War of 1812, History Lecture Series, Portsmouth Athenaeum

The Portsmouth Athenaeum is hosting a history lecture series about the War of 1812 during this bicentennial year of 2012.  The next lecture entitled Fighting War with Peace will be held at the Portsmouth Athenaeum research library on March 14, 2012 at 7:00 pm.  Come learn about one of the first national pacifist organizations in our nation from Prof. Carolyn Eastman.

The Athenaeum is located on Market Square, just a 10-15 minute walk from the Martin Hill Inn. Guests can check into the Inn, have dinner at one of the many downtown restaurants and then shoot over to the lecture.  For just $10 you can purchase admission to individual lectures, or join the Friends of the Athenaeum for a special price on admission to the full series. 

The lecture continues in the fall, one each in September, October and November.  Future topics include the maritime experience during the war and the international reaction to the U.S.A declaration of war against Great Britain.

Poached Pears with Orange and Cardamom, Easy Pear Recipe

Poached Pears with Orange and Cardamom is one of the most popular fruit dishes at our New Hampshire bed and breakfast.  This easy pear recipe can be prepared in advance and warmed in the morning.

Orange Cardamom Poached Pears:
portion: 1/2 pear per person

Bartlett, Peckham or Red Pears, cut in half, cored (but not peeled)
Orange Juice
Light Brown Sugar
Ground Cardamom

Choose a baking dish just large enough to fit the pears snugly when placed face down on the bottom.  Sprinkle enough brown sugar in the pan to just cover the bottom.  Add the cardamom. Pour about a cup of orange juice in the the pan and stir to combine the brown sugar and cardamom.  Pour in enough additional orange juice  to come up about half the height of the pears.  Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until the pears are soft when pierced with a knife or fork.

Serve immediately or refrigerate and re-warm in the morning.


If you prefer to peel your pears, rub them with lemon juice to prevent browning. Having trouble finding good pears?  You can substitute canned pears (discard the juice) and reduce the cooking time to about 20 minutes. 

Portsmouth Restaurant Week, Food and Wine, Portsmouth NH best dining

Portsmouth Restaurant Week brings amazing food and wine to Portsmouth NH yet again from March 22nd to 31st, 2012.  Some 36 restaurants participate in the event, including ones in Portsmouth, Durham, Rye and Kittery, ME.  At our New Hampshire Inn, we love the semi-annual Restaurant Week because it is a great way for visitors and locals to sample Portsmouth's amazing restaurants. 

For $29.99 for dinner and $16.99 for lunch, you can eat the fixed price menu at any one of the participating restaurants.  Want something off the fixed menu, well go ahead and order a la carte, either way it is a great time to sample new restaurants or visit one you haven't walked into for a while.  Locals research the menus in advance and plan their dining strategy!  With so many restaurants participating, there is something for everyone.

Stay at the Martin Hill Inn and you will be just a 10 to 20 minute walk to all the downtown Portsmouth restaurants.  In addition, the Inn is having a special for guests who attend March's event.  Return for an encore visit in November so that you can try even more restaurants and dinner is on us!

Four Restaurant Review, Portsmouth NH,

A few years ago, Four Restaurant opened in Portsmouth NH and I've been meaning to write a little review of my dining experience there.  Other things interrupted, probably running a bed and breakfast in Portsmouth!  In any case, last weekend, the Inn's assistant Innkeeper, Erika, went to the Sunday brunch at Four and came back waxing poetically about her experience.  So here is a brief note about dinner at Four and then Erika's mouthwatering description of her brunch.

Four Restaurant is best known for the incredible local ingredients that go into the wood-fired oven that inspired the name of the restaurant.  "Four" is french for oven.  Chef Simon Lampert stresses fresh, local ingredients in the kitchen and sustainable practices in the restaurant.  The result is just fantastic.  There are two menus offered each night.  The first is the Steakhouse menu offering a la carte dining.  The second is a prix-fixe tasting menu which is always unique based on the freshest ingredients and inspiration of the chef that day.  Main courses come with your choice of side dish.  We often share our side dishes around the table.

Four is a small restaurant, so dinner reservation are recommended.  And based on Erika's description of her brunch experience, I would say a little advance planning in that area is probably also wise.  Assuming of course that you are still hungry after breakfast at the Inn.

Sunday Brunch, by Erika:  The warm smell of freshly baked croissants and sticky buns seemed to burst through the door, beckoning you in from the cold street. Upon walking in, I was immediately greeted by the friendly staff. The tables were set with crisp white linens, navy blue napkins, and a fresh cut flower. I was seated in the atrium, where the tall brick walls held vibrant and lively original paintings. The noonday sun poured in from the large windows and splashed over the sparkling stemware. 

The waitress came over and was cheerful, knowledgeable, and attentive. The coffee was offered with old fashioned lumps of sugar, and either milk or cream. There were no artificial sweeteners or salt and pepper shakers to clutter the table. You simply didn’t need them. And not having them felt special, more organic. The first course I ordered was the sticky bun. It was warm, and had the perfect balance of cinnamon, brown sugar, and melt-in-your-mouth buttery flaky layers. Four also offers $5 dollar sparkling wines flavored with your choice of fruit nectar. The pear was delicate, balanced, and refreshing. 

For a main course I ordered the Lobster Eggs Benedict. The plate arrived with artful presentation. Two perfectly poached eggs sat on top of grilled focaccia bread, nestled amongst generous chunks of fresh lobster meat. The aromatic creation was smothered in a golden house-made hollandaise sauce and garnished with a triangular wedge of hash brown. The first bite made me want to close my eyes to better savor the moment. This taste is perfection. This space is beautiful. I feel lucky to have experienced the talent of Chef Simon Lampert. He is a culinary artist. The whole experience seemed to transcend the idea of brunch. Four is one of the jewels of Portsmouth.

Four is located on the corner of State and Penhallow Streets, about a 15 minute walk from the Martin Hill Inn.  Four is small, so reservations are recommended.  Call 603-319-1547 or visit their website.

Winter Wine Festival, Portsmouth NH in February 2012

When you stay at our Portsmouth bed and breakfast during February and March 2012, you can also enjoy the Winter Wine Festival now celebrating its eighth year in nearby New Castle, NH.  Just a 10 minute drive from the Martin Hill Inn, you can enjoy wine dinners, tastings, lectures, guest vintners and many other exciting events at the Festival held at the Wentworth-by-the-Sea Resort. 

The Festival kicks off on February 3rd with a grand tasting reception and wraps up on March 17th with a final dinner featuring the wines of Kendall Jackson.  That's six wonderful weeks of wine and food to enjoy.  We look forward to seeing you.

First Night Celebration, Portsmouth NH, New Year's Eve

Portsmouth NH has it all when it comes to New Year's Eve First Night Celebrations.  From our Portsmouth NH bed and breakfast you can walk to fireworks, ice sculptures, musical events, performances and much more. 

Enjoy the evening and then wake the next morning to our extended brunch served later so that you can sleep in if you want.  The Martin Hill Inn goes all out on January 1st with coffee cake, quiche, fruit, pancakes, muffins, juices and much more.

With the official holiday extending into January 2nd, this is a great time to escape to Portsmouth and enjoy the restaurants and First Night festivities.

Candlelight Stroll, at Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth NH

For the first three weekends of December, guests of our Portsmouth, NH bed and breakfast will have an opportunity to experience the delightful Candlelight Stroll at Strawbery Banke Museum.  This wonderful event happens on Saturdays from 5:00 to 9:00 pm and Sunday evenings from 4:00 to 8:00 pm on the Museum grounds.  Dates are December 3-4, 10-11 and 17-18, 2011.

Wander the candlelit pathways between houses decorated in holiday trimmings, gather at the bonfire, listen to live music while sipping hot cider and munching on donuts, it is a magical night for everyone.  There is even a gingerbread house contest! 

Visit the Goodwin family in their victorian era mansion to see the decorations that inspire our current traditions.  Hear from the family and staff as they discuss the preparations for the feast.  You can even see samples of the dishes that will grace the lovely table.

Stay at the Martin Hill Inn and choose from one of our winter packages which include tickets to the Stroll.  The Inn is located just a 10 minute walk into downtown Portsmouth where the local shops will assist with your holiday shopping.  Stay at the Inn for two nights and we will wrap your local purchases.  See you soon.