Winey and Cheesy took the liberty to swipe a recipe from his cook book!

This crowd pleaser is sure to impress your friends and family at the dinner table tonight!

__________________________________________________________

Sweet Corn Velouté

With Chive Oil and Crabmeat

Ingredients:

• 4 Ears of Corn, shucked and taken off the Cob
• ½ Sweet Onion, small diced
• 3 Ribs of Celery, small diced
• 1 Idaho Potato, medium diced
• 3 Cups of Chicken or Vegetable Stock
• 1 Cup Heavy Cream
• Salt and White Pepper, to taste
• 1 oz. Crabmeat, ¼ oz. per bowl
• 4 oz. Chives
• 3 oz. Canola or Pure Olive Oil

Directions:

• Sweat Onions and Celery for 5 minutes on low/medium heat
• Add Corn, sweat for 3 minutes
• Add chicken Stock and Potatoes
• Bring to simmer for 45 minutes.
• Puree in blender and strain though a fine mesh strainer
• Add Cream and season to taste

With summer in full swing it’s time to put those luscious gardens and orchards to use!

L’Auberge Provençale EARNS FODOR’S CHOICE 2010 DISTINCTION

FROM FODOR’S TRAVEL

White Post, Virginia – June 24, 2010 – L’Auberge Provençale has been recognized by Fodor’s Travel, the foremost name in travel publishing, as a 2010 Fodor’s Choice selection. This distinction represents a remarkable achievement and recognizes L’Auberge Provençale as a leader in its field for service, quality, and value in the 2010 year.

Since 1988, Fodor’s Travel has been awarding the Fodor’s Choice distinction to only the very best hotels, restaurants and attractions around the world. Every year, Fodor’s writers’ experience, examine and evaluate thousands of hotels, restaurants and attractions in their travels across the globe. While every business included in a Fodor’s guide is deemed worth a traveler’s time, only fifteen percent of those selections are awarded the very highest, Fodor’s Choice designation by Fodor’s editors.

“From hidden-away restaurants to can’t-miss museums, Fodor’s Choice selections recognize the top sights, properties, and experiences our editors and updaters have found in their travels,” says Fodor’s publisher Tim Jarrell. “These places are the best of the best, providing a remarkable experience in their price range or category.”

As a 2010 Fodor’s Choice recipient L’Auberge Provençale receives special recognition in the current Fodor’s guidebook to this region and on Fodors.com.

Assistant Innkeeper, Erin King stated “As always, we are thrilled to be among the selected few to receive the Fodor’s Choice award for 2010. Our adage at L’Auberge Provençale is that we’re a place where ‘expectations are quietly met.’ Our guest are cultivated, well traveled and count on a restful stay with exceptional service and quality. Receiving the Fodor’s Choice award is a wonderful way to be acknowledged for the effort and pride we take in our work.”

About L’Auberge Provençale:

L’Auberge Provençale in White Post, Virginia, just an hour from Washington D.C., is set amid lush gardens on the rolling pastures of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the heart of Virginia Hunt Country. L’Auberge Provençale presents the feeling of an exquisite, quintessential French Country Inn, instantly transporting you to the South of France. With 14 Guest rooms, each adorned with its own private baths, including six with wood burning fireplaces. Each premier guest room and elegant suite is tastefully and individually decorated with European and Victorian antiques that were hand selected by Innkeeper, Celeste Borel, during her many travels overseas.

Every meal at L’Auberge Provençale is considered a special occasion. Set among three different dining rooms, each with its own unique and delightful décor; L’Auberge Provençale offers the ideal setting for a quiet and romantic 5-course dinner or cheerful gourmet breakfast. The rich aroma of cooking and baking that drifts from the kitchen, through the Main Manor House is a delightful attraction. Menus are planned around locally available game, which is bought from neighboring farms as often as possible.  Innkeeper and Executive Chef, Alain Borel grows many of the vegetables and herbs himself, with seeds purchased in France. Over fifty fruit trees also under his care, and are a further extension of his pantry, used daily for creating homemade breads for breakfast, pastries for dessert, jams, chutneys and many other culinary delights. The multi-course breakfast at L’Auberge is particularly memorable and may include elegant, Baked Local Apples stuffed with Grape Chutney topped with a warm Vanilla Crème Anglaise, Organic Poached Hen Eggs or Eiderdowns with house made Chicken Sausage; there are local Shiitake Mushrooms, sprinkled over thinly sliced breast of Duck or New York Strip, and it wouldn’t be breakfast without the Applewood Smoked Bacon. Dinner guests indulge in either a savory three-course meal, a five-course meal, or a six-course prix-fixe with wine pairings. Selections may include Smoked Salmon and Beluga Caviar Crêpes or Foie Gras with Truffles, and an elaborate dessert, such as the classic Chocolate Mousse Trio, a tasting of Coffee Reduction, Coffee Tuille and Cocoa Nibs. Dinner is accompanied well by a carefully chosen vintage from the Inn’s extensive and award winning wine cellar.

L’Auberge Provençale takes to heart that it is located in the Lover’s State, by offering custom-built packages of Lovers’ Indulgences, which may include chocolate covered strawberries, a sprinkling of silk rose petals in your room while you’re at dinner, champagne with custom keepsake flutes or a custom message in a bottle. The French cuisine and well-tended grounds offer a romantic retreat from hectic city life. With L’Auberge Provençale being a short drive from Washington D.C., the American Heroes, Last Minute Getaway and Facebook Fans discounts have proven to be touchingly popular.

About Fodor’s Travel:

Fodor’s Travel, a division of Random House, Inc., is one of the world’s leading providers of travel information.  Covering over 300 destinations worldwide, Fodor’s guidebooks and Web site, Fodors.com, have provided the most up-to-date, accurate information for travelers for more than seventy years.  Written by a team of over 700 writers located around the globe, Fodor’s provides travelers with engagingly written, intelligently and accurately reported, and absolutely indispensable travel guidance.

Friday May 21st, 2010

6:00pm

$88 per person

Meet the Winemaker, Caleb Foster,

of Buty Winery in the Walla Walla Valley, Washington State

Enjoy pairings with seasonal cuisine,

from Chef de Cuisine, Scott Meyers.

Featuring the freshest ingredients from local farms

Wine Maker’s Dinner Menu

Caleb Foster

Winemaker of 19 vintages in Washington, New Zealand and South Africa, Caleb designs Buty wines with Nina as personal statements. International winemaking has taught him to stay true to Washington wine’s character of origin.

The Philosphy

Buty’s philosophy of winemaking reflects the old religious worldview of human growth from the body to mind to soul to spirit, called”the great nest of being.”  The all inclusive nest of being grows over time as we reach for the spiritual levels of life.  So, too, Buty Wines evolve including and expanding their quality at each stage of their development.  The wine’s development is a cumulative and artistic process.  Every stage of growth is equally important for a fine wine, starting with a great site developed into a vineyard, from fruit into wine, from cellared bottles to our enjoyment at a shared meal.  A great wine calls for complete attention as they expand the qualites present at every stage.

]]> http://www.laubergeprovencale.com/blog/2010/05/10/wine-makers-dinner/feed/ 0 http://www.laubergeprovencale.com/blog/2010/05/10/pastry-chef-todd-owen-competes-in-tlcs-chocolate-wars/ http://www.laubergeprovencale.com/blog/2010/05/10/pastry-chef-todd-owen-competes-in-tlcs-chocolate-wars/#comments Mon, 10 May 2010 18:45:15 +0000 Winey and Cheesey http://www.laubergeprovencale.com/blog/?p=317

Chocolate Wars

Premiers Monday May 10th
at 10:00pm

We invite you to help us cheer on our Pastry Chef, Todd Owen, as he competes in
Chocolate Wars!

Todd Owen, behind the scenes at L’Auberge Provencale

Todd’s Mother’s Day Pastillage


Best of Luck Todd!!

]]> http://www.laubergeprovencale.com/blog/2010/05/10/pastry-chef-todd-owen-competes-in-tlcs-chocolate-wars/feed/ 0 http://www.laubergeprovencale.com/blog/2010/02/22/country-comfort-in-romantic-homes-magazine/ http://www.laubergeprovencale.com/blog/2010/02/22/country-comfort-in-romantic-homes-magazine/#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2010 19:32:53 +0000 Winey and Cheesey http://www.laubergeprovencale.com/blog/?p=286

Romantic Homes Magazine featured L’Auberge Provencale in their April 2010 issue.

The article, Country Comfort, highlights all of the small touches that make L’Auberge Provencale worthy of being your favorite romantic getaway. Winey and Cheesy thoroughly enjoyed this editorial; of course they like anything that has to do with fine food, wine and decor!

We hope you enjoy it as well.

THE  THIRTEEN  TRADITIONAL

 DESSERTS OF  PROVENCE 

        In an old custom that has its origins in the farming region of France and dates back a couple of centuries, families served a different dessert on each of the twelve nights of Christmas.  The 13 desserts harken back to market days when farmers would buy and sell produce that always included a bakers dozen instead of twelve. 

            During the holidays, this tradition is part of the custom of L’Auberge Provençale.  We offer these desserts in our sitting room to all of our guests, whether in the afternoon, or after a sumptuous holiday feast. 

            The desserts included fresh and dried fruits, nuts, cakes, and confections.  In Provence, most of the ingredients were locally grown and plentiful. 

            Raisins, dry figs, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pears, apples, plums, Orliettes (lemon and orange with orange blossom water fried pastry), Fougasse (poppy seed and lemon Brioche), Nougat Blanc et Noir, Calissons D’Aix (Almond Paste with Pistachios) and 12^th night Cake make up all 12 of them. 

            All should be served with Buche de Noel. Although the rich and extravagant Buche de Noël was not probably added to the custom, until late in the 19^th century. 

          Winey and Cheesy are pretty excited about getting these desserts going.  However, the first step. is making the Vin D’Orange that will go with these desserts.    As it takes about a month to prepare, they figure they better get started.  Cheesy loves to share this job with all his wine lovers, and we love to share the following recipe with you.  Give it a try, and bring a splash of Provence to your holiday season.  We will be leaking a few other holiday recipes to our fans as well!  The Shenandoah Valley will become the inn place to be for the holidays. 

All should be served with Buche de Noel, in small bowls and platters around the centerpiece yule log.

VIN D’ORANGE 

        1 Bitter or Seville Orange

        1/2 Sweet Orange

        1 quart of Rose or White Wine

        5 TBSP Armagnac

        1/2 Lb. Sugar

        5 TBSP Sparkling Water

 

  Use only the skins of the Oranges.  Mix all ingredients together, place in a glass jar, cover and let stand in a cool dark place for 1 month.  When ready, filter, chill and serve with the Thirteen Desserts of Provence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emu rambling down the driveway

With Thanksgiving over and Turkeys either pardoned or stuffed, Winey and Cheesey were suprised to see a  new neighbor!  From whence he came they do not know.  To where he is going we do not know.  But he certainly has made his presence known.  An Emu?  In White Post.  We’ve had our bears, deer, rabbits and squirrels and even a wild Turkey or two…this is the first Emu!  And beware Winey tells Cheesey, they can give you one swift kick!  We all wonder what Bernadette and Maurice might have to say!  Bed and Breakfast’s do attract the most interesting friends…

Maurice "Chillin"

Maurice and Bernadette have made it through the dog days of summer and are both looking forward to cooler weather.  Cheesey is not  sure if they care about leaf watching, but they certainly care about the crisp mornings!  Maurice, the cat, is now waking up from a summer stupor and has been seen actually hunting (and still catching) little presents for the office.  Bernadette, the Bernese Mountain Dog, has spent much of the summer in the air conditioning but now is frisky and still puppy like.  With the drought we have experienced since the end of August, Winey and Cheesey, predict an early leaf change this year.  But there will be no guarantees of a certain date. 

 The menu is changing to fall with some scumptous free range veal three ways, local Lamb from Fields of Athenry, and local Larsons Rabbits.  We continue to get alot of our products locally, to ensure the best and freshest ingredients for our guests.  And that travels right through breakfast with our local farm fresh eggs.  A great time to come and dine!

While your hear enjoy the harvest of our local wineries, and great fall walking and hiking.  Did winey mention balloon rides?  They are the best right now.