Historic Richmond Inns

If you have an insatiable appetite and plan to be in the RVA next week, you are in luck. Richmond Restaurant Week 2012 begins April 23 and concludes April 29. For just $25.12 you can enjoy delectable, three-course prix fixe dinner menus from many of Richmond’s favorite culinary hot spots, including:

3 Monkey’s Bar & Grill

Acacia Mid-Town

Amici Ristorante

Amour Wine Bistro

Amuse Restaurant

Avenue 805

Aziza’s on Main

Bacchus

Bistro 27

Bistro Bobette

Bonvenu

Charles City Tavern

Chez Foushee

Cous Cous

deLux

The Dining Room at the Berkeley Hotel

Europa Italian Café & Tapas Bar

The Hard Shell

The Hard Shell at Belgrade

Hanover Tavern

Helen’s

Hill Café

Hondos

Julep’s New Southern Cuisine

La Grotta

Lehja

Lulu’s Restaurant

Made in Asia

Mezzanine

Millie’s Diner

Rowland Fine Dining

Sam Miller’s

Secco Wine Bar

Stronghill Dining Company

Tastebud’s American Bistro

Tarrant’s Café

Tobacco Company

Water Grill

Zeus Gallery Café

 

$2.12 from each special menu sold during Richmond Restaurant Week proceeds benefits the Central Virginia Food Bank and Meals on Wheels. Your dining experience not only supports the local economy and small businesses, but helps to eliminate hunger in Richmond. The event occurs twice per year, once in April and again in October. The event was founded by Aline Reitzer, owner of Acacia, and modeled after similar events in large cities. In the past eleven years, Richmond Restaurant Week has raised $130,000 for local food banks, equaling millions of meals for Richmond community members in need.

Pairing a stay at one of our Historic Richmond Inns with Richmond Restaurant Week is the ultimate in vacation experiences for foodies and lovers of outstanding cuisine. Between your three-course dinners, relax in luxury accommodations and enjoy gourmet breakfasts as well as the charm of premier historic properties and the best of pure Southern Hospitality. If you can’t free yourself next week, plan ahead and make your inn reservations now for the October Restaurant Week. You won’t be sorry!

Love Virginia wines? Want to go to a premier wine event attended by over 10,000 aficionados just like you? You can’t miss the Virginia Wine Expo, coming to the Greater Richmond Convention Center February 24 – 26, 2012.

Awaiting you at the expo are three days of seminars, luncheons, brunch and walk-around tastings to keep you in a constant state of vineyard bliss. Try the very best Virginia wines from Barboursville, Afton Mountain, Burnley, Chatham, Keswick, New Kent Vineyards and so many more. Be sure to bring your appetite as restaurant participants include Richmond favorites Acacia, Lemaire and The Tobacco Company. Menus are available online for the showcase meals and feature succulent dishes like Homemade Duck Ravioli Pasta, Kobe Beef Carpaccio, and Pan-Seared Lobster Ravioli with Saffron Mascarpone Cream. And of course, the chefs have selected the perfect wine pairings for seriously scrumptious desserts.

The expo emphasizes safety first and encourages all participants to make good choices, including eating meal-sized portions of food throughout the day and arranging safe transportation when necessary.

Tickets are available to all of the functions online and it is highly recommended that you purchase them in advance. Tickets will be available at the door unless the event sells out. For the best Virginia Wine Expo experience, make reservations at your favorite Historic Richmond Inn. Your hosts will be glad to help you locate transportation to and from the convention center each day. Plan a dream wine tasting weekend and make your plans today!

The Historic Richmond Inns

A new restaurant in the old Museum District neighborhood of Richmond is making waves and enjoying sweet success. One block away from Maury Place at Monument, it is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Innkeeper Jeff Wells recommends the restaurant and says:

“The Franklin Inn is a charming tavern and eatery that was first established in 1930, so it has been part of the Museum District community for over 45 years.  The restaurant has recently been restored to its vintage glory and is recognized as a national historic structure.  It is on the corner of West Franklin Street and North Cleveland Street at 800 North Cleveland.   Their menu features steaks, burgers, sandwiches, appetizers and soups and salads.  There are also daily specials.  Phone 804-716-9493.  It is a neighborhood meeting place ‘where everybody knows your name!’”

Reviewers describe the restaurant as cozy and intimate, the kind of place where you choose your own seat and have a good meal. In addition to the sandwiches, there are daily specials including crab cakes and pork chops, and without fail, everyone loves the hush puppies.

During your next stay at an Historic Richmond Inn, plan to have a leisurely meal at a new neighborhood favorite. Stop in at The Franklin Inn, and let us know how much you love it!

The Historic Richmond Inns

The innkeepers at Maury Place at Monument love to share recipes – especially those designed to be easily shared with friends! This recipe is great for any number of people because you only need to prepare the exact quantity that you need. The colorful, tasty orange halves make a great addition to almost any breakfast plate. Bon Appetit!

Mint-Topped Broiled Oranges

1 lg naval orange

2 tsp melted butter

½ tsp chopped fresh mint

1 tbsp orange liqueur (optional)

Cut orange in half crosswise and cut a thin slice off the bottom of each half so it will sit steady on a foil covered baking sheet. Then run a knife around each half to loosen the orange from the peel. Do not remove the peel, however. Stir together melted butter and chopped fresh mint. If desired, you may add the orange liqueur. Spoon the mixture evenly over the cut sides of the orange halves. Place the orange halves, cut side up, on the foil lined baking sheet. Broil five inches from heat for five to eight minutes or until thoroughly heated, then serve.

The Historic Richmond Inns

Fall may be gone, but there is still a chill in the air, and the last throes of the Harvest Season are still yielding cold-weather specialties. At Maury Place, the team will occasionally serve a delightful smoothie before breakfast. They have many favorite combinations of ingredients including: Very Berry Smoothies, Blueberry-Pineapple Smoothies and Melon Smoothies.

If you love pumpkin pie, you’ll enjoy this Pumpkin Smoothie recipe, care of Maury Place at Monument:

Pumpkin Smoothies

1 cup Canned Pumpkin

½ cup Apricot Preserves

1 tbsp Milk

1 pinch of Cinnamon

1 pinch of Nutmeg

1 cup of ice

Add all ingredients to a blender and mix until desired consistency is reached.

Note: you may double this recipe to make 4 – 6 servings, and portions should be kept small as these smoothies are very filling.

Of course, you could also leave the blender in the cabinet and make a reservation to stay at the Maury Place at Monument, or any of the six member Historic Richmond Inns. The chefs at each inn are delighted to take special menu requests and would surely whip you up a delicious Pumpkin Smoothie!

The Historic Richmond Inns

You’re probably making a 2012 New Year’s Resolution to “Eat Better” right? Well, you can’t eat much better than you do on a Real Richmond Food Tour! On January 14, 2012, the new year of tours kicks off with the “VCU Alternative Eats” itinerary including one of our very own Historic Richmond Inns: The William Miller House B&B.

We wouldn’t try to out-write (published authors, editors and avid Twitterers) Maureen and Susan from RealRichmond Food Tours, so we’ve included their description of the tour below:

“More fun than college, savor the flavors of the exotic and homegrown at five local restaurants and food purveyors on this 1.5 mile walking tour that walks us through VCU’s vibrant Monroe Park Campus with a detour during some tours into the adjacent Carver neighborhood. Besides samples and insider info from chefs and owners, our 2.5 hour food tour will highlight the arts, literary, and musical history of the area as well as pay heed to the Victorian architecture of The Fan.”

The tour will start at 2:00 PM and conclude at 4:30. Tickets are $42 plus a small ticketing fee and can be purchased from Real Richmond Food Tours here. As with all of the tours, wear comfortable walking shoes, and bring an appetite. Guests rarely leave hungry.

If you can’t make the January 14^th tour, pick up a gift certificate and plan for one of the many fun and filling frolics that Real Richmond Food Tours will soon announce for 2012. Make it your New Year’s Resolution to pair tickets with a reservation at one of the Historic Richmond Inns and enjoy a dream getaway in Richmond, VA!

The Historic Richmond Inns

Continuing our series of holiday recipes from the innkeepers of The Historic Richmond Inns, acclaimed chef and William Miller House co-owner Mike Rohde shared his very best Super Southern Corn Pudding! Mike has been cooking since he was just a child, and was trained in Paris. His recipes have been featured in The Bed and Breakfast Association of Virginia’s Cookbook, America Country Inns and Bed & Breakfasts (best recipe!) and the book Sleep on It! We are grateful that Mike was willing to share this recipe – thank you Mike!

Super Southern Corn Pudding

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
14.75 oz. can cream-style corn
3 eggs, well-beaten

Melt 3 tablespoons butter or margarine in a medium saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat, and add 1/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir until smooth. Add 3/4 cup milk, and stir well. Return the saucepan to the stove, and bring this white sauce to a boil over low heat. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until white sauce is thick and bubbly. Remove white sauce from heat, and stir in the 14.75 oz. can of cream-style corn. Now, stir a small amount of the 3 well-beaten eggs into the corn mixture, and then add the rest of the eggs, stirring constantly. Continue to stir the mixture until all of the beaten eggs are incorporated into the corn mixture. Pour into an oven-proof dish that has been sprayed with cooking oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, or until browned on top, and casserole is fairly well set up. You may let this dish sit for a few minutes, or serve immediately. It is great when served in a small bowl with a square of butter at the side!

Note: The diameter of the baking dish will determine how long you need to cook the corn pudding. I used a standard 9-inch deep dish Pyrex baking dish, and the corn pudding was ready in 35 minutes. If you use a baking dish that is smaller in diameter, but deeper, your corn pudding may take longer to bake and may be more pudding-like. If your baking dish is larger in diameter and not very deep, then your corn pudding will be done sooner, and it may be more like bread than pudding.

Paula and Martin Ramirez, proprietors of The Historic Richmond Inn, share special moments year-round as hosts to their bed & breakfast patrons as well as the many lucky guests who arrive to enjoy the luxury wedding resort. Paula’s breakfasts are sumptuous and delectable. We are honored that she agreed to share one of her favorite recipes with our readers. Thank you Paula!

 

Blueberry Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

Cubed sweet bread (approximately 3 cups)

3 cups frozen blueberries

18 farm fresh eggs

2 ½ cups half-n-half

2 tablespoons vanilla

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 cup sugar

Directions:

Spray bottom of baking sheet casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place cubed break and top with berries. Mix all remaining ingredients together, cover, and place in refrigerator overnight. Next day, bring casserole to room temperature and bake at 350° for 1 hour.

Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and serve, perhaps with bacon and fresh fruit.

Enjoy!

A single long weekend in Richmond is never enough. With museums, parks, live performances, festivals and over 900 restaurants, how can anyone hope to capture the full flavor of this town in just a couple of days?

It’s an almost impossible task – but there is one strategy that will allow you to experience 5 of those dining establishments and an intimate, history-filled walk in just a couple of hours. That leaves you enough time to catch an exhibit, visit a historic landmark and maybe even see a show! How can you take advantage and make the most of your weekend away?

It’s easy: try a Real Richmond Food Tour!

Writers Maureen Egan and Susan Winiecki are jointly responsible for the delightful concept. Combine a 1 ½ mile walk through a historic Richmond district with gourmet food and good company, and voila! You have the perfect meeting of time, space and “yum”, suitable for visitors and locals alike. The tours are met with raves and feature the best of local flavors, be they hot off the grill or in the form of little-known tidbits about the area’s history. Egan, a travel writer, authored the “Insider’s Guide to Richmond VA”, and she loves to share knowledge of her adopted Virginia home.

Each tour is an adventure through historic streets and the restaurants, bars, inns and cafes that inhabit them. Specialties are prepared for sampling and guests have the opportunity to interact with chefs and owners to ask gastronomic questions and learn about food origins, wine pairings, local produce and regional cuisine. When all goes as plan, your brain leaves as sweetly satiated as your stomach does!

Upcoming tours include Shockoe Botton/Church Hill “Shock & Awe”, on September 10 and October 29, Both Sides of Broad: The Art and Soul of Richmond on September 17, U R Here: Eating & Antiquing on the Avenues on October 15, VCU/Fan: Alternative Eats on November 12, and Carytown and the Museum Districts: Butchers, Bakers and Beyond on September 24 and November 19. Some tours actually feature Historic Richmond Inn properties including the Museum District B&B and William Miller House B&B! A calendar of events is updated regularly and tickets may be purchased online. Up-to-the-minute tour news can be found by following REALRICHMONDVA on Twitter or visiting the Real Richmond Facebook Page. You can also contact Maureen and Susan at 804-840-5318 or via email at Tours{at}RealRichmondVA{dot}com.

Guests should wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a good appetite as the light samples at each venue tend to really add up. The tours go on rain or shine (except in hurricanes!).  There is detailed parking and general information in the FAQ section of the Real Richmond Food Tours website.

Guests of The Historic Richmond Inns will love the convenience, creativity and passion that make up the Real Richmond Food Tours. See and taste the neighborhoods like you never have before. Try a Real Richmond VA Food tour during your next stay!

• New Year’s Eve - We will have our regular, diverse menu along with a few specials, (including scallops, foie gras, lobster and roasted veal rack) for New Year’s Eve. Go to our website to see the menu. Don’t forget to make reservations!
• Page Bond Gallery - THIS MONDAY, DECEMBER 20TH (5:30 – 7:30), THE GALLERY IS HOSTING A WINE RECEPTION TO CELEBRATE THE PUBLICATION BY KNOPF OF Native American Son, The Life and Sporting Legend of Jim Thorpe:  MEET VIRGINIA AUTHOR KATE BUFORD, PURCHASE A SIGNED COPY OF THE BOOK FOR CHRISTMAS, AND VIEW THE CURRENT EXHIBITION. THEN COME TO SIX BURNER FOR DINNER!
• Gift Certificates to Six Burner - make great gifts for anyone, anytime. You can call with your credit card or order through email, and we will mail it to you or you can pick it up yourself.
• Wine Special! Did you know that every Tuesday night, our wine by the glass is 1/2 price? That’s a good deal!
• Christmas Schedule – We will be closed Friday, December 24th,through Sunday, December 26. We will also be closed this Sunday the 19th for our staff Christmas party. We will be open on January 1, 2011!