Field's at the Wilderness

If you leave without trying the Strawberry Schaum Torte, shame on you. This tower of chewy confectionary clouds with centers the consistency of marshmallow goodness alternating with whipped cream and strawberries, has been on the menu for 50 years, and is divine in its simplicity. As owner Jane Wimmer pointed out, it requires just a few ingredients, but delights on many levels. Close competitors to this top dessert -- the Key Lime Pie and Chocolate Torte.

Here, we recommend Bonnie's Lemon Meringue Ice Cream Pie. It's a mouthful, to be sure. Named after owner's wife, here's an analysis of this Dells pie from the bottom up. The crust is made with toasted pecans, then it's filled with vanilla ice cream, topped with lemon curd, then frozen. Next it's covered with a golden crown of meringue and candied lemon zest. Obois says this pie, which is served year-round, is his personal favorite.

When you walk in this pretty little Wisconsin Dells restaurant -- it's actually housed in a converted cheese factory, thus the name -- your eyes will invariably be drawn to a rotating glass case filled with mouthwatering desserts. There are classic fudge brownies, cute cupcakes piled high with frosting, seasonal pies -- all homemade mind you. But the Princess Cake will call to you. Picture vanilla cake between layers of lemon butter-cream frosting and raspberry filling, then covered with roasted almonds. Enough said.

Other restaurants noteworthy for their desserts include Field's at the Wilderness (Bananas Foster), Kaminski Bros. Chop House (their signature KBC Brownie Sundae) and Ishnala Supper Club (pecan cinnamon rolls, which come with the meal, but are absolutely dessert-worthy).

Number of Servings: 4 generous or 8 side dish-sized portions
Baking Time: 30 minutes
Baking Temperature: 350°F

 

Ingredient List:
1 ½ c. cooked wild rice
¾ c. raw oatmeal
2 large red apples
¾ c. dried cranberries
½ c. raisins
½ T. cinnamon
½ c. chopped nuts (you can use either walnuts, pecans or a mixture of the two)

2 c. milk
¼ c. brown sugar
¼ tsp salt
2 T of butter
 
Preparation:
In large bowl mix wild rice, oatmeal, thinly sliced apples (not peeled), cranberries, raisins, cinnamon and nuts.  Set aside.
 
In separate bowl mix together milk, brown sugar, salt and butter and heat in microwave oven until hot.  Mix hot ingredients into rice and fruit mixture.  Put into buttered 2 qt. casserole dish. Cover and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.

Here is Heather's story in a snapshot.

Title:
General Manager, Tanger Outlet Center

Responsibilities:
Oversees the area’s only mall -- an open-air, northwoods-themed shopping center with 60 brand-name stores.

What She Likes Best About Her Job:
A chance to interact with visitors and hear about their favorite experiences in the Dells.

Childhood:
Born and raised in Wisconsin Dells. Parents own two restaurants within earshot of Tanger -- Field’s at the Wilderness and Sarento’s Restaurant.

Enduring. Endearing. Those were the two words that guided the research for this story on the classic Wisconsin Dells vacation. Many of the Wisconsin Dells hotels, attractions and restaurants included below have been building up a fan base for decades and across generations. Others are slightly more contemporary classics that still say “Wisconsin Dells” in a big way. Combined, they make for lots of choices for travelers who like to go classic.

A good starting point is downtown, where classic Wisconsin Dells hotel and motels right on the main street are well maintained and still very popular. There’s Fitzgerald’s Motel, where the front sign reminds you to “Smile, you’re on vacation.” Last year, Fitzgerald’s celebrated its 60th anniversary, and owner Margaret Gewont is 100% sincere when she tells you guests are more like extended family than vacationers. A peek in the guest book proves it, with the first entry reading: “Margaret is the ultimate hostess.” The list of downtown Wisconsin Dells hotels and motels is long and varied, so take your pick.

Downtown Wisconsin Dells

As long as you’re already on the main thoroughfare, keep your car parked and put on your walking shoes for a stroll up and down Broadway. You’ll pass fudge shops like Swiss Maid Fudge and Wisconsin Dairyland Fudge and likely succumb to the sweets being made behind the picture windows. Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum, with its quirky and fun-to-read-about displays from adventures of days gone by, is one of the many amusing Wisconsin Dells attractions on Broadway. As long as you’re downtown, go ahead and have one of those old-timey pictures taken. For souvenirs, Bailey’s Landing and Winnebago Gift Shop are both known for their wide selection of Minnetonka moccasins, a fashion statement in Wisconsin and on the runways of New York.