Camai B&B Happenings

Cornmeal Flapjacks Camai Bed & Breakfast

2011-04-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

Caroline Valentine at Camai Bed and Breakfast in Anchorage, Alaska, tried a new breakfast recipe this week for Cornmeal Flapjacks served with berries. Winter is almost over and the revision of the recipes for summer guests has almost been completed. Table is set and breakfast is ready. Come stay at Camai Bed and Breakfast and join us for breakfast.

Cornmeal Flapjacks

1 cup cornmeal
¾ cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 tablespoons molasses
1 ½ cups low-fat buttermilk
2 cups strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or mixed of berries
If doing this in the winter you could use frozen berries or bananas.

Mix together the dry ingredients. Add the beaten egg, oil, molasses and buttermilk.
Heat griddle to 325 degree, then oil. Drop almost ¼ cup batter onto griddle for each flapjack. Cook about 2 minutes on each side. Keep in warming drawer until ready to serve.

Serve with berries and maple syrup or blueberry syrup.

Makes about 12—4 inch flapjacks.

To make this recipe more healthy I suggest using ¾ cup wheat flour instead of white flour.

Either way you will enjoy!

Kodiak Alaska Fishing

2011-04-10T17:06:00.000-07:00

Abundant fishing on Kodiak Island of Alaska occurs due to several factors. One is plankton. Many of the forces of nature come together in the waters off Kodiak Island in Alaska. Why? It’s all about plankton’s needs.

Plankton need nitrate, iron and sunlight. The Pacific Current heads west from Japan, sometimes fast, sometimes slow and it slams into the panhandle of Alaska. There it splits into the Southern California current and the part going north is the Alaskan Current. The Alaska bight swings it around and directs back west. In the u-turn a gyre is set up pumping up deep cold nitrate rich water.

Storm fronts also heading west hit the Alaska Panhandle’s 14,000 foot mountains and dump enormous amounts of rain. When this rain reaches the sea, it is nitrate poor but very rich in iron. In the winter this water forms a narrow vertical wedge that is weakly stratified. The weak stratification drags what plankton that grows deep and out of the sunlight. In the Summer this vertical wedge re-forms as a shallow horizontal layer on top of the cold water in a highly stratified system where the plankton can't get at the nitrates. During Spring and Fall life is good for plankton.

But that isn't all. As the Alaskan Current moves west irregularities in the coastline, small islands, and the drag against the ocean floor sets up eddies. These eddies promote some mixing. And when the Alaskan current slams against Kodiak Island currents from the deep are forced up and marine life, birds, and sea lions, harbor seals become very thick and abundant. Welcome to Kodiak one of the world's richest fisheries. The Kodiak Project documents fly fishing on the Karluk.

For Easterners you have a similar situation with a cold deep layer laden with nitrate and iron forced up by the Grand Banks into the sunlight.

While Craig and Caroline of Camai Bed and Breakfast in Anchorage have lived in Alaska for more than 34 years, this weekend is the first that Craig has visited Kodiak, Alaska. He wrote the above report.

Pecan Cinnamon Rolls recipe

2011-03-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

This breakfast recipe for Pecan Cinnamon Rolls is a modification of the recipe for Bacon Pecan Cinnamon Rolls found on food.com. At Camai Bed and Breakfast’s house for breakfast this past weekend I prepared the recipe for Bacon Cinnamon Rolls. I always prepare the recipe exactly is written the first time. While it is tasty, in my opinion, it is not as good as the one below which I have modified, as indicated.

The recipe is easy to prepare and its presentation is impressive.

Please let me know what you think of this recipe. You may post a comment to this blog if you wish.

Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 cup pecan halves
• ½ lb bacon, cooked crisp crumbled (I suggest omitting this.*)
• 24 refrigerated biscuits (large ones)
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• ¾ cup butter, melted
• 1 cup brown sugar* (original recipe calls for regular sugar)
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon

Spray bundt pan with non-stick spray. Spread pecans on bottom. If you are using crumbled bacon, also spread it on bottom of pan. Set this aside.

In gallon size Ziploc bag mix ¾ cup sugar and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon. Place biscuit three at at time in Ziploc bag. Shake well until each is coated.

Place pieces into a bundt pan on top of the pecans. About six biscuits will form a first layer. Stagger each layer. You will have about four layers.

Combine melted butter, 1 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon. Pour over biscuits.

Bake until golden brown for about 35 minutes in 350 degree oven. Serve warm.

Camai Bed & Breakfast House’s Bathroom Remodel

2011-03-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

The Rose Suite bathroom’s newest remodel at Camai Bed and Breakfast is now completed. Our house is frequently under construction which makes it challenging to schedule work while making sure that guests are not aware of the construction. We have done fourteen major remodels.

The latest work, a minor one, was to remove a huge cabinet which served no function. By removing the cabinet the bathroom now looks even more spacious.

Last Friday the very large cabinet which extended up to the ceiling was removed. The cabinet is still good and was donated to Habitat Re-store where it will be re-sold. At Camai B&B we are an eco conscious and green award-winning bed and breakfast.

After the removal, the wall was taped and mudded. Finally the wall was textured. Two days later I painted. A framed piece of Chinese art which Craig’s mother gave to Craig now hangs on the newly painted wall. New guests arrived same evening the project was completed.

Camai Bed and Breakfast's House Energy Efficient Plan

2011-03-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

Anchorage Alaska's Camai Bed and Breakfast had an energy audit done for our house this past fall. Our house is undergoing several important jobs to become more eco friendly. A major part of becoming more energy efficient was installing a Weil McLain Ultra boiler. I suggest to everyone considering a new boiler is that you find a reputable company. Moore Plumbing and Heating in Anchorage has been incredibly good! They worked very long days to get the job done and to do it correctly.

Secondly, I suggest having the new installation done in the winter. You will know immediately if something was not done exactly right. We have had two situations we would not have known about if it had not been winter and we needed the heat. The first occurred because two of the seven zone valves were mixed-up. Moore came immediately to fix it. Second problem was not getting heat from a zone valve to our garage. Moore Plumbing and Heating came promptly to fix that. Neither one of these situations would have been evident if we were in the summer months when we did not need heat from the boiler.

Now that the boiler installation is complete and working well, we contracted the job of adding insulation behind all the outer walls’ electrical outlets; insulating behind the molding around all of our windows; replacing windows where the double pane is no longer sealed.; and insulating light cans on our upper floor. This insulation job is not very exciting; however, it will save us considerable energy.

We will also be replacing all of our outer doors and weather stripping around them. While all of the outer doors have storm doors, replacing the doors will save substantial energy.

These are the major energy saving jobs we have contracted to have done at times when they will not impact our bed and breakfast guests.

Fall 2011 we will have our second energy audit and expect to have greatly improved our efficiency.

Moose at Camai House's Anchorage Garden

2011-03-12T18:26:00.000-08:00

This moose visited our Anchorage Alaska bed and breakfast’s backyard winter garden. With more than 1600 moose living in Anchorage it is inevitable that you will see moose in the city. Camai B&B’s house has a backyard which borders Chester Creek where moose often browse especially during the winter months. Alaska wildlife within our city is abundant.

Our bed and breakfast guests often ask when the next moose will stroll by. It is unfortunate that the moose do not have a published time-table for their visits to our neighborhood. The more frequent time for their appearance is either early morning just after dawn or late afternoon.

This moose came and rested in the yard in the late afternoon before continuing her browsing trip down Chester Creek.

She is a frequent visitor this winter making it important for all of us to be aware of our surroundings before using the Chester Creek Trail system.

Energy Efficient Boiler Installed at Camai Bed and Breakfast

2011-03-06T15:08:00.000-08:00

With temperatures dropping to minus 10 degrees F at night in Anchorage, Alaska, the installation of Camai Bed and Breakfast’s Weil MacLain ultra energy efficient boiler was done this past week.

The plumbers, Rich and Dustin, arrived from Moore Plumbing and Heating ready to do the first day’s work for the installation on Thursday. A snag with the venting was almost immediately discovered. With the more than fourteen major remodels to the B&B that have been done, the pipe from the boiler at the lowest floor up to the top floor some 2 ½ floors up was not a straight length. There were elbows. The new energy efficient boiler required special intake and exhaust pipes. Day one ended without the usual work being completed.

Day two brought the simplest solution. Only two different levels would have to have cuts in the sheet rock to access the pipes. One was on the top floor in our area. The other was in the kitchen’s pantry. Fortunately, neither one would effect our bed and breakfast guests.

The two plumbers arrived early Friday morning and worked at the getting the intake and exhaust pipes installed by mid-afternoon. Meanwhile the old boiler and the recently discovered broken water heater were removed. Late in the afternoon the new installation began. The plumbers worked until beyond midnight to get heat in the house. When they left, we had heat which was on and would not go off. Everyone was thankful for the heat since we had been without since early in the morning.

Day three only Dustin returned to wire the zone valves. He worked until 9 that night. He thought it was working; however, it needed trouble-shooting. A third plumber, Roy, came to do that. Roy left before 10 PM and declared that all looked good.

When we awoke this morning with our bedroom’s temperature at 86 degrees, we knew they switched at least one of the zone valves. Roy returned. It seems to be fixed.

This was a major project which we have needed for several years. It is good to have the high efficiency boiler. We look forward to using less energy while staying warm in the winter.

2011 Anchorage Fur Rondy Begins

2011-02-26T21:46:00.000-08:00

Anchorage Fur Rondy started February 25 and runs for nine more days. What an opportunity to enjoy Alaska’s Winter! The World Championship Sled Dog Races go through our neighborhood on Chester Creek trail. Neighbors on Wesleyan Drive line the trail and cheer on the mushers. Several years ago one of Camai Bed & Breakfast’s guest took excellent pictures of sled dog racers as they were on this trail.

This picture is of Arleigh Reynolds and his team. He is from Salcha which is about thirty miles south of Fairbanks on the Richardson Highway. For today’s second heat mushers started in reverse order of yesterday’s finish. Arliegh and his dogs finished first in Friday’s heat so he started last today.

The classic blanket toss will be February 25 from 4-7PM downtown at the Carnival. The blanket toss is sponsored by Cook Inlet Region Inc. (CIRI). There will be more of this event on March 4, 5 and 6. Times for the blanket toss are posted on the Fur Rondy website.

February 27 will be a good day to view the ice sculptures in the Ship Creek Area near the Alaska Rail Road Depot. Judging is Sunday. Dress warmly. It was sunny and cold with wind today.

If you want to go to the outhouse race you will have to come to 2012 Fur Rondy. This race was today at 4PM. The outhouse race is sponsored by UAA to help send students to New Orleans to help Habitat for Humanity.

On March 5 my husband Craig will be running with many other humans as well as reindeer. The event is at 4PM. I am expected to get good pictures.

Finally don’t miss seeing the Fur Rondy Melodrama. This years is titled "The Merry Monsters of Matsylvania:" A Monster Melodrama. Tickets can be purchased at Center-Tix website.

It is time to get out and enjoy the Anchorage winter events at Fur Rondy.

Camai B&B recommends Anchorage Fur Rondy Melodrama

2011-02-07T20:54:00.000-08:00

Camai Bed and Breakfast owners' favorite Anchorage Fur Rondy event is the Melodrama written and sung/acted by Alaska Sound Celebration. The melodrama this year is “The Merry Monsters of Matsylvania.” How could monsters be merry? One newly created monster has no name and just wants to sing and have fun. Hilarity ensues. The play runs from February 25 through March 11 at the Snow Goose Theatre, 717 West 3rd Avenue in downtown Anchorage.

The audience is invited to come dressed as your best monster and hone your popcorn throwing skills. This is an absolute must! Do not miss the family fun this melodrama offers. It is destined to be the Fur Rondy best melodrama yet.

Tickets can be purchased on line or by calling 907-263-2787.

Camai Bed and Breakfast Celebrates 30 years!

2011-01-30T19:09:00.000-08:00

Camai Bed and Breakfast is celebrating our 30th year in business in Anchorage, Alaska! That makes us the oldest operating bed and breakfast in Alaska.

We want to include our 2011 B&B guests in our celebration. Finally we got the inspiration of how to celebrate.

Alaska Denali Winery has been in business for 14 years. We have made some delightful wines using their facility and products. We purchased grape juice for both a Chilean Chardonnay and Chilean Merlot. These wines will be ready for us to bottle in late March. After that we will offer a choice of red wine, white wine or sparkling cider to our guests who congratulate us on the 30th anniversary of owning and operating a home-stay bed and breakfast.

We wish to thank the Anchorage Alaska Bed and Breakfast Association and the Bed and Breakfast Association of Alaska and all their members who have been such a support throughout the years. Camai B&B was a founding/charter member of each group. We have also been members of Professional Association of Innkeepers International for many years. We commend this group for its Better Way to Stay campaign and for the monthly webinars. Most importantly we thank Acorn Internet Service

for our website design, hosting and terrific support they have done for us. Their Webinars are the best learning tools around!

So, join us in celebrating a remarkable milestone! Happy Anniversary, Camai Bed and Breakfast!!

Anchorage Alaska Ice Carvings

2011-01-21T14:28:00.000-08:00

What Anchorage, Alaska, winter activity do we at Camai Bed and Breakfast recommend? Go view the ice carvings. Earlier this month in Anchorage Alaska’s downtown Town Square the 2011 Crystal Gallery of Ice Carving Competition occurred. Each of the ten teams started with approximately two tons of ice to carve. With the cold weather the lovely carvings remain ready to be viewed. Check out “The Predator” which is a sculpture of a lynx and rabbit.

Bring ice skates for free skating on the ice rick in Town Square. The rink is groomed on Fridays and Sundays this month through February.

Your hosts at Camai Bed and Breakfast can suggest other favorite winter activities or summer Anchorage activities if you are planning a Summer 2011 trip to Anchorage.

Anchorage and Alaska Public Art

2011-01-09T20:18:00.000-08:00

In 1975 Alaska’s Legislature passed the Percent for Art in Public Places statute which requires spending up to 1% of construction cost of public buildings on art. Anchorage, Alaska, also has a similar program of 1% for art.

When a visitor arrives at the new section of Anchorage International Airport the attached art picture can be viewed. Canopy was installed in 2008 and might be missed if you are merely looking straight ahead. At eyelevel all that is visible are pillars made to look like tree trunks. Look up! Wow what a treat!

Another work of art at the airport is that of Northern Lights; however the location of this work is in the tunnel going to the train. This section is often closed.

We at Camai Bed and Breakfast enjoy suggesting activities for our guests and have printed a list of twenty-two pages of public art as just one suggestion.

Regarding the Anchorage 1% for art works: one of my favorite works of public art Boreal Ballet done by Keith Appel. It is a colored lights display on an aluminum exterior in front of a Northern Lights ABC School at Lake Otis and Dowling. This is best viewed this time of year, just like the real Northern Lights.

Another favorite of mine is located at the main entrance to East High School located on Bragaw near Northern Lights Boulevard. This work, “Thunderbird Sunrise” done by Marcus Tingle, is a stained glass window over the front entrance.

An artist friend of mine once told me that art should evoke a reaction in its viewer. Another public work of art does evoke a reaction for me. It is located outside the Anchorage Museum of History and Art. Antony Gormley created “Habitat” which is a sculpture of 57 stainless steel stacked boxes. Can you see a seated person with arms crossed?

We in Anchorage Alaska are fortunate to have such numerous and varied works of public art to up-lift and inspire us.

Hawaii's Oldest Lutheran Church

2010-12-31T17:42:00.000-08:00

Lihue Lutheran Church on Kauai was founded June 1881 and is the oldest Lutheran church in Hawaii. The German immigrants who founded the church came to Kawai to work on a sugar plantation. Their voyage was six months and around Cape Hope. The church's edifice was built in 1885 to replicate that of a ship which carried out the symbolism of the church as a ship.

In 1982 Hurricane Iwa destroyed the building. It has since been lovingly rebuilt in the same architectural style.

This Alaskan (Caroline) was practicing the organ in the balcony today when a tour group came through. The balcony is like the captain’s bridge. The acoustics in the sanctuary are outstanding.

When on Kauai plan to visit and/or worship here. The sanctuary is open weekdays in the morning. Sunday worship services are at 8AM and 10:30AM. The Rev. Dr. Paul Kirchner is the pastor.

If you have ever wondered what Bed and Breakfast owners do on their vacations, Caroline & Craig of Camai Bed and Breakfast visit Kauai where they find winter sunshine and renewal.

Kauai Coffee Company

2010-12-29T23:06:00.000-08:00

We needed coffee and set out for Kauai Coffee Plantation today. The sun was shining after several days of heavy rain and flash flood warnings. It was a short drive from our Lawai Beach Resort Time Share Property.

Kauai Coffee’s location is in the midst of its coffee orchards. The store is part gift shop, coffee tasting, coffee educational museum and outdoor “maze.”

Kauai Coffee Company has the largest drip irrigation coffee estate in the world. The tubing is more than 2500 miles. “Kauai Coffee is committed to following environmentally friendly agricultural practices.” We also learned that the coffee plants are related to gardenias. When coffee is in bloom it too is quite fragrant. In 1996 Kauai Coffee Plantation exceeded the coffee production of all the combined coffee plantations in the Kona region of the Big Island.

We did the short walking tour (the “maze”) and enjoyed the signage explaining the coffee production process and the heavy equipment and facilities used in its production. Please be aware that this is not a maze as was explained in the first “maze” sign. Our grandchildren were disappointed. The walk was extremely easy to follow and one would be hard pressed to get lost.

After the walk we returned to the gift shop and bought some coffee we had just seen roasted. We also signed up for the coffee of the month plan and look forward to the first arrival in January 2011. Kauai Coffee Company’s website has shopping online.

We look forward to serving this delicious coffee to our Camai Bed and Breakfast guests.

Alaska Winter Preparations

2010-10-31T17:20:00.000-07:00

Fall at Camai Bed and Breakfast in Anchorage, Alaska is time to prepare for winter. We have put up storm doors for both the private entrances to our Fireweed Suite and Rose Suite as well as replaced our original garage doors. The storm doors are keeping our bed and breakfast guests warmer because there is less air leakage. The garage doors mean we will use less energy to heat our two garages.

To make the Bed and Breakfast more energy efficient and ultimately warmer for less money we had an energy audit this past week done by Energy Smart Alaska. The preliminary report is that we need to insulate around all the windows’ moldings, insulate all the outer walls’ electrical plugs, and to insulate the ceiling’s can lights on our upper floor. It will be tedious to do yet should have good energy savings.

Leaves have been raked and cleaned up. I hired C's Services this year. They recently became an associate member of the Anchorage Alaska Bed and Breakfast Association. I was extremely pleased with their work. I've removed all the dead plants removed from our flowerbeds. Sadly I did not have time to plant the tulips before the ground froze.

Now all we need is for it to snow. Today looks like the day snow will finally come. Termination dust (snow) has been creeping lower and lower on the mountains. The picture is of the Chugach Mountain range and was taken earlier this month.

I hope the Halloween Trick-or-Treaters come early this evening before the snow.

Quinoa Recipe warms Camai B&B guests

2010-10-18T20:37:00.000-07:00

Hot quinoa recipe for Anchorage winter breakfast at Camai B&B hits the spot! The following recipe is a variation of another one I posted this past summer. Snow is on the mountains and coming soon to our bed and breakfast's yard. Warm up with this recipe.

Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa Recipe

I used an organic white quinoa which I purchased at Costco. Low-fat soy milk may replace the low fat milk and you may eliminate the yogurt.

1 cup organic 1% low fat milk 
1 cup water 
1 cup organic quinoa
2 cups frozen/thawed blueberries (fresh are better)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted* 
4 teaspoons birch syrup, maple syrup may be substituted
4 tablespoons plain yogurt

Combine milk, water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat; let stand covered 5 minutes. Stir in blueberries and cinnamon; transfer to four bowls and top 1 tablespoon plain yogurt and with pecans. Drizzle 1 teaspoon birch syrup over each serving.

Serves 4.

*While the quinoa cooks, roast the pecans in a 350F degree oven for 5 to 6 minutes.

Alaskan Winter Approaches

2010-10-03T21:41:00.000-07:00

Alaskans living in Anchorage know winter is coming as soon as the snow returns to the Chugach Mountain peaks. The snow appeared this past week after we had a rain and wind storm. This picture taken in our Anchorage neighborhood shows this year’s “termination dust” on the Chugach Mountains.

We, “sourdoughs”, say we have ”termination dust” on the mountains. A sourdough is a person who has been through at least one entire winter in Alaska. Craig and I lived outside of Fairbanks in the “suburbs” of North Pole for five winters, as well as glorious hot summers. After that we more than qualified as sourdoughs.

Someone new to Alaska is a Chechako.

Many Alaskans have the custom of removing their shoes after they enter their home. It is hard to determine where this very practical custom started. In Fairbanks everyone did it mainly because no one clumped around in their heavy “bunny” boots. These are insulated very warm boots. Once we came to Anchorage it seemed the shoe removal custom was also present. It certainly keeps volcanic ash off the carpets when we have had nearby eruptions. It also keeps the sand from all the winter road sanding out of our homes. We observe this custom at Camai Bed and Breakfast as do many of the other Anchorage Alaska Bed and Breakfast Association members.

Perhaps the bottom line to the shoe removal is many Alaskans have the attitude that they don’t care how it’s done “outside.” The “outside” refers to all the other 49 states. Alaskans seem to do what best suits our situation.

Bed and Breakfast Association of Alaska Workshop

2010-09-17T22:35:00.000-07:00

The Bed and Breakfast Association of Alaska’s Workshop will be held in Kenai September 23, 24, and 25. The BBAA annual meetings are always a time to refresh and learn after a full summer of hosting guests at Camai Bed and Breakfast in Anchorage.

The event starts with the state board meeting on Thursday and continues on Friday with workshops
• IRS—Tax Implications of structuring, Reporting and Selling your B&B
• New Technology and Products
• Retiring from your B&B
• Loans, Lending and Capital for B&Bs
• Social Media

This coming year is Camai B&B’s 30th year in business. We still enjoy operating a bed and breakfast, but the information on retiring will be useful. Social Media is the session I anticipate most eagerly.

Saturday will include networking/visiting and our annual BBAA business meeting. Look at the schedule and come!

Alaska State Fair 2010, Palmer Alaska

2010-08-26T13:40:00.000-07:00

The Alaska State Fair 2010 in Palmer Alaska celebrates its 75 year with a grand opening today, August 26, 2010. This year’s fair theme is “Imagine if…” The Fair runs through September 6. The fair offers exciting events, entertainment, and displays for all ages and interests.

Check out the daily events.

Camai Bed and Breakfast is offering special rates for visitors during the week of August 29. Call us and ask (907-333-2219) or go to Camai Bed and Breakfast website’s availability calendar.

Breakfast Quinoa Fruit Vegetarian Recipe

2010-08-03T12:05:00.000-07:00

Breakfast Quinoa recipe is a great vegetarian recipe and a healthy recipe for those who are lactose intolerant as long as it is served with rice or soy milk. This Camai Bed and Breakfast recipe with other breakfast dishes was served this morning. Last summer was the first time we served quinoa. This year at a guest’s suggestion we tried a modification of Pinky's recipe. Give quinoa a try and you will be in for a delicious, healthy surprise.

Camai’s Breakfast Quinoa a la Pinky

½ cup quinoa
1 cup water
pinch of salt (if desired)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh raspberries

In a saucepan combine quinoa, water, and (optional) salt. After bringing to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Cook about 10 minutes until quinoa is tender and water is absorbed. Cool slightly and fluff with a fork.

Stir in the cinnamon, maple syrup, blueberries and raspberries.

Serve warm with vanilla yogurt, soy milk or regular milk. Of course you should not serve yogurt or regular milk to someone who is lactose intolerant.

Camai Bed and Breakfast is a charter member of Anchorage Breakfast Club where you can find more recipes on their blog as well as their website.

Easy Breakfast Recipe, Anchorage Bed Breakfast

2010-07-18T17:35:00.000-07:00

Here’s an easy breakfast recipe served at our Anchorage Alaska Bed Breakfast during the summer. It is a sweet treat that goes well with coffee. At Camai Bed and Breakfast every meal starts with a generous fresh seasonal fruit. Most summer mornings this is followed with an egg dish from breakfast recipes that we research during the winter months. A breakfast meat is also served. This simple recipe really appeals to a guest’s sweet tooth.

Rita’s Cream Cheese Delight

2 8-ounce crescent roll dough cans

16 ounces cream cheese

1 ½ cup sugar (divided)

1 egg separated

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup chopped pecans

Spread 1 can of dough in 9X13 pan. Press perforations together.

Combine 16 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla.

Spread onto dough which is in the pan.

Cover cream cheese mixture with 2^nd can’s dough.

Beat egg white and brush on top.

Combine ½ cup sugar and ½ cup chopped pecans. Sprinkle on top of dough.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Cut into small squares.

Serves 12.

Rugosa Roses, Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

2010-07-08T23:17:00.000-07:00

The rugosa roses along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail in Anchorage Alaska are in bloom and extremely fragrant. Park at the Winchester Lagoon parking lot near the Covy Cafe. First enjoy the view of the Chugach Mountains beyond the lagoon. Then walk toward Earthquake Park on the trail. In less than a quarter of a mile you will be rewarded not only by the views of downtown Anchorage but also the scent of double-flowered rugosa roses.

When you return to your car, stop at Covy Café for some coffee or ice cream. This café is operated by Covenant House Alaska for job training of youth.

When choosing things to do in Anchorage, Alaska, Craig and Caroline at Camai Bed and Breakfast have even more suggestions for their guests.

Anchorage Alaska’s Camai Bed and Breakfast Motorcycling Guests

2010-06-28T16:29:00.000-07:00

Camai Bed and Breakfast in Anchorage, Alaska, has had several guests who traveled to Alaska on their motorcycles via the Alaska Highway. This past week we had Curtis and Ray and their wives, Kathy and Rubette stay with us. Curtis and Ray traveled the Alaska Highway (on a Gold Wing Honda and a BMW) while their wives flew up to Alaska.

The pictures were taken yesterday after breakfast as Curtis and Ray got ready to leave Anchorage and Alaska behind. Curtis has the Gold Wing and was ready to go before Ray. Curtis chatted with Jeff on Camai B&B's driveway. Ray has the BMW.

Many interesting stories where shared at the Camai’s breakfast table. Curtis and Ray are sharing their adventures on their blog where you can find out about their wrong-turn adventure coming to Anchorage. Two of the mornings we had another guest from Washington state (Jeff) who shared several rides not to be missed in his area.

Last year we had a Canadian from Ontario who took the trip on his motorcycle. His wife flew to Anchorage and joined him. They toured some of the state on the motorcycle before his wife flew home while he biked back to Ontario.

Camai B&B Rhubarb Coffee Cake Recipe

2010-06-21T14:17:00.000-07:00

Here in Anchorage Alaska at Camai Bed and Breakfast our rhubarb plants are thriving along with many flowers, vegetables and hanging baskets. Today is summer solstice and a warm sunny day. We can practically see the plants growing!

Breakfast this morning started with a fruit plate. Here is the recipe for a rhubarb coffee cake that was served with Marne's Easy Egg dish as well as sausage this morning.

Camai Bed and Breakfast Favorite Rhubarb Coffee Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degree. Grease spring form 10X3” pan. Lightly flour.

Rhubarb sauce (makes more than you need for recipe)
4 cups sliced rhubarb
½ cups sugar

In a sauce pan cook over lowest heat stirring frequently. Cook until rhubarb is just tender. Remove from heat and cool.

Cream cheese layer
6 oz cream cheese
¼ cup sugar
1 egg

Soften cream cheese. Mix in sugar. Stir in egg. Set aside.

Cake topping
1 cup flour
½ cup sugar
½ cup chopped almonds
1/3 cup butter

Mix flour, sugar, and almonds. Cut in butter. Set aside.

Cake
2 ¼ cups flour
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in butter. Mix in sour cream, egg and almond extract.

Assembly
Pour cake into prepared pan. Spread cream cheese layer evenly over cake. Spread 1 cup rhubarb sauce over cream cheese. Sprinkle with cake topping.

Bake for 50-60 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before placing on serving dish and removing pan.

Serves 8 generously.

For other rhubarb recipes check out the Anchorage Breakfast Club blog and Big Bear Bed and Breakfast's posting.

Textile Arts at Camai Bed and Breakfast

2010-06-17T12:36:00.000-07:00

Numerous hand crafted works of art are displayed at Camai Bed and Breakfast in Anchorage, Alaska, for guests to enjoy. The women in Caroline’s family have worked and continue to do cross-stitch, crazy quilt, needlepoint, painting on silk, and borgello. Abbey Naumen (daughter-in-law), Cecilia Smith (daughter), Gwen Dunbar (mother), Betty Dunbar (sister-in-law), Meta Pillsbury Dunbar (paternal grandmother), Mary Louise Pillsbury, Libby Dunbar (sister), and Caroline have works displayed throughout the B&B.

When Abbey was in high school her violin teacher had her students do a “senior” recital. Abbey asked Caroline to accompany her…which Caroline did with joy. Since Caroline would not take money for accompanying her, Abbey made a cross-stitch and gave it to Caroline. The cross-stitch is of the Prayer of St. Francis. This is hanging in the B&B’s main entrance.

At the top of the stairs on the living room level is Cecilia’s latest cross-stitch masterwork. Cecilia began working on this when she visited Gwen after Gwen moved to Oregon to live in a retirement community. Gwen eventually moved to the assisted living section of the facility. Cecilia brought her baby and cross-stitch to visit her grandmother. Cecilia now has three young children. This past October Cecilia went to Illinois with Caroline and Howard (Caroline’s brother) to bury Gwen’s ashes. Cecilia took the cross-stitch out again and worked on it. Once the work was completed Cecilia decided to give it to Caroline for Mother’s Day. Cecilia sent it to her sister-in-law (Abbey) who washed it and ironed it. Abbey and Kit gave Caroline the frame. This is a most treasured piece.

When Gwen was first married she made needlepoint seat covers for all of her dining room chairs. Caroline’s sister, Libby Dunbar, obtained at least three of these needlepoint chair seats. Libby framed them and gave one to Howard Dunbar, one to Caroline and kept one. The needlepoint given to Caroline is hanging in the living room of the bed and breakfast.

When Caroline was in sixth grades she had a severe case of viral pneumonia. Gwen wanted to keep Caroline occupied for the few hours a day that Caroline was awake. Needlepoint was Gwen’s answer. The two pieces Gwen had Caroline work were eventually completed by Gwen. These hang above Caroline’s piano at the bed and breakfast’s common area.

Grouped with Caroline's two needlepoint works is a cross-stitch of an angel, one of Cecilia’s early works.

On the piano bench is a needlepoint cover which Meta made and which she had on her piano bench in Illinois.

Gwen and Meta embroidered many pieces which were used on a daily basis. Parts of the hand towels, napkins, tablecloths, and bed linens were soiled beyond cleaning. Several of these pieces were given to Betty. Betty created a crazy quilt out of the good, clean remnants from Gwen’s and Meta’s work. The crazy quilt is framed and hanging in the Rose Suite.

Also hanging in the Rose Suite is a painting on silk which was done by Mary Louise Pillsbury circa 1902.

At breakfast, Camai B&B’s guests sit on the dining room chairs which are a combination of needlepoint and borgello. Each one represents a state flower. Craig’s sister, Lynne Worth, did them for her mother. When Mom (Peggy Lane) remodeled, the chair covers no long fit her décor. She asked Craig and Caroline if they wanted them. Yes, was the answer! Craig is trying to encourage either Lynne or Cecilia to do two more seat covers. One would be of the “forget-me-not” which is Alaska’s state flower.

A folder of pictures of each art work can be found on Camai Bed and Breakfast's Facebook page.