Parish House Inn Ypsilanti Terrific Five Star Review ...

This video review is from a recent guest.  The background of the video is our breakfast room/kitchen area, and is also where guests enter the Parish House and check-in when they arrive.  Once checked-in, guests can help themselves to a cup of tea or cocoa and  nibble on one of our famous oatmeal chocolate chip cookies anytime.  In the morning Martha and I are ready with coffee and a freshly prepared breakfast of fresh fruit, homemade muffins and breads and a main dish like eggs or pancakes. If guests are off to work, then conversation is limited, but if time is not an issue, then guests engage in lively conversations with each other and the innkeepers.

Our web site also offers a virtual tour of some of the rooms, so you can see the entire room.  Some guests say it helped them to choose a room for their stay....whatever the occasion.

We look forward to your stay,

Chris and Martha,
Innkeepers

Military Weekend Special now at the Parish House Inn

The Parish House Inn bed and breakfast is now offering a “Military Weekend Special” to all active and retired military personnel; any room, Friday and Saturday buy 1 night get the second night at half price. This is one way we can thank them for their service.

Gift certificates are also available for this special which and  make a nice surprise for a friend or family member who is in the military. With a gift certificate, they can book their stay for anytime that works for them.  A full breakfast is always included as well as use of our video library, popcorn tea and cocoa. 

The Inn is within walking distance of restaurants, shops and entertainment. Depot Town with the Automotive Heritage Museum, restaurants and shops is a short drive this time of year. 

Just call 734-480-4800 to purchase a gift certificate or to book your room.

Chris Mason

Innkeeper

www.parishhouseinn.com

734-480-4800

Ypsilanti Home Tour December 6 -7, 2014. Save 10% on stay at the Parish House Inn

Make a memory this Holiday season with a weekend stay at the Parish House Inn bed and breakfast for the 18th Annual Holiday Home Tour & 40th Anniversary Celebration of Ypsilanti Meals On Wheels.  

Saturday December 6, 2014,  the Candlelight Tour of Homes is from 5 - 9 PM with a Dessert reception from 8 -11 PM. There will be a Taste of Ypsilanti with food, music and beverages  at each location.  The Holiday spirit is alive and well in each of these beautifully decorated homes.....and will be an inspiration for your Holiday season

On Sunday, the tour of the homes is  from 1 - 5 PM.  Homes on the tour are in the College Heights, Normal Park, Huron River Drive and Downtown areas of Ypsilanti.  

Tickets for the Holiday Home Tour  are $40 and can be purchased at some businesses in Ypsilanti.  For ticket information and inquiries call 734-487-9669 or go to www.YMOW.org. 

When you call  to reserve your room for the weekend, be sure to say you are going on the Home Tour, and you will save 10% on your 2 night stay. The tickets can be added to your room as well....

Home Tour Tickets

This Pumpkin Apple Bread is served at the Parish House Inn

 This is my favorite Fall bread to serve with breakfast at the Parish House Inn.   You can add nuts to it you like or leave the apples out and it will still be yummy.  

Chris mason, innkeeper

PUMPKIN APPLE BREAD

This is very moist and spicey  with the addition of the chopped apples. Makes a great gift to share with family and friends as well.

Preheat oven to 350o. Coat 2 - 9x5x3 inch loaf pans or 5 mini pans with cooking spray.

3 cups all purpose flour

¾ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cloves

¼ teaspoon allspice

1 can (14 ½ ounces) pumpkin

¾ cup vegetable oil

2 ¼ cups sugar

4 large eggs

2 Granny Smith apples (or other cooking apples), peeled and chopped, about 2 cups

1. In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice.
2. In another large bowl whisk together pumpkin, oil, sugar and eggs.
3. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture. Stir until well combined, and then fold in apples.
4. Divide evenly into prepared pans. Bake 50 -55 minutes for large pans and 45 to 50 minutes for small pans, until a toothpick comes out clean, or the top springs back.
5. Let cool for a few minutes, then remove from the pans and cool completely.

This keeps in the refrigerator, for several days and of course freezes well.

Enjoy!

Recipe for Peach and Apricot Jam served at Parish House Inn

It's that time of year for us when the homegrown fruits and vegetables are in abundance at the Farmers Markets. I have made plain peach jam in the past and was never very happy with the result.  This year I found a recipe that originated in England, made some adjustment for our measuring system and  cooking method.  The result was not only foolproof but delicious.  I have made a batch a week for several weeks now, and so I will have plenty on hand.  because it doesn't use additional pectin, there is a longer cooking time.  I found that it could be a hit or miss situation until I used my candy thermometer.   It turns out perfectly every time.  So enjoy!

Chris Mason, Innkeeper

Parish House Inn Peach and Apricot Jam

Peach and Apricot Jam

makes 3 -4 half pints

1 pound peaches, peeled, stoned and cut into small pieces

1 pound apricots, stoned and quartered

3 ½ cups sugar

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1. Prepare jars by boiling them for 10 minutes add the lids and let sit.
2. Put all the fruit, sugar, water, and lemon juice into a large deep pot.
3. Gently heat to dissolve the sugar, then bring to a rolling boil.
4. Insert a candy thermometer into the pan and cook the mixture until the temperature reaches 225 degrees. You can put a teaspoonful onto a chilled plate and if it crinkles when a finger is pushed through it is done. If not done, boil another 2 minutes. This may take 10 to 12 minutes.
5. Use a potato masher to chop the fruit into smaller pieces as it cooks.
6. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter.
7. Ladle into the sterilized jars, add lids and rims. Turn upside down on a cloth cover tray for 5 minutes. Turn upright and do not move them for 24 hours. These can also be processed in a canning pot for 10 minutes.
8. The jar lids should make a popping sound if they are sealing properly. If that doesn't happen, keep the jam in the refrigerator. It will keep for a long time...if you can keep it from being eaten, that is.

Thunder Over Michigan at Willow Run August 9 - 10

,

 Excitement is building for the Thunder Over Michigan air show this weekend, August 9 -10 at the Willow Run Airport.  This event  draws thousands to watch the very best airplanes, pilots and spectacular flying to the area. For all the details and ticket information go to  www.yankeeairmuseum.org/airshow

On the tarmac will be the CH-146 Griffon out of the 400 Tac Hel Sqn in Borden, Ontario. You  can come by and welcome the Canadian crew to Michigan at this weekend's air show. 

Other favorites to see are  the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, U.S. Army Golden Knights, WWII Battle Reenactments, Screamin' Sasquatch, and dozens of rare warbirds.  To get tickets for this weekend's Baltia Air LinesThunder Over Michigan Air Show, go to www.yankeeairmuseum.org/airshow/purchase-tickets 

Chris Mason, innkeeper

Parish House Inn

Visit Library Park for Ypsilanti History during a stay at the Parish House Inn

Library Park

Historical marker for Elijah McCoy

When you stay at the Parish House Inn, in addition to shopping or dining in Downtown Ypsilanti, you can visit an interesting little park nestled right next to the B-24 coffee shop and the Ypsilanti Public Library.  It is called Library Park and was updated a few years ago when  the Historic building that houses the library next door was totally renovated. There are permanent tables with checker boards for table tops, benches, a fountain, and an Historical  Marker for Elijah McCoy. Ypsilanti is the second oldest city in Michigan, founded in 1829 (Detroit is older). the Ypsilanti Normal School, a teachers college, was founded in 1849 and became Eastern Michigan University. Elijah McCoy was an African American man who lived here in the mid 1800's and invented a self lubrication piston for the railroad engines, and the expression "the real McCoy" became associated with it.  He later went to Scotland where he was responsible for many more inventions during his lifetime.
So after a walk around the downtown area,  enjoy a cup of coffee or browse through the library and relax in this lovely oasis and read  all about Elijah McCoy. Eastern Michigan's school of business is across the street, so there is a lot of people watching to be done.

Chris Mason
Innkeeper