[caption id="attachment_1987" align="aligncenter" width="441"] Cranberry Bog[/caption] Fall and food are the perfect pairing in Wisconsin. Plan your getaway around the state’s various food “capitals”, and be sure to enjoy a mouthwatering homemade breakfast at your favorite B&B too. [caption id="attachment_1889" align="alignleft" width="300"] Dreams of Yesteryear in Stevens Point, WI[/caption] When talking about food capitals this time of year, we have to kick it off with cranberries. Wisconsin produces more of this tart fruit than any other state. There is even a designated “Cranberry Highway,” a self-guided drive that stretches for nearly 50 miles along century-old cranberry beds from Wisconsin Rapids to Warrens, and between Pittsville and Nekoosa. Stay at Dreams of Yesteryear in Stevens Point where excellent restaurants, quaint downtown shops, a fabulous brewery tour, a picnic by the river, museums and more await you within easy walking distance. You can also visit Tuft’s Mansion in Neillsville where the area offers numerous opportunities for a unique vacation experience such as many craft and antique shops. [caption id="attachment_841" align="alignright" width="237"] Stewart Inn in Wausau, WI[/caption] The soil and climate in central Wisconsin, more specifically Wausau, makes it one of the best places in the world to produce ginseng. In fact, 95% of the ginseng in the U.S. is grown here. This root must grow for four years before it can be harvested. Don’t wait that long to visit Stewart Inn, a beautiful Arts & Crafts mansion in downtown Wausau serving both a nightly wine and cheese reception and a gourmet breakfast.   In Bayfield, cool temperatures and moist air, courtesy of Lake Superior, make it prime apple growing country. After picking apples, and squash and pumpkins too, put your feet up at eco-friendly Pinehurst Inn B&B where you’re surrounded by pine trees and gardens, and romantic Old Rittenhouse Inn where the the fall colors are best viewed right from the expansive front porch. [caption id="attachment_1991" align="alignleft" width="224"] Cherry Tree[/caption] Cooler spring months and a unique soil composition on the Door County peninsula provide just the right growing conditions for cherries. At this time of year, dried cherries are a real treat. Similarly, it’s a treat to stay at any of the 10 inns there, including White Lace Inn, Scofield House B&B, Inn at Cedar Crossing, Garden Gate B&B, White Gull Inn, Inn at Windmill Farm, Eagle Harbor Inn, Blacksmith Inn on the Shore, Bay Point Inn, and Juniper Inn.     [caption id="attachment_1994" align="alignright" width="239"] Christmas House B&B in Racine, WI[/caption] Racine is “America’s Kringle Capital.” Not familiar with Kringles? They’re the distinctive oval-shaped flaky pastry treat brought to Wisconsin by Danish immigrants in the mid-19^th century. Make the Christmas House B&B, a historic downtown landmark, your home away from home while there. Sheboygan has been called the “Bratwurst Capital of the World.” Be sure to nosh on a sausage or two while visiting the area, with Tauscheck’s B&B in nearby Plymouth serving as your host. Monroe is the “Swiss Cheese Capital of the U.S.,” and you can have your cheese and eat it too at the nearby Albany House in Albany, a circa 1908 country house in the heart of the Swiss and Amish communities in the region. [caption id="attachment_782" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Albany House in Albany, WI[/caption] Finally, if you are a fan of horseradish, then head to Eau Claire, where Silver Spring farms has been growing the hot and spicy condiment ingredient since 1929. Then cool your heels at Inn On Lake Wissota in neighboring Chippewa Falls. [caption id="attachment_1995" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Inn On Lake Wissota in Chippewa Falls, WI[/caption]

Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

The annual Cranberry Festival in Warrens has come and gone, with cranberry fests in Eagle River and Stone Lake coming up this weekend.  All of which means the tangy red fruit –Wisconsin’s official state fruit by the way - will soon be hitting grocery stores for all those favorite cold-weather recipes and holiday treats. Stewart Inn in Wausau shared with us this recipe for Irish Oats that just begs for a lazy morning, a bottomless cup of strong coffee and good conversation. Irish Oats with Fruit & Cranberry Syrup [caption id="attachment_842" align="alignright" width="300"] Cozy sitting room at the Stewart Inn, Wausau[/caption] 1 cup water 1 cup milk or soy milk 1 Tbsp brown sugar or 1 package Splenda ¼ tsp cinnamon ⅛ tsp salt ¾ cup steel cut oats 1 can frozen cranberry juice concentrate Fruit Topping ¾ cup water ⅛ tsp salt ¼ tsp cinnamon 2 each dried apricots, prunes, and dates, chopped ¼ cup Craisins ¼ Granny Smith apple, peeled, and chopped pecans and blueberries ½ banana, chopped 2 Tbsp cream or soy milk Plan ahead, this dish needs to refrigerate overnight. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the first five ingredients and bring to a boil. Stir in the oats, reduce heat, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until thick, about 15 minutes. Pour into a bread pan sprayed with cooking spray. Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Thaw the cranberry juice overnight. The following morning: Pour the juice into a saucepan and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, or until juice has reduced by half and thickened. When it begins to foam, it is almost done. Set aside and it will thicken more as it cools. To prepare the fruit topping, bring the first three ingredients to a boil. Add the dried fruits, apples, and pecans to the mixture and heat 3-5 minutes, stirring gently. Add the remaining ingredients and stir just to mix. Cook one minute and set aside. Cut the chilled oats into 4 triangles. Melt 2 tablespoons butter on a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add oat triangles and cook 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and heated through. Put 1 triangle on a warm plate and top with ¼ cup warm fruit. Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of the cranberry syrup. Yield: 4 servings.