Foster Harris House Bed and Breakfast

In Season Kickstarter Campaign

2012-02-09T19:06:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, in addition to running the Foster Harris House and Tour d’Epicure, we’ve developed a TV show called In Season, hosted by our very own John MacPherson. In each 30-minute episode, John goes into the field to meet and work with the folks who grow, produce and harvest beautiful --and sometimes unusual-- foods when they are at their peak of flavor. Then, he takes those ingredients back into the kitchen to prepare a simple meal that highlights nature's seasonal bounty. We’re thrilled that PBS has enthusiastically committed to distributing a full season (13 episodes) as soon as it’s produced.

In order to help fund production, we’ve partnered with Kickstarter.com, a secure online funding site that perfectly suits the grassroots spirit of our project. Depending on the pledge level, supporters receive various rewards: In Season t-shirts, autographed pilot episode DVDs, opportunities to be on the set during production, Schmidt Brothers knives, and much more. For larger pledge amounts, we even offer overnight accommodations at the Foster Harris House, a five-course private dinner prepared by John, and even a special dinner guest: Marian Burros, world-renowned author and New York Times Food columnist.

We have 45 days to meet our funding goal of $125,000. If we succeed in meeting our funding goal, you’ll receive the reward at your pledge level and our deepest gratitude for helping us make a significant leap toward getting In Season on the air.

If you’re among those who actively seek out extraordinary ingredients, if you celebrate the fleeting splendor of seasonal foods, and if you want to honor those artisans whose skill and patience make those foods possible, then we invite you to join our grassroots effort to produce the show. Please visit Kickstarter.com if you’d like to be a part of helping In Season bring a new type of food programming to the table.

Thanks so much for your continued support of the Foster Harris House, Tour d’Epicure and in Season.

All the best,

John and Diane

Foster Harris House Youtube Channel

2012-01-04T12:09:00.000-08:00

The new Foster Harris House Youtube channel is up and running! We'll post videos of John cooking from the Foster Harris House cookbook as well as simple seasonal dishes. We'd love for you to subscribe and follow along!
Cheers,
John and Diane

http://www.youtube.com/user/FreshPlateProds?feature=mhee

FreshPlateProds's Channel - YouTube

A Rappahannock New Year

2011-12-31T16:52:00.000-08:00

December 31^st here in Rappahannock County Virginia and I’m reminded again of how special this place is. We are spoiled by a warm, breezy day with dramatic clouds and sharp shadows. What a great way to finish this year… out on my bike, riding one of my favorite routes. 25 miles of scenery any artist would kill to have in his backyard. We had a year of wonderful guests, great meals, beautiful rides and new adventures. We’re looking forward 2012 and all it has in store. We hope 2012 spoils you.

2011-12-22T11:20:00.001-08:00

Winter Solstice Sweets

While the chill of winter has not yet completely set in, our kitchens are filled with the warmth of holiday celebrations.

Here at the Foster Harris House, we’re big on celebrating with family, neighbors, friends and guests. It might be an “everybody pitch in” cooking party, or the Christmas gathering for the residents of Little Washington – December is all about making merry.

Right now, I’m planning the menu for the visit of a group of loyal guests who return to the inn annually for a winter celebration.

For this season of celebrating, tradition takes center stage. To round out a savory December menu that features loin of venison, we’ll be serving a full array of sweets for the solstice, including fig panna cotta…

Figgy pudding…

And, a vision of sugar plums for a sweet finish to the meal.

Cheers and Happy Holidays,

John MacPherson

The New Garden room

2011-12-06T15:20:00.000-08:00

In the bed and breakfast industry the rule of thumb is to update each guest room once every five years. Well this year we got a bit carried away and updated two rooms one right after the other. The thing is, once you've updated your oldest room the next oldest one instantly becomes the oldest room... and you want to update it! So Diane and I remodeled the Mary Ellen Jenkins room in September and then immediately set out to update the Garden room. The end result was better than we imagined! New paint, furnishings, and artwork have transformed the Garden room into a stylish and comfortable space to relax and recharge. We hope you like it and get to visit soon.

Cheers,
John

Whatever Makes You Thankful

2011-11-23T17:53:00.000-08:00

The American Thanksgiving holiday is the ultimate expression of culinary democracy. You can go traditional, serve a range of family favorites or try something radically contemporary. Anything goes, as long as it makes you thankful.

This year our menu has something for everyone. Some of our family is choosing to eat vegan. I’m pretty strict about my diet, too, as long as I can have beef, pork, fish or fowl along with the vegetables.

So, for Thanksgiving dinner, I’ll make a number of beautiful vegetable dishes for the table, but for me, I’ll be having duck confit, which is always best prepared in advance.

The process of preparing duck confit is enough to inspire a healthy and thankful appetite. I start with a whole duck and divide it into two breasts, two legs, and two wings. The extra fat is added to a stockpot. The breasts are set aside for pan roasting later.

The legs and wings, plus a couple more I have in the freezer are set in salt, garlic, shallots, thyme, rosemary and pepper to rest in the fridge for 24 hours before I cook them in the rendered duck fat. Here, I’m rendering all the extra fat over low heat:

Then, the solids are strained:

The result is beautiful, clean, pure duck fat ready to use in the confit:

It’s also perfectly tasty for frying potatoes, sautéing mushrooms, preparing rillettes or sautéing kale.

Cheers,

John MacPherson

The Colors of Summer

2011-08-14T17:20:00.000-07:00

There are many pleasures associated with cooking in season, but perhaps most exciting is the new burst of color that transforms the landscape -- and our plate -- as the year unfolds. The bright greens of spring are young and delicate while the oranges of autumn inspire a sense of comfort around the family table.

Summer produce is like a brilliant display of fireworks, signaling endless possibilities in the kitchen. Our CSA, The Farm at Sunnyside, explodes with beautiful colors and a bold energy that invigorates our menu. Purple graffiti eggplant becomes a lively eggplant Parmesan topped with a simple sauce of tomatoes and garlic from the farm.

Purple and green okra, saturated with pigment, demands to be served fresh so the colors and the bite are crisp.

The okra becomes part of the visual palette for a stunning summer salad:

How fortunate that summer tomatoes are no longer one-note red. For the salad, giant heirloom tomatoes are sliced and arranged with green zebras, multi-colored cherry tomatoes, pickled beets, peaches, purple and green okra, Sleepyhollow Farm eggs, haloumi grilled cheese, and sweet and cinnamon basil. The arrangement is dressed with beet juice-infused apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. It’s a visual feast that’s simply prepared with the best colors and ingredients summer has to offer.

Cheers,

John MacPherson

Artchokes!

2011-07-27T18:54:00.001-07:00

The thermometer has been hovering at triple digits, but we’re not shying away from the heat of the grill. Artichokes are native to the sultry Mediterranean so they’re a perfect component for a sizzling outdoor summer menu.

But what the heck is an artichoke, anyway? Is it fruit or vegetable? The artichoke is actually a member of the thistle family and the green globe we eat is the bud of the flower from the plant.

Baby artichokes are the perfect size for a grilled appetizer plate. Here is a photo of an appetizer I made the other day - Grilled Baby Artichokes with Smoked Paprika Aioli. It’s an easy starter you can prepare directly on the grill while your cedar-planked salmon is cooking.

Grilled Baby Artichokes with Smoked Paprika Aioli

Peel and trim the baby artichokes. Cut ½ inch off the top of each globe, rub the cut surface with lemon juice and drop into a bowl of water combined with the juice of two lemons to prevent discoloration. Cut each artichoke in half and tossed with olive oil and coarse salt just before grilling on a hot grill. Grill until marked, turn over and grill until tender, about 12 minutes. Serve with Smoked Paprika Aioli.

To make the aioli dipping sauce, combine the following ingredients in a bowl:

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

Juice of 1/2 lime

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Salt to taste

Refrigerate until ready to use.

Cheers,

John MacPherson

Garden Variety Mint and Local Rye Whisky

2011-06-10T05:15:00.000-07:00

Steam bath. Sunshine. Sudden violent thunderstorms. More sun. That’s late spring weather in Rappahannock County.

Cooling off can be a challenge but fortunately, Southerners have come up with some great cocktails to beat the heat. A cold and sultry Mint Julep can ease the burn, and it’s even more refreshing when the ingredients are hand picked.

We’ve got an abundance of mint in the herb garden at the Foster Harris House.

I just grab a handful. You’ll need about ten leaves for one cocktail.

The all-important rye whisky comes from the Copper Fox Distillery down the road from us in Sperryville. Our friend Rick Wasmund has made quite a name for himself producing small batch Wasmund’s Single Malt Whisky and Copper Fox Rye Whisky with a light smoke of applewood and cherrywood. It’s definitely worth paying a visit to Rick’s enterprise if you’re in the area.

With the mint and the rye, it’s just minutes to refreshment. Make a simple syrup of one part sugar and one part water, and bring to a boil on the stove until the sugar has dissolved. Let cool.

Combine 1 tablespoon of chilled simple syrup with about 10 mint leaves, and muddle them just enough to release the flavor of the mint. Add three ounces of Copper Fox Rye Whisky and a light splash of Grand Marnier. Stir it all with a Mint Julep spoon and top with plenty of crushed ice. I like to crush my ice in a zip lock bag, using a hefty rock that my mom used for years to pound cutlets.

The resulting cocktail, garnished with a fresh sprig, is a beautiful concoction of chilly mint and smoky rye whisky with hints of caramel and vanilla. It feels like a cool breeze on a sun-drenched garden patio.

Cheers,

John MacPherson

Monday, May 30, 2011

Red and Blue Monday

2011-05-30T05:04:00.001-07:00

“Blue Monday” doesn’t really exist when you live in a beautiful place like Rappahannock County. The start of a new week is filled with simple pleasures – new visitors to the Foster Harris House, fresh produce from Waterpenny Farm, or 100 percent grass-fed beef from Mount Vernon Farm, owned by the Miller family since 1827.

And, there’s wine. Not only has Virginia become a notable wine district, but every Monday, a group of local innkeepers and restaurant owners get together with several local distributors to taste flights of wines that we might serve to our guests.

Who could ask for a better way to kick off the new work week?

This past week, we got a bonus – a little blue with our Monday red wine tasting, not to mention some fresh chevre and some bloomy rind.

Kevin Kraditor is a member of our weekly wine tasting, and the co-owner of the Hopkins Ordinary bed and breakfast in Sperryville. The Hopkins Ordinary was first opened in 1820 to tend to the “ordinary needs” of travelers. In addition to running an establishment that is far from ordinary, Kevin is a talented cheese maker. Check out these beautiful rounds of farm house cheese that Kevin pulled from his cellar and served up between tastings:

I’ll take blue cheese over Blue Monday any day of the week.

Cheers,

John MacPherson

Fresh, Seasonal and Live at Noon

2011-05-26T18:55:00.000-07:00

At one point or another, you've probably found yourself longing for a taste of an enticing dish, beautifully presented by a TV chef. But, did you ever think about what it takes to create that single crave-worthy, TV moment?

Last week, I had the pleasure of appearing on WUSA Channel 9 in DC to talk about plans for our new PBS show "In Season" and prepare a recipe for "Pan-Seared Chincoteague Scallops with Asparagus, Roasted Beets and Blood Orange Sherry Gastrique. It's a beautiful dish accented with flavors of the farm and the ocean and you can find the recipe in last week's post.

Lets pull back the curtain for what takes place behind that touch of culinary theater:

Two days earlier -Planning a recipe of tuna tartare, asparagus, roasted beets and blood orange gastrique . Start foraging for ingredients. Pick up asparagus at Sunnyside farm and beets at Wegman's. Make the sauce with the last four blood oranges in the state of Virginia. Hold off purchasing fish to make sure it's as fresh as possible.

One day earlier - Producer asks for change in recipe because anchor doesn't like raw fish. Switch to rockfish from the Maryland shore. It's seasonal, and I've just made it a few days earlier. Learn that nobody has rockfish. Food purveyor tells me that all of the tags on rockfish have been used up. Second set of tags not available until June 1st. In black hole of rock fish less ness. Scrambling a bit.

Eighteen hours earlier - Come up with last minute seasonal substitute save that's even better than tuna or rockfish. Discover Chincoteague scallops. Sixty years ago a hurricane destroyed the sea grasses and the scallops. But now they're back and available and Wegman's got them. We now have a local ingredient with a great story.

Four hours earlier - Pack ingredients, pack equipment pack clothes, pack freshly-baked scones for crew and leave with more than enough time to make the hour and a half drive.

Two hours earlier - Stuck in Washington DC traffic.

One and a half hours earlier - Arrive at studio along with Joanie Ballard of R.H. Ballard to decorate set. Joanie creates beautiful spring display using all the ingredients in the dish accented with exquisite linens and glassware from her store.

Two minutes before - Get miked. Meet anchor, JC. Small talk. Searing scallops on induction cook top. Did I mention I cook on gas?

Fifteen seconds before - Director counts down. Not so much small talk now.

Live segment airs - Three minutes go by in a blink. Watch segment here.

Ten seconds after - Realize beautiful spring display by Joanie Ballard was never shown in the segment. But you can see it here:

Thirty seconds after - News and production crew descend on food and devour scallops, beets, asparagus, greens, sauce, everything. No evidence remaining.

Cheers,
John MacPherson

WUSA 9 Cooking In Season

2011-05-19T20:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had the opportunity to cook a Spring dish on WUSA channel 9 with anchor JC. Asparagus, beets, greens and local scallops. Have a look.

2011-05-04T14:18:00.001-07:00

The Spring Egg

The garden is starting to come alive and the air is getting that sweet smell that compels me to open windows. With Spring signaling the start of so many things, I’m inspired to write about one of my favorite foods.

The egg.

Could there be a more versatile, pre-packaged, self-contained, healthy food? At once a meal in itself and an indispensable ingredient for both savory and sweet dishes. Most folks don’t give a minute’s thought to the egg before cracking it into a pan or whipping it into a batter, but the humble egg is an amazing, self-contained powerhouse food. The perfect blend of fat, protein and nutrients, it can be separated into its two components, the yolk and the white, one rich with fat, the other light with protein. The shell can even be used to clarify broth or consommé. They supply all essential amino acids, and provide several vitamins and minerals, including choline, an important nutrient for development of the brain. And yes, there is cholesterol. A large yolk contains more than two-thirds of the recommended daily intake, but one study indicates that the human body may not absorb much cholesterol from eggs. The pluses far outweigh the minuses in the egg debate.

As you would image, we use a fair number of eggs at the Foster Harris House. Our friend George Scott at Sleepyhollow Farm supply us with beautiful fresh eggs that we fry, poach, scramble, or whipped into a soufflé; we make eggs literally dozens of ways. For frying, I use olive oil, because it won’t burn like butter. I use butter for scrambled eggs and omelets, because the temperature is lower and the butter accentuates the richness of the eggs. I poach eggs in a deep pan with a little vinegar and salt until they still have a little jiggle to them.

The one question that remains unanswered… which came first?

Poached Eggs on Toast with Sautéed Spinach and Crispy Prosciutto
This recipe makes a great dinner as well as breakfast and is a great way to use up day-old bread.

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 loaf Italian bread sliced 1 inch thick, 4 pieces
8 very thin slices of Prosicutto cut into strips
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 10-ounce bag fresh baby spinach
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine 1 cup olive oil and next 3 ingredients in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes to infuse oil. Remove from heat and season mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Brush bread slices all over with olive oil mixture and bake until bread is golden brown, about 8 minutes. Set bread aside and reduce oven temperature to 180 degrees.

Fill a large deep pot to within an inch from the top. Add the vinegar and salt and bring to a very light simmer. The bubbles in the water should be visible at the bottom but barely breaking on the surface of the water. Crack an egg into a small dish and then gently slide the egg into the water. Repeat with the remaining eggs. Poach for about three minutes or until the eggs are set to your liking. Test the eggs by sliding a rubber spatula underneath each one and check the amount of jiggle. You want the eggs to move a bit, not be set firm. Remove each egg in the order it was added with a slotted spoon. Hold the eggs by covering them with foil and placing in a warm oven at 180 degrees.

Cook the Prosciutto in large skillet over medium high heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. To cook spinach heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add shallot and sauté for 2 minutes then add spinach and stir until just wilted. Remove from heat.

Top bread slices with spinach and Prosciutto. Place in oven until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Serve topped with a poached egg, salt and pepper to taste and shaved Parmesan

Makes 4 servings.

Spring

2011-04-26T08:16:00.001-07:00

Morels

This morning, I was putting together breakfast for our guests at the Foster Harris House, when I had what you might call a “spring awakening.” Our housekeeper Sandy showed up at our back door with a bag containing a couple of pounds of freshly picked morels.

Morel mushrooms are a precious rite of spring, especially here in Virginia, and right now that woodsy, primal flavor is something to be savored. The source and location of first-rate morels is a highly guarded secret. Our housekeeper didn’t know their origin, and if she did, she would be sworn to secrecy by whoever had foraged these prizes.

Common wisdom has said that the past three seasons have been really bad for morels, so everyone has been hopeful that this year would be an improvement. And I have to tell you, when you spot a morel poking it’s gnarly head out of the gravel in our visitors parking lot, that is a hopeful sign that it will be a good season. We don’t get fresh morels very often so the gift of a bag full is reason to celebrate. I’m thinking a rustic pasta dish for dinner that really highlights the flavor, texture and color of the morels.

We’ve just picked up another spring classic – some fantastic asparagus – from the Farm at Sunnyside and I think a pairing of the two is in order. These first fruits of spring need to handled as minimally as possible – but just enough to be delicious. I’ll sauté the morels until just crisp and slightly browned on the edges and cook the asparagus until bright green and crispy al dente. Add a splash of cream, toss with wide ribbons of pappardelle pasta and sprinkle some pungent shaved pecorino on top. It’s a perfect feast showcasing the brief shining stars of the spring season.

In Season

2011-03-17T07:14:00.000-07:00

Here is a bit more info about In Season.

Exciting News!

2011-03-14T18:28:00.000-07:00

We mentioned a few weeks ago about an exciting announcement and now can officially say that PBS will be distributing the premier 13 episodes of our new show, In Season. John, host of this food/lifestyle/cooking show, will travel the country is search of regional, seasonal ingredients and prepare exciting new dishes with them. We're thrilled that it has found a home at PBS. More to come...

Festival of the Book

2011-01-21T15:58:00.000-08:00

John will be in Charlottesville at the Festival of the Book event cooking and meeting with folks at the Happy Cook. Come by, say hello and enjoy all the festivities going on in and around Charlottesville.

Living Social Deal

2010-11-10T06:49:00.000-08:00

Here's the deal... http://escapes.livingsocial.com/deals/13690-virginia-s-wine-country
We hope all our friends can take advantage of it. Pass it along!

Living Social

2010-11-08T08:16:00.000-08:00

Keep an eye out for a very special offer from Living Social and the Foster Harris House! If you're not a Living Social member, sign up today to have a chance at a limited number of Foster Harris House package deals.

The Happy Cook

2010-07-08T13:11:00.000-07:00

John will be in Charlottesville on July 19th at The Happy Cook signing cookbooks and cooking up some goodies.

Here's the menu for Monday, July 19th's FREE Cooking Class, which will also be followed by a signing of his cookbook: Goat Cheese Pecan Crostinis, Cilantro Garlic Shrimp Scampi, and Strawberry Ginger Shortcake with Wasmund's Whiskey Cream

Call the store to sign-up: (434) 977-2665.

Only a few spots left!

2010-03-27T07:37:00.000-07:00

The warm weather is here and we're getting all geared up for the cycling season. We're down to our last few spots on our Tour d'Epicure cycling vacations this year, so if you're thinking about coming out to the country to eat, drink and ride, check out our Tour d'Epicure site soon!
Spring is here and it's time to ride!!

More Cycling, More Great Food!!

2010-03-17T08:08:00.000-07:00

It looks like we'll be getting a bunch of miles in on the bike this year. Our Tour d'Epicure Cycling tours are filling up quickly for the Spring, Summer and Fall, thanks to our repeat guests and some great articles from National Geographic and Southern Living. So we've decided to add two more dates to the calender - June 15th to the 17th and June 18th to the 20th. June is a fantastic time to be here in Rappahannock County riding on our beautiful roads, drinking some great local wines and refueling with lavish dinners every night. We Can't wait!!

Holiday Entertaining on 9 News Now

2009-11-28T15:24:00.000-08:00

On Monday, November 30th our very own John MacPherson will be preparing a few holiday cocktail party dishes on WUSA's 9 News Now program. He'll be preparing some easy and delicious hors d' œuvres and a holiday sangria on the morning news program. He'll also talk about the new National Geographic book, Food Journeys of a Lifetime, that lists the Blue Ridge of Virginia, Foster Harris House and Tour d'Epicure as one of the worlds top destinations for food, wine and cycling.
Hope you can tune in Monday at 9:00!

A Year of Tours

2009-11-14T17:39:00.000-08:00

Here we are on the eve of our last Tour d'Epicure event for 2009. It's been a very busy year for us thanks to Southern Living, Washingtonian and National Geographic magazines. We've been very fortunate to have been featured in these publications, each doing a great job in getting the word out about our tours. But even more than these magazines, our past guests -- both FHH and TDE -- have been a tremendous help in passing the word along about what we do here. We offer our sincere thanks to everyone for helping make Tour d'Epicure the number one cycling tour destination in the world as written by National Geographic.
For now we'll hang the bikes in the garage and look forward to the Spring when we get back out on the road and do some more eating, drinking and riding. What a great way to experience the beauty of Rappahannock County.

Food Journeys of A Lifetime

2009-11-10T20:35:00.000-08:00

We're still a bit in shock... We've just learned that the Tour d'Epicure and Foster Harris House have been listed in National Geographics new book, Food Journeys of A Lifetime. The list of top ten bike tours for foodies includes Burgundy, Napa and Argentina as well as a bunch more, but the number one destination is the Blue Ridge of Virginia and Tour d'Epicure!!! We are so thrilled for our little corner of the world to be recognized as the best food, wine and cycling destination. Check it out here: http://away.com/feature/excerpt/national-geographic/top-ten-foodie-bike-tours-1.html

Surprise Package

2009-11-02T07:14:00.000-08:00

A package arrived at our back door yesterday from Jim, a good friend and Foster Harris House guest of ours. It was from Amazon and when I opened it I was very pleasantly surprised. It was Thomas Keller's new cookbook Ad Hoc at Home, which I was eyeing on Amazon just a few days earlier. It was as if Jim was reading my mind! Keller's new book is fantastic, filled with great dishes that are interesting and relatively easy to prepare. Check it out!

A Bear In the Woods...

2009-09-23T15:25:00.000-07:00

Ahh country living. While taking Finn to school yesterday morning, driving down one of our favorite cycling routes, a large black bear ran out from the woods and right into the passenger side of our car! I saw him dart out from the road side and managed to swerve enough so I didn't hit him straight on but he hit the passenger side doors with enough force to dent both of them! We stopped and turned around to see if he was on the road but he was gone. I'm sure with quite the headache!

Fritter Experiment

2009-09-22T14:36:00.000-07:00

Well my attempt to recreate the Blue Crab and Rock Shrimp Fritters at Coastal Flats went well, I think. Everyone gobbled them up at dinner last night along with a ginger seafood white wine butter sauce for dipping. The recipe turned out to be three recipes that I combined. A simple risotto, a shrimp mousse and a chiffonade of phyllo dough for dredging. I have yet to actually put the recipe together but the photos should give you an idea of the proccess.

This is the risotto with the shrimp mousse folded in with crab and shrimp.

This is the chiffonade of phyllo to roll the crab and shrimp mixture in.

The raw fritter rolled in the phyllo

And the fried fritter with its crazy "hair".

I'll put together the recipes and post it soon enough. I tell you, it's so much fun experimenting in the kitchen!

Tasty Tuesday on Monday!

2009-09-21T05:41:00.000-07:00

Although its definitely a Monday, we'll be eating like a Tuesday today with our Tasty Tuesday group. Once a month(on a Tuesday) we get together with nine of our friends here in town and eat, drink and socialize. Tasty Tuesday tonight is hosted by our good friends Kevin and Jay at the Gay Street Inn. These guys know how to entertain! They are making the main dish, duck I believe, and everyone else brings the supporting dishes. We will be bringing the "Happytizers" which will be my version of crab and shrimp fritters with a ginger lobster sauce. If this dish sounds familiar its probably because you've had it at Coastal Flats up in Fairfax. If you haven't, give it a try, they are fantastic. If I end up with something nearly as good I'll post the recipe. Off to the kitchen to start experimenting!!

Tour d'Epicure Weekend

2009-08-25T05:40:00.000-07:00

Just finished a Tour d'Epicure weekend... Great group of folks, wonderful food and the weather even cooperated. The Tour was just featured in Southern Living magazine and Washingtonian magazine. Grab a copy and check it out! We'll post some photos soon.

Culinary Types at Sunnyside

2009-08-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

T.W.Barritt, friend, foodie and blogger spent a few days at the FHH a couple of weeks ago and has written about his time with us on his blog. Check it out!! Culinary Types

Power Restored...Let the Cooking Begin!

2009-08-10T17:53:00.000-07:00

After we sorted out the power issues on Saturday night, we enjoyed a fun night on cooking, dining and socializing. Top Chef finalist and local caterer Carla Hall and her husband Matthew were part of our evenings dinner group. Carla tied on an apron to help John finish up a few courses while we chatted about food, the show and how great it is to be able to follow your dream. Carla and Matthew are two lovely, fun and talented people who complement each other perfectly.

We continue to be amazed at how fortunate we are to be able to do what we love, share it with people we care about and do it here in this beautiful place. Everyone should be so lucky!

Busy Day

2009-08-09T17:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a busy day. Saturdays are usually busy around here, but we had a few friends coming over for dinner in addition to our full house of guests. Oh, and we didn't have any Finn care which can make things interesting when you trying to check in a full house, take care of your guests and prep the evenings mean for eight all with a 3-year-old wanting your undivided attention. Oh, and then there's the power surge that blows out the main fuse of the house, the surge protector, a slew of light bulbs and a whirlpool tub two hours before check in. Like I said, busy day.
Thank goodness for Clyde Pullen. Clyde is our neighbor, plumber and electrician who came by and was able to bypass the fried surge protector and restore power to the majority of the house. And thank goodness for our incredible housekeepers, Meghan and Connie who continued cleaning by flashlight to get the house ready in time.
Once we got the power back on everything was back to normal, the fish got roasted, the duck was seared and the wine was chilled. Just another Saturday here at the Foster Harris House.

To the Gym, to the Road and to Lunch

2009-08-03T11:15:00.001-07:00

Here it is the first Monday in August! Wow, how fast the summer is going by. After serving breakfast and a bit of office work Diane headed to the gym and John set out for a ride. One of the great things about running the Tour d'Epicure is that you have to stay in riding shape, so getting out on the bike is part of the job. Here's lunch today - local heirloom tomatoes, prosciutto, mozzarella and basil on whole wheat.

Basil Mint Lady Grey Ice Cream

2009-07-29T07:52:00.000-07:00

Here is a new recipe that we've created for our Sunday Supper Club dinner this past week. Makes good use of all that mint and basil in the garden. Enjoy!

Basil Mint Lady Grey Ice Cream

2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 handful fresh basil leaves
1 handful fresh mint leaves
4 large egg yolks
pinch of salt
1 Lady Grey tea bag, tag removed
1 cup well-chilled heavy cream
3 drops green food coloring (if desired)

Special equipment: an ice cream maker

Bring milk, 1/2 cup sugar, and a pinch of salt to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, then remove from heat and steep the mint and basil for 30 minutes. In the last 10 minutes of the steep add the tea bag.
In a separate bowl beat together yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until thick and pale. Strain milk mixture and add in a stream to eggs, beating until combined well. Pour mixture into reserved saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture coats back of spoon and registers 175°F on thermometer (do not let boil). Immediately remove from heat and pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a metal bowl. Set bowl in a larger bowl of ice water and stir until cold, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in cream and coloring if using then refrigerate until very cold, about two hours.
When cold pour mixture into running ice cream maker and process until frozen. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, at least 2 hours.

Book Signing in Warrenton

2009-07-10T18:27:00.000-07:00

Its been a busy week at the Foster Harris House what with guests, projects and working on the latest edition of the cooking show video. John Spaulding stopped by to go over the footage and it really looks great. We've picked enough clips to put together a few short demos to show the foodie execs. Once we've got it done we'll post it on Youtube and provide a link here in the blog.

Tomorrow, July 11th we'll be at Borders Books in Warrenton for a book signing event at 12:00. John will be signing cookbooks, chatting about food and whats going on at the B and B. If you have some free time tomorrow afternoon stop by and say hello. Hope to see you there!

Cooking on WUSA 9 News Now

2009-07-01T09:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a first for John and the Foster Harris House. WUSA 9 News Now invited John to bake something up for the show during their morning broadcast. Kim Martucci interviewed John about moving to Virginia, owning a bed and breakfast and about the cookbook while he made ginger scones. If you missed it you can see it here at http://www.perfspot.com/video2/video.asp?id=3549899143&b=.

It was a great experience and we met some wonderful people. We're looking forward to more TV spots in the future.

Cooking Local, Virginia Style

2009-04-29T14:44:00.000-07:00

There's always something new going on here at the Foster Harris House and our latest project is very exciting. We've just finished shooting the pilot for our new cooking show "Cooking Local Virginia Style". The show will air on Comcast cable on Virginia Living TV.

At the beginning of each half-hour show, John will explain to the audience the dining event or occasion for which he is preparing. He will invite the viewer to join him as he sets out from the Foster Harris House to meet with local farmers and winemakers in search of the freshest in-season produce, local wine and interesting ingredients.

Rappahannock’s lush farmland will provide a gorgeous rolling backdrop from the Foster Harris House to the farms that John visits, as he talks with the audience about what food items are currently in season and what is special about the particular winery, farm or location he may be visiting. Interspersed with this discussion are comments about Rappahannock County and the local lifestyle which embraces the buy fresh / buy local mantrum. Once John has met with the farmer, winemaker or other local food provider and collected the local ingredients best suited for the type of meal he plans to prepare, we will join him back in the kitchen where he will begin food preparation. Guests arrive and join John in the kitchen with a glass of wine while he finishes preparations for the meal. They talk about the foods and places from which he sourced his ingredients, cooking techniques and life in Rappahannock County. The feeling is casual and fun. The show ends with John serving the meal to the guests and sitting down with them to eat and share in their love of good food and wine
Basically the show is about all the things we love about living and working in Rappahannock County.
We'll keep you posted on the release date!

Our Biggest Shortbread Fans!!!

2009-04-02T17:39:00.000-07:00

Our friends and regular Foster Harris House guests, Leslie and Brian have sent us this picture of their two boys enjoying shortbread cookies from the Foster Harris House Cookbook. Here's what Leslie wrote...

John,
As you can tell, I started with some of the “easier” recipes and am working my way toward the more “advanced”! I also meant to say that it was great to find some good looking recipes that do not include nuts or eggs (our youngest is severely allergic to both). The brined pork loin and duck breast are up next.

Your shortbread recipe has been a HUGE hit with the teachers and the kiddos in his preschool class, and it makes him feel like one of the gang to be able to eat what the other kids are eating. So, you are “The Shortbread Chef” at Wesley Preschool! In fact, I am baking a double batch this afternoon for a class celebration tomorrow.

Thanks Leslie, and a big high five to Zach and Shep!!!

Foster Harris Cookbook Signing and Release Party

2009-03-24T09:25:00.000-07:00

On Saturday March 21st we had our cookbook signing and release party at RH Ballards in Little Washington, Virginia. We had Rappahannock Cellars there to pour wines and we made a few dishes from the cookbook for people to sample. All in all about 80 people came by to enjoy the food and wine and check out the book. It turned out to be a great event. Check out the photos from the day...

Jan, Tom, Diane, John and Cathy MacPherson

Books on display

Folks mingling

The cookbook is now available from the Foster Harris House, RH Ballards, Borders Books in Warrenton and on Amazon.com. If you haven't picked up your copy now's the time!

2009-03-03T13:12:00.000-08:00

SMALL TOWN BED AND BREAKFAST PRODUCES BIG, DELICIOUS COOKBOOK

Washington, VA – March 3, 2009 – Inspired by the breathtaking countryside, the lush wineries, and Rappahannock County’s growing reputation as a culinary destination, John MacPherson of the Foster Harris House Bed and Breakfast has created Foster Harris House Cookbook, a professionally photographed volume of simple, yet enticing recipes that reflect the trend toward using fresh, local ingredients.

Foster Harris House Cookbook (ISBN 978-0-578-00108-1) by John MacPherson is a large format volume with over 80 recipes and 130 full-color photographs by John Spaulding. Recipes include breakfast favorites such as ginger scones and raspberry chipotle bacon, but also rustic comforts such as Mom’s meatballs and skillet corn bread and elegant courses for entertaining such as spiced quail with cranberries and gingersnap cheesecake drizzled with peach bourbon sauce. The straightforward menu ideas are elegant and inviting, but accessible to even the novice cook.

More than just a recipe collection, the book includes vintage photographs of the 100-year-old inn and lively anecdotes from the many guests who’ve enjoyed its refined country accommodations and who definitely didn’t go home hungry. “John MacPherson has the soul of an artist and the skill of a classically-trained chef. Every bite of the exquisitely crafted breakfasts at the Foster Harris House resonates with his love of food and flavor.” says T. W. Barritt of CulinaryTypes.com. It was at the urging of guests such as Barritt that MacPherson set out to create a book that reflects the inn’s personality, the beauty of the region, and a family heritage firmly rooted in a love of food.

Foster Harris House Cookbook is now available for $24.95 from www.fosterharris.com or by calling 800-666-0153.

About the author: Author John MacPherson co-owns The Foster Harris House and Tour d’Epicure Virginia Cycling Adventures with his wife, Diane. They left their corporate jobs in Laguna Beach, California in 2004 to pursue a lifestyle that would incorporate all of their favorite activities: Cooking, eating, drinking fine wine, cycling and socializing with good people. Self taught as a chef, MacPherson, 43, honed his family-cultivated culinary talents during the nearly five years of inn ownership. This is his first cookbook.

Foster Harris Cookbook Available for Pre-order!

2008-12-18T07:14:00.000-08:00

The Foster Harris House cookbook is a beautiful full color 184 page hardcover book that includes over 80 mouthwatering recipes and 130 full color photographs. We've included all the breakfast favorites served at the Foster Harris House as well as soups, salads, appetizers, dinner entrees, side dishes and desserts. Included are family favorite recipes, the history of the Foster Harris House and Little Washington and fun and interesting stories from our guests about, what else ... food!

We have a limited number of first edition cookbooks that will be available by mid- February and can be pre-ordered for $24.95 plus tax and shipping. As a very special offer to our guests, each cookbook ordered will include a coupon for $25 off your next stay at the Foster Harris House! It's like getting the cookbook for FREE! See our website for details.

To order give us a call at 800-974-1036, send us an email at cookbook@fosterharris.com or you can order online on our website.

Cheers!
John and Diane

Learning a New Skill

2008-12-17T15:37:00.000-08:00

One of the great and challenging things about running a inn is that you always need to be improving things, moving forward, learning... and Diane has been big on the learning thing these past few months. As we were working on the cookbook we realized we would either need to hire a designer or purchase and learn Adobe Indesign. After buying the software Diane spent a week or so working with a local woman that is proficient with it and many hours on her own getting a feel for it. Through the whole process of writing, editing and designing the cookbook, Diane has become quite the Indesign wiz! Our Christmas cards, new gift certificates and the cookbook coupon are all Indesign designs, as well, of course the cookbook. There doesn't seem to be anything she can't do when something needs to get done.

We should be getting the digital proof of the book in the next day or so. Once we give the OK, we'll let everyone know when the book will be available. Check back in the next few days for an update!

Cheers,
John

Welcome to our New Website!

2008-10-17T06:36:00.000-07:00

We've finally completed the new Foster Harris House website and hope everyone likes the new look and added features. There is more information on activities and dining as well as more photos that we think will give our guests a better feel of our bed and breakfast and this fantastic county we live in.

If you have any questions or comments about the site, email us a note or give us a call, we'd like to hear your thoughts.
Cheers,
John and Diane

On the Menu Radio

2008-09-19T15:37:00.000-07:00

This afternoon we were fortunate enough to have Ann and Peter Haigh, owners of On the Menu Radio visit with us. They stopped by to interview Diane and I about Tour d'Epicure and the Foster Harris House. It was a unique experience in that Peter arrived equipped with a sound board and microphones and Ann prepped with interview questions. We spent about 20 minutes talking about food, wine and cycling... three of our most favorite things. The interview should be on their site, www.onthemenuradio.com on Sunday September 21st. If you get a moment give it a listen.

Cheers,
John

Foster Harris House Cookbook

2008-09-14T18:30:00.000-07:00

Some of you may already know that we've been working on a cookbook for about a year now. Well its getting close to completion and we're more excited about it then ever. It's a compilation of our breakfast fare, some of our favorite lunch and dinner dishes and a bunch of family favorites. All in all it will be about 100 recipes with fantastic photos by photographer John Spaulding. John is a friend and guest of ours who was kind enough to offer his talents to help bring this book to life. We think his pictures are every bit as good as what you see in Gourmet Magazine.

We'll keep you posted on the release date.

Cheers,
John

New FHH site on the way!

2008-08-27T07:13:00.000-07:00

While our guests have commented how much they like our website, we've decided its time to put a fresh face on our internet look. We're planning on expanding the site to offer a better insight into the feel of our inn and to update the way the site works to make it easier to use. If you've been to our Tour d'Epicure website you'll get a glimpse of the basic layout.
Keep an eye out for the new and improved site in the upcoming weeks.
Cheers,
John and Diane

Foster Harris House Garage Sale May 18, 12 noon

2008-05-13T17:42:00.000-07:00

We're clearing out the attic and the basement of our bed and breakfast and are holding a huge garage sale on May18th beginning at 12 noon. No early arrivals for this event, since we'll be hosting a full house of guests until noon. On-street parking is allowed and should be plentiful. For directions, go to: http://www.fosterharris.com/directions.htm.

Here's a list of some of the items that we'll be selling. We'll be updating this list daily as we add more items to the sale all the way up until the night before, so feel free to check back often!

Washing Machine (top loading, extra large capacity)
Dryer (full sized, top loading, electric)
Black Polished Cast Iron Propane Stove
Assorted dining chairs
Vintage metal lawn chairs
Distressed Brown Leather cube/ottoman
Pair of Crate and Barrel Bar Chairs
Bed Linens
Table Linens
dishware, glasses, misc. kitchen items
12-cup capacity coffee makers
large capacity silver coffee urn
doors, windows, and misc. building materials
antique pedestal sink
antique brass light fixtures
Trek mountain bike (circa 1993)
vintage beach cruiser bicycle
wheel barrow
large dog door, still in box
infant boy clothing 0 - 18 months
infant doorway swing
cordless phone
HP Printer/Fax

...and more!

Feel free to email us with questions: stay@fosterharris.com

See you Sunday!

Hello from the Foster Harris House!

2008-05-02T13:22:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. Diane and John here from the Foster Harris House and we'd like to welcome you to our new FHH blog. We'll use this site to keep our friends and guests in the loop as to what's going on here in Little Washington, what's new in the kitchen, what Finn's been up to and how Stella's doing along with what ever else we come up with.
We hope you enjoy reading.
Cheers!

Foster Harris House Bed and Breakfast

In Season Kickstarter Campaign

Foster Harris House Youtube Channel

The new Foster Harris House Youtube channel is up and running! We'll post videos of John cooking from the Foster Harris House cookbook as well as simple seasonal dishes. We'd love for you to subscribe and follow along!Cheers,John and Diane

http://www.youtube.com/user/FreshPlateProds?feature=mhee

A Rappahannock New Year

Winter Solstice Sweets

The New Garden room

Whatever Makes You Thankful

The Colors of Summer

Artchokes!

Garden Variety Mint and Local Rye Whisky

Monday, May 30, 2011

Red and Blue Monday

Fresh, Seasonal and Live at Noon

WUSA 9 Cooking In Season

The Spring Egg

Spring

Morels

In Season

Exciting News!

Festival of the Book

Living Social Deal

Living Social

The Happy Cook

John will be in Charlottesville on July 19th at The Happy Cook signing cookbooks and cooking up some goodies.

Here's the menu for Monday, July 19th's FREE Cooking Class, which will also be followed by a signing of his cookbook: Goat Cheese Pecan Crostinis, Cilantro Garlic Shrimp Scampi, and Strawberry Ginger Shortcake with Wasmund's Whiskey Cream

Call the store to sign-up: (434) 977-2665.

Only a few spots left!

More Cycling, More Great Food!!

Holiday Entertaining on 9 News Now

A Year of Tours

Food Journeys of A Lifetime

Surprise Package

A Bear In the Woods...

Fritter Experiment

Tasty Tuesday on Monday!

Tour d'Epicure Weekend

Just finished a Tour d'Epicure weekend... Great group of folks, wonderful food and the weather even cooperated. The Tour was just featured in Southern Living magazine and Washingtonian magazine. Grab a copy and check it out! We'll post some photos soon.

Culinary Types at Sunnyside

T.W.Barritt, friend, foodie and blogger spent a few days at the FHH a couple of weeks ago and has written about his time with us on his blog. Check it out!! Culinary Types

Power Restored...Let the Cooking Begin!

Busy Day

To the Gym, to the Road and to Lunch

Basil Mint Lady Grey Ice Cream

Book Signing in Warrenton

Cooking on WUSA 9 News Now

Cooking Local, Virginia Style

Our Biggest Shortbread Fans!!!

Foster Harris Cookbook Signing and Release Party

Foster Harris Cookbook Available for Pre-order!

Learning a New Skill

Welcome to our New Website!

On the Menu Radio

Foster Harris House Cookbook

New FHH site on the way!

Foster Harris House Garage Sale May 18, 12 noon

Hello from the Foster Harris House!

The new Foster Harris House Youtube channel is up and running! We'll post videos of John cooking from the Foster Harris House cookbook as well as simple seasonal dishes. We'd love for you to subscribe and follow along!
Cheers,
John and Diane