Guest Column from Matt Jurick, Head of the Kitchen

As I drove home from work recently, taking the particularly scenic albeit longer route, the realization hit me that autumn is, indeed, here. I've anticipated it, spoke of it, and even planned new menu items in the spirit of it, but the acknowledgement of its arrival came unexpectedly. It's been several years since I last played witness to a New England autumn. Falls in the Midwest, where I've been living, are, to say the least, considerably less sensual.

Autumn, for me, has always come in the form of the calming taste of hot mulled apple cider, the scratchy comfort of a freshly-raked leaf pile, the smoky fragrance of an old wood-burning stove, the melodious wind-chime-like sound of the chilled wind through the trees, and the spectral glow of an arbor-covered country dirt road. True to form, all my senses are tingling once again which tells me it's here.

Fall indoors is just about as pleasurable as fall outdoors. Long-sought opportunities for cozy fireside chats with friends over warm, comfort food are here once again. Refuge from the growingly colder nights under soft down blankets and the familiar dry-heat scent of the furnace, just awakened after a half-year hibernation, is welcomed like an old friend come to call.

The year, no doubt, is coming to a close. With just a few more weeks left, we start looking ahead to next season. One of the blessings and woes of our work here at the Blue Hill Inn is the dear relationship we have with so many of our guests; they come and visit, but soon after depart once again. One compares it to those childhood years of summer camp, where for just one small span of time out of the year old friends come together at a special place, leaving behind the schedules and constraints they find themselves governed by the other 51 weeks of the year, to share in something special and memorable—a much-needed recharging to save ourselves from the inevitable burn-out from monotony.

When you feel you’re in need of a break, when you need that brief recharging, we’ll be waiting with a warm bed, a hot meal, and a glowing smile on our faces at the sight of old friends.

We look forward to seeing you again next summer.