Let's Get Crackin'

I've mentioned before that Dan and I were on the quest for local and organic meats and animal products like eggs, cheese and yogurt. While we've struck out so far on meats and cheeses, but hit gold with Sidehill Farm's yogurt. Now, we've struck gold again with Pete & Gerry's organic eggs.


I am thrilled to pieces to eat these eggs. In fact, I've eaten perhaps a few too many for my own good! They taste great, they're versatile, they're affordable, and they're good for people and the environment. What's not to love? What's else could possibly make them better?

Toast!

With (hungry) Love,
~Brande N.

Delicious looking soft-boiled egg photo credit goes to: Askliu via Flickr.

Robin's and Rubiner's

[Technically, this post was intended to go up yesterday. But somewhere between the power being turned off for half the day to replace a transformer and Blogger refusing to download these pictures for who-knows-what-reason while the power was on, I had some trouble making that happen. Better late than never, right?]

Last week, while Dan's mom was visiting for Mother's Day (Hi, Mom!) we took a little trek to Great Barrington, about 15 minutes away. Even though we had heard a lot baout it, Dan and I had yet to really explore that nook of the Berkshires. We figured the warm spring day, heavy with the scent of blossoming fruit trees, was perfect for taking a walk through town.

We discovered quickly that Main Street is, in fact, the main street. It's lined with unique shops, ranging from artsy clothing stores to trendy cafes to a handmade furniture store to a natural foods co-op and more. We'll definitely be back to do a bit more intensive exploring, but for now I'd like to tell you about two of the most memorable places we went.

First is Rubiner's Cheesemongers, located in the old bank building on Main Street.

This gourmet foods store is just plain brimming with imported candies, artisanal cured meats. fancy mustards and chutneys...


and as the name implies--cheese. Oodles and oodles of beautiful, wonderful, heavenly cheese...




Not only do they have an incredible selection of cheeses (runny and hard and stinky and blue and aged and fresh and sheep and goat and cow, oh my!) but the staff is knowledgeable and helpful. Not that you'd really need a helpful staff member when you can help yourelf to one of the seven or eight varieties of cheese set out to sample each day. That's right seven or eight different cheese samples. While there I tried a young asiago, an aged piave, a waxy jack, parmigiano reggiano, and....

...this odd and intriguing cheese whose name I didn't catch. It was something like an aged cheddar, to say the least. Its scent was of a robust beer, which turned into a sweet, caramelly, cheddar-like taste when it hit the tongue. As the sweetness faded, the saltiness came, followed by a bit of tart sharpness reminiscent of a swiss. Complex doesn't even begin to cover it.

If I were going to Tanglewood and needed a some fancy cheeses, fresh breads, and high quality meats for my picnic on the lawn, I'd go to Rubiner's.

And walk out with 17 kinds of cheese and an empty wallet.

Is that such a bad thing?



After going to Rubiner's we took a few steps down the street and stumbled on this:

Robin's Candy Shop has struck the perfect balance between nostalgia, whimsy, and fun. How can you not love a store with a warning sign that says, "unattended children will be given espresso and a free kitten"? How could you not love a store that sells imported licorice, cotton candy scented perfume, Zagnut bars, and lolipops with real crickets inside?

There's something magical about walking into this place. You can't help but feel a little bit like Charlie walking into the Chocolate Factory. Or maybe it's more like Augustus Gloop when he first sees the chocolate river. I fear that I might be more Augustus than Charlie.

No matter how you feel (awed, nostalgic, gluttonous) there's bound to be something here for you. A box of cupcake shaped bandaids? A pair of cartoonishly large cat-eye glasses? Maybe a gumball shaped like Frankenstein?


At the very least, you're sure to find dessert for your Tanglewood picnic. Let's just hope your empty wallet from Rubiner's has a credit card in it on which you can charge all this candy.

Also, You might want to pack some insulin too. Just to cover the sugar rush.


With Love,
~Brande N.

The Holy Grail of Yogurt

What could possibly be better than yogurt that is:

-Delicious and...
-Locally made...
-By hand...
-With no artificial sweeteners, flavorings, or additives...
-Using milk from ethically and humanely raised cows...
-Who are 100% grass-fed...
-On certified organic pastures?

The answer?

Nothing. Nothing could possibly be better! This is the holy grail of yogurt.

Introducing:

Sidehill Farms yogurt! I can't even tell you how good this stuff is. So good, in fact, that John ate two bowls of it over the course of a 4 hour meeting. So good that we went through almost 2 quarts over the last two days.

And it's good for you too! Pasture-raised cows produce milk that is higher in essential fatty acids such as Omega-3 and CLA. These fatty acids are linked to everything from healthy skin and nails to a decreased ricks of stroke and cancer to reduced depression. Super foods, indeed.

We're making great progress on converting our foods to local and/or organic varieties. Our coffee is locally roasted, fair trade and sustainably grown; our teas are all organic and/or fair trade; our honey is local; most of our produce is organic (soon to be local, come summertime!); our bread is local and organic; our apples are locally grown and residue free; our preserves are all locally made; even our instant oatmeal is organic!

The next and most difficult step is sourcing local and organic meats. We tried this winter and struck out, but we're hoping for better luck this time. I'll keep you posted, but in the meantime; wish us luck!

With Love,
~Brande N.

Regarding the Grandeur of French Toast

Breakfast has always been my favorite meal. On the rare occasions that my family went out to eat, it was well known that if breakfast was available, that's what I was getting. To heck with chicken tenders--I want a waffle! During high school, one of my first jobs was even as a the "Sunday Morning Waffle Girl" at a local restaurant. My younger brother loves breakfast just as much. From the time he was two until seven, it's not an exaggeration to say that about a quarter of his calories came from pancakes and frozen french toast sticks.

"Yolk-Eggs" (what we called eggs over-easy before we knew their name), was a quick, tasty, and easy meal that I'd make about once a week. Scrambles were even easier. Once I learned how to make omelets, they too became central to my diet. Though, the omelets of my youth were very different from those I eat today, as my family didn't exactly partake in "vegetables", which I now love.

One of the "bad" foods that has been the hardest for me to give up as an adult is the joyous, glorious, artery-clogging Pillsbury Toaster Strudel. The strawberry one with the nuclear blue frosting was a dietary staple for about two years... until the trans fat craze swept the nation and I realized that not all foods are created equal. Since then I haven't been able to justify buying a box.

Despite my almost genetic love for breakfast foods, it wasn't until recently that I made the acquaintance of French Toast. I attribute this delayed fondness to the fact that my mother only ever bought Wonder bread. How many ways can you jazz up Wonder bread? Fake syrup today, maple tomorrow! Cinnamon today, plain the next! The options are rather limited.

As I grew older (and found my inner foodie) I discovered that Pepperidge Farm Whole Wheat, SunMaid Cinnamon Swirl, and WonderBread are not the only choices available in the bread world. Suddenly, French Toast had the credentials to become a part of my life. Ciabatta, challah, brioche, baguette, croissant! Apple-Cardamom Swirl, Honey-Almond, Spiced Pumpkin, Blueberry Strudel, Ginger-Molasses! Oh, the possibilities! And beyond the bread you can even jazz up the egg batter: a dash of vanilla, a splash of buttermilk, a bit of nutmeg, a shot of espresso, the zest of an orange... Factor in toppings (simmered raspberries and fresh ginger... shaved chocolate and caramel sauce... fresh apples and maple-sweetened yogurt...) and you've got an endless world of options.

Sadly, a pancake will always be a pancake, whether you add a sweet, a nut, or a fruit to the batter. But French toast is like people. Every recipe, every variety is an individual. Unique.

With that in mind, I'd like to share with you a recipe that Dan and I concocted in San Francisco. The town we stayed in had a beautiful market just brimming with locally made and grown goodies and our cottage had a full kitchen. We saw it as a calling to make breakfast.




Espresso-Cinnamon French Toast (a.k.a. Mill Valley French Toast)
Ingredients:
3 eggs
1/4 cup cream, half and half, or whole milk
1 shot of espresso (or scant 1/4 cup very strong black coffee, or 1 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 6 tbs water)
2 tbs butter
4 slices soft cinnamon swirl bread, cut about 3/4" thick*

Crack eggs into shallow dish, and whisk until uniform in color. Add coffee first to the milk (to cool it) and then add the milk and espresso (if you can resist drinking it) to the eggs . Whisk to combine. Set aside.

Heat a frying pan or griddle on medium heat and add the butter. When butter starts to froth slightly, the pan is hot enough.

Dip bread in batter, pressing gently with fingertips to help it absorb the goodness and be optimally delicious. Place egg soaked bread on hot pan and cook until surface is a bit darker than "golden"


NOTES:
-It is better to cook a thick-cut french toast at a lower heat for longer period than it is to flash fry it. This is because the mixture of egg and cream in the bread needs time to "set" very much like a custard. If the temperature is too high the egg cooks too quickly and will impart a very strong "egg" taste instead of the delicate "custardy" flavor we're looking for.
-It's better to slightly overcook french toast than to slightly undercook it, as undercooking can result in a mouthful of soggy, raw, eggy mush. Bleh.
-Lastly, The bread Dan and I bought at Mill Valley Market had a slight glaze on it, so we served it with nothing more than a bit of whipped cream. If yours need a bit of sweetness, I recommend maple syrup.

Enjoy!
~Brande N.


*Brownie points (and better flavor) if you use a locally baked variety!

(photo source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/asstrogirl/3013387404/)

This is Why I Make the Pancakes

I am not athletic. Or coordinated. I never have been. In fact, when I was 10 years old, my two-year old little brother could whoop my butt at Super Mario. That's how bad my hand-eye coordination is.

While many of my high-school friends were twirling and tossing banners in Winterguard, teaching the cast of the musical how to tap dance, or playing marimba in state-level band competitions I was reading Shakespeare, doing research papers, and performing in non-musical plays.

(Notice how these are activities that have minimal risk of tripping.)

In the grand scheme of things, I'm perfectly happy so long as I'm coordinated enough to pick up a book, turn a page and type a sentence. I might not be able to kick a soccer ball [without falling] but I can speak in Elizabethan dialect. And for me, that's far more fun that scoring a goal (yup, I'm weird).

On that note: When Dan and I started here it was sort of an accepted fact that I was going to be the cook. After all, I've always been the one to cook during our marriage and I've whipped up some pretty mean recipes, so it only makes sense, right?

It did, until I found out that this is how we make omelets:



If I had done that, the omelet would have landed about two-and-a-half feet to the left of the pan instead of inside it.

That's why he's the egg guy and I'm the pancake girl. We're a great team.

With Love,
~Brande N.

The Order That Will Live in Infamy

(If you're a dork like me and like to analyze handwriting, click to enlarge)

Believe it or not, this is an order for one table. A table of four, I give you, but still! It was so big and complicated that I had to separate it into two courses and bring them out separately.

You'll notice on the last ticket (which is the entrees, the middle one is the "fruit and sides" course) that my handwriting was suddenly not all that horrendous. That's because it's poor Dan's ticket and he has to read it, so I always transcribe my scribbles for him. If I didn't do that, I'm sure a "tomato, basil, bacon, and manchego" omelet would come out something like "Onion, walnut, berries, and mushroom" Which is significantly less delicious...

...unless you're pregnant, in which case it might be exactly what you wanted.

With Love,
~Brande N.

Summer Sunset Fruit Salad

Today I gift you with a recipe for my all-time favorite fruit salad. I call it "Summer Sunset Fruit Salad" because the colors just scream fiery summer sunset: luscious kiss-red strawberries, bright orange clementine segments, and blushing pieces of ripe peach. Oh, and cream. Heavy cream. I'll say that's the clouds. In the sunset. You can't have a sunset without clouds...or cream.


Summer Sunset Fruit Salad:
(Sufficient for two as a side dish or snack, but easily edible by one)


Ingredients:
-1 large ripe peach
-5-8 ripe strawberries (depending on size)
-1 clementine, tangerine, or orange
-1 tbs agave nectar, honey, maple syrup, or sugar. (I recommend a liquid sweetener both for ease of mixing and for health reasons.)

We interrupt this recipe for an important announcement:

If you've never had agave nectar you have to try it! It's a minimally refined, all natural sweetener that has a low glycemic index, so it's safe for diabetics and dieters. I use it in everything from coffee to pumpkin pie. I'd almost say it's a miracle food; it's that good. Sorry, tangent over!

We now return you to your regularly scheduled recipe:

Lastly,
-2 tbs heavy cream (Or half and half if you have some self control [I don't])

Directions:
1) De-stem the strawberries and irregularly chop them into bite-sized pieces. Place them in a bowl.

2) De-pit the peach and chop into bite-size, irregular pieces. Add them to the bowl too.

3)Here's the fun part. Cut the clementine/tangerine/orange like this:



...and add the pretty little skinless slices to the bowl.

(Why did I make you skin the citrus you might ask? Because citrus fruits have a lot of tough skin on them, silly! If we had left that on your salad would require significantly more chewing. Plus this makes the juice more accessible, YUM! But you can leave them on if you want, I won't be mad.)

4)Reserve the membrane with all the orange bits on it.

5) Now mix your favorite sweetener with the half and half or cream.

6) Squish the juice out of the membrane and into the sweetened cream. (see Fig. 5, above)

7) Pour the orange-infused sweet cream over the salad.

8) Grab a spoon and toss it all together.

9) Devour!!*


Now go forth and make fruit salad!


*If you can resist devouring this for about 5 minutes, let it sit and the flavors infuse and the juices start to come out and it becomes amazing. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Which makes me sad because there are no peaches in the house...

Romance in The Berkshires

Looking for something fun to do this Valentine's Day? Maybe even something a little romantic? Here's a few links to some Valentine's Weekend events. I know I'm rather notorious for being a little last minute (Did I order Dan's gift yet? Nope.) so hopefully these recommendations save you from being in the same boat as me come this weekend. Good luck!

(Note: Applicable dates for each event can be found on the event's webpage)


First off, Bad Dates. A spectacular one woman play being held only 1 mile from the Inn at Shakespeare and Company. Dan and I saw this play about a month ago and were very impressed. Shakespeare and Company says, "Theresa Rebeck writes some of the funniest and most authentic language heard in American theatre today. We're pleased to present her sharp-toothed, comic take on surviving single motherhood, the working life, and finding romance in today's world." Special bonus, they're offering tickets at the Berkshire County Resident price of 40% off to everyone! A great play for a great price.






Next is Kiss This Cabaret at the Barrington Stage Company, only about 10 minutes from the Inn, in downtown Pittsfield. The event page says: "Join some of our hottest Musical Theatre Lab writers as they share their version of the perfect Valentine Day's song: funny, serious, loving, not-so-loving and outrageous!" I'm going to put this out there: If any of my guests go to this, I'll be a little jealous. Seriously.






If you're feeling a bit French on the 15th, perhaps you can woo your chérie with a bit of Shakespeare en français at the Colonial Theatre, also located in downtown Pittsfield. The Colonial is presenting Roméo et Juliette (an opera on film) for one night only. All the thrill of an opera without the mini-binoculars! On top of that, Colonial has also partnered with Patrick's Pub to offer any guest of the film 10% off at the restaurant. (I love the contrast here of French Operatic Film and Classic American Pub Food. Très amusant.)




Lastly, when I think "Valentine's Day" I think "Good Excuse to Eat Really Good Food and Call It an Occasion." Mission Tapas Bar in Pittsfield is doing a prix-fixe four course menu for Valentine's Day with live entertainment. I'd love to give you a bit more info, but this place is so quirky they don't even have a phone! But you can email them for more info, by visiting this link. I've never been here, but one look at the menu has convinced me that I might need to make it a priority.




So there you go! A small sampling of the goings-on this weekend. If you happen to read this and would like a little more information on the events, or if you're a guest and would like to purchase tickets, give us a call at the Inn and we'd love to help.

With (Valentine) 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.

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!

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 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.

The Garden Gables Inn Presents:

A Compliment of the Highest Regard

A True Story, Adapted for the Stage:

Cast:

-WAITRESS

-YOUNG MAN

-YOUNG WOMAN

-HUSBAND

The Scene:

A cozy New England Bed & Breakfast. Early morning. A nice young couple sits at one table, sipping coffee and nibbling at goodies from the buffet. Their WAITRESS approaches, order pad in hand.

WAITRESS: Good morning! Would you folks like a few more minutes or are you all set to order?

YOUNG MAN: I think we’re ready.

WAITRESS: (names off litany of breakfast options, which includes waffles, eggs cooked any way, omelettes, blueberry or chocolate chip pancakes, and apple strudel french toast)

YOUNG MAN: (with awe) Can I have one of everything? (laughs)

YOUNG WOMAN: (in a motherly, gently reprimanding voice) No, Honey. We’ll each get one thing and split it, okay?

YOUNG MAN: Alright... Well I want the Apple Strudel French Toast then.

YOUNG WOMAN: I’ll have an omelette with goat cheese and tomato.

WAITRESS: Sounds great! I’ll have that out for you in a few.

(A few minutes pass while the WAITRESS and her HUSBAND cook their order. She returns with French Toast that looks a lot like this:

..and an omlette that looks a lot like this:

...and presents it to the COUPLE.) (The YOUNG MAN stares at the plate of French Toast in front of him, nearly mesmerized. The WAITRESS is amused.)

WAITRESS: Can I get you guys anything else?

YOUNG MAN: (in an entranced voice, still staring at his plate) No... absolutely nothing.

Eco Update Number One

Going green is all about baby steps. Changing light bulbs, keeping your tires inflated, turning the heat down a degree or two, all that stuff. Oftentimes it feels like these things just plain don't matter, but every little bit helps! In fact, according to Carbonrally.com, merely keeping your tires properly inflated will save up to 29lbs of carbon in one month. How cool is that!

Therefore, in the interest of starting with small, maintainable changes here at the Inn, our first step was to replace our no-calorie sweetener. This change is great because not only will it positively affect human health, but it will also reduce the use of various industrial chemicals. You see, when things like Splenda and Equal are made, chemicals (of varying degrees of toxicity, and environmental impact) are utilized. By not purchasing the product that uses these chemicals, we're avoiding the use of them altogether. It's a win-win because we get to provide a delicious and more healthful alternative to you and we get to feel good about minimizing our ultimate environmental impact.

I've compiled a whole bunch of information on the various sweeteners available on the market. Hopefully this gives you an idea of why we decided to make the switch:

Saccarin – Sweet ‘n’ Low

-Definitely causes cancer in rats and mice.

-Has not conclusively been found to cause cancer in humans, but Center for Science in the Public Interest suggests erring on the side caution due to unknown risk level for fetuses and children.

-Also belongs to class of chemicals called sulfonamides which can cause allergic reactions in those allergic to sulfa drugs. The product is not mandated to carry an allergy warning on its label.

Aspartame – Nutra Sweet, Equal

-Definitively amplifies the effects of depression. One study was cut short due to the severity of Aspartame’s effects on depressed patients.

-Some people are susceptible to headaches as a result of aspartame consumption

-May be a mild carcinogen. Studies performed worldwide have found conflicting results, so no definitive answer is currently available.Center for Science in the Public Interest lists this as a food "to be avoided, not worth any risk"

Sucralose – Splenda

-Is the newest nonnutritive sweetener on the market, was only approved for common use in 1999. Therefore, no long-term human studies on its affect on humans have been done.

-“According to the book Sweet Deception, sucralose is made when sugar is treated with trityl chloride, acetic anhydride, hydrogen chlorine, thionyl chloride, and methanol in the presence of dimethylformamide, 4-methylmorpholine, toluene, methyl isobutyl ketone, acetic acid, benzyltriethlyammonium chloride, and sodium methoxide, making it unlike anything found in nature.” Uses and heath and environmental impacts of each of these chemicals can be found online, but some uses include: creation of nerve gases, creation of photo film, vinyl production, and automotive fuel. Trityl Chloride is listed as an environmentally hazardous material.

-Chlorine is present in sucralose. Ingestion of chlorine causes “corrosive tissue damage of the gastrointestinal tract.” It is thought that this may lead to various digestive cancers.

Acesulfame K – Food additive (common in chewing gum and candy)

-Contains methylene chloride (known human carcinogen)

-Long-term effect studies have not been conducted

On the other hand, here is some information on our new sweetener:

Erythritol – Z-Sweet

-60%-80% as sweet as table sugar

-Unlike other sugar alcohols (sorbitol, manitol, xylitol) erythritol is absorbed by the body, so it will not cause any of the gastrointestinal affects sugar alcohols are known for.

-Does not affect blood-sugar levels

-Produced by fermenting glucose with a specific strain of yeast.

-Erythritol cannot be digested by oral bacteria so it does not contribute to tooth decay.

I tried finding dangers, side effects, or long-term health concerns for Erythritol, but happily, nothing came up! This is why we’ve chosen to provide our guests with Z-sweet. It is naturally produced, has no side effects, tastes great, and is safe for diabetics, dieters, children, adults, and even those who just want to avoid tooth decay. If you've never tried Z-sweet before, I hope you'll give it a try the next time you're at the Inn. It's great in tea. I just finished my cup, in fact.

Safe Eating and Happy Greening Everyone!

~Brande N.

Primary sources:

http://www.medicinenet.com/artificial_sweeteners/article.htm (all pages)

http://www.cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.htm

http://www.health.state.ny.us/environmental/emergency/chemical_terrorism/chlorine_tech.htm

as well as various Google searches.

-When researching environmental topics I am always conscious to check my sources. I will never use a source that comes from the industry in question (i.e. using a statistic on the Exxon-Mobile website that talks about carbon emissions related to gasoline). If possible I try to use consumer advocacy groups such as the CSPI and EWG.

-I always ensure that I have several sources for anything that I post.

-I always start my research from an unbiased stance, then continue being first negatively biased and then positively. For example, when researching Saccharin I will search "Saccharin" first and take note of various statistics and studies. Then I will do a second and third search of "Saccharin hazards/side effects/dangers" and one of "Saccharin good/safe/conspiracy". This ensures that I am getting as much information as possible from each side. This also allows me to look for biases in research from both sides.

Ten Reasons Why I'm in Haven!

When Dan and I first interviewed for the position of Inn Manager, we were completely unfamiliar with this area. We had driven from Oswego, NY to Pittsfield, MA a night early for that historic interview and had only made dinner plans for the night of our arrival. Checkout was at 10:00am at the little hotel we stayed at, but our interview wasn't until Noon. What were two completely clueless, unbelievably nervous, and very hungry interviewees supposed to do for two hours? The simple answer was eat. The difficult question was where.

So Dan and I headed south from Pittsfield to Lenox, searching for food. We parked on Church street and ambled about, seeking food. Church Street Cafe? Closed. Bistro Zinc? Closed. Firefly? Closed. Cafe Lucia? Closed. Alta? Closed. We had arrived at in Lenox at what I now know to be exactly the wrong time for finding food, which, for future reference, is 10:30am on a weekday. After walking to all of these places and finding not a single morsel we pessimistically turned a corner and spotted the sign for Haven Cafe & Bakery. And they were open.



"Cafe food?" I thought, "My Favorite!"


And let me tell you, to this day, two months and many restaurants after that first experience, Haven is still my favorite place in Lenox. Dan and I went there for lunch today and I decided to bring along the new camera and give you a peek into why I am nearly addicted to this beautiful, wonderful, delicious gem of a café.


Reason #1: They source locally. What was such a rarity for me in Oswego (local cuisine is impossible to find there) is much more common here in The Berkshires; but it will always earn any business buckets of brownie points in my book.




Reason #2: Their menu is simultaneously unique, well-done, simple, gourmet, and completely affordable. How is this possible!



Reason #3: Every last employee is delightful. We’ve had friendly, helpful, courteous service every time we’ve gone. (Figures 1 & 2 depict prime examples of employees with impeccable customer service)



Reason #4: The food NEVER disappoints. Just look at these sandwiches!



And do you see those perfect, luscious slices of pear on my Croque Monsieur?


And the sweet, caramelized onion on Dan’s Steak sandwich!

Not to mention these oven-roasted potatoes, which are TO DIE FOR.



Reason #5: Their 100% made in-house bakery items. They’re… I could just…. I wanna… It’s like they’re… You know what, I’ll just let the pictures do the talking, I can’t even find adequate adjectives for this kind of deliciosity.



Reason #6: This dessert.

It’s called a Cappuccino Cake. I call it Pure Chocolate Love with Cream Cheese Coffee Frosting that happens to be topped with a Chocolate Covered, Cocoa Dusted Hazelnut. If you want to make me very happy this Christmas, buy me one of these. I’m not even kidding. This dessert is rapidly becoming yet another addiction of mine.


Reason #7: Free samples of Cappuccino Cake!!!!!!!!!



Reason #8: Stevia and Z-Sweet (erythritol) on the tables and Agave Nectar and Honey on the coffee bar. Was this place made for me???



Reason #9: When they say that they care about the environment, they mean it. Even their shirts are 100% Organic Cotton!



Reason #10: With all of these reasons to love Haven, it actually affects your mood to be there. Dan and I get really happy and giddy. Sometimes a little silly too. Here’s a quote from today’s visit:

In a silly, batty old woman voice Dan says, “Now you see, with the second cup of tea, you gotta squeeze the bejeezus out of the teabag." He squeezes it. "See that? That’s the bejeezus coming out” (Moments like these are also one of the reasons that I love Dan so much, FYI)


And those, dear friends, are 10 reasons why I love Haven. I would (and do) recommend this place to any of our guests. Even if you’re not a guest, please go there! I promise you’ll love it!


And I was thinking, if you happen to go there… Tell them Brande from The Garden Gables sent you… and maybe I’ll get a free cappuccino cake…


It’s just a thought.



With Much Love,
~Brande N.

(PS: By popular demand, they just started serving dinner on Friday and Saturday nights as well! Yay!)