Century House Hotel Nantucket Island Boston MA Reviews Gayot

Century House Hotel Nantucket Island Boston MA Reviews Gayot

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A Fall Day on Nantucket, Watch!

I love fall! So yesterday I took my camera and videotaped a Nantucket moment! You can see the video here http://www.twitvid.com/C691A The leaves are changing. The weather is crispy enough to wear a sweater yet still comfortable for a T-shirt or polo. The sun is shining brightly. In the background you can hear silence and of course, the ducks.

What a day! Enjoy!!!

Labor Day and and glad no one was 'In-Labor'

This labor day weekend it was a fabulous time for a Nantucket getaway. Quiet, relaxing time. Beautiful weather. Sun filled days. Happy guests. Guests came in different packages, shapes and sizes. We had the law student, the high schooler, the neuro-surgeon, the attorney, the medical doctor, the mom with her sons, the IT exec, the pharm rep, the business owner, the conversationalis, the makeup artist and many more I can't remember; and then there were the pregnant guests. We discovered at breakfast that four women were all pregnant. All had the perfect belly. All babies were due in November. And all were having their first babies. It was fun watching them compare 'bellies' and talk about their new adventure while the significant other looked on. It was one of those moments you just have to blog about.

Hello to all!!! Congratulations to all parents to be!!! And thanks for giving us all these great moments.

Love Note to the Century House

How very sweet to receive this written note from mother/daughter:

"From the moment we crossed your threshold we knew we were in a special place. Century House has all the elegance of an old world charming classic Inn combined with the lovely appeal of friendly comfortable ambiance. Jean and Gerry are two of the most knowledgeable, creative and enjoyable hosts. Plus Gerry's breakfasts are the best on the Island. Tastiest homemade oatmeal, fresh specialty breads and scrumptious granola. We loved our stay!" MaryBeth & Emily (mother & daughter) pictured with Innkeeper Gerry 08/09

Nantucket Cranberry Toast and Irish Oatmeal

Yes, we offer beds. Yes, we offer breakfast too. While the Century House retains its service consistency, we've added some new enhancements to the breakfast buffet. This Season we, once again, expanded Gerry’s Berry Buffet Breakfast to include two new breads --a Tuscany white bread baked an hour before the buffet starts – how fresh can it be! Couple this with Gerry’s original Cranberry Raisin Bread – made without any preservatives and full of healthy berries and wheat. Both breads await your slicing! Cut one big or slim -- and for the sweet lovers slab on a topping of our imported French fruit preserves -- this year’s favorite seems to be wild cherry preserve. On top of all these carbs , Gerry has added his famous Scottish Oatmeal, slow cooked for two hours just before the breakfast door opens... a special treat for the oatmeal addificios who swear it’s the best they have had!!

Hidden Treasures - Our Neighbours

This newsletter issue we highlighted the joy of Century House Neighbors! With special attention on Frances Karttunen and husband Alfred Crosby who - along with several other Century House neighbors - live here year around! A twelfth-generation descendant of Nantucket’s English settlers, Frances was brought home to Nantucket ten days old on the steamboat and graduated from Nantucket public schools, matriculating at Radcliffe College and subsequently earning a PhD in linguistics.

After 30 years, Frances returned to her roots on Nantucket, living next door. Here she spent four years researching and writing “The Other Islanders” a history of Nantucket ’s rich cultural diversity. The book introduces all lovers of Nantucket to the original Nantucketers – the Wampanoags - as well as to African slaves, Pacific Islanders, Irish refugees, Azoreans and Cape Verdeans who over the years have found a home on Nantucket . Currently, Frances, is completing a four book series entitled Nantucket's Places and People. Books can be purchased at local bookstores, and if the guest is so inclined, Frances is available to sign your book and tell you a tale or two about our neighborhood.

Alfred is a historian, professor & author of such books as The Columbian Exchange (1972) and Ecological Imperialism (1986). In these works, he provides biological and geographical explanations for why Europeans were able to succeed with relative ease in what he refers to as the Neo-Europeans of Australia, North America, and southern South America. More recently he authored America's Forgotten Pandemic-The Influenza of 1918 (2003), which has received international attention in light of the recent coverage of the H1N1 (swine) flu.

Newest breakfast addition: healthy Nantucket cranberry toast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! We take this known fact seriously. "The breakfast [at the Century House] buffet is a bountiful affair of berries, fruit, granola, and other things healthy... Boston Globe, July 2008
Welcome to Gerry's Berry Buffet Breakfast. If you like Gerry's granola you will love his cranberry creation!! So many have asked the innkeepers Gerry and JeanE about the newest addition to the breakfast buffet: the cranberry/raisin toast.

According to Gerry at the Century House the Cranberry /Raisin is one of the two signature morning breads introduced this season to convey the feeling and smells of a guest house from the last 'century' as in 'Century House. It is made to our secret recipe by the local on island baker Daily Breads Bakery as we do not have the type of oven with controlled heat necessary to make it, the initial baking would increase the kitchen temperature to unacceptable levels.

Over six changes have already been made to this bread this season including two changes just to the actual shape.

Gerry says "I believe it to be the only grain totally natural - no preservative cranberry raisin bread on the Nantucket Island and it was designed to be either toasted or plain and used with cream cheese or butter. And by the way our granola has no nuts."

Gerry's Berry Buffet Breakfast: Guests are encouraged to enjoy the complimentary berry bountiful buffet breakfast each morning, warm Irish oatmeal with granulated Maple Sugar, Century House cranberry toast, fresh fruit, organic yogurt milk and fresh baked bread and to delicious muffins and coffee-cakes. Our signature dish "Gerry's Berry Buffet Breakfast," mentioned on forbes.com will add memories to your stay; best enjoyed on the wrap-around veranda, patio, or the garden or dining area! Early morning Gerry goes to the market for fresh fruit. He then prepares his berry bountiful breakfast: blackberries, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, raspberries, and strawberries cascading on his famous granola. Pineapple, melons, mangoes, bananas, and other fresh fruits also available. Homemade coffee-cakes & breads, bagels, cream cheese, English muffins, jams & jellies, juices, cappuccinos, espressos & lattés, teas & the best coffee served!

So if breakfast is the most important meal of the day, cranberry toast should be a good addition to our buffet. See you @ breakfast!

Otilia
Century House Nantucket

Yes, we are on twitter...

We've been tweeting, or twittering from Nantucket, with love; and are quite happy to do so. We love talking about all things Nantucket, about those who visit it, stay for a while, and return many years later. We also read tweets and love to meet 'tweeple' from all over the world.

Thanks tweeple for being faithful friends, for welcoming us into the world of social media, and for loving us when we had no idea where to even begin.

Have a twitter day!

@chnantucket

Juicy details...Nantucket and the pineapple story

According to wiki pineapple 'is the common name for an edible tropical plant and also its fruit. It is native to the southern part of Brazil, and Paraguay. Pineapple is eaten fresh or canned and is available as a juice or in juice combinations.'

Pineapple is also the fruit served at the Century House for breakfast. Beautifully arranged to display its color and juicy-ness. But it goes deeper than that. Most probably did not know that the pineapple fruit is a symbol of hospitality and welcome. According to thegoldenbasket.com it also "dates back to whaling days when sea captains brought this tropical fruit home to Nantucket and displayed it to announce that they had returned and guests were welcome." How quaint! How Nantucket-tee!!

So the next time you see pineapple wood carvings, motifs, symbols, decorations etc. think of Nantucket and its hospitality. (photo of handmade sterling silver pineapple napkin holder, nantucket; courtesy of lecherchemidi-nantucket.com store)