Chain Ferry and The Duck
The very polite captain of the Saugatuck Chain Ferry apologizes to the captain and passengers on The Duck as the ferry crosses the Kalamazoo River on Friday, July 31, 2015. The Chain Ferry always has the right-of-way.
Wickwood Inn, Saugatuck Mi
This famous Saugatuck Inn can trace its origins back to the days of The Berkshire Traveller and his first travel guide, Country Inns and Back Roads, which captured the romantic imagination of a nation. The Wickwood Inn, owned by Silver Palate Cookbook author Julee Rosso, has received wide acclaim for its superb food and splendid accommodations. Recognized by all major guides, this Saugatuck bed and breakfast is enjoyed by an international clientele.
Ranked as one of the top bed and breakfasts in Michigan, this Saugatuck inn has been beautifully restored and refurbished from top to bottom with rich color schemes, original art, and imported antiques, all selected with a critical eye to preserving those features that are unique to the inns heritage. Eleven superbly appointed rooms offer flexibility, including excellent facilities for small executive retreats.
Food is the raison dêtre at this Saugatuck bed and breakfast. At the heart of Wickwood is the owners splendid cooking—like the recipes to be found in her ever popular cookbook. Breakfast menus are original and exciting, and they take advantage of the best seasonal produce. The Inn provides a full breakfast daily with Champagne on weekends. Items may include such interesting things as apple-blueberry bread pudding with vanilla sauce, caramelized-onion, arugula and hickory-smoked bacon strata, carmel pecan sticky buns, country ham and fresh four-berry salad. These memorable breakfasts are served daily from an antique pine sideboard framed by a charming classic French market poster.
The Inn takes on a glow during the early evening when guests gather in the library to enjoy their own cocktails and sample a lavish array of tempting hors doeuvres creatively prepared to amuse-bouche. Foodies will swoon over grissini, shrimp and crab crostini, salmon mousse, soup-shots, handmade artisanal cheeses and salumi to rival Batali's in Seattle's Pioneer Square. The Wickwood is open year-round and offers many interesting off-season packages.