"May your walls know joy, every room hold laughter, and every window open to great possibilities" MA Radmacher

Kathy, Kelly and Trish have been expertly preparing the Inn for the season. The decorations and lights are up at the Fox and Hound and we are definitely feeling the warmth and glow of the holiday season and all the festive happenings in the New Hope area.

Here are 7 seasonal things to do in New Hope and 3 ways to warm up from the inside out during the holiday season and show your family, friends, or special someone that you care.

Holiday Aromas

First, a simple and effective way to set the ambiance is with the aroma of warm cider and cinnamon and all those holiday flavors floating on the air when folks enter your home. I like to keep the warm cider simple because there is so much to do during the holidays, simple, easy yet amazing is always welcome.

We use a crockpot but you can also warm it up in a pot on the stove and serve it from there with a ladle or in a carafe. On low heat put one gallon of cider with 2 cinnamon sticks-- optional additions to the warming cider are 2 Tbs of brown sugar, orange peels, a pinch of ground cloves, and a pinch of nutmeg.

The warm holiday aromas bring up good memories of past Thanksgivings and holiday gatherings. Tip: You can use the warm cider as a base for cocktails or throw in a bit of Rum or Bourbon.

Taste

Second is warming up with soup. Hot soup is not only calming and a reminder that someone cares about you, but it can be a great way to start Thanksgiving dinner or to serve as an appetizer or even as an hors d'oeuvre in small bowls. Another really nice thing about soup is you can make it the day before and not only will it taste even better the next day or a few days later, but it is one less thing to cook on the day of the dinner.

My favorite soup to cook and eat is Carrot and Almond Soup with Mint-Saffron Yogurt. Last time I made it was when my son brought his girlfriend home for the first time. It was a big hit. Two tips are: 1) you can use Tumeric instead of Saffron if you wish. 2) It is a gluten free and if you use vegetarian broth, it's also vegetarian. The recipe is at the bottom of the page.

 

Warm Up, Chill Out and Cozy Up on a Getaway

Third is a special getaway. Sneaking away with someone special during the holidays is an amazing experience because it is a moment to get away from holiday stress, have fun and reconnect during a busy time of year while enjoying the lovely holiday atmosphere and activities. Here are some specials at the Fox and Hound B&B for your special escape.

NOTE: Sign up here for our newsletter to be the first to know about our Black Friday Special announced on Tuesday, Nov. 24. 

Here are some exciting Holiday Happenings near the Fox and Hound B&B:

• Holiday shopping and meandering in quaint and decorated New Hope, Lambertville, Peddler's Village, and 2 Flea Markets
• Fonthill Castle Holiday tours
• Two crossings of the Delaware River by George Washington and reenactors (Dec 10 and Dec 25)
• Byer's Choice Christmas museum
• Amazing gourmet restaurants with seasonal and locally sourced meals- great for New Year's Eve too!
• See a play at Music Mountain Theater or at the Bucks County Playhouse (see our Stay &Play package here)
• Soak in the holiday ambiance relaxing and chatting in the Fox and Hound Parlor and hear the history of this historic elegant farmhouse (only for overnight guests) Reserve Here

We hope to see you this holiday season! You can book your luxury room here.

Here is the yummy soup recipe-- Let me know if you cook it.

Carrot & Almond Soup with Mint-Saffron Yogurt

Servings- 4-6 people or more if it is just an hors d'oeuvre

Ingredients

1/4 teaspoon saffron threads crumbled

1 Tbs boiling water

2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 Medium yellow onion, chopped

1/4 cup smooth almond butter (no added sugar)

1 teaspoon ground coriander

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1 lb carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 1/2 inch pieces

1 quart low sodium chicken broth OR vegetable broth

1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint

Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir together the saffron and boiling water, then set aside to cool and allow the water to infuse.
2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.  Add the almond butter, coriander and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper; cook, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the carrots, broth and 1/2 cup water.  Bring to a simmer, then reduce to medium -low and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer, until a skewer inserted into the carrots meets no resistance, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. While the carrot mixture is simmering, in a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, mint and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.  Set a fine-mesh strainer over the bowl and pour the saffron water into the strainer; discard the solids in the strainer. Stir the yogurt mixture until well combined.
4. When the carrots are tender, remove the pan from the heat and cool for about 5 minutes. Using a blender and working in 2 or 3 batches to avoid overfilling the jar, puree the mixture until smooth.  Return the soup to the pan and reheat over medium stirring occasionally. (Or if you have an immersion hand blender that works right in the pot.) Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with some of the yogurt mixture.

*From: Milk Street Vegetables by Christopher Kimball, page 96

 

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