More Pictures of our Harvest Fest

With such great October days here, it's fun to see all the activity we had at our Harvest Fest. Below is a photo of our Chowder Shack and after that, the Train Rides. Thanks again to all who attended and to the volunteers! See you next year!

New England Business Expo

Just yesterday, Laura Skowron and the rest of our sales team manned a booth at the New England Business Expo in Worcester. It was a great way for us to be part of the Central Mass business community and to remind people we're a great place for meetings and other events.

The photo below shows our Director of Sales, Laura Skowron talking with a potential client. The person taking the photograph is Thomas Mac Donald, the Corporate Sales Manager from our sister property, The Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, MA.

Come visit the Publick House and the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem soon for all your meeting needs!

Kristie Poehler
Regional Director of Sales

2008 Winners of the Scarecrow Contest

Now that another successful Harvest Festival is over, we wanted to take a few blog posts to highlight the winners and their amazing scarecrows! So enjoy!!!



1st Place in the Family Category--Ben & Scarey's I Scream!

Stay tuned for more photos coming soon!

Thanks!
Kristie Poehler
Regional Director of Sales

Very Good Friends of the Publick House

I have now been here at the Publick House since Valentine’s Day. It has been a tremendous experience so far but also tough because of all the familiar faces and friends that I had made at the Hawthorne Hotel over my 13 years of service to the operations. One thing that has not been hard to come by is meeting new people here and many returning guests that have become my new familiar.


I have had the honor and pleasure in meeting Robert and Virginia Stone. They have been frequenting the Publick House for over 25 years. What meant a lot to me were their comments on how they have come to know many of the staff members and how much they have enjoyed their services over the years. I felt proud as they stated that they only eat out at maybe two or three restaurants and we are one of them. Christmas Eve has some memories as it has been a tradition for them. They remember after being first married that they could barely afford going out for dinner but found this to be a special treat for them.


One thing that I enjoyed most about talking to Robert and Virginia is that they are what I consider great customers, not just because they keep coming but because of their constructive and positive feedback on their experiences. This helps me with knowing what my customers' expectations are and maybe what they would like to be able to experience here.

So thank you for the challenges and I hope to meet your expectations and try some of your ideas!









James Kluge
Director of Food and Beverage

Autumn Recipe!

We've added our newest seasonal recipe to the website! Chef Mike Heenan debuted this recipe on New England Cuisine, a Connecticut cooking show he was featured on! Try it yourself and get a taste of the Publick House Historic Inn!

Cranberry Upside Down Cake

12 oz butter
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup cranberry juice
1 tsp 5 spice powder
2 cups frozen cranberries
8 oz butter
1 cup milk
1 egg
1½ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp kosher salt
½ cup sugar

Melt 4 oz butter add brown sugar, cranberry juice and spices until sugar dissolves add cranberries then place in 9in cake pan chill set aside.

In another pan melt 8oz butter add to milk and then mix in the one egg

In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and sugar and milk mixtures and whisk until smooth.

Cook in 400 degree oven for approximately 30- 35 minutes
Let cool for a few minutes then turn onto plate
Serve with ice cream or whipped cream

This is what Fall days are for!

On a beautiful weekend like this one, you just want to go away for a short Stay-Cation! And what better place to do that then Sturbridge! Come spend the weekend with us in our Motor Lodge and take advantage of our tickets to Old Sturbridge Village! This is what the Village looks like in the Fall...come see it for yourself! Call us at 508-347-3313 to make reservations!

Hope to see you soon!
Kristie

Publick House competes in Best Chef Competition

We wanted to show you the competitive spirit of the Publick House culinary team. This hearty group of men is standing at their booth at the Worcester Best Chef Competition! Although they didn't win this year, they gave their best effort and created some amazing dishes to wow the judges!

From Left to Right: Executive Chef Mike Heenan – Executive Sous Chef Tim Wentworth – Purchasing Manager Edwin Morales – Banquet Chef Chris Heenan

Thanksgiving Family Feast

We have a succulent Thanksgiving menu ready for you now that the holidays are almost upon us! Make your Thanksgiving reservations right away! You won't be sorry!

Publick House Thanksgiving Feast
Thursday, November 28, 2008
Served 11 to 8pm

Menu
Sweet Apple Cider
Publick House Bakery Basket

Appetizers – choice of one
Autumn Bisque
Clam Chowder
Fresh Fruit Salad
Shrimp Cocktail
New England Crab Cake with Remoulade Sauce

Choice of Salad
Mixed Greens with Tomato, Cucumbers, Carrots, Onions and Maple Vinaigrette
Caesar Salad with House-Made Croutons

Followed By
Roasted Native Turkey with Cornbread-Sausage Stuffing, Gravy, Cranberry Sauce,
Mashed Potatoes, Candied Yams, Maple Butternut Squash

Dessert – choice of one
Apple Pie with Ice Cream
Pumpkin Pie
Baked Indian Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Whipped Cream
Warm Minced Meat Pie with Cheddar Cheese
Chocolate Truffle Cake with Whipped Cream
Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee or Tea
Milk or Soft Drinks for Children

Adult price $48.00 inclusive
Children ages 3-12 $22.00 inclusive
Children under 3 are free

To thank the local community for years of loyalty, the Publick House will be giving away to one family who celebrates Thanksgiving at the Publick House a complimentary "Family Feast." The feast includes food for twenty of your family or friends and will be delivered to your home on the day of your choice during the month of December. Call us at 508-347-3313 for information and reservations.

Celebrating 13 years together!

I was doing my daily walk around and went into Paige Hall and found the above Tricia and Mike May peeking around. I stopped to ask if I could help them in any way and they told me they were just taking a look around remembering their Wedding Reception which was held here 13 years ago. They told me that they visit almost every year for their anniversary, sometimes for birthdays and get together with friends and family, either for breakfast, lunch or dinner. They chose this destination for their Wedding because it was different then any hall. The whole package is offered here with a place to stay and such beautiful grounds and its old-style New England feel. They keep coming back for the same experience and for the great meals.
It was truly a pleasure to meet another couple here and to find of their experiences and reasons why they come to the Publick House.

Thank you for your time.
James Kluge
Director of Food and Beverage

Enjoying a great lunch and remembering good times!

In my travels today walking around and stopping table to table I bumped into a former employee of the Publick House. I was so excited to chat with Donna Pluta-Marchant and ask lots of questions. She grew up in the Sturbridge area and now resides in the Gloucester area. Donna worked here at the Publick House roughly from 1964 to 1970 back at a time when Treadway Inn was on the property, Saturday dinner was served in our Barn (now where we traditionally do most of our cocktail and hors d’oeuvres hours for our weddings), the Deck was open all summer for dining (where we hold all our large corporate, social gatherings and weddings), there could be up to a 4 hour wait to get in when the Harvard/Yale game was going on!

Some other family events that went on were “Yule Log” and “Boars Head Ceremony.” As a server she worked with many students going to various schools in the area, which all had parents that had worked here in the past. She mentioned how fun of a place it was to work and how beneficial of a role it played in helping her make her way through school. The food continues to keep her coming back to visit and said that this establishment has set the standard for food and service.

It was a pleasure to meet a past employee that shared her experiences and times held here at the Publick House.

James Kluge
Director of Food and Beverage

More Scarecrows at Publick House!

We wanted to share with you all the update on what our scarecrow area looks like now! What a change from only a couple weeks ago!!

Good luck to all the entries! There are some amazing works of art out here! We'll keep posting them, but come by and take a look!

We have great banquet menus for any age!

The Publick House is known for exceptional food and service. That includes the little diners! We have an extensive Children's Banquet Menu so don't forget to ask about it when you're setting up your party or event.

Choice of One Entree

Ages 3-12 years old $15.95 per child

Classic Hamburger/Cheeseburger with French Fries
Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich with French Fries
Peanut Butter, Banana and Jelly Sandwich with French Fries
Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Chef's Choice of Vegetable
Chicken Fingers and French Fries
Hot Dog with French Fries
"Little Tom" Turkey Dinner

Above entrees served with same additional courses as adult entrees

A 5% Massachusetts Meal Tax, a 15% Service Charge and a 3% taxable administrative fee will be added to the above prices.

Prices are subject to change.