Wisconsin B&B Owners Like to Travel Too

[caption id="attachment_874" align="alignright" width="300"] Jay Karen, CEO of PAII speaking at WBBA's 2011 Conference at the Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake, WI.[/caption] Owners of B&Bs love to travel.  You read that right.  They like to leave the inn from time to time to experience other cities and other inns.  And that’s just what they get to do at least annually at the November Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast Association’s innkeeper conference.  It’s a time to tour B&Bs, discuss traveler preferences, celebrate accomplishments including our soon-to-be released cookbook, and reconnect as friends.  B&B owners are in it because they love what they do and that really comes through at that gathering.  It comes through when they get back to the inn too!  By the way, if you’re interested in becoming an innkeeper, give us a call and we’ll find a place for you at the next Aspiring Innkeepers Seminar, November 4, 2012 at the Jefferson Street Inn, Wausau.

Wisconsin B&B Inns Cherish the Apple

[caption id="attachment_816" align="alignright" width="300"] Apple orchard at Apple Tree Lane B&B, Waupaca.[/caption] Wisconsin’s roller coaster of a spring and summer in the weather department wasn’t exactly kind to the state’s apple crop.  All the more reason to relish every juicy bite of the ruby pomme with recipes like this one for Apple Lavender Scones from the innkeepers at Pinehurst Inn in Bayfield. By the way, this recipe and many others are included in our eighth edition cookbook which will be available for purchase mid-November.  Gift-giving idea anyone! Pinehurst Apple Lavender Scones "This recipe pulls together a mix of items from our own gardens and fruit from our local Bayfield orchards. We adapted this recipe from a basic scone recipe given to us by a friend."  -Pinehurst Innkeepers Nancy & Steve Sandstrom 2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour ¼ cup organic sugar 1 Tbsp baking powder ¼ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp salt 2 tsp chopped lavender leaves 1/3 cup cold butter 1 cup buttermilk 1 tsp lemon juice 2 tsp lemon zest 1½ cups peeled cubed apples, or Bosc pears Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and lavender in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender cut the cold butter (divided into 6-7 pieces) until the consistency is coarse and crumbly. Add the buttermilk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cubed apples and stir with a fork until just moistened. If the mixture is too dry, you can add a drop or two of additional buttermilk. Knead the dough 5-6 times on a floured surface. Roll out to ¾-inch thickness and cut into preferred shapes. We use a greased scone pan to create consistent sizes. You can also drop the batter onto a greased cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops of the scones with egg white and sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. Bake 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown. Yield: 1 dozen.
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