Happy Earth Day

It is a beautiful Spring day in Greenville today. Perfect for enjoying Earth Day.

We like to think of Earth Day all year-round at the Greenville Arms. We are continually working on implementing "Green" programs. These are some of the ways that we are keeping it green in Greenville:

• We give guests the option of reusing their towels and sheets for more than one day. This reduces the use of electricity, water, detergents, and wear and tear on the linens.
  
• We recycle all of our cans, glass, plastic containers. Also cardboard and paper.
  
• We have a compost pile for all of our yard waste. Great for creating mulch!
  

We have many more ideas but would love to hear your ideas, too.

Recipes

Goat Cheese, Cilantro, and Mushroom Crustless Quiche

I mentioned this recipe on Twitter the other day and someone asked for it. So here it is!

(I forgot to take a picture of it, but I'll come back and add that later, the next time I make this.)

This is a nice and easy dish to make and works well for breakfast and dinner. It is not quite a quiche, more like a souffle, because I make it without a crust. Who needs crust when you have all that cheese!

Serves 3 to 4

1/2 cup of sautéed button mushrooms (I like them well browned).
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 - 1/2 cups heavy cream
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
2 - 4 fresh chopped cilantro (or 1/2 tsp of dry cilantro)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmiginao cheese
Saute the sliced mushrooms in butter until well browned. Drain and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 375 F.

In a bowl, combine the eggs, yolks, and heavy cream. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and whisk until blended. Whisk in the goat cheese, cilantro, mushrooms, and Parmiginao.

Set 3 or 4 5-inch ramekins on a baking sheet and pour the egg mixture into them, dividing it evenly.

Bake until the filling is nicely puffed and browned, 40 - 50 minutes. Let cool for at least 15 - 20 minutes before serving.

Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival - July 16 to 19

Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival Returns to the Walsh Farm in Oak Hill in July 2009

Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival (this year from July 16-19) features four performances stages—the Main Stage, with its natural amphitheatre; the Masters Stage, where you’ll hear unique combinations of top artists in an intimate setting; the Family Stage with loads of activities for kids of all ages; and the Dance Paviliion, which features the best dance bands in the business providing music for dancers well into the wee hours.

Grey Fox 2009 headliners include Ricky Skaggs, David Bromberg, Marty Stuart, The SteelDrivers, Tim O'Brien, Del McCoury, Claire Lynch, Laurie Lewis, Mountain Heart, The Gibson Brothers, The Waybacks and a long list of others. Visit www.greyfoxbluegrass.com for complete information and to purchase tickets on line.

The festival also offers three learning venues—the Bluegrass Academy for Kids, a four day learning program for kids age 8 and up; the Grass Roots Sessions, with hands-on workshops by bluegrass music great teachers; and the Slow Jam Tent for beginning pickers at a speed that everyone can follow.

Prior to the opening of Grey Fox, Pete Wernick (aka Dr. Banjo) and his fine staff of instructors offer a four-day Bluegrass Jam Camp right across the street at the air-conditioned Durham Fire Hall. It's a wonderful way to jump into the world of playing bluegrass music. For particulars and to register for Jam Camp, visit www.drbanjo.com.

On Vendors Row during the festival you’ll find mouth-watering fresh festive and ethnic foods, handmade crafts, music vendors and shops offering top quality products. An enormous extended family comes with the package. You won’t be a stranger long at this world-class yet relaxed, friendly and impeccably organized event.

A frequent nominee for IBMA’s prestigious Event of the Year Award, Grey Fox is the subject of the full-length documentary film entitled “Bluegrass Journey” that has been featured on public television nationwide. In January 2006, Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival was selected to kick off BBC World’s Destination Music, a 13-part series featuring music festivals around the world.

Let the infectious sound of bluegrass and the laid back atmosphere of Grey Fox carry you away! Leave the world behind, kick back and enjoy the music, land and fellow bluegrass lovers who gather at Grey Fox each July!

Tent or RV Camping is available on site, but if camping in a farmer's field is just not your thing, then come stay with us at the Greenville Arms 1889 Inn. It's a short hop from our place to the Walsh Farm (just off CR 22 in Oak Hill, NY).

Irish Music Festival - Memorial Day Weekend

The Irish Music Festival in East Durham is only 10 minutes away from the Greenville Arms 1889 Inn. Every year we look forward to seeing all the familiar faces of the guests who come to this wonderful event year after year.

Here is what the festival director, Tom McGoldrick, has to say about this year's festival:

Our 32nd Annual East Durham Irish Festival held on May 23rd & May 24th 2009 on the grounds of the Michael J. Quill Irish Cultural & Sports Centre promises to be "The Event of The Year."
New music from around the US, Canada, and Ireland, along with many of your favorite groups certainly will make your visit very exciting and enjoyable.

New for 2009 will be The Elders from Kansas City. This high-energy group has become a favorite at so many festivals around the country that they headline. An act that you do not want to miss.

Also this year we will feature Searson from Ontario, Canada and Barleyjuice from Philadelphia, PA. Both are high energy groups that are patrons are sure to enjoy. These bands will be featured on both Sat. and Sun.

Back again after his 1st appearance in 2008, The Jimmy Sturr Band, winner of 17 Grammy Awards including a Grammy in 2008, along with his 5 gold albums. This group is sure to delight again, our festival goers as they did last year. The band's two shows are on Sat.

Also back again this year will be Black 47, Shilelagh Law, and Hair of the Dog. Add such favorites as The Andy Cooney Band, Kitty Kelly Band, Jameson's Revenge, St. James Gate, and the Moonshiners, ad you are sure to experience a great time.

The Albany Police Pipe and Drum Band and the Michael Farrell School of Irish Step Dancing will appear both on Saturday and Sunday.

For the children, there will be rides and games, along with their very own music tent. Featuring, Driscoll & Smith, with their sing alongs; Carol Spear, Storyteller Extraordinaire; and NEW this year,The First Steps of Irish Dance. Megan and Ronan will teach children basic steps of Irish Step Dancing.

All of this entertainment, along with the craft & product vendors, the food court, and the Children’s rides and entertainment, add up to a GREAT day or two of enjoyment for ALL ages.

Read more about this festival. . .

Cat 'n Around in Catskill

This year in celebration of Henry Hudson’s discovery of our beautiful river, the Catskill Cats will be decorated in themes depicting the wonder of the this great valley we call home. The town of Catskill is just 20 minutes from the Greenville Arms 1889 Inn.

60 painted fiberglass felines will be sCATered along the historic Main Street in the Village of Catskill for this summer-long celebration, starting Memorial Day weekend (May 23- 25, 2009). Bring the kids, bring your camera and spend an afternoon prowling about with the capricious, whimsical, imaginative kitties. Don’t forget to visit the wide array of shops, galleries and eateries as you stroll. We guarantee you’ll go home with a smile
on your face.

Cat’n Around Catskill 2009 will culminate with a live auction of the fabulous felines at the Cat’s Meow Auction and Gala
on Sunday, October 4th at The Historic Catskill Point on the Hudson River.

The kitties will be looking for a permanent home. Come bid on the cat of your dreams and own a piece of history and memorabilia of the Quadricentennial Celebration.

We are especially excited about this year's litter of cats because two of them are being painted by Stanley Maltzman, a wonderful local artist who also teaches a drawing and pastel workshop here at our inn. This year the class is scheduled for July 26 - August 1, 2009. Check out our workshops website for more details on this class with a master artist.

This is an example of Stanley's work.

We happy to have one of Stanley's paintings in the permanent collection at the inn.

Goat Cheese, Cilantro, and Mushroom Crust-less Quiche

I mentioned this recipe on Twitter the other day and someone asked for it. So here it is!

(I forgot to take a picture of it, but I'll come back and add that later, the next time I make this.)

This is a nice and easy dish to make and works well for breakfast and dinner. It is not quite a quiche, more like a souffle, because I make it without a crust. Who needs crust when you have all that cheese!

Serves 3 to 4

• 1/2 cup of sautéed button mushrooms (I like them well browned).
  
• 2 large eggs
  
• 2 large egg yolks
  
• 1 - 1/2 cups heavy cream
  
• Kosher salt and black pepper
  
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
  
• 2 - 4 fresh chopped cilantro (or 1/2 tsp of dry cilantro)
  
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmiginao cheese
  

Saute the sliced mushrooms in butter until well browned. Drain and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

In a bowl, combine the eggs, yolks, and heavy cream. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and whisk until blended. Whisk in the goat cheese, cilantro, mushrooms, and Parmiginao.

Set 3 or 4 5-inch ramekins on a baking sheet and pour the egg mixture into them, dividing it evenly.

Bake until the filling is nicely puffed and browned, 40 - 50 minutes. Let cool for at least 15 - 20 minutes before serving.

Testing New Shampoo

One of the "jobs" I have is to buy the guest shampoos and soaps that we put in all of our rooms. We currently have some very nice ones, but I'm always on the look out for new products that our guests might enjoy.

Here are some new products from a company called Gilchrist and Soames. Some have an eco-slant (paper packaging for shampoo, etc) and others have new delicious scents, like Italian Bergamot (orange). If they pass the test, you might be seeing one of these in our guest rooms in the future.