NORTH CONWAY, N.H. - Visions of cookies, candy, and gingerbread houses will dance right before your eyes at the 11th annual Inn to Inn Holiday Cookie and Candy Tour in Mount Washington Valley.
Seventeen inns will be decked out this weekend in seasonal splendor as visitors get a chance to help local charities while sampling colorfully decadent desserts. Talk about doing good while doing well.
Each inn will create two goodies baked from original recipes. Visitors on the self-guided tour get to sample the treats and receive copies of the recipes so they can make them back home. Visit all 17 inns and you go home with an ornamental keepsake.
Everybody's hands will be in the cookie jar with flavors like chocolate pistachio, caramel, and cranberry oatmeal. Who can resist candy cane drop cookies or cheddar-parmesan-sun-dried tomato biscotti?
As part of the festivities, there will be a gingerbread sculpture contest. Businesses will sponsor creations made by area artists, schools, or bakers. Their work will be on display at the inns, and visitors can vote for their favorites. Donations to designated charities will be made in the winners' names. Many of the sculptures will be sold later in a charity auction sponsored by the Jackson, N.H., Chamber of Commerce.
The tour is limited to 400 participants, and inn guests get first priority. Any remaining tickets will be sold to the public. Sweet dreams.
11th annual Inn to Inn Holiday Cookie and Candy Tour, various Mount Washington Valley inns, Dec. 8-9, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 877-854-6535, countryinnsinthewhitemountains.com. Tickets $25 at the 1785 Inn, Riverbend Inn, Notchland Inn, and Admiral Peary House on Saturday at 11 a.m. Lodging packages available. Directions: North Conway is 130 miles or about three hours from Boston. Take Interstate 93 north to I-95 north to Spaulding Turnpike to Route 16.
MARTY BASCH
