Meet the Innkeepers: The Aska Lodge

I know from experience, it can be intimidating to book your first stay at a bed & breakfast inn without knowing a little something about the innkeepers. After all, you are going to be eating their food, rumpling up their sheets, and using the good towels, so it’s comforting to know who, exactly, is taking care of business while you eat, sleep, and relax.

With that in mind, I’m pleased to introduce Bob and Mary Jo Stamper, owners and innkeepers of the Aska Lodge of Blue Ridge, Georgia. In no time at all, this friendly pair will have you feeling as if you’ve known them forever and you’ll feel more than comfortable contacting them for reservations next time you need a rejuvenating, mountain getaway.

Let the meet and greet begin!

How did the Aska Lodge get its name?

People always ask! This area is known as the Aska Adventure Area, where they hold the Aska Adventure Race…a sort of extreme race involving running, canoeing, mountain biking, and orienteering. “Aska” is a Cherokee Indian word for “winter home.”

I’ve heard it said that life doesn’t begin until you run a bed & breakfast inn. Is that true?

While Bob and I are originally from New Jersey, we spent the last 20 years living in Lakeland, Florida before moving to Georgia in 2007. Bob was in law enforcement for 30 years, before retiring last year. I was an ophthalmic technician, a stay-at-home mom, and a substitute teacher before becoming a licensed practical nurse.

What inspired you to get into professional innkeeping?

For as long as Bob and I have been married (29 years now), we’ve always enjoyed staying at B&B’s; we love their charm, their uniqueness, the warm and inviting environment…and that’s what we’ve tried to recreate here at the Aska Lodge. I guess we figured all those years of staying at B&B’s made us experts…boy, did we have a lot to learn!

It had always been a dream of mine to own a B&B, but the timing just wasn’t right until last year. I even kept a folder that had torn out recipes in it (some of which were 20-years-old)…ones I thought would be good if I EVER got the chance to have my own B&B.

We finally opened the Aska Lodge 6 months ago, after vacationing in northern Georgia for years. We haven’t looked back since.

What has surprised you most about running a bed & breakfast inn?

How very nice the people are that we meet!

With Bob in law enforcement and me being a nurse, we didn’t always see people at their best. It’s been so much fun to meet and get to know so many nice folks…they are so pleasant when they are relaxing and feeling spoiled, and that’s something we try to do for them.

What’s the hardest part about cooking and/or serving meals to inn guests on an ongoing basis?

I’d say the hardest part is trying to please everyone…there are so many different tastes and preferences out there! We try to offer a variety of foods, so everyone will find SOMETHING they like. Besides that, there’s always our bottomless cookie jar…

What has cooking for guests at a B&B taught you about food and meal preparation/planning in general?

BE ORGANIZED! BE FLEXIBLE!

Things can get chaotic FAST if you’re not organized, and I try to do as much as possible the night before. You’ve also got to have Plan B ready (just in case your French Toast Casserole, which has been soaking overnight in the fridge, falls out on the floor when you open the fridge door in the AM…yes, it happened)…OR, if your oven dies in the middle of the quiche being done (yes, we now have a new oven).

Flexibility is the name of the game…things just never happen the same day in and day out, just like no two guests are the same.

Probably the most important thing I’ve learned is that what is normal to me, is not necessarily the norm for someone else. A sense of humor certainly helps!

What is your favorite cookbook and/or cooking magazine? Are these sources you use when developing recipes to serve at your inn?

My favorite cookbooks are my old (from the 1980’s) Southern Living Annual Recipes Cookbooks…I find I return to them time and time again. My B&B recipes come from everywhere…all kinds of cookbooks, other B&B’s, magazines like Better Homes and Gardens, and even the internet has been great when you need certain recipes for special diets like gluten free or vegetarian.

Right before we opened the Aska Lodge, we invited our friends and family to come and stay over a 45 day period so we could practice on them. They all were required to bring their favorite breakfast recipe, so I’ve been using those also.

What is your favorite meal of the day and what foods would be served at it?

Actually, my favorite meal is breakfast for supper…there’s just something fun about pancakes or omelets at night. Plus, I’m always trying out new breakfast recipes, so our friends here know that a supper invitation means they are going to be guinea pigs and try out some new breakfast menu item. They are always happy to oblige!

The most raved about dish at your inn is _________________?

Hard to pick just one!

• Italian Breakfast Panini, recipe from Relishmag.com – These are newer on our menu, but VERY popular! One guest even wrote in the guest book, “You make the best panini’s…YOU ROCK!” For a 53-year-old, I’m thrilled to rock someone’s world!

• Green Tea Smoothies, recipe adapted from Woman’s Day magazine, 6/2/06 – These smoothies were very popular this summer!

• Baked Brie Strata, adapted from a Publix recipe (I use smoked Gouda instead, as Brie is so difficult to dice). I also use grilled veggies instead of raw, and add Balsamic glaze to the top…to die for!

• Baked Apple French Toast, recipe from the Inn at Playa del Ray, California – My sister brought this recipe with her when she came for the practice I mentioned earlier. She had stayed at that inn and loved it. It’s also great with local peaches when in season, or pears…we discovered an Asian Pear tree in our back yard, so we used them for that!

Mmm…these all sound so appetizing! Would you be willing to share a few of theses recipes with Inn Cuisine?

I can share all these recipes, or you can pick which ones you want. It also just struck me that probably my most requested recipe is for the Carrot Cake Jam I make. It’s super easy and is a freezer jam…absolutely yummy on biscuits or bagel chips, so let me throw that one into the mix also!

Great! Mary Jo, thank you…this has been fun! Up next—the dish on the Aska Lodge’s favorite recipes!

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