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 (photo provided courtesy of Eagle Mt. House) We can experience history in lots of ways. Walking through the halls of a museum, reading a great book, getting lost in a spellbinding documentary—all are great ways to travel back in time. But one of the most magical ways to journey into our regional past is through a visit to the “Grand Dame” hotels of New Hampshire.
The Grand Dames are a group of only five New Hampshire hotels registered as Historic Hotels of America under the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Founded in 1949, the Trust is an organization dedicated to saving America’s historic places. To qualify for the program, a hotel must be at least 50 years old, listed (or eligible for listing) under the National Register of Historic Places, or recognized locally as having historic significance.
The magic of a visit to Eagle Mountain House, in Jackson, begins even before you arrive, as you pass over the 132-year-old Honey Moon Bridge that spans the Ellis River. One of only 55 covered bridges that remain in America today, this historic portal transports you back to 1879, the year Cyrus and Marcia Gale opened their 12-room farmhouse to guests.
The Inn is much larger now, with 93 guest rooms, and these days it is looked after by General Manager Jerry Jacobson, who loves to share his knowledge of the property.
“It’s a passion,” says Jacobson, who says he knew the minute he arrived that he had come upon a
special place. “I’ll never forget driving up Carter Notch Road the first time I visited. My heart literally skipped a beat, I was so taken with it.” Jacobson can tell you about the original switchboard and telephone booth that still grace the lobby, or about the large cast iron eagle, now proudly displayed by the front desk, that was recently returned by a former staff member who had stolen it off the front lawn almost 50 years ago, but one of the best ways to tell the inn’s story, says Jacobson, is through its food.
When the inn first opened, the Gales continued to operate their working family farm. Guests were served hearty farmhouse meals—biscuits and sausage for breakfast, a roast with boiled potatoes and root vegetables for dinner—with much of the food produced on the farm. Over the years, as the inn expanded and times changed, the food became a little more sophisticated, but Jacobson says Eagle Mountain never strayed too far from its roots. He displays a 1917 dinner menu from a banquet celebrating the 100th anniversary of George Washington’s birthday. A hint of European influence is evident in dishes like Consommé Brunoise and Boiled Penobscot Salmon Hollandaise, but overall, the eight-course buffet consisted of fairly simple dishes. The aforementioned salmon might have been served with a fancy French sauce, but it was accompanied by a simple selection of crudités and pickles.
For the current offerings, both in the main dining room and in the casual tavern, Executive Chef Stan Shafer keeps the emphasis on fresh ingredients, simply prepared in traditional New England style. “I like to do classic dishes,” says Shafer. “I keep it simple, nothing too complicated. I’m not one to deconstruct and reconstruct.”
Shafer’s style of cooking is well suited for Eagle Mountain House. Although there are plenty of modern amenities and conveniences, there is a rustic feel to the property. Dining on Yankee Pot Roast and Lobster Mac and Cheese feels just right, and Shafer’s food, though simple, is delicious. His Wild Berry Crisp is one of the best around, and the compound butters he serves—a tangy cranberry butter with the basket of warm rolls at dinner, or a slather of maple butter on the French Toast at breakfast—are reminiscent of the old farmhouse meals the Gales would have served.
The 142-year-old Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa, in Whitefield, is the oldest of the New Hampshire Grand Dames. With its spectacular 360-degree view of the White Mountains, it is obvious where the name comes from, but almost as breathtaking as the view from the hotel is the view of the hotel as you draw near. As you meander northward along Route 3, past North Conway and through Bretton Woods, with a sprawl of peaks and crags on either side, a grand vision suddenly appears in the distance in the form of an expansive, yellow façade. Even from several miles away, the sense of history and grandeur are palpable.
The hotel’s origins date back to a fateful spring night in 1865, when a stagecoach traveling from Boston to Montreal encountered a severe thunderstorm, hit a mud hole, and toppled over. Two shaken passengers crawled out and were directed by the driver to a farmhouse up the road. They made their way up a muddy path and were greeted by William and Mary Dodge, who took them in and gave them a warm place to sleep.
The following morning, the travelers were treated to a hearty breakfast and were so taken with the hospitality, that they asked to stay a few days longer. Before leaving, the visitors arranged to return that summer for an extended stay and eventually inspired the Dodges to convert their farmhouse into a guesthouse. In 1866, the Mountain View House, as it was originally 0known, officially opened for business.
On a tour of the grounds, Marketing Director Gene Ehlert points out some highlights of the inn’s history. Ehlert agrees that a hotel’s dining history can paint a vivid picture of how different things were in the past. One banquet room, the Crystal Ballroom, was built in 1922 during one of the hotel’s expansions and originally served as the main dining hall. Ehlert explains that it was designed in a circular pattern so that none of the high-society guests would be relegated to an undesirable corner table.
The Eisenhower Library, now a conference room, was a favorite sitting room of President Eisenhower, who dined frequently at the inn with his Secretary of Commerce, Sinclair Weeks. The two men were close friends and would often retire to this parlor after meals to chat and enjoy a cigar.
During the tour, Ehlert is joined by Public Relations Director Stephanie Antonucci and by Bellman Frank Lombardi, a history buff. Antonucci points to the old chauffeurs’ quarters, a dormitory where drivers were housed for the summer while their wealthy patrons enjoyed the luxury of the hotel. Lombardi explains that it was common for wealthy families to arrive with their own staff members, including waiters, and often would even bring their own china and silver.
Today, there are four dining options at the Mountain View Grand, including the Main Dining Room, The Tavern, and the Club House—but the most elegant is The Wine Cellar, which is situated below ground level in the actual wine cellar of the hotel. Menus are created for each event and the room is available by reservation only. Meals are prepared tableside for pampered guests who dine amidst the hotel’s 9000-bottle wine collection. The room is a recent addition—it was added in 2005—but the feel is of another era.
Looking at two old menus from the hotel (one from the 1930s and one from the 1970s) it’s apparent that there was little change on the culinary scene for almost a century. Both menus include offerings that could likely have been found on any hotel menu in the country at the time. Chef de Cuisine Jason Perrin’s current menu, by comparison, is more innovative and creative, with dishes like a Chili Meyer Lemon Glazed Sea Bass that is accompanied by Lemongrass Basmati Rice and Kaffir Lime Thai Curry Coconut Sauce, a blend of earthiness and tartness with just a hint of heat. The Marinated Lamb Two Ways is another popular offering, featuring seared chops and a portion of slow-braised shank, with Wild Mushroom Pierogi on the side.
 (photo provided courtesy of Mt. Washington Resort Hotel) The Mount Washington Resort Hotel didn’t come on to the scene until the turn of the twentieth century, but from the beginning, it was a grand affair. Original owner Joseph Stickney spared no expense for the project. Some 250 Italian woodworkers and masons spent two years constructing the 200-room hotel. There was imported china, hand-colored postcards, and luxury amenities. When it opened its doors in July of 1902, it employed a staff of 350.
Irene Donnell, Director of Public Relations for the resort, says that, in spite of the grandeur, there is something for everyone at the hotel. “There is history, architecture, food, activities,” says Donnell. “Guests come here and have a very pampered experience, and then they can go climb the highest peak in the Northeast. It’s this elegance against the rugged backdrop of the mountain.”
As with Mountain View Grand, the octagonal main dining room of the hotel was designed to eliminate the offensive corner tables. Dinner was served at the same time each night, and second owner Carolyn Stickney (widow of Joseph) would always enter the dining room last and take her place at a table reserved for her alone. The story goes that she would sit behind a curtain and look down from a balcony observing all of the ladies as they entered. If any woman was dressed more elegantly than she was, Carolyn would insist on a change of clothes to be sure she was the most finely dressed.
Current Chef Edward Swetz takes a look at a menu from the era and muses about some of the ways he might do things now. One of the dishes featured on the 1910 menu is Roast Young Domestic Duck with Apple Sauce. “I’d maybe confit the leg and make a little confit duck cake, wrap it in caul fat and crisp it up. I’d use that to give a little height. I’d sear the breast and fan it over the top.”
Swetz says that, while his modern-day preparations would be quite different, there are many parallels between that old menu and the food he does today. Everything was made in-house and much of the food likely came from local farms and suppliers, says Swetz, and that’s how he tries to do things now.
Swetz’s menu changes seasonally, and in summer he likes to work with sorbets, incorporating them into savory dishes. Over his Citrus Salad with Baby Greens he places a small scoop of Raspberry Sorbet, which melts over the ingredients and acts as a dressing—a perfect balance of tart and sweet. He uses the same technique in his Poached Lobster with Fennel Cucumber Salad, which he tops with a horseradish-cucumber sorbet. The appetizer is served in a martini glass and, once the lobster is gone, a shot of chilled vodka is added to the remaining juices and sipped like a cocktail.
 The most northerly of the Grand Dames is The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel, in Dixville Notch. Originally named Dix House in honor of the town’s founding father, the hotel began as a 25-room summer inn, but grew over the years to its present size of 202 rooms. The Balsams is famous for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that it is where every registered voter in town (all 25 or so) comes at the stroke of midnight to vote in the first in the nation Presidential Primary.
The hotel also has a reputation as a training ground for young culinarians, and has offered a Culinary Apprenticeship program since 1978. Executive Chef Larry Johnson says this plays a significant role in how he runs the kitchen. “We have apprentices that need to learn, so we have to do everything with that in mind.” Johnson does all his own curing and smoking and produces all of his own charcuterie, like the Venison Chorizo that he uses in a hash to accompany poached eggs. There are always at least two flavors of demi-glace and several stocks simmering away on the stove. All of the pastries, including labor-intensive croissant, puff pastry, and strudel dough are made in house.
Johnson says he feels that the food he and his staff prepare today would be in keeping with what would have come out of the kitchen 80 or 100 years ago. “We’re hanging on to tradition,” he says, adding, “We have to acknowledge the trends, but fusion is not what we do. The hotel’s history keeps you sharp. It’s something that a lot of chefs have forgotten.” While he says it’s not possible for a hotel that feeds hundreds of people a day to source only local ingredients, he feels he’s gaining ground. “Seafood isn’t exactly in our backyard, but I try to source it from the [East] coast, and I have four or five local vendors we buy from. If someone calls and says ‘We have a few bushels of strawberries,’ I always take them.”
 Back down at sea level, there is Wentworth by the Sea, which opened in 1874 as Wentworth Hall, an 82-room resort located at the mouth of the Piscataqua River in Newcastle. It was renamed Hotel Wentworth in 1876, and from the beginning it was intended as a luxury retreat for wealthy city dwellers. It operated as such throughout the ensuing decades until its closure in 1982, after which it sat vacant until it was reopened by Marriot Hotels as Wentworth by the Sea in 2003.
Executive Chef Dan Dumont says when he looks back at old menus, it’s hard to imagine how they produced multicourse banquets using only coal-fired ovens, and without refrigeration or modern appliances, particularly considering that by 1888 the hotel had grown to 300 rooms, almost twice its present-day size. “My father interviewed here back when they had coal ovens,” says Dumont, “but he didn’t take the job because he said the baker looked more like a coal miner than a cook.”
An 1882 menu is almost comical in its use of French terminology. Ragout of Lamb à la Bonne Femme would have been a simple lamb stew (Bonne Femme literally translates into “good wife” in French and refers to dishes prepared in a simple, home-style fashion), and Macaroni au Fromage de Parmesan would have been ... well, you can probably figure that one out. Dumont says that, funny titles aside, the food was probably similar to what he does now in some ways. Menus most likely utilized what was available locally and seasonally, which is something he strives for as much as possible. He sources locally when he can, but it’s difficult given the size of the venue. “It’s always a challenge, because we’re such a big hotel. We have to be financially responsible, so we just aren’t able to get everything locally. That’s why, when I do use local, I say so on the menu. It’s not so much from a marketing angle, but more out of respect for the farmer.”
When he can’t source locally, he tries to find the best quality ingredients he can, and he likes to incorporate a range of flavors and textures into each dish. A good example is his Crispy Tofu and Soy Scented Baby Shitake Mushrooms, Sugar Snap Peas, and Pea Tendrils, which provides a contrast of crunchiness and silkiness from the tofu, and a balance of saltiness and sweetness from the soy and the sugar snaps.
The chefs at the Grande Dames may have different backgrounds, tastes, and philosophies; but they share some important values. They strive to provide top-notch quality and they share a reverence for the history of these timeless and beautiful hotels, and the natural beauty of their surroundings.
Mixed Berry Crisp
Serves 6–8
Eagle Mountain House/Chef Stan Shafer
6 cups fresh berries (blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
21⁄2 cups crumble topping (recipe below)
1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish. Place mixed berries in a large bowl with cinnamon, nutmeg, water, lemon juice, cornstarch, and sugar. Fold gently together until well combined and pour into prepared baking dish.
2. Sprinkle topping evenly over entire surface of berries. Bake for 30–40 minutes, until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling. Serve warm with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Crumble Topping
Makes about 21⁄2 cups
1 cup rolled oats
3⁄4 cup brown sugar
3⁄4 cup flour
1⁄2 cup butter, lightly softened
1. Place all ingredients in a bowl and gently work together with a fork or pastry cutter. Do not overblend; crumble should contain chunks about the size of peas.
 Grilled Diver Scallops with Truffled Barley “Grits”
Serves 4
Mount Washington Hotel/Sous-Chef Matthew Holland, CSC
1 cup pearl barley
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small shallot, minced
2 cups lobster stock (can substitute other shellfish stock
or chicken stock)
2 tablespoons minced chives
1⁄4 cup shaved Reggianno Parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste
4 Diver Scallops (between U10 and U13)*
1 tablespoon olive oil
Truffle oil to taste
1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Place barley on a sheet pan and toast for about 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, then grind coarsely in spice grinder or food processor.
2. Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add barley and stir well to coat.
3. Add 1 cup stock and cook, stirring constantly, until all of the stock has been absorbed. Add remaining stock and cook until completely absorbed and barley has just softened but is still slightly al dente. Stir in chives and cheese. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Keep warm over low heat.
4. Toss scallops with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill over high heat for about 3 minutes per side. Scallops should be seared well on outside and just warmed through on inside.
5. Divide barley grits evenly between 4 appetizer plates. Place 1 scallop atop each mound of barley. Drizzle with truffle oil. Serve immediately.
*The term “Diver Scallops” refers to scallops that are hand harvested by divers. They are usually quite large, between U10 and U13. Scallops, like shrimp, are categorized by size; specifically, they are sized by how many make up a pound. U10, for example, means “under 10”, and refers to the fact that less than 10 of them will make up a pound. The smaller the number, the larger the scallop. U10 is a good size to serve as an appetizer. If they are smaller than U13s, we suggest using 2 per serving.
 Crispy Tofu with Soy Scented Baby Shitake Mushrooms, Sugar Snap Peas, and Pea Tendrils
Serves 6
Wentworth by the Sea/Chef Dan Dumont
2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced scallions
1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce
Pinch red pepper flakes
3 cups baby shitakes
1 cup thinly sliced sugar snap peas
1 cup pea tendrils
Salt and black pepper to taste
Peanut oil or vegetable oil, as needed, for deep frying
11⁄2 pounds tofu, cut into 11⁄2-inch cubes
Flour, as needed, for dredging tofu
1. Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a hot skillet. Add ginger, garlic, scallions, soy sauce, and pepper flakes and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add baby shitakes and toss well to coat. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
2. In a bowl, combine sugar snap peas, pea tendrils, remaining tablespoon sesame oil, salt and pepper. Toss well to coat. Set aside.
3. In a deep skillet, heat peanut oil or vegetable oil to 360˚F. Toss tofu cubes in flour until evenly coated. Shake off excess flour and deep-fry tofu cubes until golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towls.
4. Divide tofu evenly between 4 dinner plates, placing tofu in center of each plate. Arrange marinated shitakes around tofu. Garnish with sugar snap peas and pea tendrils.
Maple-Cured Trout Gravlax
Serves 8 to 12 as an appetizer (approximately 30 thin slices)
Balsams/Chef Larry Johnson
Gravlax is a delicate cured fish that makes an elegant hors d’oeuvre. It requires 36 hours of cure time, so be sure to begin at least a day and a half before you plan on serving it.
1 trout fillet, approximately one pound, skin on, bones removed
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground white or pink peppercorns
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
3⁄4 tablespoon maple sugar*
3⁄4 tablespoon sea salt or kosher salt
1⁄8 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fennel fronds**
1 tablespoon vodka or gin
1. Place a 12 x 12-inch sheet of plastic wrap over a large, noncorrosive plate or baking dish. Place trout, skin side down, on the plastic wrap.
2. In a small bowl, mix together peppercorns, lemon zest, maple sugar, and salt. Rub the mixture onto the trout fillet.
3. Sprinkle the dill and fennel over the trout. Drizzle the vodka over the top, then fold the edges of the plastic wrap up over the trout to wrap tightly. Refrigerate for 24 hours, turning the trout over every 8 hours for a total of 3 turns (thicker cuts of fish such as salmon may take up to 36 hours).
4. Once the trout has cured, brush off the herbs and spices. Use as you would any smoked fish; slice paper thin and serve with mini toasts and your favorite horseradish sauce, dice and use in scrambled eggs, or serve with poached eggs and hollandaise over an English muffin.
*You could substitute maple syrup here if you can’t find maple sugar.
**Fennel fronds are the delicate leafy tops of the fennel bulb that resemble dill.
Poached Lobster with Fennel Cucumber Salad and Horseradish Cucumber Sorbet
Serves 4
Mount Washington Hotel/Chef Edward Swetz
1 cup julienne-cut European cucumber, peeled and seeded before cutting
1 cup very thinly sliced fennel bulb
1⁄4 teaspoon minced garlic
1⁄4 teaspoon minced shallot
1⁄4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1⁄4 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons grape seed oil (can substitute extra-virgin olive oil)
1⁄4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
4 poached lobster tails, 6–8 ounces each
16 poached shrimp, peeled and deveined (U16–U20)*
1⁄2 cup Orange-Molasses Glaze (recipe below)
1⁄2 cup Horseradish Cucumber Sorbet (recipe below)
Lemon wedges, for garnish
4 sprigs fresh dill, for garnish
6 ounces chilled vodka (optional)
1. Chill 4 martini glasses in freezer. In a bowl, mix together cucumber, fennel, garlic, shallots, thyme, parsley, grape seed oil, lemon juice, and balsamic. Toss well to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Divide fennel-cucumber salad evenly between chilled martini glasses. Toss poached lobster and shrimp with Orange-Molasses Glaze. Arrange 1 lobster tail over fennel-cucumber salad in each martini glass. Arrange 4 shrimp around each lobster tail.
3. Place 2 tablespoons Horseradish Cucumber Sorbet over each lobster tail. Garnish with lemon wedges and dill sprigs, and serve immediately (if sorbet is quite hard, leave at room temperature for a few minutes to soften before using. Ideally, sorbet should begin melting over seafood when served).
4. If desired, serve each seafood cocktail with a 11⁄2-ounce shot chilled vodka. Once the seafood and the fennel cucumber salad have been consumed, vodka is added to remaining juices and sipped like a cocktail.
*Shrimp are categorized by size; specifically, they are sized by how many make up a pound. U16, for example, means “under 16,” and refers to the fact that less than 16 of them will make up a pound. The smaller the number, the larger the shrimp.
Orange-Molasses Glaze
Makes just over 1⁄2 cup
1 cup orange juice
1⁄2 cup molasses
1. In a saucepan, bring orange juice to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until it cooks down to almost a glaze on the bottom of the pan (check frequently, particularly toward the end, to avoid scorching).
2. Fold in molasses and chill until ready to use.
Horseradish Cucumber Sorbet
Makes about 1 cup
1 cup finely diced European cucumber, peeled and seeded before cutting
1 tablespoon shredded horseradish
1⁄2 cup tomato ketchup
1⁄2 cup chili sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1. Puree all ingredients in blender and freeze in an ice cream machine according to package instructions.*
*In place of an ice cream machine, sorbet can be frozen by placing in stainless steel bowl in freezer, and stirring well every 1⁄2 hour until very thick, then left to freeze until solid. Or: Mixture can be kept chunky and unfrozen. Store-bought lemon sorbet can be used in place of Horseradish Cucumber Sorbet.
A Johnson and Wales graduate, Paula Sullivan trained with Jasper White in Boston and was sous-chef at Lindbergh’s Crossing in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Her work has appeared in the Culinary Institute of America’s Kitchen and Cook, The Wire, and the Portsmouth Herald.
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