Culinary Vacation

Social media.  One either likes it or they don't.  We of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild actually love it.  Today's travelers' are web savvy travelers' who use many different social media sites to make wise travel choices.  Social media listings direct you to us and then our innkeepers take over to make your lodging choice the perfect choice for your Oregon vacation.

The Oregon B&B Guild website ~ new and improved with loads of information, serving as a 'one stop shopping' website:  

• Visit the Target Market page to begin your search for an inn that will fulfill your interests, birding, hiking, biking, wine tasting, historic destinations, etc.
• Weddings and Retreats - many of our innkeepers will host weddings and retreats
• Culinary Tourism - for our food loving guests, that would be all of you! 
• Browse by region, specials, amenities
• Each inn has direct links to their personal on-line reservation systems.  There is also an availability calendar for all regions
• Purchase Lodging Gift Vouchers which are redeemable at all our member inns
• Each inn has a direct link to their on-line reviews.  TripAdvisor, Yelp, BedandBreakfast.com and iLoveInns.  Review before you reserve.

This Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild Blog.  An amazing social media tool.  We post about happenings and events all across Oregon and the lodging options close by.  Search the blog for posts on winery events, bird watching sites, farmers markets and oh, so much more!

facebook - join almost 2000 fans that 'like' the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild.  You'll get live updates on specials, events, and state wide happenings. 

twitter - follow us on twitter @oregonbbguild and @ORinnquire for short timely Q&A with innkeepers.  We live here.  We know Oregon like the back of our hands and would love to help you create a memorable visit at our inns and in our regions

Flickr - where our innkeepers have uploaded photos of their inns, events, and scenic shots of Oregon

Pinterest - photos and more photos!  Of our inns, our innkeepers, our food, and of course our Oregon.

There are over 400 bed and breakfasts in Oregon but only ours are inspected and approved by the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild, making them a exceptional lodging choice for your perfect vacation.  Thank you for choosing one, or more, of our member inns as a lodging option on your next Oregon vacation.  You'll be glad you did.

Here's a special you won't want to miss in the Oregon Wine Country!  

Roselyn, innkeeper of the R. R. Thompson House in Carlton, invites you to enjoy a Spring Break Special.  For the rest of March 2013 and through the month of April 2013 only, you can:

• book one night and get the second night half off;
• book two nights and get the third night free! 

Please call the inn directly to reserve this special rate: (503) 852-6236  

Spring is a special time to visit the Willamette Valley.  The daffodils are in bloom and soon many flowering trees will be at the peak of beauty. 

The R. R. Thompson House is walking distance to nearly 20 wine tasting rooms and a short driving distance to many world-class wineries found in the Oregon Wine Country.  Located only 40 miles from Portland, Oregon, and 60 miles from the Oregon Coast, this inn makes a perfect central location for your Spring Break getaway.

And you'll stay in luxury.  Although the house was originally constructed in 1936, today this authentic Oregon home boasts two spacious suites and three intimate guestrooms, each appointed with marble tiled baths and jetted tubs and either a king or queen-sized pillow top mattress and crisp, luxury linens.

Hungry yet?  Make your Spring Break a culinary vacation too.  The R. R. Thompson House features a bountiful breakfast with specialties like Brie omlettes and house-baked pastries.  You can read more about this wonderful inn from a previous blog post here.

Visit the R. R. Thompson House soon and "like" them on Facebook too!

It is spring in the Pacific Northwest.  The rhubarb in the gardens of our inn, the Old Parkdale Inn, is just about ready to harvest and the Oregon strawberries should begin to come on soon.  Put the two together and we get a favorite of our guests, Strawberry-Rhubarb Coffee Cake.

3 c fresh rhubarb, cut in 1-inch pieces
2 c fresh strawberries
sweeten with agave nectar (or one c sugar)
1/3 c cornstarch

Cook the strawberries and rhubarb for about 5 minutes.  Combine the sweetener of your choice with the cornstarch and add to fruit.  Cook until bubbly and thick.  Set aside to cool


3 c flour
1 c sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 c butter

1 c buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp almond extract

Combine dry ingredients.  Cut in butter until the mixture resembles fine  crumbs.  Beat wet ingredients together and add to flour mix, stirring just to moisten.  Spread half the batter in a greased 9x13x2 inch baking pan.  Spread the cooled rhubarb filling over this and spoon the remaining batter in small portions on top of the filling.

Make a topping by combining

3/4 c sugar, 2 cup flour, cut in 1/4 cup butter and then add 1/4 cup flaked coconut

Sprinkle over the coffee cake batter, bake at 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes.  The innkeepers of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild truely enjoy turning your vacation into a culinary vacation.  Coffee anyone?

Long Hollow Ranch, a unique ranch stay in of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild, offers an at home atmosphere perfect for every season of the year. Join us for Bed & Breakfast during fall, winter or spring.  Off season weather can be unpredictable and capricious, so outdoor activities may be limited, but the ranch houses are quiet and comfortable - A Perfect Getaway!

Whether you are planning a simple birthday dinner for a family member or a week long retreat for the team, small groups and events are always welcome.

Your day starts with a delicious and satisfying hot Oregon slow food style breakfast, a culinary treat.  Hot and cold beverages are available and guests have access to a refrigerator and microwave.

Most Long Hollow Ranch buildings date back to the early twentieth century. During their stay at this historic Ranch guests can enjoy the outdoor hot tub, sit in the shade on the wrap around porch, enjoy drinks on the patio or play a variety of yard games. Inside the Ranch House, guests enjoy table games, reading, playing the piano or just having good conversation in the public living and dining room areas.

Plan a romantic weekend getaway or a spectacular Oregon Bed and Breakfast Ranch vacation experience in Oregon's Central High Desert.

Get to know our State like a local.  Select a Bed and Breakfast from where to start and end your trip.  Experience romantic getaways, historic treasures, and tucked away rustic retreats. Whether your trip is for a quiet escape to a quaint rural or coastal town, for a World Class City experience or for a new spin on business travel, you can be assured of combining gracious hospitality with ambiance by staying at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Culinary Tourists, listen up.  You'd travel miles for the best Street-Food.  Even plan whole culinary vacations around Street-Food.  Well, you need only travel to Portland, Oregon for the very best in Street Food.  #1 in the World in fact according to Budget Travel and US News Travel

"With more than 400 carts selling everything from Korean tacos to Carolina-style barbecue, Food Carts Portland is a microcosm of mobile meals, " according to Marisa Robertson-Textor.

Lunchtime crowds gather near SW 10th Avenue and SW Alder Street; later on, night owls head across the river to SE 12th Avenue and SE Hawthorne Boulevard for deep-fried cherry pies and savory crepes, served until 2 a.m.

Food Carts Portland has a list of cuisine categories, locations and maps.  From Baked Potatoes to Vietnamese to Turkish to Sicilian, you'll find more than 50 different carts.  "Like" Food Carts Portland on Facebook.

Start your Culinary Vacation at a Portland Bed and Breakfast where we serve up the very best in Oregon Slow Food, right from the Farmers Market to you.  Then "graze" through Portland and see what we already knew, Portland has the "World's Best Street Food".

Eat Mobile, Portland’s Food Cart Festival, will be held at OMSI this year on Saturday April 28. Fifty different street food vendors will serve up samples of their creations to the throngs of fans who will eat it up while enjoying an adult beverages and some live music. All proceeds from the event go to Mercy Corp Northwest’s local economic development program which assists entrepreneurs in securing funds for small businesses, including food carts.

Just another reason to visit Portland, Oregon and regional member inns of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild.  Get to know our State like a local.  Select a Bed and Breakfast from where to start and end your trip.  Experience romantic getaways, historic treasures, and tucked away rustic retreats. Whether your trip is for a quiet escape to a quaint rural or coastal town, for a World Class City experience or for a new spin on business travel, you can be assured of combining gracious hospitality with ambiance by staying at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Matthew Domingo
FARM to FORK Co-Founder

Farm Dinners Celebrate Hood River Valley's Farmers, Winemakers and Food Artisans

Farm to Fork’s founders have created a traveling farm-to-table restaurant, local food fundraiser, andcommunity celebration rolled into one. Each dinner is set at the farm where much of the food on the menu was produced, and proceeds benefit food-focused non-profits. rm to Fork’s mission is to connect guests to local sources of produce, meat, seafood and dairy products, and to honor the talented farmers, food artisans, winemakers and chefs who contribute to Oregon’s growing culinary and winemaking reputation.

An enormously successful 2010 season in Southern Oregon has led FARM to FORK north to Hood River. On September 18th at Historic Kiyokawa Family Orchards, FARM to FORK will feature their first Hood River event in anticipation of an expanded dinner series in the Hood River Valley next summer.
 
“The Hood River Valley, and the greater Columbia Gorge is a rich and beautiful agricultural region,” says Matthew Domingo, FARM to FORK’s Event Director.  “We’re excited to meet the farmers and food artisans in the valley, share their stories, and support the work of local organizations like the Gorge Grown Network and the Hood River Valley Residents Committee.”

Dinners begin with a tour from the host farmer, and include local wine, a five-course meal, and producer discussions (suggested minimum donation: $75).  Proceeds benefit local farmers and organizations supporting small farms, food security and greater accessibility to local food. Proceeds for this dinner will benefit the Gorge Grown Food Network and the Hood River Valley Residents Committee. For more information on Farm to Fork’s September 18th Farm Dinner, and to purchase seats to the event, go to farmtoforkevents.com.

After you have purchased your Farm to Fork tickets, choose a Mt Hood bed and breakfast through the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild as your lodging option and you are sure to turn a simple weekend into an Oregon culinary vacation.   Beside two major bike rides this same weekend in the Gorge, we are going to be in the middle of Harvest.  Which means over 1500 riders and visitors to the Family Fruit Farms, which means Rooms will be hard to come by.  Not to mention this event is almost sold out!! 

No other experience brings you that elusive thing we call home as quickly as waking up to the warm and comforting aromas of breakfast. Imagine these drifting up the stairwells and down the halls.  Coffee being freshly ground and sweet and savory delights.  You know that something wonderful awaits your arrival at the breakfast table. Any possibility might exist.  You may be surprised with fresh scones with homemade jams, gnocci with fresh herbs, a 3” high savory custard, or perhaps a French crepe, an Italian fritatta, or a Spanish Tortilla. No matter the experience, you can be assured that the Innkeepers of The Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild take Breakfast very seriously. 

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild Innkeepers include farmers, winemakers, fruit growers, cheese mongers, and ranchers. Your culinary experience will differ depending the region of Oregon you are visiting. Whether we serve locally grown produce, fresh farm eggs and cheese, sustainably raised meats or the wine your host may serve in the afternoon, we regard ourselves stewards of the land.

There are countless Food, Wine and Beer Festivals to celebrate Oregon's Bounty in every corner of our fine state.  Regional orchard and farm loop offers you as visitors to the Northwest the chance to take a culinary vacation through the rural landscape, the coast and the urban areas. By staying with our member innkeepers, you will have an insider guide to the foods and beverages of the region.

When was the last time you were charged for a cup of coffee at a Bed and Breakfast? WiFi?  A biscotti?  A sip of sherry? I'm thinking never!  This is becoming the norm as we see the ever-increasing hotel add-on fees.  Mark Orwoll, trusted travel journalist, recently published a story in Travel & Leisure Magazine about the world's most outrageous hotel fees.   Heather Tyreman, my colleague and fellow blogger for the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild, blogged about this same topic some time back in "Hotels vs Bed and Breakfasts: Pros and Cons and the Doily Factor".  Read her blog, the Travel & Leisure Magazine article, there's more add-on fees mentioned there, and then this one and we hope you'll decide to choose a B&B next time you travel.
 

• Early Check-In Fees can set you back $50:  Orwoll says, "Hotels used to go out of their way to accommodate early-arriving guests. Now you just might have to pay for the privilege at some properties". Your cost: fees average $20–$50.  While B&Bs can't always guarantee early check-ins, we do our best to accommodate guests who request an early check-in or late check-out in advance with no added fees.
   
• Fees for in-room coffee and tea?  Are you kidding?  Some hotels are kindly placing an electric coffeepot on your dresser along with an assortment of tea bags and instant coffee. "Watch out," says Orwoll. "That amenity, which used to be gratis, is becoming a new source of revenue for hotels", insists Orwoll.  Your cost: $2–$5 for a tea bag or a packet of coffee.  Next time you travel choose a B&B where morning coffee usually appears before 7am and you hold a bottomless cup, many times with complimentary biscotti or cookie to go along with it.
   
• Maid service costs more than a tip:  Cleanliness is next to Godliness at today's B&Bs. Chance are if you read a review for any B&B guests will comment on how clean the guest room was.  Innkeepers are dedicated to offering the greenest and cleanest of rooms, and while they gratefully accept tips, they won't charge an extra housekeeping fee.
   
• Free wi-fi?  Many budget hotel chains routinely offer free Internet connection but so many luxury brands don't.  Your cost: $10–$20 (or more) a day.  Yet, according to BedandBreakfast.com, the most comprehensive online B&B directory and reservation network worldwide, more than 87 percent of B&Bs offer a free wi-fi connection. 
   
• No Mini-Bar fees here:  "It's bad enough that you have to pay ten times or more the normal price for mini-bar items", maintains Orwoll, "but what's worse is the growing practice among hotels to add an extra charge to replace items you took. And it gets worse: hotels are increasingly using mini-bars armed with sensors that detect—and charge your room bill—if you so much as move an item!"  Your cost:  $3-$5.  A recent survey by BedandBreakfast.com revealed that more 95 percent of B&Bs offer either complimentary afternoon or evening refreshments or a complimentary wine and cheese reception.

It's out of the hat.  There are just no words to describe what it’s like to spend the harvest season following your taste buds on a Culinary Travel Vacation through Oregon.  If you could put all of Oregon on a plate, the flavors would combine into one of the most delicious ambrosias you’ve ever tasted.  Sample the Flavors of Oregon, one bite, sip or scent at a time.  Start you Culinary Vacation at a member inn of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild then head out and get to know the artisans, brewmasters, winemakers, and growers of Oregon.

Our innkeepers take breakfast seriously, serving freshly ground coffee, more often than not roasted locally, along with sweet and savory delights created from the very best of what our Oregon producers have to offer.  Many have home gardens and hens or have fresh produce delivered via their local growers and/or Community Supported Agriculture Groups.

There are many Oregon Food and Wine events planned through the rest of the year.  Wine and Brew Tasting, Mushroom Foraging and Bar-b-Ques are but a few of the many upcoming Oregon culinary experiences.  Contact an Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild Innkeeper and plan your getaway today.

• Oregon is the second largest producer of craft been in the U.S.
• Oregon is the No. 2 hop growing state in the country.
• There are currently 78 brewing companies, operating 110 brewing facilities in 48 cities in Oregon, 36 breweries operating in Portland, more than any other city in the world!