Breakfast

stir to combine. Mix eggs and buttermilk in separate bowl. Add liquid mixture to dried ingredients and mix slowly to combine. Scoop onto parchment-lined sheet pans. The scoop should be about the size of tennis ball. Press down to make it like a “pancake,” 1-inch thick. Cut each one into quarters. Brush egg wash on scones, then sprinkle with bakers’ coarse sanding sugar. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Yield: approximately 30 scones. Guests at Fairville Inn enjoy a zucchini, tomato and mozzarella frittata. INGREDIENTS

½ link spicy sausage, finely diced (like andouille, chorizo or linguica)

1 medium sweet onion, diced (Walla Wallas are fantastic.) 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 bell peppers, diced (I like a mix of purple and red, but use whatever you’ve got on hand.)

4 medium tomatoes, diced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme

Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste Salt, to taste 4 eggs INSTRUCTIONS

In a large nonstick saucepan (or skillet with reasonably high sides), sauté diced sausage over medium flame till nicely browned, about 4 minutes. Add onion and garlic and stir till well mixed. Cook till onion is soft and garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add bell peppers and cook 1 or 2 minutes till slightly soft. Add diced tomatoes, thyme, red pepper and salt (if using), cover and cook 4 minutes till juicy.

Using whole eggs, crack each egg and gently slide it into the veggie stew, trying to keep the eggs from touching each other. (It may help to make a well for each egg with the back of a spoon.) Cover and cook 3 minutes till whites are set. Ladle each egg and some veggies into a serving bowl. Serve with crusty warm bread.

Strawberry Marsala Sauce

This versatile sauce is very easy to make. At the Inn, we often pair it with our pear-raisin or blueberry French toast soufflé, as well as with a variety of waffles and pancakes. It also makes a wonderful dessert sauce. (Try it with pound cake and/or ice cream.) While you can use fresh strawberries, we prefer frozen for this recipe. The sauce will freeze well for months. Add water to cover by about 1 inch (about 5 to 6 cups). Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Strain the strawberry mixture into a bowl. Press the solids with the back of a large spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids.

Rinse the pot in which the strawberries were cooked. Return the liquid to the pot (you should have 4 to 5 cups). Add the Marsala and simmer until the liquid is reduced to about 4 cups. Blend the cornstarch (using the higher amount for a slightly thicker sauce) with an equal amount of Marsala or cold water and quickly stir the mixture into the sauce. Bring the sauce to a slow boil, stirring frequently, until it thickens. Let the sauce cool for a few minutes and then taste for acidity. If necessary, add the optional lemon juice, one teaspoon at a time, to taste. Makes about 4 cups.

Note: The sauce will further thicken as it cools. For breakfasts, serve warm. For desserts, serve chilled or at room temperature.

Variation: Add a cinnamon stick and/or 2 to 3 whole cloves while cooking the strawberries and sugar.

Zucchini, Tomato and Mozzarella Frittata

INGREDIENTS 12 eggs 2 cups shredded zucchini 1 medium Vidalia or Texas sweet onion, diced

1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil

1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, finely chopped (or buy petite diced) Black pepper, to taste Oregano, to taste Basil, to taste Tabasco sauce, to taste 2 cups shredded mozzarella, lightly packed

¼ to 1/3 cup grated pecorino Romano INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sauté onion in olive oil. When it gets soft, add a touch

PHOTO BY EMILY RYAN Fairville Inn sits between Longwood Gardens and Winterthur Museum.

PHOTO BY EMILY RYAN Bake the frittata in a straight-edged sauté pan.

PHOTO BY EMILY RYAN