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LACORSETTE MAISON INN
A Des Moines Iowa Bed and Breakfast
Newton, Iowa - USA
641-792-6833
lacorsettemaison@aol.com

The INN

The first time I stepped into La Corsette was after a long drive on a cold, foggy January evening. Entering, my senses were soothed by the yeasty smell of bread baking, the warm glow of candlelight and the crackle of a fire. Twenty or thirty people, some dressed formally and some in sweaters and slacks, gathered near the grand piano in the living room. Anne had begun the tour of the home and was describing its history.

The living room was unlike any I had ever been in, and I would echo this thought throughout the tour. Leafy green plants cast exotic shadows on the ceiling and prisms from leaded glass light fixtures sparkled the walls. A merry-go-round horse pranced in the front window, as if ready to carry the next rider on its gilded saddle. Deep, pillowy sofas and a glass-topped table with books and magazines surrounded the fireplace. Here was a place not only to look, but to touch.

Anne guided us through the dining room with it massive Mission oak table, hutch and buffet, all original to the home. One long wall consisted of three sets of French doors, each with stained glass ivy delicately twisting upward. Behind the doors, the atrium with its stained glass skylight help several candlelit tables. Tucked into a corner of the main floor was the den, offering intimate dining in front of a fireplace. A broad window seat, its oak woodwork softly glowing, offered a view of the wide veranda.

One guest room, the original master bedroom of the home, was on the main floor. A king-size bed and hidden TV were modern comforts, but the white-tiled bathroom with its giant, footed tub and pedestal sink had pampered its users for many years.

Downstairs we found three guest rooms; the cozy, whimsical French Hen House; the long and winding French Lilac Suite; and perhaps most opulent, the Windsor Hunt Suite. Stepping into the room on its mosaic tiled floor, I first saw the sleigh and English saddle. Tucked into a corner, they set the theme for this grand, gilded room. Across a wide expanse of tile and rug stood a queen-size poster bed, so high that wooden steps led up the side. Turning around, I was surprised to see another room in the suite, behind the sleigh. With its fireplace, sofa ornamented with carved wood and easy chair, this would be an ideal place for quiet relaxation. Antique cases held books--once again, this was a room to be lived in.

There was one guest room on the top floor of the house, the Penthouse. Easily the most private place, it was an oasis of exotic rugs, pottery and pillows. A door led out to the roof, and leaded glass windows wrapped around the room. On a sunny morning the light streaming through the beveled glass would send rainbows dancing in the air.

Local Business Spotlight: New owners bring enthusiasm, big ideas to LaCorsette Maison

By ANDY KARR NDN Editor
Posted: Thursday, September 13, 2007 11:08 AM CDT

Last winter, Maine residents John and Annie Gerken were looking to buy a restaurant and inn somewhere in the Midwest so they could move closer to their families.

So when Annie came across an internet sale listing for LaCorsette Maison Inn, 629 First Ave. E., she couldn’t help but get excited at the thought of owning it. The inn seemed like the perfect fit — located in Newton, not far from family in Omaha and Kansas City and nestled in a community where the Gerkens see real growth potential.

Annie and John called local realtor Jo Jenkins and made plans to come to Newton in April. Soon after, they struck a deal. The couple officially took ownership of the facility and have been running it since Aug. 27.
Located along First Avenue East, the former Bergman house was built between 1909 and 1911 and remained a private residence until Kay Owen turned it into an inn with fine dining in 1983. The building is listed on the national historical register and much of it remains in its original condition. The home and its adjacent sister property boast five rooms for patrons, which combine historical elegance with modern amenities.

The Gerkens, Owen and Jenkins sat down earlier this week for coffee and some of John’s homemade sourdough pecan coffee cake. The group talked about the purchase and the future of LaCorsette and shared a few jokes. Annie mentioned that she and her husband loved both the house itself and Owen’s legacy.

“They bought me, too,” Owen said, drawing laughs from everyone. Although she’s stepping away from fulltime ownership of the business, Owen plans to help out at LaCorsette from time to time. She’ll tend the garden there where the inn grows many of its own seasonings.
The Gerkens bring with them some ideas for expanding the business. John Gerken loves to cook and sees that side of the business expanding to include catering for corporate lunches and wedding receptions on site. He believes he can accommodate up to 45 people at a time.

With past restaurant experience, Gerken brings plenty of culinary knowledge to the table. He said he prefers working in a reservation-only setting, where the work is less stressful than working on a line in a typical restaurant and allows him more freedom.

“Having a place like this where its reservation only, I can be a little more selective,” he said. After living in Maine for about 20 years, John knows his way around seafood. He already has been preparing an appetizer dish with big scallops from Maine, among some of his other creations like pesto-stuffed pork chops, a mushroom bisque soup and a molten chocolate dessert.

John said he likes to use lots of local ingredients whenever possible, but that doesn’t stop him from special ordering just about anything a diner could want.

Although he loves to cook, John isn’t quite sure why. It’s just something that comes naturally to him. He describes his cooking style as “upscale country,” and, as Owen noted, is too modest about his skills to give himself to much praise. “He’s being humble,” Owen said. “The flavors meld very well.”

Dinner at LaCorsette is reservation only, but is not limited to just people staying at the inn. Anyone can call and make reservations. Annie Gerken recommends calling before noon the day of, if not earlier, as the inn takes reservations well in advance.

“Our goal is to be full all the time and to have reservations several months in advance for dinner,” Annie said. If the rest of the food is as tasty as John’s sourdough pecan cake, that shouldn’t be a problem.

Andy Karr
Newton Daily News