Holly Cole in Huntsville

Fern Glen Inn • www.ferngleninn.blogspot.com

Holly Cole, the Juno-award winning, sultry and soulful Canadian chanteuse, is performing April 17 as part of Huntsville's Spring Fever Weekend. 

Start your weekend at Fern Glen Inn... rewind, refresh, maybe stroll through the woods. Later on, head into town to check out the shopping specials and dine at one of the many excellent restaurants in Huntsville. Cap your evening under the spell of Holly Cole's velvet voice.

Go ahead and sleep in the next day. We're offering Sunday Brunch until 11am, plus a late check-out extended to 12:30pm.

Choose from two Holly Cole - Huntsville Spring Fever packages at Fern Glen Inn:

Spring Fever Weekend Getaway

Friday April 16 - Sunday April 18 

  Package includes:

• 2 nights accommodation at Fern Glen Inn
• General admission ticket to Holly Cole concert
• Huntsville Adventures 2010 Coupon Book
• Saturday breakfast, Sunday brunch
• Late check-out until 12:30pm Sunday 

Price: $145/person (based on double occupancy, taxes extra)

: :   : :   : :   : :

Spring Fever Overnighter

Saturday April 17 - Sunday April 18  

  Package includes:

• 1 night accommodation at Fern Glen Inn
• General admission ticket to Holly Cole concert
• Huntsville Adventures 2010 Coupon Book
  
• Sunday brunch
• Late check-out until 12:30pm Sunday 

Price: $99/person (based on double occupancy, taxes extra)

To book your Spring Fever getaway, call us toll free at 1-866-311-8519, send us an email or book online (mention Holly Cole Spring Fever package in Notes section to receive special package pricing). 

Grady's Paddle for SickKids

Fern Glen Inn • www.ferngleninn.blogspot.com

Enjoy a great day outdoors, on the water, surrounded by gorgeous scenery as you get some exercise... and all in support of a worthwhile cause.

Join us for Grady's Paddle on July 10th as we paddle down the beautiful Magnetawan River from the town of Burk's Falls to the village of Magenatwan to raise money for the Critical Care Unit at SickKids Hospital. 

The Event
The full route is 32 km, traveling with the current down the flat-water river and along Lake Ceceebe. It should take a slightly-out-of-shape, moderately active person about 7 1/2 hours to paddle. A shorter route is available for beginners, with plenty of support on the water and along the way.

The paddle ends at Lion's Park in Magnetawan, with food, entertainment and great prizes; plus complementary transportation for you and your craft back to Burk's Falls.

Bring your own canoe or kayak, or rent one from one of the local outfitters. Register for the event and collect pledges from friends, family, co-workers to sponsor your day. You don't have to paddle to participate. This is a SickKids sanctioned fundraising event, with lots of support from local businesses and townships. It's sure to be a fabulous day for everyone.

The Prizes
The participant who raises the most pledges (minimum $1,000) will win the Grand Prize of a 14' Saranac Sport Kayak, made locally by Swift Canoe. Many other great prizes are also up for grabs, including outdoor gear and vacation experiences.

Why are we getting involved here at Fern Glen Inn?
For one thing, it's a great cause. Like many people, we know kids and parents who have personally experienced the care of SickKids Hospital. But beyond that, Grady's Paddle is close to home. When our friends and local B&B owners, Judy and Wayne Dibben, lost their grandson, Grady King, to congenital heart disease at just 6 months old, they knew they had to take some action to make a difference.

Judy says "I learned first hand what a family goes through, and the extra mile that everyone at SickKids goes through the try to save these children. In appreciation of their efforts, Grady's parents and I have committed to help raise funds for much needed equipment for the Critical Care Unit at SickKids Hospital."

How can you get involved?

• Paddle! Register, collect pledges, and have a great day.
• Sponsor a paddler! Jim will be paddling the full route and happily welcomes a pledge from you. Donations over $20 will receive a tax receipt from SickKids Foundation. See donation details below.
• Donate a prize! As a member of the organizing committee, I'm seeking great prize donations to reward the hard-working participants. All prize donations over $20 will receive a tax receipt for the full retail value from SickKids Foundation. Email Jackie for details.

Let us sponsor you!
Registered paddlers who stay at Fern Glen Inn for the weekend will receive a $20 pledge from us (one pledge per room). Maybe you will be the top pledge-earner and win the grand prize kayak!

Donation Details
Grady's Gift Fund is a division of SickKids Foundation. Make cheques payable to SickKids Foundation - Re: Grady's Gift. The foundation will issue tax receipts for donations over $20. To sponsor Jim's paddle, mail cheque to:
Fern Glen Inn
1462 Fern Glen Rd., RR1
Emsdale, ON  P0A 1J0

Event Details
When: July 10, 2010
Time: register between 7am and 10am
Where: Burk's Falls town docks
Forms & Rentals: Grady's Paddle
About Grady King and Grady's Gift Fund: Grady's Gift

Please spread the word and share this information with the paddlers in your life. We hope to see you on the water!

Grown-up Brownies

Fern Glen Inn • www.ferngleninn.blogspot.com

This recipe comes to you courtesy of my previous two posts. After writing about green veggies, then inner children, where else could I go but to my brownie batter bowl?

For one thing, as much as I love my Brussels sprouts, I realize the vegetabley challenged among us might hesitate to spring them upon unsuspecting dinner mates. If you had been teetering on the fence over serving the sprouts, then fear no more. The solution, of course, is to end the meal with a rich chocolate dessert, then all else will be forgiven. (Actually, I find chocolate is the solution to many of life's problems, but that's a topic for another time.)

So I had to post a chocolate dessert—stat!—but which one? Brownies came to mind as an appropriate nod to the inner child in all of us. But with a twist. These brownies are all grown up. 

The basic recipe came from my brother-in-law, a man who knows his way around a kitchen. I did my usual tweaks and embellishments, this time adding Kahlua, dried cherries and hazelnuts. The liqueur adds moistness plus a complex layer of flavour. The cherries add an unexpected sweet-tart chewy element and the hazelnuts a mellow flavour and contrasting crunch. The result is a moist, dense, full-flavoured brownie.

Today I used Mocha-flavoured Kahlua, but any coffee or chocolate flavoured liqueur will suit. Had there been Kirsh or Cherry Brandy in my bar, I might have tried either of those in order to highlight the dried cherries in the batter. I love hazelnuts in this combination, but pecans or almonds would make a worthy substitute.

Grown-up Brownies 

with Kahlua, Dried Cherries and Hazelnuts

Serves 8 - 16, depending on serving size

• 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  
• 8 oz. (1 cup) unsalted butter
  
• 2 cups sugar
  
• 3 eggs
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 3 tablespoons Kahlua (or other coffee- or chocolate-flavoured liqueur)
  
• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
  
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  
• 1/2 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
  
• 1/2 cup toasted, skinned hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
  

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a baking pan or line it with parchment paper. I use an old-fashioned 7" x 11" brownie pan, but you can also use an 8" square pan or 9" round pan.

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a microwave or in a large bowl over simmering water. Whisk in the sugar. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, then the salt and Kahlua.

Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder over top. Stir until nearly combined. Add the dried cherries and hazelnuts and gently blend until no flour streaks remain. 

Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake until the top is dry and set and a toothpick inserted near the centre comes out clean or with moist crumbs attached, about 30 - 40 minutes depending on your pan. Check early in the time range, then often, to avoid overcooking and drying out the brownies.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Brownies keep well, stored in an airtight container, for 2 days; or wrapped tightly in plastic or foil and frozen for up to a month.

Grown-up Brownie Sundaes

Reheat brownies in a moderate oven for 5 minutes or in the microwave until warm. Top with vanilla or coffee ice cream. Drizzle with Kahlua, Kirsh, or Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur). Garnish with toasted hazelnuts and chocolate curls.

Enjoy!

Can your inner child come out and play?

There's nothing like a winter getaway to tease the inner child out of normally responsible, respectable adults. The grown-up world of jobs, deadlines and 'to do' lists can leave little time for simple, uncomplicated 'play'. Not so here!

I love seeing our guests shed the weight of the real world and just have fun in the snow. When a chorus of giggles and laughter, of hoots and hollers, rings out across a snowy field, we can't help but smile along. Such unfettered, of-the-moment happiness is wonderfully contagious.

When was the last time you went tobogganing, built a snowman, frolicked in the snow? If it was when you were a kid, then you are long overdue to come out and play!

Quote for a winter day:

Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour.

~John Boswell

Mon Petit Chou

In highschool french class, I learned mon petit chou is a term of endearment in France which literally translates to "my little cabbage". Having never been particularly dear to a frenchman, I don't know if that is true, but it certainly sounds more appealing than any other title I could come up with for today's recipe.

I suspect if I had titled this "Brussels Sprouts", or even "Really Good Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Pine Nuts", some readers just wouldn't get past those poor, maligned vegetables with bad PR. 

Many people profess to dislike brussels sprouts (in fact, so many that I rarely offer them to guests). But often the problem is not with the vegetables, but with the way they are cooked. These dense little orbs of tightly furled leaves are often prepared whole. By the time the centres of the sprouts are nicely tender, the outer layers of leaves are over-cooked and mushy. Not appetizing.

The answer is to slice (or "shred") the sprouts so they cook quickly and evenly. It's also a great way to incorporate other tasty additions. If you're not a fan of Brussels sprouts, hold off judgement until you try them like this. You might hear some terms of endearment from your dinner mates if you do!

Mes Petites Choux

(Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Pine Nuts)

Makes 4 side dish servings.

These adorable vegetables really do look like miniature cabbages. Their nutty, earthy taste is highlighted by the savoury additions in this recipe.

• 2 oz pancetta or other italian-style bacon, cut in 1/4" dice (about 1/4 cup)*
  
• olive oil
  
• 2 medium shallots, halved and sliced crosswise
  
• 1 1/2 lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed, cut in half through the stem, then sliced lengthwise into 1/8-1/4" slices
  
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
  
• 1/2 cup chicken broth*

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the diced pancetta in a glug of olive oil, stirring frequently, until the fat has been rendered and the pancetta is browned, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the shallots and sliced Brussels sprouts. Season lightly with salt and pepper and stir to coat with the fat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sprouts start to soften and brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pine nuts and cook for another minute or two for the nuts to take on some colour, stirring to prevent burning.

Stir in the broth. Cover the pan with the lid slightly ajar and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the sprouts are just tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the lid, increase the heat to medium-high and continue cooking, stirring often, until the liquid is evaporated and the sprouts are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

* For a vegetarian version, omit pancetta and use butter or more olive oil to start the sprouts. Replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth, white wine, orange juice or water.

Neighbours drop by

If you enjoyed meeting our neighbours when I wrote about our critter-sitting experience last fall, you'll be happy to know they are well-equipped for winter.

We've had some very cold days and I wondered how the animals manage when the mercury falls below -20°C. I had the opportunity to find out when Mocha and Buddy, along with their people Zoe and Tegan, stopped by while out for a walk on a recent sunny winter afternoon.

Apparently they do just fine in the cold weather! Zoe tells us that Mocha regularly busts out of her barn to savour the fresh winter air. Both Mocha and Buddy have grown warm, thick winter coats. Buddy is so shaggy he looks almost like a shetland pony. Mocha, too, is sporting extra fuzz. It's a very different style from her sleek summer do.

We should all be so lucky to have such toasty winter coats. Then again, Tegan looks pretty well bundled up, too!

Photo Contest

We're having a photo contest and there are two ways to win...

Enter a photo for your chance to win a Free Night at Fern Glen Inn plus a Digital Photo Keychain to show off your winning photo!
or
Vote for a photo and be entered in a draw to win a Free Night at Fern Glen Inn!

Contest Theme
At Fern Glen Inn: Photos from the inn, the property, or the nearby Seguin Trail

How to Enter
Read the Photo Contest Rules and Regulations (below). Email your photo to contest@ferngleninn.on.ca. Enter up to three photos, one photo per email submission.

In your submission email, include the following (don't forget to attach your photo!):

Your name:
Email address:
Phone number:
Approximate date photo was taken:
Location photo was taken:
Name of attached file:
Title of photo (optional):
"I, (insert your name), certify I am the photographer of the attached photo; and I have read and agree to the Photo Contest Rules and Regulations."

Fern Glen Inn will post your photo(s) to the Photo Contest album on our facebook page within 24 hours of receiving a complete submission email. As soon as your photo is posted, it's available to start collecting votes—so enter soon!

How to Vote
Visit the Fern Glen Inn facebook page and Become a Fan if you're not one already. View the Photo Contest album. To vote for a photo, click to enlarge it; then click on the "Like" button.

Photo Contest Grand Prize
In addition to untold fame and glory, the winner of the photo contest receives a Gift Certificate for One Free Night plus a Digital Photo Keychain. Valid for one night accommodation and breakfast for two at Fern Glen Inn; approx. $110 value. Grand Prize also includes 1.5" digital photo keychain with built-in LED flashlight and car mount; displays up to 100 photos; Mac and PC compatible; approx. $30 value.

Some restrictions apply*.

Random Draw Prize
One randomly selected Fan/Voter will receive a Gift Certificate for One Free Night. Valid for one night accommodation and breakfast for two at Fern Glen Inn; approx. $110 value.

Some restrictions apply*.

Photo Contest Rules and Regulations

1. Photos must fit the current theme of the contest (ie. taken at Fern Glen Inn anywhere on the property or on the section of the Seguin Trail between Fern Glen Rd. and the town of Sprucedale).
   
2. The contest is open to past and current guests and visitors of Fern Glen Inn who are 18 years of age or older. The inn proprietors and their immediate families are not eligible to win.
   
3. The contest runs until March 31, 2010. Submit photos by midnight EST March 28, 2010 to be eligible. The winner will be announced on or about April 1 on the Fern Glen Inn facebook page, and will be notified by email that week.
   
4. Submit photos by email to contest@ferngleninn.com. Entries will be posted by Fern Glen Inn to the Photo Contest photo album.
   
5. Only digital submissions will be accepted. Photos should be in JPG format and should not be any larger than 4mb each.
   
6. The winner will be determined by popular vote. The photo with the most "Like's" as of 11:00 pm EST on March 31, 2010, will be deemed the Prize Winner, providing all other criteria as outlined in the Contest Rules and Regulations are met. In the event of a tie for most "Like's" between one or more photos, the winner will be determined by a random draw among those who are tied for the most "Like's".
   
7. By submitting a photo to the contest, you certify that you are the photographer and sole copyright owner of the photo. You consent to and give Fern Glen Inn the right in perpetuity to publish, display, post and otherwise use the photo for advertising, trade, publicity and promotional purposes in any media now known or hereafter discovered, worldwide, including on the internet, without review, notification or approval, all without limitation or additional consideration, unless prohibited by law. You agree that the photo may be cropped, edited, electronically manipulated or otherwise altered, and that whether or how the photograph is used is entirely for Fern Glen Inn to decide. You certify that any identifiable persons represented in the entry have supplied express permission for their likeness to be used for advertising, trade or publicity without consideration, in perpetuity.
   
8. This offer is void where prohibited by law.
   
9. Fern Glen Inn is not responsible for lost or misdirected entries, or for technical difficulties which may interfere with submissions and/or voting.
   
10. Fern Glen Inn reserves the right to post or remove all/any entries.

Voting and Random Draw Rules and Regulations

1. Fans of the Fern Glen Inn facebook page may vote for a photo by clicking on the "Like" associated with the photo. Each "Like" counts as one vote. Fans are invited to comment on photos, but only a "Like" will count as a vote.
   
2. Fans may vote for multiple photos. Each vote is counted towards a photo's tally. Each voting Fan is entered once into the random draw, regardless of the number of votes they cast.
   
3. Fans may vote for their own photo submissions.
   
4. One voting Fan will be randomly selected after the contest closes on March 31, 2010. The winner will be announced on or about April 1 on the Fern Glen Inn facebook page, and will be notified via facebook.
   
5. The Grand Prize Winner is not eligible to win the Random Draw Prize, nor are the inn proprietors and their immediate families. Winner must be 18 years of age or older to claim their prize.

*Gift Certificate is valid for one night accommodation and breakfast for up to two people in one room of the Coach House at Fern Glen Inn B&B. Subject to availability. Minimum 2-night stays apply on High Season weekends. Not valid long weekends or holidays. Use by July 31, 2010. No cash value. Transferable with prior approval by issuer.