Pairing A Sweeter White Wine Posted on January 3, 2013 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux Riesling: not just for summer! Rieslings are considered a bit sweeter than some other white wines and have often been reserved for sipping and serving in warmer weather. We’d like to shake up those assumptions by suggesting that our Biltmore Riesling is surprisingly food-friendly any time of year. A classic bisque pairing During the colder months, our winemakers and chefs enjoy pairing Biltmore Estate Riesling with heartier fare such as our Butternut Squash Bisque. Our Riesling provides an excellent acidic balance to complement the creaminess of this traditional bisque. Though slightly sweet, this wine is not overwhelmed by the savory herbs and hint of nutmeg used to draw out the warm golden flavor of the squash. Find other unexpected sweeter white wine pairings and tips here. Butternut Squash Bisque Serves 4 Ingredients: •3 butternut squash • 1 onion, small chopped • 2 stalks celery, chopped • 1 clove garlic • 1 shallot, chopped • 16 oz chicken stock or broth • 12 oz heavy whipping cream • ½ tsp dried sage • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg • 1 Tbsp Kosher salt • 1/2 cup Sherry Method: Cut squash in half, remove seeds and roast in 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes. Set aside to cool. In a heavy–bottom sauce pot, sauté onions, celery, garlic, and shallots until translucent. Deglaze the pan by adding about 1/2 cup of sherry (or enough to coat the bottom of your pan by about a quarter to half an inch with sherry). Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan and loosen any food particles to dissolve into the liquid. Let simmer to reduce the sherry by 2/3. Peel squash and add pulp to soup pot and bring to a simmer. Add remaining ingredients to soup pot and simmer for an hour. Puree soup with a stick mixer or food processor until smooth. Strain soup and serve.
Biltmore and Roses: a 120-year love affair Posted on December 27, 2012 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux Roses and Biltmore share a 120-year history that began when Fredrick Olmsted first started planning the grounds. When guests visit the Rose Garden, they are walking into a very special part of the estate’s history. Both George and Edith Vanderbilt took an interest in the garden, and they worked closely with Chauncey Beadle, then head of estate landscaping, to make changes to it, and double it in size from its original layout, drafted by Olmsted. Historical records contain correspondence from a century ago with many rose nurseries, including Jackson & Perkins. The earliest roses were purchased from Ellwanger & Barry, Mount Hope Nurseries of Rochester, N.Y.; John N. May, Rose Grower of Summit, N.J. (Beadle’s former employer); Penrose Nurseries (Robert Scott & Son) of Philadelphia; Howard Rose Company in California, and numerous other suppliers. The Biltmore Nursery The estate’s commercial nursery business also grew and sold many varieties of roses as shown in the Biltmore Rose Catalog. Variety selection, wish lists, and a host of rose-related issues went back and forth between Biltmore and the horticultural companies with which they worked. The Biltmore Nursery was one of the largest plant nurseries in the United States until a 1916 flood destroyed the operation. After the flood, the idea of a Biltmore nursery remained dormant for some time. During the 1960s, however, the estate developed and operated a nursery for wholesale and retail sales of ornamental nursery stock and to supply a landscape contracting business, as well as a commercial greenhouse operation for the production of hanging baskets and potted flowers. In the 1990s, another estate nursery venture was developed with plants primarily sold to regional nurseries and garden centers until late 2007. Biltmore International Rose Trials A new part of roses at Biltmore are the Biltmore International Rose Trials. Patterned after similar trials all over Europe and under the umbrella of the World Federation of Rose Societies, the trials give breeders from all over the world a place to trial and display their roses. Awards are announced each spring with the judging and a festive awards luncheon. Learn more about this year’s event here. Drawing from the inspiration started by Mr. Olmsted and brought fully into bloom by Mrs. Vanderbilt, Biltmore is again emerging as an innovator and leader in the world of roses. Thanks to Paul Zimmerman, exclusive Biltmore Rose Consultant, for his contribution to this piece. He has specialized in roses for nearly 20 years and is the owner of Paul Zimmerman Roses.
Christmas Wishes from Edith Posted on December 24, 2012 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux On Christmas Eve of 1895, George Vanderbilt opened the doors of Biltmore House to welcome family and friends into his home for the first official time. The following day he invited the estate’s many employees and their children into the Banquet Hall where they found a space filled with music, sweet treats and an enormous tree sparkling with lights and laden with gifts for all. In 1898, Mr. Vanderbilt was joined in passing out the presents by his new bride Edith, who was elated with the festive tradition and continued on each year thereafter finding new ways to share the joy of this season. Edith’s good friend Anna Wheeler, the wife of the estate’s veterinarian, often helped the Vanderbilts organize exceptional holiday events such as theatrical readings of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol for estate employees. In an unpublished memoir, Anna reflected back on these special times and the many ways in which Edith carried the true spirit of Christmas year-round. [Her] work among the mountaineers [and] the charm of her personality soon made her a friend of all who were fortunate enough to know her…. celebrations … were held in the banqueting hall of Biltmore House…. The brilliant tree, in its magnificent setting, the faces of those surrounding it, and the beautiful and gracious hostess are never to be forgotten. A decade after George Vanderbilt’s death, Edith remarried, settling in Rhode Island and Washington, DC with her husband Senator Peter Gerry. She dedicated much of her time to political endeavors, particularly to supporting those serving in the military and to promoting literacy and educational efforts. And though she did not reside at Biltmore full-time, it’s touching to know that she, too, never forgot. Nestled snugly among papers in our archives are many decades of holiday greetings sent between the former Mrs. Vanderbilt and estate superintendent Chauncey Beadle. Edith wrote year after year sending her love and best Christmas wishes to those living and working on the estate. To me, the century-old holiday traditions here illustrate how deeply the Vanderbilts treasured family and community. Telegram after telegram in our archives serve as tokens of recognition that Biltmore was home for Edith Vanderbilt.. .and that this timeless, magical place was never far from her heart at Christmas-time. Just as Edith wrote to those she held dear, we send you Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year!
Pellegrini Bedding Collection Posted on December 22, 2012 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux Artistic inspiration Make a dramatic statement in rich cotton damask with our Pellegrini Bedding, drawn from the warm red tones in the Biltmore House Library and Giovanni Pellegrini’s The Chariot of Aurora ceiling painting soaring overhead. “The Chariot of Aurora” ceiling painting in the Biltmore House Library Historical note: Pellegrini’s The Chariot of Aurora originally graced the ceiling of the Pisani Palace in Venice, and is one of very few of his works still in existence today. Find the entire Pellegrini Bedding Collection at Belk here.
Easy Ribbon Wreath for the Holidays Posted on December 10, 2012 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux This is a favorite decorating project around here! A ribbon wreath is an easy and inexpensive project for the holidays. It is a great way to repurpose ribbons from past celebrations, making an elegant decoration for that special spot in your home. Coordinate colors with your Christmas theme or with your home’s interior to create a festive and stylish seasonal design. Have fun and be creative. This is also a great project for kids. They just need supervision with the push pins! You will need: A straw or Styrofoam wreath form found at floral and craft stores. We used 14” for these instructions, but you can increase or decrease to your preference. Around 12 yards each of 4 different but coordinating ribbons of varying widths and textures. A chenille stem to make the hanger, found at craft stores, looks like a pipe cleaner. About 50 to 75 fern pins, found at floral and craft stores, looks like a long staple. Instructions: First wrap the entire wreath form with a wider and simpler length of ribbon. Attach one end of the ribbon to the back of the form with two of the fern pins pushed at a slight angle through the ribbon and into the form to secure. Then tightly spiral the ribbon, overlapping slightly, and continue to wrap the form to cover, attaching the end with two more of the fern pins, securing tightly. Next, twist the chenille stem (or pipe cleaner) around the wreath to form a hanger. Now, create several bows of various ribbons, with the loops being about the same size. Leave the tie ends as single “tails” and cut the loose ends at an angle or with a “v” notch. You may also create single loops and tails to fill in between bows. Pin the bows and loops and tails onto the covered wreath form with the fern pins, pushing the pins through the center point of the bow. Continue adding bows and loops and tails until all but the back surface of the wreath form is covered. The closer the bows, the fuller and fluffier the wreath will appear, but don’t crowd them so much that the wreath looks stiff and tight. Helpful Tip: Be sure to hang your wreath indoors unless you have used weatherproof ribbons.
Easy Appetizer for Holiday Entertaining Posted on December 7, 2012 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux Easy Appetizer for Holiday Entertaining: Nut-Crusted Brie with Cherry Chutney The winter holidays are here, and the calendar is filled with dates for entertaining family and friends. Spending time with your guests is your priority, so you don’t want to spend all your time in the kitchen! Impress your guests with recipes that are easy to prepare, like our Nut-Crusted Brie with Cherry Chutney. We recommend enjoying this delicious dish with Biltmore Estate® Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine. Brie Ingredients 1 cup almonds, lightly crushed ¼ cup walnuts, lightly crushed ¼ cup pecans, lightly crushed 1 (2-pound) wheel of Brie Cheese 3 eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup heavy cream Cherry Chutney French baguette slices, toasted Cherry Chutney Ingredients 1 pound dried cherries 2 cups orange juice 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar ½ cup fresh ginger, grated 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds 1¼ cups sugar Brie Method Preheat oven to 350ºF. Mix almonds, walnuts, and pecans in a small bowl. Whisk the eggs and cream together in a seperate bowl. Using a pastry brush, apply egg mixture to cheese and then coat with the nuts. Place in a baking pan and bake until the cheese is softened and the nuts are golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Place the cheese on heated plates. Serves 6. Cherry Chutney Method Combine the dried cherries, orange juice, and vinegar in a saucepan. Add the ginger, coriander seeds, and sugar; mix well. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Cook to a syrupy consistency, stirring constantly. To Serve Cut the Brie cheese into desired portions and place on heated plates. Spoon Cherry Chutney over the cheese and around the edges of the plates. Serve with slices of toasted French baguette. Serves 6-8.
George Vanderbilt's Special Christmas Gift Posted on December 7, 2012 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux In the days around Christmas 1897, George Vanderbilt was travelling abroad preparing for a trip to India with his good friend, William B. Osgood Field. By late December, they had taken up residence in Paris and were staying at the Hotel Bristol. William wrote his mother fascinating letters detailing their days, but it is particularly interesting to see that the two travelling bachelors were also spending quite a bit a time with a certain young woman, Edith Stuyvesant Dresser. Though George was quite secretive about his intentions, Edith had clearly caught his eye. Edith, for her part, must have been receptive to his attentions as she had invited George and William, as well as some other friends, to the apartment she shared with her sister Susan to dine on Christmas day. On Christmas Eve, William surreptitiously snagged one of George’s socks, tucking a small calendar for his writing case into the toe. The stocking was filled with thoughtful tokens and toys that Edith and her governess had picked up on the Parisian boulevards. In went an almanac and a small book of poetry and a newly-published volume of Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz. George was presented with the overflowing stocking as a surprise at breakfast on Christmas morning. Books were, of course, the perfect gift for George Vanderbilt. George, in fact, presented his friend William with a beautiful copy of Keats at that same festive breakfast. But could it be that this volume of Quo Vadis was an expression of a secret Christmas wish from Edith? Set in ancient Rome, the Nobel-prize winning novel tells the love story of a young Christian woman and an aristocratic imperial officer. The underlying narrative contrasts the opulent and decadent culture of the wealthy Roman elite with the rewards found by those who seek a simpler lifestyle, embrace altruism and the spiritual power of Christian faith. We will never know for sure… but, to me, it’s quite telling that George’s running list of “Books I Have Read” documents that he was reading this copy of Quo Vadis later that year, during his honeymoon, with his new bride Edith by his side.
68 Trees in One House? Of Course! Posted on December 4, 2012 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux Wondering what it takes to decorate Biltmore for the holidays? It’s a study in arithmetic and herculean effort. Biltmore House and all of the buildings around the estate command a team experienced in wrangling trees, lights, candles, ornaments, poinsettias, wreaths, kissing balls, garlands, ribbons and bows – though not necessarily in that order. Read on, and just for fun, keep your calculator handy. Trees We use a combination of fresh cut Fraser firs and artificial trees for fire safety and protection of the collection in Biltmore House. We also use live nursery plants in the various areas of the house. • The 2012 celebration boasts 68 Christmas trees inside Biltmore House – the most ever on record! • The largest tree inside Biltmore House is the 35-foot-tall Fraser fir in the Banquet Hall. • A lighted 65-foot-tall Norway spruce anchors the front lawn of Biltmore House. • A total of 55 additional decorated Christmas trees are located across the estate, including the Winery, Inn on Biltmore Estate, Antler Hill Village and our restaurants. Lights and candles There are around 30,000 lights in Biltmore House, with around 125 candles. About 125,000 mini lights twinkle around the estate. Around 45,000 lights illuminate the Front Lawn tree in front of the house, and “up” lighting accents the poplar trees lining the front lawn. Three hundred luminaries line the driveway and Esplanade in front of Biltmore House. Ornaments We use 500 wrapped gift boxes, 500 ornaments and 500 electric lights to decorate the Banquet Hall Tree. We use around 12,000 ornaments on the other trees inside Biltmore House, and that many again around the estate, for a total of 25,000 or more. Poinsettias and other blooming plants We use mostly red poinsettias with some white and a few marbled and pink. In total, we place around 1,000 blooming plants throughout Biltmore House along with several hundred more in the other estate facilities. Wreaths Our wreaths are made of fresh white pine, Fraser fir, boxwood, holly or artificial bases decorated with dried flowers, silk flowers and other ornamentation. We place 360 fresh wreaths and sprays around the estate during the season, along with 130 artificial or silk. Kissing Balls Around 130 are made of white pine and Fraser fir, placed all across the estate through the season. Garlands Fresh garlands are made of white pine and Fraser fir. We change them weekly to keep them fresh for our guests. We use 5,000 feet during the season. Silk, dried and artificial garlands add another 1,200 feet in Biltmore House and around 1,500 feet in other areas. Ribbons and bows We use 500 inside Biltmore House with that many again in the ancillary areas. From narrow cording to 8-inch-wide ribbons, we decorate with velvets, metallics, satins, burlap and printed cottons. About the photo The Tapestry Gallery in Biltmore House boasts six Christmas trees this year!
Gingerbread House Traditions Posted on December 3, 2012 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux The holidays are filled with traditions and when the Christmas season arrives, we have many we look forward to at Biltmore. One of our most popular is the annual tree raising. Santa delivers Biltmore’s holiday centerpiece, a 35-foot Fraser fir, to the front doors of Biltmore House on a horse drawn carriage. Another tradition we look forward to is the making of our grand scale gingerbread houses, one for Biltmore House and one for our Inn. Each year, our talented pastry chefs create gingerbread replicas, covered in sweet treats down to the smallest details. At Biltmore House, this remarkable creation can be seen by guests in the kitchen of the home. And at the Inn, the gingerbread treat is a highlight of the lobby decor. You don’t have to be a pastry chef, though, to start your own gingerbread house tradition. Our chefs suggest letting your creativity guide you, using a wide variety of treats to add sparkle, texture and color. You will be surprised how graham crackers can turn into a walkway or boxed cereal can shingle a roof! Use your favorite gingerbread recipe, or the one below from our chefs. Gingerbread House Recipe 1/4 c brown sugar 1/4 c molasses 1/2 c light corn syrup 1/2 c shortening 1 1/2t. Ginger 1 1/2t. Cinnamon 3 1/2 c AP flour In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, molasses, corn syrup and shortening. Melt over medium heat. Mix dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment. Pour melted syrup into dry ingredient and mix until combined. Roll dough between two pieces of parchment to desired thickness (1/4” is usually good!). Cut desired shapes from the dough, carefully removing the scraps and leaving the pieces for your house on the parchment. This will keep your shapes from being warped. Bake pieces at 350 until light golden around the edges. **this dough will bake very firm and will hold up well for gingerbread houses, however is is not the best for eating.
Our Favorites Tips for Easy Holiday Decorating Posted on November 26, 2012 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux Guests who come to Biltmore before diving into their own holiday decorating can’t help but pick up some tips and ideas during Christmas at Biltmore. There is just too much inspiration all around! Decorating for the holiday season can be a stressful task, but we are sharing our tried and true decorating tips to make it a little easier. Choose a theme. A theme repeated throughout your holiday decorating scheme will bring continuity of style, color and overall look. Themes can be as simple as a particular color or color palette, or objects that represent memories of family events. Family photos and travel souvenirs are perfect for creating ornaments. Be choosy. Be selective and stick to your theme. You don’t have to use every ornament or decoration you own each year. Avoid the “This and That” Scheme. Random placement of glittery things scattered around the room lacks the impact you can achieve if you concentrate on three to five elements (embrace the design “rule of three”). The Christmas tree is one, a mantle might be the second, and the third might be an arrangement on top of an armoire. Within those elements you can go over the top. It doesn’t have to be red and green. Let your year-round style and colors inspire your holiday look. Take cues from your wall and fabric colors to make your seasonal decor unique to you and your home. Pack away the everyday. Don’t be afraid to send some of your everyday decorative objects on a short vacation. Replace the mirror over the mantle with a fresh evergreen wreath. Cover your neutral sofa pillows with vivid and bright shams (or replace entirely for the season). Bring out some of your china or silver. Bring the outside in. Spend an afternoon outside gathering woodsy elements to create a rustic and natural look. Collect pine boughs, holly berries, pine cones, dried flowers and grasses. Add favorite ornaments for a pop of color, or purchase an inexpensive bouquet of fresh flowers, pull it apart and add your own natural materials to create a beautiful seasonal display. Create the Biltmore sparkle. For a dazzling tree, tuck shiny ornaments deeply into the tree, starting at the trunk, and work outward. This creates depth, color and super-sized shine. Hang special and more decorative ornaments close to the branch tips. Mound your favorite ornaments into bowls on your dining table, or mix them in baskets with pine cones and greenery. Accent your wreaths and garlands with clusters of berries and shiny glass balls of different sizes. Punch up the glow. Group candles in varying heights throughout your decorating scheme to generate the warmest effect. Cue the lights! Our team has perfected a no-fuss light-stringing technique you can use on your own tree. First, work each light strand from the top of the tree down, and in sections, rather than round and round. This cuts down on ladder-climbing time. Second, work the lights in toward the trunk of the tree, and then back out to the tip of the next branch, securing the strand by slipping the tree tip between the two wires of the strand. We suggest a 6-foot tree requires 8 sets of 50 lights, a 12-foot tree needs 26 sets, and a 14-foot needs 32 sets. Do the squint test: To make sure the tree is evenly lit, step back, squint your eyes to make things look blurry, and look for dark or overly bright spots. Rearrange or add lights as needed.