Rice Crispy Encrusted Scallops...really????

This might sound a bit wacky, but guests absolutely LOVE it. You have got to try this recipe!

Rice Crispy Encrusted Scallops with Grilled Asparagus and Melon (Appetizer to serve 4)

Ingredients:
8 Large Sea Scallops (U/10)
1/2 cup Rice Crispies

1/3 of melon (honeydew or canteloupe)

12 Asparagus Spears
1/2 bunch parsley-chopped

Egg wash (beaten egg in bowl)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Prep hot grill /Have blender handy
Chef note: Only use very fresh dry-packed scallops, nothing soaked in "treated liquid".

Method for purees:

• Cut asparagus spears in half and place on hot grill. Cook only 1/2 way through. Set aside
  
• Place melon pieces on grill until slightly limp. Remove and set aside.
  
• Cut tips off 6 asparagus spears. Place stalks in blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt & pepper. Set aside.
  
• Rinse blender. Place melon pieces in blender (no rind). Puree until smooth. Season with salt & pepper. Set aside.
  
  Method for scallops:

From scallops, remove tough ligament if still attached. Rinse and pat dry.

Coat the flat sides of each scallop with Rice Crispies. Brush with egg wash. Keep sides clear of Rice Crispies. Secure the coating by patting down with hands.

Place a skillet on medium high heat. Heat 1 tsp of oil. Sear the flat sides of scallops only until golden in color.

If they need to cook more, place them on baking sheet and bake in oven at 350 degrees until preferred doneness. Note 2-3 minutes = medium rare.

In bowl, toss remaining asparagus spears with a little EVOO and 1/2 the parsley.

To Plate:

Spoon some asparagus puree on the center of each plate.

Place the asparagus spears on top of puree.

Spoon the melon puree all around, as garnish design

Place scallops on top of asparagus. Drizzle with a little EVOO. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve & enjoy.

SUMMERFEST, June 13th ~ Huge fun in a small town!

Just 10 minutes away, you'll discover Littleton, New Hampshire ~ proudly listed as one of the Top Ten Small Towns in America. A small town filled with old fashioned charm and genuinely friendly folks. You are invited to join them in their annual celebration of Summerfest held on Saturday, June 13th.

Just come on down to Main Street and you'll be in the middle of the party. Festivities start at 10:00am. In addition to all the unique shopping, the working gristmill and beautiful covered bridge... you have to check out the special Summerfest activities.

Start off at the Craft Fair for wonderful wares crafted by true artisans. Then bring your appetite down to Main Street to the "Taste of North Country". Enjoy the amazing fare of 12 outstanding area restaurants. Yes! Rabbit Hill Inn will be there, serving delicious Four Diamond dishes. No hum drum hot dogs at this event. This is really good stuff! At 1:00, join everyone to watch the parade. Then return the "The Taste" for dessert. If you wish, stick around for the Block Party that starts at 6:30. What a day, huh?

Summerfest is like the celebrations of days gone by. But for Littleton, it's an annual party that everyone awaits. Folks come from far and near. So mark your calendar and come join the fun. Be assured, you'll have a few new friends before you leave Summerfest. We look forward to seeing you there!!!

Rabbit Hill Inn Video - A Virtual Romantic Vermont Vacation

Is winter starting to drag? Need a romantic Vermont Vacation NOW? Well, the ideal thing to do is call Rabbit Hill Inn and book your Vermont escape. If that's not possible, perhaps watching the Rabbit Hill Inn video might help. Think of it as a virtual Vermont vacation.

Just take a few minutes and watch it whenever you feel like you need a break. We've been told that it reduces stress immediately. You've got nothing to lose. Give it a try!

Vermont Getaway Deals starting at $250 w/ meals & gratuities!

"HOT DATE" winter specials are back!

Save 20% when you book this "room and dinner"

package for specific dates. Getaways start at $250

for two, with breakfast, dinner and gratuities.

Don't waste another minute.

Click here for further details

Rabbit Hill Inn awarded "TOP 12 INNS WORLDWIDE" by Bedandbreakfast.com

Rabbit Hill Inn was selected as one of the Top 12 Inns Worldwide in the annual Best of BedandBreakfast.com Awards for 2008-2009. The Best of BedandBreakfast.com Awards are based upon a qualitative and quantitative review of nearly 50,000 independent reviews submitted to BedandBreakfast.com, the leading online B&B directory and reservation network worldwide.

"We know how important independent reviews are. We're delighted that inngoers concurred that Rabbit Hill Inn is a favoirte among those seeking the B&B experience" explained BedandBreakfast.com's Sandy Soule, one of the most highly recognized authors and a spokeswoman for the B&B industry. "It's clear that the Rabbit Hill Inn earned high marks from inngoers for their fine accommodations, fantastic dining, amenities, and wonderful hospitality and service," commented Soule.

"We are thrilled to be chosen one of the Top 12 Inns Worldwide by BedandBreakfast.com Award and proud that our guests posted reviews that resulted in this award," stated Leslie Mulcahy. "It's gratifying that our level of hospitality and attention to detail were recognized by inngoers who took the time to write reviews of Rabbit Hill Inn." Here's an excerpt from one of our reviews:

"You need to see for yourself as it is so difficult to describe how absolutely fantastic it is to stay at this Inn. From the innkeepers, staff, rooms, food, nothing is too much trouble and every comfort catered for -- just brilliant! November 2008

Try This New Lobster Recipe

Summertime dining calls for fresh seafood. In our recent "Inn Good Taste" Cooking Class, Chef Tim prepared this terrific lobster dish. Try it at home, you'll be glad that you did!

Lobster, Roasted Corn, and Smoked Cheddar Ravioli

served in a Brandied Lobster Consomme

Serves 8

Ingredients for the ravioli:
32 wonton wrappers
3 cooked lobster tails
2 oz lemon zest
2 tsp olive oil
2 roasted corn cobs
4 oz shaved smoked cheddar
salt & cracked pepper to taste
1 oz water


Method:

• Cut corn off cobs
• Finely chop lobster meat, then mix with corn
• Add salt & black pepper to lobster mix
• Whip single egg with water
• With pastry brush, egg-wash the edges of wonton wrappers
• Place one ounce of lobster mix in center of each wrapper. Add a pinch of lemon zest & a sprinkle of cheese to each center
• Place top wrappers and press to seal edges
• Cut with a 2" round cookie cutter. This makes round ravioli.
• Saute in frying pan with 2 tsp of olive oil until golden brown on each side

Ingredients for Consomme:
3 Tbsp canola oil
1 lb lobster shells
1/4 cup brandy
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 galic cloves
3 shallots
1/2 fennel bulb
4 cups water


Method:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add shells and saute for 1 minute without stirring
• Start stirring occassionally until shells are brown
• Add brandy, garlic, shallots, and fennel. Cook until veggies are soft
• Stir in cold water and tomato paste and bring to boil. Boil for 15 minutes
• Strain through a fine sieve

Place 2 raviolis in each bowl. Ladle consomme over them and serve.

Ziplining...It's The Hottest Summer Activity!

Have you heard? ZipLining is one of the hottest new outdoor adventure activities. What's even better is that you can Zipline right here in New England (just 25 minutes away from Rabbit Hill Inn).

For those who need a little explanation, this exhilarating outdoor adventure forces you to lunge out of your comfort zone and experience new heights -- literally. You get strapped into a harness, securely clipped to a cable and then zip along the tree tops of the White Mountains.

But know one thing -- at Alpine Adventures, your safety is paramount! You're in good hands with the folks at Alpine Adventures. Every precaution is taken, and your guides are always present. If we had the slightest doubt, you would NOT be hearing this from us. The Boston Globe checked it out and said, "It's magical, breathtaking and awesome." You can even choose your level of adventure. The extreme zipline course offers up to 1800 feet of zipline, 250 feet off the forest floor. They also offer dual zips and shorter zips from 100 to 800 feet.

Now it's your turn to take the plunge. Book your ZipLine Adventure package. We'll take care of all the details. All you have to do is bring your thirst for fun and adventure!

Shhhhhh... Free Wireless Internet, But Don't Tell Anyone

Can you keep a secret? Yes, we do have Wireless Internet. And yes, of course, it's free (I can't stand it when places charge you for stuff like that). So, if you must, go ahead and bring your laptop. But remember... YOU ARE ON VACATION!

It's nice to check in with family, send pictures of your Vermont vacation to your friends, saying "wish you were here". Take a video of your Zip Line ride or visit to the waterfalls and put it on YouTube. This is fun stuff.

But try to resist the "other stuff". Set up your email auto-reply and tell everyone that you are away and have no internet access. They don't need to know that we have WiFi. It will be our little secret.

Top Ten Reasons to Visit Vermont Farmers Markets

You probably never considered going to a Farmers Market while on vacation. Well, in Vermont, it's a "Must Do". Those "in the know" visit 4 or 5 during there Vermont getaway. Here's why...






1. Soak up the local culture. Eat the food, listen to the music, and visit with the locals.

2. Amazing produce! Local farmers proudly present fresh everything (mostly picked that day). Real Organic produce is easy to find here.

3. Ooooh the cheese! Chat with artisan cheesemakers and sample all the unique choices.

4. Fresh, I mean really fresh, meats (chicken, beef, lamb). And eggs - still warm from the chicken.

5. Meet the artisan bakers. Taste artisan breads & baked goods. Treat yourself to a real Vermont cider donut (not the 99% sugar kind from the store).

6. Liquid Gold. You can't forget the Vermont maple syrup...and the maple sugar, maple butter, maple cream and maple candy.

7. Talk "bean" with a local coffee roaster.

8. Be tempted by all the specialty products - jams, jellies, chutneys, honey, tapenades, pestos,sauces, and pickled anything.

9. Check out the glorious floral bouquets & plants, the candles, colorful yarns just spun, wood crafts, and numerous other irrisistable artisan crafts.

10. You may even meet a painter or photographer displaying a gallery of artwork.

Saturday is the biggest "Market Day". You can easily visit 4 markets in one day! Hey, it's a great way to really explore the Northest Kingdom, enjoy loads of fun, eat great food and take stuff back home. Come and squeeze, sniff, and taste for yourself...bring you cooler, you're going to need it!

Wed - Danville 8-11 am / Newport 9-1 pm
Fri - Hardwick 3-6 pm / Island Pond 12-4 pm
Sat - St. Johnsbury 9-1 pm / Craftsbury 10-1 pm
Newport 9-2 pm / Littleton 9-2 pm
Sun - Cabot 10-2

Memorial Day Weekend in Vermont

An artisan's studio is a place of inspiration - as well as perspiration. It's also a place few other people get to see -- unless it happens to be Memorial Day Weekend in Vermont.

Each year, hundreds of Vermont artisans open their studio doors to the public, allowing you the chance to see the artistry behind the art. Participating artists include furniture makers, glass blowers, ironworkers, jewelers, painters, potters, printmakers, quilt makers, sculptors, weavers, and wood carvers.

During Open Studio Weekend, held each Memorial Day Weekend, visitors get a fascinating glimpse of how such artists work. Artisans, in turn, get the chance to showcase their work as well as the context within which it was created.

And of course, as a statewide celebration of the visual arts and creative process, Open Studio Weekend is also a wonderful showcase of the state itself, representing one the best touring opportunities of the year. With studios clustered throughout the state, visitors can meander along quiet back roads or through the heart of Vermont's historic districts with relative ease.

Open Studio Guide Maps are available at the Rabbit Hill Inn. Simply ask an Innkeeper to guide you to the studios throughout the Northeast Kingdom. Be warned... you will not go home empty handed!