New Year’s Eve

Friday, December 31, 2010
7:00 p.m. seating

Slow Cooked Quail Egg with a Black Truffle & Parmesan Crouton

Lobster Carpaccio with Osetra Caviar, Frisee and a Yuzu Emulsion

Seared Maine Scallop with Squid Ink Pasta, Sea Urchin Roe and
Fried Basil

Smoked Berkshire Pork Dumpling with a Barbecue Jus,
Kohlrabi Slaw and Pickled Watermelon Rind

Caramelized Onion Soup with Duck Confit and Foie Gras Toast

Poached Halibut with a Black Trumpet Mousseline, Crispy Veal Sweetbreads
and Asparagus

Strawberry Champagne Sorbet

Herb Crusted Double Lamb Chop with a Pinot Noir Reduction
and a Leek & Hazelnut Brioche Pudding

Garlic Grilled Beef Tenderloin with a Roasted Shallot & Balsamic Glaze.
Scalloped Potatoes & Parsnips with Gorgonzola

Chocolate Textures
Dark Chocolate Cake, White Chocolate Mousse, Aerated Chocolate,
Hot Chocolate-Cognac Shot and Valhrona “Powder”

We recently decided we needed a hot, holiday drink to offer our guests this weekend.  One of our innkeepers suggested an Egg Nog Latte.  Nothing says Christmas like egg nog!  All of you who make cappuccino at home can try this delicious drink too.  In place of milk, just add hot eggnog.  We offer an alcoholic version also in which we add spiced rum. (YUM!)  Egg nog does not froth very well so you may have to top it off with steamed milk.   Sprinkle some Gingerbread Spice on top, throw in a festive candy cane and ta-da!  A cup of hot, holiday cheer!

Chef Michael Salmon realized the need for people to stretch their dollars and thus created the cooking class “Gourmet Specialties on a Budget.”  Chef Michael makes gourmet approachable. He brings it into your home and practically sits it down on your dining room table.  Think of the times you have said or thought “Who cooks like that?” in response to a recipe in a cookbook or food magazine.  After this class maybe you!

The menu for “Gourmet Specialties on a Budget” (February 5 or 6)

• Mozzarella and Charred Bell Pepper Bruschetta
• Roasted Tomato Soup with Chopped Basil
• Sweet Potato Crusted Salmon
• Tarte Tatin of Pears

Weekend packages are $325/$515 and include two nights lodging, breakfast each morning, afternoon cookies and tea, a gourmet candelit dinner for two and enrollment for one in the cooking class. Additional enrollment into the cooking class is $45 per person. Classes are held Saturdays and Sundays from 1 -3 in the afternoon.

p.s. this is an excellent Christmas present!!!

Mary, our culinary intern from Peru decided that we needed to add some holiday cheer to our afternoon cookie selection.  With that in mind, she set out to bake some gingerbread men this afternoon with a Hart(HEART)stone theme. They turned out so cute that the chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies are green with envy.  

What are you baking this holiday season?

The brunch menu that day began with  a Lemon Mousse Trifle with Diced Fresh Fruit and Pound Cake and was followed by one of three entrees.  The choices were Eggs Benedict on a Croissant with Hollandaise Sauce and Prosciutto, Maine Lobster and Winter Squash Quiche with Gruyere Cheese or Banana Custard French Toast with Cumin Spiced Bacon.  Of course, no meal would be complete without dessert!  We had something for everyone including an Apricot Orange Tart and Chocolate Macaroons.  As an extra bonus we offered 20% off everything in our gift shop that day.  The Fashion Show Brunch is a fun way to kick off the Christmas season and we look forward to having it again next year! 

This recipe comes from our first cookbook Hartstone Inn Cookbook. These chocolate chip cookies can be made without the walnuts if desired, or another type of chopped nut can easily be substituted. If you really like chocolate, add 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder and 2 Tablespoons chocolate syrup to the recipe, and replace the chocolate chips with an equivalent amount of 1/2-inch dark chocolate chunks.

Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookies

Makes 40 cookies.

1 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup walnut pieces

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream together the shortening, sugars, eggs and vanilla until fluffy.

3. Mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir into creamed mixture. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnut pieces by hand.

4. Make balls with a #40 ice cream scoop and place about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with a nonstick baking mat or on a lightly greased baking sheet.

5. Bake for 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies to cooling racks to cool.

Join us on Sunday, May 9th as we celebrate Mother’s day.

Menu:
Spring Pea Ravioli with Duck Leg Confit
Baby Spinach with Cumin-Roasted Pears and Maytag Blue Cheese
Maine Blueberry Sorbet
Pan Roasted Maine Lobster with a Rosemary Cream and Herbed Zucchini Ribbons
White Chocolate Soufflé with a Pistachio-Crème Anglaise

 Easter Brunch
11:30 a.m. & 12:45 p.m. seatings

 Fresh Berry Crepe with a Raspberry Crème Anglaise

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Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict on a Croissant with Hollandaise Sauce

or

Maine Lobster and Asparagus Quiche
with Swiss Cheese

or

Cranberry and Apple French Toast with Cumin Spice Bacon

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Assorted Desserts

$23.95 per person

Easter Dinner
5:00 p.m. seating

Maine Seafood Tartlet with a Chive Custard

Sweet Potato, Rutabaga and Green Apple Soup with a Maple Cream

Maine Blueberry Sorbet

Braised Lamb Shanks “En Croute” with a Celeriac Puree
and Grilled Vegetables

White Chocolate Soufflé with a Pistachio-Crème Anglaise

Easter Candies and Chocolates

$45.00 per person