Culinary Tour Research and Development

Or should we call it the adventure behind the tours? Carl (Harvest Moon Bed and Breakfast) and I (The Artist’s Inn & Gallery) are in our fifth year of creating excursions …. but they don’t just happen. Because we want these tours to be interesting, yummy and, most of all, fun, we are always on the lookout for new places that we think you’ll like.
We’ve discovered farmers who produce cheese for some of the best restaurants around - without so much as a sign on the outside of their buildings. We’ve convinced unique businesses to give our guests behind-the-scenes tours. And culinary experts, who don’t usually give demonstrations, come to our inns and, after a little wine, share their expertise with our guests.

But it does not come easily. Here are some lessons we’ve learned along the way:

• Mapquest, Google Maps, GPS, and a variety of other sources are not always reliable. Sometimes they just plain don’t work in rural Lancaster, Berks or Chester Counties. Like the time we "arrived at our destination" only to find an electrical substation. And in the case of detours – now that can lead to some very interesting places to visit! As you can see in these pictures, occasionally we are forced to study the map and figure it out ourselves.


• There is nothing like paying a personal visit. Websites and phonecalls help, but they can’t prepare you for the real experience of being on the farm. We’ve been greeted by an overly friendly bull dog that was sure we wanted to play with him – so sure that he climbed in the car before we even had a chance to get out. He did, however, leave his bowling ball outside the car…


• We’ve met quite a few critters – most of which were as curious about us as we were about them; cats, sheep, chickens, roosters, dogs, goats and cows. The lesson we’ve learned? It’s best to wear your old shoes on these exploratory excursions. Heels sink in mud.


• Of course any culinary tour would not be complete without tastings. We’ve sampled cheeses in kitchens, talked to farmers in fields, and tasted wine, beer, chocolate, all matter of greens and herbs, throughout southeastern Pennsylvania. Lesson learned: The best way to start off your day is hungry – for knowledge, good times and great food.

So, if you’re hungry for adventure as well, join us as we discover the hidden gems in our own backyard. Watch this blog or follow us on Twitter for announcements of our tours. We're gonna have some fun this year.