The Full Force of Blizzard Janice Hits the Cape

It is 7:00 am on a snow day at our cozy Cape Cod B&B. Bill and I are warm and cozy and preparing to start digging out as soon as the snow subsides.

Brian will soon be arriving with his red pick-up truck to plow the lot. We will do the walk-ways. We have had wind gusts up to 35 mph. but there has not been much drifting. Our heated bird bath outside the dining room window is awaiting its morning visitors. No birds have arrived yet this morning. They must be hunkered-down in a sheltered spot.

Last evening we decided to take a walk down Falmouth’s Main Street. It was quiet but Lium Maguire’s Pub and La Cucina sul Mare were open. We stopped in to say hello and to see how everyone was doing. There was a group of ladies at one end of La Cucina’s bar, who were having an impromptu “Lady’s Night Out”. As it turned out, they were school teachers who were celebrating, in advance, the school closings. Bill and I who are former school teachers, could identify with them.  I always looked at the school closings as a gift of time. I would spend those days catching up on many over due projects. Bill, on the other hand, had a three-quarter ton pick-up truck with a plow. He would spend the day plowing parking lots and driveways.

As we ventured further down Main Street, we saw a Fox News truck from Channel 25 in Boston. We had seen them on the TV at La Cucina and they had said that one of the local business’s had delivered hot chocolate to the truck. They had chosen Falmouth because the  forecasters had predicted that Janice’s full force was to be felt on Cape Cod. Before we left the restaurants, we left business cards with those who were still working and told them that if they thought that the trip, to their homes, was too dangerous, they had a warm, safe bed at the Palmer House Inn.

As we walked back to the inn I could not resist taking a photo of the Treasure Chest’s window all dressed up for Valentines.

While all of our rooms have their own individual charm suitable for relaxation after the most wonderful day of adventures and braving the snow, we recommend the Harriet Beecher Stowe room, the Theodore Roosevelt room or the Emily Dickinson room. These rooms feature comfortable king beds, fireplaces, jacuzzi-style tubs and a relaxing stay before and after your day.

The Palmer House Inn is pleased to announce that we will again be hosting Head Chef Fabio Pozzetti for three Saturday morning bed and breakfast cooking classes during the 2014 winter season.  

His classes are a journey through  the world of taste and genuine cuisine of the his native Emilia Romagna region of Italy. Students will discover or rediscover the cooking styles of traditional homemade Italian cuisine. The same preparation and cooking styles that were used by his mother, grandmothers going back for generations, will be taught in all three classes. The students will connect with the wonderful foods and time-honored traditions of his charming home region.

The first class, Tagliatelle alla Bolognese, will take place on the weekend of February 7th & 8th. Each cooking class weekend will begin on Friday at 5:00 to 6:00 pm with a wine and cheese reception by the fire in the lovely Palmer House parlor. We will be able to chat or you can relax by a romantic fire.

On Saturday morning from 8:00 to 9:30, you will be served  one of the Palmer House Inn’s fine three course New England style breakfasts. At 11:00 AM the class will begin in the inn’s spacious kitchen. This class will feature the art of hand-made egg pasta. Chef Pozetti will demonstrate his time-honored mixing, cutting and stuffing techniques. He will also share with you the ingredients and products that go into achieving the authentic uniquely Italian flavors of his dishes. You will be able to try your hand at forming and stuffing the various raviolis. Chef Pozzati will also demonstrate and  explain the secrets of his sumptuous bolognese sauce. To each of the classes, he will bring wines that compliment the dishes for you to enjoy as you sample the dishes.

The third part of our Italian cooking weekends will be a gift certificate for your Saturday evening meal at Ostreia la Civetta where the chef will visit you at your table.

Then back to your lovely room at the Palmer House Inn. The following morning you will enjoy another sumptuous New England style breakfast before you set out on your journey home.

The second in our series of classes, Traditional Italian Deserts, will take place on the weekend of  March 28th and 29th. Because March is National Chocolate month, we have chosen to feature some wonderful Italian chocolate deserts. The first will be Salame de Cioccolato. This is sliced soft cookies with bits of biscotti that is served over English cream. This desert is a chocolate liver’s delight. The second demonstration will be Tiramisu Estivo. This consists of tiramisu mousse with mascarpone, espresso, lady fingers and chocolate chips. Chef Pozzetti puts his own unique spin on this time-honored favorite.

Our third and final class, Traditional Italian Cooking Class, will be held on the weekend of April 11th and 12th. This class will highlight the many uses of pork in the cooking of the Emilia Romagna region. The class will feature roast pork with orange and lemon sauce and cotoletta alla bolognese.

Previous Bed and Breakfast Cooking Classes Include:

• Cape Cod’s Italian Cooking Class Review, 2013
• Cape Restaurant Review of Osteria la Civetta, 2013
• Culinary experiences in New England, Cook and Stay, Boston Globe Review 2012
• Tagliatelle alla Bolognese Class 2012

Classes will be held at the Palmer House Inn.

Bed and Breakfast Cooking Class Getaway Weekend Prices

The price of the weekend is $599.00. This includes: Friday evening wine and cheese reception, two new England style breakfasts. afternoon refreshments, the two to three-hour cooking class with Head Chef Pozzati, the $50.00 gift certificate to Osteria la Civetta and two nights stay in a queen sized bedroom at the Palmer House Inn. (Up grades are available if you prefer a larger king sized room).

To book this package call Bill at 508-548-1230, 800-472-2632 or send us an email at innkeepers@palmerhouseinn.com.

While all of our bedchambers have their own romantic charm, we recommend the Oliver Wendell Holmes room with its four-poster carved mahogany bed, the Edith Wharton room with its carved mahogany queen canopy and crocheted coverlet, or the Edna St. Vincent Millay room in the top of the Victorian tower. All three are wonderful choices for your Bed and Breakfast Cooking Class getaway weekend.