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)

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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!