THE OLD IRON INN B&B COOKBOOK, by Kate McCartney, Graphique DesignWorks, Caribou, 1999, 79 pages, $12.

Kate McCartney thinks life can be like a waffle: aromatic, golden and satisfying. But maybe it also could be like a chocolate cheesecake muffin: rich, smooth and sensuous.

Whatever breakfast food you choose to emulate, it likely is included in a cookbook published by McCartney, who co-owns The Old Iron Inn B&B in Caribou with her husband, Kevin. The inn is named for the hundreds of antique irons on display throughout the four-bedroom home.

Since 1992, the inn has offered lodging and home-cooked breakfast made with the freshest ingredients that McCartney can find. Puff pancakes, blintz souffles and mini-cheese quiches are among the diverse breakfast fare.

“I try to do things as fresh and as nice as possible,” said McCartney. “I care. That’s what it boils down to.”

After several years in the bed & breakfast business, McCartney decided to share her best recipes and experiences living in a northern Maine town. The book is now in its second edition. Besides favorite breakfast dishes, it features recipes for main courses and desserts. Tips are also included on hosting groups of people, serving the food and other ways to make the dining experience more enjoyable.

The McCartneys moved to Caribou after Kevin, a geology professor, started teaching at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. The couple wanted to “have a nice house,” and without many job prospects in her field, they decided to look into running a B&B.

As a undergraduate student, McCartney had traveled through England, staying at B&Bs. She enjoyed learning the culture and learning the ways of the local people in the British countryside.

The B&B option also allowed McCartney to read and write as much as she wanted. She holds a master’s degree in literature from the University of Maine in Orono.

“I’ve always wanted a lifestyle and not a career,” McCartney says. “I’ve traded in a 9 to 5 existence for a 5 to 9 existence.”

Most of the recipes in the cookbook are McCartney’s or ones that she has adapted over the years. In her opinion, good food starts with good recipes and fresh ingredients.

“A lot of people don’t care about their food,” McCartney says. “I do.”

She enjoys describing the attributes of a good tomato: its redness and ripeness and how it feels in her hands.

“It matters to me whether it smells good and looks good,” McCartney says.

Freshness of her ingredients is paramount. She purchases fresh eggs and homemade butter from a county farm. In season, a grocery store nearby can be counted on to provide fresh vegetables and fruits.

Atmosphere is key to the lodging and eating experience at the inn. The dining room can fit 16 people comfortably on two large tables set with lacy cloths and cloth placemats.

The oak wood gracing the entire house dates from the turn of the century. The living room is furnished with old mission and Windsor pieces. The maple floors are complemented with numerous rugs. Each of the four bedrooms have high-back oak double beds and down comforters. The old-fashioned tables and dressers are also oak.

“We looked [for these furnishings],” McCartney says. “We knew what we wanted.”

Besides recipes, the book includes anecdotes such as a story about a young Mennonite couple picking Caribou for their honeymoon, and the monthly music nights the inn sponsors.

Getting back to those chocolate cheesecake muffins. It’s an easy recipe to make — I tried it out on my own family and friends — that calls for common ingredients and yields delicious results. The richness of the chocolate and cream cheese cause you to linger at the breakfast table.

McCartney’s breakfast treats are the perfect complement to your morning coffee and juice. The recipe was included in the 1997 edition of “Innkeepers’ Best Muffins,” produced by Down to Earth Publishers.

“The Old Iron Inn B&B Cookbook” can be purchased at Cozy Corner Collectibles at the Aroostook Centre Mall in Presque Isle, Piece of Eight bookstore in Presque Isle, and Mr. Paperback in Caribou. People can also contact the B&B directly at 155 High St., Caribou 04736, or call 492-4766. E-mail: oldiron@mfx.net

Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins

(Makes six big muffins)

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon almond extract

Filling:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup powdered sugar

2 drops almond extract

1 tablespoon cornstarch

To save time the night before, mix together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Cover with a clean dish towel and set aside. Grease muffin tin.

In morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, make filling, creaming ingredients until uniformly fluffy. Set aside.

In another bowl, beat the wet ingredients and add to the flour mixture. Mix just until you no longer see dry bits in the batter.

Fill the bottom of the muffin cup with approximately two tablespoons of the batter, or about 1/3 full. Dab a spoonful of the cream cheese filling in the middle of each muffin, making sure the filling does not touch the sides of the cup. Cover the cream cheese with remainder of batter, filling muffin cup. Work quickly so the cream cheese doesn’t sink to the bottom. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Makes 6 big muffins.