Shanty Days

Once again...Shanty Days was a big hit in Algoma. The parade fell on a beautiful day, a pleasant mix of sunshine, clouds and a nice breeze and our front lawn was filled with onlookers. Our guests hung out on the patio with their Bloody Marys, soaking up the small town nostalgia and the warm rays of mid August. before heading to see what the street vendors had in store for them. Corn dogs, kettle corn, a blackberry phone cover, fresh wildflower honey, a Packers dog collar and some artwork were purchased and dropped off at the Inn before heading back to see the bands. All in all a very enjoyable weekend was had by all!! Make sure to plan early for next year's Shanty Days Celebration.

Hello Again

Hi Everyone,

Sorry, it sure has been awhile!

The Belle Isle Inn Micro Spa is up and running. You can find me on facebook for pics and updates. I'm also working on a new Green Bay location for my micro spa. I will be taking appointments starting Wednesday the 26th.

The Inn is doing great! We are working on the basement room and plan to open the area mid September. We hope to be able to sleep 4 in this room that we hope to theme as "rustic."

I got "un-screwed!" The last of the removeable hardware is now GONE from my ankle. I should be able to wear shoes pretty soon and I can not wait! It has been almost three years.

Latest recipe from the Inn...

Loaded Blueberry Bread Pudding was a big, no huge hit.

Here is the recipe:

8 C Day old bread cubed

5T butter

2T grapeseed oil

3/4 C dark brown sugar

3/4 C Splenda (one to one Splenda)

3 1/2 C Milk

8 farm fresh eggs

2t vanilla

1/4 C Pampered Chef Cinnamon Sprinkles

2-4 C fresh Blueberries

preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs, br. sugar, splenda and vanilla. Warm milk, butter and grapeseed oil. Blend milk mixture into egg mixture. Using a Pampered chef 9x13 stoneware pan, layer bread, blueberries, bread and blueberries, then pour liquid over top; pushing bread down lightly until all mixture is soaked into bread. Bake for 1 hour, depending on your oven. Note: inside should not be liquidy (is that a word?) Pudding will rise in oven then fall as it cools. Enjoy!!

Cheff Jeff

Hey all,

I had a great time at the Wisconsin Restaurant Association Expo at the Midwest Center in Milwaukee.

My friend Sandi and I worked with fondant, made bread baskets, plate torts and an awesome Cuban breakfast sandwich. For sure I'll be serving that tasty morsel at the Inn very soon.

I can hardly wait to try everything out on my Pampered Chef kitchenware. I still can't believe how my cooking ability has increased since I started using the cookware and stoneware!

Anyway, I got to meet the incredible Chef Jeff Hendersen from the Food Network Show "The Cheff Jeff Project." Talk about a great story, and an incredibly moving and motivating speaker. I was "touched." I'm not usually into autographs and pictures but I haven't been touched by someone like Chef Jeff in such a long time! I have tried a few of the recipes out of my "signed" copy of Chef Jeff Cooks, and they work in well with my type of cooking. Check him out at http://www.chefjeffcooked.com/. Sooooo worth the trip to his web site.

One of the other things I did was play "Hell's Kitchen" on the Wii. That I did not learn, in fact, even though I got a "prize," I should have been gonged, or at least boo'd off the stage to put myself out of my non-Wii-playing ability misery. That's me burning up the kitchen. good thing I don't do that in real life.

On other fronts...

Working on the "Spa" on the first level of the Inn. Coming along well. Used cement for the first time...thinking I could make a fire pit next!

Had great guests last weekend! Stayed up chit-chatting over wine 'til the cows were on their way home. I love being an innkeeper!

Heading to see Doc Feldman in Miami for a 6 month checkup. Can you believe it? I am doing awesome I have to tell you. VERY LUCKY! I have a new lease on life since the ankle replacement.

Speaking of...Scott and I are new puppy-parents. Here name is Lucky. We'll pick her up on our way home from Florida in a few weeks. Look for pictures and her story coming soon.

See ya! Tia

P.S. My creme filled plated dessert tart (seen in the picture) was made in one of the hand's on classes at the WRA Expo and it was super tasty.

My Review of The Gourmet Wood and Metal Rectangle Pot Rack with Grid

PotRacksGalore.com

What We Like About This Pot Rack

The Gourmet Wood and Metal Rectangle Pot Rack has a metal hanging grid inside the wood frame. Metal hardware reinforcement at the corners let the frame bear a lot of weight and add a special stylish touch. Use the grid to hang additional it...

The Gourmet Wood and Metal Rectangle Pot Rack with Grid

"What an improvement!"

Tia the Innkeeper Algoma, WI 3/17/2009

 

5 5

Pros: Easy To Assemble, Fits perfectly, Displays Items Attractively, Supports Weight, Sturdy

Best Uses: Function, Decoration, Space saver

Describe Yourself: Midrange Shopper

This rack truly allows me to function better in my B and B kitchen! My special Cookware is safe from scratching, self-dries after washing, doesn't hog cupboard space and looks really great!

Looks great at the Inn!

: Picture of Product

Fits well with Inn decor

: Picture of Product

()

Algoma B&B is Perfect

Whew! We had our grueling inspection to become members of the Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast Association and I am ecstatic to tell you that we passed with FLYING COLORS! In fact we received a score that is not given out very often...100%. The comments from the Hagermans, the WBBA inspectors, were wonderful to hear! The report stated "Tia did her homework and covered all the bases. All requirements were met and exceeded. Decorating is eclectic, bordering on "funky", in an interesting way. Very friendly & accommodating innkeeper." Included in the extremely positive comments were the sample breakfast menu, the breakfast room, complimentary wine and appetisers, the entertainment amenities like tivo, Wii and movie channels, the grill options, private balconies and the porch and patio areas. We're on our way now!!
Upcoming plans for the Belle Isle Inn will include a new salon and spa area and new added living quarters area.

Guests from Chicago are the best!

So these last guests were absolutely the sweetest! At first I thought they didn't like me but later realized that they were just quiet people. My husband delivered a glass of Cab to their room that evening, but it was the morning breakfast that really got them. To start the feast I had fresh strawberries in a honey glaze over berry yogurt. Then came morning-fresh banana-apricot muffins with a brown sugar crunch topping. Next was Tia's surprise (pretty much everything is a "Tia's surprise" creation) Cajun shrimp, artichokes, sweet onions and cherry tomatoes on an over-easy egg on an onion bagel with a fresh Parmesan and artichoke sauce. I included fresh grilled Trippe as I usually do for new guests. Everyone needs to experience Belgian Trippe at least once in their lives. AND THEN...for breakfast desert...a hot, grilled, walnut-banana brownie with a dollop of warm caramel pudding. I suggested they may want to walk back to Chicago to burn off calories (there was not a remnant of breakfast on their plate (I think I heard a licking sound coming from the breakfast room.) At checkout they asked what the cost of the room was. This is the best! I had been in the midst of updating the Inn website, pricing, etc. Each guest had seen a different price so I told them the lesser one would be great. The wonderful guests from Chicago said "absolutely not! You, and what you do here, is worth way more than what you charge!" Then they went on to say "It is obvious that you not only love people, but you love to cook! And how you've decorated the Inn is so inviting. It has been a wonderful experience." I almost cried. My mom always said "do what you love to do, do it well, and you will succeed!" Okay, it was probably more like "if you want to be a garbage collector, (no offense to garbage collectors here)just be the best garbage collector you can!" Or maybe that was what I said to my boys, I don't know...Whatever way it is said, I have always found it to be true. The guests from Chicago are further proof. You can tell the difference between someone who delivers your food to the table and a waitress who loves what she does!

Brrrrrrrrrrr...Titanium is COLD

Hello-
Long time, huh?

I'm doing GREAT!! Yesterday I had two hours that I almost forgot I had received a complete ankle replacement. I can't believe how good my ankle feels. OK, the real truth-I still have pain but am able to handle it quite well with Ultram. Cold, and today is what...-14?, is tough on it! Titanium gets pretty darn cold so I may have to invest in some battery-operated socks! I have a brace that I will have to wear for a full year at least, then in many activities for the rest of my life. I still walk with a strong limp but I get better every day, and I think I may not even have a limp sometime down the road! Isn't that exciting!!!!!! Next doctor's appointment isn't for 2 months.

We have had many guests at the Inn since my surgery. You should have seen me cook and serve my gourmet breakfasts. I had chairs with wheels strategically placed in several rooms. I could launch myself quite a distance across our beautifully restored hardwood floors. The kitchen tile was a bit different. It was like driving down Manitowoc road in Bellevue or riding a horse with one short leg. I haven't actually ridden a horse with one short leg but I think it would be quite similar to the repeated de-dunk, de-dunk, de-dunk on Manitowoc road. Anyway, I served some kick-butt breakfasts to guests from Maryland, La Crosse, Green Bay and Oshkosh and had a blast! I love being an Innkeeper!



There is an eagle in Algoma. I watched it for a while for the second time last week. How amazingly majestic! I took some great pictures of Mr. Eagle (I'm not familiar with eagles so it could have been a Mrs. and I apologize to those eagles that I may have offended)and the Algoma area blanketed in frigidness. Hope you enjoy them.

Remember my beautiful and serene (though not for long) Belle Isle Micro Spa?? Well it is so ironic...They are suing me for breaching the lease. My oh so humorous husband compares it with getting run over by your boss in the parking lot at work and then being fired for not being able to work. I think that's pretty funny though also pretty accurate. Remember all the crap that I had to deal with there? 'Nuff said!



I am getting back to another love...My cooking shows. I'd love to host a show for you at Belle Isle Inn or at your house. I'm also doing cooking overnighters for a great winter get-away for you and a few friends. How fun!! I am so excited at how Pampered Chef has helped me in the Inn's Kitchen. My newest creations use the deep covered baker for 30 minute Rouladen and the 10 inch cookware pan for my sauteed pears in toffee sauce. Yum Yum! Did you know that you can order cookware and get recipes?