5 minute read
Culinary Destination
CUISINE by ELIZABETH KEYSER photography by TOM CURRY and JENNA SKUTNIK
HISTORIC LEXINGTON, MASSACHU-
“E mbrace your inner Scandinavian.” That’s the playful advice from Innkeeper and Chef Trisha Pérez Kennealy for enjoying outdoor dining this fall and winter at the Inn at Hastings Park (IAHP). Last year, guests kept warm while dining in heated igloos in the Culinary Garden, an unexpectedly magical experience on snowy nights. This season, the Inn is expanding its offerings. The Inn at Hastings Park has become a culinary destination, offering a range of personalized, interactive experiences—multicourse seasonal tasting menus, high teas, cooking classes, immersive culinary weekends, a bountiful brunch and more. “People still want to spend time outdoors, and that’s really in keeping with New England,” says Kennealy. After all, there’s no such thing as bad weather if you’re dressed right.
FRIENDSGIVING
Throughout November, IAHP celebrates Friendsgiving. People appreciate being together more than ever. Guests and their friends can relax, eat, drink, interact, learn, and enjoy the personalized service. Outdoor seating on the porch has increased, and the front porch has become a new popular outdoor dining spot.
The Culinary Garden is transformed into a glistening wonderland, with large, clear,
Left:
Kennealy goes for simple elegance in a Thanksgiving menu.
Right:
During the November Culinary Weekend, guests learn to cook a Thanksgiving feast. heated igloos that enclose a table seating six to eight. The table is decorated in pale pink hues inspired by Whispering Angel rosé. The celebrated rosé from Château d’Esclans of Provence is one of the wines featured in the optional pairing with the prix-fixe multicourse tasting menu prepared by the Inn’s new Executive Chef Jordan Bailey. The chef specializes in seasonal, New England cuisine featuring goods from local farms. On weekdays, an á la carte lunch is served. On weekends, the Culinary Garden is a popular site for the multi-course, plated champagne brunch. (Book ahead; the igloos are popular.)
IMMERSIVE CULINARY WEEKENDS
Last year’s culinary weekends were a success, and this year the Inn is focusing more on pairings, with bourbon, beer, wine and sparkling wine. The two-night package at the Inn includes 20 hours of immersive personalized culinary instruction, local farm tours, and a multi-course tasting menu cooked by the Executive Chef. Wines are paired with the meal. Each lesson highlights a specific technique that adds to the student’s mastery. Students enjoy the food they’ve helped cook at breakfasts, lunch, and at the Friday night dinner party.
“What was such a treat is that they're so personalized and small, that it was an incredible opportunity to interact with our guests,” says Kennealy. “The couples that came for the weekends had the opportunity to learn a lot, and I had the chance to get to know them and tailor the experience as we progressed through the lessons.”
The topic of the first Culinary Weekend, in September, was Tailgating with a bourbon tasting. Kennealy is a huge fan of tailgating, and she shared tips on how to entertain outdoors. “The most important thing is to design the menu so you can enjoy spending time with your guests.” That is what makes tailgating so much fun, being with friends. Well, that’s not exactly all. “It's also about the Patriots winning,” she says. “That’s pretty important too.”
For Octoberfest, the Inn paired food with microbrews, while the November Culinary Weekend theme is Thanksgiving with wine pairings. Kennealy opts for simple elegance at Thanksgiving. Once again, the key is advance preparation so the host can enjoy time with guests. “There are some tricks of the trade that we know from doing this for a living,” she says. “Those techniques make it a more relaxed and
Clockwise from top left:
Pan roasted half chicken; Champagne at a Culinary Weekend; The Igloo Wonderland dining venue; Gingerbread decorating class for adults enjoyable evening for everybody, including the hostess.” And they can be applied to hosting Hanukkah, Christmas, Passover and Easter. The December theme is Champagne inspired. Guests learn about sparkling wines and why they are terrific to pair with food. Kennealy will share her favorite sparklers and teach about the variety of grapes and methods used. As always, guests leave the weekend well-fed and inspired.
GINGERBREAD HOUSE DECORATING CLASSES
New this year are two gingerbread decorating classes, one for children, the other for adults. “Decorating gingerbread houses is a lot of fun,” says Kennealy. “People like the idea of making gingerbread houses at home, but it's a really labor-intensive process.” IAHP takes out the labor and amps up the fun. Chefs set up each guest with a pre-baked gingerbread house, and all the fixings for decorating—piping bags of royal icing, cups of candy canes, gum drops, M&Ms and other goodies. Kennealy demonstrates how to use a piping bag and shares decorating tips. The adult class brings out the inner child in guests, with visions of Instagram ideas in their heads. Adult beverages and snacks are available.
HIGH TEA
A holiday tradition, Christmas High Tea returns in December. Kennealy has a special place in her heart for High Tea, from her time in London studying at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School. She earned a Diplôme de Pâtisserie and Diplôme de Cuisine. Tiered plates of pastries and sandwiches, and warm pots of tea delight both adults and children. The Inn will host more High Teas throughout the winter, focusing on different aspects of the English tradition.
PERSONALIZED EXPERIENCES
Kennealy enjoys working with guests to tailor experiences to their interests. Guests inspired by any of these ideas can give the Inn at Hastings Park a call. “People still aren’t traveling internationally, and that makes it a great time to enjoy New England,” she says. “Come visit—even if you’re 20 minutes away.”
For more information on culinary offerings at the Inn at Hastings Park, visit innathastingspark.com.
