Create Culinary Memories at a Bed and Breakfast
Jane Leisteiner
Bed and Breakfasts combine the best of comfort with the best of food. Many innkeepers are now sharing their cooking tips and techniques by hosting cooking classes. Whether it be hearty breakfast fare or romantic dinner menus, guests can indulge their taste buds and passion for all things culinary.
NEW ORLEANS
For a fun food vacation, a trip to New Orleans is a must. From five-star cuisine to quirky cafes, this bayou belle has it all. Guests at the swanky House on Bayou Road Inn enjoy romantic period dcor at an 18th century inn just blocks from the French Quarter, as well as a variety of gourmet cooking classes. Immerse yourself in a 5-day culinary vacation or try one of the inn's half-day lessons. Whatever the choice, you'll love the food, dcor and period charm of this historic plantation home surrounded by two acres with a pool and hot tub.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Learn the tricks of the culinary trade at Abingdon Manor, a historic inn with a Four Diamond rating for both its cuisine and accommodations. Cooking classes at this Florence, South Carolina, locale are available throughout the year, limited to just six people per class, so there's plenty of one-on-one instruction. Mornings at the inn begin with a sumptuous Southern breakfast, followed by a day of cooking lessons and capped off with a six-course gourmet dinner served in a romantic, candlelit setting. The beautiful home is decorated in period style and boasts many original features, such as a clawfoot tub in one guest room and a working fireplace in another romantic room.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Norman Rockwell could hardly have painted a more idyllic New England setting than the one guests will find at Glen, New Hampshire's historic Bernerhof Inn. Built in the 1880s, most of the inn's cozy guest rooms feature king-size beds and some have Jacuzzi tubs, as well. For food lovers, the innkeepers offer a Taste of the Mountains Cooking School twice each year. The weekend-long events feature recipes from the inn's own chefs, and include appetizers, main course, dessert and brunch dishes. Wine tasting is also included in the classes. If you can't make it to the cooking school, try the inn's For the Love of Chocolate package for a fun culinary delight.
PENNSYLVANIA
If you are looking to combine cooking and traveling on your next vacation, look no further than the Golden Pheasant Inn in Erwinna, Pa. The historic inn's renown restaurant has a full menu of French cuisine, from savory pate or escargot as appetizers to entrees such rack of lamb or roasted pheasant. Sunday brunch also is served. Several evening cooking classes are available throughout the year, taught by the inn's own French chef, Michel Faure. The popular demonstrations include tasting and two glasses of locally made wines. The inn also offers six well-appointed rooms, designed by innkeeper Barbara Faure. The romantic cottage suite is an ideal spot for those celebrating a special occasion.
CALIFORNIA WINE COUNTRY
Ramekins' Bed & Breakfast Inn in Sonoma, California is a bit different: Rather than offering a cooking school within a B&B, this is a B&B that is housed within a cooking school! All six rooms feature luxurious comfy beds and tasteful appointments; perfect for relaxing in after a busy day in the kitchens below. Speaking of cooking, Ramekins' classes (available in groups, one-on-one, or online) are held in two teaching kitchens. The first is a fully-equipped, 36-seat culinary demonstration kitchen-theater with mirrors and television monitors for easy viewing. The second is a complete restaurant kitchen used for full-participation hands-on classes. The International Association of Culinary Professionals recognized Ramekins' teaching excellence with the IACP's 2005 "School of the Year" award. Add a B&B and Ramekins' location in California's wine country, and the result is vacation perfection.
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