SPRING IS POPPING . . . 
AS IS OUR RECIPE FOR CHEESE PUFFS!!

People who love to eat and drink are always the best people!  --- Julia Child We're bursting with creativity as we welcome Spring !! With good food at the heart of every guest's experience at Wickwood, the start of the food year fresh with new ideas and bright flavors makes this the most exciting time of year for us. All around us we're seeing our fields, farms, markets and villages come alive. Already the first ramps are peeking through, boats are being launched, and our shops, galleries, theaters, and restaurants becoming crowded. We hopefully cheer that the forecast for an early Spring 2018 is true and we invite you to join us as another exciting Spring Season in Saugatuck unfolds. Spring is Nature's way of saying, "It's time to party!".  --- Robin Williams     Book Now   Spring 2018 Specials Up to 30% Off Through April 26, 2018   Email   Weekday rates begin at $229       Weekend rates begin at $279 Reservations 800.385.1174 and 269.857.1465     Spicy Bacon& Cheese Puffs French Gougeres
	Spring makes us crave Gougeres. These light airy French Amuse-Bouche (mouth amusers) are traditionally served during Aperitifs in the Spring in Burgundy where almost every Cellar Wine Tasting features them. They have become the perfect bite to stave off hunger whether you’re serving wine, champagne, or cocktails in many of the wine producing areas in the world. We wanted our newest version to retain the light airiness of the classic Gougeres, but to have each bite more exciting!! To do that we added a little spicy heat, some crisped bacon and as much flavorful grated cheese as we thought they could withstand and still hold their puff. Now, we think they'll be the life of any party. Please read the complete recipe and gather your ingredients before you begin. It will make it easier to move quickly through the steps. Yield: 24-30 bite sized
• ½ cup water • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes • 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne • 1/8 teaspoon ground chipotle • ¼ teaspoon salt • ½ cup flour • 2 large eggs (avoid extra large or jumbo) • 2 tablespoons chives or other light herb, finely minced • ¾ cup gruyere (or another dry cheese, grated Mimollette, aged Gouda, Compte, Parmegiano Reggiano, or Pecorino • ½ cup Parmigiana Reggianno plus another ½ cup to sprinkle on top • 4 slices best quality bacon, fried crisply and crumbled in small pieces 1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper 2. Heat the water, butter, salt and spices in a saucepan until the butter is melted. 3. Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a spoon until the mixture pulls away from the sides into a smooth ball. Remove from heat and let rest two minutes. 4. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring quickly to make the eggs don't "cook". The batter will first appear lumpy, but after a minute or two it will smooth out.| 5. Add about 1¼ cup of the grated cheeses, herbs and bacon, and stir until well-mixed. 6. Using two spoons drop the dough into small mounds (about the size of a cherry tomato) evenly spaced apart. Top each puff with a sprinkling of the ½ cup of remaining cheese. Pop the baking sheet into the oven. 7. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 375°F and bake for an additional 17-20 minutes until they're completely golden brown. If they deflate, they're alright to serve anyway. They’ll have character, crevices for even more crunch and still be delicious. NOTE: The puffs are best served warm, straight from the oven, however if you make them in advance you can reheat them on a low (350°F) oven for 5-10 minutes before serving. Or, you may let the batter stand at room temp for several hours before initially baking. Once baked, you may also like to split them, fill them with a fish mouse, smoked fish or meat spread or cheese spread of your choice and top them with their little hat. They'll evaporate.

MARCH & APRIL SAUGATUCK CALENDAR   ON STAGE Live from Laurel Canyon March 9 Hempy Keyboard Series: Tom Vendafreddo - Mar 11 The Wailin' Jennys April 13 ON EXHIBIT Corridor Series: CANVAS Paintings & Sculpture Thru March 8 Surface Tension: Beauty & Fragility in Lake Michigan Thru March 8 Moving Through the Unimaginable Opens March 16 HAPPENINGS Intriguing Conversation: Lake Michigan Mermaid - Mar 1 Creativity Revealed: Tim Folkert - Mar 5 Real to Reel: Little Stones April 11 Real to Reel: The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin - May 18 SAVE THE DATE Season Tickets on Sale March 5   Individual Tickets on Sale March 19 June 22 - July 15 June 25 - August 5 August 17 - September 2   "Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems." --- Rainer Maria Riekel   River City Improv March 10 and 17 Grand Rapids Clean Comedy Showcase II at The BOB Grand Rapids March 9 and 10 "Sweet April showers do bring May flowers." --- Thomas Tussler   • Mar 4 - The Journeymen • Mar 11 - Way Down Wanderers • Mar 18 - Soltre • Mar 25 - Twangtown Paramours & Pam Chappell   Virtue Cider proudly presents its latest edition of The Mitten, a winter cider, bourbon barrel-aged many months and finished with a bit of this season's fresh juice. Monday is our open-mic Jazz Jam evening with the What Not Band Starting Saturday, March 31  Music with Dean Allrick     800 Lake St., Saugatuck Native American Art & Jewelry      De Vos Performance Hall     Second City: A Guide to the Symphony March 16 - 18 The Illusionists - April 5 1964 The Tribute - April 19   Nate Marshall and Karen Russell March 1        Butterflies are Blooming March 1 - April 30 Drawn Into Form: Sixty Years of Drawings & Prints by Beverly Pepper Thru April 29 A Maker’s Perspective: Artist-Led Gallery Walks March 13 & April 17 Five Great Women Sculptors March 18 Michigan All State Bonsai Show May 12   "Spring is Nature's way of saying, 'Let’s party!'" --- Robin Williams   DANCING EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT Brewery Tours Every Saturday at 2 PM     Art Galleries in Our Villages Dawn Stafford's Peachbelt Studio & Gallery Corner of M-89 & 63rd St., Fennville   James Brandess Studios & Gallery 238 Butler St., Saugatuck Armstrong-De Graaf International Fine Art 403 Water St. on Main, Saugatuck Marcia Perry, Sculptor Blue Star Hwy., North of Saugatuck Amazwi Contemporary Art 249 Culver St., Saugatuck Janice Miles Gallery 421 Water Street, Saugatuck Good Goods 106 Mason Street, Saugatuck   "In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours."   --- Mark Twain Private Tasting at The Petter Wine Gallery 161 Blue Star Hwy., Douglas Expand your knowledge by scheduling your own private time with the Somm who will focus on your favorite varietal or region and broaden your horizons. Antiques Abound right on our doorstep • Anderson Antiques in Fennville • Blue Star Antique Pavilion • Olde House Antiques March 4 The Eagles - March 15 Pink - March 18 Styx & REO Speedwagon Featuring Don Feldern - Mar 19 The Breakers Tour featuring Little Big Town with Kacey Musgraves & Midland - March 22 April 8     Button Gallery 33-35 Center St., Douglas   "Spring's coming and there's a growing season. In life, you grow . . . you get better." --- Steve Southerland    Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio - March 9   Around the World with the Winemaker - March  17 New Release Winemaker's Dinner April 14 "No Winter lasts forever; no Spring skips its turn."  --- Hal Borland "With the coming of Spring, I am calm again." --- Gustav Mahler Celebrate at Wickwood Inn Special Champagne Brunch Strawberries, Spring Flowers & Chocolate Galore Easter Weekend March 30 - April 1 Mother’s Day Weekend May 11 - 13     Mar 21 - “Art Heals” with Jeff Blandford. Apr 11 - “Announcing Stories of Summer, a joint partnership with Grand Valley State University to collect new oral histories and digitize community historical ephemera.” May 9 - “The Mysterious Disappearance of Northwest Airlines flight 2501” with Valerie Van Heest     RESTAURANTS • Bowdie's Chophouse • Clearbrook • The Southerner • Everyday People’s Café • Salt of The Earth • The Black Sheep • Hawk’s Head • Saugatuck Brewery • The What Not Inn • Hercules Bar and Grill • Wally’s • The Butler • Phil's Bar and Grill • Lucy's Little Kitchen • Ida Red's TASTING ROOMS • Wyncroft Winery • Fenn Valley Winery • Virtue Ciderie • Petter Wine Gallery • Crane's Cider Mill • Tabor Hill Winery • McIntosh Winery • Clogdal Winery • Big Lake Brewery • Coppercraft Distillery • Saugatuck Brewing • New Holland Brewery • Fireside Brewing • Macatawa Ale • Our Brewing Company • Great Legs Winery & Distillery • Brewery 4 Two      Relax at Wickwood's Spa Swedish Massage Hot Stone Massage Couples Massages Pre-Natal Deep Tissue/ European Facials and Anti-Aging Facial   "You cannot keep Spring from coming."   ---Pablo Neruda   Now just across the street from Wickwood Inn Staying Fit in Saugatuck It’s easy here. We have miles of beaches to walk, trails to cycle, streams and rivers, and one Big Lake, to canoe, kayak, and surf, and paths and woods to walk. We also are lucky to have the Satya Yoga Center which is dedicated to our best selves with yoga, Pilates, meditation, martial arts, dance and even Boot Camp. There are classes, personal training, and workshops for all. Lakeshore Pilates is committed to upholding the highest standards of Joseph Pilates with Group Reformer & Mat classes and personal training. Lakeshore Pilates takes Pilates seriously training men and women of all ages. Visitors welcome. The Pump House Gym is everyone’s favorite for hitting the Cardio Mezzanine with Elliptical Bikes and Treadmills, free weights and Magnum weight and strength training equipment. Classes, day rates, personal training, it’s all here seven days a week. Walk-ins welcome.   Local Michigan Wineries   "In the Spring at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt." --- Margaret Atwood   Blue Coast Artists Lattner Studio Blue Star Pottery Khnemu Studio LLC Blue Roan Studio Lake Effect Pottery Blue Star Studio of Wood & Glass LLC     March 12 - 17 April 9   Holland, MI 98 Water Street, Douglas   St. Patrick's Day - March 17 Pet Parade