Michael August 23rd, 2007
It used to be that you could only get cheese curds one day a week. For the little store in our neighborhood, that day was Thursday. The curds would come in the early afternoon and by 5:00, they where usually gone. Lovers of the curds squeaky goodness would quickly grab them up. When cheese factories where smaller and more prevelant, you could only get the curds when they where actually making cheese.
Nowadays you can find cheese curds just about everywhere. Almost all the small factories have closed and the large cheese factories are making cheese every day of the week. The local mega grocery store has a table near the entrance just about continuously. Or I can drive to the local cheese factory and get a bag whenever they’re open.
Now its even easier to find cheese curds with the new Chese Curd Crawl map from www.eatcurds.com. The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board put together a very nice site with the history of curds, how to find them, and cheese curd recipes.
Download the map and get ready to take a trip; there’s nothing better than biting into a hot squeaky one fresh from the vat.
A nice story about curds can be found on the Milwaukee Journal site.
Michael August 2nd, 2007
Ferris Wheel,
originally uploaded by backroadwisconsin.
August in Wisconsin means fair time. The Wisconsin State Fair starts today and locally, the Wisconsin Valley Fair in Wausau is in full swing. The animals arrived on Wednesday and livestock judging is underway through the rest of the week, culminating with the Market Animal Sale on Saturday.
The county fairs in Wisconsin have been running since late June, but there are still plenty of fairs around the state to catch in August. The Wisconsin Association of Fairs has a calendar of fair dates, so head on over and pick one closest to you. With over 70 county fairs in the state, I’m sure you can find one that isn’t too far to drive. If you go, have some cheese curds and a funnel cake for me.
Where’s your favorite county fair, click on the comment link and share it with us.
Christine May 29th, 2007
It’s more than just theater, it is a full afternoon of fun (at least on Sunday it is the afternoon, other days it would be an evening of fun). We attended an afternoon performance of Beau Jest this past Sunday. We were treated to a fabulous Sunday brunch, a stroll in the gardens and great comedy.
We arrived at about 12:30 for a buffet lunch and were seated immediately. Everyone who helped us were incredibly curteous and professional. We had a leisurely lunch and tried just about everything! Greta reccomends the barbecue beef (sliced) and Carl will tell you all about the Blintzes (he got the last 2- what a happy kid!) I say try it all- each entree was wonderful.
Between lunch and the performance we had time to stroll through the gardens. They have a nice variety of plants and an awesome view of the Chippewa River Valley. Benches are placed all along the path for resting and enjoying the view. The pond is filled with frogs to be at this time.
The show itself was a hoot! The theater is very intimate and you can easily see the actors’ expressions. The kids and I laughed through each scene. There were several serious moments that were well done as well- even I could feel the tension. Definately a comedy for the whole family!
The Fanny Hill is located in Eau Claire. If you are looking for a great weekend getaway, extend your visit with a stay at the Victorian Inn that is part same building. The rooms are elegant and more than a bit romantic!
Check out there schedule at www.fannyhill.com.
Michael May 16th, 2007
Would you believe the last time the beer tax in Wisconsin was increased it was the year 1969. The tax per barrel was increased from $1.00 to $2.00. Now, some legislators want to increase it again from $2.00 to $10.00 per barrel. This works out to an increase from 3.6cents to 18 cents per six pack. The current tax brings in about 1.6 million dollars a year. The new tax could bring in $40 to $48 million. The money would be earmarked for alchohol abuse, addiction and education. Rep. Terese Berceau and Sen. Fred Risser, both Democrats from Madison are supporting the increased beer tax.
From the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:
According to the national Beer Institute, Wisconsin ranked sixth in beer consumption in 2006, with an average of 38.2 gallons consumed for every person 21 and older.
Wisconsin’s $2-a-barrel tax is third lowest in the nation, behind the 59-cent levy in Wyoming and the $1.86 tax in Missouri.
In Madison, officials lined up to distance themselves from the beer proposal.
“I want the residents of (my) Senate district to know that I will fight this proposal with all my power,” state Sen. Roger Breske (D-Eland), the former president of the Tavern League of Wisconsin, said in a statement.
It sounds like this proposal probably won’t make it very far.
Christine May 13th, 2007
There are festivals all across Wisconsin that celebrate food. Choose your food and there is almost certainly a celebration for it in Wisconsin:
Brats- Brat Fest in Madison is billed as the world’s largest. But somehow it seems to make the most sense in Sheboygan at Bratwurst Day .
Cheese- The mother of all cheese festivals is Green County Cheese Days in Monroe. But there are a whole host of others across the state!
Chocolate- Where else but in Burlington- Chocolate City, USA- would you find Chocolate Fest?
Beer- They appear across the state, but here are a couple: Great Northern Beer Festival and Rock The Brewery.
Wine- There are great wineries all over Wisconsin, and some cool festib\vals to go with them: In Cedarburg for example is the Wine and Harvest Festival.
The list goes on. But the one that has made international headlines most recently is in the small town of Elderon here in Central Wisconsin. You can read more about The Testicle Festival even in the Austrailian press and in the International Herald Tribune.It looks like about 300 folks attended. Mark it on you calendar for next May.
Michael April 30th, 2007
Carr Valley Cheese, the award winning cheesemaker from LaValle in Southern Wisconsin has scored a hit with one of his newest cheeses, Mobay. Mobay is a take on the well known French cheese, Morbier. Sid Cook, the master Cheesemaker, does it different by using a layer of goat’s milk cheese, a layer of grape vine ash and then a layer of sheep’s milk cheese. The three are pressed together and aged to create a taste sensation. The Cheese Impresario of Los Angeles, CA loved it so much, she made it Cheese of the Month.
You can order the cheese online or take a trip to the factory and pick up a pound.
Michael April 4th, 2007
One thing we know, living in Wisconsin is cheese. At one time our license plates where even bright yellow to pay homage to the food product that made Wisconsin famous.
Another homage to cheese is the one hour documentary titled “Living on the Wedge.” Produced by Chicago-area filmmaker Gaylon Emerzian, the film visits six artisan cheesemakers from Wisconsin. The film has already played on Wisconsin Public Television in Madison and Milwaukee and will be screened at the Sprecher Brewery in Glendale on April 23.
From the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:
The film is structured as an “insider’s tour” of “the state that cheese made.”
The engaging on-screen host, Mariana Coyne, invites us along as she drives through southwestern Wisconsin, from cheesemaker to cheesemaker, with additional stops at Larry’s Brown Deer Market in Brown Deer, the annual Cheese Days in Monroe, the U.S. Cheese Championship in Milwaukee, and the Dane County Farmers Market in Madison. Odessa Piper of L’Etoile restaurant fame makes a cameo appearance.
More than half a dozen cheesemakers are profiled, including Sid Cook of Carr Valley Cheese in La Valle, Mike and Carol Gingrich of Uplands Creamery in Dodgeville, George Crave of Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese in Waterloo, blue cheesemakers Julie and Tony Hook of Mineral Point, Willie Lehner of Bleu Mont Dairy near Blue Mounds and goat cheesemaker Anne Topham of Fantome Farm in Ridgeway.
The film has been nominated for a James Beard Award and is available for purchase from the author’s website.
Christine April 1st, 2007
Since we are talking boats… it looks like The Edelweiss is back! It’s been awhile, but the brunch cruise we took was great fun. Great food and a wonderful view.
Edelweiss to set sail again
Dining boats returning under new ownership
By AMY GUCKEEN
The Edelweiss dining cruise boats, a Milwaukee summer staple, will be making a return to the Wisconsin waterways this May following a change in ownership in the off-season.
Edelweiss dining river cruises are expected to resume in May under new ownership. The new owners are restoring the boats.
Robert Carr, 30, and Dan Jorgenson, 29, have taken over the two Edelweiss vessels previously owned by Waterfront Entertainment Group Ltd. The Milwaukee River Cruise Line LLC will open their cruises to the public on May 2, according to Jorgenson.
Continuing in the tradition of the Edelweiss boats, the company will offer dinner, happy-hour, late-night, sightseeing and corporate cruises. They will also be available for private charter. Tours begin at an hour and a half duration and venture around the waterways to places such as the Milwaukee Art Museum, port of Milwaukee and various lighthouses. The owners are in the process of developing catering contracts with local restaurant owners to provide an array of dining options for customers.
More here…
Michael March 29th, 2007
Barbeque, the smokey slow cooking method from the South is considered an unusual sight this far north. Typically, if you run into a BBQ shack in the northern climes, its run by a southern transplant. This is not the case of Famous Dave’s BBQ.
Continue Reading »
Christine March 20th, 2007
Pure Maple syrup is the only thing that should grace a big ol’ stack of pancakes, a crisp waffle or even a potato pancake. Why would someone bother with Mrs. Butterworth when Wisconsin supplies the very best syrup? You can find it in stores, specialty stores or at roadside stands along the highway. You can see more about syrup producers and locations to pick up a quart (or gallon) at the WI Maple Syrup Producers Association (WMSPA).
Alice in Dairyland Taps First Maple Tree of the Season
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 03/19/2007
Wisconsin’s 59th Alice in Dairyland helped kick-off the spring sugar-maple season this week during a tree tapping ceremony at Franz Sugar Bush near Athens. On Saturday, Nicole Reese drilled into one of the farm’s maple trees where a small group was on-hand to watch the annual tradition. She was also presented with her very own brace and bit for tapping by the Wisconsin Maple Syrup Producers Association.
Nicole says with over 3,000 producers in Wisconsin, the maple syrup industry is a very large part of the state’s agricultural industry.
“Wisconsin ranks fourth in the nation in maple syrup production,” Reese said. “Maple syrup producers made 100,000 gallons of maple syrup during the 2006 season.
Complete article here…
