FEBRUARY 2010

SILVER OAK WINE DINNER - THURSDAY, FEB. 25TH

On Thursday, February 25th Wine Director and Sommelier Terri Baldwin presents the next in our ongoing series of great wine dinners. The evening begins at 6:30pm with a reception hosted by Silver Oak winemaker Daniel Baron. The dinner will feature the exceptional wines of the Silver Oak Winery paired to a special four course menu created by Chef Heyer. Reservations are required and can be made by calling Lauren Montemarano at (908) 766-7300 x156. View Menu

Monday, January 18th marked the first day for Edie Turna, the Inn’s new Assistant General Manager. Edie joins us after a long career as the Director of Sales and Marketing with the Ritz-Carlton organization and at the Hilton Short Hills. Her primary role at the Inn will focus on the rooms division. The next time you’re here please say hello to Edie to which she’ll reply: “Yes, we have rooms!”

VALENTINE'S DAY AT THE BERNARDS INN
Whether you’re planning the perfect proposal or rekindling a romance, The Bernards Inn is the ultimate destination for lovers this Valentine’s Day--and all winter long.  

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY

Sunday, February 7th is the date for Super Bowl XLIV. You can catch all the action on the high-def plasma TV in our Library Bar. And we'll be offering a special bar menu just for the occasion.

You can make the day truly super by booking a private party in our Silver Vault or Wine Pantry.

For more information contact Tracey Mancini at (908) 766-0002.  
 

THE NEW YORK TIMES - HIGHLIGHTS IN 2009 - NAMED "BEST FRESH & LOCAL

..."This year, as chefs competed to see how many local place names they could squeeze onto their menus, no one kept it more local than Corey Heyer, the executive chef at The Bernards Inn led a team that grew nasturtiums (served with an appetizer of seared ahi tuna), arugula (with grilled Wagyu beef and cilantro pesto), salad greens, potatoes, squash blossoms, eggplants, cucumbers, peppers, thyme; they are not just decoration, but the restaurant’s foundation."  Read more.

WHEN THE FAMILY COMES TO VISIT

If you have out-of-town family members staying overnight, make things easier on yourself by having them stay at the Inn. We have 20 beautifully decorated guest rooms ready to welcome your visitors with all the warmth of the holiday season. Room reservations can be made by calling us at (908) 766-0002 or make reservations on-line.

ESCAPE TO WINTER ROMANCE 

The Bernards Inn is known as the place to go to for special occasions. So when you’re looking to create your own special occasion we have just what you need. Escape to our Winter Romance getaways and come rekindle the romance. Click here to read more.

INTIMATE WEDDINGS AT THE BERNARDS INN

A wedding at The Bernards Inn is the perfect marriage of sophistication and enjoyment.  Tracey Mancini and Lauren Montemarano, our in-house professionals, will assist you in planning the perfect day and make sure that no detail gets overlooked. Next to saying "Yes, I will!" choosing The Bernards Inn for your wedding will be the easiest and best decision you'll make. Contact Tracey or Lauren at (908) 766-0002 to start planning your special day. Prime dates are still available for the 2010 season. When you call be sure to ask about a unique opportunity to host your wedding at the 2010 Mansion in May catered by The Bernards Inn.

FACEBOOK

Are you a friend of The Inn on Facebook? If not, I invite you to join the ever-growing group of people who are. You can read all about what we’ve been up to and what we’re planning.
Click here to make the connection and get the “Inn-side” scoop.

THE PERFECT GIFT - A BERNARDS INN GIFT CERTIFICATE
Our gift certificates are available in any amount and can be used for breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks at the bar or an overnight package in one of our beautiful guest rooms. Gift certificates can be purchased online, CLICK HERE, by phone at (908) 766-0002 or in-person at the Front Desk of the Inn.

CHEF DE CUISINE, CRAIG POLIGNANO SHARES A SPECIAL  RECIPE 
Fall is my favorite season for creating new recipes. After a summer of beautiful New Jersey tomatoes, corn and peaches, there’s nothing I look forward to more than getting different kinds of apples, squashes, and cabbages to use for our menu. Butternut squash soup is a staple of the fall season in most restaurants. Roasted squash has a delicate flavor; slightly earthy and mildly sweet. Click here for a simple recipe to help those at home make a great soup. Visit our Blog and let me know how it worked for you. I’d love to hear from you.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU....VISIT US ON THE BERNARDS INN  BLOG AND FACEBOOK

We are proud to present our new blog entitled "The Bernards Innspirations." Our hope is that you will be inspired by our postings and will comment on what you are reading. Look for recipes from Chef Corey Heyer, wines from Wine Director, Terri Balwin and other fun postings from staff at The Inn. Click here to visit our blog.  We invite you to also become a fan on our new facebook page. Click here to visit our facebook page.

GETTING THE MOST FROM A WINE TASTING OR WINE DINNER

Have you ever been invited to a wine tasting or wine dinner and weren’t sure how to get the most out of the experience? In a recent issue of New Jersey Countryside magazine, our Wine Director and Sommelier Terri Baldwin shares her advice on the subject with tips on how to avoid getting overwhelmed in the process.
“The advice I would give for wine tastings and wine dinners would be slightly different for the two” says Terri.

WINE TASTINGS
Whether it’s a walk-around event featuring 40 or so wines or a tasting on a smaller scale, Terri suggests:

·      Bring a small notebook and p themes/advanced/langs/en.js" type="text/javascript"> // --> en to take notes. You don't necessarily have to write down details about every wine, but jot down notes about wines that interest you in any way. People seem to have a tendency to forget what they liked, even though they think they’ll remember. It can become confusing when mingling, tasting, and talking.

·      Arrive early to avoid missing out on wines that may quickly become out of stock.

·      You should arrive with a clean palate (not already having consumed any alcohol, or any type of strong food such as garlic, onions, peppers, etc.). This may disguise the flavor profiles of the wines you’re about to taste.

·      Carry as little as possible. It can become a juggling act if you’re carrying too many items.

·      Don't wear white or light-colored clothing in the event of spills. You also will have a good chance of getting splashed when dumping your wine in buckets.

·      Don't wear perfume or cologne. This prevents the olfactory senses from being able to do their job properly. You want to be able to smell the wine without interference from other odors.

·      Smell the glass you’re given to make sure it’s clean; meaning free of odors, detergents, etc.

·      Keep the one glass and you can always do a rinse with water or rinse with a small amount of the wine you’re about to taste.

">·      It's a good idea to spit, allowing you to taste many more wines. If you follow your notes from the beginning, you can revisit some wines that you liked towards the end of the event and then sip them without spitting. Despite what you may think, if you spit you’ll be taken more seriously, and questions will be encouraged.

·      Don't hesitate to ask any questions; this is a good way to increase your knowledge.

·      Drink plenty of water to keep hydrated.

·      Cleanse your palate often with bread. (This is one of the best palate cleansers.)

·      Be courteous of others; you’re not the only one tasting wine. Let others get to the tables to share in the experi ence.

·      Bring a credit card in the event you’re able to purchase any of the wines you’ve enjoyed. 

WINE DINNER

For a seated wine dinner Terri offers these suggestions:

·      Smell the glasses at your place setting to make sure they’re clean; meaning free of odors, detergents, etc.

·      Don't wear perfume or cologne. This prevents the olfactory senses from being able to do their job properly. You want to be able to smell the wine without interference from other odors.

·      Pace yourself in the beginning so that you’ll be able to enjoy all of the wines poured throughout the dinner.

·      Bring a pen to take a few notes on the menu, if you like.

·      Try to compare wines side-by-side allowing you to notice even subtle differences.

·      Blind tasting the wines can be a lot of fun, and this will also let your palate judge what wines you prefer without being influenced by price, package, etc.

·      Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

·      Cleanse your palate often with bread.

·      Ask questions of the host or presenter.

·      Eat food slowly to enjoy the experience.

·      Try different wines with the food to see what may pair the best. Wines do enhance the food, and food will enhance the wine.

·      Wines will constantly change and evolve over the course of the evening, therefore, it’s advisable to sip and re-visit the wines during the dinner. This will allow you to really notice how wines change with oxygen.

·      Make new acquaintances and/or new friends.

·      Relax and have fun as you create a lasting memory of the evening!
 

THE MAGIC OF MASSAGE

Enrich your soul and enliven your senses with a relaxing and rejuvenating massage during your next stay at the Inn. We offer a wide range of in-room services including massages for individuals and couples, moms-to-be, brides, wedding parties, and corporate guests, 30-, 60- and 90-minute sessions, Swedish and traditional Thai therapies, and our exclusive Bernards Inn Essential Indulgence Signature Massage available separately or in a great overnight package. For information on rates and availability please give us a call at (908) 766-0002.

BERNARDS INN NAMED NEW JERSEY’S TOP RESTAURANT 

OF THE YEAR BY STAR-LEDGER

The Bernards Inn  has been named the state’s top restaurant of 2008 by the Star-Ledger. Describing the Inn as a “Garden State dining legend,” “awesome,” and with “service that makes you feel as if you’re the only patron in the place,” reviewer Cody Kendall distinguished the Inn as her favor ite of 2008 after awarding the top rating of four stars to the Inn last fall.  A twenty year veteran of the Star-Ledger, Kendall’s criteria for top restaurants include: food quality, atmosphere, value, service, cleanliness and more. 

 
FOUR STAR REVIEW!

On November 8th, the Inn was honored with a four star rating from food critic Cody Kendall of The Star-Ledger. Cody began the review by saying: “All the standards are high here, from the solicitous service that doesn't skip a beat to the live piano music, which provides an appropriate nightly soundtrack for the top-caliber restaurant.” Cody went on to say: “The way we were treated on our visit to the inn made us feel as if we were the only patrons in the room. A glance around assured me that was not so, as the other well-spaced tables were filled, but we wanted for nothing during our evening at the inn. On another occasion, I dined at a table in the bar area near the pianist, and received the same type of attention, even though we ordered only a few items and some drinks.” Click here for the full review.

See what else is happening in Bernardsville this month
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