• Meyers Beach Hiking Trail – As a part of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, this trail offers a good workout hiking trail that takes you up above the Lake Superior sea caves and gives you fabulous views of some of the Apostle Islands.
• Visit the Orchards & Berry Farms – During the summer months you can pick your own cherries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, juneberries, blackberries – just about any berry you can think of! Or, if you prefer, you can visit the stand to pick up a bag or basket of fresh fruit already picked for you, along with jars of jams, jellies and fresh preserves.
• Swimming! – There is nothing quite like the sensation of swimming through the clean, crisp, beautiful waters of Lake Superior. Lake Superior offers beautiful sandy beaches for all swimmers including youngsters who love to play in the sand with delicate white sand for the best of sand castle building. And what could be better than a Lake Superior sandy beach to relax on after an invigorating swim.
• Explore the Arts – Bayfield’s many art galleries and studios invite visitors to see first hand the quality work created by local painters, potters, woodworkers, weavers and metalsmiths and more. Noted as one of the best 100 artist towns in the U.S., the numerous studios and galleries have something for everyone’s taste.

Of course this is only a sampling of things you can do in Bayfield at no (or next to no) cost! One of our favorite pastimes is finding a quiet little corner somewhere – indoor or out – where one can curl up with a good book, listen to the sounds of the world around them and simply relax!

Enjoy this great mid-week offering along with eco-elegant lodging, variety of fall activities , discounted Enso Day Spa services and delicious full breakfast each morning.

September Offer:

Stay three nights (Sunday – Thursday only) and enjoy a 25% discount off the third night! PLUS a $25 Bayfield Chamber & Visitor Bureau Gift Certificate to enjoy during your stay. PLUS enjoy a 20% discount on a facial or body polish at Enso Day Spa!

Ends September 29, 2011.

October Offer:

Stay two nights (Sunday – Thursday only) and enjoy a 25% discount off the second night! PLUS a $25 Bayfield Chamber & Visitor Bureau Gift Certificate to enjoy during your stay. PLUS enjoy a 20% discount on a facial or body polish at Enso Day Spa! Ends November 3, 2011.

Gift Certificate can not be applied to lodging during stay. New reservations only. Reservations  can be booked online or by phone at 877-499-7651.

Pinehurst Inn loves this time of year in Bayfield, a community that celebrates spring. Bayfield in Bloom is just one way we recognize the arrival of spring and pending summer.

What does Bayfield in Bloom offer for our guests?

• Enjoy the opening of this month long promotion with live broadcast of WPR’s Larry Meiller’s “Garen Talk” show from the Bayfield Pavilion on Friday, May 13th from 11am – 12:30pm. While you’re there, enjoy the numerous vendors providing books, plants, information and education on all topics green.
• Explore Bayfield’s best gardens at the June 4th Garden Tours. Or take your own self-guided tour.
• Head up to Hauser’s Superior View Farm – this wonderful local farm has been growing field grown perennials for years. What a treat to head into their barn and be able to pick from freshly dug perennials. Plus there’s a amazing views!
• Bike or drive the Bayfield orchards bursting with Apple Blossoms.

For us at Pinehurst Inn, the gardens are clearly calling us. Yes, we too have daffodils beginning to bloom – but more than that. This property has over 100 years of “growing history”. For many years in the early 1900s the fields to the south were filled with strawberries. And even then, the perennials were being grown within the stone pathed garden. During our ownership we’ve expanded those perennials and they merge with the native gardens surrounding the Garden House. And as we’ve expanded these areas, we’ve added in numerous herbs, and other edibles that enhance our breakfasts. Then of course there is Steve’s ever expanding vegetable garden.

To add to the celebration, Pinehurst Inn is pleased to offer a wonderful Bayfield in Bloom midweek discount!

Whether you have a green thumb or just enjoy the beauty, join us for Bayfield in Bloom. Here’s the bayfield-in-bloom-schedule.

And for those of us who reside in Bayfield year round, there are a number of other  sure signs of spring:

• The sound and sight of the Madeline Island Ferry crashing through the ice on their trips between Bayfield and Madeline Island.

• The UPS trucks go from the standard size up to mega long as they make larger deliveries in anticipation of busier days.

• Big Water Cafe & Coffee Roasters is open 7 days a week! But Maggies takes a week or two to close for cleaning.

• The black bears visit our yards, porches and other places as they come out of hibernation.

• The ongoing announcements about the upcoming Big Top Chautauqua schedule for the coming summer.

• The return of familiar seasonal business owners who’ve been in warmer climates over the long winter months – many with grimaces as the feel the “cool” spring breezes coming off the lake!

Whatever the sign, we are excited to see a bit more activity and anticipation of the spring.

What is your favorite sign of spring?

While there may not be as many water activities to participate in at this time of year, there is still plenty to keep one occupied. There are still plenty of shops open, restaurants to dine at and of course trails to hike. Please contact us if you’d like more information on things to do at this time of year. Of course, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that we have some great specials running right now! If you stay with us during the midweek (Sun-Thur) you can get as much as 25% off your third night, or come in November and don’t miss out on the “Two for $222″ special.

Finally, this is a particularly nice time of year for baking! There’s nothing quite like the smell of fresh bakery warming you after a long cool hike. We have been sampling some newer recipes this year, and I think that this is one of our bigger successes:

Caramelized Apple Bread Pudding
Serves 8

Ingredients:
Apple filling:
4 Dudley apples, cubed (or any firm, tart baking apple)
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Bread Pudding:
1 tsp nutmeg
1 loaf french bread (or any bread you prefer)
8 large eggs
1 cup half-n-half
2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
dash salt

Topping:
about 1 cup rolled oats
about 1 cup pecans (or nuts of  your choice) chopped
left over liquids from apples

1. Slice and cube bread and place in 9×13″ baking dish (spray pan, or use parchment paper)
2. Melt butter in large frying pan, add brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg – add apples to mixture and saute for a couple of minutes – careful not to over cook the apples (keep them firm)
3. Using a slotted spoon spread the apples over the bread cubes. Reserve butter mixture.
4. In a large bowl mix the eggs, milks, sugar, extract, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt – whisk well and pour evenly over bread and apples. There should be enough liquid to almost cover the bread.
5. Cover with foil and let rest in the fridge overnight.
6. Take the reserved butter & brown sugar mixture and mix with rolled oats and pecans – you’re looking for a pretty “goopy” consistency here.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
8. Before putting in the oven, spread the topping over the bread and apples, and bake for 45-60 minutes.
9. Let rest for 10 minutes or so before serving to let the custard set.

Serve & Enjoy!

September and October bring hearty guests to Pinehurst Inn in Bayfield seeking opportunity to get and out enjoy the beautiful fall weather, changing
leaves and sparkling waters. Enjoy an outdoor biking adventure with the
glorious oranges and reds of the leaves in late September or October.

It will take your breath away as you cruise past orchards just outside of Bayfield on quiet country roads or on biking trails within the plentiful forests of the Chequamegon National Forest. Stop in at any of a number of Bayfield orchards for apple sampling, wine tasting or simply enjoying the views. Be a participant in some non-motorized tourism activity!

Pinehurst Inn is pleased to be partnering with Bayfield Bike Route to provide bike rental, helmets, maps and great advise on the best routes, and more. Owner and all around great guy, Tom Hart can give the inside scoop.

PLUS! Biking Madeline Island just got easier! From September 7th through 19th, Madeline Island Ferry will transport non-motorized bikes free with the purchase of a round trip passenger ticket. Experience the beauty of Lake Superior from a whole new angle – bring your bike over and enjoy an early autumn ride.

Sound good? Consider adding biking to the Pinehurst Inn Bounty of Fall lodging promotion – stay 3 nights (Sun- Thursday) and get the 3rd  night at 25% off. PLUS a Bayfield Chamber and Visitor Bureau Gift Certificate for $25 to be spend during your stay.

Just our way of saying “Welcome! Enjoy your stay!”

Weather like this may be dreary to some, but it is lovely to me. I see this as an opportunity to settle down with a great book and enjoy the sounds of the wind and the company of good words. If you’re in town, you should stop by the Apostle Islands Booksellers – Bayfield’s new independent bookseller. They have created a truly charming space with a variety of both local, regional authors, bestsellers and a little bit of everything else.

Finally, today is a day for baking! With the harvest season upon up, I love playing with new recipes with the local apples. Here is a recipe that I have been playing with lately, using the apples in a more savory way rather than sweet:

Buttermilk Apple-Parmesan Muffins

Makes 12 standard muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup corn oil

1 egg

1 small apple (preferably Dudley apples from one of Bayfield‘s orchards)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter or spray muffin tins

In a medium bowl, stir and toss together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set Aside. In a small bowl whisk together the buttermilk, oil and egg until smooth. Note: these will bake far more evenly if you have ALL ingredients at room temperature before putting in the oven. Add the combined dry ingredients, along with the finely chopped apple and the parmesan cheese. Stir until just blended.

Spoon into the prepared muffin tins, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick or knife comes out clean – about 20 minutes. Cool before removing from tins.

Enjoy these delicious muffins anytime, but on a cool blustery day like today they are perfect!

One of our more popular fall dishes is our Apple Cheddar Muffins, and of course we use apples from one of Bayfield’s many orchards. These muffins go very well both with an omelet at breakfast or with chicken or pork as a side dish.

We encourage you to take advantage of this wonderful time of year in Bayfield by taking advantage of the different fall promotions happening both at Pinehurst Inn, but throughout Bayfield. We are happy to be participating in the Bayfield Fall Harvest Lodging package. If you book 3 nights (Sun.-Thursday), you will receive 25% off of your third night AND a $25 Bayfield Gift Certificate good at any Bayfield Chamber member business.

So, while you enjoy your Labor Day holiday this weekend, don’t forget to make your fall plans and be sure to include Bayfield and the Pinehurst Inn.

The gardens are lush this year. And the produce baskets are overflowing. Yes, zuchinni, carrots, greens, beets (ah, beet greens!), peppers, and more. So the idea of World Kitchen Garden Day really struck us – a wonderful way to celebrate this time of year when we are blessed with this fantastic array of food.

World Kitchen Garden Day is an opportunity to
celebrate the multiple pleasures and benefits of home-grown, locally grown foods.

• celebrate the positive role of organic kitchen gardening (good health, good community, and it taste’s so good!)
• To raise awareness about the benefits of eating local and to encourage people to explore local food options in their areas
• To build community spirit, at local and international levels, around the universal experiences of gardening, cooking, and eating (think Farmers Markets, community gardens, and more)

The concepts and ideas of this “celebration” are so important – and should be considered every day of the year. But today, look around your own community and get to know your local farmers and growers.

At Pinehurst Inn in Bayfield, we are thrilled to build our breakfast using not only our own produce, but numerous delicious veggies and fruits from our area orchards and farms. This morning we serve our very popular Pinehurst Blueberry Oven French Toast (using wonderful blueberries from Highland Valley Farm in Bayfield). And tomorrow we will be doing something wonderful with those fresh beet greens – stay tuned! We might even share another recipe.

Happy harvesting!

But then comes summer! The Bayfield Orchards provide a wonderful variety of fruits and berries. Local growers and smaller farms are great sources of vegetables, dairy and cheeses. When unable to source items locally, we work to identify food purveyors that provide organic and/or Midwest grown options.

Today we received a wonderful order of organic vegetables. The quantities are large enough to both use now and cut and freeze for those cooler months. The smells, the colors, the fresh taste – a little bit of heaven. These are the ingredients that come together to provide a delicious breakfast to start the day for our guests.

Life is good.