PEM's Garden Restaurant Opening Soon, Menu Looks Delicious!

You may or may not know that Hawthorne Hotel's Catering Division runs the restaurants at the Peabody Essex Museum.  Now you know for sure!

We are opening the Garden Restaurant for the season on May 4.

Here is the menu:

Chilled Asian Five-Spice Shrimp

basil-ponzu sauce, julienned cucumbers

light, cool and refreshing

Ten

New England Clam Chowder

Chive Oil

Cup,  Six ~~ Bowl, Seven-Fifty

Caesar Salad

Romaine, Parmesan, sun-dried tomato crostini

Demi Portion, Six-Fifty ~~ Entrée Portion, Ten

Crab and Corn Chowder

Cup,  Six ~~ Bowl, Seven-Fifty

 Garden Vegetable Herb Soup

vegetable broth, asparagus tips, peas,

pea pods, mint and basil

Cup,  Five-Fifty ~~ Bowl, Seven

Mixed Green Salad

carrot ribbons, daikon radish, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and sesame-soy vinaigrette

Demi Portion, Six-Fifty ~~ Entrée Portion, Ten

Curried Roasted Vegetable Stack

roasted potatoes and goat cheese

Fourteen

Raspberry Chicken Salad

chicken, raspberries, Mandarin oranges, spiced pecans, mixed greens and raspberry vinaigrette

Demi Portion, Nine-Fifty ~~ Entrée Portion, Thirteen 

Chicken Caesar Salad

Romaine, chicken breast, Parmesan,

sun-dried tomato crostini

Demi-Portion, Nine-Fifty ~~ Entrée Portion, Fourteen

Crab Trio

crab cake with basil-ponzu sauce,

chilled citrus-chive crab, crab and corn bisque

Twenty

Seafood Special ~~ Panini Specials

See the daily special sheet for today’s choices

We offer a vegetarian panini too!

Soup and Salad Meal

Choose a bowl of chowder or soup

and a demi-portion Caesar or mixed greens salad

bread and tapenade spread

Thirteen-fifty

 Seared Statler Chicken Breast

chicken stuffed with cranberry-goat cheese, served with pear compote, roasted potatoes

and green beans amandine

Eighteen

 Hoisin-Barbecued Flank Steak

ginger-scented rice

and mélange of spring vegetables

Eighteen

Asian Five-Spice Shrimp

served warm over mixed greens with sesame vinaigrette, carrot ribbons, daikon radish, Mandarin oranges, cherry tomatoes and toasted almonds

Demi-Portion, Twelve-Fifty ~~ Entrée Portion, Eighteen

Open Holiday Mondays and Every Wednesday thru Sunday 11:30-2:30 pm

Reservations Recommended   978-542-1618

Let's keep all good thoughts for the same kind of excellent weather that we are enjoying today for all the days the Garden is open.  That means it can rain on Mondays and Tuesdays only.  

I hope to see you there, rain or shine, as we do have indoor seating as well.  But let's keep the good weather thoughts going.

Outdoor Seating in the Garden

Shrimp Appetizer

Juli

Happy Weekend!

Have a royally good time this weekend!

psst...and to all you Anglophiles...catch up on your beauty sleep!

image via Paper Garland

Romantic Specials in Nathaniel's

Just in time for the arrival of our group of Romance Writers, our very romantically-inclined chef, Steve Nelson, offers these Specials for this weekend, in Nathaniel's here at the Hawthorne Hotel:

The Courtship

Coldwater Oysters

Served on the half shell with Champagne-caviar mignonette

Spicy Arugula Salad

Grilled fig, goat cheese, walnuts, yellow teardrop tomatoes,

sweet and zesty vinaigrette

 

The Romance of Nathaniel and Sophia

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Grilled “tenderlove” of beef, morel mushroom demi-glace,

roasted banana fingerling potatoes and wilted watercress

Sophia Peabody Hawthorne

Sautéed shrimp and seared scallops with sauce Béarnaise,

grilled asparagus, steamed spinach and herbed risotto

The Happily Ever After

Trio of Chocolate

Chocolate truffles, chocolate-covered strawberries

and chocolate-covered nuts

The Paradise

Passion fruit, mango and coconut mousses

layered with vanilla sponge cake and Cape gooseberries

3 courses, $45 per person

The Menu for the Specials for the Royal Wedding

These are the specials that we will be serving tomorrow morning (in addition to our regular breakfast menu) as we all "tune in" to the Royal Wedding, beginning at 6:30 a.m. in our Tavern. The tables will be set with proper linens and fresh flowers, we will be wearing our own version of royal finery, and we will offer all of our guests at the time that the happy couple appears on the balcony a toast of "bubbly" on us.

I hope to see you here,

Juli

Royal Wedding Breakfast Specials

Full English Breakfast

Two Fried Eggs, Two Rashers of Bacon,

Two Pork Sausages, Baked Beans,

Sautéed Mushrooms, Fried Tomatoes, Toast, Juice and Coffee or Tea

$12.00

Scotch Woodcock

Scrambled Eggs over Anchovy-Buttered Toast with Watercress

$10.50

Join us for a sparkling cider toast when the couple appears on the royal balcony!

Here Comes the Bride...

The clock is ticking and we're just hours away from the Royal Wedding. It begins around 3:00 am my time, so it's going to be an early morning. I don't plan on missing anything!

I'll be huddled up with my little Vito enjoying some scones and tea...

How often do we get to attend a magnificent Royal Wedding? UK friends, please let us know what's going on across the pond!

How will everyone be celebrating if by chance you can't attend in person?

Happy Wedding!

image one: London Connection

Romantic Cocktails On Tap for the Romance Writers

They are arriving this Friday, and we will be offering these three very special cocktails, in their honor, all weekend long.  I hope you might want to join in the fun and enjoy one of them too!

Sophia’s Passion Cosmopolitan
Pinnacle Citron Vodka, Triple Sec, Cranberry Juice and Fresh Lime

Sophia Peabody met and fell madly in love with Salem Neighbor Nathaniel Hawthorne.  Friend believed it was love at first sight; her sister, however, claimed Sophia stole Nathaniel from her!  Married in 1842, they remained happily so until his death in 1864.  Experience this passion.

100-Couples Martini

Pinnacle Pear Vodka, apple and lemon juices, simple syrup

From our first wedding at the Hawthorne Hotel in 1925 (the year we opened), we now host close to 100 weddings each year.

 Wedded Lemon Bliss

Pinnacle Citron Vodka, Orange Curacao, simple syrup and Rose’s Lime

In 2008 a highly successful wedding exhibition called “Wedded Bliss” was created and on display at PEM for several months.  It considered weddings throughout time and in various cultures, and inspired this cocktail.

I hope to see you here.  In the Tavern.  With a Romantic Adult Beverage in hand!

Juli

Oops! Almost Forgot...

What if You Were Crowned Princess for a Day?

There has been much speculation regarding Kate Middleton wearing a tiara on her wedding day. Traditionally, tiaras are given to Royal brides as the "something borrowed" by the reigning Queen.

Russian Fringe Tiara 1919

Will it be the Russian Fringe diamond tiara worn by the Queen, the Queen Mother, Queen Mary and the Princess Royal? Will it be the Spencer family tiara worn by Princess Diana? Or will the Queen give Kate a tiara as a wedding gift, as she did her other daughters-in-law? Or will Kate just skip convention all together?

Here's a little "Royal Bling" to get you in the spirit!

The Spencer Family Tiara

The Oriental Circlet Tiara, made for Queen Victoria in 1853

Made for Florence, the wife of the second Baron Poltimore, treasurer to Queen Victoria's household 1872-1874. Later owned by HRH Princess Margaret.

diamond tiara, c. 1930

Sarah, Duchess of York tiara


If you were crowned Princess or Queen, which tiara would you want to wear, or would you?

tiara images from here & here & here

An Unusual Thank You Letter

This lovely letter arrived recently, and really made our day. It is not very normal to receive a thank you note like this one for two reasons.

The first is that it is written and sent by normal mail. In this day of email, and on-line posts, text-messages, and the like, to get a "regular" letter is simply out of the norm. It seems like all the regular mail we get anymore are simply asking for money -- either donation requests or bills.

The second reason is that it thanks us for just doing your job.

We especially like the fact that it mentions several of our staff members by name. We know it is our staff members that set us apart from our competition, and we love seeing this recognition.

(To enlarge the letter, simply click on it.)

I hope you enjoy this look at the week's mail. I did not scan the bills and daily appeals. You get the picture!

Juli

Okay, We Can't Be Left Out of the Royal Wedding Fever

Since none of us received an invitation, we decided to throw our own "bash" for the Royal Wedding.  This Friday morning we are moving breakfast to the Tavern so that we can "tune in" to watch all the festivities on our big screen televisions.

We are adding some British-style specials to our regular (and might I add very delicious) breakfast menu, so you can order exactly what you feel like having while you enjoy watching the Royals at the height of Royal-dom!

We open at 6:30 a.m. but you can certainly join us earlier if you wish for coffee or tea.

When the newly anointed couple make their way out onto the balcony to greet the throng, we will serve everyone in the Tavern a glass of "bubbly" to toast the event.

For those of you who can't make it for breakfast, we will keep the TV tuned all day, and we will be serving British-style specials in the Tavern all day long.

So "jolly good" and all that!  Come join us at the Tavern of the Hawthorne Hotel for this extra-special event.

Juli

Mother's Day -- Oh, My Goodness, It Will Be Here SOON!

With the late date of Easter this year, Mother's Day will be here before you know it -- in fact in only two weeks!  If you just haven't thought about it because you have been focused on Easter, you should think about it quickly.

Here are the details for our lovely Mother’s Day Brunch at the Hawthorne Hotel:

Sunday, May 8, 2011 10:30am - 6pm

Adults $40.95 Children (12 and under) $16.95

Some of Mom’s Special Recipes

From 11am to 7pm

Crustless Quiche Lorraine with Ham, Emmentaler and Gruyere Cheeses

Spanish-Style Seafood Stew with Scallops, Fish, Shrimp, Vegetables and Saffron

Poached, Sliced Chicken Breast and Tarragon Cream

Peas and Pearl Onions

Spring Vegetable Medley

Shell Pasta with Edamame, Mushrooms, Garlic and Herbs

Spring Pilaf, Rice, Grains, Couscous and Orzo

New Potatoes with Butter and Dill

Carving Station

Slow-Roasted Prime Rib of Beef Au Jus, and Horseradish Cream

Honey-Baked Ham with Honey-Mustard Sauce and Pineapple Relish

Roasted Turkey Breast, Cranberry Relish and Maple Aioli

Favorites from the Garden and Farm

Mixed Greens Salad with Zinfandel Vinaigrette and Creamy Maple-Butternut Dressing

Seasonal Fruit Bowl with Strawberries

Baked Brie, Spiced Pecans, Grapes, Berries and Breads

Smoked Salmon, Tomato, Caper and Parsley Salad

Assorted Breads, Muffins, Bagels, Danish, Sliced Fruit Breads

Vermont Grafton Aged Cheddar Wheel with Crackers and Breads

White Bean Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumber, Red Onion and Lemon Vinaigrette

Berry Ambrosia, Pineapple, Oranges and Fresh Berries with Toasted Coconut and Fresh Mint

Bowtie Pasta Salad, Creamy Spinach Dressing and Roasted Cauliflower

Chilled-Steamed Asparagus with Raspberry-Citrus dressing

Here is the changeable part of our menu:

From 11am to 3 pm

Scrambled Eggs

Bacon, Sausage Links

Belgian Waffles, Strawberry Sauce,

Maple Syrup, and Whipped Cream


From 3 pm to 6 pm

Baked Butternut Squash Soufflé

Baked Haddock with Corn Crumbs and Lemon Butter

Spinach and Leek Gratin with

Blue Cheese Crumbs

All Day Long, Sweets for the Sweet

Chocolate-Banana Bread Pudding, Whipped Cream

Lemon Layer Cake

Tiramisu

Flourless Chocolate Torte

Apple and Blueberry Pies

Pecan Bourbon Pie

Raspberry Cream Torte

Cappuccino-Chocolate Mousse with Shaved Chocolate

Assorted Mini Pastries, Cookies, Brownies

For Reservations Please Call (978) 825-4311

18 Washington Square West, Salem, Ma 01970

http://www.hawthornehotel.com/

Dining at the Palace?

Ever imagined dining with the Royal Household? Here are some rules of etiquette via Pat Stonehouse should you be one of the lucky to receive an invite. Or we can pretend, can't we?

1. Stand behind one's chair and wait for the Queen to sit down before being seated.

2. Wait for the Queen to start eating. When the Queen stops eating, so does everyone else at the dinner.

3. The Royal family eats Continental style. The knife is held in the right hand and the fork in the left. Food is conveyed to the mouth with the fork held tines down in the left hand; the fork is not transferred to the right hand the way it is in North America. When finished, the knife and fork are placed parallel on the plate.

4. Should one happen to drop something on the floor, pretend nothing has happened. Footmen will discretely attend to it.

5. Once seated, no one leaves the table until the Queen leaves. It is considered bad manners to leave the table and visit the restroom during the meal.

6. Personal belongings such as cell phones and purses should not be placed on the table.

7. Looking for salt and pepper shakers? They won't be found - instead, look for a salt cellar, which looks like a tiny bowl with a small spoon, and a pepper caster.

8. Don't ask for things not directly within reach. One needs not ask to have anything passed when dining with the Royals. All food is served by footmen, and each guest's place setting has its own individual salt cellar, pepper caster, mustard pot and butter dish.

9. Refrain from clinking glasses to have the newlyweds kiss, as the Queen wouldn't appreciate having her exquisite crystal chipped.

10. What traditionally is called "dessert" is called "pudding" in England. After the pudding course comes the dessert course, which is the fruit course. At this time, each dinner guest is presented with a finger bowl on a gilt plate with a knife, fork and spoon. Guests are to lift and position the finger bowl and napkin to the left of their place setting and lay out their own cutlery for the fruit course. After the fruit is eaten, guests use the finger bowls.

Here are some wonderful books available about dining at the Palace.

For the Royal Table - Dining at the Palace, by Kathryn Jones - "This book is filled with photos of the dining table all set, the silver gilt services, the Victorian goblets, and all the fabulous gilt serving pieces collected for the Royal Collection by King George IV the first 25 years of the 19th century. Can you imagine being a server carrying a large Sevres platter from the Louis XVI service dating to 1760?" -The Anglophile

Dinner at Buckingham Palace, by Charles Oliver --"When Queen Victoria dined-whether it was breakfast or a dinner party for hundreds of guests-it was no casual affair, and this elegant volume, based on the diaries of the son of a royal servant during the Victorian era, pays homage to the pomp, circumstance and food that came from the royal kitchen, and the dining habits of the present Queen and her family."-Publishers Weekly

Bon Appetit!

More Easter Photos from the Hawthorne Hotel

These photos are pretty self-explanatory. I just thought you might enjoy seeing them.




The Easter Bunny's visit did appeal to people of all ages.

I hope to see you here for our next special occasion buffet on Mother's Day, May 8.

Juli

Brunch Set-up for Easter

 Lobby Buffet, in the foreground is the breads station, complete with Hot Cross Buns.

 Two double-sided lines insure speedy self-service with little if any wait to get your goodies.

Dessert Table in the Ballroom (there is also one in Sophia's)

Royal Inspiration

As we prepare for the upcoming wedding of Prince William and Kate, I thought I'd devote this week to The Royals.

I just love the British-inspired line by the talented Laura Tarrish. Laura began her career as a graphic designer and some years later became inspired by collage-based illustration. Some of her clients include Apple Computer, The Boston Globe and Travel & Leisure. She even designed the retirement card for news anchor, Tom Brokaw!

The 'Royals' Card' (above)

Bridgetown Papers showcases Laura's amazing work which includes wrapping paper, note cards, photo frames, custom invitations and more. Pure eye-candy.

For her custom work she uses her client’s memorabilia, providing a wish list for them after a conversation about their project, and augments with imagery she researches or finds in her archives.

'Kings & Queens' collection (above) includes wrapping paper, notebooks, folders, bookmarks and more.

Laura's an avid collector of vintage maps, postcards, old travel guides, ticket stubs and more. You can see these wonderful vintage objects in her work.

Take for instance this design made from objects she collected while living in London. Isn't it fabulous?

English file folders

There is so, so much more to share about Laura's amazing work. You should see her Paris series!

You must visit her site Bridgetown Papers to view all of her work, and then mosey on over to Felt & Wire Shop to purchase her available retail goods. It's truly spectacular!

Thanks Laura for the wonderful inspiration. I LOVE my goodies!

Easter Bunny Brunch Was a Hit with All Ages

It does not matter how old you are, believing in the Easter Bunny can be as simple as can be. Especially when you have a lovely EB like this to encourage that belief.


I hope you enjoy these few selected photos from today's brunch.  If you are looking for your photos, go to http://www.hawthornehotel.com/ and click on the link for the Easter Photos on the home page.  It will take you to the web album we have prepared for you.  You can download, print, or email your photos right from the web album.

Happy Easter,

Juli

Hawthorne Hotel's Flags of the Week ~~ April 25 through May 1, 2011

Monday , April 25 ~~ Togo and Rhode Island


Tuesday , April 26 ~~ Tonga and South Carolina

Wednesday , April 27 ~~ Trinidad and Tobago and South Dakota

Thursday , April 28 ~~ Tunisia and Tennessee

Friday , April 29 ~~ Turkey and Texas

Saturday , April 30 ~~ Turkmenistan and Utah

Sunday , May 1 ~~ Switzerland and United States of America

We are flying the flags of Switzerland and the USA on Sunday by special request.  If you have a special flag request, be sure to give us a call.  978-825-4322 or 978-825-4444.

I hope to see you here.

Juli

Another FABULOUS Review of "Golden" at PEM

No, I am not secretly on the payroll of the PR department of PEM (the Peabody Essex Museum), but Yes, I do love the place and think we are so very blessed here in Salem, MA to have such a gem of a big museum (depending on who you listen to, somewhere between the 14th and 18th largest in the whole U.S.A is pretty big in my book!)

Here is a review of the current special exhibit that will put into words what many are saying -- that "Golden" is exactly that!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/23/arts/23iht-melikian23.html

“Golden: Dutch and Flemish Masterworks from the Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Collection.”

Now that I have read this spectacular review, I will need to return for my fourth visit.  This is just too good a show to only see once!

I hope to see you here, or there.

Juli

Pet-Friendly "R" Us

Meet Hansel and Dirk, a pair of miniature dachshunds visiting the hotel this week.  They were both very sweet and well-behaved visitors.



Hansel, the brown and grey dog, loves squeaky toys, so I had him test-squeak our latest Hawthorne Hotel squeaky toy. He pronounced it "ruff-right."



I hope to see you and your well-behaved pets right here at the historic, and pet-friendly, Hawthorne Hotel.

Juli