Inn Cuisine’s Island Eggs Benedict

If you’re a fan of eggs Benedict, love shrimp and are interested in a kicked up twist on a breakfast and brunch classic, you’re going to love Inn Cuisine’s version of Island Eggs Benedict. Made using shortcuts designed to save you time and make your breakfast or brunch preparations that much easier, this dish can be prepared in stages, proving it’s possible to create an impressive breakfast in the blink of an eye.

If you’ve never made eggs Benedict at your home or inn before, there are two things you have to master: poaching eggs and Hollandaise sauce. Trust me, neither of these are as intimidating as they may seem.

If you have no idea what it means or takes to poach an egg (a term known to inflict fear into the hearts of many a cook until they’ve performed the act at least once), rest assured, poaching eggs means little more than cooking them in hot water. And while I’ve seen, read and experimented with more than a few tricks on the poaching method, as long as you are armed with a wide saucepan or deep skillet, a pinch of salt (plus a bit of vinegar if it gives you confidence), a few inches of water and of course, eggs, you too can learn this easy method and begin poaching like a pro.

(Recipe, directions and photo tutorial provided after the jump) Read the rest of this entry »

A Prelude to Island Eggs Benedict

It’s not always obvious which destinations will resonate with you most when planning a vacation. Inevitably, some of the destinations you anticipate enjoying most turn out to be just so-so, while others make you wish you had built more days into your vacation so you could explore all an area has to offer. For my husband and me, Amelia Island falls into the category of the latter.

Located approximately 30 minutes northeast of Jacksonville, Florida, Amelia Island and its historic area of Fernandina Beach hold many of the qualities we were searching for in a brief, island getaway: uncrowded, beautiful beaches; a lively yet quaint historic district boasting fabulous restaurants and independently owned, one-of-a-kind shops; a majority of attractions within easy walking or bicycling distance from where we would stay; peaceful and welcoming B&B’s; friendly townsfolk; and a warm, comfortable climate. Sounds dreamy, right? It was.

Well known for its shrimping industry, Fernandina Beach is also home to a small and bustling dock that welcomes shrimping, fishing, sailing and excursion boats of all shapes and sizes. Whether going to watch the shrimping boats unload their daily catch, charter a fishing boat, take a sunset sail or a sight-seeing cruise up to Cumberland Island (Georgia), the dock at Fernandina Beach is a lively yet calming place to be, particularly at sunset.

The fifth photo above was taken from the deck of a well known, Fernandina Beach restaurant called Brett’s Waterway Cafe. While the food at Brett’s is definitely good, the location of Brett’s is ideal. Located directly on Front Street, Brett’s Waterway Cafe gives area visitors direct access to the docks while supplying patrons with fantastic views, a great selection of fresh seafood and American-style fare, as well as delicious cocktails, wine and non-alcoholic drinks.

While my husband and I spent our first evening on Amelia Island enjoying a plethora of appetizers and wine at various area restaurants as we strolled through historic Fernandina Beach, we managed to enjoy a glass of red wine and delicious shrimp cocktail from the patio at Brett’s. Enjoying fresh, large shrimp caught just hours earlier off the coast of Fernandina Beach was the first of many treats that evening, and the shrimp… the shrimp was to-die-for and would prove to be the basis of Inn Cuisine’s first creation to mark our visit to Amelia Island—Inn Cuisine’s very own Island Eggs Benedict.

Up next… now that you know the story behind the coming recipe, Inn Cuisine will provide its readers with a step-by-step, photo tutorial on creating our island version of this breakfast and brunch classic at your home or inn. If you love shrimp and enjoy eggs Benedict, this is a dish you won’t want to miss. Mmm… it’s so yummy. Stay tuned!

A Good Year for Tablescapes

It’s not often I suggest renting/watching/buying a movie for its tablescape ideas, but in this case, I’m making the exception.

Recently, I had the opportunity to watch the 2006 film A Good Year, directed by Ridley Scott, and believe it or not, there were considerably more things to enjoy than the handsome appeal of Russell Crowe.

Not to distract from Mr. Crowe’s rugged good looks (come on, you have seen the movie Gladiator, haven’t you?), A Good Year features some of the most lovely and sensual tablescapes I’ve seen on a movie set in a great while.

With scenes filmed largely in Provence, France (unarguably beautiful in its own right), the production designer(s) and art director(s) of this film succeeded in creating Provencal tablescapes full of romantic, rustic appeal… tables overflowing with hearty, Mediterranean food; luscious red wines and flickering candlelight; hand-painted porcelain dishes, crystal wine goblets and fresh-cut flowers…

What I liked most about the tablescapes in this movie was that they centered around such casual settings: outdoor dining tables made from aged oak planks, wrought iron bistro sets, small wooden secretaries placed in living areas and informal dining tables in the kitchen… proving once again, WHERE you serve your meal isn’t nearly as important as HOW you are setting the table/area where the meal is provided.

I realize the Provencal backdrop to these scenes helped to exude the casual elegance and simplicity which I found so wildly appealing, and I firmly believe there’s something to be said for leaving the formalities behind, especially when dining among friends. But no matter what tablescapes appeal to you, or you choose to create at your home or inn, remember the most valuable elements of any memorable dining experience are simply good conversation and laughter.

If you get a moment, I invite you to give A Good Year a first, second or third viewing - if for nothing but the table settings alone. That’s not to say that the acting talent or plot of this film aren’t engaging in their own right, but for anyone who enjoys food, wine and entertaining, and takes pride in setting a beautiful table, I can assure you you’ll enjoy the tablescapes shown in this film as much (if not more) than the story itself.

Note: While we’re on the subject of great table settings in film, does anyone have any other such examples of magnificent tablescapes in movies? If so… do share!

No Place Like Home

When you’ve had a fantastic time on vacation—visiting new places, meeting new people and visiting family and old friends—it’s hard to imagine getting emotional over returning home.

Now I’m not talking about the, “I don’t want to leave, I wish this vacation would never end,” type of emotional. I’m talking about the, “I had such a great time and yet I’m so happy to be going home,” kind of emotional.

After getting 4 hours of sleep and spending 9+ hours on the road yesterday (with an overnight stay in Birmingham, Alabama), plus another 11+ hours on the road today, driving through 5 states (AL, MS, TN, AR & MO), I’m we’re recuperating tonight in Springfield, MO before heading back home to Kansas City in the morning.

What exactly is prompting me to write this post at a time of day night when I should be sleeping? I really don’t know, other than that while I’m staying in a bustling hotel rather than sleeping soundly in my own bed, it feels GOOD, COMFORTABLE and FAMILIAR to be back in my home state. No, I’ve never gotten emotional over arriving in my home state before, but allow me to share a glimpse of one of my most recent human female softie moments…

No sooner had we crossed the Arkansas/Missouri border and read the big “Welcome to Missouri” sign that greets travelers along the roadway, when the weirdest thing happened. At first I just clapped my hands like a hyper-perky cheerleader (bear with me, that’s not the weird part) and shouted, “Yea! Yea! Yea! We’re back in Missouri!” before blowing a kiss to the welcome sign (no, that’s not the weird part either) when out of nowhere, WOOSH! I was completely overwhelmed with a sense of joy and relief at being “home” and suddenly burst out in a good, old-fashioned, “I’m so glad to be back,” cry. Can you imagine? Heck, I couldn’t…and I was the one crying!

When the waterworks stopped, I realized how unexpectedly glad I was to be back in my home state. And while I did have a wonderful time on vacation, I realized there really is no place like home (not to sound cliche or anything, and just think… Missouri only borders Kansas!).

I wish I had something more grandiose to add here, some shining tidbit of wisdom or fabulous recipe to cap this post off with, but I don’t. What I do have is a photo of my home state, taken just this evening and before you ask - no, I wasn’t the one snapping pictures, I was driving (I handed the photography job off to my oldest child who was more than glad to have something to do other than play auto bingo with the littler one). Oceanside it isn’t, but what a lovely site for sore eyes. Missouri… beautiful state that you are… I can honestly say that I love you. I’m glad to be back safely in your arms!

Floating On

I started July with good intentions… the best of intentions: blogging from the road while on vacation.

At my age, I should have known better.

Sure, I’ve been working behind the scenes: eating (research), touring (research), exploring (research), interviewing (research), thinking (research), more eating (more research…sometimes this work is grueling); but the one thing I haven’t been doing is writing. And for a writer, writing is everything.

Since I began traveling in the past few weeks (seeking out new towns, communities, inns, restaurants, beaches and experiences), to say I’ve gained some new perspectives would be an understatement. And I’ve given these changes in perspective a lot of thought, especially about how I can apply them to Inn Cuisine: where I can take this blog, where I can take my food preparation and meals, where I can take my food styling and photography, and where I can take my writing.

I admit my thoughts are still in motion (i.e. I’m still traveling and haven’t had time to settle down yet), so for that reason, I’m not going into detail. Just know that I’m thinking about you, the readers of Inn Cuisine, and I’m more determined than ever to: bring this blog some fresh perspectives on food, travel, fusions and pairings; explore new and sometimes funky menu items; and experiment with presentation and serving ideas that are sure to liven up our kitchens, dining rooms, patios, decks and taste buds.

Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned to remember on this trip, it’s that life and food, meal preparation and dining should be fun. If you’re not enjoying it to the fullest, well… I think you get my drift.

I, for one, am ready to start rocking the kitchen. Care to join me?