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The Recipes
 Ann’s Design-Your-Own Sour Cream Muffins
Over the years I’ve made so many variations of my basic sour cream muffins that I’ve come to realize that I’m only limited by my imagination. During my baking classes at Hilltop School, though, I could see that it would help the process if I gave the kids in my class some guidelines. Without this input the muffins were so full of gummy worms and Skittles that the results were questionably successful in my eyes, though the kids loved them! ~Ann
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 Shoalwater Oyster Stew
Chef Lynne Pelletier has put a little twist into a traditional East Coast-style lobster stew from her childhood. This recipe is real comfort food for NW oyster lovers…
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 Shoalwater Smoked Salmon and Dill-Lime Cream Cheese Pinwheel Appetizer
This is a gorgeous and delicious hor d' oeuvres or appetizer, though a little time consuming to put together. To save yourself the last minute stress, make the roll the day before your event and simply slice and plate before serving. Our daughter Michelle loves this filling so well that she serves it as a dip with fresh vegetables! ~Ann
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 Christmas Eve Wassail
This wassail has so many good memories associated with it in our family. Ann’s mom and dad served this in Grandma Doolittle’s samovar every Chrismas Eve as the family and friends began to gather before supper. As Ann’s and Tony’s families blended, it was Tony’s mom’s great joy to find this English tradition already in place! Though our kids are long past legal drinking age, they are still quick to point out that this wassail is just as good without the rum and that it needn’t be limited to Christmas! It’s a great apre-ski beverage too! ~Ann
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 Blackened Pan Fried Oysters
Good oysters are a given here in oyster country on the banks of Willapa Bay. Keeping in mind our motto with oysters ( Keep It Simple Stupid!) this recipe takes a handful of good fresh oysters and simply adds a flavor-ful heat that will wake up your tastebuds. ~Ann
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 English Cream Scones
The quintessential scone recipe. We've spared no fat in this recipe--these are scones as the Brits created them: full of butter and cream and a scattering of currants (or craisins if you live in cranberry country as we do.) They need only a dollop of Lemon Curd and a good cuppa. ~Ann
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 Autumn Salad
This salad has become a permanent fixture on the Shoalwater menu, no matter what the season. The sweet ' n tart cranberries, the tangy feta cheese and the toasty walnuts are wonderful with fresh organic greens. ~Ann
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 Ann's Famous Bread Pudding
Tony and I have a running battle about the best way to eat this bread pudding—he loves his warm right out of the oven. I love mine chilled. I guess we’ll have to leave it to you to decide which YOU like best! ~Ann
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 Chef Lynn Pelletier's
Kalamata Olive, Sun-dried Tomato and Shredded Egg Fettucine
Good food doesn’t have to take time and this delicious peasant-style entree proves it! This is one QUICK supper! While the pasta water is coming to a boil, chop the herbs, olives and tomatoes, and cook the omelette. When the water boils, throw the pasta into the pot. You should have enough time to uncork a bottle of Pinot Gris, set the table and toss a green salad before it’s time to drain the pasta and finish the sauce. ~Ann
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 White Chocolate and Ginger Tart
with Riesling and Star Anise Poached Pears
OK! OK! I've received so many requests for this recipe this winter that I'm going to post it here so you can share it with your friends. Don't be fooled by what looks like a rather long recipe. The tart is quick and easy, and the poached pears can be prepared days in advance. This spring you may find the tart on the dessert tray at the Shoalwater accompanied by a fresh strawberry, mango and lime "salsa" instead of the poached pear. The tropical flavors of the salsa are a delightful counterpoint to the ginger and sesame seeds in the tart, and the combination makes me think of SUN! From my bakery to yours with love, Ann
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 Innkeeper's Mussel Chowder
Featured in Sunset Magazine!
We were very honored to have our Mussel Chowder recipe featured in the February, 2001 issue of Sunset Magazine. This recipe debuted on our first menu in 1981. It has changed somewhat over the years as we work to improve everything on our menus, but it remains largely as it was 20 years ago. In its current incarnation we've substitued Willapa Bay Manila Clams for half of the mussels and we use Yukon gold potatoes because of the way they hold their shape and texture in soups and stews, not to mention their lovely golden color in this beautiful pink chowder! ~Ann
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 Northwest Bouillabaisse
Summer is here, and with it the house guests who flock to the Northwest have arrived to enjoy what we all take for granted: an abundance of cool deep green forests, mountains and water everywhere you turn and mouth-wateringly delicious SEAFOOD! To showcase the bounty of the sea which IS the Northwest, treat your guests (and yourself) to this wonderful bouillabaisse for supper. Use the freshest seafood you can find (we like ours right off the docks in Ilwaco!) in any combination that appeals to your palate. Serve it with a salad of summer greens and citrusy vinaigrette, crusty french bread and a chilled Hogue Fume Blanc, a chilled Hogue Pinot Gris or a rich Adelsheim Pinot Noir and expect them to be back again next summer! ~Ann
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 Cranberry Barbeque Sauce
August is often a foggy and cool month here on the peninsula, but September and October bring the long Indian summer days which put the intense reds into our famous cranberry crops. This is our best beach barbeque weather, and this recipe for Cranberry Barbeque Sauce is a favorite of ours (and our customers!).
One of our favorite menu preparations is our Cranberry Pork Tenderloin. Baste a whole pork tenderloin with the Cranberry Barbeque Sauce and grill until done. While the tenderloin is cooking, mix equal parts of the Cranberry Barbeque Sauce and chicken stock together in a saucepan and cook over high heat to reduce the liquid to 1/3 the original volume. Add heavy cream to lighten the sauce, reduce again until thickened and remove from the heat. After allowing the pork tenderloin to set up for 5 minutes, slice it into medallions, fan them over a bed of jasmine rice and spoon the sauce over the top! Serve with a fall harvest succotash of roasted corn and beans and enjoy. ~Ann
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 Asian Chicken and Coconut Soup
This soup is a great cure for the winter doldrums. Be proactive and get prepared now: make up a big batch of rich chicken stock and freeze it. Pick up a bottle of Asian Fish Sauce at your local Asian market for your refrigerator, and stock a few cans of coconut milk (unsweetened) in your pantry. Of course, you've always got gingerroot and limes, don't you? Next time you find yourself staring out the window at the rain and thinking of reggae, Mariachi bands or schools of humuhumunukunukuapuaa fish flitting through warm tropical waters rush into the kitchen and whip up a batch of this "sunshine" infusion. In less than 15 minutes you'll feel MUCH better! ~Ann
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Asian Crab Cakes with Red Pepper and Ginger Mayonaise and Chocolate Pear Cake with Créme Anglais