpensive, and we were feeling adventurous. So we got it.

Back at home, Dan was of course the one anxious to open the package and tear into one of these odd little fruits. Tradition dictates that when ever we try a new food, Dan takes the first bite while I observe the odd and scrunchy faces he makes, which determines whether I will be following suit.

He peels open the husk revealing what looks like a tiny yellow tomato and pops the whole thing in his mouth, chewing slowly. A hilarious series of grimaces, twitches, and nose scrunching followed the first crunch noise. After chewing the whole thing (with more crunching noises) and successfully swallowing it, Dan looks at me and says: "It's like a raspberry that tastes like flower petals. And it's aftertaste is like cucumber and celery..."

Needless to say, I didn't follow suit.


With Love,
~Brande N.

New Years Eve Part II

Thank you for tuning into our second installment of "New Year's Eve at The Garden Gables Inn"! Please turn off all cell phones, beepers, and baby monitors. Enjoy the show!

Oven Roasted Tomatoes and Asparagus. Yum!

Surf 'n' Turf anyone? Oh wait, Dan has brought to my attention that HE cut the lemon crown, and would like everyone to be aware of that. Way to go, honey! I'm proud of you. (Prior to innkeeping, Dan's cooking skills were limited to microwaves and protein bars, so this is a big step!)

A lovely piece of freshly seared Filet Mignon.

Grilled Salmon with Beurre Blanc and roasted potatoes.

This decanter has a great story behind it. There is this very nice couple that comes up every summer and stays with us for about a week. They decided to stay during our New Year's Package this year, and they brought some friends along as well. One of their friends had given this couple a bottle of 1963 Port 20 years prior and they had kept it. So they welcomed the new year by opening this 45 year old bottle and sharing it with friends. How neat is that?

This is only moments before the ball dropped, all of us flocked into the Guest Pantry to watch the ceremony. In the rush of congregating around the TV, trying to remain unobtrusive, and trying to still get pictures, I got this one which I find amusing because, yes, that is Dan's chin. The picture is even better if you click and see the full-sized version.

There are only seconds left in 2008!

And here are the first embraces of 2009! (and a kiss too, how sweet!)

And what better way to recover from a night of champagne, staying up late, and laughing until your stomach hurts than with a big, hearty breakfast? Oven roasted potatoes, anyone?

How about some steak and eggs with those potatoes? And maybe a mimosa, too?

And if steak and eggs isn't your thing, how about an omelet with a rainbow of fillings? And the best part: omelets aren't just for New Years, you can get them anytime!

With Love and Sudden Hunger,
~Brande N.

DISCLAIMER:
Brande N. and The Garden Gables Inn are not responsible for any broken New Year's resolutions including but not limited to: no more meat, no more red meat, no more junk food, dining out less, or losing weight. Thank you.

New Years Eve Part I

So I've told you a little bit about our New Years Package, and you probably read about it on our website, but I'm sure you're just dying to actually see it, huh? Well lucky for you I took A LOT of pictures. Thursday's post was just an appetizer, this will be your first course, and I'll post the entree on Monday. So, without further adieu: the photos!


Tart Cherry and Pistachio Tea Cookies. I actually made some of these for John and his family for Christmas and he asked me to make them again for New Years. They're incredibly easy and look impressive. Definitely one of my favorite recipes. You want to know the best part? You can swap any fruit and nut combo for the cherries and pistachioes. I'm thinking about mango and macadamia for my next batch...

This picture is only mildly relevant to New Years. You see, when we decorated the tables, we had all of these leftover fresh flowers that were jut going to get thrown out. And these roses were so pretty that I just couldn't stand to see them go into the wastebasket. So I cut the stems short, added a few pieces of stray greenery, and threw them in a crystal wineglass. In no way am I a florist, but I think this turned out pretty nice.

A picture of one of our tables once it was all decorated. Kelly, our head waitstaffer, designed and decorated each table herself and did an excellent job. Thanks, Kelly!


A bit of our decor in the dining room.

Champagne glasses, poised and ready for the midnight toast!

A fully set, fully decorated table. Seriously Kelly, you rock!


This is Dan chopping some fresh parsley for garnish. Aren't fresh herbs lovely?

One of our two Salad options for the big dinner: Caprese. This picture was taken before it was drizzled with EVOO (can you tell I watch 30-Minute Meals?), but I think its deliciousness is still quite evident.


Our second Salad option. Organic Field Greens with Apple, Toasted Walnut, Bleu Cheese, and Cider Vinegrette. (Meals like this make it abundantly obvious that John owns an apple orchard.)

Does this look familiar? It's one of the Mole Hollow Candles I wrote about! They burned really well and looked great. Three cheers for an easy positive impact!

My favorite photo of the night. The way the light hit the table was eerie, mysterious, intruguing and beautiful. And yet it's just a plate. One of the any reasons why I do so love photography.

More to come on Monday! And many of those are more food, ooooh!

Until then, best wishes!
~Brande N.

Using the Green Light

Bye bye 2008! It was nice knowing you!

I'm so glad Dan and I got to usher 2009 in with our New Year's Eve package. We met so many wonderful, interesting, fun, lovely people; ate more good food than should be legally allowed; listened to beautiful music by Alexandra and her husband, Tsuyoshi: and generally had a great time. With the exception of the whole sleep deprivation aspect, I can't wait to do it again next year!

And I get really excited when I think about how green next year could potentially be! Imagine a locally farmed, grass-fed filet mignon. Mmmmm!

I think we did pretty well this year, ecologically speaking, especially considering the time restraints. We used primarily paper favors (i.e. hats, noisemakers, decorations), served locally produced wine and coffee, and organic teas. Plus our salad greens were organic! All in all, not too bad.

But my favorite green change for New Years was a small one.

This:

Mole Hollow Candles.

Locally produced and hand-dipped in Shelburne Falls, Ma. Dan and I discovered this company (and their beautiful gift shop) when we were vacationing in Massachusetts a few months ago. When we decided to use a greener candle for our table décor, we knew Mole Hollow was the best choice.

This is what we were using last year:

There are a few less-than ideal things about these candles.

Firstly, that they are produced in Vietnam. That's almost 8,000 miles away. According to one source, that's up to 160,000 pounds of jet fuel to transport them to the USA. I don't even want to know how much atmospheric CO2 that generates. But I do know that the distance between Shelburne Falls and the Whole Foods these were purchased at is 28 miles. And even in a big ol’ transport van that might get 10mpg, that's still not even 3 gallons of gasoline. WOW! Talk about an easy and effective change!

Additionally, these candles are scented. Anything that is fragranced synthetically could be hiding phthalates, and I think it's best to stay far, far away from them.

Plus, these candles are packaged in plastic. Sadly, as useful and versatile as plastic is, it is completely non-biodegradable and is home to any number of scary and potentially hazardous chemicals. For everything you'd ever want to know about plastic, check out one of my favorite blogs, Fake Plastic Fish.

And lastly, these candles came from Target. Much to Dan's dismay, I am a BIG Target fan. Bright colors, an abundance of accessories, shoes, trendy clothes, music, food, and kitchen supplies all in one place? Heaven! But when given the chance, I always feel better if I try to put my dollars in the pocket of a person rather than a faceless, nameless corporation. And knowing that our purchasing these candles helps the nice folks at Mole Hollow make a living feels really good.

Well, I know I pretty much just snowpiled you with links to this and that, and quite frankly, I am pooped! So I’m off to bed! I wish you all the best of luck in the New Year and may all of your resolutions involve more chocolate!

With Love,
~Brande N.