Authentic Bed and Breakfast Association

Authentic Bed & Breakfasts

of Lancaster County

Newsletter

Spring is in the air in Lancaster County!March/April  2011
In This Issue
Gift Certificates
Intercourse Canning Company
What about those names?
Area Attractions
Dining Out
Performances & Concerts
Recipe Corner
Passport Program
Special Gift!
 
Gift Certificates
Looking for a unique gift for someone special? Give a gift that is sure to please, a stay at one of the many wonderful Authentic Bed and Breakfasts of Lancaster County! Available in any denomination. Click on the gift certificate above to order today.
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Hello from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania,

 

What a wonderful time of year!  The temperatures are warming, buds are swelling, snow has melted and Lancaster County Mud Sales are in full swing!  Yea we made it through another winter.  It sure makes you appreciate spring after a long winter.  In Lancaster County all activities get back to full swing as March and April unfold.  There is so much to do and enjoy whether you are an outdoors person or love to explore history and museums.  Why not treat yourself to a well deserved get-away and come to Lancaster County.

 

Come stay with us, you will be glad you did!

 

Intercourse Canning Company Spotlight!

 

Intercourse Canning CompanyIntercourse Canning Company is located in the quaint Village of Intercourse. Music and aroma fill the air in their 3,000 square foot store with plenty of room in their wide spacious isles.

 

 

  

 

Sampling is free around the store with items such as Pickled Baby Beets, Chow Chow, Pickled Baby Corn, Bread & Butter Pickles, and jellies, vegetable salads & relishes, gourmet dip mixes and much much more!     

 

The Cannery is an authentic Lancaster County country cannery with Amish and Mennonite folks working in the kitchen. The Cannery hours are 9:30 am to 4:30 PM Tuesday through Friday.  The Store hours are Monday through Saturday from 9:30 am to 5:00 PM. Winter Hours January through March 10:00 am to 4:00 PM.  

  

Intercourse Canning Company Coupon 

 

 

 

Be sure to pick up a coupon from your innkeeper before visiting the Intercourse Canning Company! Your innkeeper has discount coupons for all our Passport Partners.  They have offered exclusive discounts for all guests of Authentic Bed and Breakfast Association.  One more reason to stay with us, you will be glad you did!  

 

 

 

What Do Those Town Names Mean?? 

 

 

For visitors to Lancaster County, one of the first clues this is a place with a charming and fascinating history comes with a glance at a map.  As you pass through towns like "Paradise" and "Blue Ball", you may wonder where those towns got their storybook names.  The origins of many of the towns and villages have, unfortunately, been lost to history.  But here are brief backgrounds on several of them:

 

Intercourse 

There is much speculation about the origins of this village's name, which was founded in 1754 and originally called Cross Keys.

  

Two of the more popular theories involve a race course and an intersection.  There was apparently an old race course just east of the town, which had a long driveway called the "enter-course".  Some believe this eventually evolved into "Intercourse," which became the name of the village in 1814.

The other theory centers around two roads - the old King's Highway between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, now Route 340 (Old Philadelphia Pike), and the road from Wilmington, DE., to Erie, which intersected it in the middle.  That intersection is thought by some to be the basis for the name "Intercourse"

 

Paradise 

According to records, this town to the east of Lancaster was named when one Joshua Scott, who later became known for his map of the county, stood in the middle of a road admiring his surroundings.  

He remarked that the town should be called Paradise, and most people agreed with him.  That was in 1804.  In 1843, folks in the surrounding township decided they weren't satisfied with their name, which at that time was Pequea.  So the people of Pequea Township took their cue from the nearby village and the entire township became Paradise.

 

Blue Ball 

Like many towns in the nation's early days, this hamlet took its name from a tavern, which was located "at the sign of the Blue Ball," established by Robert Wallace in 1766.  

Kinzers 

This village was named not for a tavern but for a hotel, which was built by a gentleman named Harry Kinzer in 1834 for men who worked on the railroad in the area.

 

Bareville 

This town just east of New Holland was named for the physician Dr. A.S. Bare, who was one of several founders in the mid-1800s.

 

Bird in Hand 

The old legend of the naming of Bird-in-Hand concerns the time when the Old Philadelphia Pike was being laid out between Lancaster and Philadelphia.  

The story goes that two road surveyors working on the construction project discussed whether they should stay at their present location or go on to the town of Lancaster. One of them supposedly said, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush," which means it is preferable to have a small but certain advantage than the mere potential of a greater one; and so they stayed. By 1734, road surveyors were making McNabb's hotel their headquarters rather than returning to Lancaster every day. The sign in front of the inn is known to have once "portrayed a man with a bird in his hand and a bush nearby, in which two birds were perched," and was known as the Bird-in-Hand Inn.   

Another variation on the story also relates to the prominent tavern sign.  The Conestoga wagoners (many of whom could drive a team of six horses a lot better than they could read) knew that they had arrived at the Bird-in-Hand Hotel by seeing its distinctive sign - which became the defacto name for the village over time.

 

Ephrata 

The borough of Ephrtata was founded in 1732 and is named after Ephrath, a biblical town in what is now Israel.  The community was named by Conrad Beisel and his followers, who were the first settlers in the area.  They founded what is now know as the Ephrata Cloister along the Cocalico Creek.

 

As you can see, the story behind the names of Lancaster County towns and villages are as diverse as the communities themselves.  Hopefully learning about their origins has provided enough of a tease to make you want to visit, explore and discover more for yourself!

 

Area Attractions! 
 
March is the start of "Mud Sale" season in Lancaster County!  If you've never experienced one of these firehouse auction days, you should give it a try. Everything from quilts and household items, to farm equipment and horses can be found at these unique events. Named for the sometimes muddy grounds common after the winter snows have melted, it's a great way to see the Amish and other locals welcoming the spring season. 
  Mud Sale    Mud Sale Quilts
One of the county's busiest Mud Sales takes place on March 12th in Gordonville, and is said to be the largest firemen's auction/sale on the East Coast, featuring over 500 Amish quilts, as well as antiques, collectibles, new & used furniture, tools, farm equipment, horses, mules, buggies, lawn & garden items, barns, utility sheds & trailers, and construction equipment.  Something for everyone! 

Other Mud Sales take place throughout Lancaster County during March and April, and even during summer months.  Click here to see detailed information about the many Mud Sales you can experience. Then come and enjoy rubbing elbows with the local folks while you search for a great deal.  And don't forget... the best place to stay while you're in Lancaster County is at an Authentic Bed & Breakfast!

                       Mud Sale - Amish pies
                      Mud Sale Activity

Watch for more great local attractions and fascinating activities in upcoming editions of our Authentic B&B Newsletters... and be sure to ask your Authentic innkeeper for discount coupons for all of our Partner businesses!

  Dining Out

Are you looking for delicious food, personal service and a casual yet romantic atmosphere? Be sure to try the Olde Greenfield Inn.

 

The restaurant, which is located in a 1780 farmhouse, also offers a wine cellar, weekend piano music and outdoor dining in the summertime.

Olde Greenfield Inn

Lunch is available Tuesday thru Saturday 11am to 2pm and offers an array of soups, salads, sandwiches and more. Dinner is offered Monday thru Saturday from 5pm to 10pm. Dinner entrees include prime rib, crab cakes, lamb chops among many other choices. In the winter you will want to sit near the huge fireplace or have a romantic dinner for two in the wine cellar.

Wine Cellar Olde Greenfield Inn

Sunday Brunch is always a delight. Although guests are not hungry after eating at an Authentic Bed and Breakfast, brunch is available from 9am to 2pm on Sundays and include such choices as made-to-order omelets or french toast.

 

Children are always welcome at the Olde Greenfield Inn. There is a special child's menu and balloons and coloring books to keep them entertained.

 

The Olde Greenfield Inn is located just minutes from downtown Lancaster right off of Route 30 at the Greenfield Road exit. And your innkeeper can make your reservations and offer a discount coupon! Be sure to visit their website at www.theoldegreenfieldinn.com to see a list of current events or directions. Another wonderful dining experience in Lancaster County!      

 

 

 

Culture is Alive and Well In and Around Lancaster!
Springtime is a wonderful time to enjoy Lancaster County and discover all that Lancaster County has to offer.   Come stay the night at one of our lovely bed and breakfasts and enjoy the arts and entertainment that Lancaster County has to offer. Visit our website 
for a complete listing of our inns.  

*indicates Authentic Passport Partners

PERFORMANCES:
717-397-7425
March 3-13 Mrs. Kemble's Tempest  -Jane Ridley in a one-woman Tour-de-force.
  
March 24-April 10  Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
  
March 26, April 2 & 9  Jack & the Beanstalk- A fractured fairytale about a little boy with big dreams.

717-898-1900

 

March 3-April 9  Sugar- Based on the film Some Like it Hot with Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon.  Sugar is the hilarious musical comedy of 2 unemployed musicians who witness The St. Valentine's Day massacre.  To escape the mob, they disguise themselves as women and join an all-girl band on their way to Miami.

 

April 14 - May 28 The Unsinkable Molly Brown - The spirited musical comedy of real-life American legend Molly Turbin, a loveable country gal who's determined to make a name for herself as a society lady.

 
717-533-8525
March 1-6  In the Heights - The 2008 tony Award-winning Best Musical is a moving, funny, and uplifting new show about a community of hard-working immigrants seeking a better life and trying to find their place- their home- in their new country.
   
717-687-4300
Now through April 23- Send Me No Flowers - by Norman Barasch
George, a life-long hypochondriac, hears a wrong diagnosis and believes he's dying.  Thinking he only has a few weeks to live, he starts some crazy plans including writing goodbye letters, buying cemetery plots and finding a new sweetheart for his wife.


"Sight and Sound" Millennium Theatre
717-687-7800

March 19 - October 22  Joseph- Audiences are raving over Sight & Sound's all-new, original production, Joseph! Soar with Joseph as his epic story unfolds in front, beside and even above you! With innovative dream sequences, lavish staging, colorful characters and vibrant music, this energy packed production is for all ages and is certain to stir your emotions with the life-changing message of forgiveness! 

  
 
At the Sunoco Performance Theatre (click here for full listing)
717-214-ARTS (2787)
March 17- Henry Rollins - The rock legend shares stories from and refelctions on his first 50 years and the chaos that has surrounded him.
  
March 31- Bob Barry - Award winning pianist, composer and producer celebrates four decades of a gifted musical journey. Gifted in the sense that he is essentially self-taught and blessed with an incredible ear. Bob develops, records and performs his music entirely from memory. The celebration begins with the release of his fifth CD Dream Passages.
  
April 1 - Orla Fallon - Former Celtic Woman

member performs her brand of Irish tunes.

  
717-733-7966
Through March 5 Of Mice And Men
  
March 24 - April 2 - "13" A new musical

"I wanna fly, wanna drive, wanna get rich, wanna get out, wanna get my braces off, wanna get my nose pierced, wanna grow my hair long." It's all about being 13! With a brilliant score by Jason Robert Brown (composer-lyricist of The Last Five Years, recently seen at EPAC), 13 follows Evan and his new friends as they navigate the rough roads of classes, cliques, romance, and being cool. This tuneful high-energy musical about growing up is for the teenager in all of us. Best enjoyed by audiences aged 12 and up.

 


CONCERTS:
American Music Theatre *(click here for a full listing)
800-648-4102

March 19 - Oak Ridge Boys
March 26 - Celtic Woman
April 1 - Boz Scaggs
April 6 -  Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons
May 6 - Abba: the Concert

Music at Gretna  Leffler Performance Center - Elizabethtown College
717-361-1508
March 5 - Imani winds
April  8 - Calder Quartet Bartok Cycle I
April  9 - Calder Quartet Bartok Cycle  II

 

PA Academy of Music  (click here for full listing)
717-399-9733

At Saint James Episcopal Church

March 18 - The Gypsy and the Bohemian 

March 25 - Soprano - Julianne Baird  Crazy for Love and Music: also gin, money, food, politics, and laundry.

 

Lancaster Symphony at the Fulton Opera House
717-397-7425
  
March 4, 5 & 6 -Mozart & Salieri - Roots & Rivalry
April 15, 16 & 17 - Fantastique Berlioz
  
  

Giant Center (click here for a full listing)

Hershey
717-534-3911

 

March 18 - Chris Tomlin

March 25  - Smucker's Stars on Ice

March 30 - April 3 - Disney on Ice

April 8  - Rush "Time Machine Tour" 

April 15 - Jeff foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Larry the Cable Guy

  
  
And on the "First Friday" of each month the arts come alive in Lancaster! Over 60 art galleries and shops stay open till 9:00 PM, some later. Stroll the sidewalks of downtown Lancaster and enjoy the many art shops as well as many unique owner-operated boutiques. Music, food and fun can be had by all. This popular event draws a crowd, so the streets are busy with activities. There is a trolley available to ride from 6:30 - 9 PM running 20 minute loops around the core of downtown. For more information on this event check this link, Lancaster Arts
 
Recipe Corner

 

Mrs. Murphey's Moist Irish Soda Bread

 

The most frequently voiced complaint of Irish Soda Bread is the "dryness" of the loaf, often requiring slabs of butter to make it palatable.  This loaf is moist and tender appealing to even the most finicky eaters.  It is good with golden raisins, but try it with other dried fruits or even add toasted nuts for a real change in flavor.  Serve it with good Irish butter and homemade jam.  Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

 

 

4 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup of sugar

1 tsp. of baking soda

1/2 tsp. of baking powder

1 tsp. of cream of tarter

1/2 tsp. of kosher salt

1 cup of golden raisins

2 cups of buttermilk

honey

butter

  

 

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.  Butter and flour a ten inch spring form pan, set aside.  Stir all dry ingredients together in a large bowl, breaking up any clumps of raisins.  Add the buttermilk. Stir until all ingredients are well incorporated.  (The batter will be very wet and sticky.)  Pour into the prepared pan.  Smooth the top and make a slight indentation of a cross on the top.  (It will be difficult because the batter is very sticky.  You can skip this completely if you choose and get a smooth topped loaf.)  Bake for  55 - 60 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let the bread rest in the baking pan for 5 minutes.  While the bread is still warm, remove the loaf to a cooling rack placed over a sheet of waxed paper.  Rub the top of the loaf with honey (about a tsp.) and butter.  Serve and enjoy!

 

 

E.J Bowman House B&BThis timely recipe is from the E.J. Bowman House Bed and Breakfast located on Litiz Pike in Lancaster, PA

 

 

Innkeepers; Alice & MurphEY

 

 

 

Passport Program News!
More and more area businesses are becoming passport partners each month to offer great savings to our guests.  Ask your innkeeper for a list of coupons to check out the area businesses offering discounts to our guests.  Be sure to use your passport on your next visit to an Authentic B&B so that your $50 savings is closer to being realized.  Not a passport member?  Click here, or ask your innkeeper for details and your passport on your next visit.
We hope you enjoy this newsletter and feel free to share it with friends and family.  Thank you for your patronage and we will see you soon in Lancaster County!
 
Sincerely,

 


The Innkeepers of
Authentic Bed & Breakfasts of Lancaster County