Russell Young's Farm

Last week we had the opportunity to host two of Russell Young's grandchildren. It was interesting hearing stories from them, but they admittedly didn't remember as much about this farm as they did about Russell Young's farm in New Haven, where he lived after selling this property. Russell Young's granddaughter had never been here before, since her grandfather moved to New Haven when she was an infant, but his grandson remembered coming here as a child and said he tries to come back every year around his birthday now that it's a B&B. His most vivd memories were looking out at Camel's Hump, helping in the sugar house, and looking at the big rock outside the kitchen while helping with dishes. (That's the same rock I enjoy while doing dishes today.)

We learned that the history of the property that we have on our website came from an account their father gave to the former owners of the B&B. The grandson also told us that it meant a lot to him to be in the Sugar Maple Room, where the walls are painted with a color called "Maple Syrup," because he feels most closely connected to his grandfather through maple trees and maple sugaring. He said that's what he remembers best about his grandfather in New Haven and here because there was an old sugar house in the woods above the farmhouse in the old days, and they spent a lot of time there in the spring boiling sap into syrup. Today, Russell Young rests in the Maple Cemetery in Lincoln, VT, just a few miles from here, which further strengthened the grandson's connection with the Maple Sugar themed room. After his grandchildren left, Jaime and I went to New Haven to visit Russell and Luthera Young at the Maple Cemetary. It was a crisp, sunny day, and it felt a little surreal visiting the final resting place of someone we've never met, but are connected to through the house where he and his family spent so much time. Even though this house was later transformed into a ski lodge and had another reincarnation as a shelter for Buddhist Monks and Elders, as the name of the road tells you, it will forever be Russell Young's Farm.

The Original Structure Circa 1970

As a Ski Lodge in 1996

To Wine and Brew or not to Wine and Brew

We have been trying to decide whether or not to get a liquor license to sell Wine and Beer. We went through the state mandated training and had a site visit/interview with an inspector from the Division of Liquor Control, and I think our thoughts have shifted 180 degrees. Initially we thought it would be a great idea to be able to offer local wines and brews for guests to buy, and to host wine and cheese tastings some afternoons, but now that we've been in operation for four months, it seems like having the liquor license might be too limiting for our guests. Right now, because we do not have a liquor license, guests can bring their own wine, beer, or cocktails ingredients, and they can use our glasses or bar items to make themselves whatever they want and drink it where ever they want. As long as we are not involved and we do not provide alcohol, the State is happy and all is fine. If we do get a liquor license, them guests are not allowed to drink any alcohol on the premises unless they buy if from us. If we get licensed at a restaurant, guests can purchase alcohol from us, and they must consume it in and indoor, common area within the B&B. If we get licensed as a Hotel, then guests can buy alcohol and consume it anywhere inside the B&B; common areas or guest rooms. The only way to get approval to allow people to consume alcohol outside would be to create a specific, contained area to have licensed. Wandering down to the pond or to the hot tub would not be allowed. Without a license, guests have to bring their own alcohol, but they can drink it inside, outside, in their room, in a common area, on the porch, basically anywhere. Since so many guests who enjoy visiting local breweries and wineries, and bringing beer or wine back to the B&B to enjoy on the porch or in front of the fireplace, it seems counter to the relaxed environment that we have tried so hard to create to suddenly have to become rigid around this one subject. Sure, guests could hide in their rooms to drink the wine or beer they bought that day, and we would never know. But what fun is that? So at this point in time, we are leaning toward not getting the liquor license. It is a little disappointing that we cannot give a bottle of champagne or a bottle of wine as a gift for special occasions, and we cannot give a glass of wine or a beer to a guest from our refrigerator, but if we did have a liquor license, we would not be able have a little sip of wine in our kitchen, or provide friends with an alcoholic drink if we had them over for dinner in a space shared with the B&B, such as the kitchen or the gathering room. Basically, with a liquor license in place, our guests would be hiding in their rooms drinking their smuggled booze, and we'd be hiding in our quarters if we wanted a little sip of a cocktail. It all feels too much like prohibition. Without the liquor license, everyone can breathe a sigh of relief and co-habitate with a drink nearby, if they so choose. I don't want anyone to think that everyone is liquored-up all the time around here, because that is far from the truth. The liquor license would force alcohol to become much more of a focus than it really ever is right now.

Jaime's blog: Our First Crazy Days in Vermont

Since opening, we have met some wonderful people--many of whom seem surprised when we tell them we've only been open since Memorial Day weekend. We get this reaction when they find out the extent of the renovations that were undertaken and the crazy pace at which they were completed. Eight full-out days (and some nights) of non-stop action, including painting and furnishing the entire inn. 

Why 8 days? When we sold our house and were able to move to Vermont and the Russell Young Farm, we had only 8 days before our first guests arrived--a full house--for Memorial Day weekend. When we knew Russell Young Farm was the inn we wanted to buy, we knew that the marketing of the inn needed to take priority. And that included not just how the inn would be publicized and promoted, but what sort of image and feeling we wanted the inn to impart to guests. I kept thinking "country elegance" mixed with an appreciation for the unique location and spectacular views, the quiet and peaceful environment, secluded but still close enough to all central Vermont has to offer. 

 

It's rewarding to receive compliments on the ambiance of the inn, the colors of the rooms, the furnishings, the artwork and accessories and the appreciation makes that crazy 8-day period all worth it. Preparations for the 8-day turnaround stared well before the inn was even ours. Furnishings were purchased or repurposed, paint colors chosen, and each space was mapped out so we knew exactly what was to go in each one. All of the marketing materials, such as website planning, and even signage (drink coasters, magnets, aprons and shirts embroidered with our new logo) were in the works prior to us even moving to Vermont. The inn as it was before we took over had lots of charm and comfort but it didn't reflect the aesthethic we wanted to achieve. We thought about places we've stayed over the years and what appealed to us and used that as a model. We also used our own home in Braintree, MA as an example of what we wanted to project: comfortable furnishings, warm soothing colors, lots of textures and unique touches in thoughtful accessories--artwork, pottery, warm throw blankets placed casually throughout to amp up the cozy factor. We wanted to create a space that, like our previous home, was a place where people wanted to spend time and relax.

 

So far i think we've achieved that goal. When I'm feeling tired, nothing lifts my spirits quite like the look of surprise and pleasure on a guest's face as i show them around and finally to their room. It makes me think that all of our ideas were good ones and continually trying to think of "everything" to make a guest feel taken care of has paid off. Just getting that smile, that recognition that a lot of thought has gone into planning the spaces, makes that crazy 8-day move-in and renovation marathon--and continuing refinements and improvements--all worth it. 

Chocolate-dipped Orange Shortbread Cookies

I've been cooking a lot with egg whites lately, so it was time to make some egg-yolk shortbread cookies again. I usually add a little lemon zest to the basic recipe, but I'm out of lemons and have a fridge full of oranges, so I decided to try making Orange Shortbread, and what's better than orange and chocolate together?

These cookies are light and refreshing, and, after being dipped in chocolatey goodness, they are like a ray of sunshine on a stormy day. What more can I say? Let's move onto the recipe.

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

6 egg yolks (or 3 whole eggs)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

the zest of one orange 

(I wanted these to be very orangey to really play up the Chocolate-Orange flavor.)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

1. In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy.

2. Mix in each egg yolk separately, and then add the vanilla and orange zest, and blend well

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, cream of tartar, and baking soda.)

4. Slowly add dry ingredients to butter-egg yolk mixture and mix until fully incorporated.

5. Roll dough into chestnut-sized balls and lightly flatten onto a baking sheet covered in parchment paper.

6. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

7. Let cookies cool for a few minutes on baking sheets and then transfer to wire racks until fully cool.

8. Melt chocolate chips in the bowl of a double boiler. (I added a little left-over coffee and a dash of cayenne pepper to my melted chocolate for a bit more richness and depth of flavor.)

9. Dip cooled cookies halfway into melted chocolate.

10. Set dipped cookies onto wax paper until the chocolate sets (about a half hour.)

After dipping the cookies, I put them in the refrigerator to help the chocolate set faster. 

These cookies are so good, there might not be any left when our guests come back this afternoon...I'll try my hardest not to eat them all.

Here's a video blog post: tour the outside of the Inn. Enjoy.

It's all about the Bacon!

Ok, so here's my first attempt at a cooking blog. Let me know what you think.

I've been making scones like there's no tomorrow lately, and the favorite, based on feedback from friends, family, and guests, seems to be the Cheddar Scones. Who knew that savory would win over sweet? Since everything is better with bacon, I decided to search for a bacon-cheddar scone, and stumbled upon this one.

The recipe is based on the Bacon, Cheddar, Chive Scones recipe from King Arthur's Flour's website, and the original can be found here:
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/bacon-cheddar-chive-scones-recipe

These scones are light and flakey and loaded with cheesy, bacony goodness. They literally melt in your mouth!

Even though I titled this post "It's all about the Bacon," the truth is, when you're making scones, it's all about the BUTTER! The colder the butter, the better the scones. I like to put the butter in the freezer for 5-10 minutes before I use it, and then use a cheese grater to coarsely grate the butter into the dry mixture. This way you can use a fork or chop stick (I like the chop stick method) when you mix it in, and you don't have to touch the butter with your warm hands until you're ready for a little kneading, just before they hit the oven. The colder and clumpier the butter is when the scones hit the hot oven, the flakier your results will be because the cold butter quietly explodes in the heat and makes a light, fluffy, flaky scone.

Lets move onto the ingredients:

2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) COLD butter
1 cup coarsely grated or  diced cheddar cheese
2-3 Tablespoons snipped fresh chives
1 Cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
3/4 cup (more or less) + 2 tablespoons heavy cream or whipping cream


The first step is to make your kitchen smell warm and inviting buy cooking the bacon. You can use a pan to fry it, and then let the cooked bacon drain on paper towels, or you can bake it in the oven on cooling racks. Use your favorite method, but make sure you open the windows so the neighbors know that bacon is sizzling in your kitchen!


Step One: Cook the bacon.

Step Two: Let the bacon drain and cool. Try not to eat it all. I recommend making more than you will need so you can eat some while you're cooking.

Step Three: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Step Four: Gather and measure out the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.

Step Five: Whisk the dry ingredients together.

Step Six: Grate about a cup of Cheddar. I cut a small bunch of Chives from my herd garden and the used kitchen scissors to cut them up for the dough.

Step Seven: Did I mention there's bacon?

Step Eight: Grate the COLD butter into the dry mixture

Step Nine: Stir in the Bacon, Cheddar, and Chives (this is where I use a chop stick...you're basically just coating all of the ingredients with the flour mixture at this stage.)

Step Ten: Pour in the cream. I needed about a Tablespoon more than 3/4 Cup to get the right consistency. You don't want it too wet, but you don't want any dry flour kicking around at the bottom of the bowl either. This is when you need to stick your hands into the dough and knead it a couple of times.

Step Eleven: Form the dough into a flat round about an inch thick.

Step Twelve: Use a sharp, flowered knife to quarter the dough.

Step Thirteen: Half each Quarter, so you end up with eight large scones.

Step Fourteen: Brush the top of each scone with cream or milk to help them brown as they bake.

Step Fifteen: Bake your scones. I baked them for 15 minutes in a convection oven. The elevation here has shortened baking times for most of what I bake, and the convection oven speeds things up as well. If you're using a traditional oven, and you're closer to sea level, your baking time will probably be closer to 20-25 minutes. Just keep an eye on them.

Ding! Ding! They're Done!

 Now ENJOY!

These little babies are cheesy, but not too cheesy. you can increase the amount of chives if you wish, but my consumers are generally onion-shy, so I wanted to minimize the onion flavor. A pinch of Cayenne  Pepper would give these scones a nice little surprise flavor burst, or you could replace the chives with diced jalapenos for a real flavor explosion. 

Thoughts from a sleepy dog:

Our first Blog post belongs to Gigi. Since she is our unofficial greeter, I guess it's only fitting that she greet our blogging public as well:

Vermont is an interesting place for a little French Bulldog from the suburbs. There are so many people always coming and going, so many scents to sniff, and so many creatures to chase, it's just exhausting to live in Vermont. There are bullfrogs, hummingbirds, chipmunks, and horses (I'm not sure I like horses...I bark at them and bark at them and bark at them some more.)

Oh, and did I mention the moths?

There are GIANT moths that like to taunt me and make me chase them. I think this one is a lunar moth.

They look kind of tasty to me,

but they're pretty fast fliers, and they fly higher that I can jump..

I spotted a couple of deer too. Here's one that came right up near the house while we were having coffee on the porch one morning:

I'm used to seeing cats and skunks back in Massachusetts, but that's about it. It's really cool to watch fish jumping in the pond and birds whistling everywhere you go here. Our neighbors here are nice too, but they live so far away that I can't see their houses. when I look out the windows, I see fields and trees and mountains and at night, there are a million stars and fireflies. I didn't even know what fireflies were at first. They are super confusing, but not so scary anymore.

When I'm inside, I spend most of my time in the kitchen which is pretty cool because every time someone opens the freezer, I get an ice cube to crunch on, and I'm super patient and wait for goodies to accidentally find their way to the floor. Anyway, that's all I can tell you right now. I need to get back to my nap. That's the thing I do best.

zzzzzzzzzz

Look for more blog entries from Gigi, Jaime, and Glenn.