France, North to South Wine Dinner

We invite you to join us for our upcoming wine dinner France, North to South on Thursday, October 15th. The menu for the evening will include:

Bisque de Homard

(Rich Lobster Bisque)

Rillettes

(Slow-Cooked Duck and Pork Terrine with Cognac and Herbs)

Ris de veau Normande

(Veal Sweet Breads with a Calvados Sauce)

Longe D’agneau Avec Cassoulet

(Roast Loin of Lamb with a White Bean and Sausage ‘Casserole’)

Flan Aux Prunes, Crème D’amande

(Plum Flan with Almond Cream)

Our five-course, sit-down dinners feature the finest in gourmet cuisine, freshest seasonal ingredients, and exquisite wines expertly paired to each course.

Our wine dinners are limited to a maximum of twenty-four guests to ensure an intimate and memorable dining experience.

Aperitif and tours of the Inn offered one half hour before dinner. First course served at 6:30pm.

$80 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Advance reservations required.

For reservations, please contact Rivertown Inn at (651)430-2955.

For More Information, Please Click Here:

This Week’s Activities! 9/20/09

We have a busy weekend this week with a lot of events happening in the St. Croix Valley. I thought I would post them for everyone to see so you can start planning! To see more upcoming events, visit our Current Events page!

Thursday, September 24th, 6:00-9:00pm

Wines of Australia & New Zealand

Join Rivertown Inn and Oak Park Wine & Spirits for an Evening of Wine Tasting. We will feature six wines from Australia and New Zealand, three red and three white, with hors d’oeuvres paired to each wine. We have staggered start times of either 6:00pm or 6:30pm. Located at Rivertown Inn, 306 W. Olive St., Stillwater. $25 per person, including tax.

For More Information, Please Call Rivertown Inn at (651)430-2955.

Saturday, September 26th

Franconia Arts Artist Celebration & Festival

29836 St. Croix Trail, Franconia, MN
A free daylong arts festival in celebration of our 2009 arts and artists. The 13th Annual Franconia Arts & Artist Celebration & Festival invites the surrounding communities to experience exceptional artwork in a serene rural environment and celebrate the artists’ new work.  This year’s festival presents an exhibition of multicultural events and music from a wide range of geographic and ethnic backgrounds.  The Franconia Sculpture Park will also dedicate our new Franconia Earthen Amphitheater. More than 70 sculptures are currently on exhibit throughout the beautifully landscaped park. The festival is free and open to the public during one of the most picturesque times of the year.  Among this year’s attractions is an international and local food court.

For More Information, Please Visit www.franconia.org

Saturday, September 26th – Sunday, September 27th

Spirit of the St. Croix Days

The Spirit of the St. Croix Days will be held September 26-27, 2009 in Lakefront Park, downtown Hudson. This year’s event will feature an artist village, entertainment, food & beverage vendors and more! The festival is free and open to the public (select activities have fees).This year will feature a free outdoor concert performance by the Minnesota Jazz Orchestra on Saturday evening from 5:00-6:30 p.m. Entry passes will be available for purchase for those who wish to attend the popular “Taste of Hudson: A Food, Wine and Beer Experience” held on Saturday evening in the event tent.

For More Information, Please Visit the Hudson Area Chamber of Commerce.

Saturday, September 26th – Sunday, September 27th

Afton’s Art in the Park

Stroll through the park and Enjoy the beautiful fall colors of the St. Croix River Valley. Visit Afton’s unique shops and restaurants. Over 50 artists will display original fine art and traditional crafts for sale. Artwork includes watercolors, oils, acrylics, pottery, fibers, woodwork, metalwork, jewelry, photography, weaving, and basketry, hand made purses and much more.

For more information call 651-436-8883

Sunday, September 27th, 4:00-7:00pm

Valley Vine Harvest Throwdown

Join us for the premiere of this competitive food and wine event to benefit HSI. Guests will sample dishes prepared by chefs from six local restaurants and vote to decide who will receive the top cuisine award. Wine expert Andy Kass will be on hand to recommend wine pairings attendees can sample to compliment the food. Chefs from Lake Elmo Inn, Luna Rossa, Marx Fusion Bistro, Phil’s Tara Hideaway, San Pedro Cafe, and Smalley’s Caribbean Bistro will be participating. The event will also feature live and silent auction items. All proceeds support services and programs of HSI.

For additional information, contact Joyce Flynn at 651-251-7069 or jflynn@hsicares.org. Visit HSICares.org

Chef Ray Wyatt on Twin Cities Live

Chef Ray Wyatt was on Twin Cities Live on Channel 5 yesterday, helping the hosts make a Fig & Marzipan Tart!

The fig is one of the first foods that humans figured out they could grow on their own.  Chef Ray Wyatt is taking the fruit from the ficus tree and turning it into a tasty treat you can eat year round. Figs are extremely easy to cook with or even eaten raw with cheese and cured hams such as Parma, Serrano or prosciutto. A classic and simple way is baking them with honey which is great with ice cream or even goats cheese.

Click Here to See Chef Ray on Twin Cities Live:

twincitieslive.com – Fig and Marzipan Tart

Chef Ray Wyatt was born and raised in Hastings, England. There he attended culinary school at the age of fifteen, after which he worked in various four-star hotels in England. At nineteen, Chef Ray moved to Denmark where he discovered true culinary art. He spent six years in Denmark learning fine cuisine and the Danish language, and in 1999 left for Australia where he spent one year working and traveling. In 2001, Chef Ray moved to Minnesota to be with his wife, and has made Minnesota his home. His cuisine can be described as French classic with Mediterranean influence.

We are thrilled to have Ray on board preparing sumptuous three-course gourmet breakfasts for guests, offering five-course wine dinners, wine tastings and cooking classes here at the Rivertown Inn. He is a master chef whose culinary artistry is both inventive and flavorful.

Elise is getting married!

We would like to say Congratulations to our Assistant Innkeeper Elise Andersen! She will be getting married on Sunday, September 20th at the Stillwater Public Library.  The library has a beautiful outdoor terrace for weddings and events as well as stately conference rooms for meetings as well.  Then, she will be off to Las Vegas for her honeymoon! Let’s hope she wins big! We wish Elise, and her future husband Jerrid, the very best.

Do you hear wedding bells ringing in your near future? Visit our Weddings Page for more information on local venues perfect for your marriage celebration.

Visit the Stillwater Public Library’s website for more information on holding an event there as well at www.splevents.org

Room Highlight: Longfellow Bedchamber

This inviting bedchamber is our most masculine room at Rivertown Inn. The spicy plum and mossy green hues of the walls, bullion-trimmed draperies, and custom coverlet highlight the natural elegance and harmony of the room along with the dark wood tones. The bed is a king-size with a partial canopy or half-tester canopy. The bed is a custom-made reproduction created in style of the Victorian period due to the fact that the larger bed size was not available at the time. The grand and wonderfully carved serving cupboard has a twin that sits in our dining room. Both are originally from an Appalachian hunting lodge.

The intimate fireplace is set in a grand Victorian era mantel originally from Cambridge, England. The room also features a hidden bath which is a step up from the main room. The exquisite bath includes a large rectangular double-whirlpool tub with a vintage-style tin ceiling and wall surround.

To Check Availability for our Longfellow Bedchamber, Please Click Here

For More Information or to See Other Rooms Available, Please Visit www.rivertowninn.com/rooms