After months of cold temperatures and snow covered everything, it's time to "Think Spring"! What better way to do that then to create some delicious new spring recipes using a variety of fruits and vegetables you typically find in the season. We have put together, and are happy to share, these recipes from some of our foodie innkeepers. With these "Think Spring" like recipes for you straight from the garden, you will be inspired to cook and bake and leave that spring cleaning for another time! Bon appetit!

Top 5 Spring Recipes From Our Innkeepers

From Phipps Inn, Hudson:

Rhubarb Pie

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.

Crust (for 9” pie):
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons Butter Flavored Crisco
4 1/2 Tablespoons ice water

Mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening. Add water mix until all flour is moistened. Gather dough into a ball and divide in half. Shape halves into flattened discs. Roll one disc 2” larger than pie pan. Place bottom crust in pan. Trim edges to edge of pan.

Filling:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup flour
4 1/2 cups rhubarb cut in 1/2” pieces
2 Tablespoons butter, divided

Mix sugar and flour, add rhubarb and toss to coat. Scoop rhubarb and all sugar/flour mixture into crust. Divide butter into 4 or 5 pieces and place on rhubarb.

Roll out top crust. Cut a few slits in crust. Place over rhubarb. Fold extra crust under bottom crust and seal and flute or press with fork. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar. Cover edges with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.

Bake 40-50 minutes or until juice begins to bubble through slits in crust.

From Franklin Street Inn, Appleton:

Apricot-Orange Cream Scones

Ingredients:
2 c. flour
3 Tbs. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. grated orange peel
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. dried chopped apricots
1/2 c. white vanilla chips
1 1/3 c. whipping cream

Frosting:
2-3 Tbs. orange juice
Zest from 1 orange
1 c. powdered sugar

Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheet. In large bowl combine first seven ingredients. Mix well. Add whipping cream all at once, stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. (If not moist enough, then you can use more cream usually by about 1/4 c.). On a lightly floured surface, knead dough 6-7 times still smooth, do not over mix! Divide in half and pat into two 6 inch rounds. Cut into 4 wedges. Place rounds 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-13 minutes till golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Mix powdered sugar and orange juice, then drizzle over warm scones.

Best served warm. Makes 8 large scones. Kitchen tip: you can combine first seven ingredients and store in air tight bow on the counter. Then in the morning add the cream and follow recipe from there. Grate orange for zest flavor & then juice orange. Combine and refrigerate. In the morning, add powdered sugar to the orange mixture to make frosting.

Enjoy these spring recipes! Do you want further inspiration? Then check out our "We are Foodies ~ Recipes" page on our Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast Association website. We are always adding both sweet and savory breakfast deliciousness for you to try. Know that if you don't want to cook, you can always choose to experience one of our many wonderful Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast Association member inns where you leave the cooking and hospitality to them and just enjoy your time!

Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

  Foodies book vacations around a destination’s authentic food offerings. Exercise enthusiasts map their road trips around triathlons and marathons. History devotees head to reenactments. Music lovers fill up their summer calendar with live concerts. Let’s make this the summer of music getaways in Wisconsin. You may be surprised at the line-ups! Hand it to Wisconsin to host every kind of music genre around – jazz to rock, indie to folk, up-and-comers to today’s biggest headliners. Seems we just love a good party with good tunes. If music is your thing, here’s a Billboard-esque rundown of top concerts in Wisconsin this summer and suggestions on where to stay after the final curtain call. [caption id="attachment_2500" align="aligncenter" width="304"] Waterfest, Oshkosh WI[/caption] June 15-16: Metro Jam, Manitowoc. This free music fest features performers across nearly every genre. Westport B&B and Red Forest B&B offer impeccable accommodations not far from the festival. Thursdays, June 21-August 23: Waterfest live concert series, Oshkosh. Soak up the atmosphere at the outdoor amphitheater, then stay at the Brayton B&B, where it captures the best aspects of a B&B: wonderfully inviting rooms, tantalizing food, and the personal touch of Innkeepers that happily serve as concierge during your stay. July 6-7: Eaux Claires Fest, Eau Claire. This indie music and arts festival is getting lots of national attention. The Otter Creek Inn offers one acre of wooded beauty located within city limits and is abound with flowers in the summer, while the nearby Inn on Lake Wissota is famous for being tucked away in the pine-filled shores of this picturesque lake. August 2-5: Mile of Music, Appleton. After all that walking at this free, 100% original music festival featuring emerging artists, you can walk to and rest up at Franklin Street Inn, where Victorian Charm with Modern Comfort give you the experience of comfort and elegance when you sleep. August 17-18: Big Bull Falls Blues Fest, Wausau. Stewart Inn is fit for music celebrities, where it offers unmatched charm and amenities in a beautiful arts & crafts mansion. [caption id="attachment_2502" align="alignleft" width="300"] Big Bull Falls Blues Fest, Wausau WI[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2503" align="alignright" width="240"] Eaux Claires Fest, Eau Claire WI[/caption]               August 24-26: Great River Road Folk Festival, La Crosse. Four Gables B&B and Castle La Crosse offer very unique overnight experiences - Four Gables B&B is a lovely Victorian Queen Anne home listed on the National Register and tastefully furnished with antiques. Castle La Crosse, also designed in the Queen Anne form, is a grand bed and breakfast featuring numerous bedrooms, beautiful leaded and stained-glass windows, a library, and a music room. September 28: Kilbourn City Live, Wisconsin Dells. Hear up-and-comers before they hit it big, then head to peaceful Bowman’s Oak Hill B&B to enjoy 8 acres of park like setting and 23 acres of woods to wander. You will have the opportunity to rest, reflect, relax and be renewed both in body and spirit during your stay.  

Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

  Have you taken stock of your well-being lately? Basic human needs like being in nature, knowing where your food comes from, getting a good night’s sleep, and making time for the people most important in your life can often be addressed with a B&B getaway. Transformative travel is next-gen wellness travel. It’s a getaway that helps you reset and recharge. And it isn’t about an age as much an attitude about what’s important in life, addressing all aspects of a person’s life – exercise, meditation, healthy food, relaxation, unplugging, preventative care, even the goal of using up your vacation days. In Wisconsin, a number of B&Bs really get transformative travel and the power that little moments have to put guests on the path they’ve always longed for. [caption id="attachment_2536" align="alignright" width="358"] Forest Therapy for all seasons at Inn at Wawanissee Point[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2546" align="alignleft" width="212"] The Crystal River by Apple Tree Lane B&B[/caption]                       At Apple Tree Lane B&B, it’s their interpretation of the Japanese practice of “forest bathing” that has guests flocking there in the warm weather months. Lest you think forest bathing is walking through the woods barefoot or taking a dip in a lake – although it can be those – it is so much more. The practice of slowing down to connect with nature in an immersive, mindful way can boost mood and reduce stress. Apple Tree Lane B&B's location by the river lets one get accustomed to this practice. Also nearby to the inn, the Waupaca segment of the Ice Age Trail starts within Hartman Creek State Park, running north of the park to Indian Valley Road, and south of the park through the Emmons Creek Fish Hatchery and Wildlife Area. The segment is part of the 1,000-mile National Scenic Ice Age Hiking and Skiing Trail. Another pristine place to forest bathe in solitude is the Inn at Wawanissee Point's 42-acre wooded sanctuary adjacent Parfrey’s Glen State Natural Area, both nestled atop the Baraboo Range, ancient quartzite bluffs topped with 55,000 acres of oak, maple and basswood forest, the largest tract of its kind remaining in the upper Midwest. Their 3 miles of private trails are secluded, groomed just enough for easy walking, meander mature forest intertwined by a stream, and intersect their small, restored prairie, with meditation benches, stumps and boulders for quiet reflection. Nature power-melts away tension here. Other B&Bs where you can untether from technology and get back out in nature include Country Comfort B&B and Sheer Memories B&B, with miles of hiking trails right on these properties. Country Comfort is located right on the Red Cedar River and Trail with nearby Hoffman Hills Hiking Trails adding another place for forest bathing while in Menominee. Sheer Memories is located on the rolling hills of Southwestern Wisconsin overlooking the Wisconsin River Valley with trails, gardens, fields, and woods, and where breathtaking views lend itself to a peaceful retreat. [caption id="attachment_2542" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Farm fresh ingredients[/caption] Mindful eating is another aspect of transformative travel. At Parkview B&B, the innkeepers take pride in preparing delicious, creative, homemade breakfasts while using seasonal, fresh, local, & quality ingredients. The Altemus Corners B&B lets you enjoy fresh produce and berries for a full breakfast including fresh farm fruit (berries and melons) juices, coffee and tea. Lazy Cloud B&B has restorative spa treatments right at the inn. Franklin Street Inn hosts experiences in a Group Art Workshop like no other in the area and is another path to well-being for many. They will allow each participant to create a unique painting of their own. Seasonally, these are conducted in their lovely garden area. Artha Sustainable Living Center includes a guided meditation option in one of its packages. When it comes to a restful night’s sleep, you’d be hard pressed to find anything as dream-inducing as the beds at Ye Olde Manor House and Grapevine Log Cabins. Plus the quiet, rural atmosphere at both properties lends itself to falling asleep and staying asleep. Lots of ideas to be well!  

Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

  [caption id="attachment_1941" align="aligncenter" width="413"] Lake Orchard Farm Retreat in Sheboygan, WI ~ greenhouse[/caption] Farmers’ markets in Wisconsin are legendary, so much so that even visitors make a point to include them on their fall itineraries. To further the farm connection, stay at a working farm B&B. [caption id="attachment_1338" align="alignright" width="164"] Astor House B&B in Green Bay, WI[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1903" align="alignleft" width="156"] Otter Creek Inn in Eau Claire, WI[/caption] [caption id="attachment_357" align="aligncenter" width="147"] Hotel Ruby Marie in Madison, WI[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_1945" align="alignleft" width="198"] Farmers' Market in Dane County[/caption] Perhaps the most famous farmers’ market not just in Wisconsin but in the country is the Dane County Farmers’ Market, the nation’s largest producer-only market. Walk to this market on the capital square when you stay at Hotel Ruby Marie. In Oshkosh, vendors line the main street, with shoppers loading up on fruits and veggies, flowers and egg rolls, even a loaded Bloody Mary morning cocktail before doing a little shopping at the downtown boutiques. The Brayton B&B is conveniently located right downtown as well. In Appleton, stroll among 150 vendors and treat yourself to some baked goods too. Stay at the Franklin Street Inn, where an elegant breakfast can be delivered right to your suite. A bit farther north is Green Bay, where the Saturday farmers’ market dates back 100 years this year. Enjoy music while you shop before heading to your room at the Astor House B&B. If you’re staying at the 1810 Emerson House B&B in Beloit, then be sure to visit their farmers’ market in the heart of their historic downtown district. Make the connection to country life at the Eau Claire farmers’ market, then spend the night at the spacious Otter Creek Inn. [caption id="attachment_1137" align="alignleft" width="229"] Rainbow Ridge Farms in Onalaska, WI is very kid-friendly![/caption] [caption id="attachment_1735" align="alignright" width="229"] Valley Springs Farm B&B in Reedsburg, WI[/caption]                 We’re proud to have a number of farmstead inns among our membership too. There’s Lake Orchard Farm Retreat, a 6^th generation farm with on-site golf course in Sheboygan; Rainbow Ridge Farms in Onalaska, with turn-of-the-century farmhouse and 35-acre working hobby farm; and Valley Springs Farm B&B in Reedsburg, a 4^th generation dairy farm and one of the stops on this year’s “Hill and Valley Exploration Tour” in Sauk County being held the first two full weekends in October. The tour includes more than 60 activities along the way, from learning how to shear sheep to grooming a show calf to harvesting honey. Fill your cooler with fresh veggies, jellies and preserves purchased directly from the 14 participating farms.  

Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

The music scene in Wisconsin has taken some intriguing, indie twists in the last few years, with festivals featuring performers you’d only expect to see on the coasts. Buy your tickets and book your B&B for music events in Eau Claire, Appleton, Wausau and more.

Wisconsin’s live music calendar this summer should impress even east and west coast concert fans. Here are a handful of still-insider gems that are getting bigger by the year. Eaux Claires in Eau Claire, June 16-17, the brainchild of Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, is a multi-stage experience with live music, performance art and visual art. Stay: The English Tudor-style Otter Creek Inn gives you room to spread out after being in the crowd at Eaux Claires. [caption id="attachment_1903" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Otter Creek Inn[/caption] Driftless Music Festival in Viroqua, July 8, features jazz, swing, bluegrass and zydeco genres. Stay: Cream Pitcher B&B in Blue River and Westby House Inn in Westby are both an easy drive from this music fest. [gallery columns="2" ids="734,396"] Acoustic Fest in Manitowoc, July 15, showcases the talents of accomplished acoustic musicians. All proceeds go to local scholarships and community organizations. Stay: Guests of Westport B&B are treated to a full candlelight breakfast, a nice complement to the unplugged vibe of the acoustic festival. [caption id="attachment_1904" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Westport Bed & Breakfast[/caption] Mile of Music in Appleton, August 3-6, prides itself on being cover-free, meaning only original music from hundreds of artists and it’s all free. Stay: Franklin Street Inn is the perfect mix of Victorian charm and modern amenities, providing a quiet oasis after hearing all those great artists perform. [caption id="attachment_1905" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Franklin Street Inn[/caption] Big Bull Falls Blues Fest, Wausau, August 18-19, is Wisconsin’s longest running blues fest. Stay: The Stewart Inn was designed by one of the founders of the American Arts & Crafts movement with luxurious rooms that will make you feel like an A-list musician yourself. [caption id="attachment_1906" align="aligncenter" width="450"] The Stewart Inn[/caption] Music Festivals allow fans an opportunity to sample a large number of bands in just a few days.  The rise in the popularity of the living like the locals also adds to the allure, giving folks who value experiences much more than owning things, an opportunity to not only enjoy some music, but also experience the community around the festival. They get a chance to break away from the business of their everyday lives and sample something out of the ordinary.  For those who love the camaraderie of a diverse group of folks coming together for one weekend to enjoy their favorite genre of music, but then would prefer to leave that all behind for a quiet, restful night's sleep, the WBBA Inns are the place for you.  Our Innkeepers can provide the peaceful respite you crave to rejuvenate and be ready for all of the mayhem another day has to offer.  We always like to remind our readers that all WBBA members are licensed, inspected and insured.  So rest asured, you will get a good night's sleep when you stay at a WBBA B&B, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated the next morning.

Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

[caption id="attachment_1831" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The photo of The Red Chair that started a phenomenon in 2011[/caption] The Red Chair Travels is coming to Wisconsin!  The WBBA is so excited to part of this phenomenon that started 5 years ago in Cape Cod, MA. Beth Colt is the innkeeper of the Woods Hole Inn on Cape Cod.   She took a picture of this red chair perched out on a frozen pond in Woods Hole in the winter of 2011.  When she posted the photo on Facebook her computer lit up with "likes" and this simple image journeyed all over cyberspace, and landed in the in-box of a California-based photographer, who was inspired to come visit the Woods Hole Inn in the off season.  When she asked to borrow the chair she was surprised; when the fruits of her labor arrived in the mail Beth was in awe. [caption id="attachment_1832" align="alignright" width="300"] Captain Freeman Inn Cape Cod, MA[/caption] The red chair became a symbol, a metaphor for connections made across invisible boundaries. In 2012 Beth contacted other Inns in Cape Cod to see if they would like to "host" the Red Chair for a few days and photograph the chair's visit.  Since then the Red Chair has visited more than 20 states in the U.S., and parts of Canada. For Beth Colt, "the red chair is an invitation to come explore yourself in a quiet and beautiful place.  It is an open seat at the table of relaxation.  It is the beckoning hand of civilization, marking the edge of the wildness of nature.  It is the dialogue between artists and innkeepers, dreamers and shop-girls, lost travelers and those that welcome them into warm beds." We know the Red Chair will feel right at home in Wisconsin and we are excited to see all the different adventures it has along the way.  Listed below is the schedule for the Red Chair Travels in Wisconsin.  Are you ready to Seek the Unique?  Book your stay at one of the participating WBBA B&B's today so you can take part in the Red Chair Travels!