James Cornbread Crookes gets a hug from COO Casey Riley

A small tribute

Two weeks ago, employees of Castle Hill lost one of their own, James “Cornbread” Crookes. Cornbread joined the Inn straight out of Newport’s Rogers High School in the summer of 1980 and was a member of our culinary team for almost 40 years.  He trained a succession of executive chefs over the years, including Newport

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Turn up the heat to cool down with a Blazing Bromeliad

Our bartenders have created the perfect remedy for these hazy, hot days of summer – the Blazing Bromeliad! It’s a refreshing combination of smoky Peloton Mezcal Tequila mixed with freshly squeezed lime juice and some house-made Habanero Pineapple syrup. It brings a little heat to the party as it cools you down. We suggest sipping one

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Duck Egg Salad With Oscietra Caviar

Yield: 12 canapes Ingredients 8 duck eggs (chicken eggs can be substituted if duck eggs are unavailable) ½ cup mayonnaise ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard ¼ teaspoon red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon red onion, minced 1 ounce Oscietra caviar** 1 loaf brioche bread ¼ teaspoon paprika ¼ cup green onions, chopped Chive tips, as needed Salt

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Creamy Pumpkin Polenta

Ingredients: For The Polenta: 1 ¾ cups organic cornmeal 6 cups chicken stock 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/3 cup grated parmigiano cheese 3 tablespoons mascarpone cheese ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds 2 teaspoons lemon juice salt and pepper to taste For The Pumpkins: 4 each mini pumpkin* 3 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter pinch cayenne

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Pearl Onion Au Gratin

Ingredients: 2 pounds white pearl onions 3 strips thick-cut bacon 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 each shallot, minced 2 cloves garlic, peeled 2 cups heavy cream 1 tablespoon all purpose flour ¼ cup grated parmigiano cheese tabasco sauce, to taste salt and pepper, to taste ¾ cups panko breadcrumbs 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley 1

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Mushroom Fricassée With Potato Gnocchi

Ingredients: For the Gnocchi 2 pounds russet potatoes 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 3 large egg yolks 1 tablespoon kosher salt For the fricassée: 1/2 pound oyster mushrooms, sliced 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup heavy cream ½ teaspoon lemon juice ¼ teaspoon chopped savory herbs (thyme, rosemary, and sage)

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Aged Pineapple Daquiri

This is a great cocktail for our warmer fall days, where we don’t want to let go of summer spirits like rum. In this case the pineapple rum is more rich and spicy, as compared to a fruity summer daquiri recipe. The cocoa bitters add depth and darkness – not to be confused with a

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Maple Sazerac

The Sazerac is a classic New Orleans whiskey cocktail, in this case turned seasonal by use of a maple infused simple syrup in place of the traditional sugar cube. The spicy rye whiskey balances nicely with the sweet maple, while the absinthe spritz provides an herbaceous nose. Ingredients: Rye Whiskey – 2 Ounces Maple Simple

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Apple Cider Sangria

This recipe requires some more advanced planning, but is great for a refreshing apple-focused cocktail for a get together. It lends well to service from a punch bowl, but can also be attractively garnished for each guest depending on your setting. Ingredients 3 ea. Apples, diced 2 ea. Pears , diced 3 ea. Oranges, diced

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Potato Leek Soup

Yield: 6 servings Ingredients: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 large leeks, white and pale green parts only, rinsed and roughly chopped 1 quart chicken stock 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters 1 bay leaf Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 cup buttermilk 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 teaspoon

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