Just 90 minutes west of St. Louis,
the historic town of Hermann sits nestled into the hills of Missouri Wine Valley on the banks of the Missouri river.
the historic town of Hermann sits nestled into the hills of Missouri Wine Valley on the banks of the Missouri river.
travel.nytimes.com
Alpenhorn Gasthaus is the #1 rated Bed and Breakfast in Hermann, Missouri.
There are 60 B&B's in Hermann.
This is our favorite!!!
Alpenhorn Gasthaus
is an 1860's era house and property built by a mason craftsman. It's true European hospitality.
See how the front porch beckons you.
And on the other side of the house is the original wine cellar...This property used to be a winery also.
The cellar beckons you as well, but you must wait until the evening to visit there.
Photo credit: blog.steveadamsstudio.com
This is the inside of the 1860's wine cellar where guests go to have an evening port tasting and desert.
Dear Gorgeous Old Wine Cellar, I never want to leave youuuuu!!!
Love,
Your Friend Angie
and her Stud Muffin Tim
We know Alpenhorn Gasthaus very well.
We've stayed there five times in the last three years.
We've stayed there five times in the last three years.
So after checking in and chatting with
Kate and Adrian,
the owners who are absoutely the most fantastic people, for a few minutes, we check into our digs.
Sometimes we stay in the big house in the King's Room or Queen's Room.
This time we stayed in Das Landhaus, one of two cottages. This is the path around the house you take to get there.
Kate and Adrian,
the owners who are absoutely the most fantastic people, for a few minutes, we check into our digs.
Sometimes we stay in the big house in the King's Room or Queen's Room.
This time we stayed in Das Landhaus, one of two cottages. This is the path around the house you take to get there.
This walk is always so peaceful and fun.
Sometimes we see a kitty here.
Sometimes we just see gnomes and plants.
After a 45 second walk, we happen upon our most favoritist place to stay here, the big cottage.
This was the original house from the 1860's.
It's small and intimate. And cozy and casual and all good things like that.
This cottage is just big enough...it's so peaceful and casual with tranquil views.
Everything is scaled back here...no tv's in the room. At all.
But they do have
wi-fi. And that is how I can keep current with the website and work emails.
I had ordered the yummy cheese and cracker plate ahead of time, and lo and behold, Adrian delivers it within a half hour of our arrival.
It is welcome sustenance.
I'm certain we hadn't eaten in two hours or so. :)
Just checkin' out the views from the cottage porch while Tim is napping....
The hot tub is always a big draw here...one must sign up for it ahead of time.
It's nice and peaceful.
Reading a book in this bucolic setting is awesomely awesome!!!
But at some point we must get some more sustenance.
And we do. We go to downtown Hermann. Apparently the Concert Hall/Barrel Bar used to be the oldest, continually operated bar west of the Mississippi.
And we do. We go to downtown Hermann. Apparently the Concert Hall/Barrel Bar used to be the oldest, continually operated bar west of the Mississippi.
Eventually we go back to the cottage and in the morning, I walk outside the cottage door with my hot cup of coffee and what do I hear beckoning me...
Oh hello Hansel!
Or Gretel.
I forget which one you are.
Oh, you are a beauty though! And friendly!!
What's been going on Hansel/Gretel?
Anything new?
Look at your pretty eyes.
Yes, you like to be petted, I know.
Well hello both of you...top 'o the mornin' to ya!!!
Yes, hello beautiful sheepies!!!!
You are awful friendly this morning!
And beautiful I might add.
But it's 9am and time for breakfast in the big house!
So we scurry in.
Breakfast looks yummy this Saturday morning!
As does the table decor.
Kate is a gourmet cook and her three course breakfasts are out of this world!!!
And we begin with a peach smoothie...
YUM!
Got room for some Banana Nut
Multi-Grain Pancakes with Maple Butter??
I do believe these pancakes are the most delicious cakes I've ever had!!!
Aaand the fresh egg, ham, cheese and herb cup...really...I can't even describe how good this is to you *licking lips*
Yeah, so after all that breakfast food, Stud Muffin and I do a little shopping to work off some of that yumminess...
Fortunately we were able to stop at one of my favorite antique and junk places!
Located in a barn no less.
Located in a barn no less.
Who likes to eat?
Who was getting hungry? Again.
Who stopped at the Black Walnut Bistro for lunch?
Simple, elegant decor.
They make their own pasta fresh every day.
We weren't hungry enough for pasta but we did eat the following...
I KNOW! It's not very much!!!We should have had a side of pasta too!
So instead of visiting the super charming wineries this time, we did a lot of restful lounging,
including chatting with the chickens back at the B&B.
including chatting with the chickens back at the B&B.
Okay, Tim slept and Angie chatted with the chickens.
And then I checked out the rest of the property.
And then I checked out the rest of the property.
Late afternoon came and the mini dark chocolate cupcakes that I ordered for Tim's birthday arrived.
Kate makes these...Oh they were dark chocolatey scrumptious!
It does appear that we were well fed this day, doesn't it?
Well fed or overfed?
Kate makes these...Oh they were dark chocolatey scrumptious!
It does appear that we were well fed this day, doesn't it?
Well fed or overfed?
So around 7pm we hightailed it into the big house where we had signed up for Kate's yummy wine country gourmet dinner.
This is the Gathering Room across from the Dining room. One gathers here to listen to music, play board games and socialize with other guests.
OH my! The dining room always looks so pretty for the candlelight dinners!
And this is where I forget to take pictures of all the food because I'm too busy chatting (imagine that!) with Tim and the other guests/diners....crap!
The following top pictures were a savory cheesecake...it was an appetizer and it was to die for!!!! It wasn't a sweet cheesecake, it was a light fluffy savory one! I forgot what kind of cheese was in it but man!
The bottom two pictures were the meal which was stuffed pork loin and a delicious sweet potato and russet mash and the bread of course but I forgot to take a picture of the yummy salad!!
So anyway, after dinner one must walk down a lighted path to get to the 1860's era wine cellar where there is a candlelight port tasting with chocolate.
And the cellar is looking mighty pretty and romantic tonight.
And the dessert is looking mighty pretty and
deee-licious!
Hey, I forgot to ask if this was fat free!!!!
Oh well, next time I guess.
Get your hands away from my dessert Tim!!!
It's mine, all mine!!!
You have your own!!
Hey Tim, can I have some of yours if you don't eat it all?
I must admit, I am always mesmerized by the candles on the wall.
By the way, this wine cellar is all brick and the temp was pretty darn nice, a tad warm for the earlier 105 degree day but that didn't stop us guests from not leaving and driving Adrian crazy who leads the port tastings.
By the way, this wine cellar is all brick and the temp was pretty darn nice, a tad warm for the earlier 105 degree day but that didn't stop us guests from not leaving and driving Adrian crazy who leads the port tastings.
So the next morning we wake up to...
get this....
more food!!!
Oh close your mouth, it's not THAT shocking!!!
get this....
more food!!!
Oh close your mouth, it's not THAT shocking!!!
Uh. Apparently I started eating my french toast before I took a picture.
You would do the same too...Kate's food is that good!
Creamed herbed eggs and some fantastic
brats from their award winning, local sausage and brat house.
And so after breakfast, we bid farewell to the sheep and the kitties and the cottage and the other guests and Kate and Adrian...
....and head back down the driveway. Back to reality.
I gotta be honest with ya though, thank goodness reality doesn't include all that fantastic food we consumed over the weekend. I already look like a linebacker, eating that goodness every day would push me up into a starting line position for sure!!
:):):):):)
No.
Seriously.
:)
I gotta be honest with ya though, thank goodness reality doesn't include all that fantastic food we consumed over the weekend. I already look like a linebacker, eating that goodness every day would push me up into a starting line position for sure!!
:):):):):)
No.
Seriously.
:)
Okay guys....hope you enjoyed these pictures.
Hope you're not too hungry now:)
Have a good Monday!!!
Talk to ya soon!!
Hope you're not too hungry now:)
Have a good Monday!!!
Talk to ya soon!!
