Bedford Springs, PA

Bedford Springs, PA

We are nestled in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania at The Bedford Springs Resort celebrating the first days of Cindy's Birthday Week.  We didn’t come for the waters, the way many of our presidents did, but rather to have a halfway stop on our way to Pittsburgh where we’ll be attending a musical gala on Sunday afternoon.  My careful research allowed me to pick a spot which is exactly halfway, and we arrived yesterday in plenty of time for cocktails and celebrations.

I had discovered that they have two very formal dining venues so we brought the appropriate clothes.  Upon arrival we were told that one of the restaurants, The Crystal Room, was closed for dinner during the week until mid-June; so much for fancy clothes. The other restaurant was really just a steakhouse with a dress code that ranged from elegant (us) to sloppy (everyone else).  We didn’t care and had cold glasses of Prosecco to begin as we investigated the menu.  We have learned from lots of bad experiences that the only way to pace a meal is to order the appetizers first and then when we are ready, order the rest of our meal.  Otherwise they inevitably bring the main while we are still eating the appetizer.  I had ordered the wine from the fabulously expensive list and it was chilling as we finished our Prosecco. 

The first course was a delight.  Cindy had seared duck liver; I called it duckling liver since it was so small. It was served just right and with a little bit of quince jam on the side and some toasted buttery French bread.  Cindy declared it spectacular!  I had the millennial appetizer, my name not the hotel’s name.  Deviled eggs served with shaved ham and watercress, an item that is as ubiquitous as cupcakes on menus that cater to the younger generation.  They were acceptable.  We then ordered our main courses and drank a little of the wine, an almost affordable Pinot Grigio from the Venice area.

We talked and waited, we drank wine and waited, we had some bread and waited, then we were just waiting and waiting.  In the meantime a table next to us had been served their appetizers - and after a pause, the main courses and multiple side dishes.  I finally called the waitress over as asked what the problem was and she said that my chicken took longer to cook than steak, or I guess scallops, which is what Cindy was having.  Their menu proudly states that they have an oven that gets to 1700 degrees to really flash-cook the steaks and chops.  I pointed out to her that I can cook an entire chicken in a 375-degree oven in less time then we had been waiting for a fraction of a bird.  She apologized and we waited and waited a bit more until just as we were going to get up and get out, the meals arrived, with lots of apologies.

We were so hungry we decided to eat – no point leaving - and the food was really very good and extremely well cooked.  Soon after, the most charming young woman, Ingrid, who was the manager of the restaurant, stopped to ask how things were.  Her jaw dropped when we told her about the long wait for the food; she was truly shocked to hear anything other than compliments. 

We got to talking (after the apology session that resulted vouchers for breakfast and dessert) and found out she was born in Honduras, adopted by a German father and Danish mother, and she had lived in Bonn for most of her life.  After she left, we shared an elderberry and peach crisp that was served with a delicious scoop of locally-made vanilla ice cream and a birthday candle to boot. A most delightful way to end the evening.

This morning we hiked on one of the many trails here and discovered that our running shoes were certainly no match for the untamed beauty of the hilly surface, replete with rocks, exposed tree roots and slippery wet leaves beneath our feet. These hills are festooned with natural springs with very high magnesium content, which they say is good for digestive tract disorders.  We are content with bottled water from the grocery store, but then again, we don’t have digestive tract disorders.

We ventured into the little town of Bedford, which is listed as having one of the ten best main streets. It is really well done and compact and there is a lot of love that goes into making this old village look appealing, including beautiful begonias hanging from every lamppost.  Lots of little shoppes selling shoppe stuff:  antiques, quilts, clothing, and candles. One of the candle stores advertises soy candles. Do some people have beeswax intolerance?  Tons of monuments to wars won, lost and ongoing.  Flowers everywhere, hanging, planted and in window boxes.  All and all a lovely visit, especially to the old Common School that now houses the Coverlet Museum, yep a museum that celebrates antique woven bedcovers from around the country! 

Tomorrow Pittsburg!  Cindy and Wm