Berries in season

We picked a dozen quarts of strawberries the other day and have turned them into delicious jam. It is an arduous process but well worth the time and effort. I prefer the non pectin method which means a longer time in preparing but I think it makes a better jam.

Every morning at our Catskills Bed and Breakfast we serve homemade jam. This week we are finishing up the blueberry jam made last season. Out raspberries are coming in and we should start serving our own homegrown raspberries this weekend. Unlike strawberries which are a short season, our raspberries fruit throughout the summer. Next will be blueberries and then blackberries. The blues in our garden are better than last year but the blacks look a little less plentiful than we would like.

Here are some pictures from the kitchen at Breezy Hill Inn.

Book now for August and September!

Pecan Pear Muffins

My neighbor and friend Sandy has a pear orchard in her backyard. She did not plant the trees but decades ago the farmer who owned her farmhouse did. There are several varieties and every year she graciously gives me pears in the late fall. In turn, I give her jars of my jams and if when we  are both lucky I am able to give her plum jam. My plum tree is finicky and if the weather is cooperating, it yields lots of plums from which I make jam.

This past fall I made Pecan pear muffins and breads. I give or trade them with others but I always put a couple of dozen muffins away in the freezer. This morning I served them to our guests. They were delicious and eagerly gobbled up. I managed to get one myself and shared it with my husband. They were very tasty and moist.

Tomorrow, we will serve our  signature banana walnut muffins along with a fresh fruit cup followed by omelets with cheddar cheese and chives. The chives were grown in our garden, washed, cut up and then stored in the freezer.

Already beginning to think about what we will plant in the garden this spring!

Last Batch of Plum Jam

Every spring I wait to see if the plum tree blossoms will develop into tiny plums. The last two years the blossoms froze in early June and we had no  fruit on our plum tree. This year as the blossoms came out, they developed into tiny plums. I watched them anxiously as they grew. Some of them were the size of golf balls others had dropped off, an example of selection of the fittest. By August they were turning reddish purple and by early September, we had ripe plums.

The process of making jam is multi-stepped. From collecting the fruit, pitting them and slicing the fruit, sterilizing the jars and boiling the fruit mixed with the right amount of sugar and lemon juice so that the end result is not too sweet and not too tart, all takes hours and dedication. But when  the jam is ready to be poured in the jars, sealed and processed, there is an enormous sense of accomplishment.

We serve homemade jam at every breakfast throughout the year. Guest love it and watching them spread the plum, strawberry or blueberry jam on the homemade muffins we serve regularly, is a delight.

Want to taste our home made jam? Book a weekend at the Breezy Hill Inn. You wont be dissapointed!

 www.breezyhillinn.com

Wow! What a week this has been. Temperatures in the 70s and 80s, perfect days and nights.

Lots of great press about the Catskills. Mostly focused just to the east of us. All the great places to visit and restaurants cited are an easy drive from Breezy Hill Inn not more than 15 minutes. Check out the travel piece on CNN,
www.cnn.com/travel/article/catskills-new-york-vacation-revival/index.html

New to our website this month is direct booking. So check out availability and book now!www.breezyhillinn.com

Breakfast of Baked French Toast with Home Grown Strawberries

Last year we planted strawberries in our garden at Breezy Hill Inn and this year they are fruiting beautifully. We have been picking them, making jam and served them today on baked french toast, one of the specialties at our Catskills bed and breakfast. Baked on a bed of local maple syrup, we use whole wheat artisan bread. Breakfast also included home made banana muffins, yogurt with honey, blue berries and granola. Mmmm good.

Join us at Breezy Hill Inn for fabulous summer views and wholesome breakfasts served on our screened in Gazebo with views of the Catskill Mountains, weather permitting!

www.breezyhillinn.com

Summer Blooms Exuberant

Every year we think the flowers are the best ever and this year we think there are truly the most colorful and plentiful yet. Alan has done a fantastic job of landscaping the grounds of our Catskills bed and breakfast, Breezy Hill Inn. Every stone wall has cascading blooms and the flower beds are teaming with colors.  If you are a gardener, you will thoroughly enjoy walking the gardens and if not, well, you will love the color and natural splendor that will surround you. Sitting on the wrap around porch is a treat.

Not only are our flower gardens superlative this year but our berry garden has been producing delicious strawberries which we  have been serving at breakfast for the last week or two. The raspberries are beginning to ripen and after that we will have our own blueberries and blackberries.

Come and enjoy all the best that summer has to offer in the Catskill Mountains.

Michelle
Breezy Hill Inn

www.breezyhillinn.com

June at Breezy Hill  Inn

Breezy Hill Inn's gardens are in full bloom! The peonies are plentiful this year and the aroma is wonderful. Irises in deep purple, stark white and burgundy are blooming next to the orange and red poppies. What a sight. It is always a treat when the day lilies which line the road and the front walkway in front of the Inn start to peak their flowery heads. By July 4th weekend, the full row will be in its glory. Stay for a weekend and enjoy our mountain views and glorious flowering gardens!