Twenty-four inns, beds and breakfast and boutique hotels across the country are banding together to encourage travelers to go it alone, fill their tanks, and seize the season.
The promotion, called A Very Drivable Holiday, aims to forge a connection with regional travelers, offer a respite from being stuck at home, and provide a safe place where guests can create a joyful impression of their holiday with their quarantine group – using only one tank of gas, round trip. The idea is to make this holiday beautiful because it will most definitely be memorable.
Each of the inns is offering a free gift to guests who check in between December 1-31st. These include everything from complimentary glasses of wine with keepsake glasses, to homemade holiday cookies, kettle corn, honey, and bath bombs. Every morning, seasonal breakfasts will have an added holiday twist too. All properties will prominently feature holiday décor.
Watercolor paintings were commissioned of all the inns, to showcase their storybook-like qualities and draw travelers in. While no one can control the state of the world, we all have the ability to manage what we can – top the list: save the season, stay near.
Interested in finding a destination near you? Here’s are the 24 participating properties – arranged alphabetically by state, then city: Stanford Inn and Resort in Mendocino, CA; Charred Oaks Inn in
Lexington, KY; Inn at Woodhaven in Louisville, KY; The Rookwood Inn in Lenox, MA; Waldo Emerson Inn in Kennebunkport, ME; The Lamplighter Bed & Breakfast of Ludington in Ludington, MI; Huron House Bed and Breakfast in Oscoda, MI; The Hotel Saugatuck in Saugatuck, MI; A G Thomson House Bed and Breakfast in Duluth, MN; Turning Waters Bed, Breakfast and Adventure in Wabasha, MN; Tuxedo Park STL Bed & Breakfast Inn in Saint Louis, MO; At Cumberland Falls Bed & Breakfast Inn in Asheville, NC; Pinecrest Bed & Breakfast in Asheville, NC; Top of the Ridge Farm Bed & Breakfast in New Durham, NH; Caldwell House Bed and Breakfast in Salisbury Mills, NY; A’Tuscan Estate Bed & Breakfast in McMinnville, OR; Chehalem Ridge Bed & Breakfast in
Newberg, OR; Historic Smithton Inn in Ephrata, PA; Carriage Corner Bed & Breakfast in Intercourse, PA; The Artist’s Inn and Gallery in Terre Hill, PA; Faunbrook B&B in West Chester, PA; Spring Creek Place Cabins in Greeneville, TN; BlissWood Bed and Breakfast Ranch in
Cat Spring, TX; Gillum House Bed & Breakfast in Shinnston, WV.
For more information on all the participating inns visit www.OneTankHoliday.com.
Recipes
Christmas French Toast on the Ridge with Very Berry Compote and Frangelico
Ready in 20 minutes
Servings:10 slices
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp Frangelico liquor (or to taste)
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup half & half cream
- 10 slices of brioche (or other sweet) bread
- Butter for the pan
- Very Berry Compote (see below)
- Optional: powdered sugar and chopped hazelnuts to decorate
Instructions
1. Add a pat of butter onto your pan or griddle and place over medium heat.
2. In a large dish with low sides whisk together the sugar and eggs, then add in the milk and cream, vanilla, Frangelico, and cinnamon. Whisk until completely combined.
3. Thoroughly soak the brioche slices in the custard on both sides, one slice at a time, then transfer them to your hot pan and cook until golden brown. Flip over and cook the other side until golden. Serve warm topped with our Very Berry Compote, chopped hazelnuts, and powdered sugar.
Very Berry Compote
Ready in 20 minutes
Servings: about 2 cups
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups mixed berries (fresh or frozen): strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc.
- 3 tbsp sugar
- ½ Lemon (about 2 Tbsp)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp Frangelico liquor
Instructions
1. Place the berries, lemon juice, and sugar in a small pot and stir to combine. Turn on the stove on low heat and leave to cook for 5-10 minutes until the berries start to break down.
2. Add the vanilla and Frangelico. Cook for a few more minutes until the berries have reduced but pieces remain.
3. Use the compote warm on French toast, waffles, pancakes, etc., or let it cool then transfer into a sealed jar or airtight container. Keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You can transfer it into a freezer-safe bag and store it in the freezer for a few months.
Gingerbread scones with a maple glaze – Huron House Bed and Breakfast in Oscoda, Michigan
Gingerbread Scones
1/2 C butter
2 C AP flour
1 C Whole wheat pastry flour 1/2 tsp of Cinnamon
1/2 tsp of ground clove 3/4 tsp of ground ginger 3/4 tsp of salt
1 Tbsp of baking powder 2 eggs
1/3 C Maple syrup 1/3 C Molasses 1/3 C Milk
1/2 C Egg whites
Maple Glaze
2 Tbsp butter
1 1/4 C Powder sugar 1 Tsp Vanilla
1 Tbsp Maple syrup 1-2 Tbsp Water
Instructions:
o Preheat oven to 425 degrees
o Place the butter in freezer. Needs to be frozen in order to grate it.
o Mix AP flour, wheat flour, cinnamon, clove, ginger, salt and baking powder.
o Whisk eggs, maple syrup, molasses and milk.
o Grate butter.
o Work the butter into the flour mixture. You can either use your hands or a pastry cutter, whichever you prefer. There will be visible pieces of butter in mixture, that is okay.
o Combine maple syrup, molasses and milk
o Mix wet ingredients into the butter/flour mixture until just combined.
o Transfer dough to a floured work surface and form into a thick circle. Transfer to freezer and chill for 15 minutes.
o Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
o Take dough out of the freezer and pat it together to ensure it is in a tight, thick circle. Transfer to baking sheet.
o Cut into 8 wedges with a sharp, WET knife. Knife needs to be wet to prevent sticking. Space the pieces out slightly so they don’t conjoin when baking. They will puff significancy in the oven. o Brush the top with egg whites.
o Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.
o While the scones are baking, prepare the glaze. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add powdered sugar, vanilla & maple syrup. Stir until smooth. If needed, add water to thin out glaze.
o Spoon over scones – glaze should set almost instantly.
Pumpkin Cranberry Muffin Bake – Caldwell House Bed and Breakfast
6 pumpkin muffins (use any kind or bread, donuts, anything you have left over), crumbled up
dried cranberries
2 eggs
2 cups of milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
butter
Crumble the muffins and place in a 9×13 greased pan.
Sprinkle cranberries on top.
Combine eggs, milk, vanilla and sugar. Pour over crumbled muffins.
Top with little pats of butter.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes (until set).
Serve with fruit and syrup.
Enjoy!
*RECIPE: Christmas French Toast on the Ridge with Very Berry Compote and Frangelico
From Top of the Ridge Farm in New Durham, New Hampshire
https://www.topoftheridgefarm.com
*RECIPE: Gingerbread scones with a maple glaze
From Huron House Bed and Breakfast in Oscoda, Michigan
https://www.huronhouse.com
*RECIPE: Pumpkin Cranberry Muffin Bake
From Caldwell House Bed and Breakfast in Salisbury Mills, NY
https://www.caldwellhouse.com