Posts Tagged ‘virginia’

Everything is blooming far sooner than most years here at our Shenandoah Valley bed and breakfast. Winey and Cheesey were discussing the upcoming recipes that may be coming from the kitchen at our Virginia bed and breakfast inn.

The roses are in full bloom and it is a banner year. They are incredibly prolific and fragrant. Aside from bringing them inside to enjoy their wonderful perfume, here is one of our perennial favorites on our menu. The rose petal ice cream is easy to make and so French country! You might want to try it with just some fresh raspberries or here at the inn we like to serve it with Lavender Pound Cake. The lavender is just about to burst as well in our gardens here at our Shenandoah bed and breakfast.

If you have an ice cream machine, this too, can become a favorite of your family. A little touch of Provence in the Shenandoah Valley, for Mother’s day this weekend will feature this delicious and fragrant dessert.

Rose Petal Ice Cream

Ingredients: Makes about 1 1/2 quarts

• 16 egg yolks
• 14 oz. sugar
• 4 oz. rose water
• 1 qt. heavy cream
• 1 cup of fragrant rose petals, chopped (not too fine)

Directions:

• Whip egg yolks on medium speed until it forms a ribbon
• Simmer milk and rose water (do not boil)
• Add milk mixture to yolk mixture until well blended
• Pour into a stainless steel pot and stir over low heat until slightly thick and coats the back of a wooden spoon
• Remove from stove and strain
• Add cream and completely cool (you can do this in an ice bath)
• Freeze according to your ice cream machine (let it remain slightly soft)
• After the ice cream is removed from the machine, gently fold in rose petals and put in the freezer until serving

Our perennial garden at the inn

Whew…lists of things to do.  This is Virginia Garden week and we here at our bed and breakfast inn are getting ready for 900 people to descend upon us this Saturday, April 21, as L’Auberge Provencale is number 1 on the tour of houses in Clarke County.  Our maintenance staff and I have been busy (with a little help from Winey and Cheesey) getting the grounds in tip top shape.

1. Mulch Around All Trees
2. Prune the fruit trees
3. Plant the spring vegetable garden plants
4. Plant the beautiful Provencale pots and hanging baskets for our terrace and porch
5. Cut down the tulips which bloomed too early and tie up all the daffodils
6. Go on a crazy plant buying spree

Fluff all the pillows, and hope it doesn’t rain!  Of course, you know they are predicting thunderstorms for Saturday in our beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.  Our chef are happily cooking with local ramps, asparagus, morels, sorrel, lovage and fresh herbs from our gardens and edible flowers as well.  It is a great time to visit Virginia, and the beauty is busting out all over.

There is the usual mess to clean up after a day of planting..but what a beautiful reward we get from all the pots planted and on the southern Virginia style porch.  Come out and enjoy the terrace for dinner at our bed and breakfast, the next time you are visiting the countryside of the Shenandoah Valley.

L’AUBERGE PROVENCALE

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH

**** Vicky Starace ****

FROM: Summit, New Jersey

POSITION: Server at our Shenandoah Valley Bed and Breakfast

FAVORITE FOOD: Veal

FAVORITE COCKTAIL: Bombay and Tonic

ON DAYS OFF: Vicky loves to shop, cook, lunch with the ladies, and play with her black lab, Otto.

LIKES AND DISLIKES ABOUT VIRGINIA: “The area is so beautiful and completely different from where I grew up, but I miss the museums, theaters, and restaurants from city life.”

You know that spring is almost here in the Shenandoah Valley when the Blue Ridge Point to Point race is just around the corner. No pun intended says Winey!  This is a great race that will be held at Woodley Farm, in the beautiful Virginia countryside, just a few miles up the road from L’Auberge Provencale, bed and breakfast. Winey and Cheesey will be there with a tail gate picnic to watch the beautiful horses and the beautiful people here in Clarke County, Va.  If you want to attend the race we still have a few rooms available and we will throw in the picnic for two!  The races are on March 12, 2011, so bring some cash for the side bet (only kidding!)  Winey and Cheesey think our bed and breakfast is the perfect place to unwind after the races.  Enjoy a sumptuous meal in our romantic dining room and a fine bottle of wine to mellow out even the most active DC foodies after all that fresh country air!

We will also be celebrating Virginia Wine Week and are offering “Love by the Glass”, for all those wine lover’s out there. L’Auberge Provencale’s romantic restaurant will be featuring our long time favorite Virginia vineyards and some new ones we discovered at the Governor’s Wine Awards last evening for the week of March 18-27th! Wine lovers now have another good reason to come out and enjoy L’Auberge Provencale.  The Shenandoah Valley and other areas of Virginia are producing some really good wines these days.  Your going to love them! Winey and Cheesey are loving them and you will too.  While you are visiting you can enjoy the culture, local history and of course, local food and local wine.

Spring also has us looking at all those goodies to come out of the garden and forests of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Fresh fiddleheads, morels, French breakfast radishes, mache…yumm, yumm.  You don’t want to miss this, so we hope to see you soon at the L’Auberge Provencale, country inn and restaurant.  Don’t forget we are only just a short drive from Washington, D.C.  And we know you are ready after this winter to get out of the city and enjoy country comfort!

Give the gift that always fits,

A Gift Certificate from L’auberge Provencale!

Available for purchase online!

800.638.1702

Erin enjoyed a visit on her day off. The vistas are magnificent!

We would like to thank everyone who made it out for our Sizzling Suckling Pig Roast on the 4^th of July!

Everyone had a blast, especially Winey & Cheesy, who were extremely excited to see Alain in his festive American Flag T-shirt and Celeste singing along with the Brogue Rouges and their Hammer Dulcimer!

The Petanque Court on the front lawn became a battlefield.  The First Prize winner took home a $75 Gift Certificate and The Second Prize winner got a L’Auberge Provencale Goodie Basket filled with homemade James, Granola, Vinegar and Olive Oil!

It was a wonderful day enjoyed by all (except maybe the Pig)!  Winey & Cheesy had their camera’s ready to document the day’s festivities… we hope you enjoy them!

July 4th

Suckling Pig Roast
12:00pm — 4:00pm

Roasted Local Suckling Pig
Roasted at the event by Chef, Scott Meyers

Southern Summer Sides:
Braised Garden Collard Greens
Barb’s Homemade Potato Salad
Corn on the Cob
Cole Slaw
Cornbread
Peach Cobbler & Vanilla Ice Cream

Boutique Beers and Wines

Pétanque Tournament

Live Music Featuring Brogue Rogues Irish Band

Wine Maker’s Dinner

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.

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!!

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.