Summer is in full swing at Abigail’s, and although the weather has been slightly cooler than normal, we are enjoying a very busy season. Our little family has increased as we welcome some new faces to the team: Kelly Clark and Colleen Weaver have joined our Front Desk team while Alice Vinden, Kristi Leon, Matt Stanley and Felicia Cope have all joined us in Housekeeping. They couldn’t have joined us at a busier time and so far, all still have smiles on their faces and are doing a fabulous job!

We are also embarking on some very exciting changes. After 25 years of using our trademark water colour logo, we have decided it is time to refresh the look of Abigail’s to better reflect who we are and where we are heading. Over the last few months, we have been busy designing a new website, logo, photography and collateral which we hope will give us a new way to tell our story.

We are very excited about these upcoming changes and although things may look a little different, we remain true to the things which make Abigail’s so special and unique – our guests and providing first class service in an elegant yet comfortable surrounding.

The busy summer season has begun at Abigail’s and we are all looking forward to a successful few months. There are some exciting changes in store for the hotel. Last month we had new photography taken of all the guestrooms, public spaces and exterior, by photographer Alec Watson. We are in the development stages of refreshing our brand, which will include a new logo, website and Marketing collateral, plus many technological improvements including a new website booking engine.

As Hotels tirelessly strive to gain new business, we at Abigail’s, would like to thank our past and repeat guests who have helped make Abigail’s what it is today. We’d like to celebrate these guests with a chance to win a 2 night stay in one of our Honeymoon Rooms! Tell us your most memorable experience while staying at Abigail’s and you will be entered into a draw. The winner will be announced in July.

Enter by fax, email or mail. All entries must be received by June 30, 2010.

This is a fabulously decadent recipe from Chef Victoria. For those willing to try it out, we’d love to hear how it goes! Share your stories on Twitter, Facebook our right here on our blog.

Chef Victoria’s Spinach and Smoked Salmon Rolled Cheese Souffle
6-8 Servings

10-oz, 284-g, or 7 cups fresh spinach
6 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
¼ tsp nutmeg
1-1/4 cups milk
¾ cup grated cheese, your choice
(I like Blue & white cheddar)
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp cream of tartar
½ cup regular sour cream
150-g pkg smoked salmon, about 10 slices/ or 4 cups sliced mushrooms, sauteed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
line a 15 X 10 jelly roll pan with a sheet of parchment paper
let 2 inches hang over the sides
lightly spray with Pam.

Remove & discard tough stems from spinach. Steam spinach in boiling water until just wilted. Drain & when cool enough to handle, using your hands, squeeze out as much water as possible. Then coarsely chop spinach.

Separate egg yolks from whites, placing yolks in a small bowl and whites in a Kitchen-aid mixer bowl. Melt butter in a medium size saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk in flour and nutmeg to form a paste. Whisk constantly until mixture bubbles, for a minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Cool, stirring constantly, until thick & bubbly, about 2-3 minutes. Whisk in cheese. Remove from heat.

Whisk egg yolks, then whisk 2 tablespoons thickened hot milk mixture into yolks.

Slowly pour yolks into milk mixture in saucepan, stirring constantly. Scrape mixture into a large bowl. Stir in spinach until evenly distributed.

Sprinkle salt & cream of tartar over egg whites. Beat whites until they form peaks when whisk is lifted, about 2-3 minutes. Stir half of whites into spinach mixture in bowl. Then, using a spatula, gently fold in remaining whites. Immediately turn mixture into paper-lined pan, spreading to cover entire pan. Smooth top. Immediately bake in center of oven until soufflé has risen, surface is slightly cracked and edges are a light golden brown, from 12 to 14 minutes.

Meanwhile, place a clean tea towel on a cutting board larger than jelly roll pan.

When soufflé is baked, remove from oven and immediately place cutting board, tea towel-side down, on top of soufflé. Then turn upside down. Place cutting board on counter. Remove pan. Slowly & carefully peel off paper. Starting from smaller edge, roll soufflé up into tea towel, forming a pinwheel log. Let roll cool on counter, wrapped in tea towel, for 15 minutes.

Then unroll soufflé and spread sour cream. Arrange salmon/ or mushrooms overtop, covering as much sour cream as possible. Reroll soufflé using tea towel to help shape it into a snug pinwheel log. Slice with a serrated knife. Serve hot or at room temperature.

I sometimes enjoy the soufflé with a drizzle of heavy cream reduced by a third, with an added tablespoon of Dijon mustard.

Chef Victoria Kirby

When Abigail’s Executive Chef, Matt McGinn, decided to take a long awaited family holiday to Ireland, we all wished him a fantastic trip and safe travels. Everything was planned, our part time chef, Victoria, was to fill in during the week, and on weekends, Matt arranged for a former colleague, Kendra, to fill in. Both chef’s were amazing, all the staff gained at least 5 pounds and now Matt has some catching up to do to match chef Victoria’s sumptuous baked goods.

All was running smoothly until that dreaded email….Matt is stuck in Ireland and doesn’t know when he can get out. The airline disruptions have hit home! Was new GM, Nick’s worst nightmare about to happen? Would he suddenly find himself at the helm of the kitchen cooking for a full house? Thankfully, for all of us, no! With some quick thinking and a bit of persuasion, Wes was able to convince our former chef, Jan Boyd, to rescue us from potential food poisoning. Jan resumed control of the kitchen with ease and all of us who remember her sinfully good breakfasts, are once again indulging in some of the best breakfasts Abigail’s has ever served (insert weight gain here…)

We hope Matt returns to us soon and isn’t lost in a cloud of ash, or a pub in Ireland?? – But until then, Abigail’s kitchen is in fabulous hands, treating guests (and staff) to Victoria’s most sinfully decadent gourmet breakfasts.

After 10 years of dedication to Abigail’s Hotel, current General Manager, Wes Wong, will be leaving us in September to take an articling position, in pursuit of his Chartered Accountant designation with Grant Thornton, here in Victoria.

Joining us is Nick Saklas, son of owner Ellen Cmolik, who enticed her son to join our team on March 1, 2010. Coincidentally, Nick has left a 10 year career as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG LLP in Vancouver. Nick has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Victoria, is a Chartered Accountant and a Chartered Business Valuator. For the last five years, Nick practiced in Corporate Finance, specializing in Mergers and Acquisitions.

Nick will be bringing with him his wife, Lisa, and their 1 year old son Alexander. Nick and Lisa met while at UVic, so neither are strangers to life on Vancouver Island. Nick is very excited and enthusiastic to be joining the Abigail’s family.