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About captainfreemaninn

Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper.

Meet The Captain Freeman Inn 2012 Team

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by Shannon Lane

I am one of those lucky people who is fortunate enough to love both what I do for work and the people I get to work with here at the Captain Freeman Inn. I have so enjoyed getting to know each of them, so it only seems fair for me to share the joy and let you get to know them a bit too!

From left to right, Nathan, Antonio, Mitzi, Corrine and Shannon enjoy one of Donna’s delicious breakfasts!

Lisa has been working as our Head Breakfast Chef, occasional Innkeeper and Housekeeper at the Captain Freeman Inn since it was purchased back in January 2011 (she had previously been doing Housekeeping over at our sister property, Brewster By The Sea). A native Cape Codder, Lisa lives with her boyfriend Bryan right here in Brewster at Sweetwater Forrest. Together they have three dogs, and Lisa also owns a horse that she rescued from the racetracks. She is an absolute genius in the kitchen, and especially loves making and decorating beautiful cakes for all of our guests’ special occasions. Someday she would love to go to veterinary school, but I selfishly don’t ever want her to leave us because I can’t even imagine this place without her smiling face :) .

Nathan is our Property Manager, occasional Innkeeper and a general Jack of All Trades. Raised in Houston, he is a southern gentleman at heart who has temporarily relocated to New England for schooling. Nate does just about everything you can imagine around here, from landscaping to rewiring lamps to renovating bathrooms! He is currently attending UMass Dartmouth with a double major in Biology and Economics, which makes him an official smarty pants, and when not staying on campus during the school year he lives right here at the Inn. His sense of humor is appreciated by coworkers and guests alike, and his sharp intelligence has led to many interesting conversations in our guest lounge.

Corrine is our Main Housekeeper, and I like to call her Corrine the Machine because she is so good and so fast at what she does! Originally from Jamaica, she moved to the United States in 2009 to be close to her sister, niece and nephews. An Aunt Extraordinaire, Corrine loves to spend time at home with her family in Orleans playing games, going to the beach, and watching Disney movies. Her quiet demeanor and compassionate nature mask a wicked sense of humor, and we would be absolutely lost without her here.

Denise and Mitzi are the primary Housekeepers over at Brewster By The Sea, but we are lucky enough to be blessed with their company a few days each week when they help out here at the Captain Freeman Inn. They are both Jamaican residents who work on the Cape in the summertime, and between the two of them they could floor a room with laughter! Always up for a joke, a game, or a spontaneous dance party, their positive energy is positively contagious. Sometimes they will even cook a delicious Jamaican meal for the rest of the staff! They are both major assets to our team, and we are lucky to have them.

Antonio is our resident Handyman, and he can honestly do just about anything! Painting, landscaping, tiling, plumbing, electrical wiring, furniture repairing – you name it, Antonio does it. Born in Colombia, he has been living in the United States for the past 20 years and working hard to put his children through school and, he hopes, to eventually move his entire family here to be with him. His work ethic is unparalleled, and the fact that he does it all with a huge grin lighting up his face makes me respect him even more.

Our newest team member is Emily, and she has been hired as an occasional Breakfast Chef, Server and Housekeeper. Recently married, she and her husband live right here in Brewster and during the off season she works as a substitute teacher for the Brewster Elementary School system. She has been a most welcome addition to our summer staff, and her coconut cupcakes are already a guest favorite!

Last, but certainly not least, we have Donna and Byron Cain, Owners of this beautiful establishment. They are two of the most warm, genuine, compassionate and well-intentioned people I have ever met. Byron is originally from Wyoming, and his previous career as a geophysicist allowed him to travel the world from China to Nigeria to Colombia. Donna was born in the Berkshires and she spent many years catering in that area before becoming a furniture buyer in Houston. Luckily for all of us, they decided to leave their “normal jobs” back in 2003 to open their first Bed & Breakfast, Brewster By The Sea. After mastering the art of Innkeeping there, they decided to purchase their second B&B, the Captain Freeman Inn, in January 2011 and have lovingly restored this beautiful property ever since.

Your Innkeeper’s Perfect Day in Brewster by the Bay

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by Shannon Lane

I grew up on Cape Cod and lived in Brewster for my high school and college years. Coming home now after 10 years in the Boston area has brought back a flood of great memories, and recently I’ve been dreaming about what my perfect day in this beautiful town would be like.

This is the poolside porch at the Captain Freeman Inn, where guests often enjoy their breakfasts and where Shannon dreams of enjoying hers!

It would honestly start here on the Captain Freeman Inn’s poolside screened-in porch, eating one of Lisa and Donna’s delectable breakfast creations. Fresh squeezed orange juice and a cup of Harney & Sons Earl Grey Tea would definitely be involved, as would fresh pineapple with dried cranberries, Crème Brûlée French Toast and a couple of slices of hickory smoked bacon. Yummers! To complete the perfect breakfast experience, I would enjoy one of our warm, lavender and grapefruit scented hand towels draped over my welcoming face.

Creme Brûlée French Toast

After that I would head over to the John Wing Hiking Trail at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History. This is one of my favorite walks, as it passes through the coastal pitch pine woodlands, across a salt marsh to Wing’s Island, and finally descends through a salt marsh swale to the barrier beach and tidal pools of Cape Cod Bay. It is truly a microcosm of the Cape’s landscape, highlighting the natural and human development which has shaped this fragile land from geological times to the present. The tidal flats and creeks are home to a variety of fish, crabs, shellfish, worms, and snails as well as many seaside plants, grasses and trees. I discover something new every time I walk there, and always leave with a smile on my face :)

This is the end of the Wing’s Island Trail at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History.

From there I would bike along the Cape Cod Rail Trail to Nickerson State Park for a quick swim in Flax Pond. This is one of the cleanest and loveliest bodies of water I have ever encountered, a 48 acre natural kettlehole pond sitting along 1.1 miles of undeveloped shoreline protected within the confines of Nickerson State Park. The water transparency is excellent, aquatic vegetation is scant and the bottom is composed primarily of soft, light sand. All of this combined makes for a perfect swimming experience, with no worries of unwelcome critters or dark, mysterious algae preventing you from diving right into the refreshingly cool waters. You can even rent canoes, kayaks, and paddle boats there through Jack’s Boat Rental!

Flax Pond at Nickerson State Park has some of the cleanest swimming water around!

Next I would drive on over to Paine’s Creek Beach to watch the sunset. In my most humble opinion, this is the prettiest place in the world to watch a sunset! There’s as good a western view as you can get here on Cape Cod, and the landscape seems to reflect the light as if by magic. Words cannot describe how peaceful and beautiful this experience can be but the amazing picture below, taken by our very own and very talented Byron Cain, should give you a sense of it!

Watching the spectacular sunset at Paine’s Creek is awe inspiring!

Finally, to cap off my perfect Brewster day I would enjoy dinner at the Peddler’s Café on Thad Ellis Road. This is undoubtedly the best hidden gem I have found in 25 years of eating on the Cape. From the moment you walk through the front door you are transported to an intimate French Bistro where food is meant to be enjoyed to its fullest and guests are encouraged to take their time savoring every delicious flavor they encounter. The smells alone are intoxicating, but the first bite that hits your mouth will have you literally moaning with pleasure! The service is welcoming and personal, the ambiance warm and romantic, and the wine list surprisingly expansive.

Head Chef Alain Hassan prepares another delicious entree at the Peddler’s Cafe & Bistro.

12 reasons to visit the Captain Freeman in May

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By Donna Cain, Innkeeper and Owner

We absolutely are in love with Cape Cod and enjoy living here year round. My husband and I own two lovely inns in Brewster, the Captain Freeman Inn and Brewster by the Sea Inn and Spa. We have been busy over the past 8 years  restoring both properties and enjoy welcoming guests to this lovely area. I especially enjoy Cape Cod in the spring……there is something about the warm sunshine, seeing all of the flowers and plants come to life that touches my soul. I find a new energy that  fuels me through our busy season and the holidays toward the end of the year. May is just a few days away, and we decided to run a special at both inns for the full month. Come stay with us 3 or more days and you will receive a $50 coupon toward your stay and also enjoy a lovely spring bouquet of flowers in your room that you can later take home . We have also lowered our mid week prices from Sunday – Thursday  to make your Cape Cod getaway a pleasant surprise to your pocketbook! Now, on to a few reasons for you to start planning your trip:

1. The whales are back and many guests have taken beach chairs and binoculars to Race Point Beach in P’Town where many have seen the whales with their naked eye. It’s fun to grab a Lobster Roll lunch on the way that you can enjoy on the beach.

2. We have always recommended the Heritage Gardens and Museum in Sandwich to our guests. This year there is an added attraction of a Norman Rockwell exhibit that will be opening on May 5th. After your tour of the lovely property enjoy a high tea at the Dunbar Tea House right next to the museum.

3. We are blessed to have a wonderful state park right here in Brewster called Nickerson State Park. Our favorite trail is to the back of the park where you can enjoy a lovely walk around a pristine lake. The park also has wonderful hilly bike trails.

4. We love Wellfleet and have found a great new trail out to the “Great Island” where you can walk the beach or venture into the forest. Afterwards, enjoy a “Wellfleet Oyster” at the Wicked Oyster restaurant.

5. May is the perfect time to grab or rent a bike so that you can enjoy the beautiful cycling on the Cape Cod Railroad Bike trail.    You can easily petal by cranberry bogs, stop for an ice cream or ride to the National Seashore. This path is great for novice or out of shape bikers (like myself) since it is flat and well surfaced.

6. I love Lobster Rolls and finally all of the Clam shacks are opening for the season. The Yankee Magazine just voted Arnold’s in Eastham one of the 12 best places to get a lobster. My favorite thing to do is to get a lobster roll to go and grab some beach chairs and relax on the beach with that delicious lobster roll….ummmmmm!

7. Marconi beach on the National Seashore is still our favorite. Each of the beaches on Cape Cod is unique and wonderful but there is something really special about Marconi!

8. We love Lavender at both of our inns and have a homemade lavender and grapefruit spray in our guest rooms. The Lavender Farm is in Harwich and is a great place to visit in the spring. Her plants are robust and reasonably priced, and we love to walk the many acres of lavender plants on the farm.

9. The Osprey couple that comes back to Brewster year after year have returned and are busy preparing their nest at the Natural History Museum.It’s really fun to walk on the boardwalk and watch them in flight.

10. We love the Brewster Fish House restaurant in town but always dread the long wait in the summer for our guests. This time of year they are only closed on Mondays and most nights there is just a short wait.

11. Flowers, flowers, flowers…….we have already placed all of our outdoor furniture and both pools will be opening soon. We also refurbished and decorated the gazebo at Brewster by the Sea so guests can relax in the new wicker while they read or enjoy a glass of wine. The Hydrangeas are fully budded and all of the flowers in the perennial garden are starting to bloom.

12.  Last but not least is shopping. The Cape is a wonderful place to find unique art, pottery or jewelry. Most of the galleries, boutiques and antique shops are now opening.

Many, many reasons to consider a May trip to Cape Cod. Experience the wonderful hospitality at one of our two inns, Brewster by the Sea and the Captain Freeman Inn.

If you are booking on line for a 3 night or more stay in May, mention the password “Harrison” to receive the $50 coupon and the wonderful spring bouquet of flowers.

We love Cookies at the Captain Freeman!

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by Donna Cain, Innkeeper and Owner

At both of our Brewster, Cape Cod Inns, Brewster by the Sea and Captain Freeman Inn we always have plenty of cookies on hand. Our house cookie is an old fashion molasses cookie that has been in our family for many years. We often joke with our guests that we make 1,000′s of this cookie a year. It’s actually a little addictive since the flavor is so comforting.

Every afternoon we serve a different sweet as our afternoon tea. Today’s cookie was a  wonderful light cookie that we found in an old cookbook at the Captain Freeman called Mrs. Field’s Cookie Book, published in 1992. We thought it worthy to publish on our blog.

Lemon Chocolate Chip Buttons

2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground coriander
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. pure lemon extract
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300

Combine dry ingredients

In large bowl, cream together butter and sugar with a stand mixer. Add eggs and lemon extract and beat well. Scrape down sides of bowl.

Add the flour mixture and add chocolate chips and mix lightly until combined. Do not over mix.
Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets, 1 1/2 inches apart.
Bake for 15 minutes. Do not brown. Immediately transfer with a spatula to a cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Cooking Schools at the Captain Freeman Inn

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By  Donna Cain, Innkeeper and Owner

Captain Freeman Inn Cooking School

We just completed our first season of Italian cooking schools (with a little french thrown in:) at the Captain Freeman Inn, and as owners, we could not be more pleased. This past weekend we had a sold out group for our Naples class.

My husband and I always look forward to cooking school weekends, as we join the class for wine tasting, good cheer and company and get to taste all of the the food made earlier in the class. This weekend we enjoyed a wonderful antipasto platter (while sampling different wines) that included Bruschetta with truffle oil and fresh Parmigiano Reggiano, truffle cheese and a knock your socks off  Pinot Grigio white wineArtisan Salami.

Second course included an amazing roasted red pepper and fresh lemon salad and the final course a Pizza Margherita that comes with a wonderful story and my fav- Shrimp, Arugula and Pancetta Pizza. The evening ended with a wonderful Zamboli fruit dish with coffee. We always ask all of our guests how they enjoyed their stay at the Freeman, and we have we have been totally amazed at the responses from our cooking school students. All have rave reviews of the information and tips learned in class from our talented instructor Carol Edmondson. Carol believes in using fresh, local ingredients and the class is filled with good information on where to find these items. She also comes with years of experience and makes the class playful and fun.

We have already scheduled our classes at the Freeman for next year….mostly Italian with a little French mixed in!

November 10- Florence, Tuscany
February 9- Naples, Campagnia
February 23- Rome
March 7- Palermo, Sicily
March 23-Avignon, Provence
and my favorite
April 6- April in Paris

Wishing everyone a fun filled summer and hoping to see you in one of our classes next season. Bon Appetit!

Harpist, Anne Paus to play at the Captain Freeman for Brewster in Bloom Open House

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By Donna Cain, Innkeeper and Owner

Harpist, Anne Paus

The Captain Freeman Inn will open it’s doors to the public on Sunday, April 29th from 2-4 for an Open House and Inn tour as part of the Brewster in Bloom festivities that weekend. The inn has completed many winter renovations which guests can see during the tour.

Ann Paus, a Brewster resident and talented harpist will be playing classical and celtic music for guests touring the inn Sunday afternoon. The inn will also be serving homemade Petit Fours and herbal ice tea for guests to enjoy while they listen to the beautiful music as they tour the inns guests rooms, common areas and gardens.

Anne will be playing her harp for guests staying at the Captain Freeman Inn over the summer on Saturdays during breakfast hours. Her music is a perfect compliment to the lovely, grand sea captain’s home.

Brewster in Bloom has many wonderful events over the weekend including a 5 K Brew Run, parade, High Tea at the Candleberry Inn and  Brewster Band concert at the Baptist church. Check out all of the events at the Brewster Chamber website.

Look forward to seeing everyone on Sunday!

Little red chair visits the Captain Freeman Inn

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by Donna Cain, Innkeeper and owner

Photobucket

Beth Colt, owner and innkeeper of the Woods Hole Inn was inspired by a little red chair that she found in her local swap shop. Over the cold winter months she took a picture of this red chair perched out on a frozen pond in Woods Hole and posted it on Facebook. This simple image journeyed all over cyberspace, and landed in the in-box of a California-based photographer, who was inspired to come visit the Woods Hole Inn in the off season. Since then the red chair has become a symbol, a metaphor for connections made across invisible boundaries. For Beth, the red chair was an invitation to come explore yourself in a quiet and beautiful place. It is an open seat at the table of relaxation. It is the beckoning hand of civilization, marking the edge of the wildness of nature. It is the dialogue between artists and innkeepers, dreamers and shop-girls, lost travelers and those that welcome them into warm beds.

Beth decided to share her symbolic chair with many other innkeepers so that the many beautiful parts of Cape Cod can be seen in a unique prospective. And so this spring, the red chair will travel from Woods Hole to Provincetown and back. The journey will be chronicled on a web site that Beth is updating. In each B&B, the red chair will be treated as an honored guest. Innkeepers all over Cape Cod and the Islands will share with you the unique landscape that the red chair will be fortunate enough to enjoy.

And so, the little red chair came to the Captain Freeman for a very brief visit. Resting on the beautiful wrap around porch, overlooking the center of Brewster, life does go at a slower pace. The chairs travels in Brewster can be seen on Byron’s blog and future travels can be seen on Beth’s blog.

Here’s to taking life at a much slower pace and cherishing the special moments with friends and family.

Happy Easter everyone!

Brewster is Blooming on Beautiful Cape Cod

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by Shannon Lane

The official Brewster In Bloom festivities don’t kick off until April 26th, but driving down Main Street one would think they have already begun! Between the bursts of yellow daffodils and forsythia, the bustling of locals taking advantage of unseasonably warm weather, and the lighthearted songs of our native birds returning home after spending their winters down south, there is no doubt that spring has sprung on Cape Cod.

The daffodils are blooming early this year at the Brewster General Store!

At the Stony Brook Grist Mill, the herring have already begun their annual trip from the ocean to freshwater known as the Herring Run. Never ones to let the fish have all the fun, the endangered North Atlantic Right Whales have also been spotted early this year playing off the shores of Race Point Beach in Provincetown. Turtles have begun their spring mating and egg laying in the marshes of the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History’s walking trails.

The herring are already running at the Stony Brook Grist Mill in West Brewster!

Even the local gardeners seem eager to get a start on their spring planting! Many of them have been seen basking in the sun as they work on getting their yards summer ready and their gardens farm fresh, and we’re no exception here at the Captain Freeman Inn. Antonio, our trusty and wonderful handyman, has been hard at work getting the grounds of our property ready for the busy season ahead. So for those of you looking to enjoy all the natural beauty that Cape Cod has to offer without the chaos of our summer crowds, now is the time to visit!

Antonio is already getting the Captain Freeman Inn grounds ready for summer!

New Innkeeper at the Captain Freeman Inn on Cape Cod

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The staff and owners of the Captain Freeman Inn are excited to welcome Shannon Lane as the new innkeeper and wedding planner at the Captain Freeman Inn in Brewster.

Shannon grew up on the Cape and is delighted to be returning to her old neighborhood in Brewster. She has a BA in Theater from UMass Amherst and can be seen here playing Nancy in a production of Oliver!

Shannon playing Nancy in a production of Oliver!

She has been planning both social and corporate events all across the country for Team Bonding and will be a wonderful asset in planning the events at the Freeman.  Shannon is writing a historical based nautical mystery that will be presented as a weekend long Halloween event. Her favorite activities include hiking, kayaking, swimming, skiing, playing with her nephew Connor and of course her beloved Shakespeare.

Shannon is a delight to have on our team and she continues to bring smiles around the inn

Shown here walking behind the Captain Freeman inn with her nephew, Connor.

Forbes Magazine recommends the Captain Freeman Inn Cooking School as one of the best in New England

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written by Donna Cain, Innkeeper and owner

Annie Fitzsimmons, travel writer for the Forbes magazine recently wrote an article on Cooking Schools in New England. The Captain Freeman Inn was chosen as one of the two best hotel cooking schools for this area. Annie feels that “the most popular lifelong learning opportunity that people seek out is arguably the cooking class. For some, it comes from a desire to throw together an easy dinner, while for others, a wish to indulge their inner Jean-Georges and learn some serious cooking techniques.For an incredible value at a charming New England B&B, Captain Freeman’s Inn on Cape Cod runs a cooking school during their quiet season, November-April.”
Cooking classes at the Captain Freeman Inn

Chef Carol Edmondson, loved for her hands-on approach and delicious food, leads classes that explore different regions in Italy, as well as Cape Cod. You might learn to make fresh fig and goat cheese focaccia or shrimp grilled in prosciutto. One of the innkeepers favorite classes included fresh grilled tuna that was actually caught the day before the class and purchased from our favorite fish market, Nauset Fish and Lobster.

Captain Freeman Inn Cooking School

The classes have been a great success and include wine tasting and a delicious meal after of food made earlier in the class. Next year’s schedule is already in place with a wonderful assortment of cuisines from different regions of Italy. April’s class is appropriately called “April in Paris”and will include regions of Italy that have been influenced by French Cooking.

We feel so fortunate to have such a wonderful and talented chef leading our classes at the Captain Freeman Inn. Always look forward to tasting all of the delicious food and visiting with our wonderful guests that partake in the class.

Bon Apetite!