Chocolate-Dipped Meringue Bites

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Add some sparkle to any occasion

Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day or simply want to add a touch of special sweetness to any occasion, our Chocolate-Dipped Meringue Bites are sure to please. Pair them with our Biltmore Pas de Deux Sparkling Wine, and the compliments will continue to bubble up!

Preparing meringue cookies at home may sound challenging, but it’s actually a simple recipe from our new cookbook entitled Biltmore Traditions, A Collection of Menus, Recipes, and Stories. The cookies are rich but not too sweet and the semisweet Chocolate Dipping Sauce adds another layer of flavor to each bite.

Sparkling wine is a natural choice to complement the taste and texture of the Chocolate-Dipped Meringue Bites, and we think serving them with our Pas de Deux makes a good thing even better. Made with Muscat Canelli grapes, this semi-sweet sparkling wine tastes of wild strawberry and lemon. It is also handcrafted in the traditional méthode champenoise style which results in fine bubbles that make any occasion more festive.

Chocolate-Dipped Meringue Bites 

Makes 20–24 cookies

Meringue Bites

• 2 egg whites
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar
• 1 1/3 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar

Method: Let the egg whites stand at room temperature in a mixing bowl for 30 minutes. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites. Beat at medium speed until soft peaks form. Add the confectioner’s sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition. Beat 6–7 minutes on high until stiff peaks form.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Spoon the meringue into a sealable plastic bag. Snip off 1 corner. Pipe 20 – 24 cookies 1½–2 inches long and 1½ inches apart onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake in a standard oven for 20 minutes or in a convection oven for 10 minutes. Turn off the oven. Leave the cookies in the oven with the door closed for 30 minutes. Remove the cookies from the sheet and cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Chocolate Dipping Sauce

• ½ cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate pieces
• ½ teaspoon shortening

Combine the chocolate and shortening in a saucepan. Cook over low heat until the chocolate melts, stirring constantly. Dip one side or the tip of each cookie into the Chocolate Dipping Sauce. Let dry on a rack until the chocolate is set.

Purchase Pas de Deux Sparkling online here.

Check out all the delicious recipes in our new cookbook, available through our online store.

Rick's favorite thing

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As we continue our focus on the details that make Biltmore so amazing, we invite you to visit this winter to admire the combination of architecture, art, and sculpture that makes Biltmore House uniquely beautiful. Today, we hear from a long-time employee who has a different take on his favorite thing: the beauty of mechanical ingenuity. Check back next week for another insider’s favorite.

Rick Conard, Vice President of Attraction Operations Support, joined Biltmore more than 20 years ago as an electrician. Since then, he’s been involved in just about every project around the estate, and knows Biltmore House inside and out.

Soon after he started at Biltmore, one of his first tasks involved spending more than three weeks working around the service elevator in Biltmore House. Less prominent (and significantly less decorative) than the passenger elevator in the main entry, the service elevator is located by the stairs in the Bachelors’ Wing.

This elevator was designed to carry workers as well as equipment and luggage, and traveled 80 feet from the Sub-Basement to the Fourth Floor. While it could lift 2,000 pounds, it was not the speediest mode of transport, taking nearly a minute to go six floors. Of course, the alternative of manually hauling a ton of luggage up several flights of winding stairs wouldn’t be all that fast either!

Rick was very involved in bringing the service elevator back to good working order, and he was working on the elevator when he got a call from his wife that she was headed to the hospital to have their first child—which explains why this ranks as his personal favorite.

If you’re interested in seeing the service elevator plus some of the other innovative mechanical systems in Biltmore House, take the guided Behind-the-Scenes Butler’s Tour that spends time in areas of the house not included in the regular visit.

These days you may see Rick around the estate with Cedric, a St. Bernard named in honor of George Vanderbilt’s favorite dog. They are often in Antler Hill Village, so keep an eye out for them during your next visit.

A Valentine Blend of Bulbs

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A sweet ‘Valentine’ mix

Want to surprise your favorite gardener with a sweet spring gift? Consider easy-to-grow dahlias in a gorgeous array of colors like the new Biltmore ‘Valentine’ mix from Netherland Bulb Company. Dahlias offer glorious blooms sure to delight the novice gardener as well as the seasoned professional.

This dahlia mixture contains several different varieties and is called ‘Valentine’ in honor of the red and white colors you can expect from the mature flowers. The mix is perfect for the adventurous gardener—just plant in the spring and be surprised all over again in summer when the colorful blooms began to open up in your garden.

As one expert said, “Never have so many gardeners received so much for so little work, as when they grow dahlias.’‘

Ask your local garden center for Biltmore ‘Valentine’ dahlia mix and other Netherland Bulb Company products.

 

Hooked on dahlias

Dahlias come in a wide array of sizes, colors, and textures and are one of the most rewarding summer flowers of all. They’re really easy to grow and generally provide spectacular results whether you leave them in the garden or use them as cut flowers in arrangements.

If you’re already a dahlia fan, you know just how wonderful they are. If you’re not as familiar with these summery showstoppers, here is the information you need to get started (and prepare to be ‘hooked!’).

 

Dahlia details

Dahlias are native to Mexico, but there’s about as much resemblance between the original native varieties and the modern Dutch hybrids as there is between a toy car and a brand new model in the showroom.

When planting dahlia ‘bulbs,’ be aware that the bulbs are actually tubers. They look a lot like peony roots—or sort of like a bunch of carrots. The plants grow quickly and always produce lush, green foliage. Some dahlias grow quite tall, as well, and may need to be staked for support—especially those varieties that produce large, heavy flower heads.

Thanks to our licensee Netherland Bulb Company for providing interesting information on dahlias—plus a wonderful mix of cheerful colors sure to make everyone smile!

Whimsical Romantic Tips

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February is more than just Valentine's Day—it's the perfect time to let someone special know how much you care! Whether your sweetheart prefers traditional red roses and champagne or something more whimsical, like heart-shaped yard art, we want to help you celebrate this sweet season with a host of romantic tips that are sure to please.

Ready for romance

Here are our top 20 ideas (in no particular order) for showing your romantic side to your sweetie:

• Snuggle up for a romantic evening by the fireside with sparkling wine and dessert
• Bring or send flowers
• Cook a homemade meal/bake a special dessert
• Enjoy a nice dinner out followed by a movie, dancing, or other fun activities.
• Leave love notes for your sweetie to find
• Create a custom CD or mp3 playlist filled with romantic favorites
• Choose a unique piece of jewelry to wow your sweetheart
• Finish up those tasks around the house or run errands for your someone special
• Take a candle-lit bubble bath together, complete with flutes of bubbly
• Arrange a special trip to a cozy bed and breakfast
• Weather permitting, have a picnic in a local park (or pack a basket of goodies to enjoy in front of a  roaring fire in the living room)
• Take a long walk or hike together
• Attend a wine tasting at a winery or local restaurant/bar
• Compliment your sweetie earnestly and often
• Take ballroom or salsa dance lessons together
• Sprinkle rose petals around the bedroom, bathtub, or hearth
• Volunteer a few hours of your time—together—for a cause that’s special to both of you
• Revisit the scene of one of your first dates and remember what made your romance sparkle
• Turn off the television, computer, and cell phones and have a conversation without distractions.
• Make (or purchase—we won’t judge) chocolate-covered strawberries, pop open some sparkling wine (our Biltmore Pas de Deux is perfect for the occasion), and toast the fact that the two of you are as great together as this classic pairing of fruit, chocolate, and bubbles!

Romance sparkles in February

Of course, we may be a little bit biased, but we think Biltmore Wines make any occasion more romantic. Choose one of our sparkling wines, handcrafted in the traditional méthode champenoise, and raise your glass to someone special!

• Château Reserve Blanc de Blancs North Carolina: our finest sparkling, bursting with tiny bubbles plus tropical and citrus flavors
• Blanc de Blancs: Good acidity and balance complemented by hints of lemon, apple, and pear
• Brut: good balance of citrus and strawberries with hints of honey and apricot
• Blanc de Noir: crisp with a delightful light pink hue and flavors of cherries and strawberriest
• Pas de Deux Sparkling Moscato: Semi-sweet with flavors of wild strawberry and lemon

 Learn more about our sparkling wines here.

Freshen Up With Framing

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Freshen Up With Framing

After the holidays have ended and the decorations are packed away, your home can feel downright dull and in need of a pick-me-up.

We went to the experts—our friends at Larson-Juhl—who have created several families of frames featuring a six step hand-finished process and inspired by objects within the estate’s collection.

They offered several simple, creative ideas to freshen up your décor while also showcasing a few of your favorite things that may have been overlooked for a while.

Frame and Function

Custom framing is a fantastic resource when working to freshen your space—not only do custom frames look beautiful, but they can provide needed functionality too!

• Transform your jewelry into art and organize it at the same time by working with your custom framer to create a beautiful jewelry holder Jewelry framed like a picture
• Help your whole family stay organized all year long with a message center that includes a custom framed chalk board and memo board—perfect for creating lists and keeping those important items in one place
• Organize all of those family photos you have stashed away by having them custom framed in a photo collage, which will perfectly meld with your style and allow you to enjoy those memories out in the open

New Year, New Display

• Breathe new life into your favorite artworks by having them re-framed for the new year in a style you’ll enjoy for many years to come

Matchbook collection, framed
• De-clutter your shelves and bookcases by removing all those collectables you tucked into different spaces. Carefully dust and clean them, then have them preserved and put back on display by custom framing them in shadowboxes. Whether elegant or whimsical, anything from seashells and figurines to pins, spoons, and postcards can be framed!

custom framed photo of a wedding party

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click here to discover the Biltmore Collection at Larson-Juhl or find a store near you.

Cathy's favorite things

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Winter is a perfect time to visit Biltmore and admire the combination of architecture, art, and sculpture that makes Biltmore House so amazing. In case you haven’t noticed every little detail, we’ve asked employees to share their favorite things so you too can appreciate what makes Biltmore special. Check back next week for another insider’s favorite!

Cathy Barnhardt, Floral Displays Manager, has spent 35 years at Biltmore and is nationally known for her work heading up our amazing Christmas decorations in Biltmore House. She began her career in the estate’s greenhouse, was promoted to manager, and then was asked to “do Christmas.”

Little did she know that 26 years later she would still be “doing” Christmas at Biltmore—a celebration that began with five trees and has grown into an estate-wide extravaganza with more than 60 decorated trees in the house alone!

For Cathy, two paintings in the Breakfast Room on the First Floor hold lasting appeal no matter how many times she sees them.

“I love the Renoir portraits,” she said. “I like Impressionist paintings and Renoir, and the Mediterranean colors remind me that one day I hope to go there.”Young Algerian Girl

The two portraits are Young Algerian Girl and Child with an Orange, both painted in the 1880s by Pierre-Auguste Renoir as he traveled through the Mediterranean and Northern Africa.

According to our curators, George Vanderbilt acquired both paintings in 1892 from famed Parisian art dealer Joseph Durand-Ruel. Durand-Ruel is credited with doing more than just about anyone to promote the success of French Impressionists at a time when most other art critics and dealers looked upon them with disdain.

While George Vanderbilt was greatly influenced by his father’s art collection and was inspired by the earlier artists his father admired, George also supported more modern, progressive artists who embraced contemporary themes and new technologies. He funded the development of The American Fine Arts Society in New York, which represented young, avant-garde artists, and collected works by Renoir, John Singer Sargent, James McNeill Whistler, Maxime Maufra, and—although no longer in the Biltmore collection—Claude Monet and Édouard Manet.

About the photos:  Child with an Orange, top, and  Young Algerian Girl, bottom right.

Winter birding at Biltmore

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It may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Biltmore, but opportunities to go bird watching are a wonderful way to enjoy all its natural beauty—even in the winter.

During his 34 years with Biltmore, Bill Alexander, Landscape and Forest Historian, has identified more than 200 species of birds on the estate.

“The largest river in Western North Carolina runs through the estate, and we have the Lagoon, Bass Pond and streams with aquatic plants, meadows, pastures, and parklands, thickets, pine forests, and hardwoods. All these habitats are ideal for different types of birds,” Bill said.

Combine these water features with the estate’s meadows, pastures, fields, and woods, and it’s easy to see why the estate is such a prime birding venue as well as an official site on the North Carolina Birding Trail.

According to Bill, winter is a good time to see waterfowl, especially ducks such as buffleheads, hooded mergansers, teal, ring-necked ducks and occasionally pintails and shovelers. Some winters, we may have flocks of blue and snow geese interspersed with the ubiquitous Canada geese. You may even see great blue herons or common snipe in and around wet spots, creeks and drainage ditches.

“We also see strays each fall and winter,” he said. “I’ve seen tundra swans and Sandhill cranes.”

 

Permanent residents

Bluebird on bird house

Some of our year-round birds include blue jays, cardinals, sparrows, crows, blackbirds, mourning doves, bobwhites, Carolina chickadees, tufted titmice, red-tailed hawks, ruffed grouse, and turkeys. Pileated woodpeckers and flickers are plentiful, and you can spot red-bellied and downy woodpeckers. Eastern meadowlarks can often be seen and heard in the fields near Antler Hill Farm even during the winter months. Watch for killdeer and bobolinks as well.

Throughout Western North Carolina, bluebirds and robins are common and many make their presence known at Biltmore in winter, too. Bluebirds—famed for their appetites for insects—are encouraged to stay and raise families with the estate’s Bluebird Nest Box Program. Employees volunteer to monitor more than 100 bluebird boxes, checking to see if boxes are occupied, recording the number of eggs and chicks, and cleaning out nests between broods. 

 

The eerie screeching and hooting of owlsBill Owl

Our most common owls, the great horned and screech owls are woodland birds that prefer mature forests and parklands like those that blanket Biltmore. Great places to find them include the woodlands near the Bass Pond, the trail around the Spring Garden, and forests around the Inn. Great horned owls begin breeding and nesting in January and February and their calls are most often heard this time of year. Sometimes you can locate a screech owl on a low branch in the forest just before dark by listening to its mysterious quavering call. Or, if you spend as much time as Bill does on the estate, you may get a closer look.

“I was walking in the woods just before dawn one winter, and something hit me on the top of my head,” Bill said. “All of a sudden my toboggan was flying through the air in the clutches of a great horned owl!”

 

Protecting birds for a century

Birds and Biltmore have been a thriving pairing for more than a century. George and Edith Vanderbilt were sustaining members of the N.C. Audubon Society, and estate employees were advocates for protecting birds. Landscape Architect Frederick Law Olmsted designed islands for the Lagoon and Bass Pond as safe places for nesting birds. Today, we intentionally leave some fallen trees, snags, and uncut meadows as habitat for birds and other wildlife.

According to Bill, anyone can become a birder with a decent pair of binoculars and a bird book. “Start by looking for birds by body size, flight pattern, and song,” he advised. “The best viewing times are typically early morning or late afternoon. It’s a great way to enjoy the outdoors in winter.”

About the photos

Photos of the tundra swan at the Lagoon and the immature great horned owl were taken by Bill Alexander on his many forays around Biltmore.

Leslie's favorite thing

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Winter is a perfect time to visit Biltmore and admire the combination of architecture, art and sculpture that makes Biltmore House so amazing. In case you don’t have time to notice every little detail, we’ve asked employees to share their favorite things in the house so you too can appreciate what makes Biltmore special. Check back next week for another insider’s favorite!

Leslie Klingner has been Biltmore’s Curator of Interpretation for nearly seven years, and has an unusual view of her favorite to recount.

“I love the Guastavino tile vaulting throughout Biltmore House, especially in the swimming pool,” she said. “I got to observe it from a unique perspective one day—from the bottom of the pool when I retrieved a lost pearl earring that a guest had dropped.”

The ceiling in the swimming pool was designed by Spanish architect Rafael Guastavino, who came to America in the 1880s and quickly became known for perfecting a unique system of building tiled ceiling vaults including the first New York City subways.

“His work is a technical feat built on ancient Catalan traditions,” Leslie said. You can see more of his skills by looking up at the ceiling as you walk from the Winter Garden into the Billiard Room.

Guastavino retired and built a home in Black Mountain, where he lived until his death in 1908. The Basilica of St. Lawrence in downtown Asheville—where his crypt is located— also displays his tilework and vaulting expertise.

Happy Birthday, Dear Edith

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Today, January 17, is the 140th anniversary of Edith Vanderbilt’s birthday. In celebration of her life and legacy, we thought it would be fun to share some little-known stories about her.

 Edith VanderbiltOne of my favorites is a very glamorous Edith dressed as a peacock for a party in the early 1920s, as seen in the main photo above. A lover of costume or ‘fancy dress’ parties her whole life, Edith entertained often at Biltmore and clearly had a flair for the dramatic. In preparation for a party planned for August 1922, she contacted the legendary Ziegfeld Follies in New York to inquire about renting a ‘White Peacock’ costume made famous by a showgirl known as Dolores. It appears that Edith had little luck in obtaining the outfit and resorted to having her own peacock costume made a year later. It’s not completely clear at what event Edith chose to strut her stuff, but we suspect the celebration was held in honor of her daughter Cornelia’s 23rd birthday.

Biltmore’s costume collection includes seed pearl jewelry and glass bead hair ornaments which were worn at other fancy dress parties during the 1920s, and a dazzling metallic mermaid costume that will go on display in the exhibition, “The Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad” this spring in Antler Hill Village.

Edith’s love of drama began at an early age. As a child, she and her sisters frequently played charades and imaginative games of “house.” Edith and her youngest sister, Pauline, also loved witnessing the theatrical transformation of Newport’s grand interiors that were typical for Gilded Age entertaining. In a memoir, Pauline recalled helping with preparations for lavish dinner parties and then taking delight in spying on the guests!

”…In August … we children would be kept busy wiring flowers for enormous centerpieces, for those were the days when tables were overloaded and great satin ribbons lay on the table cloths; extending from one solid bed of flowers to another. The blossoms of pink hollyhocks were fastened on toothpicks and pierced into moss-filled flat baskets joined by huge bow knots of pink satin ribbons which wound their way amid silver tankards and baskets of hothouse fruits. Edith and I used to climb out on the tin roof over the dining room and peer down through the sky-light at the guests, scuttling back to bed when the roof creaked and we feared detection. Of course the voices below drowned any noise we might have made, but we didn’t realize that…”

In her teens and early 20s, Edith lived in Paris and was a member of an amateur group that frequently hosted “theater parties.” If the peacock photograph is any indication, Edith’s penchant for drama was most pronounced during the Roaring Twenties, a time when many women felt a heightened sense of independence and freedom to express themselves creatively.

Edith hosted a number of masquerade balls at Biltmore House, as well as tableaux vivants, a popular form of entertainment in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. French for “living pictures,” tableaux vivants were elaborate productions in which costumed participants would pose in the guise of mythological or literary figures, famous paintings or individuals from history. These amusing spectacles were enhanced by live music, props and dramatic lighting.

No matter the occasion, it seems that Edith always took pleasure in finding ways to enhance the everyday. Her spirit lingers on, inspiring so much of what we do at Biltmore.

Thank you, Edith – and Happy Birthday!

Parker's favorites in Biltmore House

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Winter is a perfect time to visit Biltmore and admire the combination of architecture, art, and sculpture that makes Biltmore House so amazing. In case you don’t have time to notice every little detail, we’ve asked some of our employees to share their favorite things in the house so you too can appreciate what makes Biltmore special. Check back next week for another insider’s favorite thing!

Parker Andes, Director of Horticulture, has been with Biltmore for 13 years; prior to coming to the estate, he worked in other public gardens including Callaway Gardens.

Parker has two favorites in Biltmore House. The first is the sculpture “Boy Stealing Geese”—the centerpiece of the Winter Garden. Karl Bitter, a Viennese artist who immigrated to America in 1889, created the beautiful marble and bronze fountain sculpture located in the glass-roofed garden room.

Parker’s other favorites are in Mrs. Vanderbilt’s Bedroom—in fact, they are the colors of the walls and trim in Edith Vanderbilt’s room. “The colors remind me of a birthday cake because the walls and moldings are all pastels,” he said. Part of the family’s private quarters on the Second Floor, Mrs. Vanderbilt’s Bedroom is oval in shape, decorated in the Louis XV style featuring delicately carved furniture and ornate cut velvet bed hangings and draperies.

You can see both the Winter Garden and Mrs. Vanderbilt’s Bedroom during your visit to Biltmore House. We invite you to take time this season and enjoy these favorite things!

Mrs. Vanderbilt’s Bedroom