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Eastern Shore Hospice’s 5th Annual “Corks and Forks” Fundraiser A Complete Success

Thursday, May 3rd, 2012

The  Hospice and Palliative Care of the Eastern Shore  organization pulled off yet another great fundraiser party a few weeks ago.  Held once again at Aqua, a fine dining restaurant overlooking the Chesapeake Bay in Cape Charles, VA, the party was just getting into full swing as we arrived.  The great thing about Aqua’s  as a venue for a large party like this is that it is such a beautiful building- from its  long wall of picture windows overlooking the Bay to the amazing translucent bar that appears to be a long stream of liquid gold  to  the fabulous irridescent aquamarine tile covered columns,  Aqua’s offers  terrific ambience for any event. Kudos unlimited to Dickie Foster for building this fine restaurant !

Wine glasses and plates in hand,  we began a slow circuit  of the various food stations, each seemingly with more delicous offerings than the last.  First stop, the Oyster Station.   And not just any oysters, but three wide trays of  ice,  each proudly holding a specific type of Eastern Shore VA  grown beauty.   A  tray of  fat Chincoteage oysters, a tray of salty Seaside oysters and  a tray of tender Bayside oysters,  each  plump and glistening in its briny juice,  ice-cold and with a dash of Mingonette Sauce,  ready to be downed in one great sluurrpp !   My husband loves oysters but I took a pass, concentrating instead on the accompanying sparkling wine from the Scharffenberger Winery in Mendicino, California,  which was also ice cold and absolutely luscious.

Next stop,  the Chicken Satay/Grilled Shrimp Station whose offerings were being paired with  Savigonon  Blanc.  The chicken was grilled to perfection and served with a slightly spicy Thai chili sauce on the side.  The chili sauce was quite good,  although I personally am partial to a peanut sauce with satay,  particularly a sauce made with whole peanuts freshly ground in a food processor rather than made with the chunky peanut butter called for in lots of recipes .  ( However,  if one is in a time crunch,  Smucker’s  brand Chunky Peanut Butter is a top-of-the-line substitute.)   And as my husband was quick to remind me, it’s nice to do things differently from time to time.   Although they were offering both an oaked and a steel vintage of the sav blanc,  I didn’t try either because I was working on my second taste  of the Scharffenberger’s.  It  worked perfectly with the chicken so  I figured,  if it aint broke, don’t fix it……. or some such adage.

Onward and upward to what turned out to be, side by side,  my two favorite stations of the evening.   First station offered  an Italian antipasto,  Kalamata olives, fresh mozzerella and chunks of artichoke hearts transformed  into finger food with skewers and also  mini-mini sandwiches,  styled as  “Turkey Reubens”,  wafer thin smoked turkey with a dab of cole slaw, tucked into small wedges of crusty Italian bread, very, very nice.   Next door to that tasty group was a station featuring sausage chunks atop a bed of ratatulle as well as teriyaki meatballs, both very well prepared although I would have enjoyed  a bit more of  the delicious sauce over the meatballs.  The wine paired with the meatballs and sausage was my very favorite of the night-  an aromatic red Zinfandal from the Big Sur region of  California,  Peachy Canyon Vineyard’s  “Incredible Red”, a wonderful pairing,  a wine with plenty of heft to work well with those spicy meats.

By now the sun was almost setting and we moved to Aqua’s outdoor  veranda to sit for a bit, just relax and  enjoy the sunset and the gentle breezes  blowing off the water.  It was an idylic waterfront scene,  the sun slipping deep to the west, despite the cloud cover trying to paint  the Chesapeake’s waters in pastel shades of  pinks and gold,  a few last  boats cruising in off the  Bay, heading for their marina moorings,  waves lapping at  Aqua’s soft sand beach, candles glowing golden on the tables, perfectly lovely,  absolutely.  We waited until the sun had slipped below the horizon before heading back inside for a bite at the  Dessert Station,  a brie en croute with fig preserve and house made chocolate nut clusters,  paired with a late harvest dessert wine. Yummy !  From there, off to peruse the display  of  the  many donated  “Silent Auction” items.

“Corks and Forks” is an important  fund-raiser for Hospice with proceeds going to its Fragile Hearts Children’s Grief Camp,  a camp to be held at YMCA’s Camp Silver Beach this year for children dealing with grief and loss, a truly worthy cause.   And funds are raised not just through the ticket sales  but also through the donations of various items from local artists and the local business community to be sold at the Cork and Fork’s   ”Silent Auction”.  This year the prime objets d’ art were  paintings  by well-known local artists  Willie Crocket,  Thelma Peterson and Clelia Sheppard and a ceramic  by Vesna Zidovec.  Other donated items included various types of gift baskets,  getaway packages, concert tickets, jewelrey and  sculpture.   All in all,  something for everyone to be interested in.  The countdown to the end of the auction was lively, with folks darting to enter their latest bids on their favorite items.  Some disappointed sighs were heard  the winners were announced but all in all,  loads of fun for everyone.  This post would not be complete without mentioning the music by the Russell Scarborough Jazz Trio.  I am a big fan of jazz and these three guys can really get down, they are wonderful and added a great deal to this delightful evening,  chalk up another winner by the Eastern Shore Hospice organization !

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Too Blooming Early- The 2012 National Cherry Blossom Festival In Washington D.C.

Tuesday, March 27th, 2012

Cherry Blossom Pink

As it happily turned out,  instead of being at home on the Eastern Shore of Virginia  at 4 pm on March 17th, thinking about  getting ready for an excellent St. Paddy Day dinner at Kelly’s Gingernut Pub  in Cape Charles,  I was instead walking through  the magnificent grounds of the Washington Monument in Washington D.C.,  surrounded by  incredible beautiful blooming cherry trees.   A  postponement of a visit by a client left me with a few unscheduled days available and it took us all of  30 seconds to decide what to do with them.  Ever since our youthful days lived  in the Washington metro area,  about a thousand years ago,  my husband and I have always loved Spring there and the amazing cherry blossoms.   Earlier in the week I had  read  an article in  The Washington Post  which indicated that the record breaking warm weather this year  ( hello climate change)  was forcing the blossoms to open  very early,  almost 2 weeks earlier than usual.   Peak bloom, where  at least 70% of  the blossoms would be open, was forecast for March 20 - 24th.   So on Friday afternoon it was a quick call for a hotel reservation,  a dust-off of some sturdy walking shoes, a quick pack-pack and we were ready to set off early on Saturday morning.  Somehow, as often happens,  but I’m never sure how,  although dog feeding, watering and walking has something to do with it,  the planned  early  departure turned into a late 10:30 departure.   But finally we were on the road,  off  to the 2012 National Cherry Blossom Festival !    It was a gorgeous day,  a perfect day for a drive, the  ride  over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge offered sparkling blue waters and views of boaters out enjoying the warm and breezy day.   Fortunately, D.C.   is only a 4 1/2 hour drive from the Eastern Shore of Virginia, made somewhat longer but definitely more fun with a  lunch stop  at the famous Cheese Shop at Merchant’s Square in Williamsburg, VA  for a  luscious sandwich of  Virginia country ham and cheddar, piled high on a French baguette, slathered with their marvelous  house dressing,  accompanied by a glass of Williamsburg Winery’s  Chardonnay.  

The Jefferson Monument- Never More Beautiful Than At Cherry Blossom Time

A word about the history of these beautiful cherry trees planted so profusely around the Tidal Basin and the National Mall.  According to Ann McClellan in her excellent book about the Festival,   ” The Cherry Blossom Festival Sakura Celebration“,  in 1909,  First Lady Nellie Taft, who had visited Japan and seen the cherry trees blossom there,  became interested in the new parks beautification  plan underway in  D.C.   Mrs. Taft  made known to the Superintendent of Public  Buildings her interest in seeing Japanese flowering cherry trees planted along the roads from the Tidal Basin to the  Park boundaries to create  continuous lines of  gorgeous spring color.  As her interest in the trees became known publicly, as a gesture of  friendship in 1909,  the city of  Tokyo, the capital of Japan, offered to send a gift of 2000 cherry trees to her sister city, the capital of the United States, Washington DC.  However, a friend of Mrs. Taft  assigned to travel to Japan to help select the trees  ignored the advice of  Fairchild  Nursery ( the nursery was to oversee the transportation of the trees to D.C.  from the port in Seattle where they were to  arrive) to select very young, small trees. Instead, hoping to get impressive blossoms very quickly, she instead selected mature trees whose roots and limbs had to be severely pruned.  This error made  it unlikely that the trees would survive once planted.  On top of all  that, once the trees had arrived in Washington D.C.,  the U.S. Dept.  of  Agriculture discovered that many of these  mature trees had infections and infestations and it was decided unfortunately necessary to burn them all, creating a diplomatic flurry of apologies and letters. 

Peeking Through The Cherry Trees At The Washington Monument

But the city of Tokyo still very much wanted to fulfill its promise to gift these trees and  the Imperial Horticultural Experiment Station was selected to create a committee of experts to oversee  the propagation of 3000 young cherry trees.  By early 1912 these  trees were ready for shipment to Washington, arriving in March.  At a special ceremony at the  Tidal Basin in March 1912,  the Mrs. Taft  is said to have  planted the very first tree herself.   The rest. as they say, is history.   Word of the beauty of the blossoming trees quickly became known, bringing artists, photographers and thousands of  ordinary citizens to Washington to photograph, paint and generally celebrate the beautiful blooms, with the first  official  “Cherry Blossom Festival”  celebration taking place in 1935.  The 2012 Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates the 100th anniversary of the planting of the trees in March, 1912  and in the horticultural world  this is an especially exciting year,  the Cherry Blossom Centennial.

A Microcosm Of The World's People Celebrating The Beautiful World Of Cherry Blossoms

As we gaily drove  over the Memorial Bridge,  it was clear that the early bloom  prognosticators were  right,  the trees were absolutely glorious,  blossoms waving in the  breeze, petals  floating gently to the ground like pink-tinted pixie dust, their sweet scent  perfuming the air.   People were everywhere,  enjoying this once yearly treat, hand-in-hand, parents, youngsters, oldsters, tweensters, toddlers, lovers, photographers,  walking,  jogging, snapping photos with cameras, iPhones, Droids,  you name it,  sitting on the grass,  laying on blankets,  under the shade of these magnificant trees or in the golden sunlight between them. Spring was in the air, temps were in the mid-70′s  and everyone was there to celebrate this truly glorious Spring  day,  tourists and residents, citizens and  foreign visitors,  folks with roots from all across the globe,  chattering happily in a multitude of languages.    English, Spanish, French, Japanese, Russian, German, Italian, you name it,   enthusiastic conversations wafted through the air,  everyone  basking in a beautiful dream world of  millions of gorgeous pink blossoms,  a world first envisioned by Nellie Taft  over one hundred years ago,  a vision of  a cultural coming together that  I imagine the Coca Cola folks could have had in mind in their “Real Thing”  ad  from the early 1970′s.



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Unwind In This Romantic Lindal Style Cedar Beach Home For Sale On The Eastern Shore of Virginia

Thursday, March 22nd, 2012

What could be more relaxing than unwinding at sunset on the deck of your Chesapeake Bay beachfront home,  surrounded by rolling dunes and serenaded by the soothing sounds of waves lapping against the shoreline  and seabirds calling overhead ?   On Virginia’s Eastern Shore, a beach home is all about a sense of fun, of embracing a new way of life,  of  kicking back, breathing in the tangy salt air, listening to the seabirds call,   focusing on the spectacular views donated by Mother Nature !    Especially so in this Lindal  style cedar beachfront home offering the casual elegance and  real livability that  turns a mere house  into a  longed for retreat, one’s very own sand castle.   Nestled on about four acres of  sparkling sand dunes  dotted with sea oats waving in the breezes,  gnarled maritime pines and  striking  yucca plants,  this custom 5 bedroom, 4 1/2 bath  beachfront beauty is all about immersing in a nature-inspired lifestyle.  With over 2200 sq.ft. of balcony and multi-level open decking dedicated to outdoor living,  perfect for fresh air entertaining or just basking in the sun,  and a huge hot tub beckoning  star gazers or moon watchers at night,  folks  may never want to come inside !  

But when they do finally decide come inside,  what dramatic beauty awaits.   Soaring cathedral ceilings, walls of windows,  an open and flowing floorplan.  With  the home’s  east-west orientation,  it’s easy to follow the sun all day.  From the soft light in the  breakfast room  at sunrise to mint juleps in the great room at sunset glow, this home is  light filled and airy.  The large great room focal point is a  towering two story floor- to- ceiling  fireplace and massive  hearth constructed of custom selected stone in  eye-pleasing  rose and grey hues.  The architectural design on the waterside consists of three “prows” , each of which creates a feel of a particular living space yet essentially  it is one large light-filled open living space,  a  “great room”  in every sense of the word, with a sitting- conversation area at one end and a dining area at the other.   An abundance of windows on each wall of  the prows and sliding glass doors leading to the decks bring the outdoors inside, the golden sunshine,  the dazzling views of  blue Chesapeake Bay waters,  the sparkling sand beach and the glorious skies at sunset,  sun slipping below the horizon,  painting the water in vibrant hues of reds and golds.   

A  large master suite carries on the theme of high ceilings and  beautiful windows and also includes doors to the deck . Guest bedrooms are upstairs, with a central guest sitting area, individual balconies and great waterviews as well.  Beautiful library/music room/den off the great room, a  cozy space  for curling up with a good book, soft music in the background.   Downstairs,  a  full walk-out basement with it’s own patio and outdoor shower, a library area, media room &  pool room,  extra storage for bikes, kayaks, fishing gear and other essential toys, etc., etc.    Truly, this  is a beach home that doesn’t just look like a beachfront home,  it’s a beach home where you really feel the sense of  sand and  blue waters  everywhere,  an inspiration inside as well as outside !   Located in a tiny beach neighborhood offering private pool and tennis club for residents.    Only 10 minutes from the historic little waterfront town of Cape Charles, VA offering a wide variety of amenites including shops, restaurants, art galleries, theatre, cultural events,  Palmer and Nicklaus signature  golf courses  and two deep water marinas.   Atttractively priced at $1,595,000.  For more information and photos on this property, visit  www.blueheronva.com  and click on beachfront  under the “listings” menu on the top navigation bar.

                                      

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The Wearing O’ The Green- Four Great Eastern Shore Picks For Authentic Irish Food On St. Paddy’s Day

Monday, March 12th, 2012

Well, it’s rolling  around again- another St. Paddy’s Day celebration coming up.   Although my ancestors were primarily Norwegian and German,  I really love  Irish music and dancing.  And definitely enjoy some of the traditional Irish foods.   Fortunately, some authentic  Irish food is  served here on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.   When I was a girl, about 100 years ago,  my parents sometimes watched the Lawrence Welk show on Saturday evenings.  I would never have admitted it to my friends, it would have been soooo  not cool,  but I loved his Irish tenor, Joe Feeny,  who would often sing  beautiful Irish songs.  Joe could really hit those high notes !   My favorite was  his rendition of  “Danny Boy“,   which I hoped might find on YouTube, but no such luck.   So I’ll have to settle for Feeny’s  performance of Galway Bay   as  my official 2012 St. Patrick’s Day song.

Now that the music has been designated,  time to decide where to enjoy an authentic Irish dinner.   Fortunately,  Virginia’s Eastern Shore has  at least four excellent restaurant choices that I know of,  scattered geographically from Cape Charles VA  to Onancock, VA to partake of  foods traditional to the Emerald Isle.

Cape Charles:

Kelly’s  Gingernut Pub located at 133  Mason Avenue in the heart of the Cape Charles historic area.  Call for reservations at 757-331-3222.  As one may have guessed, the Kellys are Irish and there’s a big shebang every March 17th– big !  Irish music will be played all day long and there will be a live band starting about 9pm on the night.  Kelly’s will be serving among other traditional dishes,  corned beef and cabbage,  Sheppard’s Pie  as well as  Bangers and Mash with their delicious gravy.  Guinness of course, plus  Kelly’s also serves a very tasty Irish coffee,  the secret of which is to not stir after the heavy cream has been added.     SLA’INTE’     www.kellysgingernutpub.com

Nassawadox:

Machipongo Clam Shack-  Located at  6468  Lankford Hwy.,  Nassawadox, VA . Call 757-442-3800  for reservations. Even though the  name doesn’t sound too Irish  let’s not forget that the Irish have a lot of coastline and traditionally eat a lot of seafood- i.e., cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O.  And Machipongo Clam Shack’s chef  has a tradition of preparing traditional ethnic food for various holidays.   Definitely corned beef and cabbage will be on their menu and live music will be on their  stage from 6-8pm on St. Patrick’s Day.    SLA’INTE’  AGUS   TA’INTE’  !    www.thegreatmachipongoclamshack.com

Belle Haven:

The ESO Art’s Center in Belle Haven is sponsoring ” A St. Patrick’s Day Celebration”.   Located at  15293 King Street, Belle Haven. Call for reservations 757-442-3226.   A traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner will be served starting at 6pm.  Starting at 7:30 pm,  the Celtic Band, the Leigheas,  will be playing live Irish music.   www.esoartscenter.org Should be loads of fun for all ages !    GO   N-EIRI   AN   T-ADH  !

Onancock:

The Blarney Stone Pub- Located at 10 North Street, Onancock. Reservations at 757-302-0300.  Blarney Stone is a traditional Irish Pub and never more so than on St. Paddy’s Day.   Try a O’Caseydilla, a Great McGruff sandwich, an Emerald Isle salad, a  Pot O’ Gold  starter,  or maybe a Mick Burger or the Irish Fisherman dinner.  Definitely Bangers and Mash and Sheppard’s Pie on tap for St. Paddy’s Day.   CEAD  MILE  FA’ILTE     www.blarneystonepubonancock.com

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Valentine’s Day 2012 On The Eastern Shore of Virginia– Some Dining Possibilities

Friday, February 10th, 2012

 

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching so if you want to take your “Babe” out to a special dinner,  it’s  time to spring into action and make those reservations !   Or if you’re  cooking him or her a special meal,  time to decide on the menu.  There are lots of great places  to choose from for a romantic dinner here on Virginia’s Eastern Shore– everybody seems to be having  some wonderful specials for this upcoming  occasion.  Here are a few of our favorite picks:

In or very close to the town of Cape Charles:

Aqua’s Restaurant,  located next to the Bay Creek Marina.  Overlooking the Chesapeake Bay with gorgeous waterviews, very romantic indeed.  Starting  Friday  February 10th through February 14th,  Aqua is offering  a special Valentine menu  which includes a shared appetizer, soup or salad,  an entree and a shared dessert priced at $65.00 per couple.  Lots of choices including  Steak Dianne and a vegetarian entree. For reservations call 757-331-8660.

Kelly’s Gingernut Pub- Located in a renovated bank building  on Mason Avenue,  Kelly’s offers  a fun atmosphere and great food, a favorite of locals.  For Valentine’s,  Kelly’s is offering several specials including grilled Australian lamb with mushroom rissotto  and  blackened Pacific salmon with goat cheese mashed potatoes.  Desserts include chocolate dipped strawberries and  a special Creme’  Brulee.  Yum ! For the full  special menu and for reservations, call 757-331-3222. www.kellysgingernutpub.com

Sting Ray’s-  Also known as “Chez Exxon”,  Sting Ray’s is located in a big red barn- like building right on Route 13   just a few minutes south of Cape Charles.  But don’t be fooled by the rustic exterior– written up by Southern Living magazine,  Sting Ray’s offers delicious seafood and some of the best home style southern BBQ ever !  For Valentine’s  they are offering Lobster Thermador  for just $15.99.  A  petite filet mignon and their famous Crab Imperial is also on the menu.  For the full menu, call 757-331-250. www.cape-center.com

In the town of Eastville:

The historic Eastville Inn, a lovely building which dates back to the early 1770′s,  will be re-opening  on February 8th.  For Valentine’s,   the Inn will be offering a special menu including Surf and Turf  with appetizer, salad, entree and dessert for $59.95 per couple.  Call for details and reservations at  757-678-5270.

In the town of Onancock:

Mallard’s on the Wharf-  A cozy waterfront restaurant located in the historic Hopkins Store  right on the Onancock Harbour overlooking the colorful Onancock Creek inlet.  Especially gorgeous at sunset with boats heading in and out from the Chesapeake Bay,  Mallard’s is home to  Johnny Mo,  ” The Singing Chef “.  This year Mallard’s is offering  “Valentine’s  Dine and Demo”  where Chef  Mo demonstrates  the preparation of  the exact four course menu being prepared in the kitchen.  Johnny Mo recently returned from a stint as a guest chef in Jamaica  so the dinner theme  is Jamaican but the special menu details will not be available for a day or two.  Call for reservations and more details -757-787-8558. www.mallardsllc.com

Inn and Garden Cafe’-  A luscious sounding  five course meal starting with an appetizer of  that famous aphrodisiac, Oysters Rockefeller,  followed by Cream of Leek soup,  followed by Goat Cheese with arugula and a Cranberry reduction, an entree of FiletMignon with Lobster Thermidor and, for dessert, Creme’  Brulee infused with Grand Mariner.  Wow,  sounds scrumptious,  priced at $45. per person. Call 757-787-8850 for reservations. www.theinnandgardencafe.com

 

The Charlotte Hotel- As usual, an Oh so very cleverly designed menu with lots  of delicious choices including an appetizer of  heirloom cheddar tartlett with sweet pepper escabeche,  a wild mushroom stuffed breast of chicken with gorgonzola and red wine risotto and a warm cherry tart with almond ice cream,  all items priced a la carte.  For reservations call 757-787-7400.  www.thecharlottehotel.com - their Valentine menu can be viewed on-line.

Planning to cook for your honey at home ?  Haven’t decided on a menu yet,  maybe use a little help, a few suggestions  ?   Click on www.splendidtable.publicradio.org  on Sunday, Feb 12th  and they will have their Valentine menu and recipes ready to download.  Splendid Table,  heard here locally at noon on Sundays on NPR,  bills itself as “ the show for  people who love to eat “, which  pretty much describes everyone in my family,  including moi.  Not only does  Splendid Table  feature great interviews with a wide and diverse variety of folks involved with food,  including chefs, farmers, vintners, cookbook authors, etc., etc.,  it  also offers wonderful recipes  and suggestions for jazzing up old recipes,  on-air and on the website.  Last year I cooked their Valentine entree – Feast for Lovers–  roasted pork tenderloin with black olives and orange.  It was scrumptious and my husband also loved the leftover pork sliced for a sandwich the next day.  If you’re cooking but don’t want to bake,  call the Corner Bakery, 757-757-4820. They are featuring  a melt-in-your-mouth heart-shaped  cake for 2 and also giant chocolate covered strawberries.  Yellow Duck  Bakery Cafe’ , 757-442-5909 also has wonderful sweets for your Valentine sweetie as does Kate’s Kupboard  757-442-7437,  Kate’s is also home to some totally awesome dinner rolls.

So make your reservation,  grab your Honey by the hand,  say “I’ve  got you,  Babe”  and have a  wonderful, wonderful  Eastern Shore Valentine’s  dinner.

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On The Eastern Shore of Virginia, January 1, 2012 Dawned Auspiciously Bright And Beautiful

Friday, January 6th, 2012

There may have been  blizzards  raging across other parts of the US  but here on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, January 1, 2012 dawned as a bright and beautiful day which,  ever the optimist,  I took as a sign of good things to come for our area this year !   And it was particularly auspicious for our plans for the day which were to go to Williamsburg  for brunch and a walk  through the  historic area before they take down the Christmas decorations in Colonial Williamsburg’s Restored Area.   Clear blue skies, temps forcast for the mid-60′s — who could ask for anything more for a New Year’s Day stroll  down cobblestone streets in the historic area, a living museum harkening  back to the early 1700′s  ?

Setting off about 11 am, we breezed right along.  Views  from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge were spectacular, water shimmering in the morning sun, seemingly thousands of seabirds out to greet the New Year, soaring gaily above the Bridge, calling to their fellow revelers,  diving for a  fine fishy feast for the holiday.  Out on Rt. 64 west, the roads were nearly traffic free, likely thanks to the ever-popular Rose Bowl parade and we made excellent time, arriving at the luxurious  Williamsburg Inn well in advance of our 1 pm brunch reservation so we took a moment to just sit and relax,  soaking up some sun outdoors on the Inn’s peaceful back patio overlooking  the golf course.

The Regency Room at the Williamsburg Inn is a truly beautiful dining room, filled with soft light streaming in from a full wall of windows running along one entire side, beautifully decorated , lovely and quiet,  just a wonderful restaurant to celebrate the arrival of the New Year,  a  surprise treat from my very thoughtful husband.   But they really outdid themselves with a spectacular brunch buffet,  a true foodie’s delight.   After ordering a bottle of Virginia wine, a  Barboursville  Chardonay, we set off for  the Cold Salads Station where my husband helped himself to some Eastern Shore oysters on the half shell, salty and flavorful, straight from our pristine waters, shucked before his very eyes, while I sampled the marinated shrimp, perfectly chilled,  a smige of Ceasar salad and a tiny wedge of Stilton cheese.   There were so many delicious hot offerings at the Hot Foods Station I had to circle  around twice before I could decide on what to try first whereas hubby loves breakfast and opted right off the bat for  a  slice of  the shrimp, scallop and sausage fritatta, some eggs benedict served with choron sauce and the  grilled fingerling potatoes with carmalized onions.             

     

Following  the long-time  southern tradition of eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day for good luck,  I started with some black-eyed pea and ham chowder, smoky and delicious,  followed by 3 cheese ravioli in a sauce of oyster mushrooms, a slice of  breast of duck and a slice of cold prime rib, sliced paper-thin, served with with horseradish cream, all  accompanied by a salad of wild greens and spinach dressed with a luscious vinaigrette,  everything pairing well with our chardonay.   Hubby was back at the Cold Salads Station for another little bit of the  Scottish smoked salmon, which he declared “the best I ever ate” and some of the  Caesar salad.  For my final go-round ( before dessert),   I visited the elaborate Carving Station, opting  for a thin slice of beef  fillet, piping hot, rare and juicy,  along with some of the roasted potatoes.   Even though we  had been taking care  to only have very small tastes of everything, we were both getting pretty full.  But…… I never miss a wonderful dessert if I can help it so I just had to visit the Crepe Station for one of the little crepes, made while you watch, topped with fresh berries and a drizzle of rich caramel sauce.  And I did save room for what I was pretty sure would be the piece’ de resistance,  the Bananas Foster.  Was I right or was I right ??    Expertly wielding  an omelet pan,  Chef’s assistant  Michael Ellis made the best Bananas Foster that I have ever had,  possibly  that I may ever have,  a supreme combination of  banana slices, spices, sugars and rum  flaming nearly to the sky and then dying down into a simmering ambrosial concoction, poured over a creamy scoop of rum raisin ice cream,  the perfect end to a very special  meal.

And then,  off  for our stroll through the historic area, an absolute necessity after all those  Regency Room calories !   For those not familiar with the Colonial Williamsburg  historic  area,  it is the amazing restoration and re-construction of  many of the most important buildings that existed in Williamsburg during the Colonial era including  the Capitol building, the Governor’s Palace and the Bruton Parish Church.  As the capitol of  colonial Virginia, Williamsburg  was a well-known and very important city,  really the center of  commerce and government of the colony as well as the location of most respected college of that era,  the College of William and Mary,  alma mater of  George Washington and  Thomas Jefferson,  among its many  famous graduates.  In the early 1930′s,  John D. Rockefeller and his wife created the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation  ( www.history.org ) , whose mission was and is to re-create a Colonial era town and educate visitors about life in that period, to be in effect a living museum for  that period of American history.   Re-enactors work and dress in contumes  of the period and speak to visitors about Colonial customs, all of  which is always a lot of fun.  Holiday traditions of the era are observed which is how the door and window decorations of  Williamsburg have come to be so famous. 

       

Virtually every  house in the Restored Area is decorated by a  wreath made  only of material which would have been available and used by residents of that time.  Boxwood, cedar and pine woven into roping,  decorated with fruits, seed pods, plant materials, shells, cloth, etc.  which are the allowable materials for the beautiful wreathes desplayed each year in the Foundation’s  blue ribbon door contest.  Numerous books and articles have been written on how to make a Williamsburg style natural wreath, no plastics, no doo-dads,  just raw materials straight from Mother Nature,  fashioned into a festive, eye pleasing decoration.  It’s  such an easy drive from the Eastern Shore to  Williamsburg and we try to come every year  during the holiday season to see the decorations,  usually eating  in one of the authentic period taverns which serve a menu of 1700′s holiday fare. Sunday happened to be a day when all the horse drawn carriages, elegant reproductions which according to one of the drivers were handmade in Austria ( except for the wheels,  which are fashioned by  Colonial Williamsburg’s very own wheelwright) and cost in the vacinity of $250,000 apiece.  That’s a pretty steep price but  they are truly gorgeous and a 15 minute ride for 4 people costs about $15/ person so it doesn’t take too many years to amortize the investment.  At any rate, there’s  always something new to see in Williamsburg and its   a wonderful way to kick off a brand new year .

      

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“Echoes Of The Past”– The 16th Annual Holiday Progressive Dinner In Cape Charles, VA

Thursday, December 22nd, 2011

Every year for the last decade and a half, the Northampton County VA Chamber of Commerce has sponsored a wonderful holiday event– the Holiday Progressive Dinner in Cape Charles, VA  (although the 2010 Dinner was held in Eastville, VA ).   This delightful event features a “soup-to-nuts”  meal progressively served at about 10 historic  Victorian homes and sites throughout the town.   The Chamber outdid itself this year by including  even more entertainment — seven theatrical vignettes recreating a visit in 1886 to Cape Charles by US  President Grover Cleveland  were added to the normal fare of excellent food and musical entertainment. Eldest Daughter, Middle Daughter,  a friend and I had tickets for the earliest group, the “Santa Group”,  with a kick-off  time of 3:30 at  Art’s Enter’s Palace Theater.  There we received our red badges, programs and started off with the evening’s first appetizer, a chili-glazed beef  kabob with Virginia peanut dipping sauce.   Then, a quick and easy walk  to Site # 2, the Bay Creek Railway Car, a fully restored vintage car originally used between 1915 and 1940′s, where  Vignette # 1 began,  a  cordial conversation between Alexander Cassatt  ( brother to the famous painter, Mary Cassatt) and Wm. Scott, founder of Cape Charles, as they prepared  to board for a railroad  trip from Cape Charles to New York.   Then,  boarding the railway car ourselves, we sampled our second appetizer, a rich Scottish smoked salmon with tomato aioli and creme fraiche, served on dill focaccia,  prepared by Aqua Restaurant.  Although I am not a huge fan of smoked salmon, this was moist and melt-in-the-mouth luscious, a 4 star.

Next,  a walk to the fully restored vintage 1950′s ranch home on Monroe Avenue owned by Tom and Kathy Bonadeo for the pasta course. a pasta primevera in alfredo sauce, prepared by Little Italy Restaurant.  The pasta was accompanied by sparkling cider or nice local wines from Holly Grove Vineyards in Franktown,VA   and the very pleasant musical entertainment by Sarah Scott, flautist.

From there  we were off to another home on Monroe Avenue, the well-known Kellogg House, a Flemish bond brick Colonial Revival, definitely one of the finest homes ever built in Cape Charles. Vignette # 2, starring Blue Heron’s own David Kabler,  told the story of  the exciting news of President Cleveland’s impending visit. Afterwards, a broth-based vegetable crab soup prepared by Machipongo Clam Shack was served,  piping hot and very tasty, quite welcome after our little jaunts around town.

Off next to  the newly opened Fig Street Inn,  located at the corner of Tazewell Avenue and Fig Street.   Originally built by one of Cape Charles’ prominent families, the Wilson family, owners of the town’s first department store, this home is located on land purchased from the estate of Cape Charles founder, Wm. Scott. The house needed substantial renovation when purchased by the current owners and they have done a marvelous job, it looks just resplendent  dressed in its holiday finery.  The Vignette here starred  Trina Veber  ( AKA Mrs. Santa from the Grand Illumination presentation) and  Linda Spence,  society ladies getting ready to meet their husbands and hear more news about President Cleveland’s  Cape Charles visit.  Afterwards,  a salad course of mixed greens with almonds, feta and cranberries was served, tossed with a tangy apple cider dressing,  everything crisp and tasty, prepared by the Exmore Diner, an Eastern Shore landmark.

From the Inn, a quick walk  up Tazewell Avenue to the home of  Mr. and Mrs. Dan Dougherty, built on land purchased directly from  Wm. Scott in 1883.  This lovely home still retains one of the original hitching posts remaining in Cape Charles and lo and behold,  a real live horse, a miniature, was hitched there, quietly nibbling at the grass and in general ignoring all the fuss around it.  Wines from Chatham Vineyards, a fine local winery, were served with a trio of cheeses and apple  slices in a pretty presentation  from  Gull Hummock Gourmet Market, located in in downtown Cape Charles,  after the Vignette which featured  Thomas Dixon and Wm. Fitzhugh, both prominent in Cape Charles society, planning a hunting trip out to our Barrier Islands which would likely include President Cleveland.

And a zip-zip across the street brought us to the beautiful Tazewell Avenue 1920′s home of  Mr. and Mrs. John Schulz. Mr. Schulz , a former Navy pilot, employee of Voice of America and foreign correspondent has many unique art pieces from around the world which he was kind enough to expound upon for our group.  After a tour of the home we were treated to music of the season played by the dynamic duo of  Malcolm, on violin,  and Carol Russ, on accordion.  It’s always a treat to be nearby when Malcolm and Carol play.  ( In fact,  they added greatly to the ambiance of  Blue Heron’s period- attire party aboard the tall ship Kalmar Nychol this past June. )  The  entree’ was served here,  a succulent  presentation of braised duck in a port wine reduction accompanied by goat cheese mashers and asparagus spears,  expertly prepared by Kelly’s  Pub located on Mason Avenue in historic downtown Cape Charles.

And last but not least,  dessert at Heyward Hall,  individual apple rum cakes, expertly  prepared by Amy B. Catering,  served with aromatic coffee brewed by the Eastern Shore Coastal Roasting Co., both enjoyed while being entertained by the mellow harmony of  Eastern Shore’s own  Acclaim Barbershop Quartet.  And then who should stride out on the stage to deliver a strong  “thank-you for your hospitality” speech ??   You guessed it,  the final Vignette of the evening featured President Grover Cleveland  congratulating the gathered Cape Charles citizens on their vision and foresight in developing the railroad and planning for the new steamer which would carry passengers and rail cars across the Chesapeake Bay.   With that speech, the  2011 Progressive Dinner Tour concluded for the “Santa Group” although about 10 or so later groups, presumably named after his reindeer, were wending their way through.   It was a lovely night, the food was great, as was the entertainment– and we managed to work off  at least a few calories as we strolled from site to site on a beautiful December’s evening.

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Our Annual Carter Mountain Trek- From Virginia’s Eastern Shore To The Blue Ridge Mountains In About 3 Hours

Thursday, December 22nd, 2011

World Famous Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel

Westward Ho !  ,  the theme of our annual trek  some weeks ago from our beloved Eastern Shore’s sandy seashore to the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains in Charlottesville, VA.  It’s a trip that, depending on traffic,  only takes 3-4 hours,  but it’s a trip that shows off  the real beauty and diversity of  Virginia geography as we drive from our saltwater-dominated Atlantic coastal plain through the Virginia’s rolling plain Piedmont area, ( think Williamsburg, Richmond, etc. ),  and then into the gorgeous Blue Ridge area of Charlottesville and Roanoke.

A View From Carter Mountain, Charlottesville VA

( Westward still would place  you in the Appalachian Mountains and Virginia’s  famous Shennandoah Valley, very beautiful yet somehow we seldom go that far. )  Virginia certainly isn’t an especially large state but it has a diversity which makes getting a change of pace and scenery easy and fun to do.  For some reason,  it never ceases to amaze me that I can be driving on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, watching rolling  waves and seabirds just after breakfast and by lunchtime I can be sitting in a chair atop Carter Mountain,  munching a juicy York apple.

Michie Tavern, ca.1784, A National Historic Landmark

This year,  because of an especially busy schedule,  for the first time,  we made  our Annual Apple Trek after Halloween rather than before, which like most things in life had its pros and cons.  Pros were that it was quiet,  no lines to pay for apples and Carter’s fabulous fresh-pressed apple cider,  easy to find an attendant to get questions answered and a chair was immediately available  to sit and admire the wide vistas.  Cons– well, I really missed seeing all the kids running around trying to choose their Halloween pumpkins,  the hayride wagons full of  excited parents and kids,  the bluegrass fiddles and banjos.   In short,  apparently it wasn’t just about the crunchy apples and the beautiful vistas from atop Carter’s Mountain, it was also very much about the infectious  atmosphere of their month long October Apple Festival accompanied by the mouth-watering aromas of fresh apple pies and apple cider donuts  wafting through it that we had been enjoying all these years.  At any rate, before venturing up to the Orchard we enjoyed  a late lunch at Michie Tavern,  located right at the foot of the mountain and only a half mile from Jefferson’s Monticello.  Built in 1784 as a country inn to accommodate travelers of the day, it is a beautiful structure, a National Historic Landmark, very well-preserved. Serving a menu of foods typical of the time and still popular today– fried or baked chicken and excellent southern style  pulled pork BBQ,  accompanied by black-eyed peas,  stewed tomatoes, beets, cole slaw, mashers, cornbread, big, fluffy biscuits, etc. ,  Michie Tavern gives an authentic taste of  what travelers of the time would have experienced.  Lunch can be eaten  inside or al fresco  on their screened porch overlooking the propery’s magnificant woodlands or by the roaring fireplace in winter,  it’s always a very pleasant experience.  (www.michietavern.com)

So Many Apples, So many Choices At The Carter Mountain Orchard

Lunch over, up  Carter Mountain we went.  The apples were great,  as usual.  We normally buy a bushel each of four different varieties, typically Stayman Winesap, York, Fugi and Pink Lady,  so that we can mix them together and give them as little  “happy-apple-harvest”  gifties to friends and family.  A Pink Lady is an especially pretty apple, a very pale green with a large blush of deep pink on the side,  quite crisp and slightly tart, one of my favorite apples, both a good eating and a good pie apple.   But for applesauce, I think you just can’t beat the combination of  the Stayman and  York varieties with a few Fugi and Macintosh thrown in for good measure.   At our house we love applesauce, unsweetened, chunky, flavorful,  lightly laced with cinnamon,  completely delicious with chicken or pork, and, I might add, so good for you.  It’s hard to tolerate what passes for applesauce in the supermarket, thin, grainy, absolutely flavorless– must be made with mealy red delicious, the worst apple ever for flavor.  But a big pot of  three or four  types of  sweet-tart Carter Mountain apples, slowly simmered with a little apple cider,  mashed carefully to retain some chunks  (but not too  many), gently flavored with cinnamon and perhaps a tiny dash of clove at the very end — now that’s an applesauce that we will drive 3 hours to get really fresh apples to make !  ( By the way, applesauce freezes very well, pull it out, defrost and it tastes almost as great as the day it was simmered off in the big apple kettle.)   So we got some  great apples, newly  picked that morning,  we got the fresh-pressed apple cider, delicious either hot and mulled or icy cold,  as well as a dozen pre-packaged cider donuts.  All in all,  we had a great day.  But …..  for Apple Trek 2012,  I think we will make a point to go before Halloween so we can enjoy all the extras too — the yelling kids, the noisy hayrides,  the bluegrass band twanging away and the aromas of apple pies newly baked,  all the many features of the October Apple Festival atop  Charlottesville’s Carter Mountain.

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Carols, Candles And Sleigh Bells Marked The 2nd Annual “Grand Illumination” At Central Park In Cape Charles, VA

Friday, December 9th, 2011

It was a beautiful  Eastern Shore night for the Cape Charles 2nd Annual  “Grand Illumination”,  moon nearly full,  skies clear, stars shining down brightly on the event, temperatures in the mid-40′s,  cool-ish but  not cold.  ( Unlike last year at the 1st Annual  “Grand Illumination”  where  the wind was a little  brisk– I was  sorry I hadn’t brought a pair of gloves and worn a warmer blazer, finding myself doing  jazzercise steps to keep warm —  jingle bells, stomp-stomp-stomp,  jingle bells, stomp,stomp,stomp– you get the picture.)   Running a bit late, I  threaded  through the gathered crowd of  happy youngsters, oldsters,  teenies and toddlers,  to find Daughter #3,  daughter- in- law  # 1 and four grandkids who fortunately had already located good viewing spots near the front of  The  Gazebo at Cape Charles’  beautiful Central Park.  Caroling was just beginning,  kicked off by the  Master of Ceremonies,  Chris Bannon of Seagate B&B,  dressed in a bright red Santa hat and wrapped in a big holiday smile.

Dedicated  in September, 2010, the Cape Charles Central Park,  with its wide green, gracefully curving sidewalks, lovely fountain,  dozens of  Memorial Trees, elaborate children’s playground and The Gazebo,  is the glorious result of years of collective effort by the many, many volunteers of  ” Citizens For Central Park”  and  nearly a million dollars in  donations and grants.  It’s now the pride of  the little coastal town of  Cape Charles,  the site of  public events large and small,  a place for  individuals and families to enjoy a walk,  a jog,  a frisbee contest on a summer’s eve.  And now,  for the holidays,  it’s a magical place of trees and old-fashioned Victorian style lamp posts strung with thousands of  twinkling lights, colors galore and blazing white, a feast for  the eyes,  a sight for every passerby to enjoy as they light up the night.

Meanwhile,  back at  The Gazebo, folks were still arriving,  strolling down the Park’s  curving paths,  now lined with luminaries glowing brightly in the  darkness,  twinkling like little stars  fallen to earth,  everyone receiving  a candle .  Up on stage,  Santa and Mrs. Claus  ( a big shout-out  to Larry and Trina Veber, long time  Cape Charles residents,  for all the time they donate to make so many great local events even better),  gathered with the Mayor, the choir, some members of Cape Charles Town Council, Cape Charles Chief of Police, Commander of the Cape Charles Coast Guard Station as Chris Bannon gave a memorial tribute to Melvin Dudley, without whose tireless efforts  Central Park would not be what it is today.   In fact,  a beautiful red cedar has been been planted in a place of  honor near the playground as a Memorial Tree for Melvin Dudley and has been  designated as the now and future Official Christmas Tree  of Cape Charles.  Its plaque  reads: ” In honor of his dedication to Cape Charles, his gifts of wisdom,  his grand sense of humor,  his love of family and appreciation of the beauty of this environment.”  Then, a  flip of the switch and the Melvin R.  Dudley Memorial Tree  burst into brightly glowing colors, the first  tree to be illuminated.  As  dignitaries came down from the stage to  light the candles of those gathered below, golden flickers spread  until hundreds of candles glowed in the darkness, spreading light and good cheer as  carols continued to be sung and smiles contined to grow.   ‘Tis  after all,  The Season.  Then the big moment- Mayor Dora Sullivan asked everyone to blow out their candles  and turn towards the Park Green.  As they turned,  the entire Park leapt into color, everywhere trees and lampposts  glowed and twinkled  as thousands of points of  shining lights  enveloped Central Park in a brilliant blanket  of  sparkling luminous energy, evoking a wave of applause from the crowd as the 2nd Annual  “Grand Illumination”  was concluded.                                                                             

Time then for visiting with Santa and Mrs. Claus who had flown in straight from the North Pole just for this event !   Kids large and small lined up for a shy chat with Santa and a big hug from Mrs. Claus. It was really sweet and so authentic,  The Gazebo wreathed in brilliant blue lights, Santa and Mrs. Claus in bright red,  kids waiting patiently in line for a chance to whisper into Santa’s ear their deepest holiday wishes,  phone cameras clicking as parents snapped pictures,  reindeer nickering  just a few feet away,  their bells jingling gaily.  Well, not exactly reindeer,  actually more like horses…. but they definitely were nickering  and their manes were entwined with ribbons and little bells which jingled gaily at every toss of their bedecked  heads. 

Thanks to the folks from the Triple M Ranch,  a 150 acre horse farm with winding  riding trails located just outside Cape Charles,  6 beautiful and patient horses and their  riders had gathered  at the entrance to Central Park so that kids of all ages, including myself, would have  a chance to pat  and talk to them. ( Check out Triple M at  www.triplemranches.com )  My youngest grandson, who is a bit awed by horses,  just loved seeing them all dressed up in their red and green holiday finery.  He even ventured a gentle stroking  of the neck  of  a small filly. What an unexpected treat,  it brought a real old-fashioned holiday flair to this  great small town event,  hope to see these reindeer, I mean horses,  again next year at Cape Charles’  3rd Annual “Grand Illumination” !

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Charlottesville Uncorked– A Fall Week-end Sampling Blue Ridge Mountain Area Wines

Thursday, December 1st, 2011

Just before Thanksgiving we had an opportunity to take a week-end off  and decided to make a quick trip  to Charlottesville, VA.   Located at the foot of the  beautiful Blue Ridge mountain range, it’s only about a three and a half hour drive from the Eastern Shore of Virginia and it’s a drive through some of  Virginia’s prettiest countryside,  ever gorgeous in the fall.  We started out by heading south over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, deep blue waters of the  Bay glistening in the sun,  picking up Rt 64 west to Williamsburg, which is a lovely tree lined drive through slightly hilly terain,  a quick stop at the Williamsburg Outlet Mall for a pair of boaters at Bass Shoes,  lunch at the  Cheese Shop in Merchant’s Square in the Colonial historic area,  one of their delicious Virginia country ham sandwiches accompanied by a  little glass of chilled white wine.  Back on the road again, by-passing Richmond, heading  into even more rolling terrain until suddenly, from the top of  a  hill,  the  peaks in the distance now reveal themselves in varying shades of blue, the Blue Ridge Mountains,  a lovely sight, and then we’re  quickly in Charlottesville.

Charlottesville, C-ville, as residents call her,  is best known for  three things.  1.)  It is the home of  UVA,  the University of  Virginia, which in 2011 once again maintained its top rating,  tied with UCLA  as the 2nd best public university in the entire nation.  2.) It is the location of  Monticello, the exquisute mountain-top estate of the 3rd president of the United States,  Thomas Jefferson, and a named UNESCO World Heritage site and 3.) It is home to Ash Lawn, home of James Monroe, 5th president of the Uunited States.  And as if that were not enough,  among others,  it is also the  home of  author John Grisham and  Dave Matthews of the Dave Matthews Band !

A word, or 2, about UVA.   Its  gorgeous campass,  with mostly classically styled  buildings nestled into a rolling terrain,  is sited on 800 acres of  land which had been part of a 3000 acre parcel owed by James Monroe.   The original concept of the University came from Thomas Jefferson, who rated his work in designing and establishing it as the primary achievement of his life,  more important even than his presidency.  The most revered building at UVA is its first building,  the Rotunda, designed by Thomas Jefferson himself,  a beautiful classical design modeled after Rome’s  Pantheon.  Fully completed only after Jefferson’s death, the Rotunda became the academic village that Jefferson had envisioned, containing the library, classrooms, faculty offices and student rooms.  Now, of course, the University is a huge affair, with an enrollment of  over 21,000 students  and a faculty of  nearly 1400– I’m sure that Jefferson would be tremendously  proud of all that has been accomplished by his successors in the last nearly 200 years.

Sunday morning,  after a relaxing brunch at Maya’s on Main Street in the C-ville’s quaint little downtown ( highly recommend the potato cakes with smoked salmon ), we set off for a day of exploration and wine tasting.  As it turned out, there was more exploration and less wine tasting.   Having driven by Ash Lawn, the home of president James Monroe, many times we decided that the time had finally come  to stop and take the tour– and so we did.  ( A little trivia on US presidents– 8 were born in the state of Virginia and 7 are buried in Virginia including  both Jefferson and Monroe.) Monroe purchased  an estate of over 3500 acres ( including the 800 that went to UVA)  adjacent  to Monticello  where his close friend Jefferson lived.  Jefferson helped Monroe select the exact location to site his future home which Monroe named Ash Lawn-Highland when it was completed about 1800. Although Monticello is a very grand home,  Monroe went in the opposite direction and built a very tasteful but much smaller home which he referred to as his “cabin castle” in the country.

The property is a now a museum owned and operated by the College of William and Mary, with house and grounds very much as they were in Monroe’s day– formal flower gardens,  a large working veggie and herb garden, numerous out buildings including the barn, icehouse, smokehouse, etc., pastures with cattle grazing, all overlooking the beautiful mountains.  It was a most interesting tour with a few bits of  great trivia: back in the day wallpaper was extremely expensive and so was not actually glued to the wall as it would be today but rather attached by tacks so that if the owner moved the wallpaper could be packed up along with the other household furnishings.  Also, Monroe was the very first president to commission his own presidential china for use during his term in the White House- prior to that  presidents  were  expected to bring their own china  Washington with them. And of course since that time ever subsequent president has commissioned his own china pattern for official White House use.  But the most interesting couple bits  of Monroe triva offered by the tour guide were  that in the very famous painting  of General George Washington crossing the Delaware, then Lieutenant Monroe is shown in the boat standing  just behind  Washington, holding the flag.  However,  at the time  Monroe had actually already reached the New Jersey shore in an entirely different boat from Washington.   And talk about making a fashion statement, a replica of the deep rose colored wedding gown worn by Monroe’s glamourous wife, Elizebeth, stands in the drawing room,  made notable by the fact that has no buttons, snaps or fasteners of any kind whatsoever — she was literally sewen into the dress for the ceremony after which the dress was taken off by re-opening the seams !

From Ash Lawn we were off to the new winery acquisition by  “The Donald”.  The former Kluge Estates Vineyard is now  called Trump  Winery, no surprise there although the primary  wines for sale are  ’07,  ’08, ’09 and  ’10  bottlings  which still carry the Kluge label.   The tasting room is very much the same, still  attractive warm woods but an additional large outdoor seating area has been added in the back and a large screen TV in the main room offers a beautiful slideshow of the vineyard through the seasons. Sparkling wines were very much the signature wines of Kluge and I’m sure will be of Trump as well.  We ordered a small cheese plate and tastings of  all 3 of the sparklings, a Blanc de  Blanc,  Blanc  de Noir and the Rose’,  favorite hands down being the elegant  and beautifully colored  Blanc de Noir.

From Trump it was on to the only other vineyard we had time for, Jefferson Vineyard,  just a few minutes away from Monticello. It is well-known that Jefferson became a great connoisseur of wine  from the substantial amount of time he spent in France  when he succeded Franklin as the  American ambassador.

Jefferson was eager to establish vineyards on this side of the Atlantic and the land on which Jefferson Vineyards stands was at one time owned by by an Italian viticulturist who was prompted by Jefferson to try his luck in Virginia.

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