B&B&Beer

Ok, you don't usually think of B&Bs and Beer at the same time but here in Golden Colorado they go together really well. The Dove Inn www.doveinn.com is one of Kirk's favorite B&Bs partially because Coors is one of his favorite beers and the Coors brewery is located just one block away www.coors.com from the inn.

Just so you know - the Coors Brewery is the largest in the world and offers really fun tours that include FREE BEER. If that sounds good to you, don't forget that the charming Dove Inn is just a block away. Of course if Kirk is not doing his innkeeping chores, I know where to look!

We both love Innsitting at the Dove Inn and not just for it's location.... I have my own suite here. How cool is that??

Nature's Bounty

One of the challenges of being an Innsitter is that you are required to make breakfast with the contents of a refrigerator that is not yours. In this case in Parkdale Oregon I have a whole fridge full of lovely organic produce courtesy of Hood River Organic www.hoodriverorganic.com. But jeeze, I don't even know what some of this stuff is!         Hummmm, this is asparagus so I can make an asparagus quiche and look - rhubarb! I'm from Iowa and we know what to do with that. I'll make rhubarb bread and VOILA - breakfast for the guests at The Old Parkdale Inn www.hoodriverlodging.com.      

     

Here is the recipe for K.C.'s Rhubarb Bread:     ENJOY!

Cream: 1C br sugar, 1/2C oil, 1 egg, 3/4C milk w/1t vinager in milk.
Add: 1&3/4C flour, 3/4t salt, 3/4t soda,
1t vanilla.
Stir in: 1C rubarb, 1/3C nuts.
Sprinkle w/1T butter, 1/3C sugar.
Bake 350 1&1/4 hrs.

                                                

OMG

 

    

Have you ever seen a more elegant table? I mean crystal glassware, gold flatware, lace tablecloths and Victorian antiques - WOW! One of the great things about being Interim Innkeepers at Sea Cliff Gardens B&B www.seacliffgardens.com is that this is where we work every morning. And here is a photo of my sous chef, fellow innsitter, and husband extraordinaire Kirk with his fresh fruit plate which is the first course we serve for breakfast. Looks good, huh? Come join us sometime.

This B&B is located in the Olympic Peninsula where the gardens are lush and beautiful. Check out the little guest hidden in the gardens. I've named her "Flora" - too cute!

                                                    

Walla Walla Wines

Who Knew??

When I started innsitting in Walla Walla WA eight years ago there were only a few obscure wineries that were hard to visit for even the most dedicated oenophile. Now however, Walla Walla is one of the premier wine growing regions in Washington with almost one hundred wineries and easy tasting routes for even us dilettantes. www.wallawallawineries.com

 Now you may not realize that one of the really fun jobs as an Interim Innkeeper is that you need to be a knowledgeable concierge to all of your guests, able to offer them advice on great itineraries for their days. The above photo is me doing research for one of my fave itineraries - wine tasting! Check out www.saviahcellers.com. I know, dirty job but hey, someone has to do it and I do such a good job!



Fred's Famous Scones

In Seattle now, in the kitchen with my son-in-law Fred who is teaching me to make his famous scones. His recipe is a little different than mine and is based on the "With Love & Butter" cookbook from a small bakery on one of the San Juan Islands. Fred insists that the key to great scones is great butter....

And this is great butter - Fred's favorite - Organic Valley. But any high quality butter will do.  Certainly all the guests at our Sunday Brunch agreed that the finished product was justifably famous!  Thanks Fred!