Beechwood Inn

November 22, 2012 Traditional Southern-Style Thanksgiving: Want a traditional Southern Thanksgiving Dinner but want someone else to do all the cooking and washing of dishes. Well come to the Beechwood Inn. We will have a cozy fire on the hearth and offer some sparkling wine and hors d oevers. Then, sit back and loosen your belt as we will offer a family-style gourmet turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Best of all, we will do all the clean up and you can relax. There is a two day minimum stay. Thanksgiving dinner is $65 per person, plus tax and gratuity (includes aperitif and dinner glass of wine).

Wine Tastings: Would you like a personal wine tasting for you and your friends? The Beechwood Innkeepers can set up beginner, intermediate or wine tastings for experienced wine-tasters. Just let us know what your interests are and we will exceed your expectations. Costs for special wine tastings start at $25.00 per person. Here are some tastings you can select from:

Chardonnay Wood Barrel Tasting: This is a tasting of Beechwood Inn’s Chardonnay components.  This includes small lot made Chardonnays fermented in American Oak, French Oak, Hungarian Oak and Stainless Steel, with and without Malo-Lactic Fermentation. This provides an interesting education on the various ways to make Chardonnay with the pleasure of sampling wonderful wines as you learn. Tasting is $25.00 per person, minimum 2.

Beechwood Inn Tasting: We make 4 different varietals from Georgia grapes: Chardonnay, Viognier, Sangiovese, and Cabernet Sauvignon.  We offer a  private tasting of each of these wines along with commentary on how each is grown and made. Tasting is $30 per person, minimum 2.  

Classic Varietal Tasting: Just beginning? Let us lead you through a tasting of some of the most popular varietals, including: Chardonnay, Riesling, Rosé, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. We will explain the difference in varietal characteristics and how the wines can be paired with foods.  Tastings start at $45 per person, minimum 4.

Lesser Known Grape Varieties: There are hundreds of varietals of grapes grown around the world that make high quality table wines.  Most of us can name maybe a dozen that we are familiar with.  Let us take you on a whirlwind journey around the world so you can taste varietals such as Mencia from Spain, Aglianico from Italy, Petite Menseng from France and Torrentes from Argentina. These wines offer unique aromas and flavors that you will never experience in Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. They reflect not only the unusual varietal but the place in which they are grown and the winemakers own tastes. Tastings start at $40 per person, minimum 4.

Interesting Varietal Tasting:  Don’t know the difference between Pinto Gris and Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir and Gamay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, or Syrah and Petite Sirah. Let us guide you through the typical characteristics of some popular grape varieties that are confusing to lots of wine enthusiasts. We’ll make it all simple and interesting as you learn how to differentiate several varieties of wine. Tastings start at $80 per person, minimum 4.

The Impact of Aging on Wine (the wine’s aging not yours): Let us select some older wines from our cellar so that you can view the effect of age on wine.  Wine is made up of many organic compounds and its taste and aroma changes as these organics age in the bottle and decay.  Young wine is filled with the tastes and smells of fresh fruits, flowers, spices, vanilla, fresh oak and the soil in which it was grown. Older wines grow in tertiary smells and flavors that include leather, tobacco, tar, truffles, decaying leaves and herbaceousness. The secret is to drink wine when both these characteristics are positive and contributory. This is when wine is at its most enjoyable and complex. Tastings start at $100 per person, minimum 6.

Don’t see the tasting or price point you would like? Since we have a large wine cellar we can offer introductory to advanced tastings of unusual wines from around the world that will fit your budget. Just let us know what you are interested in and we will be happy to plan a tasting session for you or your group.

Innkeepers/Sommeliers David and Gayle Darugh grew up in the wine country of Sonoma and Napa California, respectively. David’s parents owned and operated a restaurant in Sonoma during his youth. Together they taught wine appreciation at the University of Tennessee during the 1980’s.  Gayle was the President of the American Wine Society from 1998 to 1999. David was the General Counsel from 1990 through 2000. Both are Chevaliers in the Ordre Ducal De La Croix De Bourgogne, Dijon, France. Together they have traveled the world in pursuit of fine wines and interesting foods.

Would you like a private cooking class for you and your sweetheart, or maybe for a girls' night out. Join Beechwood Inn chefs in our modern kitchen and prepare a variety of gourmet meals including ethnic dishes from around the world.

Learn to:
Choose & prepare seasonal fresh and local ingredients
Use a variety of cooking methods and techniques
Present your dishes with style and visual appeal
Find sources for natural, organic and local products
Use proper food safety and handling
Pair fine and rare wines to your dining selections

The Beechwood Inn has many awards and is a Wine Spectator Award of excellence restaurant. The Inn also features a 3,000 bottle wine cellar. Each class includes wine, a serving of each dish, a logo apron to keep and a complete recipe collection from that class. Students receive a 10% discount on wine or food product purchases made the day of the class and a 10% discount off their next culinary class at the Beechwood Inn.

Classes can be tailored to your preferences.  These run as short as 3 hours long and usually run from 3:00PM to 6:00pm, followed by dinner. Prices start at $125.00 per person (Based on choice of menu items), plus tax. Each class is themed and you will participate in preparing a 4-5 course dinner.

Do you have a group? The charge is $300 for a 3 hour class plus the cost of food and wine for up to 8 people on Monday – Thursday. The more people attending; the less it costs each person.

Cooking Class Descriptions

Tuscan/Italian Cuisine: Learn the essence of Italian cuisine including how to prepare authentic sauces, homemade pastas and gnocchi’s’, pestos, duck, veal, and desserts.

Mediterranean Cuisine: These include bold and robust foods and flavors from Spain, Italy, Southern France, Greece, Algeria, Morocco, etc. Sample foods include: Gougères, fresh and local salads, olives, olive oils, exotic couscous, shellfish and sea foods, chicken tangine, paella, tapas.

Santa Fe, New Mexico Cuisine: We love to go to Santa Fe because the fusion of Native American, Latin America, Spain and the Southwest play such a vital role in defining the flavors of the foods. Dishes include: salsas, moles, relishes, tortillas, empanadas, ceviches, smoked and dried peppers, chicken, cabrito, flans.

Asian Pacific Rim Cuisine: This cuisine features foods from around the Western Rim of the Pacific starting at Korea, China and Japan in the North and moving South to the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and the Atolls of the South Pacific. Sample dishes include: Asian Sauces, Wasabi & Sashimi, Sesame Crusted Shrimp, Tempura, Thai Basil Rolls, Curries, Asian Oils, Gyoza, Beef Panang.

To check availability for private classes, please call (706) 782-5485.

The day of your Class: Please arrive at least 15 minutes before class time. Wear comfortable closed toe shoes. Our chefs reserve the right to make menu/ingredient substitutions based on what might be fresh and locally available.

Cancellation Policy: Prepayment is required to reserve a class space. Students who cancel their reservations 7 days prior to the scheduled class will receive a full refund, less a small processing fee. No-shows and cancellations made less than 7 days before the class will not receive a refund unless we can refill the slot. If you have questions about the cancellation policy or need to cancel a reservation, please contact the Inn at (706) 782-5485.

Our Environmental Commitment: It is our mission to be the best bed & breakfast in the North Georgia Mountains, providing the highest level of hospitality and guest experience while preserving and promoting the unique historical and environmentally sensitive nature of our property and the area. Here are come of our practices and committments: * Extensive recycling program with guest recycling center on our porch for glass, plastic, aluminum, newspaper, cardboard * Use of non-toxic cleaning products and recycled materials wherever appropriate * Use of organic cotton linens & towels * Use of organic and/or locally grown food as much as possible. Most of our dinner entree meats are almost exclusively natural (organic, no hormones, no antibiotics). Our entree sources include: Grimaud Farms Duck and Guinea Fowl (http://www.grimaud.com), Niman Ranch Pork Lamb and Beef (http://www.nimanranch.com), Painted Hills Natural Beef (http://www.paintedhillsnaturalbeef.com/) and Sunburst Trout. We use many local and organic farms for fruits, vegetables, free range eggs and cheeses. * Energy efficient appliances (all Energy Star), lighting and other technology * Landscaping using both historic and native plantings * Composting of garden waste * We avoid the use of pesticides, herbicides or commercial fertilizers on our gardens * Low water use washer * Guest Rooms: Low-flow showerhead (2.5 to 3.0 gpm); Fluorescent lighting where appropriate; Amenities - 100% natural, biodegradable, vegetable-oil base, dye-free, natural scents; Baking soda to clean sinks, tubs and toilets; hot water - 120 F; Linens changed between guests or on request only (towels on floor or in tub); 100% organic bamboo/cotton linens; Extra blankets - room can be kept colder on winter nights if guests prefer; Glass water glasses no paper covers; Ceiling fans, No Styrofoam usage

Hybrid Vehicle Discount. Help reduce pollution. Drive a hybrid vehicle to the Beechwood Inn and stay for at least two nights and we will discount your lodging by $25.00. Be sure to mention this when you make your reservation so we can charge you accordingly. See http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=157632,00.html for a list of qualifying vehicles.