Archive for the ‘Boothbay Maine B&B’ Category
September 13th, 2012 by richard-pamela-riley
The “apple man” cometh!
This morning while Richard and I were fixing breakfast here at Hodgdon Island Inn there was a loud knocking on the front door followed by the low murmuring of voices intent on not disturbing the guests still sleeping.
I have to admit that it is pretty unusual to have someone knock that early in the day, so I was trying to think who it might be. Of course! It was time for the “Apple Man” to come! I could not believe it!
Summer had changed to fall and apple season was upon us. The signs were all there: shorter days with really deep pink sunsets, heavy dew on the morning grass, Monarch butterflies heading in a southwesterly direction and the “apple man” at the front door.
The apple man comes twice a year from Augusta with his station wagon full of just picked Maine apples http://www.maineapples.org/varieties/ Yum! The smell is absolutely delightful. It reminds me of my childhood apple picking adventures down by the Ohio River at Parlor Grove Farm in Kentucky. The best ones of course, are always on the high, high branches. I hate ladders, being slightly afraid of heights, so I loved it when my dad would take me in his arms and swing me up high so I could pick the really good ones! Picking apples with the “apple man” is a lot easier and requires no ladder, but that same element of fun is there when one takes his paper basket and begins picking the assortment of apples one wants. A McIntosh here, a Jersymac there, a Jonamac or two and a Paulared … J
Apple season is here and so for the next few weeks Hodgdon Island Inn guests will be treated to a multitude of apple recipes including our most often requested signature dessert: apple pie cobbler cake (see September 12, 2012 BLOG for recipe).
Happy Fall!
Tags: Boothbay Bed and Breakfast, Boothbay Harbor Bed and Breakfast, Boothbay Maine, Coastal Maine B&B, Gourmet breakfasts, Hodgdon Island Inn apple recipes, Maine apple season
Posted in B&B Boothbay Harbor, Bed & Breakfast near Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay B&B, Boothbay Bed and Breakfast, Boothbay Maine B&B, Maine, Maine Coast Activities | 1 Comment »
September 13th, 2012 by richard-pamela-riley
Apple Pie Cobbler Cake
A recipe from Pamela Byrne Riley,
Innkeeper, Hodgdon Island Inn, Boothbay, Maine
Photographed by Richard B. Riley
Apple Pie Cobbler Cake
Ingredients:
1/2 c butter or margarine
1 c sugar
¾ c all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¾ c milk
3 c Apple filling (I make my own, but any 20 -21 ounce can of pie filling works in a pinch)
Cinnamon sugar
Directions:
Place butter or margarine in an 8”x8” baking pan; set in a 325-degree oven to melt.
Combine sugar, flour, salt and milk; mix well with a wire whisk.
Pour over melted butter or margarine; do not stir.
Spoon pie filling on top of batter; again, do not stir.
Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of batter and fruit.
Bake at 325 degrees for about an hour, until golden.
Serve warm or cold with whipped cream.
Makes 6-8 servings.
Tags: apple pie cobbler recipe, Boothbay Bed and Breakfast, Boothbay Harbor Bed and Breakfast, Hodgdon Island Inn recipe, Pamela Byrne Riley, recipe for an easy dessert, Richard B. Riley
Posted in B&B Boothbay Harbor, Bed & Breakfast near Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay B&B, Boothbay Bed and Breakfast, Boothbay Maine B&B, Maine, Recipes | Comments Off
July 28th, 2012 by richard-pamela-riley
From the kitchen of Pamela Byrne Riley, Hodgdon Island Inn, Boothbay, Maine … Photographs by Richard B. Riley
Baked eggs in bread bowls – easy to make and fun to eat!
Baked Eggs in Bread Bowls – Fun to Eat and Easy To Make!
Ingredients
- 8 crusty dinner rolls
- 8 large eggs
- 1/4 cup chopped mixed herbs, such as parsley, chives and tarragon
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- Salt and pepper
- 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Slice off top of each dinner roll and gently remove some bread until there is a hole large enough to accommodate an egg. Arrange rolls on a rimmed baking sheet. Reserve tops.
2. Crack an egg into each roll, then top with some herbs and a bit of cream. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
3. Bake until eggs are set and bread is toasted, 20 to 25 minutes. After eggs have cooked for 20 minutes, place bread tops on baking sheet and bake until golden brown. Let sit 5 minutes. Place tops on rolls and serve warm.
Tags: Boothbay Harbor Bed and Breakfast, Boothbay Maine Bed and Breakfast, easy recipe for baked eggs in bread bowls, Hodgdon Island Inn, Pamela Byrne Riley, recipe for baked eggs in bread bowls, Richard B. Riley
Posted in B&B Boothbay Harbor, Bed & Breakfast near Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay B&B, Boothbay Bed and Breakfast, Boothbay Maine B&B | 1 Comment »
June 26th, 2012 by richard-pamela-riley
December 2011/January 2012 Issue
In the December 2011/January 2012 issue of Coastal Living Magazine (http://coastalliving.com /), in an article titled “Full House” written by Pamela Redmond Satran, Hodgdon Island Inn Host, Pamela Byrne Riley, provides insights along with Lizzie Post as to how to make your houseguests feel right at home. Lizzie Post is the great-great-granddaughter of etiquette guru, Emily Post, and co-author of Emily Post’s Great Get-Togethers.
A summer’s day at HII
Pamela and her husband, Richard (http://www.stonehouse1817.com/ ), marked the beginning of their third season as owners and innkeepers at Hodgdon Island Inn or HII, as Pamela and Richard affectionately call the nine-room bed and breakfast inn, this past May and they are enjoying every minute of it! “Running the inn is a natural for us”, says Pamela – “we love to entertain and we love people!” The Number One rule at HII is that the minute you walk through the door you become family”.
Hodgdon Island Inn is located just minutes from Boothbay Harbor and the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (http://mainegardens.org). The décor reflects a casual, tasteful elegance. Its dominant views are westward looking and each room is painted to frame the magnificent Maine sunsets in pinks and blues, and to echo the shoreline hues of gold and green. In addition to enjoying the first floor common rooms, guests may relax on the porch, explore the grounds, sit by the water’s edge in a super comfy Adirondack chair, sip a glass of wine while being hypnotized by the water, or take a dip in the beautiful heated in-ground pool.
The inn’s heated in-ground pool
The innkeepers take a great delight in spoiling their guests. A full gourmet breakfast is served each morning and “Dessert & Conversation” is presented each evening. Complimentary hot beverages and bottled water are available throughout the day. Extra special touches include honoring special dietary needs/preferences, fresh flowers in the rooms, an ice machine on the porch and Pamela and Richard’s assistance in planning your stay.
To check out what Hodgdon Island Inn guests have to say about their visit to the inn and their hosts, go to (http://www.tripadvisor.com/The_Hodgdon_Island_Inn ) or to make a reservation, go to http://www.boothbaybb.com/ and click on the RESERVATION/AVAILABILITY line at the top right-hand side of the inn’s homepage or call Pamela & Richard at 1.800.314.5160
Tags: Boothbay Bed and Breakfast, closest bed and breakfast to Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Hodgdon Island Inn, Maine, Pamela Byrne Riley, Quality lodging near Boothbay Harbor, Top Lodging Boothbay, Trip Advisor Boothbay
Posted in B&B Boothbay Harbor, Bed & Breakfast near Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay B&B, Boothbay Bed and Breakfast, Boothbay Maine B&B, Maine | Comments Off
June 23rd, 2012 by richard-pamela-riley
Bennie Alice arrives at Cabbage Island
Last summer, Richard and I were invited to a 60th birthday celebration for a very dear friend and neighbor. The celebration, she told us, was to be held on CabbageIsland as she had always wanted to have a clambake for her birthday so where better to do it than on the five and a half-acre CabbageIsland inLinekinBay.
We were psyched. It was a beautiful Saturday evening in July; our guests had all checked in; good friends were inn-sitting for us and we were about to embark on a fact-finding mission: we were about to find out for ourselves if everything we had heard about “The Cabbage Island Clambake” http://www.cabbageislandclambakes.com/clambakes.htm was true. The experience from start to finish was amazing – from the boat ride to the dinner to the friendly and professional staff to the island itself – we understood completely why this adventure is and continues to be a favoriteBoothbayHarborattraction!
The boat, named the Bennie Alice, departed from Pier 6 at Fisherman’s Wharf (the boat goes out daily in the summer and twice on Saturday and Sunday). Along with about 150 other adventurers, we gently cruised out ofBoothbayHarbor, pastSquirrelIsland, around the Burnt Island Lighthouse, gazed at Ocean Point,RamIslandand other coastline treasures until we docked about forty-five minutes later atCabbageIsland.
Enjoying the fare!
Once we had disembarked, we made for the picnic tables that theCabbageIslandstaff had so thoughtfully set up for our party of 12. Drink orders were placed (FYI – they do offer full liquor service on board the Bennie Alice and onCabbageIsland) and then our meal began with a cup of deliciousNew Englandseafood chowder (generous chunks of fish and clams swimming in a lightly seasoned broth). Shortly afterward we heard the boat horn announcing that “lobsters were ready”. We made our way to the area designated for picking up dinner.
Yum!
Dinner was sumptuous as we worked our way through two luscious bright red lobsters, tender white steamed clams wrapped in foil, an ear of sweet golden corn on the cob, an onion, and a full size newMainepotato accompanied by plenty of drawn butter for dipping. It was a culinary delight! Richard and I said to each other as we picked up our artfully arranged trays that there was no way we were going to be able to eat all of that food – well guess what? We did. It was delicious! And to top it all off, we were served generous slices of the famous Cabbage Island Blueberry Cake with fresh coffee. Did I mention that it was delicious?!
The magic, they claim, is in the cooking process. The Original Downeast Clambake ofBoothbayHarboris cooked in seaweed, steamed from top to bottom, and covered with tarpaulins and rocks in order to capture all the flavor and sweetness of theMainelobsters and clams.
Keeping up the family tradition, owner Wayne Moore and Pamela
Magic is a good word to use in conjunction with the Cabbage Island Clambake. Needless to say our friend enjoyed her birthday celebration as did we and the rest of her party – none of us wanted to see the evening end. It was perfect: good friends, delicious food, a beautiful location, and all surrounded by the sea. AUDIBLE SIGH …
Advance reservations are suggested as the clambakes are very popular. Be sure to get there early as reservations are held until 15 minutes prior to departure. For reservations call 207-633-7200.
Tags: Attractions Boothbay Harbor Region, Boothbay B&B lodging, Boothbay Harbor Bed and Breakfast near Cabbage Island, Burnt Island Lighthouse, Cabbage Island Clam and Lobster Bake, Downeast Clambake, Lodging near Cabbage Island
Posted in B&B Boothbay Harbor, Bed & Breakfast near Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay B&B, Boothbay Bed and Breakfast, Boothbay Maine B&B, Maine, Maine Coast Activities | 1 Comment »
April 10th, 2012 by richard-pamela-riley
Come celebrate over fifty years of maritime history in Boothbay Harbor when the majestic schooners drop anchor to take part in the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce’s 51st Annual Windjammer Days Festival, June 25-26, 2013.
Stay three nights at Hodgdon Island Inn and we’ll give you 50% off the third night in honor of this special occasion. The inn, a nine room Bed & Breakfast, just minutes from the hustle bustle of Boothbay Harbor, the Boothbay Country Club & Golf Course, the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens and the area’s fun and fine dining establishments, offers casual elegance, private bathrooms, water views, free WiFi and lots of personalized service!
A full gourmet breakfast is included every morning along with fresh homemade desserts each evening. Complimentary hot beverages and bottled water are available throughout the day.
Hodgdon Island Inn has a heated in-ground pool (open Memorial Day through Columbus Day, weather permitting) and a secure parking lot.
Exclusions: Offer does not apply for one or two-night stays and is good only on stays from June 23 –June 30, 2013. Cannot be used with other specials or discounts and is based on double occupancy and availability. 7% Maine state lodging tax is extra. Please mention this special at the time of booking or put in the “Comments Section” when making an on-line reservation and we’ll apply the discount when we confirm your reservation. Rates subject to change.
Tags: 50th Anniversary Windjammer Days specials, Boothbay B&B specials, Boothbay Harbor B&B specials, Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce, Boothbay Harbor Windjammer Days, closest bed and breakfast to Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Windjammer Days Boothbay Harbor
Posted in B&B Boothbay Harbor, Bed & Breakfast near Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay B&B, Boothbay Bed and Breakfast, Boothbay Maine B&B, Maine, Maine Coast Activities, Packages & Specials | Comments Off
March 6th, 2012 by richard-pamela-riley
The crust is made from crushed Oreo cookies
(Makes 9 servings, 2 bars each)
Ingredients:
12 Oreo cookies, finely crushed*
2 TBS butter, melted
3 squares Baker’s White Chocolate, divided
2 pkg (8oz each) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened*
½ cup sugar
1 TSP vanilla
2 eggs*
¼ cup red raspberry preserves (preferably seedless)
Directions:
1) Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Mix cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 8-inch square pan.
3) Melt chocolate squares as directed on package.
4) Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add melted chocolate; mix well; Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
5) Bake 25 to 28 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool 5 minutes; spread with preserves.
6) Melt remaining square of chocolate; drizzle over cheesecake.
7) Cool cheesecake. Refrigerate 4 hours. Cut into 18 bars.
*To save calories and lower the grams of fat and cholesterol per serving, prepare recipe with Reduced Fat Oreos, Philadelphia Neufchatel Cheese and egg whites.
Tags: Boothbay Harbor Bed and Breakfast, Boothbay Maine Bed and Breakfast, easy recipe for cheesecake dessert, easy white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, oreo cookie crust, Pamela Byrne Riley, recipe for an easy dessert
Posted in B&B Boothbay Harbor, Bed & Breakfast near Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay B&B, Boothbay Bed and Breakfast, Boothbay Maine B&B, Recipes | Comments Off
March 6th, 2012 by richard-pamela-riley
HII Innkeepers,Richard & Pamela, prepare to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Oroe cookie
Tuesday, March 6,2012 is a very important day. Why you ask? Well, it could be because it is only 14 days away from the first day of spring; or it could be because it is just 11 days away from the much beloved St. Paddy’s Day; and it could be because it is just 9 days away from the infamous “Ides of March”, but no, none of the above applies.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012 will mark the 100th anniversary of the Oreo cookie! (Oreo is a trademark for a popular cookie sandwich by the Nabisco Division of Kraft Foods. The current design consists of a sweet, white filling commonly referred to as ‘cream’, sandwiched between two circular chocolate or golden cookie pieces.)
Personally I think it calls for a celebration. Why you ask? I’m glad you asked! Because when you stop and think about it, very few things have been around for the length of this duration for most of us alive today (there are very few folks alive over the age of 100, right?). 100 years is a milestone in any shape or form. Now I know that the Oreo cookie has not been immune to its metamorphoses, but the overriding fact is that over 491 billion of these cookies have been sold since they were first introduced, making them the “best selling cookie of the 20th century”. Its two deliciously crunchy outer chocolate wafers are still here to be screwed apart along with the delicate and rich creamy white inside to be licked clean before, during or after enjoying a cold glass of milk (or the beverage of one’s choice)!
On Tuesday, March 6th, at Hodgdon Island Inn you will find Richard and me conducting our own “Oreo Anniversary Party”. We are looking forward to having an excuse to stuff ourselves with one of our very favorite store-bought cookies. Richard likes to demolish two Oreos at one time by unscrewing the chocolate tops off the cookies and smushing the two white centers together (still attached to the other remaining chocolate wafers) – you know, kind of like his own version of the “Double Stuffed” – before munching on the remaining chocolate wafers. Too much work for me – I want that instant Oreo gratification! I dunk the entire cookie into my cup of hot tea (complete with milk and sugar) and then quickly pop it into my mouth so as to savor the fudgy cream mixture of melted Oreo. Yum! Of course, I also keep a spoon handy because I have occasionally been known to fail in not moving ye olde dunked cookie fast enough from cup to mouth and have experienced the old kerplop of melting cookie into tea. Not pretty, but I digress …
Hmmm … I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking I’m not going to make it to Tuesday. I want my Oreos right now!
P. S. If you have a favorite way to eat Oreos, please share. And don’t forget to check out our website for one of my favorite dessert recipes using what else?! Oreos.
Tags: 100th Anniversary Oreo cookies, Boothbay Harbor Bed and Breakfast, Boothbay Maine Bed and Breakfast, Hodgdon Island Inn, Hodgdon Island Inn Bed and Breakfast, Pamela Byrne Riley, Richard B. Riley
Posted in B&B Boothbay Harbor, Bed & Breakfast near Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay B&B, Boothbay Bed and Breakfast, Boothbay Maine B&B | Comments Off
February 9th, 2012 by richard-pamela-riley
Bridal Party at Hodgdon Island Inn
Hodgdon Island Inn, situated just minutes from the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (http://www.mainegardens.org) the churches, restaurants and resorts of Boothbay Harbor, the Boothbay Region Greenhouses, Wilson Chapel at Ocean Point, Southport and/or Squirrel Island, is conveniently located, easy to get to and offers secure on-site parking.
Bridal Party enroute to Wilson Chapel at Ocean Point
The inn’s nine contemporary-traditionally decorated rooms with en-suite bathrooms, air-conditioning comfort, in-room refrigerators and water views provide the perfect home-away-from-home for you and/or your guests.
Wedding guests headed to Isle of Springs
“The 30’ long Loft, Room Number 9, is a favorite for our bridal couples” says innkeeper, Pamela Byrne Riley. “It has its own entrance, a super comfortable king bed, a sitting area, a large bathroom complete with a whirlpool tub (outfitted of course with candles and plenty of bubble bath) and outstanding views.” It also has cable TV, a refrigerator and an electric fireplace for cuddling in front of during stays in the cooler seasons.
So whether you are: 1) looking for luxury accommodations for you and your new spouse to hole up in before, during and after your big day; 2) looking for the “perfect Maine getaway” to house family, friends, bridal party members or guests; and/or 3) looking for the picture-perfect spot for a small, intimate, casual wedding, Hodgdon Island Inn is the Maine destination for you and the innkeepers, Pamela & Richard, promise to love, pamper and spoil you and your guests from beginning to end.
Deb & Josh loved the Loft!
Megan & Matt married at Hodgdon Island Inn
Hodgdon Island Inn is located about an hour northeast of Portland; an hour south of Camden or three hours from Boston or Bar Harbor. If coming by air: fly into Portland International Jet Port; rent a car, call for a limousine service or make arrangements to be met by a Boothbay Harbor Region taxi. Private planes may fly into Wiscasset Airport; rental cars and taxi services are available. If coming by car from points south follow I-295 to Brunswick. Take Exit 28 or Exit 31 to Route 1 North. Follow Route 1 through Wiscasset. Just across the river bear right onto Route 27 out of Edgecomb south to Boothbay. After 9.3 miles, bear right at the Boothbay Civil War monument, across from the town common. Go straight at the stop sign. After a quarter mile, bear right onto Barters Island Road.
Tom & Sarah married at the Gardens
The Inn is about 1.2 miles down the road (you will go past the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, down a hill and cross over a bridge) and our driveway will be on your left just before the Trevett Draw Bridge, General Store and Post Office.
To find out how to rent the entire inn, or get a group rate, contact Pamela & Richard via e-mail at stay@boothbaybb.com or call them at 1-800-314-5160. Hodgdon Island Inn is open from March through November.
Beautiful bridesmaids
Tags: Boothbay Harbor wedding, Boothbay wedding, luxury accomodations Boothbay, Maine wedding destinations, Maine weddings, weddings at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Wilson Chapel Ocean Point
Posted in B&B Boothbay Harbor, Bed & Breakfast near Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay B&B, Boothbay Bed and Breakfast, Boothbay Maine B&B, Maine, Maine Coast Activities | Comments Off
January 28th, 2012 by richard-pamela-riley
Surrounded by cookbooks, magazines, and my dog-eared notebooks, my head is swimming with the possibilities
Today here at Hodgdon Island Inn, it is a stay-inside-and-drink-plenty-of-warm-beverages kind of day so I am using it to do some more research on one of my very favorite subjects: recipe development! As I sit here sipping a cup of Red Rooibos tea infused with blackcurrant extract I am in seventh heaven. Surrounded by cookbooks, magazines, and my dog-eared notebooks, my head is swimming with the possibilities for new breakfast starters, entrees and desserts. Just think poor Richard will have to suffer through yet another round of “taste testing”.
In between reading up on the latest cooking trends, healthy ingredients, the importance of shopping locally and thinking about which recipe(s) we will try this week, I have been riveted to P.D. James’s new mystery novel, Death Comes to Pemberly. It is every bit an exciting sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice as it is one of James’s very British murder mysteries (I keep waiting for Commander Adam Dalgliesh to appear)!
But I digress … I digress because I came across an interesting fact on the Internet today – January is National Hot Tea Month – which caused my mind to begin to wander and connect the dots between my delicious cup of Red Rooibos tea (infused with blackcurrant extract – yum) with the cure-all cup of tea in Regency England with what the so-called hottest trend in hot teas is at the moment.
January is National Hot Tea Month
According to the experts, this year’s hottest trend is “flowering teas”. It is amazing to watch as hand-sewn sachets of tea and dried flowers bloom! If you have a few seconds to spare, check out this video link: http://www.whas11.com/video/yahoo-video/January-is-National-Tea-Month-13 and once you get there you may have to type in “January is National Hot Tea Month” in the video search section …
Now we know there are wonderful coffee shops and bookshop/cafes around the Boothbay Harbor Region where we have the occasional fresh-brewed cup of coffee and the calorie-busting frappucino, but I have to admit, under normal circumstances, to being a dyed-in-the-wool tea drinker. In fact, legend has it, that my mother (being fromIreland), used to put milk with tea in my baby bottle. And I am afraid I am not just a tea drinker, but I am a discerning tea drinker which means that I require water that is at a rolling boil, the appropriate steeping time, coffee-free vessels, and whenever possible, china cups or mugs.
So Richard and I have set out in search of local tea purveyors and found a gem right here in Boothbay: McNab’s Tea Room up the road from the inn off Back River Road. http://www.mcnabsteatoom.com/
Well, I’m off to put the kettle on and make dinner. A possible new breakfast entrée is on taps for tonight: baked eggs in bread bowls with Panko-crusted baked tomatoes. I’ll be sure to let you know how it turns out – you know if it is thumbs up or thumbs down from Richard. Be sure to stay tuned … 
Tags: Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay Maine Bed and Breakfast, Jane Austen in Maine, January is National Hot Tea Month, Maine B&B egg recipes, Recipe for Baked Eggs, Tea Rooms in Maine
Posted in B&B Boothbay Harbor, Bed & Breakfast near Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay B&B, Boothbay Bed and Breakfast, Boothbay Maine B&B, Maine, Maine Coast Activities | 2 Comments »
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