farmhouse in Madison County and is the stove that

farmhouse in Madison County and is the stove that he learned to cook on. When The Inn opened, it was brought in to use for displaying the desserts. "One Mother's Day a party of four with their 80-year-old mother arrived without a reservation, and unable to say no, Reinhardt seated them at the stove. It then became clear that the stove was occupying valuable revenue space and it gave way to a table. The little red stove unhappily went back home to the farm," he said. Two years ago the stove was stolen from the farmhouse, said Chef O'Connell, and "Because the thieves couldn't get the stove out the doorway they smashed right through the kitchen wall for an exit." Messrs. O'Connell and Lynch traced it to a Delaware antique shop. "Ever since, it has been held as evidence in the Sheriffs Office of Madison County awaiting the trials of the burglars. It was only allowed out by special dispensation of the Commonwealth’s Attorney to be here tonight," explained Chef O'Connell.

The cookbook is for sale in The Inn's new gift shop on Main Street, located in the small building which was most recently the Ragged Mountain Resource Center, along with a new line of gift items. Also for sale will be the Sunday New York Times. The shop is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The following recipes from the new book are sure to please your guests during the holiday season:

Sweet Potato Soup

With Rum Cream

Serves 10

3 tbsp. butter

1 medium-size onion, coarsely chopped

9 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

1 tsp. curry powder

5 to 6 medium-size sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 cup cream

1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and white pepper to taste

Rum Cream

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. grated lemon zest

3 tbsp. good-quality dark rum