It’s a Country Inn Hudson Day

March 24, 2016March 25, 2016 carolannmccarthy4 Comments

IMG_6318[1] — A view of The Hudson Clock Tower on the Village Green

Some Country Inn Days take me out of town, even out of the Country, but other Country Inn Days are spent at my Inn or close to it. That’s today. It’s nice to live in a town you love because even simple things done there offers much pleasure. I always wanted to live in a place where I could walk, where there were sidewalks along charming streets lined with trees and interesting homes. I’ve always liked towns that have a Village Green with shops, restaurants and coffee houses in their center, places where one can run into neighbors for a little chat. Hudson is such a town. Hudson is also fortunate to have a park with a lake and a world-class library, so on this Country Inn Day I plan to stick around the Inn and my neighborhood enjoying simple pleasures in both places.

IMG_20160316_081656_050[1] — Enjoying morning coffee in the newly completed kitchen

My day begins with a bagel, my favorite espresso roast coffee, and some inspiration from author Christie Matheson. Unless the Innkeeper in me is hosting a tea or a dinner party on an Inn Day I rely for company on books, wonderful books. It’s very easy for me to imagine the authors of these books are here with me, if not in person, then in spirit.

“The Art of the Compliment” is a wonderful book that encourages us to say all those nice things we’re thinking “about and to” the people in our lives. I was given a real pep talk as I nibbled and sipped, and nothing like a pep talk to start one’s day.

My bedroom here at the Inn is in need of the maid’s attention

And I’m the Maid!

You see, on a Country Inn Day I flip back and forth from being Inn Guest to worker bee. Some people may find work an unpleasant activity on a day off, but I remember and take to heart the words of Mary Poppins. Mary said, “In every task that must be done there is an element of fun. You find the fun and then the job’s a game.” Imagining I’m a maid or a cook or a gardener is like play acting to me, and “play” is the magic word on a Country Inn Day.

If you were a Downton Abbey fan like me you may have imagined being Lady Mary one day and her lady’s maid the next. Well, on a Country Inn Day I take on both roles in the same day. After all, don’t most of us play both roles throughout our lives in some manner? There are days we dress up, go to the theater or to fine restaurants and live like a lady of leisure, but on other days we work, work, work. Well, on a Country Inn day roles simply flip flop back and forth a little faster.

IMG_1143[2] — Closets in my dressing room at the Jeremiah Brown Inn

Once the Inn Maid (me) tidies up the bedroom, I proceed to the dressing room in order to get ready (as Inn Guest) for an outing in town. One thing I hate about taking a trip to a far away place is packing, but on my Country Inn Days I need not pack a thing because everything is here at my fingertips.

The Inn decorator (me) is thinking about adding some color to the walls and floor of this new dressing room, but even now it’s a pleasure to slip away to this quiet, private place where I get ready for the day. The dressing room is also a good place to read if I wake up in the middle of the night. I can retreat here, turn on some bright lights without bothering my husband.

But now I’m ready for my walk in town. Come along with me.

There’s nothing like a walk in town, up and down the old streets in the village we go. I love to focus on the details of each house. So many different styles…

Hudson does have many new neighborhoods too with all sorts of handsome new houses, but it’s the old world that warms my heart. Hudson was founded in 1799 so many of the houses in the village were built in the early 1800’s. Walking around town makes me feel I’m back in Boston where I used to live.

There’s nothing like taking a walk any time of year. It’s good to walk in a park, but equally fun to walk in a neighborhood if you like the neighborhood. To breathe in fresh air, get a little exercise and give your mind a chance to wander freely… lots of good ideas can come to us while walking. And all this is free of charge. How good is that?

IMG_20160316_132554_215[1] — Part of Hudson’s Downtown area with shops, restaurants and the public library

My walk eventually takes me into the downtown area and just about the time I’m ready for some coffee. I love coffee and coffee shops. Hudson has six coffee shops to choose from so I am one lucky girl. I enjoy writing one, two, or three letters each day in one of Hudson’s coffee shops. There I find solitude and society simultaneously.

Today I explore a new shop here in Hudson. Restore specializes in organic, superfood smoothies and things like organic avocado toast, and meals made with things like chia seeds, grass fed whey, spirulina and pepitas (whatever those things are).

It’s decorated in a very minimal style, not my very favorite look, (Notice the tree stump-items serving as seats) but I try to patronize all the local businesses. I notice when customers do arrive they are usually young adults, often with little babies or young children. This place must be a new age thing.

I obviously chose a quiet time to come for I nearly have the entire place to myself and that can be nice when I’m writing letters.

I order a macchiato which is very yummy

and it keeps me company as I write a letter or two. But now it’s time for lunch and though I could stay here and have an organic dragonfruit bowl made up of dragonfruit blended with strawberry, pineapple, ginger, coconut milk and topped off with camu camu, goji berries and grass fed whey, I decide to take my leave and go off to Lake Forest Country Club.

The decor here is more my style . . .

I choose a quiet corner with a table for two because I will be having lunch with a “dead friend”. What is a “dead friend”? A “dead friend” is a person of the past who shares their stories with me by way of a book, or sometimes a film, or a collection of letters. “Dead friends” are wonderful company on Country Inn Days. They’re great luncheon companions and back at the Inn I never know how many “dead friends” will pop up for a visit at tea or cocktails or anytime.

And here she is, my luncheon companion – Sophia Amelia Peabody Hawthorne

The book that’s bringing Sophia to me is called “The Peabody Sisters of Salem” by Louise Hall Tharp. Yes, Sophia was born in Salem, Massachusetts and that’s where she met Nathaniel Hawthorne, one of my favorite authors. Perhaps you’re familiar with his work. Well, Sophia and Nathaniel married and they lived in a house in Concord, The Old Manse, a house I visited many times. It’s very special to have been in the house of a “dead friend”. To walk through the rooms where they walked . . .

As I munch my sandwich and french fries (not very organic, but mighty tasty) Sophia tells me stories and I’m transported back to Massachusetts, to her old stomping grounds and mine. Of course she’s talking about the 1800’s, but that makes her stories even more interesting to me for a little time travel on a Country Inn Day is a nice touch. I hope you have and enjoy “dead friends”, time travel, and imagination too. All three do wonders to jazz up an ordinary day.

But time flies as it always does and I leave the club, stopping off to buy some flowers for the Inn. That’s the job of the Innkeeper (me). I choose white tulips.

Back at the Inn I morph into the Inn Maid. There’s laundry to fold, but after my outing in town it’s a nice change of pace, and variety is the spice of life. Is it not?

A few housekeeping matters are attended to, a little this and a little that . . .

The tulips are arranged at the table by the Innkeeper (me) . . .

The Inn Cook (me) whips up a little dinner for my husband who happens to be a regular guest at the Inn . . . My son Rory will be joining us tonight too. It seems like food is a big part of a Country Inn Day, doesn’t it? Well, it is.

And once dinner is over and a little time is spent unwinding and visiting with my boys it’s back where I started this morning. . . back to the dressing room.

There were a few dozen other things that went into this Country Inn Day, but I’ll share those things at another time. Sharing surely doubles the joy. I hope you’re sharing your joy too

Ah me! the days go swiftly by . . .

Time to say farewell . . .

What will my next Country Inn Day be like?

We’ll just have to wait and see.

It’s a Country Inn Day – Sharing Tea Day

March 9, 2014July 20, 2015 carolannmccarthyLeave a comment

Here I am on another wonderful Country Inn Day. I’m so glad you could join me. What do you do first thing every morning whether you’re at home or off on holiday at a gracious Country Inn or snazzy hotel?

My idea of fun is to write a letter with my first cup of coffee every day and that’s exactly what I do here at the Inn this morning. I’m writing to Erika, a professional chef who lives and works in the state of Washington, but as I read her letter and respond I feel as though Erika is here with me at the Inn. Letters are like that. They help friends transcend the miles. John Donne, the late sixteenth early seventeenth century English poet, put it this way – “Letters mingle souls.”

But I could use more than Erika’s spirit and soul here at the Inn today. I could use her professional expertise because on this Country Inn Day I will not only be playing the part of Inn Guest, Innkeeper, and Inn Maid, but I’ll also be playing the part of Inn Chef. I’ll don my special coat and cap in preparation for a Sharing Tea. I bet if Erika were here in person she could help me whip up some extraordinary tea treats.

I do have these guys to inspire me. They “hang out” (literally) in my kitchen, but though they look pretty cute they’re not a lot of actual help. I get my help from cookbooks, and do I have cookbooks, only about a million of them. At each Sharing Tea I like to experiment just a little, so I always choose one new recipe and today that recipe comes from a little historic book.

The book is called “Victorian Parlors and Tea Parties”. It’s written by Patricia B. Mitchell. After reading and enjoying notes on the tea meal and how it came to be, along with information concerning the role of the Victorian wife and details of the Victorian parlor, I settle down to find that new recipe which I can make for and serve to today’s Inn guests.

IMG_6804[1] — High Muck-a-Muck Crabmeat Spread

I look through all the recipes and decide on this simple crabmeat spread which is served on crackers. The little green pepper garnish is my idea. You might like to try it yourself. Here’s the recipe. It’s quick and easy.

High Muck-a-Muck Crabmeat Spread

Ingredients: 1 lb. crabmeat, chopped, 1 c. Cheddar cheese, grated, 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 2 green onions, finely chopped

Process: Mix. Spread on toast rounds, triangles, or crackers. Heat 5-10 minutes at 400 degrees until hot and bubbly. Serve hot.

Today’s tested recipes come from a favorite little booklet called “Tea Time”. This booklet is created by the Gooseberry Patch people and I’ve discovered many tasty treats within its pages as well as amusing general information concerning the tea ceremony.

Today I make “Tea Time’s” Caramelized Pecans. These sweet nuts are a great garnish for chicken salad puffs ( another recipe in the “Tea Time” booklet), but they can stand on their own quite nicely.

Caramelized Pecans

Ingredients: 1/2 cup sugar 3/4 cup pecan halves

Process: In a heavy saucepan, heat sugar over medium heat ’til melted (about 4 minutes.) Stir constantly to avoid burning sugar. Stir in pecans until well-coated. Remove pan from heat. Pour mixture onto wax paper. Cool. If stuck together, break apart. Use whole or coarsely chop is using as a garnish.

But now as Inn Chef it’s time to do some baking. How about some Cream Scones? Scones are always perfect for a tea party and my “Tea Time” book has a good recipe for them.

Scones are yummy, generously topped with Devon Cream (imported from England) and jam. Here’s the recipe.

Basic Cream Scone

Ingredients: 2 c. flour, 1 T. baking powder, 1/4 t. salt, 4 T. sugar, 6 T. butter, 2 eggs, beaten, 1/3 c. cream, milk or half-and-half

Process: In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. With a pastry blender or Cuisinart cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a separate bowl, combine eggs and cream until well blended. Stir cream mixture into dry ingredients until they are moistened. Divide the dough into two 8-inch rounds on a greased baking sheet. Cut the dough with a sharp knife into 8 wedges. Brush the top with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or till scones are golden brown.

Tips for tender scones

Rule No. 1 Thoroughly mix dry and liquid ingredients in separate bowls before combining together.

Rule No. 2 Don’t over-mix when adding dry and liquid ingredients, and don’t over-handle the dough.

Rule No. 3 Over-baking will result in dry scones. Oven temps may vary so check your scones every 5 minutes before baking time is up.

The only other tea time treat I’ll be serving today is a chocolate covered apricot which is topped with crushed pistachios. There’s nothing to this recipe. All you do is melt semisweet chocolate chips, dip the apricots into the melted chocolate and then roll them in crushed pistachios.

These apricot nibbles are a yummy snack anytime you crave something sweet, but they’re also a nice addition to the tea table.

Today’s recipes are all simple to make and require little preparation time. Of course, if you happen to be a pastry chef you can go all out and dazzle your guests with impressive creations, but if you’re not, the idea is simply to have some little treats for your guests to enjoy.

My work as Inn Chef is now complete. I feel a magical change coming over me. I am now being transformed from Inn Chef into Innkeeper and as Innkeeper I have other duties. I must assemble the tea treats onto a tray…

and I must light the fire, fluff the pillows, turn on the music and stand ready to welcome the Inn guests. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for and voila…

The Inn guests have arrived!

Did I tell you how a Country Inn Day Sharing Tea works? There’s always someone old invited (an old friend), someone new (a new acquaintance on the way to becoming a friend), someone borrowed maybe two (old and new invited guests may be asked to bring a friend).

Joni is today’s someone old for she’s been a friend for ages.

Carole is the someone new.

And Carol brought Lynn along so she’s the Inn’s borrowed guest, just one today, not two.

The tea is poured and this Country Inn Day Sharing Tea Party has begun. Once again I am transposed from Innkeeper now to Inn Guest. This is the magic of a Country Inn Day! I can now relax and enjoy. I wish you could be here with us for there’s nothing quite like taking a nice break every now and then to relax and visit with friends in a serene setting over a cup of tea. Our worlds are so full and our tasks can be very demanding. It seems to me relaxing break-times are not only nice, but a must.

And when the Inn guests take their leave and the Inn Maid (me) does her magic, cleaning up the dishes, I’m left with a feeling of sweet satisfaction, for Henry James had it right when he said, “There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea”, except maybe the hours of preparation leading up to afternoon tea.

It’s all fun – Country Inn Days, Sharing Teas, Imagination, Creativity and Play. These things are great escapes from ho hum ordinary days. Don’t take my word for it. Indulge, and you’ll see for yourself. Go ahead. Have your own Country Inn Day and/or Sharing Tea and …

PLAY