Archive for the ‘Bed and Breakfast’ Category
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Wednesday, February 1st, 2012Maine Blueberry Crumb Cake
Saturday, May 14th, 2011I was recently asked to submit photos and a recipe to Woman’s World magazine for an upcoming feature they are doing on Blueberry recipies. I decided to submit my Maine Blueberry Crumb Cake which is super yummy and super easy to do. I thought I’d share that recipe with you! Enjoy!!!
CLASSIC BLUEBERRY CRUMB CAKE
CRUMB TOPPING
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar 1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
In a medium bowl, combine cinnamon, salt, sugar and flour. Cut in butter using your hands, two knives, or a pastry cutter until well combined and crumbly.
CRUMB CAKE
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, plus more for pan
1 c. granulated sugar 3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. sour cream
3 c. wild Maine blueberries
confectioners sugar for dusting
crumb topping from above
Preheat oven to 350°. Into a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Butter a 9 X 13 baking pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Add vanilla and beat until combined. Add reserved flour mixture and the sour cream and beat just until well combined. Fold in 2 cups of blueberries. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Toss remaining cup blueberries with crumb topping. Sprinkle crumb topping over cake. Bake until golden brown and cake tester comes out.
LimeRock Inn Named for Best Wraparound Porch!
Sunday, May 1st, 2011
This has been an amazing year for us. We recently won Best B&B in Village Soup’s Best of the Best annual poll and then we get word that we have won another award from Yankee Magazine!!!
Their annual Best of New England issue, on newstands now, gives us an award in the Best in Maine Lodging category for Best Wraparound Porch!! As always, we are incredibly humbled!
And now for a picture of the porch. We have always said this it is one of the best spots in Rockland. Since it faces north, it is also one of the coolest spots on a warm summer afternoon, the perfect place to enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning or a refreshing beverage in the afternoon.
The B&B Myth
Monday, April 18th, 2011NBC’s Parks and Recreation is one of our favorite shows. On a recent episode, the staff at the Pawnee parks department found themselves “stuck” at a B&B. While it was absolutely hilarious, it definitely played into may people’s stereotype of B&B’s. You know, that they are run by old women with lots of rules and smelly cats everywhere. Check out the clip below.
Of course, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Here at LimeRock Inn, we offer all the modern amenities you would get at any high end hotel and more and we don’t charge extra for any of it. All our guest rooms feature flat panel TV’s with built in DVD players and Ipod docking stations. We have a 24 hour guest pantry that offers complimentary waters, soft drinks and a variety of snacks. The guest pantry also has an office center with computer, printer and fax machine and we have free secure wifi throughout the inn. Lastly, and most importantly, a three course gourmet breakfast is included in the room rate!!
This is really just the tip of the iceberg as to our offerings. Check out our website to learn more!! Or stop by and see for yourself!
Moliere’s The Miser To Be Performed at The Everyman Repertory Theatre
Wednesday, March 30th, 2011
Looking for something fun and different to do in April? The Everyman Repertory Theatre will be doing a new adaptation/translation of a play by Moliere, titled The Miser, (L’Avare) which will be playing at Rockport Opera House, 22, 23, 24 April and 29, 30 April, 1 May.
The Company has been hugely successful since its recent inception having produced critically acclaimed performances of ‘The Man Who Came to Dinner’, ‘Gaslight’, ‘Private Lives’, ‘Two By Mann’ (by Camden’s Robert Manns), ‘The 39 Steps’ and more recently wrapped on their sell out performances of ’84 Charing Cross Road’.
LimeRock Inn is proud to partner with Everyman’s Repertory Theatre to offer a package which includes one nights lodging in our luxurious inn and two tickets to the event on one of the dates above. One night packages range in rate from $155 to $201 plus tax. Add an additional night to your stay from $119 to $165 plus tax!
LimeRock Inn is located in Rockland’s downtown historic district on a quiet side street just steps from fine dining, eclectic shops and galleries and the World Renowned Farnsworth Art Musem. Our eight luxuious guest rooms contain either a queen or kind bed, full private bath, some with jetted tubs. A full gourmet breakfast is served each morning and is included in the room rate. Come see why we were recently named the Best Location for Walking to Downtown Shops & Restaurants in 2011 by Lanier International!
Super Moon Over Rockland Harbor
Monday, March 28th, 2011
Here is a composite shot I took of the super moon. It really was an amazing site!
Historic Inns of Rockland win IFWTWA Award of Excellence!
Thursday, March 17th, 2011
From the IFWTWA:
The International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association’s (IFWTWA) Excellence Awards program recognizes the world’s finest travel and tourism industry professionals as experienced by the organization’s journalist members. Historic Inns of Rockland, Maine earned IFWTWA’s Award of Excellence in Hospitality for its outstanding inns and exemplary guest services.
According to the IFWTWA member journalist who nominated Historic Inns of Rockland for recognition: “The Historic Inns of Rockland (4 properties) all work together in setting and complying with high standards of service. In addition, they have received the State of Maine award for conservation practices. During the past two years, I have stayed at the inns, toured, eaten, interviewed innkeepers, videoed their kitchens and have been impressed with their commitment to service, cleanliness, green practices, friendliness, and delicious food.”
The award nomination was carefully evaluated and recommended by IFWTWA’s Excellence Awards Committee and the award approved by IFWTWA’s Board of Directors.
“As a winner of an IFWTWA Excellence Award, Historic Inns of Rockland demonstrates the professional standards that represent the best in the hospitality industry,” said Maralyn Hill, IFWTWA President. “This company and others in its class set – and raise – the bar in the hospitality field worldwide.”
About IFWTWA: The International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) is a global network of journalists who cover the hospitality and lifestyle fields, and the people who promote them.
Cooking with Franco!
Thursday, March 10th, 2011PJ is often the beneficiary of my ever-evolving Italian cooking skills acquired from visits to Rome and Milan like this last trip in December. In addition to watching Zia Adrianna hone her skills, Lucy, Barbara, Chiara and I took a couple of days to drive to Milan. After touring one of Italy’s most beautiful and modern cities, we treated ourselves to an afternoon cooking class in the test kitchen of La Cucina Italiana magazine.
So tonight for dinner, Spinach ravioli served with a traditional brown butter and sage sauce. To solve the problem of an absence of protein, I stopped at Hannaford and picked up some Al Fresco chicken sausage seasoned with roasted peppers and Asiago cheese.
Sausage in Sage and Brown Butter Sauce
Why the blast of domesticity, you ask? Well, that’s the best part. I hope you will consider joining me at Café Miranda on Saturday morning, March 19th for a Pasta Throwdown between me and chef owner, Kerry Altiero. Café Miranda is known far and wide for their homemade pastas and specialty sauces featured on their eclectic menu. But last time we talked, Kerry challenged me after teasing me about my more traditional hand–rolled pasta making style.
The finished dish was quite delish!
Ciao for now!
A Tour of Breakwater Vineyards
Thursday, March 3rd, 2011Today, we hopped in an Escalade Stretch Limo courtesy of All About Trolley and took a ten minute drive over to Owls Head along with some other innkeepers for a tour of Breakwater Vineyards. This coming summer will be their second season in operation.
We got a tour of their winemaking process where they were currently working on a Blueberry wine and a Chardonnay.
The vineyard is located on a former horse farm on a hilltop in Owls Head with absolutely stunning views of Penobscot Bay and the Camden Hills.
The main house contains the tasting room where we sampled a Reisling, an Oak Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir. Now, I don’t normally care for Riesling as I find it too sweet but this was absolutely delicious. It was not too sweet and had a slightly crisp and tart finish.
The tasting room is stunning and has a small shop with Breakwater Lighthouse gift items with proceeds going to the Friends of Rockland Breakwater Light. They also sell their wine of course and branded gift items.
Breakwater Vineyards offers free tasting every Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 5 pm in season. If your in the area, this is not to be missed!
Thanks again to All Aboard Trolley for transportation. The stretch Escalade, complete with 4 TVs, ambient lighting, fireplace, laser lights, fog machine and every imaginable bell and whistle made us feel like movie stars!!!
I feel a Mocha Nutcake craving coming on!
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011This is a delicious cake that is not too sweet and has a wonderful mocha coffee flavor. I’ve had people offer me money to make this for them!!
| MOCHA NUTCAKE
CAKE Preheat oven to 325°. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add sugar gradually until mixture is stiff. Beat egg yolks separately until thick and light; fold in. Blend together coffee, flour and nuts; gently but thoroughly fold into egg white mixture until no white streaks remain. Spoon into 9-inch tube pan which has been greased and floured. Tap on the counter to remove air bubbles. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Cool on a rack and then split cake into 4 layers. Fill with mocha cream and sprinkle with confectioners sugar over the top. MOCHA CREAM Beat Cream until thick. Blend in sugar, the coffee dissolved in amaretto. Stir until smooth.
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