This is the second in a featured series of historic inns with restaurants for sale.

The interest in food and food travel has consistently grown across America mostly in the last decade. Some areas have tapped into this growth in a big way. One area is Southern Maine.  Bon Appetit named Portland Maine the 2018 city of the year. The scene is not limited to the city limits but expands in an ever-widening circle. Kennebunk to Portland, 30 minutes.

The Kennebunk Inn has been an important mainstay of the community for over ninety years. Opening as ‘The Tavern’ in 1928. In those times when people travelled for food, a room came with it! The same is true today, the Kennebunk Inn has 23 guest rooms and a wonderful restaurant.

Open Table calls the Kennebunk Inn and the Inn’s restaurant, Academe, a ‘neighborhood gem’. Community participation is an important part of the success of any local business and this is certainly true of the Kennebunk Inn. Current owner/chefs have ‘worked the crowd’, meaning they participate in food festivals locally and nationally. And have received awards and recognition for their creative dishes. But their local crowd is just as pleased with the innovative and quality food as are the travelling crowd.

Just to get your mouth watering, some examples of their crowd pleasers.

A recent special:

‘Beautiful Maine Blue Fin Tuna fennel pollen crusted and seared with avocado mash, arugula, picked rhubarb, olive tapenade, buttermilk fried onion ring & chilled heirloom tomato water.’

All restaurants need a signature dish. This is theirs. Lobster Pot Pie

Some food trends are just that, trendy and short lived. This pot pie has proved to be a sticker, shipped across the US and the Pacific to Hawaii.

The Inn has 23 guest rooms which rounds out the business. 14 guest rooms and 9 suites. The rooms have been upgraded during the current owner’s tenure. The polished floors, new furnishings and fixtures in a majority of the rooms complement the historic surroundings that make this property so special. The suites are targeted for families and couples traveling together. The guest rooms for business travelers, vacationing singles and couples. The lodging part of the inn’s business is strong. There is an appeal in the fact guests can walk and experience downtown Kennebunk, take a trolley to the beaches in the warmer months and to nearby Kennebunkport. Plus take day trips to Portland, Freeport and LL Bean, the destinations are boundless. Then return to the Inn for dinner with the convenience of having your guest room steps away.

Hospitality is a business of love. The love of good food and drink, the love of providing warm and inviting public and private rooms, the love of giving. To quote one of the current owner/chefs: “The only reason what we do is love.”

That love translates to success at the Kennebunk Inn & Academe Restaurant.

If you are looking for love in all the wrong places? Maybe the Kennebunk Inn is the right place for you to look.  Own a piece of history in a vibrant community that supports tourism and local businesses.

The B&B Team loves working with future innkeepers that have the vision and vitality to take an already solid successful Inn and restaurant to another level. There is always room for growth.

If you are an aspiring innkeeper who is considering a career in innkeeping with a full-service dining component take a serious look at the Kennebunk Inn & Restaurant. The B&B Team can help guide you through the process.

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf

Travelers throughout the world have always sought hospitable places to rest and eat. The history of country Inns that offer food and hospitality for the weary journeyer goes back centuries. The term ‘hospitality’ derives from ‘hospice’, meaning a place of rest. Today our historic inns & restaurants offer ‘hospice’ plus so much more.

The B&B Team has a number of historic inns & restaurants (commonly called full-service inns) listed. This and future blogs will be featuring these properties. Country Inns where guests are surrounded by rich history. Warm and restful guest rooms. Plus a restaurant that adds another dimension, a lively atmosphere were guests gather to enjoy good food and drink. A wonderful hospitable combination.

Where should we travel first?

In the hollow of a ledge, near a pine grove, a log home and tavern were built in 1853. Today this original simple dwelling is the Asa Ransom House Country Inn, a Western New York Inn & Restaurant.  The area and Inn are steeped in history. Asa Ransom was literally the first citizen of the town. Along with the tavern business he built a Grist Mill. Ruins of the mill can be found on the property’s eight acres. The Inn resides in the town of Clarence, the oldest existing town in Erie County. The reign of hospitality grew throughout the centuries. Dining rooms were added in 1975 while keeping the charm of the 19th century. Another guest room wing added in 1993 overlooks the rear gardens and pond.

Location is always key with country inns. The Asa Ransom House is on NY Route 5 (Main Street), the main east-west highway that runs straight to Clarence, NY.  Small town America is alive and well in the town of Clarence. A trip to Clarence and the Asa Ransom House will bring you back to a simpler time.

The Inn is just 15 minutes from Buffalo and 30 minutes from Niagara Falls. The Inn draws guests travelling to the rich Buffalo-Niagara Region which is part of the Great Lakes Region.  An important statistic; “There are 4, count em, 4 cities in upstate NY with metro populations of over 1,000,000 people. Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Albany/Schenectady/Troy. The entire population of Upstate NY is about 6,000,000 people.” That is a lot of people to draw from! Locals are also frequent customers to the restaurant. The restaurant serves New York based food and wine. Their extensive herb gardens add local flavor to the menu.

With a focus on food, special events and lodging of 10 guest rooms, new owners of the Asa Ransom House Country Inn will have an excellent opportunity to build new business. It is there to be had!

The B&B Team loves working with future innkeepers that have the vision and vitality to take an already solid successful Inn and restaurant to another level. Looking forward, the view looks great!

If you are an aspiring innkeeper who is considering a career in innkeeping with a full-service dining component take a serious look at the Asa Ransom House Country Inn & Restaurant. The B&B Team can help guide you through the process.

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf

When families gather around the Thanksgiving table, many will pause for a few moments to express a few words of thanks.

What are most people grateful for? A Google search revealed the following:

Children’s smiles, family time, freedom and good health, dogs and football…and, you guessed it, food glorious food.

Families (dogs included) gathering around a table of favorite traditional Thanksgiving fare is a most cherished time for all. The time and love that goes into homemade traditional dishes is special. Where memories are made and the spirit of Thanksgiving is found.

Thanksgiving is a holiday that has been adapted by many ethnic cultures. Our country’s immigrants from the first legendary Thanksgiving in Plymouth to November 22, 2018. I thought it would be interesting to share some personal accounts from four American ethnic groups and their personal stories of Thanksgiving celebrations.

Mexican-American Thanksgiving by Patricia Martinez

“Mexican Thanksgivings are always lively (read: loud). You’ll always find siblings talking over one another, grandpa telling his stories and your mom asking if you want seconds—sometimes all at the same time! If you walk into a Thanksgiving celebration and grandma has a big pot of champurrado stewing, you know you are in a Mexican household. This chocolate-based drink is thick and prepared with the same type of dough that makes up tamales. It can also include water and milk and is usually flavored with cinnamon and sugar. It’s a very thick version of hot chocolate.”

Italian-American Thanksgiving by Marc Bona

“First course: A broth with pastina, tiny pieces of pasta that work well in soup. Sometimes she would opt for wedding soup. Antipasto would come out next – cold cuts, roasted peppers, artichokes and tomatoes. Then came the lasagna – never meat, always cheese – a few inches thick with gravy (we never called it sauce). Followed by traditional turkey and side dishes. The greatest part of the meal came the next day – leftovers. We could feed a small city for weeks with what we had, and there were only 4 of us! Nothing ever went to waste.”

African-American Thanksgiving Table by Michael Twitty

“The Southern groaning table and the shadow rhythms of the antebellum past were reflected in what I knew growing up in Maryland, starting with the stale corn bread dish known as kush that became corn bread dressing. The table rarely included just one kind of meat, and turkey and ham often vied for the position of favorite, while only the strong ate the chitterlings and pigs’ feet. But if I could get past the sight of those, there was always the hot, slightly sweet homemade rolls glistening with butter and softer than fresh cotton. Greens, never seasoned with vinegar by either of my Southern grandmothers, were kissed by the frost and therefore at their peak at this time of year, and this was also black-eyed pea and sweet potato time, and we could count on sweet potatoes making more than one appearance on the table.”

Arab-American Thanksgiving by Batool Jaffer

“Food has a special place in our hearts as Arabs, so Thanksgiving was the one American holiday we most love. Along with the traditional foods, my family will always provide that side dish of timan wa marag (a rice and stew), hummus, and most probably dolma. Dolma is stuffed vegetables such as onion skin and grape vine leaves stuffed with a sort of ground beef, soaked basmati rice, pomegranate molasses, garlic, pepper, and a blend of spices. For dessert, bring on the kanafa! Kanafa is a sugar-soaked pastry that is either layered or filled with cheese or cream, soaked in a sugar syrup flavored with rose water or orange blossom water, and then topped with ground nuts like pistachios.”

I wish I could include all the ethnic groups our country is so proud to include. This writing would be way too long! I think a multi-cultural thanksgiving celebration would be great. What fun would that be! Talk about leftovers.

To conclude I asked our team what they are most thankful for on Thanksgiving.

“Thanksgiving – to me it means friends and family sharing food, wine, traditions, stories and laughs together”. Dana Moos

“The time with family and friends before life changed in a moment with Scott’s passing.  And I am most thankful for 31+ wonderful years with the love of my life. Not everyone gets that.” Marilyn Bushnell.

“I am incredibly thankful for family, especially this year. My 95 year-old mother had some health issues, but with everyone lending a helping hand, she’s doing great again. Can’t beat that!” Peter Scherman

“I’m thankful that our kids really do want to share Thanksgiving with us and that I still have the will and energy to do all the cooking!!” Peggy Scherman

“I’m most thankful for the people in my life that love me unconditionally, believe in me, lift me up and give me a little kick in the fanny when I need it”. Julie Pankey

“Baby smiles! I am thankful for family time. Now with the addition of our new grandson, a true blessing.” Janet Wolf

“Thanksgiving is my favorite time of year and I am always grateful for so much… My family, my friends, my business, my home…and especially grateful this year for a happy, healthy, and growing Grandson, Jonah. Growing up, I was instilled with a deep love of family and I think this is one of the greatest joys to have and  to share.” Rick Wolf

“I’m thankful to see the gifts that all these years have given me: the health to enjoy who I want to be, the absolute joy and wonder of my family and friends, the kindness of strangers and the everyday mystery of the natural world.” Eliot Dalton

“I am thankful for Thanksgiving’s abundance: abundant friends, abundant family and abundant food!” Tish Dalton

“This Thanksgiving I am most thankful for family and good health. My husband and I will visit each of our combined 5 children and their families plus my father. Traveling to Florida, Alabama and North Carolina sharing meals, stories, laughter and a puzzle or two! The time with all of them is very special.” Linda Hayes

Wherever you are from, the spirit of thanksgiving is universal. “One last note, a desire and the yearning for the world to work together towards becoming a better place and for that we would all be thankful.” Rick

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us,

Peter and Peggy, Rick & Jan, Eliot & Tish, Marilyn, Dana, Linda and Julie. The B&B Team

Thank you, Linda Hayes, for sending me a most enticing and inspiring article, ‘The World of Breakfast–The shifting definition of what counts as breakfast food now embraces flavors from around the globe’. Explore breakfast going global.

Trends in food are constantly evolving, new flavors and creative presentations are certain to elicit the WOW factor. Are you ready to push the global envelope?

In our most recent ‘Better Way to Learn Innkeeping’ seminar we had two women with a Caribbean background who expressed a desire to introduce Caribbean recipes in their future B&B. Love it.

Rick and I were visiting The Inn at English Meadows recently and innkeeper Kate was serving Chilaquiles. Even though I am a huge fan of Mexican food, I had never heard of this dish. Fabulous, clean plate club for both Rick and me.

Here are a few of the dishes that got my attention. Let’s start with sweet.

Hong Kong Waffles

“Also known as bubble or egg waffles. Soft, chewy in the middle with crisp lacy edges, made from sweet, eggy batter.”

I found a good ‘how to’ and recipe from food blogger “ginger & scotch”.

Now let’s take a savory journey.

Chilaquiles

It is famous in Mexico. A dish of fried corn tortilla strips simmered (but not to long to make them soggy) in salsa or roasted tomatillo sauce and topped with egg, cheese (I like Queso Fresco) and possibly beans, squash, tomatos. Make your own combination, that is the fun of it. But a must on my plate would be avocado!

Off to the Caribbean.

Another food blogger; ‘Immaculate Bites-Afro-Caribbean Recipes Made Easy’. Some beautiful and very enticing recipes. Dishes like, Sweet Plantain Hash & Eggs or this one…

What you want to do, as suggested by The World of Breakfast authors is… “find that perfect balance between home and away.” That is what innkeepers do everyday at their inns. Now it may be fun to take that trip to Hong Kong, Mexico or the Caribbean or anywhere you like.

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf

Memories of our childhood Thanksgivings feasts, fond or quirky, we all have them. I asked our team if they would share with me their most memorable Thanksgiving F&B (that’s food & beverage) traditions.

Humorous Highlights

1. Paris Peas by Eliot Dalton

“Somehow when my Mom came back from going to a fancy cooking school in Paris, she came up with World/Whirled Peas: Fresh or frozen peas. (it would be healthy if you stopped here).”

• Blend peas with unsalted butter and half & half until desired consistency.
• Add crumbled smoked bacon

Footnote: “We always wondered what she really did in Paris!”

2. PB on a Roll by Scott Bushnell

“My mom and her sister married my dad and his brother and, along with my maternal grandparents, the three families got together for all holidays…and Thanksgiving was a favorite. I still get ribbed to this day, many decades later, that despite the lavish spread of our traditional Thanksgiving dinner, I asked for peanut butter to put on the roll. I was only 8…when will they ever get past it?”

Now for a quick libation to wash down the PB.

3. Festive Signature Cocktail by Dana Moos

• Bourbon
• Muddled fresh cranberries
• Splash of rosemary & cranberry simple syrup
• Splash of soda
• A sprig of rosemary
• Over ice

4. Hot Apple Cranberry Crumble by Marilyn Bushnell (Originally from The Mainstay Inn, Cape May NJ). “We always make this apple cranberry compote that is still a favorite with the family. This will always remain on the menu!”

 5. Pumpkin Pie topped with Whipped Cream and Toasted Coconut by Rick & Janet Wolf

I make the pumpkin pie from a recipe passed down from my Grandmother (Ga Ga). The recipe was all in her head, nothing written down. In the latter part of her life, I had her show me the recipe. It has changed over the years but one thing I never change is the amount of clove, cinnamon, ginger and black pepper. It makes it oh so spicy and a rich dark amber color. The toasted coconut came later, a tradition from Rick’s mother. A wonderful blend of flavors.

6. Corn Pudding by Peggy Scherman (Peter’s favorite)

Preheat oven to 350

•  4 (11 oz each) cans of corn drained
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2+ Tbsp. sugar
• 4 Tbsp. salted butter
• 1 1/3 Tbsp. yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup milk
• 3 eggs
• 1/4+ tsp salt

 Process 1 can of corn and remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.  Add this mixture to remaining 3 cans of corn. Pour into lightly greased 2 qt. baking dish and bake at 350 for 1 hour or until set.

More Thanksgiving F&B traditions, memories and sentiments.

From Peggy Scherman-“Thanksgiving is always at our house with our state-side kids and now our granddaughter, Charlie. When it is all over we kiss the kids good-bye, send them off with leftovers, and then dig into those dishes. (I help some, but Peter does the lion’s share, sending me off to bed.) And that’s the way we do Thanksgiving at the Scherman’s.”

From Dana Moos-“I used to do a turkey inspired by my grandmother, except she cooked hers in a bag. One year she started an oven fire at my house when she cooked for us when we were little and my parents were on vacation!!”

From Tish Dalton-“There will be 20 of us this year. The job of roasting a turkey always comes to me. I roast it in a bag, with a few onions, celery stalks, carrots and a dose of white wine. The bird is always juicy and the ‘drippings’ are awesome.”

From Linda Hayes– “Following the traditional meal, we relaxed around the tradition of working a jigsaw puzzle and then enjoyed dessert two hours later. Homemade pumpkin pie, pecan pie (with all the pecans placed pretty side up) and our favorite, mincemeat pie. And the puzzle tradition continues with my children too. This year I’m going to try Dana’s cocktail and Rick’s toasted coconut!”

From Rick Wolf-“Most of all, it’s the time together with family and friends and the traditions and memories we create that make this my absolute FAVORITE holiday of the year”!

From Janet Wolf-Ditto

Thanks for Listening and from The B&B Team we wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

Janet Wolf

The Youngstown Inn and Restaurant, mid-coast Maine in Lincolnville, an inn that defines what experiential travel is all about. It also has something else; potential. The ground work is there ready to take to the next level.

A recent Travel & Leisure article has written about “an emerging new breed of inns out there. They are redefining the way people stay and play”. It is all about the experience and it has to be WOW.

Lets take a look at the Youngstown Inn and Restaurant. Are they offering the experience that many ‘new breed’ of tourists are looking for?

Authentic – An 1810 Maine farmhouse built proudly upon two centuries of New England heritage. Located a bit off the beaten path on a serene country road.

Accessible – All of mid-coast Maine is minutes from the Inn’s front door. Near quiet Lake Megunticook, sandy Linclonville Beach, Camden Harbor and it’s vibrant village. Camden is a major mid-coast Maine destination location. A great place to “stay and play.”

Enriching – “Will travel for food”. The Youngtown Inn’s restaurant creates cuisine that one could say enriches the soul. What food should do! New owners can create their own food scene in this 60 seat dining space. While on vacation isn’t it wonderful to dine, imbibe and stroll a few paces to your comfortable, clean and inviting guest room?

Educational – A Day Trip to the island of Islesboro, an unspoiled Maine island with history. So near are: Farnsworth Art Museum, Owls Head Transportation Museum, Bay Chamber Concerts.

Entertaining – From the Inn you can hire a Model T Ford and take a short drive to the Cellardoor Winery and Vineyard. The driver is a local historian with character. The winery will also shuttle you back and forth. Have a tour of the winery, a tasting and ride back to the inn for dinner.

New owners of the Youngstown Inn and Restaurant can experience the wonderful Maine mid coast lifestyle described here and own a business that is profitable and exciting. Dana Moos, The B&B Team Maine Inn Broker for this property has described the real potential for the Youngstown Inn as follows:

“New owners could enhance their outdoor space with a fire pit, particularly serving cocktails outside. There is a lot of land for events too. And it is a mile from Cellardoor Winery. Cellardoor will even shuttle people back and forth.”

Additional plusses that you don’t see in many properties:

• Possible expansion of at least 4 rooms in another building on site.
• Located on 5 acres.
• An owner’s quarters house attached to the Inn building.

The Youngstown Inn and Restaurant offers a strong business and excellent reputation for fine dining and hospitality. Such a beautiful property and location that exceeds on so many levels. The Experience, the lifestyle and a true sense of place. Ready for new owners with energy, vision and a zest for food. We know you are out there!

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf

From New England to the Rockies there are Inns that are offering guests a culinary experience to celebrate one of America’s most cherished holidays. As I searched to find Thanksgiving at America’s Inns that offers guests a way to celebrate, I came across some wonderful specials with an experience  that matches the uniqueness of their locale.

One celebratory special  that really got my attention was a Thanksgiving Amish-Style in Pennsylvania Dutch Country. The Churchtown Inn in Chruchtown PA is offering a very reasonably priced package that includes dinner at the home of an old-order Amish family followed by a buggy ride and a meet and greet with their farm animals. Discovering how a traditional old world Amish society celebrates Thanksgiving would be a culinary and historical learning experience all in one.

Many of our Country Inns with Restaurants offer Thanksgiving dinners. The Squire Tarbox Inn & Restaurant in Westport Island Maine offers dinner in their cozy historical 1763 dining room. The father and daughter chef team create special farm to table meals throughout the year. Thanksgiving is a perfect time to celebrate at this very unique mid-coast Maine Inn.

A quick search found the Alta Crystal Resort on Mt. Rainier in Washington State. If you want a real early winter getaway for Thanksgiving this place looks like a lot of fun. Their Thanksgiving Eat & Stay Special has more than dinner. Hiking and snowshoeing, bonfires and hot tubs. They have reported snow as of November 22.

This is just a brief sampling of some wonderful ways to experience what our American country inns have to offer on Thanksgiving. No other hospitality industry offers authenticity better than our B&B’s and Country Inns. Agreed?

I am going to end with a recipe. One that goes way back to our New England and Native American influence. Touted as a Rhode Island creation, Indian Pudding is a very tasty ‘mass of cornmeal, milk and molasses, baked for hours, it is born of Puritan ‘nostalgia for British hasty pudding and their adaptation to the ground-cornmeal porridges of their Native American neighbors.”  I found this recipe on a really great collection of Thanksgiving Recipes Across America from the New York times. If you haven’t completed your menu yet than these collections of recipes will inspire.

A warm and Happy Thanksgiving from The B&B Team to all our Inns across America and to all the aspiring innkeepers and retired innkeepers.

The culinary travel trend is exploding. Full service Inns need to capitalize on this explosion, big time.

Take the example of The Inn at Weatherfield in Vermont. This property had a flourishing and successful restaurant and Inn business thanks to the former owners Jane and Dave Sandelman and Chef Jason Tostrup. The B&B Team recently transferred the Inn to new owners Richard and Marilee Spanjian. They have taken an already successful Inn to another level and the view looks great! I had the privilege to interview Marilee and ask what’s new and cookin’ at the Inn.

Question: “New England’s Premier Culinary Inn” is your new brand modifier. This is a very gutsy goal, has this been your goal from the beginning?

Answer: We didn’t just want to say ‘Culinary Inn ’and our goal is for Weathersfield to be New England’s Premier Culinary Inn, so why not go for it.

Question: Your new specials are very cleaver. Especially ‘The Guinea Pig Club’, Chef’s Choice-$8 plates keep coming until you say ‘Uncle’. How has the response been?

Answer: The name is intriguing and it is really starting to catch on. Chef Jason and the kitchen staff really love it too. They can be creative, it really thumps their energy. We chose Thursdays for this special because we found the diners on that day tend to be really adventuresome.

Question: I also was intrigued by your ‘Vitality Fix’, tell me more about this concept.

Answer: Chef Jason came up with the idea. This menu option covers all the bases. It is vegetarian, gluten free and dairy free! More people are commenting how they like the fresh way of cooking and the way it makes them feel after their meal.

Question: What are some of your future plans?

Thank you Marilee. She sounded so excited and energized while I was talking with her. Love the enthusiasm.

The B&B Team believes a successful full service Inn should focus their business on both the lodging and food equally. Neither business should take the back seat. Both of the full service country Inns featured in this post have spectacular guest rooms and top notch amenities. It completes the package. Stayed tuned for my next blog where I reveal the author of this quote.

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf

I have quoted restaurateur Danny Meyer in past blogs because he is at the top when it comes to high standards in hospitality. In a recent article in Business Insider by Max Nisen, the author spoke with Danny about his view on the fine dining experience. Danny Meyer “built his empire by focusing intensely on the diner’s experience and hospitality. For example, stiff formality is not particularly enjoyable, Meyer found. So even his fine dining restaurants are about the food and being hospitable, not decor or grandiosity. That friendly experience is just as intensely managed and thought out as a stiff and choreographed classic service might be.”

I will end with another example from a personal experience Rick and I recently had. We visited a full service country inn that has offered fine dining successfully for the past 20 plus years, but recently their dining room business has been declining, especially mid week. We made a suggestion that they may want to consider offering  alternate menu choices in a more relaxed atmosphere in one of their dining rooms. We suggested that this may bring in more locals, especially midweek. This is exactly what the White Barn is trying in their ‘Winter Bistro’. Remember I said that the White Barn Restaurant was not devaluing their brand by offering an alternative dining choice. But one way of devaluing your brand is letting your business get behind the times, not keeping up with the trends. Change is a scary thing sometimes but may be necessary to keep up with the demand of today’s fickle foodie. Oh I like that…great name for a restaurant?

The B&B Team has a number of full service inns for sale. If you are an aspiring innkeeper who is considering a career in innkeeping with a full service dining component we have some great properties. Check them out.

Is fine dining dead? Those restaurants of old with flaming desserts and tuxedoed waiters may be decreasing but they are not dead or should they die!  The new fine dining is more about choice. Yes we do want to dress up occasionally for that  special occasion with the linen, crystal and silverware for every course…or not. Give us the choice. So whether it is white cloth or white butcher paper, we want great, innovative and authentic food. And make it fresh, local, visually appealing and presented with style and service extraordinaire. All that is ‘fine’ with me.

Thanks for Listening

Janet Wolf

I found this to be a great quote from a travel and food author and blogger I just discovered. She writes with gusto and passion about the food and places she loves. Check out her latest blogs, ‘Fatback & Foie Gras’. One important feature about her blog is the great photography. They are large and enticing shots that bring you close to the food being featured. People do eat with their eyes first. Warning, don’t look if you are hungry.

Culinary focused travel is becoming increasingly popular. You want to bring these travellers to your Inn to feast at your table and the tables of your favorite local restaurants. Here are a few B&B’s I believe do a great job creating and promoting culinary getaways. The Inn at English Meadows in Kennebunk, Maine not only features their special breakfast offerings with great photos and text, but also on their blogs. Take a look and read their two recent posts featuring culinary topics. The Inn at English Meadows and the Hartstone Inn in Camden, Maine have both teamed up with Epitourean.com to promote their culinary getaway packages. This is a go to website for travellers looking for culinary focused travel events and specials. BnBFinder also has a page dedicated to posting culinary getaways, another great source.

We all know it is all about the experience you create for your guests. And food is a big part of that experience. An event that involves cooking with a professional chef in cooking class or demonstration followed by a meal with your group feasting on your creations accompanied with good wine and good conversation, that’s the ticket! Sign me up. Another quote from Kendra; “Let’s face it, chefs are now rock stars and food is definitely in.” Well you must have a local rock star chef in your area that would love to perform and show off their culinary creations, or you may be the rock star! Go for it.

Jenn Oliver of Jenn Cuisine is another great food blogger I discovered. She offers some great advice in her blog, ‘The Importance of Good Food Photography’. She says:” When I take a photo of a dish, my goal is to bring the viewer to the table, so they can mentally reach out and taste the full flavor of the food I’m displaying.” In this blog she shares some photo shots that are good next to the same shot that is great. You really can clearly see what the difference is. We always recommend professional photographers that will produce artful interior, exterior and food photos . Christian Giannelli and Jumping Rocks Photography are two of the best out there for our industry. Christian did the photography for The Inn at English Meadows and Jumping Rocks did the photgraphy for Hartstone Inn.

I have included a lot of links in this posting. I hope you view each and every one of them and that they help you visualize the importance of good food photography when marketing your culinary getaway packages.

Here is a question for you? A picture is worth a thousand words so does this mean a picture of food is worth a thousand calories?