POINT CLEAR, Ala. - Guests and visitors who step inside the dining room at the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa these days might feel as though they've been transported to a winter wonderland from days gone by. Greeting them throughout the holiday season is a traditional gingerbread village that looks suspiciously like the hotel itself.

That's by design, according to John Jackson, who recently joined the hotel staff as head pastry chef. Created by Jackson, Executive Chef Mike Wallace and other Grand associates, the lighted display depicts all aspects of the resort nestled on Mobile Bay.

“It was (Wallace's) idea to do the hotel,” Jackson said. “We did a map and diagram, and pieced it all together.”

Jackson mixed up the ingredients and baked the gingerbread, which he used to assemble the hotel buildings, including the historic main building.

Wallace landscaped the gingerbread village with an assortment of edible features, including candy canes for poolside pillars, corn flakes for tree foliage and caviar rice for walking paths. He used a little poetic license when he installed a working train for the delight of children.

The gingerbread display took around two and a half weeks to complete, Jackson said. He rolled out the dough and used stencils to cut the pieces he needed before baking them.

Gingerbread dough often expands in the oven so he trimmed each section to the desired size. He then assembled them using royal icing - a concoction made of egg whites, powdered sugar and cream of tartar. For those interested in making their own gingerbread houses, Jackson noted commonly available meringue powder can be used in place of egg whites.

“It needs to be pretty thick,” he said. “It's almost like you're working with glue. You pipe it then it's hard as a rock overnight.”

Jackson pointed out the icing can be tinted using liquid colors or even paste colors, the method he prefers.

“Once we got it framed up, we drilled holes in the bottom of it and ran lights through them,” he said. The illumination was put in place before windows made of gelatin sheets were installed and then the roofs capped off the project.

The effort required tremendous teamwork and many hours to complete.

Jackson said, “It was a fun activity although we were in a rush to do it. I like challenges.”

The Nashville, Tenn. native arrived at the hotel Nov. 5. He said he enjoys working at the Grand, and likes those he works with.

Jackson is responsible for the production of all pastries for the hotel's restaurants as well as those provided for banquets and conferences. And he's no stranger to a kitchen.

“I started in high school when there was an opening in a commercial food class,” Jackson said. “I took that for one semester. I kept taking it, and took it through my senior year.”

He credits Peggy Owens, his culinary teacher, for inspiring him to move forward with what became a sweet career.

Jackson said, “She said I had a gift for creating wedding cakes and pastries. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't be in this business.”

After graduation in 1992, he continued to work alongside her in her catering business and also worked at the Opryland Hotel, where he remained for 15 years until moving to Fairhope with his new wife, the former Vanessa Valenzeela.

They met at Opryland just over two years ago, and married Oct. 26.

It should come as no surprise that the gingerbread hotel is drawing rave reviews. Jackson has won numerous awards for his gingerbread houses in the past, including those entered in charity competitions.

“We've had a lot of good feedback from our guests,” he said. “They love it and enjoy the scenery.”

They will likely enjoy it for years to come as well. He said when the display is taken apart at the end of the year, the key pieces will be stored and then reassembled next year, along with new touches to give it a fresh look.

Commenting on the gingerbread village Monday, Grand Hotel General Manager David Clark said, “I think it's spectacular. It points out every feature. I think they raised the bar. I noticed families gathering around it at Thanksgiving.”

He said parents and kids alike have enjoyed the display during the hotel's weekly Breakfast with Santa event, and they have also been pleased with the Grand's holiday décor and lights.

“I'm blessed with a great team,” Clark said. “They're very committed to continue to add things that give our guests another reason to come into the area. As we add things, our hopes are to increase our occupancies and our numbers in our restaurants. It's an opportunity for the whole community.”

Want the recipe???

Would you like to make your own gingerbread house? You’ve got to begin with a grand recipe, especially if you plan to demolish it along with a glass of milk at the end of the season.

Here’s how John Jackson, head pastry chef at the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club and Spa made the hotel’s signature gingerbread used in the gingerbread hotel now on display in the Grand’s dining room.

Grand Hotel Gingerbread Dough Recipe

• 5 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 tablespoon ground ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

• 3/4 cup vegetable shortening

• 1/2 cup light corn syrup

• 1/2 cup molasses

• 1-1 1/2 tablespoons warm water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Sift together dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Whip shortening and sugar until light fluffy. Add light corn syrup and molasses to sugar mixture, slowly, until thoroughly mixed.

Add warm water. You can add dry ingredients to mixer and knead with a dough hook, or transfer wet ingredients to large bowl of dry ingredients and knead for 10 minutes.

Put dough in a large plastic bag for 1 hour to rest. Although it is best when used the same day, the dough will keep for a week at room temperature, or a month in the refrigerator.

Roll dough evenly onto a piece of tin foil (big enough to fit onto a cookie sheet) 1/8-1/4 inch thickness. Use copper cutters to make cottage shapes and peel up unused dough.

Place foil on cookie sheet being careful not to disturb cut pieces, and bake 15-20 minutes, until edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on a flat surface.

Once baked, he cottage will last for years if stored in a plastic bag. The recipe makes 2-3 cottages.