Part of why the food tastes so good at bed and breakfasts is because it looks so nice. Most innkeepers know how to create wonderful food with fresh local ingredients. They dress it up, serve it in a beautiful atmosphere….and voila – guests feel pampered!
Certainly garnishing plays an important role – as does an accessible herb garden. But most innkeepers I know have great stuff. From beautiful linens to quirky serving dishes, B&Bs set a table that matches their excellence in the kitchen.
So….what do two innkeepers from Lancaster County do when they get a rare day off? Well, go shopping for more stuff, of course. That’s just what Lynne Griffin (of the Australian Walkabout) and I did. I discovered Marlyand China years ago. They used to sell only wholesale, but have now opened up their showroom and website so that you, too, can enjoy all that great china you find at The Artist’s Inn.
This is the overstock room – a treasure trove of vases, dishes, cups and platters.
I don’t often use them for breakfast, but I have the covered casseroles,
several of the pitchers, and the platters on the bottom shelf.
Although the showroom is small, we managed to fill several bags full of great “stuff”. My friends are usually more organized than I am; Lynne’s the one that marked the boxes so that we could get everything back to the right inn.
The folks at Marylnad China are very helpful trying to wedge fragile packages into a small car.
Whether you need platters for your muffins,
berry bowls for fresh fruit,
serving dishes for jam,