Memory: A Moveable Feast & Our 2009 Fall Menu

We have all heard or said something along these lines before:

The smell of leather makes me think of new shoes on the first day back to school…

Coffee brewing and bacon frying reminds me of Sunday mornings at my grandmother’s house when I was small…

The taste of that spaghetti sauce takes me back to my honeymoon in Venice so many years ago…

In an exceptional way, our sense of taste and smell are intertwined with our memories.  Food not only satisfies our appetites, but also has the power to evoke a sense of place, feelings of comfort and satisfaction that have nothing to do with how full our bellies get.

It is certainly a tall order to provide that sort of experience to our guests, but that is exactly what we work hard to accomplish at The Capitol Grille, The Hermitage Hotel’s award-winning restaurant.

Executive Chef Tyler Brown recently debuted our Fall 2009 Menu and has produced an outstanding menu of finely crafted Southern heirloom cooking.

If we are lucky enough to call you a guest in our restaurant, we hope that the fork-tender short ribs, the cod wrapped in comforting bacon and lentils or the slowly roasted chicken remind you of the comforts of home, evoke a sense of comfort, warmth and the beauty of true Southern hospitality.

A Preview of Our 2009 Fall Menu:

“Pot Roast” of Beef Shortribs, puréed & puffed potatoes, roasted vegetables.

Bacon Wrapped Cod, stew of lentils and wild mushrooms

Roast Chicken, maitake mushroom, acorn squash, Swiss chard

Pork, Brussels sprouts, pancetta, apple butter

Grilled Venison, house-made venison sausage, heirloom field peas, braised romaine

Boneless Rack of Lamb, Anson mills farro, spinach, local radish

Celebration of Fall, chef’s selection of local seasonal vegetables

Make your reservation at The Capitol Grille online via our website: http://tiny.cc/nwrh7 and be sure to find us on Facebook to keep up with the latest news and information.

Janet Kurtz
Director of Sales and Marketing
The Hermitage Hotel

Looking Back on Hermitage Hotel Day

Isn’t it amazing how time flies?  I cannot believe it has been almost a month since we held our two-year centennial celebration kick-off event, a day declared “Hermitage Hotel Day” by Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen.  I wanted to take a moment to reflect on that event with all of you who helped to make it so special.

Even though the rain was steady and the day was unseasonably chilly, business folks from all sides of downtown made the trip to Sixth Avenue North to share an ice cream treat.   We learned that Nashvillians’ ice cream treat of choice is the Nutty Buddy ice cream cone!  It was highly preferred over (my favorite) orange sherbet.

As the ragtime band played old-time standbys like the Star Spangled Banner and everyone stood under the tents to eat their ice cream, I thought about how amazing it is that our not-so-little town can come together, rain or shine, to enjoy a fleeting moment of summer together.

Mayor Karl Dean, actor David Keith and 100 other business and civic leaders were present at the VIP reception immediately following the public ice cream social.  Virtually everyone who has made his or her mark on The Hermitage Hotel over the years attended.

I wanted to take this opportunity as I look back on Hermitage Hotel Day and say, “Thank you.”  If you are a Nashvillian or one of the thousands of guests we’ve had the honor of hosting over the past 100 years, thank you for being a part of the hotel’s success.

Now let’s go out there and start building 100 new years of memories!

Pictures from the event can be found on our Facebook page: become a fan!  http://tinyurl.com/ncw2w6.

Greg Sligh, Managing Director

Book Launch Party Attracts “A List” Nashvillians and TV News

Ridley Wills II probably has writer’s cramp today. A steady stream of over 100 people lined up last night to have Ridley sign their copies of “The Hermitage at 100—Nashville’s First Million Dollar Hotel

Held on the hotel’s famous veranda, the launch party for the new book on the history of The Hermitage Hotel attracted an “A List” of Nashvillians – many of whom were the grandchildren of the original investors in the hotel. It was a great party. I heard many wonderful stories about the hotel.

Our event also attracted television cameras. Both Channel 4 and Channel 5 showed up to capture the launch of Ridley’s spectacular new book. Maybe you saw it if you were watching the 10 o’clock news last night. Channel 5 did a particularly long story about the hotel, with absolutely stunning photography of the hotel. Click here to see it.

Beautifully illustrated throughout, the 258-page coffeetable-style book traces the significant role The Hermitage Hotel has played in shaping the history of the city, the state and the nation. It will be available for purchase in the hotel’s gift shop and local bookstores for $59.99. Wills will also be at two book-signing events on Saturday, Nov. 21: at Davis Kidd Bookstore in The Mall at Green Hills at 2:00 p.m. and at Borders in Brentwood at 330 Franklin Rd.

Among the things readers will learn:

• Nashville’s first gold record has connections to The Hermitage Hotel. The song, “Near You,” was written by Francis Craig, whose orchestra played in The Hermitage Hotel’s Grille Room and Ballroom from 1925-1945.
• Edward Hull “Boss” Crump, the notorious Memphis powerbroker who heavily influenced Tennessee politics in the early and middle decades of the 20^th Century, ran his Nashville operations from The Hermitage Hotel.
• The Hermitage was one of three sites for WSM radio’s opening night broadcast on Oct. 25, 1925.
• American Airlines first Nashville ticket office was located in The Hermitage Hotel – and it was a replica of the airline’s Hollywood ticket office.
• The first office of The Nashville Symphony was at The Hermitage Hotel.
• Two of Nashville’s leading civic clubs were founded at The Hermitage: The Rotary Club in 1914 and The Exchange Club in 1920.
• The Country Music Association (CMA) was formed in connection with a convention at The Hermitage Hotel.
• Tennessee was the final state to ratify women’s right to vote n 1920, and both sides of the issue had their headquarters at the hotel.

If you want to know about the ‘real’ history of Nashville, pick up a copy of this incredible book.

Janet Kurtz
Director of Sales & Marketing
The Hermitage Hotel

The Pillow Menu: Because Luxury is Not One-Size Fits All

If you are anything like me, the first thing you do when you open the door to your hotel room is to sit down on the bed.  After the standard “bounciness” test of the mattress, I inspect the most important feature that will undoubtedly determine my comfort level that night—the pillows.

I have had one too many experiences with bad pillows in my life and this has developed into a near obsession about finding the perfect pillow on which to sleep.  It must not be too soft and contain just the right amount of firmness to gently cradle my neck in the side-sleeping position.

Have you ever been in an airport and seen a full-grown man in his best three-piece suit walking through the terminal carrying a full-size pillow?  I’ve seen it more times than I can count and, you know, I completely understand this man.  He is a connoisseur of pillows and understands that duplicating the perfect-pillow experience outside of one’s home is a difficult task.  So he brings his favorite pillow wherever he goes, ensuring his comfort and good night’s sleep in any location.

Behold the 5-star pillow menu.  At The Hermitage Hotel, we know that in order to provide the best service possible, the luxury we provide each guest must be uniquely tailored to fit each individual.   That’s why two years ago, I created and implemented the Hermitage Hotel Pillow Menu.

Here’s how it works.  Every one of our rooms comes standard with four extra-fluffy premium goose-down pillows and plush down comforter.   As the bellman drops off your luggage, he will point out your personal pillow menu—a list that lets you know that we have placed three other pillow options in the closet for your comfort:
•    Buckwheat:  this pillow is stuffed with hulls of buckwheat, a natural and renewable resource that provides excellent support of the head, neck and back because the hulls contour to the weight and shape of the body during sleep.
•    Latex foam: this pillow is recommended for our allergy-sensitive guests.  Latex foam pillows offer medium support and maintain a constant temperature all night long.
•    Memory foam: this pillow, another hypoallergenic option, is our firmest in the collection. It allows complete neck support, a popular option for side-sleepers.

The three options above are already in your room for you to test to find your favorite, but if we can better tailor your pillow experience, other options detailed on your menu that we will be happy to bring to you, free of charge, include:

•    Neck pillow
•    Reading pillow
•    Body pillow
•    Water pillow
•    Contour leg pillow

We’ve had amazing response to our pillow menu—some of our guests love their pillows so much, they purchase them at the time of checkout so they can continue the excellent rest they enjoyed while staying with us.

When you choose The Hermitage Hotel, you choose luxury, and, in turn, we believe it is our responsibility to customize that experience and ensure that we can do everything possible to make your experience comfortable.  It’s one of the reasons we are Tennessee’s only 5-star and 5-diamond rated property.  So, come experience the pillow menu for yourself—and let me know which pillow option you preferred!

Dee Patel

Rooms Executive
The Hermitage Hotel
231 Sixth Avenue North
Nashville, TN  37219

Centennial Trivia Contest Has Begun!

In honor of our Centennial, we’re holding a trivia contest for a free night’s stay for two–it’s not too late to participate! Details here http://tinyurl.com/njjsbb

Reminder: Hermitage Hotel Day is TOMORROW: Get your free ice cream!

WHAT:   Hermitage Hotel FREE Ice Cream Social.

WHEN:   Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009, 12:00 to 1:30 p.m.

WHERE:  In front of The Hermitage Hotel, 231 Sixth Avenue North, Nashville

WHO:      Free and open to the public. All are invited!

WHY:      To celebrate the beginning of the hotel’s 100th year.

The Hermitage Hotel Treats You to an Ice Cream Social!

Everyone has a good summer ice cream memory. Mine is sitting in the sweltering heat of August watching while my dad mixed together cream, sugar, vanilla and some chocolate syrup. He would pour this mixture into the bowl of a frozen ice cream machine and add rock salt to the outside of the bowl. We’d sit on our screened-in back porch and take turns all afternoon cranking the handle on that old machine, waiting with anticipation. A combination of the August heat and the work we put into making that ice cream made it some of the best I’ve ever tasted.

As we approach these final ‘dog days’ of summer and look back on all the wonderful memories that The Hermitage Hotel has had as we begin our 100th Year celebration, we decided that it was time to treat you, Nashville.

On Thursday, September 17th at 12:00 we’re closing off 6th Avenue North in front of the hotel for a free ice cream social. There will even be readings of mayoral and governmental proclamations—the day has been declared “Hermitage Hotel Day”—how cool is that?

So bring your friends, family and co-workers out on Thursday to come celebrate with us and let us treat you to ice cream. It will be just like old times—when simple things like ice cream sandwiches shared with friends on a hot day was the best part of your whole summer.

Just for fun, share with us some of your favorite summer ice cream memories in the comments section below.

See you on September 17th!

Janet Kurtz
Director of Sales & Marketing
The Hermitage Hotel

Fresh, Locally Grown Produce is the Foundation of Four-Star Cooking

For many things in the life, the simplest way to do something is often the best way.

That’s exactly the way we cook at The Capitol Grille, Nashville’s only Mobil Four-Star and AAA Four-Diamond restaurant. We use simple cooking techniques to accentuate the natural flavors given to us by Mother Nature.

Though our approach is simple, it is certainly not simplistic. Doing something very, very well usually involves distilling the thing to be accomplished to its essence in the fewest number of steps. Nothing essential is sacrificed, yet nothing extraneous is added. It’s the difference between elegant and ostentatious.

Thus, simple does not mean easy. When the essence of food is exposed, not disguised by overbearing sauces or other distractions, the chef’s workmanship is fully exposed. There is no room for error.

Equally important with cooking talent in producing sumptuous meals is the quality of the ingredients. When your goal is to simply bring out natural flavors and present interesting combinations of these flavors, the materials you work with must be outstanding. This is why we are very focused on finding the best locally grown produce.

With a long growing season and climate conductive to growing a wide variety of crops, it is no wonder that Middle Tennessee is home to many great farms. Over the years, I have developed a personal relationship with six local farmers who provide The Capitol Grille with fresh produce. Some of our farmers supply us with specific ingredients, such as blueberries, muscadines or squash blossoms. Others deliver a variety of fruits and vegetables based on what is growing best at the time.

Each week, they stop by the restaurant to deliver their in-season produce. With six farmers, The Capitol Grille receives direct-from-the-farm fruits and vegetables almost daily. And every once in a while, when I can find the time, I get to visit a farm and choose produce right off the bush, tree or vine.

Obviously, fresh, local produce doesn’t just translate to delicious food in a restaurant, it can really lift the quality of your home cooking, as well. If you are interesting in purchasing local produce, I recommend visiting the Nashville Farmers’ Market (www.nashvillefarmersmarket.org).
Another option is to join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). In this arrangement, you can purchase a share or membership in a farm and in return, receive a box of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season. This is a great way to get the freshest produce possible and support our local farmers. (You can start looking into CSAs at http://nashfof.wordpress.com/csa.)
Whether you are joining us for a meal at The Capitol Grille or cooking your own feast, I encourage you to enjoy the fresh tastes Middle Tennessee has to offer.

Tyler Brown, Capitol Grille Executive Chef

Winner of the Dog and Cat Days of Summer Contest

Once again, we were blown away by the great stories of our Facebook fans! After the close of our most recent Facebook contest, the Dog and Cat Days of Summer, we had the privilege of reading some amazing pet stories. Some stories were hilarious and others were heart-warming, but all the stories were outstanding. It was very difficult to choose a winner.

After much consideration, we are proud to announce that Cathy Cole Wright (Facebook post #21) is the winner of the Pet Pampering Package!

To read all the contest entries, including Cathy’s winning story, visit http://tinyurl.com/lzqqzl.

If you are the winner, please claim your prize by e-mailing me at jkurtz@thehermitagehotel.com within the next five days.

Warm Regards,
Janet Kurtz
Director of Sales & Marketing
The Hermitage Hotel
615-345-7120
jkurtz@thehermitagehotel.com

Hermitage Hotel Named Among AAA’s Top Historic Hotels

AAA has ranked The Hermitage Hotel, the only Mobil Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond hotel in Tennessee, among its top 10 historic hotels in North America. The list, which was created by polling AAA’s lodging inspectors for their favorites, includes a total of 41 hotels. The Hermitage is the only AAA Five-Diamond hotel to make the top 10.

“AAA inspectors rate more than 31,000 hotels a year, which means that a hotel has to really make a great impression to be remembered in a survey such as this one,” said Greg Sligh, general manager of The Hermitage Hotel. “It is an honor to be included among AAA’s top 10 historic hotels. We are very proud of this accomplishment.”

AAA’s top ten historical hotels include:
• The Hermitage Hotel, Nashville, Tenn., AAA Five-Diamond
• Boston Omni Parker House Hotel, Boston, Mass., AAA Three-Diamond
• Brown Palace Hotel and Spa, Denver, Colo., AAA Four-Diamond
• Casa Marina Resort, The Waldorf Astoria Collection, Key West, Fla., AAA Four-Diamond
• The Dearborn Inn, A Marriott Hotel, Dearborn, Mich., AAA Four-Diamond
• Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Mich., AAA Four-Diamond
• The Settlers Inn at Bingham Park, Hawley, Pa., AAA Four-Diamond
• Sir Francis Drake Hotel, San Francisco, Calif., AAA Three-Diamond
• West Baden Springs Hotel, West Baden Springs, Ind., AAA Four-Diamond
• The Wort Hotel, Jackson, Wyo., AAA Four-Diamond

For more details about these hotels and to view the full 41-hotel list, visit CLICK HERE.

AAA’s 65 full-time, professionally-trained inspectors visit and rate more than 31,000 lodgings in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean per year. In order to be classified as historic, a property is typically more than 75 years of age and exhibits features of a historic nature with respect to architecture, design, furnishings, public record or acclaim. For more information, visit www.aaa.com.