Pass promo video

A promotional video of the Crowsnest Pass I found interesting. Hats off to the folks over at Community Futures

Tapas and Wine Tasting Night

Recently we hosted for a group, a tapas and wine tasting night here at the house. From my point of view it was a lot of fun and how couldn't it be- I got to cook and serve a bunch of really cool stuff to a group that really enjoyed themselves. When I was talking with a friend about the evening they suggested that it might be something that we could do here. Do up a menu and offer tickets for sale to the general public. Well after bouncing it off my partner in crime, we came to the conclusion it would be fun and there might be enough folks around here interested in coming to such an event. We would be looking at not more than 24 people on an evening in January or February to gather together tasting good food and wine, learning alittle and having fun. Any takers?

Continuing Education Classes

For the first time in many years I taught a Con-Ed class last week. It was as much fun as I remembered. The ladies that joined me gathered around the bar that separates the kitchen from the rest of the house and we chatted and I cooked. The topic of the class was Hors d'œuvre. You know, those little bite size wonders that sends hostesses into fits. Well we made a bunch of easy, many do- ahead, items that work really well, sampling all the while.  

  
Thanks again for coming Ladies. I hope to see you again in other classes.
Anyone who is interested in joining us can register with Toni and CNP Adult Education 

Hors d’oeuvres – Intermediate

Make simple and elegant hors d’oeuvres that will allow freedom through advanced preparation so you are able to both enjoy your party and impress your guests. These great do ahead treats are sure to be a hit!!!

Dates: Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Cost: $25.00
Instructor: Dawn Rigby
Location: Country Encounters Hospitality – 7701 17th Avenue Coleman
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, November 3, 2010
To Register: 403-562-2853

How to Make Sushi

Learn the special techniques of Japanese cooks to make these easy recipes in your own kitchen. You will work with special tools and ingredients and learn how to select the freshest foods available to you. You are sure to wow any dinner guest with these hand-made beauties. Nori rolls and Nagari made easy!!!

Dates: Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Cost: $25.00
Instructor: Dawn Rigby
Location: Country Encounters Hospitality – 7701 17th Avenue Coleman
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, November 10, 2010
To Register: 403-562-2853

The new generation

Every so often I talk about my kids, usually the one that chose to go into my trade. Well these days the little darling is at the Lethbridge Lodge. What a great place for her to apprentice. She gets lots of exposure to all kinds of cooking and the Chef there is treating her very well. The other day she sent me some pictures of things she has been doing. Boy the kid does good work.

A cold and dreary Sunday afternoon ....

my answer is to cook. I had to make cabbage rolls for a couple of clients .... so I made cabbage rolls- 35 lbs of them. Anyone want some? Besides that I did up a batch of Fougasse - an olive and herb bread. Nice stuff.

2 tsp dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup warm water

dissolve yeast and sugar in water and set aside to bubble.

4 cups strong white flour
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup warm water
2tsp salt

mix flour and  salt together and then mix in the remaining ingredients including yeast to form a ball. Kneed for 10 min or until smooth and elastic ( I do this in my mixer - takes about 4-5 min.) then place in a greased bowl. Cover and let stand in a warm place until doubled in volume ( about 1 hour)

Punch down and mix in 1 cup chopped black olives and a handful of herbs ( basil, parsley, thyme etc what ever you have) kneed for about 5 min.  divide dough into 4 equal pieces and form into small oval loaves about 3/4 of an inch thick. Score the top and cover and let rise another 20 min. or so.

Bake in 410 degree oven for about 35 min ( until crisp)  To make a crispy crust spray the inside of the oven with water about 15 min into baking time.

Fresh from the oven ..... good stuff


 

The Walking Trail System in The Crowsnest Pass

I spent awhile this morning reading the information available on the new walking trail system that a group of dedicated people have been working on for sometime now. You can find the overall plan here. Now I have heard of this trail and seen portions of it but I never really realized what an asset it is and is going to be in the future. As the master plan continues to be implemented  we are going to have a recreational device for residents and visitors that is second to none. Just the sign and kiosk plans alone will be worth a fortune to those of us in the tourism business let a lone the value to the people that live here. Now is the time to start thinking of ways to incorporate this new "attraction" into our marketing plans. It truly is a step in the right direction to making the Crowsnest pass a destination.   

What a Summer

Well after all the racing around getting things ready, reorganizing, renovating etc. etc.etc, summer showed up ( at least the months that are supposed to be summer)  We hosted 4 Exploritas programs and a large number of our friends from the Niagara fly fishing club. We had weddings and reunions and guests from all over the world.( hi ladies from Australia)  We got several reviews on Trip Advised ( that's really good) and had our guest book filed.

Was the summer a success? Yup I think so. Was it different that past years ? You bet it was. But thats ok change is good, isn't it?

New Look

We have been working ( very slowly if you ask me) on painting the outside of the building:
Here's the results:

Trade Type Shows

In the past year I have participated in two trade show type gatherings: The Crowsnest Pass Trade Show  in April

 and the tourism trade show in the Pass in May  ( now I probably have the names wrong on these but you get the idea)

 Now I have an opportunity to go to the tourism trade show in Fort MacLoud  on Thursday. The great thing about these tourism shows put on by Southwest Regional Alliance and Community Futures is they are free. You get to meet and network with other operators and those in a position to help you market your company ( aka Travel Alberta, Southwest Regional Alliance, etc). They are open to the public for part of the time so you get exposure there too.   All around they are well worth the time.

Wedding Cakes

Every so often I am asked to make a wedding cake. I like doing it once or twice a year. It's fun.  Now if I had to do it everyday I'm not sure it would still be fun but as it is it's a lot of fun. Last month I made the cake for Becky's wedding. It was a 4 tier vanilla pound cake with fondant icing ( the only kind I do) and topped with white calla lilies and red roses. I made all the flowers and then added color by hand painting them with pearl dust.   Heres how it turned out:

Prairie N' Peaks Quilt Festival 2011

In conjunction with the folks in Pincher Creek  a group of us here in the Pass are involved in organizing this event. And what an event it will be. 10 days full of workshops, lectures, markets, dinners etc,etc, etc,  Check here Prairie N' Peaks Quilt Festival  for more information and updates as they are released.

Our newest flyer

End of the Season

With the snow last night, came the realization that the end of summer is pretty much upon us. Was it a good season? Well the weather was a little shakey but the tourists were plentiful and things went well. The new kitchen
held up reasonably well and the functions went great.  The last big one till Christmas season is Saturday Sept 25.
The Harvest of Memories is  the Crowsnest Museum's annual fundraiser  so come out and support the museum and have a wonderful night out.

This is so good!

You may or may not of heard of a little publication called Westworld. It is produced by AMA, has a large curculation and highlights all kinds of travel.  A few months ago ( last fall actually) I was contacted by a travel writer and asked if I would be willing to host her for an evening while she checked out our area. I thought what the hell, what could I possible be out. So she came , ended up staying 2 nights, we had fun and I talked up the area.  Got a copy of her lovely book "Road Trips" as a parting gift and life went on.


Last week I was getting ready to go out the door to the Trade Show and I got a phone call from a lady in Ontario. She wanted to know all about the area etc.ect.ect. So I told her what I could in about 10 mins or so. Then she said that she had read about us in Westworld. Things didn't really click but ok. Off to the show I went and while I was flambeing I had a local tell me all about this article and how we were mentioned in it. It finally hit me what this was all about. That travel writers article had come out.  Since that time ( only a week) I have had 5 different calls regarding it. 


Its's a great article and we are even mentioned in it. Take a look History Echoes in the Crowsnest Pass 


          

The Breakfast Skillet

For the group I have here right now,I made a Breakfast skillet for brunch. Easiest thing in the world.


to serve 8

spray a 9x13 baking dish.
brown about 4 cups of shredded frozen hash browns in a pan with a little oil and some seasoning salt.
in another pan cook 10-12 strips of diced bacon and 1/2 onion diced until almost crisp. Pour of oil into hash browns.
Place hash browns in baking dish crack 8-10 eggs on top , top with bacon mix and shredded cheddar, cover and bake at 400 for about 20 min or until eggs are to your favorite doneness.

Serve with cheese biscuits and fruit -  thats it easy easy .  

The New Meeting Space

A couple of weeks ago we finished the upgrades to what used to be my office. Today I find it full of Scrap bookers; here for a retreat for the week end.  The room works great. After adding a new window and entrance door, painting and reorganizing things turned out well.

   We have a number of week end retreats booked for this space, Photography,scrapbooking etc and some cooking classes. It has worked well for those groups that have used it.

Comes complete with A/v equipment, beverage station and tables and chairs. It can seat up to 16 with room to work or up to 30 meeting style.

Website Update

Ok so I'm not the genius behind our website but he's a little busy right now and somebody had to do it. With websites being so important to the over all marketing of a hospitality operation it needed to be done right.  It's been a slightly painful process to learn how to update it beyond adding some new pictures but I'm getting there.  Now I didn't change the layout ( I like it the way it is) but I did have to add new pages and remove old stuff to reflect our new reality and the directions we are going. Things are working out pretty well but I have come to believe that a website is never done, never ever done. Every time I think I'm done,I find 3 more things to do so I guess it will always be a work in progress.  Anyways here is a look at whats been happening : The Updates  


While working on it the topic came up: what to do about links. We have always had a whole page of links for visitors to look at full of info on the Pass. We included links to our competition sites just in case we were full with the hope that they would do the same. Well at one time they did but many have stopped the practice and I'm kinda torn on whether to continue it so at the moment I have a few and will think on it.

So much going on

Oh boy have things been going on. Renovations ( more to come on that one), moving, website revamps, opening and first use of our new meeting space ( more to come on this one too), First time appearance as a exhibitor at the trade show, hosting Exploritas programs and our new retreats.  Wow lots of stuff.

We have recently partnered with Paterson Photography  form Lethbridge to host a couple of photography classes/retreats. Now these are going to be great.  I will supply classroom space, meals and accommodations and Mike will be the instructor, leader of the group adventure, etc. It is going to be great.

Repairs and Maintenance continues.....

Awhile back I did a post on some up grades we were doing to some bathrooms. Well like all things it mushroomed a little and we went on to replace flooring and light fixtures in the guest room attached to one of those bathrooms. Here's some photos of the final results.

And the bedroom- the Garden Room

Now seems to be the time for up grading and finishing projects. More to come. 

Lethbridge Collage Culinary Dinner

In days gone by , when I was a culinary student and even a Chef/ Instructor ,I was involved in student Gala Dinners. These are a way for the students to show off their new skills and raise a few dollars by producing and serving an elaborate multi course meal. When my daughter Erika ( she'd be the one in cooking school) called saying their Gala Dinner was March 12, could we come I thought why not?   So now I have tickets ($100 per person) for myself and a couple of friends. It should be a wonderful meal - she won't tell me the menu.  If anyone is interested in going tickets can can be reserved by calling 403-382-6999 Come sample the skills of the future Chefs of the world.

New Marketing Media

In the never ending search for ways to market your business Facebook and Twitter are high in the trend department. Social Media is producing great results for many a group. As of July 2009 there were 250 million active Facebook accounts. That's a lot of people. It's difficult to ignore the potential of even .001% of that many people being exposed to your product and when you couple it with the fact that a basic profile is free of charge well it's insanity not to try it.

I took the dive yesterday and Country Encounters got a Facebook page. It was easy. Now the basic page is up with some pictures and a February special. We have some fans and are gaining more. Fans = Exposure. And we will see what happens. The real catch - can that exposure convert into bookings. Only time will tell.

You can see the page and become a fan at  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Crowsnest-Pass-Alberta/Country-Encounters-Accommodations/292537371679?ref=share

Things they are a changing

Boy it's been a long time since I posted. Sorry folks,I've been busy and our lives and business have been changing. Old standbys have dropped away and new things are on the horizon.  We have a couple of major decisions to make- which direction to go in. They could include everything from additions to the B&B , buying another property or 2, or even leaving the pass ( which is high on my list but Mark not so much) but be assured plans are being formulated.