THREE down, one to go!

My previous birth announcement postings were inaccurate because of my picture of Rosario Resort's three expecting mothers... but there have been FOUR expecting mothers! Cristal Carreon of our Housekeeping Department, who was already on maternity leave during my photo session, gave birth Saturday night to 5lbs 6oz, 18 inch long Lauro Sevastian, named after his father. Congratulations Cristal and Lauro!

We should have quite a large kindergarten class here on Orcas Island in 2012!

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Cruise West

Arriving at sunset last Friday was Cruise West's "Spirit of Endeavor." Their Pacific Northwest Coastal Escape Cruise leaves Seattle and cruises to Vancouver, BC, Desolation Sound, Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, Victoria, BC and the San Juan Islands. On their second to last night, they stop at Rosario Resort on Orcas Island for a concert in the Music Room.

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Catalina 42

The Northwest Chapter of the Catalina 42 International Association spent the weekend on Orcas Island at Rosario Resort's marina. Harbormaster Gary Joseph always does a great job making everyone feel welcome and happy!

Gary makes one of his many trips up the dock, this time at low tide. His muscles were a bit sore as he is still in spring training!

It was great seeing all the masts fill the marina sky on a beautiful evening.

By nature of Rosario's unique island location, many special events take place, including at the Rosario Marina. Rosario Executive Chef Steve Lutz was invited on board the "Lucy" for a cooking demonstration of his "Catalina Cuisine 3-Burner Gourmet Meal." Ben Hinner helps Chef load the supplies.

It appears the Chef could get used to the boating lifestyle!

The evening began with cocktails on the dock.

On board the "Lucy," owners Bob and Judy Von Drachek join fellow Catalina owner Bill Wertz (center) to enjoy Chef's demonstration.

The galley was full... don't all parties end up in the kitchen!

Chef uses the third burner (or is this a fourth?) to prepare pitas on the dock.

I'd like to thank the Catalina Association for coming to Rosario and allowing me to crash their party at the marina. As a musician, the highlight was seeing a signed Gold Record by Jimmy Buffet on Bill Wertz's boat. Bill owned radio stations throughout the Midwest and helped promote many records to great success. He has over 200 signed gold records (over 500,000 sold), but his wife would only let him display one on the boat! Maybe next year Chef will demonstrate for the Catalina 42 owners the art of cooking a "Cheeseburger in Paradise."

Happy Sailing in 2008!

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Two Down, One to Go

Dining Room Manager Camille Donaghue reports her new little girl "Bubbles" arrived last Saturday. 7 lbs. 13 oz. and 19 inches long... Congratulations!

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Wine Dinner, Part 2

The Steel and Shooting Star Wines were the star, but of equal billing was the cuisine...

Serrano Wrapped Alaskan Weathervane Scallop
Fava Bean Mousse, Garlic Oil


Forest Mushroom Velouté
Shallot Crouton

Smoked Duck Salad
Maple Rock Greens, Fig Vinaigrette

Rosemary Grilled Rack of Lamb
Truffled Gratin, Maytag Thyme Jus, Port Wine Demi


Warm Chocolate Cake
filled with White Chocolate and Cherries, Cherry Zinfandel Reduction Sauce

Rosario Resort Sommolier Julian Gonzales introduces and congratulates the kitchen staff Brendan Moore, Willie Nelson and Ben Hinner.
A special thanks to Jed Steele for coming to Orcas Island and sharing his wines and knowledge!


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Wine Dinner, Part 1

Last night Rosario Resort hosted Jed Steele, owner and winemaker of Steele and Shooting Star wineries. The event sold out with 30 local Orcas Island guests and the Rosario culinary team produced a wonderful evening of flavors!


Guests were greated at the door with Ahi, Smoked Salmon Parfait, Rock Shrimp-Dungeness Fritters and a glass of 2006 Shooting Star Aligote.


Rosario's Sommelier Julian Gonzales introduces Jed Steele.




Jed Steele discusses his wines, including the origins the name for his Steele “Stymie” 2003 Lake County Syrah, which is his father's winning race horse "Stymie."








Toasting a delightful evening with the Steele 2006 Pinot Blanc!

More tomorrow...

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Wine Dinners

Join us for a wine dinner featuring winemaker Jed Steele of Steele and Shooting Star Wineries next Tuesday, April 22 at 7 p.m. Jed Steele founded Steele and Shooting Star Wines in 1991. Prior to that time, he was the founding winemaker, general manager, and VP of Production at Kendall Jackson for the first nine vintages of that company. Prior to his adventures at Kendall Jackson, Jed worked for 10 years for Edmeades, then a small independent winery in the Anderson Valley of Mendocino County, as winemaker and vineyard manager. Jed began working in the wine business at Stony Hill Winery in the Napa Valley in 1968. His wines are excellent!

Executive Chef Steve Lutz, Sous Chef Brendan Moore and Pastry Chef Felicity Milne have prepared a menu that will produce a palate of spectacular flavors! Take advantage of this perfect opportunity to enjoy great wine, great food and great people! Leading the festivities will be our sommelier, the always entertaining Julian Gonzales. Dinner is $95 per person with wine. Reservations are required as seating is limited (360-376-2152 ext. 400). We look forward to seeing you!

Steele Winemakers Dinner
April 22, 2008


RECEPTION

Ahi Cubes
with Toasted Sesame

Smoked Salmon Parfait
with Chive Oil

Rock Shrimp-Dungeness Fritters

Shooting Star Aligote 2006


AMUSE

Serrano Wrapped Alaskan Weathervane Scallop
Fava Bean Mousse, Garlic Oil

Shooting Star Sauvignon Blanc 2006


SOUP

Forest Mushroom Velouté
Shallot Crouton

Steele 2006 Pinot Blanc


SALAD

Smoked Duck Salad
Maple Rock Greens, Fig Vinaigrette

Steele "Stymie" 2003 Lake County Syrah


ENTREE

Rosemary Grilled Rack of Lamb
Truffled Gratin, Maytag Thyme Jus, Port Wine Demi

"Big Red" Writer's Block 2005 Cabernet


DESSERT

Warm Chocolate Cake
filled with White Chocolate and Cherries, Cherry Zinfandel Reduction Sauce

Steele 2006 Pacini Vineyard

UPCOMING DINNERS:
Food and Wines of Italy - May 21
Food and Wines of Burgundy - June 18

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Employee of the Month

General Manager Dan Dohner, Reservations Manager Jolene Versailles and Human Resource Director Sharon Strupp honor Rosario Resort reservationist Cate St. Jacques (second from right) as our March employee of the month. Cate has worked at Rosario Resort for the past eight years, and this month has been transitioning into the new position of Group Sales Coordinator. Cate grew up in the Boston area and attended art school at San Francisco State University. One of her art teachers had a home on Lopez Island, so she came to visit 10 years ago and stayed, buying a home on Orcas Island on the same trip! Congratulations Cate!

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Wonderful Guest Comments

The Josephson Family from Camas, WA recently brought their daughter Stephanie to Rosario Resort and Orcas Island for the first time. They sent these photos with a very nice note:

Gracious Hosts,
I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for a great
weekend. The Rosario staff were courteous and helpful, the food was
fantastic, and Christopher Peacock was amazing. It was my daughter's
18th birthday and soon she'll be leaving for college. Each and every
one of you added to a weekend of memories that will last a lifetime.

Kind regards,
The Josephson Family

Thank you Josephsons... that means alot and is truly appreciated by our entire staff!

Birthday girl Stephanie patiently listens to me describe how she can get a job being an organ pipe after high school!







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The Figurehead

If you've sailed into Rosario Resort, you've no doubt seen the original figurehead from the clipper ship "AMERICA." Since 1916, she has been keeping a watchful eye on Cascade Bay.

Inscription on the Figurehead Plaque:This figurehead is from the clipper ship "America." She was built in 1874 at Quincy, Massachusetts by Deacon George Thomas. Her original owners wereThayer & Co. of Boston. In 1887 she was put in the Pacific coasting trade and was wrecked on San Juan Island in the year 1914. The "America" has some notable voyages to her credit. Namely, from New York to San Francisco in 89 days and from San Francisco to Liverpool in 102 days. Captain J.S. Gibson, at one time her commander, records that this figurehead was a source of much pride to him, that it had many times in many ports been remarked upon as being one of the mostartistic figureheads that ever graced the bow of a ship and there is probably no other on an American vessel that has been mentioned so many times in public print. It is carved from a solid white pine log. This is erected by me to commemorate a beautiful sentiment in ship building now becoming a lost art. Figure donated by Captain James Griffiths.
– Rosario 1916, Robert Moran

Here are two rare photographs showing the figurehead still mounted to the "AMERICA." They were sent to me by figurehead historian Richard Hunter from Sheffield, SouthYorkshore, England.






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Manager of the Quarter

General Manager Dan Dohner and Director of Human Resorces Sharon Strupp congratulate Rosario Resort's Manager of the Quarter - Housekeeping Manager Julie Cort. After spending a month last summer on loan from Pala Mesa Resort in California, Julie decided she loved Orcas Island so much she moved here... and we love her! Unlike a city hotel where all the guest rooms are connected and the laundry is an elevator ride away, Rosario Resort's 116 rooms are spread out over many acres. Julie does a great job organizing, training and motivating her outstanding staff.

Julie has been in the hospitality business in California all her life, working in just about every position and department there is. Asked if she was happy with her move, Julie replied "I LOVE Orcas Island. It is so serene."

Congratulations Julie!

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One Down, Three to Go

Congratulations to Ioulia and David Yerly, who as of this afternoon are the proud parents of an 8 lb. 10 oz. baby girl! She hasn't been named yet, but it is reported she has blue eyes!

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Maternity Department

I am thrilled to share with you Rosario Resort's Maternity Department - from left to right, Ioulia Yerly, hostess in the Mansion Dining Room (due April 14), Camille Donaghue, Restaurant Manager (due April 7) and Danielle Sigler from the Front Desk (due April 14). Missing from the photo (yes, there are four!) is Cristal Carreon from Housekeeping. They are all expecting girls! I don't remember any Orcas Island power outages last July... there must be something in the Orcas Island water!
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Aloha

Speaking of dockhands, many of you who that have visited the Rosario Resort Marina know my daughters Jenole and Cara. They have worked the last two years on the docks and wanted to send their "aloha" to everyone at Rosario on our recent trip to visit family in Hawaii.



The next photo from Hawaii is me (Christopher Peacock) and speaks for itself!



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Happy Easter

I’d like to share with you photos from today’s Easter Brunch at Rosario Resort & Spa. Executive Chef Lutz and his staff put on quite a feast! First, let me say the Easter Bunny really does exist, as evidenced by this first photo. For those of you that boat to Orcas Island and the Rosario Marina, you may recognize our dockhand Erik Hansen!


Erik was joining his family, hosted by former Rosario owner Sarah Geiser (center back), and Rosario’s next door neighbor Kay Whiting (foreground, left).


The Tapa and Starter table was elegant!


The highlight was the incredible Poached Salmon.


Chef Lutz presents the Salmon on Saffron Cream.


It’s always nice to see so many Orcas Island residents (“locals”) enjoying the brunch, including Rosario founder Robert Moran’s great granddaughter Patty Moran-Hodge (with husband Terry) and their children Winslow and Melissa (Robert Moran’s great, great grandchildren!!!).


Banquet Chef Greg Naylor mans the carving and omelet station.


Finally, Pastry Chef Felicity Milne once again outdid herself with a huge chocolate Easter Sculpture featuring the Easter Bunny (with carrots in the garden) and a newly hatch Easter Chick! As I was playing the piano a few feet away, I can attest that the dessert table was always crowded!




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Daffodils

My very first post on this blog was of our first snow in December. It is now officially spring and a beautiful spring day indeed on Orcas Island. I watched a wonderful independent British film last night called "Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont" (highly recommended), in which the characters where quoting William Wordsworth. As I walked up to the Moran Mansion at Rosario Resort this morning, the setting was a vortex of spring, daffodils and William Wordsworth!

Daffodils
by William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee;
A oet could not be but gay,
In such a jocund company!
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.


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Beaujolais Poached Pear Dessert Recipe

In the early 1900's, fruit farming had become one of the main commercial enterprises on Orcas Island. Pictured on the left is Jimmy Geoghegan picking a pear from the family orchard in 1919 (photo courtesy of the Orcas Island Historical Museum). Fruit orchards were being planting all over the island as it was soon discovered that the island climate and soil were perfect for fruit trees. Soon, steamships leaving Orcas Island were loaded with wooden barrels and boxes of fruit on their way to market. The photo below shows an early orchard in the heart of Eastsound in 1900.

Old fruit trees and apple barns from this early Orcas Island industry are still visible around the island today. In honor of this early industry, Rosario's Pastry Chef Felicity Milne is sharing her "Beaujolais Poached Pear" dessert recipe... thanks Felicity!



BEAUJOLAIS POACHED PEARS

6 servings

Poached Pears
1 LT. bottle Beaujolais wine
4 cups basic red table wine
4 cups sugar
4 oranges, zest and then juice
½ TB whole peppercorns
1 tsp whole cloves
6 pears, peeled with stems left on

Combine all ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the peeled pears.
Lay a piece of parchment paper over the pears, weigh it down with something light to help keep pears below the surface.
Reduce heat to just below a simmer and poach for about 45 minutes -1 hr or until tender. (It depends on the ripeness of the pears.)
Remove pears, stand upright so that they settle and flatten on the bottom. Chill.
Return the poaching liquid to the heat and simmer until reduced by half and thickened.
Chill the sauce. (It can be kept chilled for up to 2 weeks)

Pistachio Gorgonzola Wafers
4 oz. butter, room temperature
8 oz. Gorgonzola, crumbled
1 cup flour
¾ cup pistachio nuts
½ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375’
Combine butter and cheese in a food processor and blend until creamy. Add flour, nuts and salt. Process until the nuts are chopped and dough comes together.
Form into cylinders, wrap in plastic wrap and chill. When firm, cut or slice into desired shape and bake on parchment lined sheet pan until golden brown and crisp.
Wrap remaining dough and chill or freeze for future use.

To Serve:
Place a poached pear in the center of each plate, pour a bit of the reduced Beaujolais sauce over the pear.
Lay the pistachio gorgonzola wafer next to it.
Sprinkle dessert with chopped pistachios.




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