The Williamsville Inn: West Stockbridge, MA: Welcome

Innkeepers Kandy and Erhard Wendt and their children, Sara and Samuel, at their Williamsville Inn in West Stockbridge will celebrate a family Christmas in the traditions of their native Germany. Photo: Caroline Bonnivier / Berkshire Eagle Staff

Two tall Christmas trees in the dining room and the family room of the Williamsville Inn are both decorated with glittering balls, garlands and lights for the family of innkeepers Kandy and Erhard Wendt and their children, Sara and Samuel.

Sara, who is nearly 7, stands tall and dignified as we wander about asking questions and photographing, but breaks into cartwheels every now and then. Impish Samuel, 5, runs gleefully into and out of the new state-of-the-art -- yet still warm and homey -- kitchen. He exclaims, "Me! Me!," as cookies and Stollen slices are arranged on platters.

His father, placid at the central island, one-handedly cracks eggs to whisk furiously for the next evening's chocolate mousse. Kandy Wendt maintains apparently effortless order amidst everyone else's individual purposes and needs.

It has grown dark outside. And colder. Through the large un-curtained windows around the old inn -- built as a farmhouse by Christopher French in 1797 -- the night enfolds the us. It heightens the light and warmth from the dining room's fireplace and Kandy Wendt's creamy uncluttered color scheme and interiors' brightness. She has created a peaceful oasis far from home.

"When you get older you miss your family. You miss your friends. You miss the things you had as a child," she reminisced.

"Part of what we miss that is German is the traditions and celebration of Christmas and the importance of family. Christmas is important. It is a very spiritual and festive time," she went on.

Originally from small towns in different parts of central Germany, the Wendts, after many years in the hospitality industry first separately then together in America and around the world, bought the inn just over two years ago. They spent six and a half months as their own contractors doing extensive renovation.

"We work seven days a week. 24/7. The entire year our business comes first," Kandy Wendt told me. But at Christmastime their family comes first.

"We decorate our trees at the beginning of December and fill out house with wreaths and candlelight. Each of the four Sundays before Christmas we light Advent candles. First one then two and so forth," Kandy says.

In traditional German homes, Advent candles are different colors for each week. The first candle is the darkest color, purple. The second is the lighter lavender. The third pink. The last white for more and more lightness.

Near the front door the Wendts hang an Advent tree with pockets full of candies for their children. Every afternoon when Sara and Samuel come home from school they get to choose one.

"We bake several kinds of Christmas cookies early in December," says Kandy who prepares the appetizers and desserts and is the sous chef for the restaurant.

"We bake Lebküchen which are big dark spice cookies -- very traditional. And Maccronen made of coconut," she begins.

She will also bake Kipferl, horseshoe-shaped almond and vanilla cookies; Buttergebaeck, decorated butter cookies; Spritzgebaeck, butter or chocolate cookies shaped by a press; and Stöllen, the German candied fruit-filled Christmas yeast bread.

On Christmas Eve Day, the family shares a very substantial breakfast including French toast, meats and cheeses. The most important meal of the day as Kandy puts it.

"We eat breakfast like an emperor; lunch like a king; dinner like a pauper," she quotes a German proverb to me.

"The rest of the day we play games. Sara is now learning checkers. We watch 'It's a Wonderful Life' or another favorite Christ-mas movie. We always cook to-gether. We eat our Christmas Eve dinner with lots of candles. Everything has to be perfect.

"We have our Christmas Eve dinner of roast goose, red cabbage braised with apples, potato dumplings and, for dessert, pear crumble cake with flaked Stilton cheese.

"We believe that contrast be-tween things sometimes creates harmony. Like the rich goose with the tart cabbage. The heavy goose with the light pear dessert. The hot sweet pear with the cold salty, savory cheese," she goes on.

In Erhard's family they ate a meal of many smoked fishes -- salmon, mackerel, hot smoked salmon, salmon & leek salad -- when he was growing up.

Nowadays, after Christmas Eve dinner in the Wendt's home, comes the opening of presents.

"If you would do this before dinner then nobody would have dinner. By this time, the kids get really tired and it is time for bed. This day is about being together. It's really just a whole day for family," Kandy says.

"We miss our culture. One day we will go back to Germany so our children get to know their cousins," she mused. "But for now this is a family inn. We welcome families with children of all ages. We rescued an inn that was ready to fall apart. We rescued it with our love and it is warm not only through its colors. But warm through our own spirit, Kandy concludes.

On Christmas Day the inn will open to serve the public an elegant dinner including Erhard's childhood smoked salmon-leek salad.

About us:

We look forward welcoming you to the beautifully restored Williamsville Inn with its gracious historic ambiance & interior design, exceptional gourmet dining, our own Cooking School and a beautiful Country Inn setting perfect for weddings, retreats and romantic getaways.
For reservations and inquiries, please call us at 413-274-6118 or email us at Thewilliamsville@aol.com.

Cordially,

Kandy, Erhard, Sarah & Samuel Wendt
Innkeepers / Chef-owner