Afternoon refreshments

[Willowpondgj]

I am wondering if I should even bother anymore...
The last two weeks, it seems noone was really interested, and holy cow, who can turn down a still warm batch of brownies made with Ghirardelli chocolate? We can't afford to eat it all, and it's such a waste to toss it all, I mean near entire cakes and batches of cookies.
Are any of you finding trends away from the goodies? I know we could do cheese and crackers and some of you do fruit and some nothing at all, or don't serve if the guests aren't there to enjoy it in a certain time frame...
I don't want to do fruit or cheese boards because, a) it's expensive and I would be even more sick throwing cheese/fruit away and b) most folks go out to eat around check -in and so would probably not eat it anyway, since they don't want to ruin their appetite and will have dessert at the restaurant (which may be why they aren't eating the cookies, etc. in the first place)
Then I'll get the one guest who will eat everyone's portion! HA!
Maybe just a couple of locally made chocolates in the room and call it a day?

 

[happyjacks]

It could be, like you say, the time of day isn't working for people. I put individual plates of goodies in each room and often guests tell me the treats work perfect after dinner.

 

[gillumhouse]

I just put a basket with bananas and apples in each guest room for if they get the munchies. I often have mini cookies or cracker packages in the basket also. Some eat them, some don't and some take all of it with them when they leave (I guess they think they paid for it rather than that it is a "nice").
It is such a shame we are so far apart although probably for the best - I would be so much fatter than I already am. CHOCOLATE!!!!!! Ghirdelli!! YUMMO!

 

[Don Draper]

The locally made chocolates sound good and would be a unique souvenir if they don't want to eat it. And if they are individually wrapped you won't have to toss them if they don't get eaten/taken.
We alternate between chocolate chip and sugar cookies each day (2 dozen)...most times they do get eaten but we keep them in a glass cake server, and they stay fresh for several days, so we can put them out the next day if we have leftovers.
Wish I'd been there for the brownies...I definitely would have eaten my share!

 

[gillumhouse]

The locally made chocolates sound good and would be a unique souvenir if they don't want to eat it. And if they are individually wrapped you won't have to toss them if they don't get eaten/taken.
We alternate between chocolate chip and sugar cookies each day (2 dozen)...most times they do get eaten but we keep them in a glass cake server, and they stay fresh for several days, so we can put them out the next day if we have leftovers.
Wish I'd been there for the brownies...I definitely would have eaten my share!.

Not if I got there first! No leftovers with brownies!

 

[Don Draper]

The locally made chocolates sound good and would be a unique souvenir if they don't want to eat it. And if they are individually wrapped you won't have to toss them if they don't get eaten/taken.
We alternate between chocolate chip and sugar cookies each day (2 dozen)...most times they do get eaten but we keep them in a glass cake server, and they stay fresh for several days, so we can put them out the next day if we have leftovers.
Wish I'd been there for the brownies...I definitely would have eaten my share!.

Not if I got there first! No leftovers with brownies!
.

Hey, bring that manicotti you've been working on and we'll have most of the major food groups!

 

[gillumhouse]

The locally made chocolates sound good and would be a unique souvenir if they don't want to eat it. And if they are individually wrapped you won't have to toss them if they don't get eaten/taken.
We alternate between chocolate chip and sugar cookies each day (2 dozen)...most times they do get eaten but we keep them in a glass cake server, and they stay fresh for several days, so we can put them out the next day if we have leftovers.
Wish I'd been there for the brownies...I definitely would have eaten my share!.

Not if I got there first! No leftovers with brownies!
.

Hey, bring that manicotti you've been working on and we'll have most of the major food groups!

.

Will do. It turned out great as usual even if I do say so myself. The guests were very satisfied.
This morning we were talking about deer and I mentioned that my Iowa s-i-l gets a deer for me every year and I have it done 1/3 sausage, 1/3 brats, and the rest ground - after a few small raosts and tenderloin are taken explaining that I need the roasts for my 18th century Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's dinner packages. They sounded very interested in coming back for New Year's. Now - if that would actually happen....

 

[EmptyNest]

Most folks visiting with us are gone doing things most of the day. I thought I would do late aft. snacks, but it just never worked out. I provided cookies for them in their rooms and did an evening dessert which I also put in their rooms. There was a guest fridge in the lounge area where they could help themselves to asst. beverages. This all worked out well for us.
Friends of mine also do similar and find that it works out well. Guests eat the stuff in their own good time..not forced to be back at the B & B at a certain time just to have a treat.

 

[EmptyNest]

In my 6 years of B & B, we never had one mess to clean up in a guest room from our desserts or snacks, or serving breakfast in bed either. Guess we were very fortunate.

 

[Tim_Toad_HLB]

Willowpondgj,
Wow! For a minute I thought I was reading something I had wrote about in my sleep. All of the issues you mentioned happen here very regularly but it seems for different reasons.
We offer a happy hour refreshment between 5 and 6 as many of our guests are active, hiker types who after a long day look forward to coming back to a little nibble before they clean up and do dinner somewhere.
We also put out a plate of fresh baked cookies, etc. on a daily basis in a quantity that every guest SHOULD get a couple a piece per day.
"Then I'll get the one guest who will eat everyone's portion! HA!"
Yup, we love those types, especially when they grab the whole platter and take it into their room even when other guests are around.
Our policy is that if we haven't seen you back from your day's adventure by 5:45 we skip it. We've had both the types that pace the dining room starting at 4:30 wondering when "THEIR" snack will be served to them and the types that come flying into the parking lot at 5:50 and follow me around like a lost puppy until I give in and go make them something.
I'm not sure if you read on another thread here about our Thanksgiving night guest who came knocking on our door at 8:30pm, interrupted our holiday meal and demanded HIS snack plate. This after ignoring all of our advice that he make some kind of dinner plans before even arriving as places fill up fast and then close earlier than normal so their staff can go home and enojy some modicum of a holiday meal with family. That one still ranks as the champ!
We also get more than our share of types who blow into our parking area at 4:55 everyday of their stay like a cop is chasing them and I'll hustle to go make up a beautiful plate of whatever, cheese, fruit, hummus, veggies, guacamole, salsa, chips, etc.. it changes every day here.
Too many times to be cost effective for us, these types after elevating my blood pressure, making sure they didn't run over the dog and hustling to put something out will then disapear into their rooms and we don't see or hear a peep out of them until they walk out to go out for dinner at 8pm.
So, as you can guess, I'm eating lots of cheese plates, etc. as my dinner. I try to be creative and mix all the stuff into a big salad, etc.
Then there are the cheapskate types who are bent on using the snack as their dinner and get flustered when I start putting it all away and trying to clean up the mess at 6:30, so we don't have a big chore in the morning when we should be preparing for breakfast. We kind of cured that by cranking down on the quantity served a little, being prepared to serve it on smaller plates as each couple returns and removing everything at about 6:30-6:45. We explain this to any gripers with the legitimate and factual reasoning that according to our local health code we have to have a clean, sanitized kitchen to start with every morning.
We're also not going to leave perishable stuff out for hours and hours unregfrigerated and run the risk of somebody coming back on us with some "I got food poisoning from your snack plate" crap.
The only edible thing we ever put in a guest's room is a complimentary small plate of dipped strawberries and a bottle of chilled sparkling apple cider with crystal stemware for those celebrating anniversaries, wedding nights, etc.
Our B&B is blessed with multiple and very comfortable common areas, so we highly encourage folks to utilize them for their snacks and enjoyment.
We have enough deep cleaning to do with just the lack of care many folks exhibit towards other's (you know, all of us idly rich innkeeprs who have it coming to us) property to not further encourage people to act like pigs.
Our newfound prowess for stain removal can handle the occasional massage oil soaked sheets, makeup covered towels ( despite supplying and pointing out at check-in the piles of make up removal materials in each restroom), soiled carpets because most people walk into their own homes with muddy boots after hiking, etc. LOL.

 

[Tim_Toad_HLB]

In my 6 years of B & B, we never had one mess to clean up in a guest room from our desserts or snacks, or serving breakfast in bed either. Guess we were very fortunate..

Yes, I'd say you were.

 

[Don Draper]

Willowpondgj,
Wow! For a minute I thought I was reading something I had wrote about in my sleep. All of the issues you mentioned happen here very regularly but it seems for different reasons.
We offer a happy hour refreshment between 5 and 6 as many of our guests are active, hiker types who after a long day look forward to coming back to a little nibble before they clean up and do dinner somewhere.
We also put out a plate of fresh baked cookies, etc. on a daily basis in a quantity that every guest SHOULD get a couple a piece per day.
"Then I'll get the one guest who will eat everyone's portion! HA!"
Yup, we love those types, especially when they grab the whole platter and take it into their room even when other guests are around.
Our policy is that if we haven't seen you back from your day's adventure by 5:45 we skip it. We've had both the types that pace the dining room starting at 4:30 wondering when "THEIR" snack will be served to them and the types that come flying into the parking lot at 5:50 and follow me around like a lost puppy until I give in and go make them something.
I'm not sure if you read on another thread here about our Thanksgiving night guest who came knocking on our door at 8:30pm, interrupted our holiday meal and demanded HIS snack plate. This after ignoring all of our advice that he make some kind of dinner plans before even arriving as places fill up fast and then close earlier than normal so their staff can go home and enojy some modicum of a holiday meal with family. That one still ranks as the champ!
We also get more than our share of types who blow into our parking area at 4:55 everyday of their stay like a cop is chasing them and I'll hustle to go make up a beautiful plate of whatever, cheese, fruit, hummus, veggies, guacamole, salsa, chips, etc.. it changes every day here.
Too many times to be cost effective for us, these types after elevating my blood pressure, making sure they didn't run over the dog and hustling to put something out will then disapear into their rooms and we don't see or hear a peep out of them until they walk out to go out for dinner at 8pm.
So, as you can guess, I'm eating lots of cheese plates, etc. as my dinner. I try to be creative and mix all the stuff into a big salad, etc.
Then there are the cheapskate types who are bent on using the snack as their dinner and get flustered when I start putting it all away and trying to clean up the mess at 6:30, so we don't have a big chore in the morning when we should be preparing for breakfast. We kind of cured that by cranking down on the quantity served a little, being prepared to serve it on smaller plates as each couple returns and removing everything at about 6:30-6:45. We explain this to any gripers with the legitimate and factual reasoning that according to our local health code we have to have a clean, sanitized kitchen to start with every morning.
We're also not going to leave perishable stuff out for hours and hours unregfrigerated and run the risk of somebody coming back on us with some "I got food poisoning from your snack plate" crap.
The only edible thing we ever put in a guest's room is a complimentary small plate of dipped strawberries and a bottle of chilled sparkling apple cider with crystal stemware for those celebrating anniversaries, wedding nights, etc.
Our B&B is blessed with multiple and very comfortable common areas, so we highly encourage folks to utilize them for their snacks and enjoyment.
We have enough deep cleaning to do with just the lack of care many folks exhibit towards other's (you know, all of us idly rich innkeeprs who have it coming to us) property to not further encourage people to act like pigs.
Our newfound prowess for stain removal can handle the occasional massage oil soaked sheets, makeup covered towels ( despite supplying and pointing out at check-in the piles of make up removal materials in each restroom), soiled carpets because most people walk into their own homes with muddy boots after hiking, etc. LOL..

I tip my hat to those of you who do a daily cocktail-hour or similar. We are lucky if we can get everyone just checked in by 6 pm, and by that time of night we are so hungry and cranky ourselves that I know we couldn't manage to make small talk. Maybe if we had fewer rooms it would work, but I doubt I could make myself do it!
It sounds lovely, from the guest's perspective, I'm sure it's very well received!

 

[Morticia]

Freeze the leftovers for another day.
Yes, I've noticed the past couple of weeks no one was eating any of the treats. However, that will all change as soon as summer gets here. It's the 'will the swimsuit fit' panic that has set in. Once everyone is over that and says, 'to hell with it,' they'll all be back to eating the snacks!
We have a cake stand in the guest pantry area. That stays our from 4 PM until the next morning when hubs puts it away. Usually choco chip or pnut butter cookies, brownies, bundt cake or some such is what I put there. Enough for everyone to have 2 cookies or 1 slice of cake. I set myself a time limit of 4 PM to get that out there. Guests will have a snack when they come back from dinner, or when they check-in or even at midnight if they've been out shopping.
It goes in cycles. Sometimes everything is gone by 4:05 and other times it's all still there in the morning.

 

[scrambled_eggs]

The only thing I do is bake cookies in the afternoon. I usually start them around check in time at 3pm and have them out in a plate in the common area. I feel that this is good enough as it is hard to get everyone here at the same time for a wine or cheese hour. I don't like wasting food and I think that would happen here with people out hiking or exploring the beaches. I think just having the cookies is a good idea because they don't go bad sitting out.

 

[NW BB]

I decided early on that with no staff, I didn't want to get "tied down" to the inn each day to be there for the afternoon refreshments. We have a beautiful ceramic cookie jar which I make sure always has a supply of our signature cookie. It's located in our beverage area where guests can make individual coffee, tea, hot chocolate any time of the day or night. We then market that when you stay with us, one of the things you can enjoy is "cookies at midnight"! Seems hokie, but it really works.
We used to have fruit bowls in each guest room with apples, bananas, etc. but found that most of it was wasted or taken to eat after they checked out. We stopped that after about a year and no one misses it.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Willowpondgj,
Wow! For a minute I thought I was reading something I had wrote about in my sleep. All of the issues you mentioned happen here very regularly but it seems for different reasons.
We offer a happy hour refreshment between 5 and 6 as many of our guests are active, hiker types who after a long day look forward to coming back to a little nibble before they clean up and do dinner somewhere.
We also put out a plate of fresh baked cookies, etc. on a daily basis in a quantity that every guest SHOULD get a couple a piece per day.
"Then I'll get the one guest who will eat everyone's portion! HA!"
Yup, we love those types, especially when they grab the whole platter and take it into their room even when other guests are around.
Our policy is that if we haven't seen you back from your day's adventure by 5:45 we skip it. We've had both the types that pace the dining room starting at 4:30 wondering when "THEIR" snack will be served to them and the types that come flying into the parking lot at 5:50 and follow me around like a lost puppy until I give in and go make them something.
I'm not sure if you read on another thread here about our Thanksgiving night guest who came knocking on our door at 8:30pm, interrupted our holiday meal and demanded HIS snack plate. This after ignoring all of our advice that he make some kind of dinner plans before even arriving as places fill up fast and then close earlier than normal so their staff can go home and enojy some modicum of a holiday meal with family. That one still ranks as the champ!
We also get more than our share of types who blow into our parking area at 4:55 everyday of their stay like a cop is chasing them and I'll hustle to go make up a beautiful plate of whatever, cheese, fruit, hummus, veggies, guacamole, salsa, chips, etc.. it changes every day here.
Too many times to be cost effective for us, these types after elevating my blood pressure, making sure they didn't run over the dog and hustling to put something out will then disapear into their rooms and we don't see or hear a peep out of them until they walk out to go out for dinner at 8pm.
So, as you can guess, I'm eating lots of cheese plates, etc. as my dinner. I try to be creative and mix all the stuff into a big salad, etc.
Then there are the cheapskate types who are bent on using the snack as their dinner and get flustered when I start putting it all away and trying to clean up the mess at 6:30, so we don't have a big chore in the morning when we should be preparing for breakfast. We kind of cured that by cranking down on the quantity served a little, being prepared to serve it on smaller plates as each couple returns and removing everything at about 6:30-6:45. We explain this to any gripers with the legitimate and factual reasoning that according to our local health code we have to have a clean, sanitized kitchen to start with every morning.
We're also not going to leave perishable stuff out for hours and hours unregfrigerated and run the risk of somebody coming back on us with some "I got food poisoning from your snack plate" crap.
The only edible thing we ever put in a guest's room is a complimentary small plate of dipped strawberries and a bottle of chilled sparkling apple cider with crystal stemware for those celebrating anniversaries, wedding nights, etc.
Our B&B is blessed with multiple and very comfortable common areas, so we highly encourage folks to utilize them for their snacks and enjoyment.
We have enough deep cleaning to do with just the lack of care many folks exhibit towards other's (you know, all of us idly rich innkeeprs who have it coming to us) property to not further encourage people to act like pigs.
Our newfound prowess for stain removal can handle the occasional massage oil soaked sheets, makeup covered towels ( despite supplying and pointing out at check-in the piles of make up removal materials in each restroom), soiled carpets because most people walk into their own homes with muddy boots after hiking, etc. LOL..

I tip my hat to those of you who do a daily cocktail-hour or similar. We are lucky if we can get everyone just checked in by 6 pm, and by that time of night we are so hungry and cranky ourselves that I know we couldn't manage to make small talk. Maybe if we had fewer rooms it would work, but I doubt I could make myself do it!
It sounds lovely, from the guest's perspective, I'm sure it's very well received!
.

I tip my hat to those of you who do a daily cocktail-hour or similar. We are lucky if we can get everyone just checked in by 6 pm, and by that time of night we are so hungry and cranky ourselves that I know we couldn't manage to make small talk. Maybe if we had fewer rooms it would work, but I doubt I could make myself do it!
It sounds lovely, from the guest's perspective, I'm sure it's very well received!

We had a full house last weekend and never had anyone here at afternoon refreshment time or thereafter until 9 or 10 pm each and every night. I was getting a bit tired of doing it with the no shows. I just wanted one room to enjoy and pass it on. Nope, nothing, they were just all very busy in and out and really only slept here.
I had a British guest email and remind me of his favorite cherry cake he had here two years ago and would like it again. Did I mention a one night stay midweek? Putting in your order? I think he wants to impress me by remembering what he had and that he loved it. I agree with not wanting to be tied down, if you do it once do you need to do it each and every afternoon?

 

[aieechihuahua]

Speaking of afternoon refreshments, we don't go there. We will occasionally share an afternoon snack with a guest or two, and will even sit down with some for a glass of wine in the evening, but we can't initiate that or offer wine. In NM it is illegal to even open a bottle of anything with alcohol in it for a guest. We can give them an opener, but we can't open it. And this brings me to another situation that really burns me up.
In order to serve wine or beer at a b&b here in NM, you must have a beer and wine license, (not to mention upping your liability insurance), even if you are not selling it. Then you must take a servers class and have everyone at your establishment take the class in case they ever serve. This is state law. The part that ticks me off is that I loose business to a local inn who does advertise they have afternoon wine and cheese, serves wine, and has no license to do it. Grrrrrr. I am not the type to ever report a thing like this on a sister inn, so I am blowing off steam about it here. Thanks for listening.

 

[JBloggs]

Speaking of afternoon refreshments, we don't go there. We will occasionally share an afternoon snack with a guest or two, and will even sit down with some for a glass of wine in the evening, but we can't initiate that or offer wine. In NM it is illegal to even open a bottle of anything with alcohol in it for a guest. We can give them an opener, but we can't open it. And this brings me to another situation that really burns me up.
In order to serve wine or beer at a b&b here in NM, you must have a beer and wine license, (not to mention upping your liability insurance), even if you are not selling it. Then you must take a servers class and have everyone at your establishment take the class in case they ever serve. This is state law. The part that ticks me off is that I loose business to a local inn who does advertise they have afternoon wine and cheese, serves wine, and has no license to do it. Grrrrrr. I am not the type to ever report a thing like this on a sister inn, so I am blowing off steam about it here. Thanks for listening..

Speaking of afternoon refreshments, we don't go there. We will occasionally share an afternoon snack with a guest or two, and will even sit down with some for a glass of wine in the evening, but we can't initiate that or offer wine. In NM it is illegal to even open a bottle of anything with alcohol in it for a guest. We can give them an opener, but we can't open it. And this brings me to another situation that really burns me up.
In order to serve wine or beer at a b&b here in NM, you must have a beer and wine license, (not to mention upping your liability insurance), even if you are not selling it. Then you must take a servers class and have everyone at your establishment take the class in case they ever serve. This is state law. The part that ticks me off is that I loose business to a local inn who does advertise they have afternoon wine and cheese, serves wine, and has no license to do it. Grrrrrr. I am not the type to ever report a thing like this on a sister inn, so I am blowing off steam about it here. Thanks for listening.

Serving alcohol anywhere is a licensed matter, just because some inns do it does not make it legal like you have seen. It is the same all over - there are places who serve it without a license. But they are the ones breaking the law. There is a reason it is highly regulated, a reason you must show ID to buy it. The liability s/b higher imo. You are not alone, everyone on this forum can attest to knowing those who serve booze without a license. Makes it simple for those who don't want to serve it or sell it in packages.

 

[Morticia]

Willowpondgj,
Wow! For a minute I thought I was reading something I had wrote about in my sleep. All of the issues you mentioned happen here very regularly but it seems for different reasons.
We offer a happy hour refreshment between 5 and 6 as many of our guests are active, hiker types who after a long day look forward to coming back to a little nibble before they clean up and do dinner somewhere.
We also put out a plate of fresh baked cookies, etc. on a daily basis in a quantity that every guest SHOULD get a couple a piece per day.
"Then I'll get the one guest who will eat everyone's portion! HA!"
Yup, we love those types, especially when they grab the whole platter and take it into their room even when other guests are around.
Our policy is that if we haven't seen you back from your day's adventure by 5:45 we skip it. We've had both the types that pace the dining room starting at 4:30 wondering when "THEIR" snack will be served to them and the types that come flying into the parking lot at 5:50 and follow me around like a lost puppy until I give in and go make them something.
I'm not sure if you read on another thread here about our Thanksgiving night guest who came knocking on our door at 8:30pm, interrupted our holiday meal and demanded HIS snack plate. This after ignoring all of our advice that he make some kind of dinner plans before even arriving as places fill up fast and then close earlier than normal so their staff can go home and enojy some modicum of a holiday meal with family. That one still ranks as the champ!
We also get more than our share of types who blow into our parking area at 4:55 everyday of their stay like a cop is chasing them and I'll hustle to go make up a beautiful plate of whatever, cheese, fruit, hummus, veggies, guacamole, salsa, chips, etc.. it changes every day here.
Too many times to be cost effective for us, these types after elevating my blood pressure, making sure they didn't run over the dog and hustling to put something out will then disapear into their rooms and we don't see or hear a peep out of them until they walk out to go out for dinner at 8pm.
So, as you can guess, I'm eating lots of cheese plates, etc. as my dinner. I try to be creative and mix all the stuff into a big salad, etc.
Then there are the cheapskate types who are bent on using the snack as their dinner and get flustered when I start putting it all away and trying to clean up the mess at 6:30, so we don't have a big chore in the morning when we should be preparing for breakfast. We kind of cured that by cranking down on the quantity served a little, being prepared to serve it on smaller plates as each couple returns and removing everything at about 6:30-6:45. We explain this to any gripers with the legitimate and factual reasoning that according to our local health code we have to have a clean, sanitized kitchen to start with every morning.
We're also not going to leave perishable stuff out for hours and hours unregfrigerated and run the risk of somebody coming back on us with some "I got food poisoning from your snack plate" crap.
The only edible thing we ever put in a guest's room is a complimentary small plate of dipped strawberries and a bottle of chilled sparkling apple cider with crystal stemware for those celebrating anniversaries, wedding nights, etc.
Our B&B is blessed with multiple and very comfortable common areas, so we highly encourage folks to utilize them for their snacks and enjoyment.
We have enough deep cleaning to do with just the lack of care many folks exhibit towards other's (you know, all of us idly rich innkeeprs who have it coming to us) property to not further encourage people to act like pigs.
Our newfound prowess for stain removal can handle the occasional massage oil soaked sheets, makeup covered towels ( despite supplying and pointing out at check-in the piles of make up removal materials in each restroom), soiled carpets because most people walk into their own homes with muddy boots after hiking, etc. LOL..

I tip my hat to those of you who do a daily cocktail-hour or similar. We are lucky if we can get everyone just checked in by 6 pm, and by that time of night we are so hungry and cranky ourselves that I know we couldn't manage to make small talk. Maybe if we had fewer rooms it would work, but I doubt I could make myself do it!
It sounds lovely, from the guest's perspective, I'm sure it's very well received!
.

I tip my hat to those of you who do a daily cocktail-hour or similar. We are lucky if we can get everyone just checked in by 6 pm, and by that time of night we are so hungry and cranky ourselves that I know we couldn't manage to make small talk. Maybe if we had fewer rooms it would work, but I doubt I could make myself do it!
It sounds lovely, from the guest's perspective, I'm sure it's very well received!

We had a full house last weekend and never had anyone here at afternoon refreshment time or thereafter until 9 or 10 pm each and every night. I was getting a bit tired of doing it with the no shows. I just wanted one room to enjoy and pass it on. Nope, nothing, they were just all very busy in and out and really only slept here.
I had a British guest email and remind me of his favorite cherry cake he had here two years ago and would like it again. Did I mention a one night stay midweek? Putting in your order? I think he wants to impress me by remembering what he had and that he loved it. I agree with not wanting to be tied down, if you do it once do you need to do it each and every afternoon?
.

I had a British guest email and remind me of his favorite cherry cake he had here two years ago and would like it again. Did I mention a one night stay midweek? Putting in your order? I think he wants to impress me by remembering what he had and that he loved it. I agree with not wanting to be tied down, if you do it once do you need to do it each and every afternoon?

We get this a lot. Guests call or email and say they really liked something and could we make it next time they are here. Either snacks or breakfast. I have one couple for whom I make brownies every time even tho they are usually the only people here.

 

[egoodell]

The only thing I do is bake cookies in the afternoon. I usually start them around check in time at 3pm and have them out in a plate in the common area. I feel that this is good enough as it is hard to get everyone here at the same time for a wine or cheese hour. I don't like wasting food and I think that would happen here with people out hiking or exploring the beaches. I think just having the cookies is a good idea because they don't go bad sitting out..

The only thing I do is bake cookies in the afternoon.

We sometimes have a glass of wine and local cheese at check in if the guests want to relax after check-in before going out to dinner. The local cheese is a wonderful cheddar ball with nut cover and she delivers it frozen so we can pull out just what we need with no waste
I freezed cookie dough all rolled out individually and before check in time grab a number of them and bake and put in a glass covered thingy and they often get eaten. We also have out a microwave an popcorn and little bags of chips and chocolates since non of that gets old fast.
Some guests like popcorn while watching a DVD movie in their rooms.
I don't bake things right now since I still have to work at th university. I did check to see if my favorite cheesecake recipe freezes well. Froze it for 1-2 months and friends and I ate it and everyone could not tell it had been frozen so might start making those to bring out for a birthday or something like that.
Riki