Now that March is here, everyone is suffering a bit from cabin fever: all that snow and shoveling and mud and muck.  It’s enough to make anyone wish they were living in the Keys!  But, spring is right around the corner we are oh, so ready for it.  That includes all our critters, too.

As many of you know, we are animal lovers here at the Brampton.  Danielle and Michael live with and cater to two Cairn terriers, Muffin and Charlie.  Rita supports two mutts, or to be politically correct, “composite breeds”, Dalia and Sidney, along with two inside only cats, Leo and Junior.

Of course, all our guests are familiar with Slipper, the cat concierge extraordinaire (just don’t ask him to get our of your way while you carry your bags up the front steps!)  But did you know that we have a pet friendly cottage just waiting for you and your four-legged friend?  Russell’s Cottage is the home away from home for many of our regular 4 legged guests.  There is Tweed, the border collie from New Jersey;  Sadie the terrier from Virginia; Abigail and Fiona, the schnauzers sisters from Baltimore; Molly the Burmese mountain dog, whose parents got married here, and whose grandparents are frequent guests;  and Izzy, the chocolate lab puppy, whose picture you can see on Trip Advisor.

Separate from the main house, but just a few steps away, Russell’s cottage is private and comfortable.  It has a king sized bed, a wood burning fire place, and a large bathroom with an oversized tub and shower.  There is also a small private sitting area behind the cottage.   Brampton’s 25 acres are great for leashed dog walking, and Chestertown itself is a very dog friendly town.  Many shops have resident dogs or cats and when the weather permits it, there are even outdoor dining areas that will allow your well-behaved dog to sit with you while you dine.

In the area there are plenty of places to go with your dog:

One of the most popular spots around is Eastern Neck Wildlife Refuge, just south of Rock Hall, and about a 15 minute drive from the inn.  There are trails and observation areas where you will see all kinds of water fowl, ospreys and bald eagles.  Your leashed dog will enjoy the opportunity to smell new smells and maybe even take a dip in the water.  Many trails end up near the river or bay.

 http://www.fws.gov/northeast/easternneck/

Another beautiful spot is Adkins Arboretum, a 400-acre native garden and preserve.  There are 4 miles of paths and your leashed dog is welcome!  It is particularly nice on a hot day, as most of the paths are under the canopy of large trees and nice and shady.

 http://www.adkinsarboretum.org/

There are other spots we’d be happy to share with you if you are traveling with a furry friend.  We even bake our own dog biscuits to welcome them!  Here is a recipe for you to try at home. They smell so good when they are baking, you might even want to taste it yourself…

CHEESEY DOG BISCUITS

2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4-5 tablespoons water
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment or waxed paper.

Combine flour, cheese, garlic and oil in a food processor. Cover and process until mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal.
While machine is running, slowly add water until mixture comes together in a ball. 
Remove from machine and roll out to 1/2 inch thickness on lightly floured surface.  Cut out with bone shaped cookie cutter or into any shape you want. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom.  Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.  Refrigerate or freeze.
 

February was a snowy one to say the least. During that first storm, five couples decided to go ahead and join us despite the precarious predictions. Most of the snow came down on Saturday so folks were able to get here on Friday night, go out to dinner and then settle into the inn.  On Saturday, everything was closed and so all five couples took advantage of our Fireside Chili picnic dinner.  Yummy turkey chili, a green salad, a baguette and a giant brownie for dessert, accompanied by a bottle of wine.  Everybody was happy!!

On Sunday the sun was shining and we were ready for some out door fun. Several guests took and shared pictures.   Some can  be found on our Facebook page.  The second storm was a brute as well and we were all so worried about the boxwoods:  they were laden with heavy snow and bent into all sorts of shapes.  We did lose some pieces, but mostly on the inside of the bushes so they still look nice as you approach the house.  Here’s hoping that we’ve seen the last of the severe weather for a while and March doesn’t act up too much!

We thought you might be interested in this article from the New York Times about B&B’s and men.  Specifically, what I like to call the “wallpaper effect”: 

 http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/travel/22prac.html

We would love to hear your thoughts on this… 

“The S’Mores Club”

Sorry, it’s not a dessert club, but we think you’ll love it just the same.

Our return guests now have one more reason to come back for s’more time at the Brampton: Stay 5 nights and your 6th night will be 50% off if it falls on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday OR, it will be FREE if it falls on a Monday through Thursday.  All 6 nights must be within a 365 day period.  They need not be taken consecutively, but all normal restrictions apply, such as 2 night minimum required on weekends and 3 nights on holiday weekends.  Reservations made must be at the full room rate; the s’mores club cannot be combined with other specials or rate reductions and is not transferable.

Already been here this year?  It never hurts to plan ahead; maybe you can take advantage of this incentive and be here for a long, luxurious weekend in the spring and end up with a free night.  Early May is just stunning at the Brampton.

Just something to think about this weekend while the snow is falling!

One of the first things folks often ask when visiting Brampton is “How old is the house?” along with “What is the history of the place?”   Given that 2010 marks the 150th birthday of the house (well, the “newer” part is 150; the older, clapboard sided part was built in the 1830’s), we thought we’d share a bit of the history as we know it.
In 1798 John Beale Bordley is recorded as owning the property, Fairy Hill, where “Brampton” now exists. Important in early Maryland affairs, Bordley, an attorney, served as judge in the provincial court, as judge of the Admiralty, and as member of the Governor’s council. He lived both in Annapolis and the Eastern Shore. Bordley declined George Washington’s offer of public office. He was widely known for his agricultural writings and the utilization of crop rotation to increase harvest, an idea not applied at the time. It is unknown who and when (ca. 1830 to 1840) built the early clapboard house. The house was, however, built on a different location than where it stands today. One of its wings was eventually destroyed by fire.  A year after purchasing Fairy Hill in 1857, Henry Ward Carville married Anna Whaland, a young woman who was about forty years his junior. He moved the remains of the clapboard house to its present location and added the brick portion and the south wing, now the Fairy Hill Suite.
Carville, known in the county as a gentleman farmer, is also on record as being the biggest slave owner of the area.

The following description is an excerpt from the book “Historic Houses of Kent County”
by Michael Bourne and Eugene Johnstone:

The brick section of Brampton is one of the most impressive of the Antebellum dwellings in Kent County. It is a five-bay wide three-story building with moderately pitched metal roof having a cross gable above the central bay. Paired brackets enrich the cornice on all sides. As built, there was a porch around three sides of the structure. In many details it is similar to the Kent County Courthouse that was built in 1860.  The interior of the house is even more impressive than the exterior.
The plan of the front section is standard for the period, consisting of a central stair hall with two flanking rooms. The balustrade of the stair is not the usual mahogany structure, but rather is made with a turned and carved newel post of walnut with acanthus leaves, rope molding and flutes on an octagonal base made of walnut.
The doors, sash (windows) and baseboards are likewise also made of walnut, the only such use of the fine wood in the county. The two flanking rooms have somewhat standard marbleized slate (now painted) mantles which were originally fit with integral arched coal stoves. In the center of the ceilings of the two large front rooms as well as the first and second story halls are original plaster medallions.
For many years Carville grew peaches on his farm, but towards the end of his life, a blight killed the trees and the income they had produced.  His great house was sold to settle the estate. Carville died in the 1890’s and he is buried at St. Paul’s.

Harrison W. Vickers bought the property at auction in 1886. It remained in his family until 1937.  There is no evidence that he ever lived at Fairy Hill; it was apparently occupied by tenants during most, if not all, of their ownership. During that time the front rooms are said to have been used for agricultural storage, especially meat in the living room, which left many stains in the flooring.  Dr. Frank Hines and his wife bought the property in 1937.  By then the manor house had fallen into rather poor condition, from which it was rescued at that time. The name “Brampton” was given to the estate by Dr. Hines who owned it until 1950. The name originated with Dr. Hines’ mother’s line and property on their Emory estate in England.

The Hanscoms bought “Brampton” in 1987 as a private residence with the intention of opening a Bed & Breakfast. They opened the doors to the public on December 12, 1987 with two guest rooms.  Brampton Inn now has twelve luxurious guest rooms. In 2004 they finished the restoration of the wrap around porch and the “Belvedere” which had been removed in 1937.
There is quite a bit of history in this old house.  We invite you to visit Brampton and make a little of your own history!

2010 has blown into town with a lot of wind and cold temperatures, hasn’t it?  It’s the best weather for staying at Brampton, sitting in front of a fire and sipping something warm.  Be sure to check out our Last Minute Specials button on the home page for our current deals.This month’s recipe is for our favorite oatmeal cookie, and believe it or not, it is probably sitting in one of your kitchen cabinets right now.  If you have a box of Quaker Oats, then you have the recipe:  it’s printed on the bottom of the lid!  They call them “Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies”, I guess because they get eaten up so quickly.  It really is the best oatmeal cookie and doesn’t need any improvements but, we always like to add our own twist to things.  See the end of the recipe for our special variations.

QUAKER OATS OATMEAL COOKIES

½ pound sweet, unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup packed brown sugar½ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, room temperature1 teaspoon vanilla extract1

½ cups all purpose flour1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

3 cups Quaker Oats (quick OR old fashioned, uncooked)

1 cup raisins

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a bowl and set aside.  In the bowl of a mixer use the paddle attachment to beat the butter and both sugars together until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add flour mixture slowly and mix well.  Stir in oats and raisins and mix well. Using a 1 inch ice cream scooper, drop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheet about 1 ½ inches apart.
Bake in pre-heated oven for 10-12 minutes or until just starting to brown. Cool on baking sheet for a few minutes then move to cooling rack.
Makes about 4 dozen.
Suggestions: Omit the raisins and add your favorite dried fruit, chopped. Add chocolate chips and/or toasted nuts. Add butterscotch chips. Omit raisins and add white chocolate chips and dried cranberries (Rita’s favorite!) Use your imagination, add what you like and enjoy!

We hope everyone is having a lovely holiday season, and we look forward to seeing you in 2010!  If you don’t have plans yet, we do have some rooms available for new year’s eve.  There is also an interesting special going on now through March 31;  click the “Last Minute Specials” button on our home page to check it out.On the 31st, we forgo the usual 4 to 5 pm teatime hour and instead we invite our guests to join us at 6 pm for complimentary hors d’oeuvres and bubbly.  It’s very festive and lots of fun.  It’s dark outside, the fire is going in the dining room and folks tend to stand and chat rather than sit at the tables. It’s a cocktail party! It’s fun to see folks all dressed up on their way out to an elegant dinner, too. Speaking of elegant, I’m not sure why, but I always associate anything made with leeks as very sophisticated.   Maybe it’s because they are so simple and yet they have such great flavor.  This month’s recipe is a simple one that features leeks.  It would make a very nice New Year’s Day lunch, brunch or dinner item.  Add a green salad, a crusty baguette and a bottle of wine and you’ve got one elegant meal. Enjoy…

 For the last 4 Decembers in a row, longtime guest Stokes Tomlin has graced us with his dramatic oratory skills.   The first weekend in December is well on its way to becoming a tradition around here.  It’s a kick start to the holiday season: the inn is decorated for Christmas, fires are roaring in the dining room and living room, and Stokes is in period garb, reading some holiday inspired literature such as Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Story.”Guests gather in the parlor, Michael lights the fire and introduces Stokes.  The reading is usually 30 minutes or so.  Afterwards we gather in the dining room, pour some wine and start digging into the High Tea prepared by Danielle.  It  usually consists of Pumpkin Bisque, followed by little open faced turkey and roast beef sandwiches and then piping hot chicken pot pie.  Pots of tea are also involved.  And then the dessert: traditional English trifle or chocolate cakes, scones and lemon curd.  It really is a feast.  The most incredible thing, however, is that there is no extra charge for any of this…it is included in the room rate if you wish to join us.  It’s like an early Christmas present from the Hanscoms to you!

The Ladies’ Literary Society of Chestertown, of which Mrs. Hanscom (that’s Danielle-the society ladies are very formal!) is a member,  always has their Christmas tea party luncheon here at Brampton on the first Friday in December.  First, they have their meeting and then a reading.  This will be the 3rd year Stokes has been the headliner for them! It is like a matinee version of what we enjoy on  Saturday.   This year we will hear “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” by Dylan Thomas.

There are just 3 rooms left for this weekend, so if you’re looking for a unique way of getting into the spirit of Christmas, come and join us!

Next year will mark the 23rd year of innkeeping for the Hanscoms.  That is a really long time. Really. Long.

I think the national average is 7 years or thereabouts. Most people burn out on working 24/7 rather quickly.  But there are those inns whose owners are in it for the long haul and that definitely includes the Hanscoms.

Sure, they have a live in innkeeper (me, Rita)  to give them a few evenings off each week.  And they’ve figured out a schedule that keeps everyone happy and gives us all a nice few days off in a row.  But even on her days off, Danielle will be here at the computer, sending out some email or doing something for the Maryland Bed and Breakfast association.  And Michael, well, he’s Mr. Fix-it, so he’s really lucky when he gets a day off.

But this year, for the first time ever, the Brampton Inn will close its doors for a little rest and rejuvenation for almost 3 weeks in December, reopening just in time for Christmas.  Early December is usually a little quiet here anyway.  Both Sophie and Simone (yes, 2 rooms are named after the youngest daughters!) will be home for the holidays and other friends and family will be dropping by.

I will be taking advantage of the time off to do something I have always wanted to do.  Many of you know that I am nuts about animals.  For years now, I have been planning to go to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah and volunteer.   You might have heard of them from the TV show Dog Town on the National Geographic Channel.  They house dogs, cats, horses, pigs, parrots, wild birds, and rabbits on 33,000 acres.  All of the animals come from shelters or other situations where their time was up.  They also do nationwide outreach, education, adoptions, etc.  I will be staying in a little cabin at the sanctuary and working with dogs, cats and pot-bellied pigs.  I am so excited!!  If you’re interested or just wondering why on earth I would travel to Utah in December, check out their website:

www.bestfriends.org

In the meantime, we are getting geared up for the holiday next week, putting the final touches on our Christmas High Tea menu, and the usual end of year planning.

We hope to see you soon!

Rita

In November, the weather finally starts to behave like winter is coming.  It’s 54 degrees today and there is a little chill in the air.  (Okay, so yesterday it was in the high 60’s:  maybe that’s why today seems so chilly!)  One way to warm up is with spice. Specifically, ginger root: fresh, dried, ground, candied, we use it every way there is. 

Three of Carole’s favorite (and the guests’) recipes all contain ginger, and are perfect for this season. They make a nice alternative to the pumpkin and apple and cranberry that is so abundant at this time of year. Not that we don’t love them, too.  OK, so we love everything!!

 Orange Maple Ginger muffins are are always a hit at breakfast. The overall flavor is subtle and folks always ask what’s in them.  They are moist and delicious, especially right out of the oven.  They call for dried, ground ginger.

The Lemon Ginger muffins, however, call for fresh ginger root and lots of fresh lemon zest and juice.  They are intense and bursting with flavor.

Then there is the all time, Best Ever Ginger Cookie:  it can’t really be called a ginger “snap” because it’s chewy rather than crispy.  When these are baking, the aroma is incredible.  These call for crystallized ginger and if you make them once, they will forever be a part of your cookie repertoire.

 So here are 3 more recipes for you to try.  We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

BRAMPTON’S LEMON GINGER MUFFINS

Yields 12 regular or 8 giant muffins

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

1    1-inch piece of fresh ginger peeled and grated

2    lemons zest only

1    stick    unsalted butter at room temp.

1    cup     granulated sugar

2    large   eggs at room temperature

2    cups    unbleached flour

½  teaspoon salt

1    teaspoon  baking powder

1    teaspoon  baking soda

1    cup     sour cream at room temperature

½   cup     fresh squeezed lemon juice

2    tablespoon   granulated sugar

Mix fresh squeezed lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Set aside. Spray muffin tins with non-stick baking spray. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar. Add grated ginger and lemon zest. Add one egg at a time incorporating the eggs well into the butter/sugar mixture. Add 1 cup of flour mixture alternating with ½ the buttermilk mixture. Repeat until all is incorporated. Do not over mix. Distribute batter into muffin tins. Bake for 18 to 20 min. until golden on top. Remove from oven and brush with reserved lemon juice/sugar mixture.Let stand for 10 minutes before removing muffins from tins. Serve and enjoy!

BRAMPTON’S ORANGE, MAPLE, GINGER MUFFINS

Yields 12 muffins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2          cups    all-purpose flour

½         cup     firmly packed brown sugar

2          teaspoon ground ginger

2/3       cup  cold butter

½         teaspoon  baking powder

½         teaspoon baking soda

¼         teaspoon salt

½         cup     buttermilk

1/3       cup     real maple syrup

1          large   egg

1          tablespoon maple flavoring

1          tablespoon  grated orange peel

For the glaze:

1/3       cup     powdered sugar

½         teaspoon  grated orange peel

2  to 3 teaspoons  water

Grease 12 muffin pans. Combine flour, brown sugar and ginger in medium bowl; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1/2 cup crumb mixture for topping. Add baking powder, baking soda and salt to remaining crumb mixture in bowl. Combine buttermilk, maple syrup, egg, maple flavoring and 1 tablespoon grated orange peel in small bowl. Add buttermilk mixture to crumb mixture in bowl; mix just until combined. Spread batter into prepared pans; sprinkle with reserved topping mixture. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool completely. Combine powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon orange peel and enough water for desired spreading consistency in small bowl. Drizzle over cooled muffins.

THE BEST EVER GINGER COOKIES (from Ina Garten)

We love Ina Garten’s cookbooks. Not only are they very pretty to look at but her recipes are wonderful. If you don’t already have them and you are as avid a cookbook collector as we are they are a must have for your cookbook library.

Yields about 16 cookies.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheet with Silpat liner or parchment paper.

2 ¼ cups flour1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon1

½ teaspoons ground cloves

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup brown sugar

¼ cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup molasses

1 extra large egg

1 ¼ cups chopped crystallized ginger

Extra sugar for rolling the cookies

In a large bowl, sift together first 7 ingredients. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the brown sugar, oil and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes.  Switch speed to low and add the egg.  Beat for one minute, then stop and scrape down sides of bowl.  Beat for another minute.  Slowly add the dry ingredients with mixer on low and mix for 2 minutes.  Add the crystallized ginger and stir until combined.Using a 1 inch ice cream scooper, portion out balls of dough.  Roll each one between your hands to round off the edges and then flatten slightly.  Press each side into the extra sugar and place on cookie sheet.  Bake for 13 minutes.  The cookies will be slightly “crackled” and soft.  Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before carefully transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.As with most cookie doughs, this recipe can be doubled or tripled and the unbaked, sugared cookies frozen until needed.  There is nothing quite like the aroma of freshly baked ginger cookies!!