Victoria Holiday Bliss 2011

Entertaining during the holidays brings a new level of excitement to our home, and we delight in the opportunities Thanksgiving and Christmas provide for experimenting with symbols of the season. When the youth group of a local church fills a grassy area adjacent to the building with brilliant orange pumpkins, I know my favorite holidays will soon follow. Pumpkins symbolize that glorious time of year when I gather colorful leaves and nuts from the yard to create kitchen and dining-room displays. In these pages you’ll find a wealth of ideas perfect for enhancing your home’s spaces to pay tribute to the autumn harvest. The Victoria staff has selected highlights from the magazine’s early history and has combined those with suggestions for a bountiful meal that, although easy to prepare, will bring…

There is a blissful and spirited urgency with the coming of fall—its festive fury of tailgate picnics, homecomings, and Thanksgiving feasts all celebrated with vigor before winter sets in. Amidst brilliant fanfare, autumn is welcomed with gratefulness and joy, a well-suited homage to this most ephemeral of seasons. Brisk days are savored with walks in the woods, the trees ablaze with fiery crimson hues. Chilly evenings invite the camaraderie of friends for an outdoor meal beside a crackling bonfire. A rustic elegance spreads across the land—wise and prolific from centuries of growth, plump and bursting with the next abundant harvest. Hopeful is this cyclical bounty that graciously replenishes us with vibrant and flavorful fruit. September so euphorically brings an elusive magic, a wistful nostalgia, and an awakening of the spirit that…

From the scenic byways of North Carolina’s Piedmont region to the towering Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the striking foliage that decorates the landscape is the season’s main attraction. Aspen trees burst into golden flames, and maples show off stunning plumage in extraordinary shades of red orange, saffron gold, and majestic plum. “ No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace As I have seen in one autumnal face.” —John Donne…

Featuring hearty dishes accented with warming spices and crisp apples baked to perfection with cinnamon and brown sugar, autumn is a time to celebrate good food, healthy appetites, and fresh produce from the garden, farmers’ market, and orchard. “ Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” —George Eliot…

Smoky Mozzarella-Mushroom Focaccia Makes 1 loaf 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 2 (8-ounce) packages sliced crimini (baby bella) mushrooms 1 tablespoon roasted garlic puree 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided 2 1/4 teaspoons ground black pepper, divided 2 cups warm water 1 tablespoon quick-rising dry yeast 1 tablespoon black truffle oil 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary 4 1/2 cups bread flour, divided 1 (7-ounce) package smoked mozzarella, shredded 1 (4.5-ounce) ball fresh mozzarella, shredded 1. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, roasted garlic puree, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cook until mushrooms are browned, about 14 minutes; set aside. 2. In a large bowl, stir together water and yeast. Using a wooden spoon, stir in 3 tablespoons olive oil, truffle oil, thyme, rosemary, remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and remaining 2…

ACCOMMODATIONS Grand and gracious, The Bentwood Inn was built using two-hundred-year-old trees from Yellowstone National Park that were brought in after the park fire of 1988. Thoughtful architecture and elegant décor grace the five intimate guest rooms. Enjoy breathtaking views from a private deck or balcony, and ward off the winter chill with a blazing fire in your personal fireplace. Cozy corners for quiet reading and comfortable common rooms for conversation abound throughout the inn. DINING A culinary-minded duo, Bentwood innkeepers Lee and Deborah Clukey make a perfect pair. Lee is a gourmet chef who prepares sumptuous meals using locally sourced ingredients. Deborah is a legendary baker whose breakfasts create mouthwatering memories for guests. In addition to nightly wine-and-cheese offerings, the couple presents Bentwood Bistro a few nights a week. These multicourse, spontaneous…