Blog Archive

6/14/13

Indulge in the relaxing decadence…


At TansyHus a historical vacation rental, we enjoy the comments our guests leave in our journal about their adventures while visiting.  We love Heather C’s message in a child’s large but legibly-printed letters.  “Heather C. is a funny monkey and wants to live in this house FOREVER AND EVER!  Well, at least for a decade.”

Another group of guests were “off to pick apples at Maiden Rock Winery and Cidery.  We headed home in the rain.  We will be back next summer on a sunny day to pick berries.”

Sometimes, our guests’ purpose is to do nothing at all.  “This house is bigger, brighter, and cleaner than my own and has a faster Internet connection, too!  The place is loaded with charm and comfort…  On day one we just rattled around this big ole place with no pretense.  It seemed so very decadent.  We read and walked, read and napped, read and ate, read, and then retired for the night.”

Last fall, a guest and her husband extended their stay after discovering the Great River Wine Trail.  They deemed the wine from locally-grown grapes quite outstanding, much to their happy surprise.  As the day ended, they relaxed on the veranda and watched a storm roll in.

We invite you to book a stay at TansyHus, relax on our veranda, savor the local produce, and indulge in the decadence of charm and comfort.  Call Sandra on her cell at 626-523-8910 or e-mail smyklebust@tansyhus.com.  

We’d love to see you,
John and Sandra

6/6/13

Our pie flavor dilemma

Sometimes customers at Stockholm Pie Company can’t make up their minds as to which pie they want to order.  “All your pies look good,” they remark.  In an effort to decide which to get, they continue with questions.  “What's your best seller? What's your favorite pie?”

These are difficult to answer.

We don't have one best selling pie. Returning customers often like one particular flavor too much to try another.  We have one customer who orders triple chocolate pecan with chocolate ice cream.  Another wants sour cream raisin every time. A friend of mine has learned to come early if he wants to get his favorite, coconut cream. At this time of the year, we have trouble making enough rhubarb pies. Since appearing on Gourmet.com's list of the 53 best things they ate in 2012, double lemon pie disappears quickly.

When I'm asked my favorite, I reply, “Everything but raisin sour cream.”

On the other hand, Amy, who makes our pies’ flaky crusts and tremendous breads, loves raisin sour cream. Melissa, who is responsible for many of the single crust pies, savory pies, and quiches, likes to eat chocolate cream and peanut butter fudge for breakfast. Leora, who helps fill in the gaps and smiles at the counter, shares with customers that her favorite is triple chocolate pecan.

Therein lies one of our big dilemmas.  Each day we wonder who is going to want a particular pie, how many we need, and what flavors should we make.  Some days, triple berry pies are gone in a few hours. Other days, they sit on the shelves while customers can't get enough caramel apple crunch.  Often times, new customers will want what the person sitting outside at the table is eating. Those days, that pie sells out quickly.

We do have a standard list of pies that we make every day.  If you come in early enough, you most likely will find apple, caramel apple crunch, apple crisp, double lemon, peanut butter fudge, pecan, triple chocolate pecan, triple berry, and several cream pies.  Depending on the day of the week, we add other fruit pies such as cherry, berry cherry, and key lime. We also like to try new pies.  This week we are making a coconut cream brownie pie.

We really dislike disappointing you when we don't have your favorite pie.  If you want to make sure you get your favorite pie, here are some suggestions.  Call ahead and place an order, whether it's for a whole pie or slices.  Order cream pies by noon a day ahead.  Be certain to come early, especially on a weekend.  By the middle of the afternoon, choices are limited .

Earlier you can also enjoy our breakfast sandwiches, chicken pot pies, savory pies, individual vegetarian quiches, pulled pork sandwiches, or grilled sandwiches. Add a slice of pie for a great lunch or follow Melissa‘s example and have a piece for breakfast.  Like some customers, you may want to eat the pie first.

We’d love to see you again,
Janet Garretson
Stockholm Pie Company

5/31/13

Watch or ride the 2013 Tour de Pepin this Saturday.

This Saturday, June 1, is the 2013 Tour de Pepin, a bicycle tour of Lake Pepin.  We invite you to sign up for a tour or come down to watch the riders.  Two of the touring options are still open.  The 72-mile Lac Plein tour traverses the entire Lake Pepin loop along the Great River Road on both the Wisconsin and Minnesota sides of the lake.  The new 100-mile Siede tour includes the full Lake Pepin tour plus a countryside tour in the Maiden Rock and Stockholm region.  All tours begin at Ohuta Park in Lake City between 7 and 9 a.m.  If you want to ride, you may register for the two open touring options at the park on June 1 prior to starting your ride. 

All those riding a tour receive a ticket for an excursion on the Pearl of the Lake paddlewheel boat, an admission ticket to the National Eagle Center, a commemorative Tour de Pepin water bottle, a ticket for a specialty draft beer compliments of NOSH Restaurant, a ticket for a glass of hard cider courtesy of Maiden Rock Winery & Cidery, and two free tickets to Widespot in Stockholm.

Whether you come to join the ride or watch the riders, immerse yourself in the gorgeous greens of spring all along the Great River Road, the prettiest drive in America.

We’d love to see you again,
Stockholm Merchants

5/24/13

You have a rare opportunity to learn early decorative folk art.

Early folk artists in Sweden painted mainly to decorate the dismal and dark interiors of their homes.  These paintings included scenes of everyday life, floral paintings, and Bible stories.  Their interpretation of one Bible story originated the flowering “kurbit” or cucumber vine.  In the story, God shielded Jonah from the scorching sun by creating an exploding cucumber vine.  The vine or kurbit produced a profusion of colorful fantasy flowers.  You may have seen these kurbits in Swedish folk art.  Take a look at them here. 

Now you have a rare opportunity to learn to create Kurbit painting yourself.  Carol Bender, who was born in Red Wing and has relatives of Swedish descendent in the Lake Pepin area, will be conducting an introductory class in how to do Kurbit folk art as a part of the Midsommar Festival on Friday, June 21, from 7 -9 p.m. and Saturday, June 22, from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.  Carol’s relatives were early organizers of two churches.  Oscar Fryklund, her great-uncle, had a storefront in Stockholm and was a local photographer well-known for his hand-tinted pictures of the bluffs of Lake Pepin, particularly those of the famous Maiden Rock.  Carol is excited to present this class in Stockholm.

The cost for Carol’s class is $95 which includes canvas, brush, and paints.  To register for her class, call Ingebretsen’s at 612-729-9333.  Plan to bring your lunch or have lunch on your own.  The class will be held at Samla Rum, N2089 Spring Street in Stockholm.  After class enjoy Stockholm’s Midsommar celebration. 

This Friday, May 24, we invite you to enjoy local folk music by songwriter and flat picker Sue West at the first  free outdoor concert of the season at SideSpot, Evening Song:  Music and Village Stroll.  Winner of Rural Roots Music Commission 2009 Folk Music CD of the Year Award, Sue has a large repertoire of solo folk music.  She accompanies herself on guitar and other stringed instruments.

When you are in town this weekend, stop by Ingebretsen’s. 

We’d love to see you again,
Diane and staff
Ingebretsen’s 
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