Mad Hatter High Teas During March

During the month of March, join us at the Captains House Inn in "Wonderland" for our Mad Hatter high teas. While we serve traditional English high tea year round, our daughter's recent obsession with Alice in Wonderland inspired us to develop a Mad Hatter Tea menu as a fun twist during the month of March to liven up the winter with whimsical cookies and cakes, colorful tea pots, and mismatched China. Our daughter's fascination with wonderland landed at an ideal time as Disney celebrates Alice's "un-anniversary" and Tim Burton's release of the film makes its way to theaters.

All Mad Hatter tea guests will feast on treats like dice cookies, ischel tea pots, fondant dragonflies, and savory favorites such as stuffed mushroom caps, egg salad stacks, and cheese crisps. Everyone will go home with an Alice in Wonderland themed favor and a keepsake menu as a memento of their crazy tea experience. Mad Hatter teas are served daily between 3:00 and 4:30. The cost is $18/person and reservations are required. Don't be late for a very important date!

Captains House Inn Cookbook Released

It has been a long time in the making, but finally, after over a year in production, we have released our first cookbook featuring 100 of our favorite recipes. Selling a cookbook has been a project I have had in the back of my mind since taking over ownership of the inn nearly four years ago. But until last year, the project has existed only in my mind until Rebecca Anne Chapman, an intern from 2008 to 2009 approached me with the idea of finally publishing all the recipes frequently requested by guests. "Go for it," I encouraged, "but you have no idea how time consuming and tedious this is going to be." I figured I had scared her off, but Becky persevered and several months later, with the help of our Executive Chef, Kevin Case, had submitted our most popular recipes to an online cookbook publishing company and was ready to go to print. It took me almost another year to proof the book, and finalize decisions like layout and photo selection, but the endless project is now hot off the press and available for sale.

The cookbook includes breakfast recipes like Eggs Italiano and Apple Dollar Pancakes as well as high tea treats such as Traditional Scones and Pineapple Right-Side-Up Cake. You can purchase the cookbook for $9.95 at our gift shop during your next visit or at our online store and we'll ship it to you. Cookbooks also make a wonderful gift and are a great way to remind that special someone of the wonderful time you shared at the Captains House Inn.

Nauset Beach Club Restaurant Hosting Italian Wine Dinner Specials

During the next few months, the Nauset Beach Club, an Orleans eatery specializing in Northern Italian cuisine will be hosting regional Italian wine dinners. The first dinner will be held at 6:30 on Friday January, 29th and will focus on Puglia, a region located in the very south-east part of Italy. Cost per person is a very reasonable $45.00 excluding tax and gratuity, but inclusive of wine. The four course menu is enticing:

Antipasti

Marinated Mixed Olives and Pickled Baby Eggplant with Homemade Sun-dried Tomato Focaccia

Zuppa

Chickpea Soup with Short Pasta Tubes

Secondi

Individually Rolled Stuffed Veal, with Italian Parsley, Pecorino Cheese and Roasted Garlic, Apulia Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Roasted Fingerling Potato, Sautéed Broccoli Rabe

or

Marinated Grilled Lamb Sirloin, Salentino Rosso Wine Sauce, Fava Bean Puree, Wilted Farmed Dandelion and Preserved Lemon Rind

Dolce

Pecorino Romano Cheese, Crenshaw Melon with Drizzled Reduced Negroamaro Rosso, Almond Biscotti

Wine Selections

2008, Cantele, Chardonnay, Lecce
2004, Salice Salentino Riserva, Lecce

2003, Tormaresca, Negroamaro/Cabernet, Bari

As future dinners are announced, we will keep the blog updated. In the meantime, if your plans include a visit to the Captains House Inn to include January 29th, consider having us make you a reservation for this authentica Italian feast!

Gracie's Tables Makes the Cut

I must have driven by Gracie's Tables on Old King's Highway (a.k.a. route 6A) in Dennis dozens of times during my six years of living on Cape Cod. But it wasn’t until a friend suggested we go treat ourselves to tapas one evening that I knew it existed. From the moment I walked in the door, I was sold – a cozy bar area with high tops and a small, but well stocked copper bar is in the entrance leading to an intimate dining room. The room held just a handful of tables, which being nine months pregnant at the time, I was particularly delighted to find were surrounded by comfy banquettes and cushy throw pillows. Upstairs, I learned, were more tables making a relatively average size restaurant seem far more cozy. I hoped the food would measure up to the warm, inviting atmosphere and as luck would have it, I wasn’t disappointed.

A welcome diversion from traditional Cape Cod menus, Gracie’s Tables is the Cape’s original Tapas restaurant featuring Spanish tapas and petite entrees with influences from southwest France and northern Spain and an emphasis on local, organic ingredients. While the petite entrees were tempting (particularly the fish of the day – swordfish topped with local fried oysters), we stood by our original plan and sampled several tapas plates. The Pa Amb Tomaquet (tomato bread) is a must – bursting with tomato, sea salt, and garlic flavors, it was the perfect start to our feast. We continued with frog’s legs (the meat fell right off the bone and they were served with a tasty confetti of garlic, tomato, shallot and parsley) and beet risotto – not something I would typically order, but I was pleasantly surprised with a subdued beet flavor coupled with creamy goat cheese. Three more tapas followed - perfectly cooked, melt in your mouth scallop and chorizo skewers, spinach fritters with spicy aioli and chili sauce (though not labor inducingly spicy, unfortunately), and patatas bravas (a.k.a. French fries), which were not as crispy as I would have preferred, but the sweet and sour dipping sauce made up for the lack of crunch. We didn’t save room for dessert, but the couple next to us was drooling over something decadently chocolately looking which I learned was the house specialty Valhrona Chocolate Cake, made up of 70% dark chocolate – wow! My only complaint? To put it delicately, the garlic taste in my mouth didn’t quite dissipate until breakfast the following morning, but perhaps if I had indulged in that chocolate dessert, I could have warded off my pungent breath sooner.

Gracie’s Tables is open year round with limited days during the off season. Reservations are accepted.

Cape Cod Vacation Itinerary Day Four

After a busy day on Nantucket, an R&R day is order for the middle of your Cape Cod week vacation. In previous blogs, I've discussed beaches and the Cape Cod rail trail, both of which fit the bill in terms of kicking back. If neither of those ideas appeal to you, or, if you come across a rainy day during your stay, how about a leisurely drive along Old Kings Highway (a.k.a route 6A) which runs along the north coast of the Cape. This scenic route is dotted with antique, glass, and pottery shops and the old clapboard homes and inns truly depict the charm of old Cape Cod.

Head west along the highway and don't miss stops at the Brewster General Store for a throw back in time, Sydenstricker Glass in Brewster which showcases a huge selection of glassware in a variety of designs, Dianne Heart Pottery in Brewster where Dianne creates one of my personal favorite pieces - a tea mug with a little slot for the teabag string, and The Barn and Co. in Dennis for one of a kind treasures many of which are created by local artisans.

Stop at the Brewster Fish House for an unbeatable seafood lunch. Don't miss the lobster bisque - some of the best I've ever had chock full of fresh lobster meat and bursting with flavor.

Continue west and eventually come to the village of Sandwich, the oldest town on the Cape and home of the Heritage Museum and Gardens which also houses an antique automobile collection and the Glass Museum where sometimes you can catch a glass blowing demonstration. Browse through the quaint downtown area in the many galleries, antique, and glass shops before heading back east, this time taking the more efficient route six.

For dinner, take a break from traditional seafood and head to Buca's in Harwich, just 10-15 minutes from the Captains House Inn. Buca's features fantastic northern Italian cuisine in a cozy, romantic setting. Every time we dine there, the authentic food, dim lighting, and red checked table clothes make us feel like we've been transported to Italy itself. No matter what you order, you can't go wrong, but don't skip dessert with a glass of Vin Santo, a traditional Italian dessert wine, perfect to cap off a relaxing day.

Enter Innkeeper's Baby Pool to Win $250 Gift Certificate

NOTE: DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES IS SEPTEMBER 28TH.

Innkeepers Jill and James are expecting their second baby at the end of October...or sooner!

On August 31st, at 32 weeks pregnant, I was rushed by ambulance to Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston with contractions two minutes apart. Luckily, doctors were able to stop the preterm labor with a series of drugs and released me back to Cape Cod where I have been confined to bed rest for the duration of the pregnancy.

Meanwhile, James has been stepping into my shoes as meeter, greeter, and breakfast server in the mornings and has thankfully been doing a far better job than if Iever had to fill his accounting and substitute chef roles! With help from grandparents, interns, and a babysitter, our16 month old daughter is in good hands while James manages the inn so all is under control - except of course, for my need to contribute to the operations of the inn.

Hence, a baby pool I've created from the confines of my bed...we invite all readers to participate in this fun contest for a chance to win a $250 gift certificate toward a stay at the Captains House Inn. Here is some preliminary information to point you in the right direction:

• We already have a sixteen month old daughter who was born at 33.5 weeks gestation and weighed 4.3 oz., and was 17 inches long.
• Until Sunday, August 30th, Jill’s current pregnancy was uneventful (though Jill is quite rotund). Then, at almost 32 weeks, Jill experienced regular contractions and was pronounced 2 cm dilated, 70% effaced, and the contractions were coming every two minutes. After being ambulanced to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, the contractions were halted with medication and Jill was ordered to bed rest with hopes to prolong the pregnancy as long as possible.
• Jill’s due date is October 27th. She was confined to bed rest just shy of 32 weeks pregnant on August 31st.

All entries will be inputted into an online baby pool forum where we have a secure account and all guesses will be scored based on the system’s weighted scoring system (incorrect gender: 400 points, date & time: 5 points per hour, weight: 5 points per ounce, length:10 points per inch)

Copy and paste the following details into an email to info@captainshouseinn.com and as the subject of the email, simply put "Baby Pool Entry."

Your Name:
Your Phone Number:
Baby's Gender:
Date of Birth:
Time of Birth:
Baby's Weight (in lbs. and oz.):
Baby's Length (in inches):

OPTIONAL QUESTION: (does not count toward pool):
Suggestions for baby boy names (we have our girl name picked, but are struggling with the boy…middle name will be either Louis or William, last name is Meyer):

Thank you for entering and good luck!

Captains House Inn Receives 23rd Consecutive AAA Four Diamond Award

We are pleased to announce that for the 23rd consecutive year, the Captains House Inn in Chatham, Massachusetts received the AAA four diamond award. Each year, 65 full time tourism editors evaluate over 58,000 hotels and restaurants. Of those, only about 3% are awarded the coveted four diamond award.

We are anonymously inspected annually, and must meet certain criteria in order to maintain our four diamond status which includes the entire booking process straight through to the guest’s check-out. For example, the phone must be answered in less than three rings and we must use the guest’s name with frequency. On check-in, assistance with luggage must be provided, and throughout the guest’s stay, excellent service must be adhered to at all times. Finally, the inspector evaluates the cleanliness, general comfort level, and maintenance of the inn. We believe the reason we continue to receive the award year after year is that we treat every guest as if he or she was a AAA inspector. This way, when the actual inspector reveals his identity, we are not caught off guard and wondering if we did everything properly – we are always confident that we did.

To experience our four diamond facilities and service for yourself, click here to book online now.

Clancy's Restaurant - Another New Restaurant Discovery for Us!

Once again, we have stepped out of our comfort zone and ventured off to a new restaurant. And once again, we have found a winner. Clancy’s Restaurant in Dennis Port is the epitome of an old school Cape Cod eatery complete with Prime Rib night on Fridays and Saturdays and renowned fresh fish n’ chips. Clancy’s is a favorite amongst locals, but also packs in the visitors in the summer months – and with good reason. The food is fresh and plentiful and the prices are very reasonable. Pair that with friendly service and views of the Swan River, and there’s no question why Clancy’s has been the recipient of Reader’s Choice and Zagat awards for years on end.

We visited on a Wednesday night in February. Despite gloomy weather and tourist season being months away, the restaurant was generating pretty decent business. We started with fried oysters which happen to be my personal favorite and, of which I am a pretty ruthless critic. For an appetizer portion, the serving was plentiful – in fact, I could have had that for my meal and been satisfied. They were honestly some of the best fried oysters I’ve had – cooked perfectly and not over-battered which is a giant pet peeve of mine. Next, we both opted for burgers – half pound Angus ones with our choice of fixings. Yum! Granted, it’s hard to screw up a burger, but when we ask for it to be cooked rare and it actually comes out nice and pink (a request many chefs tend to over-do, perhaps out of fear of mad cow disease or something), we know we’ve found a kitchen where quality food is produced. I think the only burgers around that perhaps rival Clancy’s are those at the Red Nun, a local watering hole with exceptional pub food.

Will we return to Clancy’s? Absolutely – probably for Prime Rib night. And we will certainly recommend it to guests – particularly those seeking a casual venue with great food, service, and best of all, that old Cape Cod atmosphere, which, with newer more sophisticated restaurants sprouting up, is a rarity. As an added bonus, Clancy’s is open seven nights a week year round – who says there’s not much open on Cape Cod in the winter?

A New (But Old) Restaurant Discovery

As innkeepers, one of the hardest parts of the job is testing out all the restaurants in the area to determine the best to recommend. I’m being sarcastic, of course. There’s nothing we love more than to put our food critic hats on and see how eateries in the area stack up. After living here for five years, we certainly have our favorites and, as creatures of habit, rarely venture off our old stand-bys in search of something new. But after hearing the rave review from our trusted cohorts in the dining analysis practice (my in-laws), we abandoned our comfort zone and booked a table at the Old Yarmouth Inn.

I have to admit, my expectations weren’t high. As much as I trust my in-laws on restaurant advice, I felt like if I hadn’t yet discovered this landmark, which, according to their website has been around since pre-Revolutionary War days, it couldn’t possibly be anything to write home about. I was wrong. Set in a sprawling historic inn, the restaurant’s many smaller dining rooms feel cozy despite the 200 seats actually there. With wood paneled walls and a roaring fireplace, the tavern was our pick on the cold winter night we dined. Our waitress was friendly and helpful, yet unobtrusive and the menu was extensive, yet not overwhelming, allowing us to select from tavern or dining room fare. Also unexpected was an impressive wine list which has received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for seven years running and offers more than 18 wines by the glass and 115 from the wine cellar.

To start, we enjoyed carpaccio of beef with shaved Asiago and capers. While not the best we’ve ever had, it was certainly tasty and about what we expected from a casual, traditional eatery. For our entrees, I decided on honey mustard glazed salmon with cucumber, caper, and mango compote. I asked for the salmon cooked rare, as is my preference, and the chef delivered (often, I find this request gets overlooked). James opted for a braised short rib beef stew which was served piping hot and was out of this world – he went so far as to claim that it was the most tender beef he had ever had. For James, this was a bold statement. While we were too full for a third course, the dessert menu was tempting as was the three course $19.95 prix fixe menu offered in the winter at lunch daily, all night Sunday through Thursday, and 4:30-6:00pm on Friday and Saturday.

While a bit of a drive from the inn (30 minutes without traffic), we didn’t hesitate to add it to our recommendations list – especially since it is open 364 days a year and exuded a Cape Cod ambiance unrivaled by many other local spots.

The Logic Behind Inn Policies: Part Two

Policy Explanation #1: The Rationale Behind Minimum Stay Requirements

Picture this scenario: you call an inn wanting to book their most expensive suite for a Saturday night during their high season. It’s your 25th wedding anniversary, so you’re splurging for the best, but when the innkeeper informs you there is a four night minimum on the date you’ve requested, your plans are shattered. Why on earth would a business turn away the $500 you’re willing to fork over now versus holding out for a possible longer booking? I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve ruined someone’s vacation plans because they did not meet our minimum requirements. I honestly hate being the bearer of this bad news and have actually been called selfish, money hungry, and stupid for not taking a booking during tough times in the economy. While I appreciate the name calling and unsolicited business advice, there is good reason for this policy and quite frankly, I wouldn’t be in business if I didn’t adhere to it.

Here’s the thing – the high season is our bread and butter, so we’ve got to maximize our occupancy during that time. This often reminds me of a puzzle in which booking reservations back to back in the same room is key. Sometimes, this means we can take a one or two night stay because it is a perfect squeeze between two standing reservations. For this reason, we try to keep the wording on our minimum stay requirement policy fairly vague – after all, filling those gaps between reservations is the difference between achieving 98% occupancy and 100% occupancy – a feat we have managed the last two Augusts in a row.

In general, though, weekends in the summer, for us, are like gold. We can sell Saturday nights 20 times over that same day, let alone four months in advance. Bottom line is, we’re not worried about selling our Saturday nights and we’ve got to hold onto them for the guests whose stays will spill over to the weekdays. We’ve also got to keep in mind that the longer a guest stays, the less man hours are required. To illustrate my point, here’s what goes into flipping a room from start to finish:

1. Previous guest checks out (about five to ten minutes).
2. Room gets stripped so a set of sheets, towels, and robes go into the laundry (believe me, on days when we have a lot of check outs, the laundry room is a scary place!).
3. Housekeeping staff cleans room (about an hour).
4. Once room is clean, housekeeping marks off that room is finished and one of our interns goes over the room with an extensive checklist to make sure it is properly stocked, the temperature is comfortable, lights and music are on, etc. (about 15 minutes)
5. The intern initials that the room has been checked so the whole staff knows the room is ready for check-in.
6. Once the new guest arrives, a member of staff gives a brief tour pointing out all the amenities and common areas, walks the guest to his or her room, assists with bags if necessary, and checks off that the guest has arrived. (about 15 minutes)
7. Also, bear in mind that taking and processing each reservation takes anywhere from 15 minutes to several half hour phone conversations.

Therefore, with all that’s involved, it is important to stagger arrivals and departures so we don’t have all sixteen rooms checking in and out on say, a Sunday, which is what would happen if we were to sell our Saturday nights in advance. Perhaps this makes me “selfish, stupid and money hungry,” but as an innkeeper, I’ve got to remember that my inn is my livelihood which would not survive without sensible policies like this.

Captains House Inn Traditional Scone Recipe

Due to popular demand, here is our famous scone recipe:

Captains House Inn Traditional Scones

Oven Temperature 350°
Yield 10 - 12 scones
Cutter #3 Plain Circular Edge Cutter

Ingredients
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
3 Tbsp Sugar
½ Cup Butter
2 Large Eggs
1/8 Cup Heavy Cream

Ingredients - Egg Wash
1 Egg
A Little Heavy Cream

Method
1. Sift the dry ingredients into the mixer and cut in the butter until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.
2. Add the eggs and then the cream a little at a time. Do not over moisten the dough.
3. Roll the dough LIGHTLY to a ¾” thickness and use a #3 plain circular edge cutter to shape the scones.
4. Place the scones on a greased cookie sheet and brush them lightly with egg wash (beat the two egg wash ingredients together).
5. Bake for 15 minutes at 350° until they have risen and are lightly browned.

Presentation
Serve the scones with raspberry jam and freshly whipped cream. (decorate with sliced fresh strawberries if available)

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way Home For Christmas

This post has nothing whatsoever to do with innkeeping or the inn except that it happened to two people who happen to be innkeepers. Long ago, I dubbed my husband’s family’s Christmas traditions the “Meyer Christmas Spectacular.” It starts Christmas Eve with late church service followed by an elaborate opening of the stockings whereby each family member (there are six of us) buys everyone two stocking stuffers, wraps each gift, and provides a handwritten clue on each package. That makes sixty gifts, which, as tradition dictates, cannot be opened until the recipient guesses the contents. This typically carries on until about 3 a.m. Luckily there are homemade cookies and after dinner drinks available. We hit the sack exhausted, but not for long. Christmas morning finds us scrambling to wrap a couple last minute gifts, pumping our veins full of caffeine, and packing a well stocked diaper bag for our daughter who I’m feeling slightly resentful toward for having a good night’s sleep. Breakfast is at James’ parents – eggs, bacon, stollen scones, biscuits, and plenty of coffee. As gift opening gets underway, I’m wired and don’t anticipate the crash that will inevitably hit mid-afternoon. Time flies as we help prepare dinner, pack up gifts, set the dinner table, and welcome a sea of relatives. The day culminates with a huge spread of appetizers, a roast dinner, and dessert I don’t need, but eat anyway. We retire home in a food coma, drained, but content.

The prelude to the Meyer Christmas Spectacular is a five hour car ride to New Jersey several days prior where we spend Christmas Eve day with my dad and siblings before making the journey back just in time for church and stocking stuffers. This year, we decided to make the trip back slightly less painful by treating ourselves to take-out sushi for dinner. Sushi is our favorite meal, and though challenging to eat in the car, we figured it would be manageable and a fun splurge for the holidays. If you take anything away from this post, let it be this: DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES ATTEMPT TO EAT A SASHIMI BOAT FOR TWO WHILE DRIVING. The whole experience was a disaster – our GPS system steered us way further off the highway than we had anticipated, setting our already delayed trip back by a good twenty minutes. When we finally arrived, we decided our daughter was due for a diaper change and struggled through a surprise messy one while the poor thing was scrunched up on James lap which we were using as a very awkward makeshift changing table. When we finally settled her back into her car seat and began unpacking our spread (complete with soup which we didn’t realize was included), we realized our mistake. There were little foil to-go containers balancing on our knees, the console and the dashboard. The whole car smelled of raw fish and soy sauce and wouldn’t you know they forgot to include napkins. Our GPS was displaying an estimated arrival time back on the Cape of 10:04 p.m. and church started at 10. There was no time to pull over and organize properly. So, we shoveled $85 worth of not so good sushi into our mouths by hand in record time and thanks to James’ lead foot, we pulled into the church parking lot at 9:58. There were soy sauce stains on James’ shirt and we were feeling a bit remorseful about our expensive indulgence gone bad.

After church, we started to see the humor in the whole sushi fiasco. When I recounted the story to the family, we were all rolling with laughter picturing the scene. At least we had an $85 story to tell now, we reasoned. But then James’ sister handed out her own holiday tradition – scratch off tickets for everyone. And what do you think our combined winnings were? You guessed it - $85.

While, perhaps not always so obvious, I really do believe that there is a balance to life’s pleasures and disappointments. I can even relate this lesson to innkeeping – we may get a last minute cancellation, but then often take an unexpected booking. In any case, this time it worked out for us – but next time, we’ll stick with Subway!