Blog
May 8, 2025
Blog About the Frog
Our newsletter article about our lovelorn frog has inspired several of you!
By Linda Nunley
There once was a froggie named Freddie,
He was named by our innkeeper Debbie,
When we woke, he would croak . . .
Well, that’s how he spoke!
In a way that would couldn’t forget he.
Freddie’s Message by Rick Bartz
Hello there folks, don’t mind me
For I’m only a small frog, you see
And I’ve spotted a nice lady frog over in that tree.
You might not think much of her, she is a bit green
But to me she’s quite a nice sight.
So if my croaks are loud and give you a fright
Please try to be as understanding as you can.
And if you happen to see her please pass along this tidbit,
Just tell her that Freddie says ribbit.
By William Smith
You sing your song so lonely and loud
Hoping a mate will come your way
Your manly tones hold promise of love,
A romance with great vigor that could make a lady proud.
We listen with hope that your song will be joined
By The music of a female with equal desire
To share your puddle and quench the fire,
That keeps you singing so filled with need,
So we will get some sleep while your breed.
January 28, 2025
Sip our New Sparkler with Artichoke-Blue Cheese Bisque
Buckhorn Inn is proud to add Marques de Caceres Cava to our wine list! Cava, which means
“cellar” in Catalan, is the descriptor of sparkling wines made in one of eight wine regions of
Spain. Cava is crafted using the traditional methods of Champagne. But because the
Mediterranean region is warmer and sunnier, Cavas generally are less acidic than Champagne.
Cava is dry with a round finish that balances brightness with supple fruit and a creaminess. The
Marques features green apple, pear, and citrus aromas with flavors of lemon, white peach and
almond.
Cava is very food friendly, and pairs as well with rich, buttery dishes as with spicy
ones. Traditional pairings include aged cheeses, seafood risotto, caramelized onions, and
asparagus in puff pastry.
Artichokes are notoriously difficult to pair with wine, but they are a great match with Cava.
With that in mind, I am sharing a home-version of Chef Frank’s recipe for Artichoke-Blue
Cheese Bisque. This recipe makes six servings. Warm bread, a bowl of soup, and a glass of cava
could be a wonderful surprise for your Valentine!
Artichoke-Blue Cheese Bisque
1 T butter
1 onion, chopped
1/3 c dry vermouth
16 oz frozen artichoke hearts
3 c chicken stock
1/4 t dried thyme
1/4 c heavy cream
1//4 c blue cheese, crumbled
Fresh chives, chopped
Melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add
vermouth and simmer until all liquid evaporates, about four minutes. Add artichokes, broth,
and thyme. Simmer until the artichokes begin to fall apart, about 10 minutes. Remove from
heat and cool slightly. Working in batches, purèe soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to
saucepan. Stir in cream and blue cheese. Simmer until cheese melts and soup is smooth.
Season to taste with slate and pepper. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with chives.
December 20, 2024
A Special Christmas Dessert
As some of you may know, John and Lee spent much of their courting time in Mexico. As a
result, they began a tradition of celebrating all holidays with Mexican food. Their children, Bill,
Jack, and Jane, and their families have adopted this custom.
When I met Jack in 1981, I was not
familiar with Mexican cuisine, but it quickly became one of my favorites. We were two young
professionals who had just moved to Chicago and were starting our own lives on meager entrylevel
salaries. The Chicago area boasts many traditional regional Mexican restaurants with
delicious reasonably-priced food, festive decor, and complimentary chips and salsa. Perfect!
Since 1981 I have cooked many Mexican Christmas dinners for family and friends. My most
popular dessert is Cafè Olè Caramel Flan. In fact, I have made this for a group luncheon at the
Inn. The custard is ivory in color, but full of the rich, aromatic flavor of coffee. This recipe
serves 10. It may be refrigerated for two days, making it a perfect do-ahead dessert.
Cafè Olè Caramel Flan
1 quart half and half
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
4 ounces robust coffee beans, preferably French roast
3 tablespoons water
5 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
Bring the half and half and 3/4 cup sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat
and stir in coffee beans. Cover and steep for 3 hours.
In a heavy saucepan stir together 1 cup sugar and the water. Bring to boil over high heat. Boil
without stirring until the mixture turns caramel color. This should take 8 to 10 minutes.
Immediately pour into a soufflè mold or deep baking dish. Tilt the dish to coat the bottom and
partly up the sides. Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 350. Place a roasting pan large enough to hold the baking dish in the oven
and fill half full with water. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla until frothy. Reheat
cream and coffee beans until hot, but not boiling. Pour through a strainer unto the eggs. The
beans may be discarded. Whisk until blended. Strain into the caramel-lined dish. Place in
roasting pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean. The
top will be browned, but the center should still jiggle. Remove from water. Empty roasting pan
and refill with ice water. Set the custard into the ice water to cool. Cover with plastic wrap and
refrigerate until chilled.
Invert onto a rimmed platter. Spoon some of the caramel sauce onto each wedge when serving.
A few chocolate-covered coffee beans make a splendid garnish.
Best wishes for a beautiful and delicious holiday season from our kitchen to yours!
November 22, 2024
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October 22, 2024
Have a Spicy Fall, Y’All!
If you are like me, fall means cuddling up in sweaters, scrunching through leaves, getting toasty with a cup of hot apple cider, and adding a spicy, warming touch to foods. So, for my October book club meeting I decided to make chipotle pumpkin hummus. It has just a bit of a kick and is wonderful with pita chips, tortilla scoops, or raw vegetables. It was a hit . . .so I am sure your family and friends will enjoy it as well.
Spicy Chipotle Pumpkin Hummus
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can pumpkin puree
2 T extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
2 chipotle chilies in adobo, finely chopped. Note: if you are using jarred, diced chilies in adobo, 1 T is equal to one chili.
1 clove garlic, grated
1 T honey
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t cayenne powder
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t oregano
1 t chili powder
salt and pepper
Pine nuts, toasted
Place chickpeas, pumpkin, and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor and purée until smooth. In another bowl mix the chipotle peppers, garlic, honey, spices, and salt and pepper. Stir until well mixed. Add most of the pepper mixture to the hummus and process on low until combined. Reserve a small amount of the pepper mixture to top the hummus. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts before serving.
Our book club selection was “Wicked” by Gregory Maguire. The book is a revisionist history of the characters and setting of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum. Maguire shows the Wicked Witch of the West in a sympathetic light as he explores the nature of evil and the “nature versus nurture” debate. We had a delicious potluck dinner. Our hostess had the inspired idea to fit a jack-o-lantern with a spigot, and fill it with a bag of red wine for self-service. Halloween spirits indeed!
A spicy dip makes for a “boo-tiful” appetizer!
September 13, 2024
Bounty of Vegetables Soup
Chef Frank recently used a farmer’s market of fresh produce to concoct an amazing vegetable
soup. It was so delicious that we received many requests for the recipe from the evening’s
diners. Of course the soup was one of his “of-the-moment” inspirations…not from a written
recipe! While I can’t share with you exactly what he did that night, the recipe below is easy,
fresh, and takes advantage of late summer vegetables. I encourage you to be like Frank, and add
in whatever looks fabulous from your garden or market!
I would serve this with some crusty
bread. A bottle of Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc would pair nicely with this soup.
4 ears of corn
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 sweet onion, chopped
Salt and pepper
2 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken broth
1 cup of dry white wine
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 zucchini, thinly sliced
8 ounces green beans, snapped into thirds
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1/2 cup orzo
Method: With a sharp knife, cut kernels from cobs. Over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onion and
season with salt and pepper. Cook until translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the wine and
herbs and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add broth and one cup of water. Bring to a boil and
add paste, zucchini, green beans, corn kernels, tomatoes and their juice, and orzo. Cook,
uncovered about
August 8, 2024
Gone Fishing…Just for the “Halibut”!
What does halibut fishing have to do with the Buckhorn Inn? Well, guests often ask us where innkeepers go and what they do on vacation. This summer, Jack and I headed to Homer, Alaska for our first halibut fishing adventure. Alaska is renowned for halibut fishing, with a rich population of the fish in the Cook Inlet.
Our Fishing Adventure
We booked a charter http://North country charters.com, obtained our fishing licenses and off we went! It was a calm, sunny day when we left the dock shortly after 6:30 am. We went out about two hours and saw otters, puffins, and other wild life. When we reached the fishing area, our captain baited our hooks with herring which were larger than any fish I had ever previously caught!
When I got a solid bite, the captain urged me to “Reel, reel, reel!” I reeled for all I was worth! The fish was about 200 feet down and I was reeling in a flat fish with a lot of drag plus the three-pound weight. After awhile the captain steadied my pole so that I could reel with two hands. I felt a bit like The Old (Wo)Man and the Sea! When I finally landed my fish, the captain estimated its weight at 40 lbs. That was a keeper! Jack brought in a 58 lb halibut and we both caught our limit plus some cod.
Our captain recommended a place on the spit to process our fish. They picked it up right from the boat, cut and packaged it, froze it, and shipped it home to us. We now have a freezer full of delicious fish! I have been preparing it in several ways. So far the simplest preparation has turned out to be Jack’s favorite. I hope you enjoy it!
Landing a 40-lb halibut is quite the workout!
Herb-Baked Halibut
3/4 cup panko crumbs
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 6-oz halibut fillets
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the bread crumbs, herbs, oil, and seasonings in a bowl. Rinse fish fillets and pat dry. Place fish on the baking sheet. Spoon the crumb mixture over the fish and lightly press down. Then bake until the topping is lightly browned, about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges. Make 4 servings.
April 23, 2024
Tasting A Bit of History—Chocolate Chip Blondies
By Sharon Mellor
Buckhorn Inn afternoon treats are very popular with guests—none more so than our blondies.
The blondie is an American creation. The first recipe for the dense, butterscotch-flavored bar
was published in 1896 by Fannie Farmer. These delicious bar cookies were called “brownies”
after the elfin characters created by Palmer Cox. Chocolate brownies did not become popular
until a decade later when the rapid expansion of chocolate manufacturing made the product
easier for Americans to purchase. And once chocolate brownies became the norm, the cookies
without chocolate became known as blonde brownies, or blondies.
Blondies were created before brownies, but named after them. Confused yet? At any rate, blondies are delicious! This recipe,
which yields 12 bars, adds chocolate and walnuts to the rich batter. If you like, coconut also makes a delicious addition.
I made these for our recent Wines and Spines gathering, so rest assured these are book club endorsed!
Chocolate Chip Blondies
1/2 lb unsalted butter at room temperature
1 c light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 t vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1 t kosher salt
1 1/2 c chopped walnuts
1 1/4 lb semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease and flour an 8 x 12 x 2” baking pan.
Cream the butter and sugars on high speed until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and the eggs
one at a time. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix the flour mixture into the butter
mixture on low speed. Fold in the walnuts and chocolate.
Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Toothpick will not come out clean. Cool in pan before cutting into bars.
January 17, 2024
Plein-Air Painting Workshops Held at Buckhorn Inn
For years now Rachael McCampbell has been leading plein-air workshops in the Smokies. Offering Buckhorn Inn as a home base for a painting trip has been a highlight. “I fell in love with the Buckhorn Inn the minute I walked in. The historical charm and beauty of the rooms, the property’s private setting and the views of the mountains really struck me. And of course the stellar food and friendly staff make this time in the mountains a perfect ‘Art-cation’,” she states.
McCampbell has been a professional artist her whole life. After graduating from the University of Georgia, she lived and worked in Italy, England, New York and Los Angeles, moving back to Franklin, TN in 2008. Having been raised on a farm in south Knoxville, the landscape always resonated with her. “We had a lease with the National Park for 10 years in Cades Cove. This was back when you could run cattle and horses there. We had a temporary residence (where the rangers lived) and spent glorious weekends in the mountains playing in streams all day. My love of the Smokies was cemented in my childhood.”
Rachael’s art is inspired by the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Plein-Air Painting Inspired by Smoky Mountains
Sharing her love of the mountains and its inherent beauty is what inspires McCampbell to lead these trips each year. She also plans her painting time each year around the scheduled display of the synchronized fireflies in early June. “The magic of sitting in the dark watching the emergence and dance of these unique creatures is incredibly special for my guests. We have been honored to be invited to observe the fireflies and foxfire on a private property that abuts the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.”
McCampbell’s workshops are for 7 nights. She takes the group to different locales to paint, gives demonstrations and works with each student almost all day long. They gather before dinner to discuss all aspects of art and McCampbell sometimes does a second demo in the evening or a powerpoint presentation discussing art. “The trip is highly educational and hands-on but also very personal. My prayer is always that the folks who come on my trips become lifelong friends and painter buddies—and they DO!”
For more information, or to register for the 2024 painting workshop, please visit Rachael’s website http://Www.rachaelmccampbell.com
January 3, 2024
Buckhorn Inn Receives “Best Meal” Praise
Dinner at Buckhorn Inn was honored to be named a “best meal” of 2023 by The Grub Scout. The Grub Scout writes a regular column in the Knoxville News Sentinel. http://Www.knoxnews.com The Scout wrapped up the year by recapping some of his/her favorite restaurant outings. In the December 29 issue, he/she identified the 10 eateries that impressed him/her the most out of the more than 60 restaurants, food trucks, and other vendors he/she visited and reviewed in the previous 12 months. Here is the Buckhorn Inn review of the meal Chef Frank prepared as it appeared.
Buckhorn Inn
Although I lived in Sevier County for 10 years at one point in my life, I had never been to Buckhorn Inn until The Grub Spouse and I received a gift certificate to the Gatlinburg bed and breakfast. While there, we sat down to a dinner that turned out to be one of the highlights of our wedding anniversary celebration. The meal was served at a fixed price of $40 per person, and considering the food itself—five onion soup, rack of pork topped with peach barbecue sauce, duchess potato casserole, steamed broccoli, and a brown-butter almond torte with brandied cherries—not to mention the daytime views of Mount LeConte, adding Buckhorn Inn to be a Favorite 10 (you don’t have to be a guest to dine there) was a no-brainer.
The article featured a photo of our brown-butter almond torte with brandied cherries.
Other Mentioned Restaurants
The Buckhorn Inn was in excellent company! The Grub Scout recommended several of our favorite restaurants—and several which we are looking forward to trying. The Grub Scout also singled out Hong’s Kitchen, Knoxville; Tarik’s North African, South Knoxville; Fire & Salt, Oak Ridge; Seasons Innovative Bar & Grille, Farragut; Foothills Milling Cafe, Maryville; Van Edom’s Wine Bar, Farragut; Elkmont Station, Farragut; Wilder at Windy Hill Farm & Preserve, London County; and Fire & Smoke, Knoxville.
Here’s to another year of delightful dining!
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