Showing posts with label Cedar Falls. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cedar Falls. Show all posts

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Learning About Paw Paws and Rockmill in Cedar Falls

One of the major reasons I decided to go to the Inn at Cedar Falls at this time was because it is paw paw season and this Inn has found many ways to take advantage of this tropical fruit grown in Ohio. (Yes, you read that right: tropical fruit in Ohio.) 

I learned a bit about the antioxidant properties of the paw paw from Spa Director Randall Wellman before my massage, but I had yet to taste any. I was excited to learn that my friend Lisa and I would get to taste paw paws as well as cook with them during our time with Chef Anthony Schultz.

Everything we had to eat at the Inn at Cedar Falls was delicious so I felt confident with Chef Schultz, who had previously worked at Eon in the Hamptons, not far from where I had grown up. As much as I love to cook I decided that I would get better notes and pictures as the observer so Lisa got to do the actual preparation.

First, we learned about the paw paw. It really is a tropical fruit, the most northern tropical fruit you will find. It looks a lot like a mango and with similar properties to a papaya or banana. The paw paw does not have a strong flavor so it blends well in many dishes. (Rumor has it that Lewis and Clark lived on paw paws when they traveled through this area.) Lisa learned how to make a crème brulee with the fruit, which would be served at dinner that night. After the porcelain dishes were prepared and put in the oven, Chef Schultz showed us how to muddle some of the fruit for some delicious cocktails.

The concentration of the evening was not on cocktails, but on beer and we had an expert to see us through it. Matt Barbee had spent time in Beverly Hills, Belgium and just about everywhere in between, before returning to his native Ohio. He’s opened up quite an unusual brewery, using the styles of Belgium and Northern France, with production on his family’s Ohio farm. It all sounds amazing and I have heard nothing but raves for the beer at this small production organic brewery and it was time for usto check it out.

Rockmill Brewery’s products will get your attention immediately as it is served in beautiful bottles that resemble what you would pour wine from more than brew. Matt’s love of wine (his grandfather started a winery in Ohio and he worked for awhile as a sommelier) carries this even further as he believe his brews should be savored in wine glasses and paired properly with food, especially cheese. The bottles are actually done in champagne style and even have corks.

Matt makes only four different beers in all – Saison, Tripel, Dubbel and Withbier. They are all varietals grown in Belgium and he gets nearly all of his grain from the state of Washington. Lisa and Matt tasted through most of them and she was quite impressed. The Tripel is golden in color and strong in taste, though sweeter and fruitier than the average beer. The Saison is a low alcohol ale, but is much more rustic and earthy.

We talked for hours about beer, wine and another great dinner at the Inn at Cedar Falls. We finished appropriately with the best chocolate torte I’ve ever tasted and, of course, the Paw Paw Crème Brulee, which Chef Schultz fired up for us before he joined us for a night cap.

It was our final meal at the for now (I’m already searching my schedule for another time to return) because we were heading to a very different place in the morning – Chicago, for the grand opening party of Michael Jordan’s Steak House

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Hikes, Candles and Spa at the Inn at Cedar Falls

I woke up fairly early a bit confused. My morning wake up is always a look at the email on my IPhone and I stunned to find it not on my night table until I remembered where I was. I was in a cabin at the Inn at Cedar Falls with no cell phone or internet, but that was alright since we had some fun things to do.

My friend Lisa and I went up to the Inn's restaurant and helped ourselves to some yogurt and fruit (breakfast is included for all guests). The waitress tempted us with French Toast Stuffed with Raspberry Cream Cheese and we were glad she did. Next, we headed on a tour of the property with Stephanie.

Along the way we saw everything from a butterfly in one of the many flowers, to herb, vegetable and fruit gardens. The newest addition to the property is a Rooftop Garden, complete with a swing and a beautiful view of the Hocking Hills area. In addition to the cabins where we were staying, the property has 12 cottages and Inn accommodations. The cabins and cottages are prepared for everything from romantic rendezvous to family vacations (one cabin is pet-friendly, another is handicap accessible) and girls getaways, like the one we were on.

After the tour we were off to Cedar Falls for a hike. We were a bit limited since I'm still on no climbing orders from the doctors, but we had a nice walk and some beautiful views at Ash Cave, which even has a waterfall. From there we headed over to Hocking Hills Candle Works to meet Mike.

Mike and Judy opened up the Candle Shop, which now has an adjacent Christmas Store, as well as a Wind Chime Store. We were there to work with him to make our own candles. There were so many fragrances it was hard to choose. Since you can mix and match, I decided on gingerbread and coffee, a perfect combination for the kitchen.

With Mike's help, we went through the process of making a label, squeezing in the fragrance, pouring into the container with wax he had prepared and mixing it up. We left it with Mike to cool off. It is a lot of fun and something anyone can come to the shop and do.

We went back to the Inn at Cedar Falls for lunch. Everything on the menu sounded great, so Lisa and I settled on sharing two sandwiches -- Pressed Turkey with Pineapple & Swiss Cheese and Chicken Salad with Grapes. They were both good, but we agreed that the Turkey sandwich was incredible.
In the afternoon, I headed over to the Inn at Cedar Falls Spa for a Massage and Paraffin Hand Treatment. The spa is perfectly placed on a cottage in the woods, so you can relax with the quiet and calm scenery. Since I had just had a facial in Indianapolis I didn't get to try the spa's famous Paw Paw Facials. We would learn more about Paw Paws during the cooking lesson, but the Inn at Cedar Falls signature Paw Paw Facial is well-known for its properties as an exfoliator and firmer of the skin.
While I was at the spa, Lisa headed up for one of the longer hikes at Cedar Falls and made it all the way to the lake. She said it was beautiful and I look forward to checking it out myself when my back is better.

I didn't have too much time to enjoy the relaxation. We had a very special dinner planned at the Inn at Cedar Falls restaurant with Matt from Rockmill Brewery, but first we would have to learn how to make Paw Paw Crème Brulee. 

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Glamping Through the Inn at Cedar Falls


If you've been reading my blog for awhile you probably know that I'm more likely to be found at five star resorts than a five tent camping ground.  I've written a few pieces on glamping, but I never really understood the appeal -- until I arrived at the Inn at Cedar Falls.

I'm sure everyone has their own idea of roughing it. For me, it was a cabin with no phone (cell or landline), no television and no Internet, located acres away from other accommodations. It actually had everything we really needed -- two bedrooms, a kitchen with a dining area, a living room and a porch complete with swing. It was cozy and complete, but definitely rustic. I soon realized that the lack of electronic amenities was the only part of the Inn at Cedar Falls that didn't compare with what I was used t.


After we quickly unpacked, Lisa and I headed up to the restaurant, dodging a deer along the way. The restaurant was stunning, with a combination of woodsy and country charm. I had been told Chef Anthony Schultz was a genius in the kitchen and, by the time dinner was over, I was in total agreement.

We started out with the Wife of the Chef Martinis (Ciroc Vodka, Chocolate Liqueur and Chambord). I had a delicious Champagne Pear Salad while Lisa raved over her first Foie Gras. Dinner was incredible as I had a perfect serving of Butternut Squash Ravioli in a light cream sauce with cranberries, asparagus and pecans. Lisa ordered the scallops. They were very large, pan seared with asparagus, and served with garlic-parsley gnocchi.


For dessert, Lisa picked a Creme Brûlée with Burnt Sugar and honey while I ordered the Berry Cobbler, which was filled with blueberries, raspberries and blackberries and topped with vanilla ice cream. It was the best cobbler I've ever had.  

We spent a few minutes with our smartphones (there is Internet, but no phone service, in the restaurant) before heading back to the cabin. I had brought a bottle of Emeri de Bortoli Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, a new wine sent to me by DeBortoli, a wine family and had the pleasure of spending time with while I was in Australia.  It was light with just enough sparkle, a semi-sweet wine that was full of both peach and lemon.


Lisa went through the games on the table in the very cozy living room and found a copy of Chat Pack: Fun Questions to Spark ConversationsPersonal Transformation Books). The box said, "Pull out a card and let the fun begin." that's just what we did, laughing like teenagers as we talked about everything from politics to our first boyfriends, to our hopes and dreams. We finished the bottle and Lisa headed to her upstairs bedroom and I went in to mine for a good night sleep, realizing that a night without technology could be a lot of fun.  I was more than ready to see what a full day up in Cedar Falls would bring us.

Location:Hocking Hills, Ohio

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Brunch and Spa Time in Indianapolis

I was up in time to catch the view from my balcony at the Omni Severin before Morgan from Indianapolis Tourism met us in the lobby. We walked the few blocks (I love that everything in Indy is so walkable, it's going to be a great place for Super Bowl 2012) to Cafe Patachou for breakfast.

Morgan had been talking about this place and its owner, who had turned the successful restaurants into her own little chain in the city. It was bright and modern, with an interesting menu. Morgan had their famous Cinnamon Toast, which I agreed was delicious. Lisa went for the "Broken Yolk" Sandwich, a massive and gooey plate that she couldn't finish, and I decided to keep it simple with French Toast covered with fresh blueberries.

It's all about using local produce and food as much as possible here, and I'm told that extends to Indianapolis Airport, where the restaurants use products from the area. One thing that can't be grown in Indiana is the coffee. Cafe Patachou has an interesting selection of self-service brews. The coffees selection is worldwide and all seemed a bit strong for me, but both Morgan and Lisa raved about them.

We left the cafe and headed to the Conrad Hotel, where we had appointments at the brand new Evan Todd Spa. It is a beautiful place with all the facilities you could want, including an indoor pool, where we lounged with herb tea before our appointments started.

The facials -- which included some light massage, aromatherapy and acupressure -- were wonderful. I was I pressed with the time the estheticians took with each of us, using completely different treatments on each of us after asking questions and examining our skin to determine that we had different skin types, rather than making you pick your type of facial before you arrive.

We were feeling relaxed and refreshed when we headed over for our pedicures on the other side of the spa. It's one of those things I never find the time for at home and it's great to be at a spa that does it all.

When the treatments were over, we headed back to the Omni Hotel to pick up the car and get on the road. It was a four hour drive to the Hocking Hills area of Ohio. I had never seen this part of the state and it looked beautiful. We climbed a bit from the flatter land of the Midwest, remarking at the signs of fall already noticeable in the leaves on the trees.

The drive was a long one (which, thankfully, Lisa drove most of), but it was all worth it when we arrived at the Inn at Cedar Falls to our secluded cabin. "Redbud" is a log cabin with two bedrooms, a living room, dining room, kitchen and two baths. It was missing a few things, though -- phone service, internet and television, but I had brought along a bottle of DeBortoli's new Emeri Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc to try and we figured we could make it without technology for two nights.

It was going to be an interesting adventure.