The next scrumptious Greenbrier Holiday Recipe is an all-time favorite: Gingered Butternut Squash Soup. The rich aroma of this unique soup will excite your palate!


4 tablespoons butter
1 cup diced onion
1/3 cup diced shallots
1 teaspoon chopped thyme leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped ginger root
8 cups diced butternut squash or pumpkin
1 1/2 to 2 quarts chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
kosher salt and pepper, to taste


1. Heat butter in a 3 to 4 quart sauce pot over medium-low heat. Add diced onions, shallots, thyme and ginger; cook until onions are translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Remove soup from heat and puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a food processor. Then strain soup through a mesh strainer. Note: The soup can be made to this point and reheated.

3. Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes or until desired consistency. Add heavy cream to soup and bring to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: For a roasted soup, you will need to roast squash or pumpkin. Before adding squash to soup, brush with butter and roast in oven until golden brown.

Ginger Molasses Cookies

As you gear up for the holidays, The Greenbrier is pleased to share a number of our favorite recipes with you. This one is for scrumptious Ginger Molasses Cookies, sure to become your family's new favorite!

3 tablespoons shortening
6 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons molasses
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon boiling water
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon all-spice
granulated sugar, as needed

1. Cream sugar and shortening together. Scrape bowl. Add molasses and egg to the sugar/shortening mixture.
2. Mix baking soda to boiling water. Add baking soda mixture to creamed mixture.
3. Sift all dry ingredients together. Add to creamed mixture. Scraping bowl.
4. Scoop with a #100 scoop (about 1 teaspoon) and roll the dough in granulated sugar. Place onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Press each scoop down. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes.

Note: If dough is too sticky, place in freezer for a few minutes.
Yields 3 dozen

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The Story of The Mint Julep

For more than a century, the southern states have been engaged in a lively debate about the origins of the decidedly southern drink known as the Mint Julep. One account states that, "Legend has it that mint was planted outside the club house of Churchill Downs in Louisville so that mint juleps could be served at the first Kentucky Derby, in 1875."

However, according to Dr. Robert Conte (pictured at right), resident historian at The Greenbrier, guest accounts indicate that the drink was being served on property as early as 1816. Dr. Conte provides the following account of the Mint Julep as it has traveled through time.

Exactly when someone decided to add mint to sugar, water, bourbon and ice and call this concoction a "Mint Julep" is anybody’s guess but it seems pretty clear that the drink began to appear in the southern states in the early 19th century. Despite Kentucky’s determined claims to ownership, it is more likely that the combination began in an older state, say, Virginia - and White Sulphur Springs (now The Greenbrier located in West Virginia) was very much the center of southern summer social life well before the Civil War.

The oldest account book at The Greenbrier dates from 1816 and it reveals that guests order “julips” at a cost of twenty-five cents per drink or three drinks for fifty cents. These were not necessarily the most popular drinks since there was plenty of brandy, wine and whiskey available, but certain guests seemed to have a definite fondness for them. It seems quite possible that these drinks were served as soon as the first tavern opened on the resort property in 1808.



The second mention of a “mint julep” at The Greenbrier is in the 1832 journal of the well-known Baltimore lawyer John H.B. Latrobe. A particularly observant traveler, Latrobe noted, “I saw here for the first time a hailstorm, that is to say, a mint julep made with a hailstorm around it. The drink is manufactured pretty much as usual,” he reported, “and well filled with a quantity of ice chopped in small pieces, which is then put in shape of a fillet around the outside of the tumbler where it adheres like a ring of rock candy and forms an external icy application to your lower lip as you drink it, while the ice within the glass presses against your upper lip. It is nectar, they say, in this part of the country.”

When the popular writer Charles Dudley Warner described White Sulphur Springs in 1886 he noted that immediately upon arrival a traveler was met by attendants “who avowed that there was no time of day or night when a mint julep or any other necessity of life would not be forthcoming at a moment’s warning.”

By 1914—the first full year that The Greenbrier was open—the mint julep was such a staple that a recipe for the drink (link to previous culinary blog post of the recipe) appeared on the resort’s souvenir calendar. Of course it has long been a tradition that a mint julep be served in a silver cup and for many years The Greenbrier utilized custom-designed service cups in the popular watering spot, the Old White Lounge.

For almost two hundred years the mint julep has been a staple at the grand banquets, lawn parties, formal balls, horse shows, and political gatherings at White Sulphur Springs. No self-respecting Southern politician visiting the resort in the 19th century—epitomized by Henry Clay of Kentucky who was a frequent guest—would let a visit pass without sharing a few mint juleps with the influential planters, judges and lawyers who annually spent their summers at White Sulphur Springs.

While oral tradition and recorded history seem to favor the idea that the Mint Julep originated in West Virginia – quite possibly at The Greenbrier – one thing is certain: Enjoying a Mint Julep at The Lobby Bar, or in one of The Greenbrier's exquisite dining venues is an experience you won’t find anywhere else in the world.

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Exclusive Recipe from The Greenbrier: Apricot Ginger Grilled Chicken Salad

Searching for a unique meal that everyone will enjoy? Try this exclusive recipe from The Greenbrier. It's a dish that's easy to prepare for lunch or dinner and blends both sweet and tangy flavors - simply delicious.

Apricot Ginger Grilled Chicken Salad

Ingredients

8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 bottle Greenbrier Apricot Ginger Grilling Sauce*

1 cup pineapple, chopped

1 cup red seedless grapes, cut in half

1 cup diced red pepper

3 ribs of celery, diced

1 cup Greenbrier Spiced Pecans*, rough chopped


Grill chicken. Cool and dice. Add all remaining ingredients and toss. Serves 10.

*This ingredient is available from The Greenbrier Gourmet Shoppe.
Call 800-321-1168 to order.

Hone your skills in a professional kitchen under the direction of Greenbrier chefs. Complimentary culinary demonstrations are offered daily. Visit The Greenbrier Culinary Arts Center for our gourmet cooking classes for both children and adults.

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Exclusive Recipe from the Greenbrier: Blackberry Chipotle Roast Pork

Searching for a mouth-watering main course? Try this exclusive recipe from The Greenbrier.

Blackberry Chipotle Roast pork

Ingredients

One 8-ounce bottle Greenbrier Blackberry Chipotle Grill Sauce*

3 pounds boneless pork loin

Preparation

Roast loin for 1 hour at 300 degrees. Remove from oven and scrape away fat and remove any liquid from pan. Pour Greenbrier Blackberry Chipotle Grill Sauce* on top of the roast and return to oven for 30 minutes or until internal temperature has reached 160 degrees. Cover with foil and allow to rest on counter for 5-7 minutes. Slice and serve utilizing sauce in pan for plate garnishing. Serves six 6-ounce portions.

*This ingredient is available from The Greenbrier Gourmet Shoppe.
Call 800-321-1168 to order.

Hone your skills in a professional kitchen under the direction of Greenbrier chefs. Complimentary culinary demonstrations are offered daily. Visit The Greenbrier Culinary Arts Center for our gourmet cooking classes for both children and adults.

Subscribe to The Greenbrier Culinary Community by Email.

Exclusive Recipe from The Greenbrier: Raspberry Salsa Shrimp Dip

Create a winning appetizer or snack with only a few ingredients. Try this exclusive recipe from The Greenbrier.

Raspberry Salsa Shrimp Dip

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup Greenbrier Raspberry Salsa*

1/2 pound 16/20 shrimp, cooked

Preparation

1. In a food processor, blend cream cheese until smooth.

2. Add Greenbrier Raspberry Salsa* and continue to blend until fully incorporated.

3. On the side, roughly chop cooked shrimp and fold into cream cheese mixture.

*This ingredient is available from The Greenbrier Gourmet Shoppe.
Call 800-321-1168 to order.

Hone your skills in a professional kitchen under the direction of Greenbrier chefs. Complimentary culinary demonstrations are offered daily. Visit The Greenbrier Culinary Arts Center for our gourmet cooking classes for both children and adults.

Subscribe to The Greenbrier Culinary Community by Email.

Exclusive Recipe From The Greenbrier: Oven Roasted Potato Salad

Looking to serve a hearty side dish to accompany your impressive main entrée? Try this exclusive recipe from The Greenbrier.

Oven Roasted Potato Salad

Ingredients

4 1/2 pounds red bliss potatoes, cut into quarters

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

fresh ground pepper

3 stalks celery, sliced 1/4 -inch

2 roasted bell peppers, diced 1/4-inch

4 ounces mustard house vinaigrette*

Toss potatoes with olive oil, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper to coat thoroughly. Spread coated potatoes on baking sheet and place in preheated 425 F oven for 40-45 minutes. Remove potatoes from oven and while potatoes are still warm, toss with remaining ingredients. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if necessary. Garnish with chopped hard boiled eggs. Serve warm, room temperature or cold.


*This ingredient is available from The Greenbrier Gourmet Shoppe.
Call 800-321-1168 to order.

Hone your skills in a professional kitchen under the direction of Greenbrier chefs. Complimentary culinary demonstrations are offered daily. Visit The Greenbrier Culinary Arts Center for our gourmet cooking classes for both children and adults.

Subscribe to The Greenbrier Culinary Community by Email.