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Made from scratch cooking means country in many area restaurants, but at Richmont Inn the term refers to international cuisine from all over the world prepared by the inn's very own chef.

"I'll try anything," said Carrie Barrett, the chef at Richmont. "If I can make it homemade, I'll do it. I think it improves the quality so much more."

Richmont, located on Winterberry Lane in the Laurel Valley section of Townsend, prides itself on providing its guests service in a rustic yet elegant setting.

Normally the Inn has 10 rooms, all with king or queen beds and it caters mainly to couples. The Lodge beside the main building burned earlier this year and the management is moving quickly to rebuild.

The grounds include a chapel in the woods where small weddings with up to 16 people can be held. There is also a cabin gift shop.

October will mark the 17th year that Jim and Susan Hind have owned and operated the secluded bed and breakfast. One of the things that bring patrons back is the food.

Barrett learned to love cooking when helping her mother, Nancy, at their home in Lenoir City. "My Mom always cooked and I always helped her in the kitchen. It was something I always liked to do."

Barrett already holds degrees in culinary arts and in hotel and restaurant management and in May will be getting a baking and pastry degree, all from Walter's State Community College.

She has also been a server, a job chefs do as training, at the exclusive Club LeConte in Knoxville and the Inn at Blackberry Farm at Walland.

Having been at Richmont for a little over a year, her main interest is in baking. "I use this as a learning experience for me. I will include recipes I make at school in the menus," she said.

International breakfast

The food experience at Richmont Inn begins each day with an international breakfast.

Not a real pastry addict, Barrett's passion for food is bread. A goal of model-thin Barrett is "to come up with the perfect croissant recipe. I'm proud of my croissant recipe. I've worked on it for months. Every time I make croissants, I change something. That is the best thing I make on a regular basis."

She makes all the bread served at the inn from scratch, French bread, croissants sourdough, orange nut, rye and others.

"I usually make the breads, let them sit overnight to allow the flavor to develop and the yeast to work a little better and then bake them. I hope the food is what the guests really remember," she said.

She estimates that maybe 30 percent of the business is repeat customers, most from Chattanooga, Nashville or Knoxville who come for special occasions, like birthdays or anniversaries.

Repeat guests at Richmont know what to expect of meals.

The complimentary full breakfast starts with a cereal bar with homemade seven-grain granola and shredded wholegrain wheat with choices of numerous fruits, hot oatmeal-ambrosia, yogurt and fresh orange juice.

This is followed with dishes from every part of the wold, such as French Baked Eggs, Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancakes with maple syrup, Scottish Eggs and scones and French Toast L'Orange with rum soaked bananas. The most American breakfast foods served are apple cinnamon pancakes and country egg casseroles.

A variety of regular and decaf coffees is available.

Four-course dinner

On Friday and Saturday the Inn offers a Classic Swiss Fondue Dinner in the Cove Cafe. This is a pre-set menu and the only choice is the dressing for the salads, Barrett said.

The four-course meal includes imported Swiss Emmenthaler and Gruyere cheeses and homemade French bread; mixed field greens with a choice of French vinaigrette or creamy peppercorn dressing; a main course of beef tenderloin, chicken breast and tiger shrimp cooked together in a vegetable broth; and Belgian dark bittersweet chocolate ganache cheesecake and pound cake dipped in chocolate and fruit.

"The fruit is what's in season and what looks good," Bennett said. She shops local markets that sell fresh farm fruits and vegetables.

The Inn can fit only about 10 people for meals and reservations are required.

Tea and cookies are available every afternoon. This can include biscotti, Russian tea cakes and peanut brittle bars.

As the local strawberry crops begin to come in, she will be doing strawberry crepes and later in the summer will be offering zucchini pies, depending on what is in season.

From 8 to 9 p.m. Richmont hosts Candelight Dessert time, with gourmet coffees, biscotti, the Inn's signature dessert (Creme Brulee Kahlua Dessert) and other offerings, such as homemade ice cream, sorbets, Apple Crum Tarts and Grapefruit Granita.

Guests can request gourmet picnic baskets any time, but must give the staff time to prepare and pack the meal. These can be placed in a backpack for hiking or in a small bucket or on trays that can be taken up to rooms. Guests have a choice of mesquite or honey mustard chicken breast or smoked sockeye salmon, and fresh seasonal fruit, Brie cheese, small loaves of homemade bread with sweet honey mustard, biscotti and bottled water.

When The Daily Times visited Richmont Inn, Barrett was busy preparing Irish Cream Squares, shaving Callebaut bittersweet chocolate imported from Belgium off an 11-pound block, melting the chocolate, adding heavy cream, Jack Daniels whiskey and other ingredients.

Chef Barrett's ultimate goal is "to own and operate an upscale catering business that offers small intimate parties, paying a lot of attention to detail."