BREAKFAST AT NINE, TEA AT FOUR
Favorite Recipes from Cape May’s Mainstay Inn

Fill your kitchen with the flavor of a famous Victorian inn!

by Sue Carroll

"The jewel of them all has got to be the Mainstay." —The Washington Post

In the beautifully preserved Victorian community of Cape May, New Jersey, on one of the most picturesque streets of the district, you’ll find the Mainstay Inn. Built by a pair of wealthy gamblers in 1872, this grand Italianate villa is among the premier bed and breakfasts in the country — having been written up by virtually every travel magazine and featured on national television shows such as Good Morning America and Inn Country USA.

For two decades innkeeper Sue Carroll has been delighting Mainstay inngoers with her delicious breakfast dishes and afternoon sweets and savories. Countless times guests have asked Sue to scribble her recipes on note cards just as the dishes are being cleared.

Keen interest in Sue’s award-winning creations has led to BREAKFAST AT NINE, TEA AT FOUR, a collection of 164 perfected recipes from Cape May’s most famous inn. Perfect for Sunday brunch entertaining, recipes are easy to make and can be prepared in advance.

Chapters include: Fruit Dishes; Specialties of the House; Breads, Biscuits, and Muffins; Coffee Cakes; Sandwiches, Savories, and Spreads; Drop Cookies and Bar Cookies; Squares and Cupcakes; Seasonal and Holiday Menus; Cooking and Entertaining Tips.

Whatever the occasion, BREAKFAST AT NINE, TEA AT FOUR offers something for all tastes. Why not plan a Fourth of July or Canada Day brunch of Minted Melons, Fresh Corn Quiche, Lemon-Blueberry Coffee Cake, and Fruit Pizza? Or, when Christmas morning rolls around, treat the family to Eggnog French Toast with Cranberry Syrup and Christmas Tree Bread. On Valentine’s Day, sweeten the holiday with scrumptious Stained- Glass Heart Cookies and Fruity Chocolate Dream Bars.

BREAKFAST AT NINE, TEA AT FOUR has been featured on HGTV's At Home with Kitty Bartholomew and in the pages of Victorian Homes and The New York Times.

What people are saying about BREAKFAST AT NINE, TEA AT FOUR:

“If you’re cooking at home, you’ll appreciate the fact that Sue Carroll favors recipes that don’t involve a lot of last-minute time in the kitchen.” —The New York Times

"Sue Carroll can help you indulge your fantasies with her new cookbook. These are recipes she has gathered, developed and prepared, to her guest’s delight, for years at the Inn. None are terribly complicated, and most are "do-ahead," which will allow you to feel like you’re a guest at your own tea party." —Victorian Homes Magazine

“Flavorful dishes like Fresh Corn Quiche, Eggnog French Toast, Cucumber Sandwiches, and Ginger Cookies are provided to make your entertaining elegant as well as tasty.” —Country Victorian magazine

"BREAKFAST AT NINE, TEA AT FOUR brings a little bit of Cape May charm to your breakfast table."
—Harrisburg Patriot-News

"A quiet and gentle little cookbook and a lovely testimonial to a time when life marched to a different drummer. New England Cheddar Cheese Pie, Pecan Cornbread, Stained Glass Heart Cookies, and Angel Biscuits are just a few of the mouthwatering treats served up each day." —Newark Star-Ledger

"A very nice cookbook that is easy to handle and easy to read." —Bloomington Pantagraph

"BREAKFAST AT NINE, TEA AT FOUR is a delicious collection of breakfast and teatime treasures for those who relish relaxing moments eating with a group of friends." —The Montreal Suburban

"How do you like your eggs? Sue Carroll can make them any way — in a frittata, omelet, soufflé, strata, pie, quiche, casserole, tart or scrambled, baked and puffed." —The Press of Atlantic City

"BREAKFAST AT NINE, TEA AT FOUR is a collection of special guest favorites. Many of the dishes can be prepared the night before, all are easy to make." —Las Vegas Sun

"It’s said that everyone’s favorite room is the kitchen, even at the Mainstay Inn in Cape May. To prove it, Sue Carroll has compiled 164 of her guests’ favorite recipes in BREAKFAST AT NINE, TEA AT FOUR."
—New Jersey Monthly

Have a taste of BREAKFAST AT NINE, TEA AT FOUR:

Mainstay French Toast with Spicy Apple Syrup

The French toast must be prepared the night before, then baked just before serving time.

1/2 cup butter (1/4 pound)
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 medium tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (2 cups)
1 (1-pound) loaf French bread, cut into 12 – 14 (1-inch) slices
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Spicy Apple Syrup

1 (10-ounce) jar apple jelly
1 cup applesauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Dash of salt

Heat the butter, sugar, and corn syrup in a saucepan until the mixture is syrupy. Pour into an ungreased 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Cover with the apple, then the bread.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla and pour the mixture over the bread. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, make the syrup. Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the jelly is melted and the syrup is hot.

Separate the French toast slices with a knife and serve immediately, with the warm syrup.

Yield: 6 – 8 servings; 1½ cups of apple syrup

(Reprinted from Breakfast at Nine, Tea at Four: Favorite Recipes from Cape May's Mainstay Inn by Sue Carroll, Callawind Publications Inc, 1998.)