Four Columns Inn Blog

Garden Proposal

fourcolumns — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 21:13:17 +0000

We see many engagements, weddings and romantic interludes here, but this was one of the best. Our prospective groom constructed a gazebo in the gardens by the stream, and we set it up for dinner service by candlelight…and not just candles on the table, but a host of suspended candles in cones, casting a warm glow over the table. The unsuspecting girlfriend was taken for a hike where the couple came upon this lovely setting with waiter at the ready for a romantic dinner and proposal. This much preparation also requires much confidence, which was rewarded with a ‘yes’!

Mischief in the Kitchen

fourcolumns — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 17:56:00 +0000

When the Chef’s away we like to play in the kitchen. Chicken Pot Pie anyone?

Winter Gives Way…

fourcolumns — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 19:24:54 +0000

Even as snow remains on the mountains and we have some of the best skiing in years, we are seeing signs of Spring as wintergives way to beautiful sights and sounds!

Snoweshoeing Bromley Mountain with Toby

fourcolumns — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:47:55 +0000

On crisp sunny winter days we dispense with our duties as quickly as possible to enjoy an outdoor activity. When we can take Toby, our Golden Retriever, all the better. It makes him a happy dog. This week we grabbed our snowshoes and headed to the Long Trail for a hike up Bromley Mountain. The trail-head can be found just south of Route 30 on Route 11 as you head toward Manchester. On the right you can see a parking area where Equinox Snow Tours orchestrates snowmobile rides through the mountains. Park there and walk along the snowmobile trail toward Bromley. The trail-head is on the left. (You can tell this is a foot path). White marks on the trees designate the path, but generally you can tell where the trail leads.It is about 1 1/2 miles to the summit.

You know you are almost to the summit when you cross a ski trail at the top of Bromley mountain. We made friends with a few skiers who were surprised to see us, but couldn’t resist meeting our fuzzy partner. With the short winter day moving into late afternoon we headed back down the mountain into the rich light of a fading sun.

Christmas Week is Here!

fourcolumns — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:56:00 +0000

Holiday Preparations are almost complete…

A beautiful snow…

decided to stay

Ornaments in the Tree

Festive trimmings

And conversations by the living room fire…
Create a season of warmth and good cheer

In the Kitchen…

Chef Zak

Prepares his stock
For Christmas and New Years Dinners

No escape for Mr. Lobster

While Dinner guests enjoy…

A quiet table in the corner

beneath a local artist’s creation

Or next to the fire’s warm glow

Elopements & Winter Weddings

fourcolumns — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 17:05:00 +0000

New Package for Winter Weddings and Elopements!

Small weddings and elopements are in high demand, and we are happy to accommodate with our new all inclusive package. Just this morning a happy bride and groom departed with families and friends after two days of celebrating in our welcoming New England setting.

Ceremonies in our cozy living room or Tavern are followed by dinner next to a warm fire. You may plan a special menu prepared by our Chef Extraordinaire! Custom cake, flowers and more are all included to give your special day a lifetime of warm memories.

To see the details just visit our website from this link, or give us a call.

Thanksgiving Menu

fourcolumns — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:10:00 +0000

Thanksgiving Menus and Specials are in place

Foliage was spectacular this year and it’s hard to believe we’re already down to the last hues of golds yellows and reds. Our Winter Holiday plans are well under way, leading with Thanksgiving. The five course turkey-day menu features Free Range Vermont Turkey along with other exceptional entree choices for the ‘not so turkey inclined’. Desserts this year are also not to be missed. You can view all the savory details from this link: (Yum!) Reservations are now being taken for seatings from 1-5pm. Reserve your table now from this link: (Count me in!)

If you want to take full advantage of that weekend and escape to one of our cozy rooms for a few days, we have some pretty good deals that the smarties who signed up for our Monday Morning Specials have already been using. We are offering 50% off your third night for stays from Nov 25 thru 28 if you join us for Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. The weekend package also includes complimentary turkey night sandwiches and desserts. This special will be posted on our website in the next few days, so make your reservation now before the remaining rooms disappear! You can see the rooms, prices and make a reservation from this link. Just specify Thanksgiving Special when you make your reservation.

Summer Dining and new Tavern Menu

fourcolumns — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:18:00 +0000

Summer Menus are in full swing
Chef Greg and Zak are busy searching for the freshest catch of the day along with the abundance of produce now available from the local farms. Just this week our menu features Island creek oysters, carrot and ginger soup, slow-baked narragansett bay striped bass with shrimp and crispy crab cakes. You can keep up with our latest offerings by checking our dinner menu on our website.

Chefs Greg & Zak Announce
‘Tavern Tid Bits’
35 year FC veteran Chef Parks works his magic in concert with 15 year Sous Chef Zak Clayton. In addition to his significant contributions to The Four Columns dinner menu, Zak is using his special talent to create our new Tavern Tid-Bits menus, which include items like Bruschetta with toasts, Chicken, shrimp or beef kabobs with trio of sauces, Raw Oysters with mignonette, and a Vermont cheese sampler. We will be adding other delightful items as the summer progresses. Try them with our new selection of favorite New England beers and wines by the glass from around the world

Relaxing in the Tavern

Before you head off to the dining room for dinner you can enjoy one of Head Waiter Bob’s famous martinis, or one of our wines by the glass featuring selections from around the world. The Tavern was refurbished in 2008 to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Sink into one of our leather club chairs while you sip on a seasonal favorite, or while away the afternoon outdoors on the Tavern Deck!

More Wines by the Glass and a new selection of New England Beers

Nothing complements great company and an exceptional menu like a selection of artisan beer and wines by the glass. We have extended our selection of wines by the glass, featuring wines from the US and around the world. New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs and Oregon Pinot Noirs rank among our favorites. We try to keep our wines special, meaning you generally won’t find these offerings at just any ol’ local grocery store. We now also have a selection of draft and bottled beers from New England including some of our favorites like Switchback. Selections change so come on by and taste our latest pours!

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

fourcolumns — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:58:00 +0000

Nestled between southern Vermont’s mountains and streams are hosts of farms and orchards producing a variety of fresh Produce that can be shopped or picked fresh from the field. Shown here is Walker Farm Stand, only 10 minutes away on Route 5 between Brattleboro and Putney, Vermont.

If you want to take a little taste of the country home with you we will direct you to the many farms, orchards, farm stands and farmer’s markets nearby. Just down the road on Route 30 is Dutton Farm Stand.

Actually, this is more than a farm stand. Fresh baked pies and breads, along with jams and jelly line the counter. Often the aroma of the latest creation fills the room. The Dutton family has been growing fresh produce throughout southern Vermont for decades.

Scott’s Farm and Orchard and Dwight Miller Orchards also grow an extensive array of farm fresh products.

Every Saturday morning in the summer the Brattleboro Farmer’s Market is in full swing. You can also buy local farm products at the Brattleboro Food Co-op and the Putney Food Co-op.

Take a day to visit the local farms, farm-stands, orchards and Co-ops. Better yet, put on your jeans, wander the fields and pick your own…get in touch with your inner farmer!

Here is a seasonal listing of some favorite farm fresh products from the area:

March / April
Vermont’s famous Maple Syrup can be found in sugar houses throughout the area. Visit and watch the wood fire stove distill this golden harvest into the sweet amber syrup known throughout the world.
May
Spinach, Rhubarb, Ramps, Asparagus, Fiddlehead Ferns, Wild Mushrooms and Eggs
June
Cherries, English peas, Strawberries, Sugar snap peas, fillet beans, lettuces, rhubarb, apple blossom honey (a specialty of Dwight Miller)
July
Blueberries Raspberries Peaches, Plums, Peppers, Eggplants, Zucchini & Summer Squash, Herbs
August
Tomatoes, Blueberry and Peach peak season. (Many peach varieties become available) Currants, Blackberries, Watermelon Lopes, Dews, Nectarines, Legumes and Potatoes
September
Apples (Cortland, McIntosh, Gala, Honey Crisp, Macouns, Twenty Ounce, Empire, Wolf River. (Pick your own!) Pumpkins, Squash, Bartlett Pears, Magnes Pears, and Bosc Pears, Fall Raspberries. Table Grapes. It’s Cider Season!
October
More Apples! (Golden Delicious, Baldwins, Northern Spy, Blue Pearmain, Pound Sweet, Empires, Cortlands, Bancroft, Crandle) Pears, Pumpkins for pie, Pumpkins for carving, and Squash.
November
Root vegetables, Parsnips, Carrots, Gilfeather Turnips, Horseradish and assorted Turnips

Warm weather activities

fourcolumns — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:26:00 +0000

Summer is underway… We’re off! A full house of happy guests just checked out today. This Memorial Day weekend we had guests celebrating anniversaries and graduations, weekend ‘quick escape artists’, just looking for time to decompress, and several very active outdoor enthusiasts getting the season off to an active start. After sketchy forecasts the weather blessed us with cool sunny days and brisk evenings. This lively group experienced a nice variety of some of the area attractions. There is a lot of summer ahead! Grab your partner, lover or fuzzy friend and come visit. Don’t forget our weekly Monday Morning Specials. You can see them on our website, or get first crack by signing up for our weekly email. Just send us and email with ‘Monday morning special’ in the subject. Here’s a sample of what awaits!

Canoe trips at BattenKill Canoe Some of the most beautiful areas of southern Vermont can be experienced from a canoe or kayak. At BattenKill Canoe you are escorted to the river and picked up at a pre-determined location downstream

Bike rides and rentals from West Hill Bikes With a broad variety of bikes and routes to suit your ambition and ability. We have a large selection of paved and unpaved routes to give you a choice of short leisurely tours, or more demanding itineraries. We can direct you to scenic routes with light traffic to maximize your enjoyment of biking through the back roads of southern Vermont.

(Very brisk) dips in our just-opened pool These intrepid souls were under 12, which explains how this was accomplished. However, with warm sunny days now at hand basking on the deck entertaining thoughts of taking a cold dip isn’t too bad.

Golf at Stratton, Mt Snow, Haystack and more Also nearby are Brattleboro Country Club, and Okemo’s Tater Hill. Most of these locations offer summer golf school sessions which some of our guests will be attending later this summer. Escape to a golf outing here in the beautiful green hills and valleys of southern Vermont.

Lounging by our stream, ponds and gardens We believe we witnessed major headway by our guests on books and newspapers out by the pool and the Adirondack chairs we have placed here and there throughout the grounds and next to the stream.

Shopping at Dutton’s Farm Stand With farms throughout southern Vermont, Dutton’s Farm Stand always has a nice selection of local produce and fresh baked pies. Greg and Zak frequently make runs to Dutton’s when they are preparing the evening’s dinner menu. Having a cocktail in the Tavern or on the porch served by our experienced (and very accommodating) wait staff

Head Waiter Bob Leavitt has been a Four Columns feature in the dining room for over 12 years and knows how to make a mean martini brim full to the top of the glass…just like you’re supposed to. (…and he never spills the drink) Better yet, he and the rest of the wait staff have a reputation for warm and professional dining service.

Enjoying Chef Greg and Zak’s summer menus

Here Sous Chef Zak Clayton works his magic. Items on our menus change daily, with seasonal favorites introduced frequently. This weekend items included Crispy Soft Shell Crab with lemon caper tarragon mayonnaise, Local Wild Leek Soup with Fresh Morels, and Baked Halibut and lobster with slow-baked tomato, olive oil, rosemary and garlic.

Hiking to the summit of Stratton Mountain and the Fire Tower

Actually, the weather was so beautiful we did this hike with Toby, our Golden Retriever and our legs are still all tingly. But if you want a good work-out and a great view this is the hike for you. The final climb to the top of the fire tower to see the surrounding mountains and lakes, and to feel the wind is well worth the effort!

Glass Blowing exhibition at Taft Hill Gift Store and Gallery

This past weekend visitors were able to watch Robert DuGrenier and Zachary Wickhaman demonstrate their craft as they worked on a commissioned Tiffany sculpture for a store opening in Seattle. But you can visit any time to see these beautiful works of art and other fun items from the Taft Hill Gift Store

And finally…

Retreating to one of our guest rooms for a good night’s sleep before enjoying a hearty country breakfast and finding the next adventure for the day ahead.