Wine & Dine Wisconsin 2010

The foodies are alive and eating well here in Wisconsin. And we've got proof:  Wine & Dine Wisconsin.

In its second year, Wine & Dine Wisconsin features some of the best in wine, beer, food, and spirits in the area.  Interested onlookers can sample delicious creations, imbibe a variety of delicious drinks, and learn more about locally made products.

We managed to make it downtown for a few hours this morning to enjoy the festivities. And here are some of the highlights of our day.

First, there was plenty of wine.  But, it's "Wine & Dine Wisconsin" -- so you'd sort of expect that, wouldn't you?  What you might not expect to encounter is a whole line of libations produced in support of God's work. And I present: Holy Spirits: Great Wine on a Mission.

There were also plenty of Wisconsin Dairy products represented -- including a stunning array of Wisconsin cheeses like this Olive Oil & Rosemary variety from Sartori Foods and ice cream from Sassy Cow Creamery.

As expected, there was also plenty of beer -- including a wide range of bottled brews for sampling, and a few from Stella Artois on tap.  Though the Stella Artois beer garden was quite impressive (and a variety of WI brews were represented among the 40 craft brews offered by greatbrewers.com),  we were a bit surprised that there wasn't more representation from our talented Wisconsin breweries.

 

Fortunately, we saw plenty of our favorite local artisans, including Scott from Bolzano Artisan Meats. In addition to some scrumptious charcuterie, Scott also has a pretty impressive moustache -- look at it in the photo below!  Rumor has it, he keeps up his snappy style with a bit of Elmer's Glue.  Scott -- fact or fiction?

Restaurants also offered impressive fare -- including this delicous seafood salad offered by Tutto.

And uber fresh oysters on the half-shell from our friends at Molly Cool's Seafood Tavern. (Incidentally, Molly Cool's will be serving up some of their delicious fare at the Gumbo Git Down next weekend... you won't want to miss it!)

While the beer wasn't particularly local, some of the spirits were -- and we were happy to see the Great Lakes Distillery serving up some of their finest vodka, gin, and their newest release -- Roaring Dan's Rum -- deliciously smooth stuff with a hint of Wisconsin maple syrup.

We were also pretty stoked to have the opportunity to meet Nick & Ira, the master minds behind the Bittercube brand.  These amazing mixologists showed us how to brew up our own nifty homemade bitters and flavored liquors.  In addition to being clever, they also mix up a pretty mean Whiskey Old Fashioned (a recipe they actually call the "Old Double Gold" so as not to confuse WI folks who think an old fashioned needs mashed up orange & maraschino cherry).

We were also happy to find mixologists of another type at the event -- employees of Oro di Oliva oil & vinegar shop -- mixing up delicious blends of olive oils and vinegars for sampling.

 Of course, there was no better way to finish our field trip than with a few sweet treats.  First, we sampled deliciously smooth gelato from our neighbors at Cold Spoons Gelato.  First, we tried the amazing salted caramel gelato... and we cleansed our palates with some of their amazing lemon sorbetto. YUM.

But, no foodie adventure would be complete without Peef's favorite indulgence -- a bit of chocolate. And so we'll leave you with something smooth and spicy -- a bit of chocolate from Indulgence Chocolatiers in Waukesha, Wisconsin.  Truly exceptional stuff.   The Mayan Spice bar is fantastically rich, with an amazing kick from cayenne pepper.  And the milk chocolate sea salt chocolate... well, you've just got to try that to believe it.

 

Wine and Dine Wisconsin runs through tomorrow, October 3rd.  Tickets are $49 at the door.

Cheers!

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Summer 2010: It's All About the Pig

What do you like best about summer?
If you'd have asked me that question a number of years ago, my answer may have been "not much."

I'm not a fan of the heat. Or the humidity. Or the mosquitoes. I have a tendency to be light sensitive, so exposure to too much sun generally results in a monster of a headache. And the notion of running around in a bikini (or being scantily clad in any way) is as scary for me as it would be for everyone else if I actually made a habit of it.

Nah... I live for the crisp autumn days when I can throw on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. I long for deceptively sunny days. And chilly nights. For crisp leaves and apple pie.  It's the one time of the year when yard work doesn't make me sweat. And I can think of nothing more exciting than putting something into the oven for a nice slow braise while I sit with a cup of tea and catch up on my reading.

That said, I will concede that I've grown increasingly fond of summer as I grow older -- in part because I've grown to more closely appreciate my food and where it comes from.  Eating more locally has given me an uncanny affection for blisteringly hot summer days and humid evenings because I know that they will beget me plenty of delicious produce to get me through the long, cold Wisconsin winter.

Of course, it helps that I also get to look forward to events like the Braise on the Go annual pig roast (see footage from past roasts in 2008 and 2009).  This year, the event was held at LOTFOTL, a certified organic community farm in East Troy, WI.  We've gotten to know Farmer Tim Huth over the years (in fact, he's the one who generously bestowed us with those fantastic rat tail radishes -- and seeds to grow our own -- two years ago when we belonged to his CSA), and he's a great guy.  In his own words, the philosophy on his farm can be summed up this way:

To “live off the fat of the land” [...] is to bask in your role in a system which feeds you so long as you feed it. It is the celebration, and the recognition that you cannot be you without these systems, without other beings, sentient and otherwise. Farming practices that are land abusive will inevitably lead to land that is lifeless, just as a household filled with anger and violence will cease to feel like a home.

We strive to apply systematic thinking to the farm, treating the land like the vast and complex space that it is. In building our relationship to the soil  we are placing our bets that if we fulfill the role of stewards and caretakers of this supercomplex set of interactions, this system will reciprocate and care for us. But even if it doesn't, even if waves someday wash over our fields, or the sun bakes Earth's flesh to a crusty and crumbly and lifeless space, we will have acted from this place of intention, and will be better for it. To Live off the fat of the land, then, is simply to live.  -- LOTFOTL Community Farm

Unlike years past, the weather this year was pretty sticky. Rain was in the forecast, but the humidity hadn't quite broken.  So, we were relieved to see that our dinner this year would sheltered from both the heat of the sun and the threat of rain. The mosquitoes were also pretty nasty, thanks to all that rain we got in July; but the Braise folks managed to cover that base as well, passing out bug spray to anyone who needed it.  They also set a mighty pretty table.

Before they seated us, we were encouraged to take a trek around the farm. To sustain us, they supplied us with a bit of wine (there was also the option of chocolate milk from Sassy Cow Creamery for anyone who felt the desire to turn down a bit of locally produced wine from Stone's Throw Winery)

And delicious bite of pork confit on a whole grain cracker with Wisconsin cherry (Many thanks to Adam Lucks).

And before we knew it, it was time for dinner.  There were four delectable courses in store for us -- each one containing some form of pork (including dessert).  The porky bits were all derived from a 200lb Berkshire pig from Golden Bear Farm, an organic farm in Kiel, WI owned and operated by by Steve and Marie Deibele.  We couldn't wait to dig in!

By this point, we couldn't wait to see what we were having for dessert. Fortunately, the chefs were kind enough to let us take a peek at the delicious things they were prepping.  And once we found out there would be PIG FAT CARAMEL involved, we became seriously drool-laden.

Mosquitoes?  Humidity? Bah!
Give me food like this -- in the company of good friends -- and I'll put up with quite a bit.  It might even make me like summer :)  Cheers!

Sorry you missed the pig roast?  Why not sign up for the Braise Tour de Farms event coming up on Sunday, September 12, 2010.  Looks like it's gonna be a blast!


©BURP! Where Food Happens

Wisconsin Cheese Goes Upscale: Our Cheese Dinner at Bacchus Milwaukee

Did you know that Wisconsin produces more cheese than all of Italy?

And that it takes nearly 10 pounds of milk (just over a gallon) to make 1 pound of cheese?

It's true. Wisconsin dairy farms produce more than 23 billion pounds of milk every year. That's about 14% of the country's total milk supply.As the nation's leading producer of cheese, Wisconsin has a long and productive history, which hearkens back to the mid-1800s.

We were fortunate to have been invited to a special tasting of some delicious Wisconsin cheeses at Bacchus restaurant in downtown Milwaukee. With an emphasis on fresh seafood, exquisite handmade pastas, and perfectly grilled meats, Bacchus serves up some of the best in high end dining in Milwaukee. They also happen to serve an amazing selection of Wisconsin Cheeses.

Among the cheeses we sampled were:
Dunbarton Blue, Roelli Cheese, Shullsburg, WI

Four-Year Aged Cheddar, Widmer’s Cheese Cellars, Theresa, WI

Gran Canaria, Carr Valley Cheese, LaValle, WI

Marieke’s Raw Milk Gouda, Holland’s Family Cheese, Thorp, WI

Shaft Bleu Cheese, Emmi-Roth Käse, Monroe, WI
Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Uplands Cheese, Dodgeville, WI
Ahh, cheese...

Our cheese plate was served with fabulous acacia honey, imported from Germany, and a delicious fig preserves -- both of which were perfect when served with the creamy blue cheese.

As we noshed on each delicious variety of cheese, we chatted with one of the dinners hosts, Heather Porter Engwall of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. She had plenty of great stories to share -- both about the history of Wisconsin cheeses, and about the phenomenal cheese-makers whose ingenuity has helped Wisconsin to become the overwhelming leader in artisan cheese. She pretty much has the coolest gig in the world.

One of our favorite cheeses, Bandaged Cheddar, hails from Bleu Mont Dairy, where Willi Lehner, a Swiss-American cheesemaker brings astounding creativity to the art of cheese.

His modest farm operates solely on solar- and wind-power. His bandaged cheddar, which as the name suggests, is wrapped in bandages, then spritzed with a mixture of water and previous rinds before being aged on special spruce boards in an aging cave. The cheese is unlike many other cheddars you've probably tasted. The flavor is curiously gamey -- and yet it offers up plenty of welcome buttery nuttiness and a very clean finish.

In addition to our cheese plate, we were delighted to sample a selection of tapas, including a delicious toasted brioche with maple braised pork belly.

We sampled a delightful veal ravioli with spinach, toasted pine nuts, and buerre fondue.

A chilled corn soup was garnished with Maine lobster, creamy avocado, and sweet piquillo peppers.

There was also beet and watermelon salad with crisp proscuitto, arugula, Marcona almonds, and a delicious sampling of Hidden Springs goat cheese.

And we both delighted in a farm-fresh string bean salad featuring Salemville blue cheese, frisee, radishes, and toasted hazelnuts.

For dinner, I ordered the Strauss free-raised veal chop, which came with a baby potato salad dressed in a rustic mustard vinaigrette and served with veal jus.

Lo was delighted with her seared sea scallops, which were served on a bed of caramelized fennel and sauteed spinach, and dressed with a honey-red wine sauce and red grapes.

It's difficult enough to describe the incredible satiety one feels after imbibing in such a delicious array of food and drink, but we were also privileged to enjoy great conversation with a wide array of great people.

We had the incredible good fortune of being joined by a variety of other Milwaukee foodies -- including Mel from A Taste of Life, Stef and Katie from Haute Apple Pie, and the crew from Eating Milwaukee. We were able to chat briefly with Executive Chef, Adam Siegel, who spoke honestly about both the wonders and limitations of his efforts to source as many local foods as possible to accommodate his dinner guests at Bacchus.

Thank you, thank you to Adam Siegel, Chef de Cuisine Andrew Ruiz and all the others on staff at Bacchus who made our dinner truly memorable. And we send a very special thanks to everyone at the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board who made this dinner possible. Heather and Megan -- it was great to meet you both! And we look forward to many more years of supporting (and eating) delicious Wisconsin cheese.

Full Disclosure: Although we received our meal and drinks free of charge, we were not paid to advertise for the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board or any businesses mentioned in this article. All opinions expressed in this blog entry are our own and are reflective of our experience.


©BURP! Where Food Happens

Local Foodies Spread the News About Cooking Raw

For Milwaukee-area raw foodists Caroline Carter and Shenita Ray, the raw food diet has become not only a way of life, but also a source of income.

In 2007, this mother-daughter team founded eden's market, a food product line including crackers, granola, dips and smoothies that are wheat-, gluten- and dairy-free (most of the products are also raw).

We came across Caroline and Shenita's delicious crackers for the first time at an area farmer's market in 2008 -- and since then, we've been avid supporters ever since. Caroline's energy is intoxicating, and her crackers are delicious. So, we were genuinely excited to hear that the duo would be hosting a new eight-part cooking series on Milwaukee Public Television.

Cooking Raw, which debuted on July 10, 2010, teaches viewers to prepare popular dishes using uncooked ingredients, such as fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts and whole grains.

Through eden's market and Cooking Raw Shenita and Caroline aspire to spread the message of raw food and its benefits throughout Milwaukee and --eventually-- beyond.  Future plans include a self-published cookbook that will be made available at farmer's markets and on the eden's market Web site beginning later this month.

Since we love to support local area businesses, and we think the message of eden's market is an important and health-giving one, we asked Shenita if she would be willing to share some information with us about their food philosophies. 

What made you decide to switch over to a raw diet? Are you 100% raw?
Seeing how raw foods changed my mother physically and emotionally encouraged me to integrate raw foods into my diet. She lost close to 80 pounds, her skin glowed, and I sensed that she achieved an emotional balance that I had never witnessed before. It seemed as though everything about her changed once she began integrated raw foods into her diet. I will admit that I was hesitant about trying the food but once I did, I couldn’t get enough of it. Neither me or my mother are 100% raw, but on average our diet is probably 70% raw at any given time.

Did you grow up enjoying cooking?
That’s a difficult question to answer.I would say that I never really had any interest in cooking growing up.  I didn’t like spending hours upon hours in the kitchen “cooking” in the traditional sense.So before I began integrating raw foods into my diet, I ate out often. However, after I began raw foods, it sparked a new found interest and joy in cooking raw.  Integrating raw foods changed my outlook toward food.  I had always seen food as something that simply satisfied my hunger but recently I discovered the profound impact food has on how I feel and how I think.   Nowadays, cooking and eating isn’t just about curbing my hunger, it is also about making me feel good, giving me energy, feeding my body the nutrients it needs to perform at its optimal level.  So since I started integrated raw foods into my diet, I have developed a passion for preparing my own meals from scratch using the best ingredients that I can find.

What made you decide you would start your own raw foods business?  
My mother traveled across the country to obtain training and certification on raw food preparation and instruction. After she completed a series of training, she wanted to teach people how to prepare raw foods. So we worked with various schools, grocery stores, churches, and other organizations to provide raw food preparation demonstrations.  Well the positive response we received from the participants was overwhelming and they always asked “where can I buy your food.”  So really the idea to start a raw foods business came from the people who attended our raw food preparation sessions.

Tell us a little bit about the mission of eden’s market? 
Our mission is to create healthy food products that taste delicious by using uncooked and whole vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, and natural sweeteners, to teach children and adults how to prepare nutritious meals, and to educate others about the importance of integrating natural and whole foods into their diet for improved health.

How did the opportunity to be featured on Milwaukee Public Television arise?
One day my mother said to me, “Nita, we should have our own TV show to teach people how to prepare raw foods.  There really isn’t anything like this on TV now” and I said, “Yeah, I think that’s a good idea but how in the world are WE going to get on TV?”  Well, through my mother’s amazing networking and persuasive skills, she was able to convince the folks at MPTV to give us a shot…and they did.

Do you have any tips for a novice raw foodie?  
I would say to keep it simple.  When I first decided to integrate raw foods into my diet, I wanted to make the most extravagant raw food meals using the most extravagant raw food ingredients.  Well, given my busy lifestyle and budget, this was impossible to maintain.  So I encourage people who are trying to improve their diet by adding raw foods, start small.  Begin by adding green smoothies to your diet or simply by drinking more water.  These small things will make a huge difference in your well-being and encourage you to integrate more raw foods into your diet.

Favorite kitchen gadget?
Blender – I use it nearly every day to make my green smoothies.

Funniest kitchen incident? 
I really can’t think of a funny kitchen moment that happened to me but my mother captured one of her friends trying a raw taco for the first time and her friend’s response was simply amazing.  This video is on my FB page.

What are some raw food staples in your current diet? 
Green smoothies, almond milk, Caroline’s Handmade Onion Dip, chocolate brownies,  grapes, bananas

Do you have a favorite cookbook?
My mother and I just completed our first draft of our own cook book entitled, “A Mother and Daughter Diary of Raw Food Recipes for Beginners” and I would have to say that this is my favorite cookbook.  I don’t like complex cooking or spending hours in the kitchen so this book helps me keep cooking delicious, healthy, simple, and fun.

Where do you see the raw food movement heading? 
My mother and I really focus on encouraging people to INTEGRATE raw foods into their diet. Like I stated before, I’m not 100% raw nor do I aim to be 100% raw. I don’t think raw foods are really mainstream yet but I think the path to getting there is showing people how easy and simple it is to eat deliciously and healthfully.

If you could leave our readers with one message about raw cooking/eating, what would it be? 
I believe that food is powerful and it has the ability to influence the way we look, feel, and behave. Food can heal us and change lives in ways that we never imagined.

RECIPE: Ginger and Fennel H2O

Ingredients:
2 lemons, unpeeled if organic
1 fennel
1 inch piece ginger
1 small or medium bunch parsley
1 gallon water

Instructions:
1. Chop the lemon, fennel, and ginger in large chunks.
2. Place fruits and vegetables in a gallon size jar.
3. Pour the water in the jar.
4. Stir all the contents in the jar.
5. Place in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.  Serve and enjoy


Cooking Raw airs on MPTV 10.1 HD on Saturdays at 11 a.m., and will repeat on Fridays at 6 p.m. The series also airs on MPTV 36.1 on Sundays at noon.  And, for those of you interested in watching, here's the first episode of Shenita and Caroline's show, Cooking Raw. 



For more information about eden's market check out the recent article on JSOnline.



©BURP! Where Food Happens

A Year of Inconvenience: Fellow Foodie Project

For one year, Pam declared, I will cook all meals from scratch, shopping primarily the fresh departments of my co-op.

When Pam Mehnert declared that she was giving up on convenience foods for an entire year, some people thought she was crazy -- and maybe for good reason.  Pam's got her hands full as general manager at Outpost Natural Foods in Milwaukee. But, like so many of us, Pam is also devoted to improving her community.   Pam believes that, by changing her diet, she can take a more active role in revitalizing the local economy and lessening her dependence on processed foods.

But, how would she make it for an entire year -- baking her own bread, making her own tortillas, and giving up her reliance on pre-packaged foods?

Well, that's a good question.  So, Pam started "A Year of Inconvenience," her own personal blog and food diary where she plans to share stories, wisdom, and thoughts on her year of "from scratch" eating.

We asked Pam if she'd take a few minutes to tell her a bit more about her project, and she willingly obliged.
We hope you're as moved by her real food journey as we are!
______________________________________________

You've written that you were inspired by both Julie Powell and Michael Pollan to begin this challenge. Although you're not cooking your way through a cookbook, as Julie Powell did, what parallels do you see between her experience and the challenge you've created for yourself?

Without question, the biggest parallel would be the time it will take to fit the challenge into an already busy day, and how easily it can become your “job” taking it on. For Julie, it also sounded like her novice cooking experience combined with taking on the French culture of the recipes became overwhelming, not to mention experimenting with cooking techniques she wasn’t familiar with. That’s different for me, because already it’s more about “hunger” – that if I don’t prepare and plan out our meals – I’ll be left with few choices and sadly a very boring diet. If Julie Powell didn’t feel like cooking from the cookbook on any particular day – she could take a break from it. I however have to focus on what meals I’ll be preparing every single day. And yet, I’m still inspired because of her, but especially Michael Pollan.

I know that you love to cook (and eat). But, how much cooking did you do, on average, prior to the challenge?  How many additional hours a week do you spend cooking now? 

Before the challenge I would cook breakfast and dinner at home on average 4-5 days per week. Now what I refer to as “cooking” wasn’t always from scratch. We would take a frozen pizza and add our own toppings, or I might start a pot of chili using canned beans and tomatoes. Often it was a protein and vegetable – simple dinners that could be put together in just 30 to 45 minutes. Lunch, on the other hand, was almost always picking up something from Outpost’s prepared foods department – usually a salad or sandwich or soup.  

A comparison of before the challenge and after, I’d say before I cooked on average 3-4 total hours/week and now it’s at least triple that amount of time. And I’m only in week two.

Do you have a strategy to help you get through the next 11 months? Have you purchased any special equipment for the challenge? 

I’ve been thinking about the challenge ever since last summer, so I actually have been preparing my kitchen with a few items. I gave away my thrift store 1980 something KitchenAid mixer and purchased a new one around the holidays. I also had been buying storage jars at flea markets and antique stores late last summer and fall. Just this past week I spent $100 at my local Ace Hardware adding important items such as a kitchen thermometer, extra baking sheets, freezer storage containers, a silicone rolling mat (for baking), and believe it or not – a dish drainer. We’ve been doing a lot of dishes!

My strategy has been – prepare a menu for the week (lunch & dinner), keep staples items in stock (granola and bread in particular), make enough dinner to have as a lunch leftover, and use the freezer. The freezer is my friend.

What's been the most painful convenience food for you to give up? The easiest?

The most painful: Seriously, and this is a bit embarrassing, but it would have to be snack foods. Hungry after work and need to snack before dinner – I used to depend on crackers, tortilla chips, or nut mixes. Baked potato chips with my sandwich, or cheese puffs while watching television at night. It’s the snacks, and fruit and vegetables don’t always do the trick!

The easiest? I guess that would be bread. I don’t mind baking bread at all. The frequency will become a strain after awhile I’m sure, but I really do enjoy making it.

Are there any official "exceptions" that you're making for yourself during the challenge? 

I’m really surprised no one has asked me this on the blog yet. Yes, actually there are a few.

First, if I get invited over to someone’s home for dinner, I will eat what they have to offer without scrutiny or judgment. That’s only polite. Second, I will eat out at restaurants but only under the condition that I’m invited by someone else (it can’t be a convenience because I don’t know what to make for dinner) AND for me it must be a locally owned restaurant (and not fast food local either). Someone else must have taken the time and care to make things from scratch. Third, at the beginning I’m not defining condiments as convenience foods. That means I will use some mustard or ketchup or mayonnaise on occasion. I do realize those things can be made from scratch, so I will eventually eliminate them from my exception list as I use up what I have. And finally, beverages to me are not convenience foods unless I use them in a convenient way. For example, I’ll brew coffee at home but I won’t stop at a coffee shop because I didn’t want to brew it at home. I’ll also drink beer, but will limit that whenever possible to local beer. I would like to try brewing beer on my own at some point.

I don’t know what I’m going to do when I travel. I travel at least four times a year for business meetings where I can’t cook and don’t have a kitchen, so I think I’ll just go with the flow on that. Vacations are also a question in my mind. I’m starting one next week going out to California, so I’ll report back on that experience.

What has the response been from your colleagues? Friends?  Most importantly -- what does your spouse/significant other think of all of this?

I gave my domestic partner the option of opting out – and was met with the response – “I live in the same house, we eat the same meals, and I’m willingly supporting you with this.” Thank goodness, as it’s really been helpful having an extra set of hands with the cooking, not to mention she’s really great with researching recipes. My colleagues and friends all think I’m a bit crazy – but applaud my efforts I think because they are grateful it’s not them.

  
Pam Mehnert is general manager of Outpost Natural Foods and has been working at the co-op since 1980. Her passion for local food and local business led her and seven other Milwaukee businesses to found the organization Our Milwaukee in 2007, where she currently serves as board president as well as local business advocate. In her spare time Pam fuels her daily work by serving as president of the board of directors of the National Cooperative Grocers Association. Oh, and she loves to cook, garden, work on assemblage art, and take adventurous hikes with her partner Lisa.  

Read more about Pam's Year of Inconvenience on her blog!  She just came back from vacation, so I'm sure she'll appreciate the visitors!


©BURP! Where Food Happens

Wisconsin Food Blog Love

It's always great when we can give a big shout-out to people, locally, who are doing what we do and loving it. There aren't many of us blogging about food in Wisconsin -- or at least that's what I've gathered so far -- so we thought we'd give my own shout-out to all the Wisconsin bloggers we know!

NOTE: 10/10 The List has grown.  LOOK UP!  Fully Updated Blogroll has moved to the Header of the blog!!


If you think Wisconsin Foodies only talk about beer and cheese, you've got to think again.
Start by checking out these sites:

• Andrea's Easy Vegan Cooking Andrea is an extraordinarily creative local vegan presence (yay!) and a woman after my own heart (she cooks without recipes!)
  
• Anna's Recipe Box Anna is an adventurous cook with a pork allergy and a penchant for Uzbek food
• Between the Bars - Milwaukee, WI is a blog about east-side living in Milwaukee, written by Karen, a Wisconsin native who brings a sense of place to everything she writes (and sometimes she even writes about food).
  
• Cheese Underground is THE place to find out about great Wisconsin artisan cheese.
• Driftless Appetite Leslie and Keith live in the "Driftless Zone" of southwestern Wisconsin, and they believe there is not a better place to live on earth if you want fresh, diverse, locally produced food. We tend to agree!
  
• A Duo of Chefs is a SOLE-ful blog (sustainable, organic, local, ethical) from SE Wisconsin that reflects an emphasis on low-fat and vegetarian dishes.
• Eat Wisconsin is a site does an upstanding job showcasing the food and drink of Wisconsin.
• French Kitchen in America Mimi grew up with food and understands the important connection between food, love, family and connecting with our roots.
• Fussy Foodies Williamina and dc are a couple of professionals with a penchant for cooking, eating, and critiquing. Great place to go for local restaurant reviews.
  
• Gimme Something to Eat Three (boy) eaters from Wisconsin with much time on our hands due to the long winters. They will eat whatever you send them...
• Haverchuk - sadly defunct, but this Milwaukee blog comes highly recommended. Check the archives for the goods! You can also follow Michael on Twitter!
  
• Healthy Living, One Day at a Time Kristi shares her weight loss secrets online!
• Milwaukee Specialty Coffee serves up all the best fresh brewed coffee news & reviews! (Thanks for the rec, Yulinka)
  
• No One Puts Cupcake in a Corner Milwaukee's own self-declared cupcake queen! (home of the Iron Cupcake)
• Outpost Natural Foods - Food Video on YouTube
  
• Post-College Kitchen A JSOnline blog by Alison Sherwood, who shares her struggles and triumphs while learning to cook
• A Serving of Life is a fellow Foodbuzz Publisher who lives in Oshkosh, WI
• Simple Comfort Food Dax Phillips is a food blogger from New Berlin, WI. He believes that life is too short to count calories, so everyone should enjoy all sorts of great food in moderation! A-MEN, Dax!
• Stuff We Eat (A Lot!) is Mom's Recipe Blog -- a collection of family favorites, staples & special treats that Mom wrote down for her fam!
  
• A Taste of Life Melissa is a full-time student at UW-Milwaukee who shares hints, tips, and recipes for living a healthy lifestyle
  
• What Geeks Eat Vanessa is a freelance writer, cook, gadgethead, and advocate for locally grown food.
  
• Wisconsin Foodie Don't miss the video of us at the Pinehold Gardens Pig Roast!
  
• Yulinka Cooks Go here for great Russian-inspired fare!
  

Wisconsin foodies gots to stick together, you know?
Know of any others? Let me know! I'll add them to our list.



©BURP! Where Food Happens