May 30th is National Scone Day so we'd like to honor some Wisconsin B&Bs worth their weight in gold by scone standards. First is Hamilton House B&B in Whitewater, where innkeeper Kathleen Fleming makes her signature scones with yeast. Yes, yeast! "They do not rise but it gives a wonderful deep flavor," explained Kathleen. At the English Manor B&B in Sheboygan, not only do they serve scones at breakfast, their Afternoon High Tea also features scones, and they even provide guests with "scones to go" for the ride home. The location of the Port Washington Inn on Sweetcake Hill in Port Washington is a serendipitous tip-off to innkeeper Rita Nelson's pastry skills, including her Currant Marsala Scones: 

4 ½ cups unbleached flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

½ pound (2 sticks) frozen butter

1 cup dried currants which have been soaked in Marsala wine 24 hours or more

1 cup heavy organic cream or crème fraiche

Pulse the dry ingredients in a food processor to mix.  Carefully cut the frozen butter sticks lengthwise into halves, then into quarters; slice across the quarters at approximately ¼" intervals.  Add these small pieces of butter to the processor and pulse until the butter is dispersed evenly throughout the dry mixture; you should still be able to see small pieces of butter.  Place this mixture into a mixing bowl and add the Marsala plumped currants along with 3 Tablespoons of the Marsala/currant liquid.  Mix gently with a wooden spoon.  Add the cream or crème fraiche using the wooden spoon to mix gently until the dough holds together.  Pat the dough into a rough square 3/4" thick.  Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.  Then cut into 1" squares and place them 2" apart on baking sheets.  

Click here to download a printer friendly .pdf version of this recipe.

When we say this year's Wisconsin Fishing Opener on May 4 was spectacular, it may not be for the reason you think. This newspaper headline should give you a clue: "Snow, ice don't stop some anglers." Well, trust us when we say it's now warm enough for fishing and other water sports to commence in earnest! To mark the season, we're giving away an overnight for two at the Red Forest B&B in Two Rivers, plus an afternoon of canoeing / kayaking on Lake Michigan. Enter to win by clicking here. 

Congratulations to Beckie Guden on winning our April Getaway Giveaway to Riverside Manor B&B in Marinette!!

Westport B&B in Manitowoc, just blocks from Lake Michigan and near the Ice Age Trail too, shares this recipe for Breakfast Strata with Spinach & Gruyère. It's our ode to spinach, that cold-hardy tender crop that signals spring.

8 slices French or Italian bread

Photo: Westport B&B, Manitowoc

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

4 shallots minced

1-8 oz bag fresh baby spinach (or pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry)
1 tsp salt, additional salt and pepper to taste
½ cup dry white wine (Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc)
6 eggs
1¾ cups half & half
8 oz. Gruyère cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 225°F. Put bread in single layer on baking sheet. Bake 40 minutes, turning once to dry. Remove and let cool. Spread one side of slices with 2 tablespoons of butter. Tear into pieces. Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Cook shallots until soft, about 3 minutes. Add spinach and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally until spinach is soft & wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl and set aside. Add wine to skillet. Increase heat to medium high and simmer until reduced to about ¼ cup, about 3 minutes. Set aside. Whisk eggs in medium bowl. Whisk in wine, half & half and 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.