BEFORE:

AFTER:

If you want to try this at home, but don’t think you have the time to make your own crust, have no fear.  Did you know that your local pizzeria will most likely sell you some unbaked dough?  Heck, they’ll probably even sell you some sauce, too, but if you have extra tomatoes lying around, there is no need to go that far! This is a terrific way to make your own pizza at home:

Just seed, juice, and then chop up some tomatoes. Add some finely chopped garlic,  fresh basil, oregano if you like it, and  salt and pepper to taste.  Let the mixture sit in a strainer over a bowl to get out as much moisture as you can.  You can cook it down a little bit if you want to, but it’s not really necessary.  Think about any combination of vegetables, meat and cheese that you like.   Turn your oven way up (think 475 degrees),  sprinkle some corn meal on a cookie tray,  roll out some dough nice and thin.  Don’t even worry about making it even or round.  It can be square or oblong or any shape it turns out to be.  Carefully place the rolled out dough on the cookie tray and then cover with tomato sauce and then your toppings,  making sure not to go all the way to the edges.   Place the tray on the floor of your oven.  This helps the bottom get nice and crispy.  In about 10-12 minutes you’ll have a great, fresh, made at home pizza!  Don’t forget to let it cool for just a few minutes before you slice it so that the cheese doesn’t slide all over the place.

Enjoy and if you try it, let us know what your favorite combination is.  Who knows, maybe it will show up at tea-time when you are here!!!

http://www.godfreysfarm.com/

Peaches are abundant now and we love to roast them simply with a little vanilla sugar and top with berries.

These have raspberries but the blackberries are in now and they are stunning!

Roasting anything is a great way to concentrate flavor.  For fruit, simply add a little sugar or honey, a bit of orange or lemon juice and arrange the fruit in a glass baking dish. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 20 30 minutes, checking after 15,  or until it’s got a little color around the edges.  Top with berries, yogurt, whipped cream, or use the fruit as a topping for ice cream, for a dessert.

We’ve been seeing a lot of these critters lately and they are so beautiful. This one was spotted right outside of the door leading to the den, better known as the cookie room.  Its lovely fall colors make me yearn, even more, for cooler temperatures!

For example, our boxwoods at the front entrance of the manor house need special care in wintertime, when heavy snow can snap their limbs, and during summer dry spells, as well. Thankfully, lots of watering and the recent rain have worked their wonders, and that peculiar yet summery scent they give off  welcomes all who come here.

The garden planted at the aptly named Garden Cottages is thriving in the summer heat, particularly the tomato plants. They are brimming with fruit; one seen today was actually ripe while its siblings were still green. Yellow squash add a bright splash of color to the gardens, and the onions have gone to seed, their round heads askew as if in conversation.

Everywhere, the sounds of summer permeate the air. Cicadas have begun to buzz, and dragon flies alight on plants and brick sidewalks. Today, a black butterfly flirted with me as I walked back from one of the cottages. I hope to see more of them.

Most satisfying in our herb garden at the back entrance to the kitchen are spouting ginger plants. The leaves, when touched lightly, even smell just like ginger. The fennel bush is huge, and the basil has shot up even higher after the recent rain. Mint and rosemary and lavender all leave their fragrance if brushed lightly.

Summer can be challenging, with heat waves and droughts, but many plants thrive in just such weather. We hope you will enjoy taking a walk around our grounds during your stay here, and savor dewy summer mornings and the quiet of summer evenings that descends as the sun goes down.

On Friday the 2nd, enjoy the extended hours at the shops and galleries in town for First Friday (bring your wineglass!).  On Saturday evening, enjoy free music in the park in Chestertown, then head down to Rock Hall (10 miles from the inn) to enjoy  the impressive fireworks show set to partriotic music. On the 4th, head back over to Rock Hall for Waterman’s Day, including food, music and contests.  Chestertown’s own fireworks display, which can be viewed from our property, is always on the 4th.  It’s just a nice way to spread out the party!!  And this year, with the 4th falling on a Sunday, what a great excuse for an extra long weekend getaway to the Brampton Inn…

And of course summer time is always jam making time here at the inn.  We have gotten some strawberry preserves and TONS of blueberry jam into jars already.  Soon it will be time for peaches and then, one of our favorites, fig jam from our very own fig trees!!!

Here is a recipe that is a great way to use up leftover jam, if you have any.  Enjoy!

Brampton’s Jam Muffins

Makes 6 very large muffins

2          cups    unbleached flour

¼         cup     sugar

1          Tbsp.  baking powder

½         teasp.  salt

1          large   egg

1          cup     sour cream

4          oz.       unsalted butter, melted (1/2 a stick)

1          teasp.  pure vanilla extract

¼         cup     jam of your choice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Spray a pan for 6 giant muffins. They are also called Texas style muffin pans.

In a large bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl whisk egg, sour cream, melted butter and vanilla until smooth.

Gently fold egg mixture into the flour mixture until just moistened.

Scoop one heaping tablespoon of batter into the prepared muffin pan. Make a well with the back of the spoon. Fill each well with one teaspoon of jam. Top each with remaining batter, dividing evenly among the six muffins. This should cover the jam nicely.

Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until just golden on top. Let rest for 10 min. before removing from pan. If you would like sprinkle with sifted, powdered sugar.

Ok, so it’s not a secret.  It’s Bob’s Red Mill. They have the best products!

http://www.bobsredmill.com/

There are several flour substitutes and mixes that can be used to make terrific muffins, pancakes, even waffles.  And no, they are not paying us to say that.  There are other brands, and you can find them in any health food store or even your regular grocer.  But for sheer variety, Bob’s is the way to go!

Just picked!

YUM!!!!

The very next week is, of course, memorial day weekend: the unofficial start of summer.  But in Chestertown, it is more commonly known as “Tea Party” weekend. (As an aside: This Tea Party has NOTHING  to do with the newer version!)  An all-out street fair with food and craft vendors, events, tall ships and historic re-enactments, including  the tossing of  the “pesky” Brits and their tea in the Chester river:  apparently, the colonial residents here were the first to resist their British rulers, before that more famous party in Boston, by throwing loads of tea into the river!

You can read all about it here:

http://www.chestertownteaparty.com/

AND NOW….

the results have all been tabulated and the winner of our official coffee tasting during the month of April is…….. drumroll please…………..

STARBUCKS!

The overwhelming majority of folks who participated preferred the Starbucks Coffee French Roast Extra Bold Dark Roast Blend.   (All of those words are on the label!)  There were two other brands in the running: one is a small roasting company outside of Seattle and the other is a well known store brand.  (We’re not going to mention their names; we still like their products but the people have spoken!)  We got whole beans from each one and ground them ourselves.  It may not really be very scientific, but it was fun for us!

We would love to see you there!

Here is a link for more information

http://www.tasteofchestertown.com/