Tag Archives: oregon bounty

December is National Pear Month

November 25, 2020 Mary Pellegrini

December is National Pear Month and here in Oregon we believe pears should be celebrated all year long. But we’ll especially celebrate the bounty of pears in December when it is National Pear Month.

This video reveals the most common pears grown in Oregon and Washington but some growers have expanded their orchards with many more heirloom and lesser known varieties.

Nutritional Benefits

Fiber: A medium pear has 6 grams of fiber, which equals about 24 percent of the recommended daily value. Did you know that the skin contains the majority of the fiber found in a pear?
Hypoallergenic: With an ever-growing population of food allergies, pears have been coined to be hypoallergenic. Safe food is good food!
Pectin: Pectin is an essential water-soluble fiber that helps to bind to cholesterol and remove it from the body making pears an excellent addition to anyone with high cholesterol.There are endless culinary possibilities for the pear: eaten fresh, in salads, baked or added to a skillet meal. This is one of our favorite: Gingered Pear and Raspberry Pandowdy at the Old Parkdale Inn
There are currently over 350 pear growers in Oregon
The pear is Oregon’s Official State Fruit
Pears are Oregon’s number one tree fruit crop
Oregon’s total pear production ranks 2nd overall in the United States and 2nd in terms of fresh pear production

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Pears Make Their Way onto Menus at OBBG inns

November 5, 2020 Mary Pellegrini

Serving up Pears at an Oregon Bed and Breakfast

Imagine waking up in the morning to the slight scent of fresh brewed coffee, muffins baking in the oven and knowing someone has already been up for hours just to prepare breakfast for you. That’s what you can look forward to when visiting one of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild inns.

We recently asked our innkeepers to submit their favorite recipes and were pleased to see that once again, we are all about keeping it local and fresh. The recipe that follows is made with pears. Did you know that 84% of the nation’s pears are grown in Oregon and Washington? The volcanic soil provides pear tree nourishment, the rain and snowmelt provides moisture and of course our ideal temperature is a huge factor.

Mary and Steve Pellegrini have owned the Old Parkdale Inn Bed and Breakfast in the Hood River Valley for over 17 years. Their recipe using Bosc pears is easy, tasty, and the presentation is gorgeous. She calls it, “Microwave Poached Bosc Pears with Raspberry Sauce”

peel one ripe pear per person but leave the stem on
cut a small slice from the bottom of pears to flatten so they stand upright
put pears in a microwave safe dish and pour one tablespoon of maple syrup over each one
cover and microwave about one and half minutes per pear until hot
place pears on individual small plates and pour about one tablespoon raspberry syrup over each pear
garnish with raspberries

If you are planning a trip to Oregon’s Mt Hood Region, stay with Pellegrini’s at the Old Parkdale Inn. We’re sure after 17 years of innkeeping, they has more wonderful breakfast recipes to share with you.

Winery Itinerary Tour Service at Chehalem Ridge Bed and Breakfast

September 30, 2020 Mary Pellegrini

Winery Itinerary Tour Service at Chehalem Ridge Bed and Breakfast

An Oregon Wine Country adventure would not be complete without a stay at Chehalem Ridge Bed and Breakfast. And, since most visits to the Willamette Valley includes wine tasting, we’d like you to know that things have changed a bit from past years. Oregon wineries are requiring masks to be worn by all who are not seated at their tasting table. Easy, right? Also, due to social distancing, wineries have less capacity and most require reservations for tastings. Still easy, but a bit more effort. Chehalem Ridge Bed and Breakast wants to help take the effort out of your winery reservation planning.

With more than 500 wineries in the Willamette Valley making reservations can be a daunting task. To help you out Chehalem Ridge Bed and Breakfast offers a Winery Itinerary Tour Service for a $25 fee per itinerary. They have set up eight unique itineraries with some of their favorite, smaller wineries. After you choose an itinerary they’ll set up your day of tasting at 3 unique wineries of the Willamette Valley. You can easily add the Winery Itinerary Tour Service when you make your reservation online.

Chehalem Ridge Bed & Breakfast sits atop Chehalem Mountain, overlooking the Willamette Valley, home to Oregon’s Wine Country. On weather-friendly mornings breakfast is served on the guest deck with great views of the town of Newberg, pinot noir vineyards and fruit and nut orchards. Chehalem Ridge Bed and Breakfast offers a peaceful retreat from adventure and the valley below.

Wildfire and Air Quality Update: While the wildfires burning across Oregon are not completely extinguished they’re under control and cooler temperatures, good, strong onshore flow and most importantly, some measurable rain will help flush out the atmosphere, get rid of the last of the wildfire smoke. And the harvest of Pumpkins, Pinots and Pears will go on.

Hospitality Update: Oregon is one of the top states where it looks like social distancing is working. Our inns have been proactively doing everything in our power to keep you safe, welcome you back, as travel restrictions are being lifted. Not sure if your favorite inn is open? Give them a call as they just might be. We know Chehalem Ridge Bed & Breakfast is.

Pumpkins, Pinots and Pears and Oregon’s Bounty

September 22, 2020 Mary Pellegrini

Pumpkins, Pinots and Pears and Oregon’s Bounty

Did you know that over 80% of the pears in the world were grown right here in Oregon? Mostly in the Hood River Valley in Northern Oregon. It’s the perfect time to take that drive called the “Fruit Loop” in Hood River, Oregon. Winding through orchards, farms, roadside stands and vineyards, the Fruit Loop sounds like a perfect thing to do while you are visiting an Oregon Bed & Breakfast. Don’t forget to pick up some fresh fruit and a homemade pumpkin pie, or apple, or pear, or cherry. They all go great with the Oregon Pinots.

And then there’s the Pinots. Harvest of that lovely fruit that makes Oregon so famous for its wines will soon begin. Oregon’s prize winning, world renown, and absolutely palate pleasing wines are featured not only at our inns, but everywhere you go in Oregon.

Pairing some of Oregon’s wines with a few slices of several varieties of pears and of course pumpkin pie, makes for the perfect Autumn afternoon.

While you’re here search recipes, and see what dishes our innkeepers are making with Oregon’s “never ending harvest!”

Celebrate National Waffle Day with Hazelnut Waffles

August 24, 2020 Mary Pellegrini

National Waffle Day with Hazelnut Waffles

The temperate climates and volcanic soils of Oregon’s Willamette Valley combine to create 99 percent of the U.S. hazelnut crop. Oregon hazelnuts are recognized for their large size and distinctive flavor and about 50% of the crop is exported annually. That leaves plenty for the innkeepers of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild to share with guests in unique and delicious ways.

You’re sure to enjoy these Hazelnut Waffles

1 c. spelt flour
⅓ c. oat flour
½ c. hazelnuts, toasted and finely ground
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. soda
¼ c. sugar
2 eggs
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
1 ¼ – 1 ½ c. buttermilk

Mix dry ingredients, then add remaining ingredients, starting with
1 ½ c. buttermilk, and mix well. If too thick, add remaining buttermilk.

Bake in hot waffle iron. Serve with ground hazelnuts and powdered sugar on top. Serve with a warm syrup or fruit topping. Or both! I found this Hazelnut Syrup recipe on oregonhazelnuts.org:

Hazelnut Syrup
½ cup chopped Oregon hazelnuts
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
¾ cup maple syrup
In saucepan, sauté hazelnuts in butter until lightly browned. Add syrup and heat through. Yield: about 1 ¼ cups

A Tourist in our Own Hood River Valley Oregon

August 16, 2020 Mary Pellegrini

A Tourist in the Hood River Valley

The innkeepers at the Old Parkdale Inn Bed and Breakfast enjoy playing the tourist in their own Hood River Valley, driving the Fruit Loop, a 35 miles driving tour through orchards, forests, farmlands, and friendly communities. “Sample delicious fruits and take your favorites home, visit a winery, experience fields of fragrant lavender, and savor delicious baked goods at Fruit Loop locations throughout the year.”

‘We stopped by the Mt Hood Winery, Oregon’s 2016 Winery of the Year. The 8000 square foot Tasting Room facility was built with event hosting in mind. A conference room, large meeting hall, a private dressing room. They thought of everything. Surrounded by newly planted vineyard the winery has breathtaking views of Mt Hood and the Hood River Valley.

The Fruit Loop is just an hour away from Oregon’s largest city, Portland. Located just outside the national scenic area called the Columbia River Gorge, our Valley is the nation’s largest pear-growing region, one of the few places that offers the complete experience of growing, producing, and then enjoying fruits and wines.

‘At the Gorge White House the flower fields bloom from April until first frost, usually in October. U-cut or they-cut flowers. This year they have tulips, daffodils, peonies, dahlias, gladiolas, rose mallow, sunflowers, delphiniums, cosmos, asters, zinnias, lilies, iris’s, snapdragons, echinacea, black-eyed Susans, marigolds, crocasmia, veronica, and more. Make an afternoon out of arranging your bouquets at the picnic tables or on the spacious patio.

‘Our last stop was at Packer Family Orchards and Bakery. The bakers use pears in just about every one of their products. By using pear concentrate, they have reduced or in some cases, eliminated the need for refined sugar in many of their recipes! Enjoy the sweet taste even more, knowing that their products make for a healthier alternative. I went in for some fresh peaches, so juicy and sweet, and one of their giant cherry/white chocolate cookie. Ended up with that one and the macaroon and one other that had an amazing lemon flavor.’

The harvest season will soon be in full swing. The Old Parkdale Inn Bed and Breakast along invite you to enjoy the fall season in the Hood River Valley.

National Apple Pie Day May 13 ~ Have a cookie

May 14, 2020 Mary Pellegrini

National Apple Pie Day is May 13

National Apple Pie Day doesn’t necessarily have to be celebrated with an apple pie, right. Why not Apple Pie Cookies? The innkeeper at the Old Parkdale Inn Bed and Breakfast put a little spin on the classic apple pie and the results were amazing.

Like most lodging properties across America we’ve been shuttered for over two months now. The Old Parkdale Inn was honored to be featured in Forbes Magazine article celebrating National Apple Pie Day. Nearly four dozen of these elegant and charming properties are reaching out to their guests, past and future, with digital postcards featuring their own apple dessert recipes and a cinnamon-sweet “Wish You Were Here” sentiment for virtual reconnection during this time of extended social distancing. They are one of the top 12 recipes and properties in the country

For quicker, easier assembly she used refrigerated pie crusts

Apple Pie Cookies

6 green apples
1 package refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts)
5 ounces caramel sauce
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Ground cinnamon

1) Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Line a cookie sheet with parchment and non stick spray; set aside.

2) Remove pie crusts from refrigerator so they warm up slightly. This will make them easier to work with.

3) Peel the skin off the green apples, compost. Continue peeling so you have bunch of fleshy, white peels of apple in your bowl.

4) Dust work area with flour and slightly roll out crusts. From one pie crust, cut out circles for the cookies. Cut the second pie crust into 1/2″ strips.

5) Place round pie crusts on cookie sheet. Spread a thin layer of caramel sauce on each cookie, followed by a pile of white apple peels. Using the 1/2” strips, create a tic-tac-toe lattice pattern over each cookie.

6) Beat egg in bowl and add sugar and nutmeg until well blended. Brush cookies with egg wash.

7) Sprinkle cookies with cinnamon. Use more or less cinnamon depending on your preference.

8) Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until cookies are a golden brown. Remove from oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes, serve and enjoy!

The Old Parkdale Inn is located in the Upper Hood River Valley, a renowned growing region for pears and apples. Located in the quaint town of Parkdale, Oregon with Oregon’s tallest peak, Mt. Hood, as a backdrop. Outdoor adventure, farms, wineries and fine dining are nearby. The complete privacy of the inn and the serene gardens are perfect for romantic and restful getaways.

You’re sure to enjoy sweet treats such as these at the inns of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild. Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is proactively taking steps to welcome you back when traveling restrictions have been lifted. Our member inns have always engaged in exemplary cleaning practices, and typically we hold ourselves to even higher standards than the guidelines provided by our health agencies. We’re taking it up a notch so as to provide the very safest environments for you, our employees and ourselves. We’re ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn

Crustless Apple Pie from Chehalem Ridge Bed and Breakfast

May 13, 2020 Mary Pellegrini

Chehalem Ridge Bed and Breakfast shares their Crustless Apple Pie today, National Apple Pie Day

Chehalem Ridge Bed and Breakfast serves this Baked Apple as part of their three-course gourmet breakfast, typically with a more savory entrée because it is a bit sweet. Pairing the brown sugar and warm spices with a tart Granny Smith apple is the trick to achieving a good balance in the dish. To make the filling just a bit more Oregonian, we use hazelnuts, but you could use walnuts if you can’t find hazelnuts. Fun fact: Oregon produces 99% of US hazelnuts, most of it in the Willamette Valley. You’ll see hazelnut orchards everywhere while you are out wine tasting.

They serve the Baked Apple with vanilla yogurt, because, you know, breakfast. But if you choose to put some other vanilla dairy product on it (maybe something from the freezer?), you won’t be judged. Enjoy safe at home, and start making plans to joins us for breakfast soon!

Crustless Apple Pie (aka Baked Apple)

Servings: 4

Yield: 4 apples
4 small Granny Smith apples
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon clove, ground
1/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1 tablespoon butter, cut into 1/2″ cubes
4 tablespoons vanilla yogurt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut just a little off the bottom of each apple so that it sits upright and stable. Core each apple with apple corer or melon baller, leaving the bottom 1/4″ intact. Peel upper third of apple to prevent from splitting.

In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, spices, nuts and dried cranberries. Fill each apple equally with filling and pack it down into the cavity. Put in baking dish. Dot each apple with a small cube of butter. Bake until tender when pierced with a fork, about 30 to 35 minutes. Serve warm with yogurt over top.

Gingered Pear and Raspberry Pandowdy at the Old Parkdale Inn

November 2, 2019 Mary Pellegrini

Gingered Pear and Raspberry Pandowdy

A Gingered Pear and Raspberry Pandowdy made with famous Hood River Valley Pears. The Old Parkdale Inn Bed and Breakfast is located in the Hood River Valley, the largest pear growing region in the nation. Many of our growers have cold storage units where we can pick up fresh pears almost all year round. This Gingered Pear and Raspberry Pandowdy has become a guest favorite.

Fruit Filling:

1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbs cornstarch
Pinch of fine sea salt
4 large pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 Tbs lemon juic
1 dry pint raspberries, fresh or frozen
1 Tbs cold butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 400°. Butter 4 small ramekins.
Fruit Filling: Rub the sugar, cornstarch and salt together in a large bowl, add pears and lemon juice and toss until evenly coated. Gently fold in raspberries and divide into ramekins. Dot with butter.

Biscuit:
1 3/4 cup flour
3 TBS plus 1 TBS sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine salt
10 TBS cold butter
1/3 cup chopped candied ginger
2/3 cup plus 1 TBS cold buttermilk

Biscuit: Whisk together flour, 3 TBS sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until the size of peas. Stir in the Candied ginger, pour in the 2/3 cup buttermilk and stir until the dry ingredients are moistened. The dough will be crumbly, with large pieces of butter still visible. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and gently press the dough together. Divide into four pieces and place atop the fruit. Brush the dough with the remaining buttermilk and sprinkle with remaining sugar.

Bake in the lower third of the oven for 30 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350° and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the juices are bubbly and thick. Allow to cool a bit before serving.

The innkeepers of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild are ready to share Oregon, its environment, culture, and heritage with you. Get to know our State like a local. Whether you’re looking for a quiet escape, a world class city experience, or a new spin on business travel, you can be assured of combining gracious hospitality with ambiance when staying at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

October is National Apple Month

September 29, 2019 Mary Pellegrini

October is National Apple Month

October is recognized as National Apple Month and Oregon is among the leaders in fine apple production. Apples are a member of the rose family of plants and the blossoms are much like wild-rose blossoms. Oregon produces over 21 commercial apple varieties, with Fuji and Gala leading the state’s production but we know of one orchard, Kiyokawa Family Orchards in the Hood River Valley that grow over 90 different varieties! The state’s rainfall and mild climate make it a prime location for apple orchards. The most orchards can be found in Oregon’s northwestern region near and around Portland. In 2015 Oregon produced an estimated 110 million pounds of apples.

History of the Apple – Oregon Growers

In 1847, Henderson Luelling brought more than 700 one year old grafted fruit trees from Iowa to Oregon by ox-team along with his wife and 8 children. Today, in front of a military building in the city of Vancouver, WA, an historic apple tree with a plaque on it records the following story: ‘In 1847, Henderson Lewelling, know for promoting the fruit industry in Iowa, Oregon, and California, came to Oregon in a covered wagon with his wife, children and 350 fruit trees that had survived the long journey.’ It goes on to say ‘By 1850, their first crop produced 100 apples. It was the time of the Gold Rush in California, and when they rushed to San Francisco with the apple crop, prospectors were so hungry for fresh fruit that he sold them for $5 each. They used the money to build more orchards.’

Today, the Hood River Valley is one of the major growers of apples. Kiyokawa Family Orchards in the Hood River Valley have been growing the finest produce available since 1911. The fertile soils found at the base of Mt. Hood and rarified, glacier-fed water sources create a unique growing environment. The Kiyokawa’s take pride in promoting local and sustainably grown produce and utilize a farm management system that incorporates best management practices.