Bartlett Pear on WBOC!

We have been fortunate enough to have been asked a few times for an appearance on our local station, WBOC based out of Salisbury, Maryland.  Chef Jordan has always done such a wonderful job highlighting what we do culinarily here at the Pear and this time our Executive Chef Team did amazing as well!  Lucky for us, the Delmarva Life show we were asked to be on had two segments available and they asked us to fill both of them!  Check out Phil and David as they comfortably settled into their first on-air experience: 

Chef Jordan did pretty well himself...

Jordan and I are incredible fortunate to have such wonderfully talented Chefs working the stoves with us.  Without them many other things we try to focus on would not be possible.  Trusting and believing in your employees is the best tool for success!

First Wine Dinner of the New Year, Recap

As all of my Blog followers, friends and lovers know I am always supremely excited about my beloved grape juice.  And the first wine event of 2015 was a lovely success.  Having hosted Rick and Amber Moshin, of Moshin Vineyards in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma last year, we were pleased to have them back at the Pear just last week.  We packed the house again, this time for a five course dinner paired with seven of Rick's wines.  The tables were set with his pink Vin Gris, followed by his Sauvignon Blanc, three Pinots in proper succession, and finishing with Rick's Merlot and Petit Sirah.  The most popular seemed to be his Molinari Pinot paired with Chef's charcuterie plate.  We even had sold out hotel rooms for this special evening.  These guests were the smartest to plan to walk right upstairs after such extravagant wine and food, one couple traveling from Harrisburg, PA to see Rick and Amber after visiting them 10 years ago on their honeymoon in California.  Also lucky were these guests to gather after hours in the bar for quiet time with the Moshin's and to taste a bottle of his special 20 year old Propietor's Select Pinot Noir.  Thanks for sharing with us, Rick!  

Behind the Scenes 

Okay, so the planned event is always fun but sometimes what is even more fun (at least for me) is the actual brainstorming, the chatting with my partner in wine-crime, Philip, the tasting through and deciding amongst gobs of wines, and the menu chatting with the guys.  It's neat to see what a quiet Monday in the bar at the Pear (see below) can turn into (see above).  Many thanks to Jeff Sarfino from Lanterna Distributing for always setting us up for success.  

Bartlett Pear Recap 2014

Just a week into the New Year and already our energy is refocusing and preparing for new ideas to make the most of the year ahead. But as we begin to look forward, we can't help but to look back at the previous year.  Thankfully, we have much to be proud of from 2014. 

We started 2014 with the surprise of being # 25 in The Washingtonian Magazine and ended the year with an amazing review from The Baltimore Sun's Richard Gorelick including his Top Meal of the year!

A year ago this week, Chef Jordan enjoyed his first trip to San Francisco where he visited Napa, reconnected with many old kitchen friends, and dined out at memorable restaurants like Coi. While Chef was in CA, Alice was getting her new lineup of Wine Events organized. Beginning with her "Meet the Winemaker" series, Rick and Amber Moshin joined us for a casual event in the bar; we ended up accommodating 60 guests to meet the Moshins.

In March we had to make the horrid but necessary decision to replace our 60 year old boiler located in the basement of the Pear. After patching it for years and verbally encouraging it to make it just one more year, the ice storms of the cold cold winter froze the pipes and forced us to replace the entire system.  Now a quarter of the size, our new system is much more efficient and happily hums along to heat one of the tallest buildings in Easton.

As we moved into the warmer months, Alice's wine program really took off with successful Spanish, Italian and French wine dinners. We hosted more wine makers and Alice continued to hone her wine tasting and buying skills at many fun wine events.  

In May we completed our new website and have continued to keep it fresh and exciting with blog content, an events calendar, and new photos.  Having given our world wide web presence a new look, we expanded our reach and have gotten us closer to the feel we have been wanting.

After months of planning with Jan Kirsh, we finally took the plunge into repairing our patio in June.  Since we opened the Pear five years ago, our big old fountain leaked and leaked.  Having started the Pear using the principles of Feng Shui, our resident expertmentioned if the fountain was leaking maybe our Chi was leaking too?  Come visit us and enjoy our beautiful space of which we are so proud this Spring and Summer!

In September Chef Jordan was invited to participate in a James Beard Boot Camp for policy and change.  Traveling to Bentonville, AK, Chef gained so much from this exciting experience with a great group of professionals.  Word is the next Boot Camp might be on the Eastern Shore!

In the late fall, Chef 's Life of an Ingredient project became a reality! Many of you supported his Farm to Table concept on Kickstarter where we received all of the needed funds to create the Pilot episode.  W-Films is working on the production now and they hope to have the first episode finished sometime in February.  Stay tuned!

In 2013, we started making ice cream for Smith Island Baking Company, to become the only online cake and ice cream company. Starting this past October, Chef Jordan became the Chef Consultant for Smith Island Baking Company.   He has increased production and quality of the many different variety of cakes in only a few months!  He has become friends with the entire staff of the Baking Company, many of whom are third and fourth generation cake makers for the Maryland State Cake. Crisfield is an interesting place with many good restaurants, take a road trip to visit this small town on the Bay and go even farther to Smith Island, you will surely be as enchanted as Chef.  

Under our roof at the Pear, we have said goodbye to a few of our team and welcomed wonderful new friends, including two little babies; a boy to our Ostelinda and a girl to Chef Phil.  Phil, who with David have teamed up to become an awesome Chef Team.  They are bringing totally new and delicious items to the menu like the charcuterie and cheeses. To name only a few newcomers: Remy is back with us after being in Boulder for a few years.  We have Erik who used to be in the Easton restaurant biz and we also welcomed Leslie who used to operate a bed and breakfast in France and is our lovely and gracious morning Concierge.

In a year filled with extraordinary steps towards a bigger and better business, we are reminded everyday how nothing can be achieved without each guest that walks in our door, eats in our dining room, stays upstairs in the Inn, or engages with us in the community. 

Consider joining us in this New Year 2015 to see what we have in store and thank you for supporting all things Pear! Happy New Year to you and your Family!

xoox, Alice and Jordan and the entire Bartlett Pear Team 

Please call 410-770-3300 or email [email protected]

Daddy-Daughter Dinner Dance

Join Chef Jordan and his Daughter, Gigi on November 29th at 4:30pm for a Special Daddy Daughter Dinner before the Festival of Trees Dance to benefit Hospice....

Daddy-Daughter Dance Dinner at the Pear

Guest Expediter: Gigi Lloyd

4:30PM Seating Only Please

$50 per Daddy, Daughter Duo, $35 additional Daughter 

Drinks, Gratuity and Taxes not included

Bread and Butter included.  Please Choose one Entrée, Dessert is to Share

Daddy

Burgundy Truffle Mushroom Pappardelle 

Truffle Shavings, Chapel Country Creamery “Talbot Reserve,” Mushroom Fricasse

Creekstone Farms Short Ribs, Sunchoke Puree, Crispy Leeks

Wild Alaskan Salmon, Local Steamed Vegetables, Beurre Monte

Daughter

Inn Made Pappardelle Pasta, Chapel Country Creamery “Talbot Reserve”

Creekstone Farms Steak and Inn Made French Fries

Wild Alaskan Salmon, Local Steamed Vegetables

Dessert to Share

Sibu Sira Chocolate Brownie Sundae, Vanilla Ice Cream 

Nice Farms Strawberry Milkshake

 Please call Bartlett Pear Inn for Reservations: 410-770-3300

Or Email: [email protected]

Waterfowl Wonder

Waterfowl Festival is 44 years old this year and going stronger than ever.  Enjoy a history from their website:  Around 1970, a group of Eastern Shore sportsmen and women conceived an event that would ultimately grow into a regional tradition spanning generations – the Waterfowl Festival.  The Chesapeake Bay Bridge had been built in 1952 opening up easy access to what was once a relatively isolated Eastern Shore of Maryland.

This group of ambitious enthusiasts envisioned an event that would share with visitors the unique Eastern Shore heritage that they treasured, in the hopes of preserving it before it was lost, while raising funds to protect the wildlife and habitat that were integral to the area’s way of life. 

Enlisting numerous local individuals and organizations in their plans, they staged the first Waterfowl Festival in November, 1971, timing it to coincide with the opening of goose hunting season. The introduction to the first event program describes an event that will “capture the true romance, the excitement, engendered by the [area’s] wildbirds and the hunting sport they create.” Those early expectations were that event would “grow into something extraordinary.”

After having experienced many Waterfowl Festivals over the years as kids and then coming back to Easton as young adults, like so many dedicated natives do, it is our pleasure to now have a business right in the center of the Festival!  It might have taken us five years to get it down, but we think we finally found our formula for Waterfowl success!

Thank you to everyone who came out to support the Pear during such a busy weekend! We appreciate your patronage!!

Alice talks Wine

This video was beyond fun to create!  Watch me describe my relationship with wine and my wine program that continues to evolve at the restaurant. You can't resist pouring a glass while you watch!

Casual Wine Tasting in the Bar with Peter Stolpman

During a recent Portfolio show for The Country Vintner in Baltimore, I had the pleasure of meeting this nice guy pictured above, Peter Stolpman.  My friend and I were instantly taken by his lovely Syrah and Pinot's displayed for tasting at the show.  They easily stood out as the best in the room and it is now our great honor to welcome him to Easton! 

Join us for a fireside chat with Peter Stolpman, Managing Partner of Stolpman Vineyards.  Before happily returning to his families estate in Santa Barbara, Pete made wine in Australia and Italy.  Today Pete travels the country promoting the superb wines of Stolpman Vineyards.  

Hidden in the hills of California's Central Coast, on a rare Limestone outcropping & unobstructed from the Pacific Ocean wind, this unique land is naturally suited to grow Syrah and Roussanne grapes.  Additionally, Stolpman Vineyards sells grapes to many of California's most prestigious wineries.  Today Stolpman is recognized as one of the finest producers of Syrah in California.  

Bartlett Pear always enjoys a local connection; Pete is a graduate of Georgetown and wine maker Sashi Moorman worked in the kitchen of Obelisk Restaurant in DC.  

We will feature an assortment of wines from Stoplman Vineyards in a casual environment to encourage conversation with Pete.  The Chefs will provide local fare and house cured meats for your snacking pleasure.  

To ensure your time with Pete, please reserve one of the offered time slots: 1pm to 2:30pm OR 2:30pm to 4pm.  Space limited to 12 people per hour to ensure an intimate experience for all.

Come back for dinner and purchase one of the highlighted bottles of Stolpman wine from our list at half price.  Reservations for dinner kindly recommended, restaurant opens at 5:30pm.  

Sunday October 26, 2014, 1pm OR 2:30pm, $40 per person all inclusive 

Wines available for purchase before and after our dinner from Philip Bernot at Wishing Well Liquors, Easton.  

 Please call 410-770-3300 or email [email protected]

Zemma Mastin White

How lucky are we to have amazing talents in our family!  As a little girl I remember being fascinated by my Aunt Zemma's artistic flare.  

During the beginning dreams of the Pear, we knew we wanted to include Aunt Zemma's artwork to help frame our image of our restaurant.  Immediately Jordan and I thought she was the only one to design our logo and perhaps, perhaps, she would consider displaying her art through out the Inn and Restaurant to help us express our look and message.  Aunt Zemma's artwork continues to give the Pear a lovely and peaceful definition.  There are really just a few components that make a restaurant work well: great service, delicious food and  ambiance.  Zemma's artwork is truly the foundation of the ambiance we are able to portray to our guests of whom we deeply value. 

In a collaboration more natural and symbiotic than easily explained, a new level of love and respect was easily built.  We came together for the dream of the Pear and we have flourished under the easy relationship of believing in each others art.  

Aunt Zemma describes her work on her website. "After exploring many different mediums in my art, I have devoted the last several years to making one of a kind prints. In producing a monoprint I combine a matrix of printmaking processes, such as collograph, monotype, solar plate etching and chine colle. I am fascinated with layering multiple images to create an abstract expression. Through these provocative layers of line, color and forms, intriguing patterns and textures emerge yielding great richness and depth to the surface."

Over the years we have sold many pieces to Inn Guests, couples who have gotten married at the Pear, locals, and other diners who have spent time with her art since it has been hanging and moving around in our building.  Having been lucky in my life to be around her art and the art of the rest of my family, perhaps I take it for granted to have such fine art hanging in my home or business.  I am fascinated by the art buyer who sits and thinks in quiet space, who calls me or emails me to ask more details about a specific piece, who asks for an exact table for dinner to ponder a purchase, or who makes a private appointment during the day to discuss and buy the piece they fell in love with during the night time.  Whatever the case may be, we are all lucky to be amongst such thoughtful and provocative art; thank you Aunt Zemma.  xoox

100th Visit to the Pear!

One of the most important changes I have seen in myself over 5 years of having the Bartlett Pear is accepting the love and support of my parents.  I know it seems frivolous and slightly embarrassing to admit, but it was hard for me to accept the support my parents showed from Day One, coming in for dinner a few times a week, spreading their joy all over town.  Honestly!  I would get defensive when they told me a window was left open overnight, or the lightbulb outside on the columns needed to be changed, or maybe I should move this piece of furniture around, etc.  I got it Mom and Dad!  Geez!  My husband never got annoyed and was always completely impressed how they showed us they loved us in such a supportive way.  

After helping us get off the ground with our business plan and believing in us from literally the moment we met 13 years ago, I have learned to love and respect every second of their lives they give to us completely unselfishly.   Not only without them would I not breathe life, but I also wouldn't be where I am professionally.  Five years later and settling into my role in the community, within my growing business and as a mother of two I realize I couldn't do any of this without the love, support and undying affection from Mom and Dad.  

We opened the Pear in 2009, right during the economic down slump.  As customers of the Restaurant and Inn cycled through in the early days we started to gain regulars.  Over the years we have had Inn guests stay with us 5 times, 8 times or more and we have had guests dine with us 20 times, 34 times, even 50 times!  Without these repeat customers, our business would not be what it has become; we are forever grateful for our repeat guests and the good word the spread before and after each visit!  But who wins the most visits?  

On September 6th, my supportive, beloved Mom and Dad celebrated their 100th Dinner at the Bartlett Pear!  They have been to almost every Cooking Class, many wine dinners, casual dinners in the bar during the winter when there was no-one else in the restaurant, special celebratory Anniversary dinners, Dad's 60th Birthday, New Years Eve, Christmas Eve, and many other occasions that seem just like a dinner out.  Crazy as it seems, their 100th visit also happened to be Mom's birthday!  

Luckily I sat down with my parents and their best friends for their Special Occasion!  Our most seasoned waiter, Greg, took care of us and surprised us to begin our evening with a sparkling bottle of Schramsberg Rose.  Celebration!  Dad decided to have a tasting menu - exciting!  Extra exciting since Chef Jordan was on the line cooking that night!  So on we went into course after course of luscious, saucy, flavor explosions paired with one of my favorite Pinots, Ojai Vineyard 2012 (of which the single vineyard is extraordinary).  Everything was gobbled up so quickly I only managed to get pictures of eaten plates....

What does one get for coming to the Pear 100 times, you ask?  We joked all night that a free appetizer would be appropriate, a bottle of wine, perhaps just a squeeze from Greg, maybe nothing?  Does the tally start over again at 1 after the 100th time?  Much to my Dad's surprise and delight, Greg delivered a $0 bill for our huge Chef's Tasting extravaganza.  Leaving happy, pleasantly full and ready to come back again for the 1st time (the tally does start over) we all gave our praise to the kitchen and service staff!  Thank you my beloved Bartlett Pear!

New Bounty Photo!

Exciting news!  One of the most fun collaborations and experiences we have is working with our friends, Jenna and Caroline of W-Films to create the experience of Bartlett Pear through photos.  Birthed months ago at the Pear itself, is what I like to call the creative "TopDown" way of taking a picture.  Perhaps this term has been invented before but I think it describes Jenna's artistic skills pearfectly.  Balancing her petit self on a small step stool, to elevate her just high enough to get a birds eye view of the subject, she snaps away directly above the items to be photographed without even looking into her camera.  

The Spring Bounty is the first of this series to be featured on our website and we have a plan to create one of these pics for each season.  Planning it on our calendar has become something to look forward to and rifling through our walk-in, dry storage, reach-ins, and working stations in the kitchen to hunt and gather the necessary supplies for the Bounty has become the IT collaboration between Photographer and Chef.  I'm convinced Chef looks at his ingredients a new way when collecting for a seasonal shot such as this.  Check out our girl in action and keep scrolling for the grand reveal....

One day I hope to give my Chef all four Bounty shots blown up huge and displayed in a dining room we may have after the Legos stop taking over our family eating place.  Check out our Fall Bounty!  

Fall Bounty at the Bartlett Pear!