Avery House B&B

Avery House B&B Avery House Bed and Breakfast, Stratford, Ontario, Canada One of the "Best B&Bs in Canada" on TripAdvisor. Luxurious kings/twins, ensuite baths.

Suites with large balconies and indoor seating areas. Scrumptious, locally sourced breakfasts, cooked from scratch. Smoke/pet free, wireless internet, central air, on-site parking. Walking distance to all theatres, restaurants and shopping.

What were guests raving about? Linguine with meatballs at Fellini's Restaurant, chicken bowl at Mercer Kitchen/Beer Hall...
06/14/2026

What were guests raving about? Linguine with meatballs at Fellini's Restaurant, chicken bowl at Mercer Kitchen/Beer Hall/Hotel, and black cod at Bluebird Bar and Restaurant. Yum!

Decades ago, as a kid, John had a great time making crab apple jelly during summers on a farm outside Hanover, Ontario. ...
06/13/2026

Decades ago, as a kid, John had a great time making crab apple jelly during summers on a farm outside Hanover, Ontario.

We've served lots of different homemade jams and jellies at breakfasts, made with local berries and stone fruits from Niagara. But it is a real treat when we can get our hands on elusive crab apples. It’s all about those wonderful tart-sweet flavors, stunning colour, along with a heavy dose of nostalgia too.

Crab apples have become surprisingly tough to find, though, as many of the old trees have been taken down over the years. Plus, the traditional process is a labor of love: boiling the apples to extract the juice, straining it, boiling it down, and finally, hot-water processing the jars to keep them shelf-stable.

But the stars aligned last fall. A long-time guest shared a bounty from her own trees, and another friend of a friend dropped off a huge haul that otherwise would have gone to waste. With that amazing abundance, we went down a rabbit hole of how to process.

Enter the “fruit juice steamer.” While this gadget is new to us, the technology has been around for decades. These steamers were a staple in farm kitchens and harvest homes, designed to make preserving large quantities of fruit easier for families on the farmstead.

Think of it as a specialized double boiler with a spigot. You place the fruit in the top section, bring the water in the base to a boil, and watch as pure, vibrant juice begins to trickle out. It takes a while to extract everything, but the best part is that it’s completely hands-off time. No more fussing around with hot apple mush in a cheesecloth for straining. The yield is fantastic, and the flavor stays bright and fresh. It is a uni-tasker, for sure, but an awesome one.

Jars from our latest batch will be hitting the breakfast table this coming week. We hope guests enjoy being introduced to this hard-to-find classic.

We hope that we will see you here at Avery House this season. Link in comments/

has opened on Market Place! A lovely shop. A local artist. And while there, those of you who have stayed with us over t...
06/10/2026

has opened on Market Place! A lovely shop. A local artist. And while there, those of you who have stayed with us over the years, will see a familiar face, the amazing woman we call 2.0 because she’s also an Amanda! And if you are super lucky, you will meet Minnie’s friend, Monty. Who taught Minnie that rolling in the grass is a blast.

Itoh peony rescued from the bargain bin at Canadian Tire 2 years ago. Patience paid off (and lots of love from Ellen, ou...
06/10/2026

Itoh peony rescued from the bargain bin at Canadian Tire 2 years ago. Patience paid off (and lots of love from Ellen, our wonderful gardener). What’s blooming with you?

What were guests raving about last week? Pork Belly Tacos at Keystone Alley; a seafood entree that is served in a coconu...
06/05/2026

What were guests raving about last week? Pork Belly Tacos at Keystone Alley; a seafood entree that is served in a coconut 🥥 shell at Stratford Thai cuisine; and we heard all about the steaks, seared salmon, and twice baked potatoes at Foster's Inn. Here at Avery House we will make sure you start your day well fueled and we love hearing about the other good eats you experience during your visit!

Yesterday Minnie and Amanda went out to Mike Schout Wetlands in the Township of Wilmot a 20 minute drive from Stratford....
06/02/2026

Yesterday Minnie and Amanda went out to Mike Schout Wetlands in the Township of Wilmot a 20 minute drive from Stratford. It’s a 55 acre preserve with a 1.6 km raised boardwalk. The biophony! I would have been happy to just sit and listen. Plenty of birds were visible but the one that caught my eye was a tree swallow as we don’t have any in our yard. And the frogs… I couldn’t see them but I could hear the distinctive gunk sound of male Green Frogs. If you head out that way, stop in The Garden Stand for delicious picnic treats!

This is exciting! We've raved about Slings & Arrows for years. The writing team behind the show has put together a "preq...
05/27/2026

This is exciting! We've raved about Slings & Arrows for years. The writing team behind the show has put together a "prequel play" called The Amateurs. It's getting its debut in a reading this summer. It's a one-night-only gig, Sun Jul 26, 7:30pm at the Stratford Festival's Meighan Forum.

Chris Abraham will direct, in collaboration with Crow's Theatre where he is AD. Like us, many of our guests are fans of his. He's helmed numerous productions here at Stratford over the years, including a 2013 Othello at the Avon that made a profound impression on us.

The announcement is a bit cryptic in saying that "Festival company members" will be performing. That being said, it would be quite a coincidence if the star of the TV show happened to be in Stratford this season in a major production, like, say, Waiting For Godot.

Fun! Definitely worth checking out.

Stratford has no shortage of good eats! Here’s what guests were raving about last week: The Common, the Dates & Manchego...
05/27/2026

Stratford has no shortage of good eats! Here’s what guests were raving about last week:

The Common, the Dates & Manchego app and the Black Cod entree

Braai House, the Lamb!

Rene's, Beef Tenderloin with the added note, save room for the pecan pudding cake!

The Perth County Courthouse is an iconic landmark: it's the dominant building where Ontario, Erie and Huron Streets conv...
05/26/2026

The Perth County Courthouse is an iconic landmark: it's the dominant building where Ontario, Erie and Huron Streets converge. Right next to the courthouse you’ll find a lovely little green space: The Shakespearean Gardens.

Originally the location of the Dufton Wollen Mill, which was built in 1874 and burned in 1919, leaving only the 20-meter chimney. In mid-1920s, after lobbying from R.T. Orr, a fierce champion of setting aside parkland in town, the City purchased the property. The decision was made to retain the chimney; a unique conical roof, purple martin birdhouse, and weather vane were added at the peak. Landscaping and other features gradually added over the following decades, including a bust of Shakespeare by artist Cleeve Horne in 1949. In the 1960s, the park was expanded to the west with the purchase of additional land; the gazebo was added at this time.

Around 2017, a local group, the “Friends of The Shakespearean Gardens” launched a significant revitalization of the garden. Over 50 rose bushes were added, and the Peony Society of Canada donated 100 peony plants. Many volunteers continue to be actively involved, including well-known local singer/song-writer Loreena McKennitt.

Today, the Gardens are a lovely spot for a brief stroll and a few minutes of quiet appreciation of the natural beauty. Check out the oldest double-arch stone bridge in Ontario; admire the collection of flowers, herbs, and shrubs, many of which are mentioned in Shakespeare’s plays; the gazebo is a perfect spot for photos. There are efforts currently underway to issue a heritage designation for this historic garden.

In town this Thursday? The Friends of the Shakespearean Garden invite you to join them on May 28th at 4:00 p.m. to celebrate the 90th Anniversary of the Stratford Historical Garden. A wonderful milestone in Canadian Public Gardens!

Photo Credits. Chimney Tower at Night Chris Arthurs. Other images: Sweet Touch of Nature - Studio & Print Shop.

Address

330 Ontario Street
Stratford, ON
N5A3H8

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