“Spring is a wish.” i read that line in a book I am reading and I thought how true that is this year! I think many South Dakotans are looking out their window and seeing a field of white. The terrain out of our back window is a rocky mountain covered with pine trees; the scene looks like a Bev Doolittle print, very lovely to look at, but I am wishing for spring.

The annual BBISD Spring Retreat is scheduled for next weekend, April 17 & 18, at Triangle Ranch near Philip and Wall. All members are welcome to be part of it. If you have any thoughts or concerns, now is a good time to either attend the retreat or contact your Regional Director. Your input is welcome.

Please contact Lyndy Ireland at triangle@gwtc.com or call 605-859-2122 if you plan to attend so she can plan how to house us all. Also, please bring fun finger food snacks along, to share with all on Friday afternoon, along with your favorite soda or drinks.

When: Friday, April 17th - starting at 1:00 PM MT (Please eat lunch prior to your arrival
or bring a sack lunch)
Saturday, April 18th - adjourn by noon.

Lyndy and Kenny will be preparing dinner on Friday and breakfast on Saturday.

Chair: Marilyn & Art Oakes, Buffalo Rock Lodge, Keystone
Vice Chair: Andy & Jenny Todd (new owners!), Prairie House Manor, DeSmet
Secretary: Vixie Miller, Vixie’s Victorian Villa B&B, Rapid City
Treasurer: Eileen Rossow, Peregrine Pointe B&B, Rapid City
Membership: Ila Rumbolz, der Rumbolz Platz, Ethan
Marketing: Judy Parker The Barn B&B, Geddes
Public Relations/Website:Steever House B&B, Lennox
Publications: Carla Kaaz, Foote Creek B&B, Aberdeen
Past President: Ron & Carla Kaaz, Foote Creek B&B, Aberdeen
Regional Directors:
Black Hills & Badlands: Lyndy Ireland, Triangle Ranch B&B near Philip
Great Lakes: Jim & Linda Steele, Eagle’s View B&B, Ft. Pierre
Glacier Lakes: Darla Loewen, Possibility Farm B&B, Huron
Southeast: Clark Edwards, Clark’s Prairie Gold B&B, Letcher
*Newsletter Editor: Nancy Roth, Apple Annie’s B&B, Rapid City
Legislative: Marilyn Oakes, Buffalo Rock Lodge, Keystone

A law was passed during this year’s Legislative Session which increased South Dakota’s tourism tax to 1.5% effective July 1, 2009. The new tax rate applies year around to the gross receipts of lodging establishments, which includes Bed & Breakfasts.

You should have received the new 2009 BBISD Directory brochures this week. The package contained brochures, comment cards, and your BBISD Membership certificates. Eileen Rossow, Peregrine Pointe B&B worked diligently preparing the brochures for print as well as distributing them. Eileen and Marilyn Oakes, Buffalo Rock Lodge, personally delivered some of the packets.

Because of various reasons, the www.southdakotabb.com website needs to be redesigned. We are in the process of “shopping” for a designer. If you can recommend a company or someone you have worked with, please contact Eileen at 605-388-8378 or peregrineptbb@msn.com Finding a website designer is uppermost on the agenda for the spring retreat, so if you know of anyone please respond “post haste”!

Lisa Simpson has an article on “Kitchen Tips and Gadgets” in the Winter 2009 Innkeepers Quarterly Time saving tips and tools? You bet! Here are some of her favorites.
Wrap celery in foil when you bring it home from the store; it will stay crisp for weeks in the fridge.
Freeze leftover egg whites in an ice cube tray, one per section. When needed, just bring to room temperature before use.
Use a chopstick to measure the height of liquid in a pan when you are reducing it.
Spray measuring cups lightly with non-stick spray when measuring sticky ingredients such as honey or molasses.
A damp kitchen towel placed underneath will keep mixing bowls and cutting boards from moving across the counter while you work.
TOOLS:
“Microplane” zesters and graters
Serrated chef’s knife. It’s perfect for slicing bread and thinly slicing just about anything.
Various sizes of “disher style” ice cream scoops for portioning everything from cookie dough to butter balls. (They are color coded at a restaurant supply store. Yellow (1/3 c) is perfect for cupcake and muffin batter. Purple (1 T) works great for drop cookie dough.)
Break apart kitchen sheers
Off-set spatulas for spreading everything from frosting to batters
Set of biscuit cutters in graduated sizes. Work for biscuits, cookies, and fruit slices.

This is a recipe from the 60’s that my mom made for special occasions. It has a subtle sweet flavor and is light and “springy”.

Dissolve 1 T Knox Gelatin in ½ C cold water
Beat 2 egg yolks slightly. Add ½ C water, 1 C sugar, ½ tsp salt. Cook in a double boiler or over med-low heat until thick, stirring constantly. Add gelatin to hot mixture and stir until thoroughly mixed. Cool well.

Make a graham cracker crust. Line a 9 x 13 pan, reserving some crumbs to sprinkle on top.

To cooled custard add 16 oz of well-drained cottage cheese and ½ tsp vanilla.

Whip ½ pt whipping cream
Beat two egg whites

Fold both into cheese mixture. Pour over crust in pan. Sprinkle with crumbs and refrigerate
24 hours. Enjoy