Passing the Torch

Being a fifth generation Innkeeper, I come from a long line of home baking matriarchs - women that utilized homemaking and baking for gains in an era when women were scarce in professional kitchens. Like Bubbe (my mother's grandmother), Grandma Lil, and Mom - baking, and a persistent sweet tooth, are in the DNA. When my son, Austin, showed signs of interest I made room for him to start experimenting. He started with box mixes for brownies and cookies; eventually moving up the ranks to scratch recipes, and from there adaptation. I stood by and watched with proud adoration as he chose to add chocolate chips to a batch of P'nut Butter Cookies! He says, "Baking makes me happy. When I'm in a funk, it turns my mood around." While he was at sleep-away camp this summer he producded an article for the camp newletter entitled: "Making a S'more", and reported that "it was a hit! Everyone knew me as that-marshmallow-guy!" Now, that's how to make a Jewish mother kvell!

PEARL JAM in Woodstock

I've long since lost the butterflies when a celebrity walks through the doors of my house. Maybe that's because here at The Wild Rose Inn I've met so many, or maybe because I meet them on common ground; at the end of the day we're all just folks in need of a comfy bed. I was fascinated that two members of the legendary "grunge" band PEAL JAM would come for a visit. Though I didn't know their music well, I did recognize that they held a status with Generation X the way The Rolling Stones did with me. Mike McCready, one of the founding members of the band was on a strict diet, as are many guests these days, and he requested the use of our private kitchen to prepare his meals. He has been dealing with Crohn's disease since he was a teenager - and made one simple request: pick up three pounds of extremely lean chopped meat! I asked him about his diet, and this was the jist of it: "The thing that has really been working for me right now is my diet and this book by Elaine Gloria Gottschall, called "Breaking the Vicious Cycle." And this doesn't work for everyone but, for me, it's worked. And it's basically a diet, of no sugar, no starch - so, no potatoes, no fries, no refined sugars. And it's tough. We have to make bread out of nuts and all sorts of stuff, but it's the only thing that's put this [Crohn's] thing in remission without being on a ton of drugs. Actually, it's the best I've felt since I was probably 15 or 16. " It was a pleasure meeting both Mike and Stone Gossard (who wasn't on a diet, but loved the fact that I served Green Tea!) My kids, being under the radar as far as popular music is concerned, chose to watch "Sponge Bob" reruns rather than meet the band!