Strawberry Soup

Strawberries are at their peak during the month of May.  Our signature dish this month takes advantage of the fresh strawberry crops found near Lynchburg, VA.  Several local farms have “pick your own” fields, which we have taken advantage of (just picking over 33 pounds!), in order to have fresh strawberries for this soup and to make strawberry jam.  Visit with us during May, mention you read this blog post and you’ll be treated to a jar of homemade strawberry jam to enjoy when you get home.

33 pounds of freshly picked strawberries

At The Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast we serve this soup as our fruit course during breakfast.  It would be equally good at lunch or as a dinner appetizer.

Here’s the recipe for our soup:  Process 3 cups of sliced fresh strawberries, 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup Reisling, and 1/3 cup sugar in a blender or food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed.  Cover and chill at least 2 hours.  Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, freshly ground pepper and sliced fresh strawberries.  No matter what time of day you eat this soup, enjoy!

PS: if you don’t want to “pick your own” strawberries visit the Lynchburg Community Market on either Wednesday or Saturday to buy fresh strawberries from one of the vendors.

As the roses are just beginning their bloom cycle, a walk along the Old Brick Wall near the Confederate section, is a delightful way to experience some of the 270 varieties of roses found on the Cemetery grounds.  Then walk the grounds to discover more varieties growing throughout the Cemetery.

The roses planted throughout the Cemetery are said to be the soul of the Cemetery grave garden.  Originally planted on the graves of loved ones by family members, during the month of May they bloom for the benefit of all who visit.

Heirloom rose cuttings and bushes will be available for purchase between May 6-13, at the Cemetery Center.  Choose one that may be sprawling or upright, sweetly perfumed or without any fragrance, with or without thorns, in a new color or to match what you may already have growing in your garden.  There will be something for everyone.

In addition to the rose sale there will be a special, guided Mother’s Day Rose Walk on Sunday the 13th, starting at 3:00pm.  What a nice way to spend some time with your mother on a lovely spring day.

Come stay with us at The Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast and  you will be greeted with a rose upon your pillow.

Museum of the Confederacy

The Museum of the Confederacy Appomattox is now open!

Visitors to the museum start and end their tour in the main exhibit area with the museums crown jewel: the sword worn by Confederate General Robert E. Lee at the Army of Northen Virginia’s ceremonial surrender on April 12, 1865.

Touring the museum will take about two hours.  During this time you will experience exhibits that include: the story of secession and the beginning of the Civil War, Confederate flags, soilders of the war, slavery and the important part it played in the Civil War, war correspondence, five important battle campaigns, the Appomattox surrender and Reconstruction and life after the war.  You will not want to miss the Wall of Faces, an interactive feature, that shows pictures of people who lived during the Civil War-era and includes biographies about them.

Located at 159 Horseshoe Road, Appomattox, VA the museum is open daily between 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.  Admission fees apply.

You will want to combine your visit to the museum with a visit to Appomattox Courthouse National Park, located just a few miles away.

Flags of the Confederacy fly at the new museum

The state flag of each state that belonged to the Confederacy fly at the entrance of the museum as well as the American flag which represents the re-unification of the North and South.

Located about a 25-minute drive to Appomattox, The Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast in Lynchburg, VA is a great spot to stay while exploring the area and it’s Civil War sites, museums and points of interest.  Call 434.846.1388 to make your reservation or visit our web site at www.TheCarriageHouseInnBandB.com.

Strata cooling after baking

The Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast‘s signature recipe for the month of April is this delicious, custardy dish made with spring’s fresh asparagus and tangy sourdough bread cubes.  Ideal when feeding a crowd this brunch dish is sure to delight your family and friends.  Just remember, you need to make it the night before you will serve it!  Visit us in Lynchburg, VA and you too will have a chance to enjoy our spring garden dish.

• 1 loaf of sourdough bread, cubed
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 9 ounces fresh asparagus, cut into sections
• 8 ounces diced ham
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheese
• 8 large eggs
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Gather everything you need to make strata

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a baking pan with parchment paper and grease a 9×13 baking dish.

Toss bread cubes with the melted butter and spread evenly onto baking sheet.  Toast in oven about 10 minutes, until lightly browned and crisp.

Cook asparagus sections in rapidly boiling water for about 4 minutes, just until tender (they will continue cooking in the oven.)

Toss onion, asparagus, ham and 1 1/2 cups cheese with the bread cubes.  Spread mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish.

Mix everything in a large bowl

Mix together the eggs, half and half and salt; pour over bread mixture, pressing the bread gently into the liquid to cover.  Add  more half and half if there isn’t enough to come within 1/2 inch of the top of the bread cubes.  Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.  Cover the pan and refrigerate overnight, or at least 6 hours.

Put everything in pan and press down then add additional cheese

Remove strata from refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.  Bake the strata uncovered in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown.  A knife blade inserted in the center will come out clean.  Remove the strata from the oven and allow to set for 15 minutes before serving.

Serves 12-15

Notes–We plate our food rather than serving family style so we bake them in muffin pans.  Cooking time is about 10 minutes less this way.  Also make sure pan is sprayed with a cooking spray before adding ingredients.  This made 12 individual stratas.

Sponsored by The Lynchburg Garden Club and the Hillside Garden Club this year’s tour includes admission to 6 locations:  The Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast at 404 Cabell Street, 301 Cabell Street, Point of Honor at 112 Cabell Street, 4935 Mountain Laurel Drive, 4924 Mountain Laurel Drive (all in Lynchburg) and Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest at 1542 Bateman Bridge Road in Forest. 

The houses and gardens will be open for touring between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.  You may visit the properties in any order.  Contact the Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce at 434.847.1811 for information about purchasing tickets, in advance, to this day of nature and heritage.  Tickets may be purchased at each location on Garden Day.  

The Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast has limited availability should you wish to stay the night before or after the tour.  Call us at 434.846.1388 to inquire about your luxurious accomodations while celebrating Historic Garden Week in Virginia.

Tombstone and Daffodils at The Old City Cemetery

The Old City Cemetery, Lynchurg, Viginia’s most visited tourist site, is a nature-lovers paradise.  The daffodils throughout the cemetery are just about finished blooming, due to our extremely mild winter and early spring.  The pictures included with this blog are from several grave sites throughout the cemetery.  Some daffoldils grace actual gravestones and plots, others are blooming where surely there is a grave below but the grave marker has long since disintegrated.

Graveyard iron fence with daffodil in background

Established in 1806 Old City Cemetery is one of the oldest public cemeteries in the United States that has been in continuous use since its founding.  Approximately 20,000 people are buried here, including over 2,200 Confederate soilders from 14 states.

Entrance to the Confederate Section of the Cemetery

Located at 401 Taylor Street the cemetery grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset.  The visitor center is open daily between 11-3, or by appointment.  The five museums on the property can be accessed during the hours the cemetery is open through the use of prerecorded taped messages.

Graveyard fence

Visit soon to catch the last glimpse of the daffodils. Be on the lookout for our upcoming blog posts about other events and announcements of things to see in the cemetery in the months ahead.  The Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast will be offering various specials and packages throughout the year which will include special events at the cemetery.  Call us at 434.846.1388, keep reviewing our blog or visit our website at www.TheCarriageHouseInnBandB.com for more details.

Find the perfect shoes at the 13th annual CASA shoe sale

Lynchburg Virginia hosts the 13th annual Heart and Sole shoe market on Saturday April 14th from 8:00am to 3:00pm.  This year, Friday the 13th of April could be your lucky day if you want to get in early for a special preview party from 5:30-8:00p.m (only a limited number of ticket holders will be admitted to the preview party).  There will be 10,000 pairs of shoes for you to purchase.  Need a new pair of pumps, wedges, flats or loafers then this is the sale for you.  Prices average between $5.00 and $25.00 per pair!  Of course, you have to purchase a ticket for $25.00 to get into this event, but the good news is proceeds go to charity to support CASA.  The sale will be held in the Armory at 1200 Church Street in downtown Lynchburg.

CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates and the proceeds from this huge sale benefit abused and neglected children.  To purchase your tickets or for more information please contact CASA of Central Virginia at (434) 528-2552, or e-mail jane@cvcasa.org.  If you are interested in volunteering for CASA  check out their website at www.cvcasa.org.

If you will be visiting Lynchburg to participate in this huge sale give us a call at 434.846.1388 to book your room or go on-line at www.TheCarriageHouseInnBandB.com.  The owners of Lynchburg’s premier bed and breakfast are proud to support this organization and all the great work they do.

Note:  The shoes in the above photos can be purchased from Zappos.com and will not be at the sale, but with over 10,000 pairs to choose from you are sure to find several pairs you just can’t live without.

Lynchburg College’s latest exhibit at the Daura Gallery is more pop culture than fine art.  “What’s Up Doc? Chuck Jones and the Animation Art of Looney Toons” features animation and limited-edition engravings of characters from the iconic cartoon series.  The exhibit shows the development of your favorite characters through hand-painted animation cels.

The Daura Gallery is open Monday – Friday, 9 am until 4 pm.  This exhibit runs through April, 15, 2012.  For more information you can call 434.544.8343.

Visit, explore, enjoy and reminisce.  We had fun, you will too!

Saucer Magnolia

Today we celebrate the first day of spring, but to our bushes and trees, spring came several weeks ago.  We have a saucer magnolia tree next to our patio and it started blooming in February.  Yes, this tree is supposed to bloom in the closing days of winter or beginning of spring, but in years past the blooms appear one day and are typically gone a few days later when the frost causes all the blossoms to drop from the tree.

Saucer Magnolia in full bloom

With the mild weather this year, the blossoms have lingered for over three weeks.  The aroma when opening the back door is unbelievable and as the blooms fall, making way for the leaves, we have a carpet of pink pedals covering the patio.  To say this has been a spectacular year in our back yard is an understatement.

In addition our Camilla bush is in full bloom and the 300 daffodil bulbs I planted last fall are also in full bloom.

Camilla is in bloom

We will soon be putting in our garden and getting ready for Garden Day.  Yes, we our home will be on tour for Historic Garden Day next month.  Will keep you posted.  We are expecting over 1600 people (based on last year’s figures) to see our home on Garden Day.  Obviously they will be here to look at the house, not the gardens, although we are making some progress on getting the yard in shape.

We would love to welcome you to The Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast this spring or summer so that you too may enjoy our restful patio or wraparound front porch.  Don’t you deserve some time to relax?

Chocolate Mint Crackle Cookie

Guests arriving to stay at The Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast, in Lynchburg, VA, are greeted with home-made cookies in their room upon arrival.  This month our welcome treat cookie is a brownie-like cookie that looks like it has been shattered.  Filled with minty goodness they have been a big hit!

Chocolate-Mint Crackle Cookie

• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon pure mint extract
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

1.  Melt chocolate in heatproof bowl by setting it over a pan of simmering water, (but not touching the heatproof bowl) stirring constantly.  Add the mint to this mixture.

2.  Whisk together flour, baking powder and cocoa in a small bowl.

3.  Whisk together sugar, eggs and melted butter in a medium bowl.  Gradually whisk in melted chocolate and mint extract until smooth (from step 1 above) .  Stir in flour mixture (from step 2 above).  Refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.

4.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Roll tablespoons of dough into balls using your palms, then roll into confectioners’ sugar to coat.  Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing each 1-inch apart.  Bake until slightly firm in the center, about 15 minutes.

5.  Let cool slightly on sheets set on wire racks.  Transfer cookies to racks and let cool completely.

**Dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days or rolled into balls and frozen for up to 2 weeks.  Roll in confectioners’ sugar just before baking.

***Store cookies in an air-tight container, at room temperature, for up to 3 days (but they won’t last that long!)

Enjoy!!