| As a foodie living in Green Bay, it | | | | Tavern. The locals love the Limburger |
| should never be questioned whether I, a | | | | cheese sandwich, served with mustard and |
| Wisconsinite, am proud of our most | | | | onion on rye bread (with much-needed |
| notable masterpiece: Cheese. Our beer is | | | | mint on the side). But I thought it was |
| known to brew up a lot of emotion as | | | | safer to suggest a cheese appetizer and |
| well. But to say that brews and cheese | | | | a few more beers so we'd have room for |
| and are the only culinary creations we | | | | dinner at the amazing Landhaus Chalet. |
| can muster up would be doing a | | | | This place serves up authentic fondue |
| disservice to other unique food | | | | and Swiss cuisine from Swiss-trained |
| traditions throughout Northeast | | | | Executive Chef Mike Neval. |
| Wisconsin-and the rest of our fine | | | | By this time on our journey, it was safe |
| state. | | | | to say that I was winning over my |
| It is that very argument that brought me | | | | skeptical family members. |
| here-behind the wheel of my husband's | | | | As we continued to pack on the pounds |
| GMC Yukon XL-with five of my family | | | | during our Foodie Fest, we would have |
| members from back East in tow. That's | | | | yet another day of stuffing our faces to |
| right-New Yorkers-and snobby ones at | | | | look forward to. It was only about 10 |
| that. We set aside a few days to venture | | | | p.m., so we decided to head out on the |
| out of Green Bay and hit the road in the | | | | highway in the GMC Yukon for our |
| Yukon to experience some food-Wisconsin | | | | two-hour trip to Milwaukee. |
| style! | | | | After checking into the hotel for the |
| The first stop on our adventure would be | | | | night for a little R&R, I thought about |
| like none other experienced by native | | | | the treat I had in store for the next |
| New Yorkers: Door County Cherries & Fish | | | | day: Brats! As we made are way along |
| Boils. About an hour's drive from Green | | | | Milwaukee's historic Third Ward |
| Bay you'll find Door County's miles of | | | | district, Usinger's Famous Sausage was |
| lovely shoreline. But it's not just a | | | | calling our name. These guys have been |
| feast for the eyes, it's also the force | | | | making authentic German sausage for over |
| behind two local traditions: Fish boils | | | | a century. Today, you can get 70 |
| and cherries. The fishboil features the | | | | varieties of Old World sausage, |
| freshest whitefish caught by local | | | | including bratwurst and German-style |
| fishermen on Lake Michigan. The Master | | | | wursts. |
| Boiler throws chunks of fish, potatoes, | | | | We decided to take a factory tour and, |
| onions and salt into a huge, boiling | | | | of course, purchase a few links to take |
| cauldron until the fish oils rise to the | | | | home with us. But we couldn't wait until |
| surface-then he turns up the juice on | | | | we got back to Green Bay to try out this |
| the flames for the infamous "boilover." | | | | stuff. So we took a walk next door to |
| The oil spills over the side of the pot | | | | Mader's German Restaurant for a Bavarian |
| and leaving the fish steaming hot and | | | | Platter, featuring a selection of |
| perfectly cooked. The White Gull dining | | | | Usinger's grilled bratwurst and simmered |
| room then serves it up with lemon, | | | | knockwurst in sauerkraut served with a |
| melted butter, garden fresh coleslaw, | | | | slice of kassler rippchen and a potato |
| and homemade breads. | | | | dumpling. After yet another amazing |
| Truly a culinary masterpiece unique to | | | | meal, I surprised my delighted guests |
| Wisconsin. | | | | with some tickets to the Milwaukee |
| Even though they tried to hide it, my | | | | Brewers game, just up the interstate. |
| New Yorker relatives were impressed. But | | | | The conversion was almost complete! |
| the best was yet to come. Lake Michigan | | | | It was time, yet again, to switch on the |
| boasts ideal conditions for | | | | Yukon XL's OnStar navigation and XM |
| cherry-growing. Both sweet and tart | | | | radio for our hour-long drive to |
| cherries are readily available at local | | | | Kohler-for the Kohler Food & Wine |
| farmer's markets and "pick-your-own" | | | | Experience. This festival lasts all |
| orchards in late summer. That said, | | | | weekend and brings in thousands of |
| unbelievable cherry pie would, of course | | | | foodies from around Wisconsin. With |
| be the featured dessert. I could almost | | | | celebrity chefs, wine tastings, |
| see them salivating. | | | | seminars, culinary demonstrations, |
| After waddling back to the GMC Yukon XL | | | | specialty shopping, and more, we decided |
| (thank God it's roomy) for an overnight | | | | to stay in town the entire weekend. |
| stay at a nearby hotel, we would hit the | | | | Finally convinced that there MAY JUST BE |
| road the next day for some Green County | | | | more to Wisconsin than cheese, my guests |
| beer and cheese. | | | | admitted they were having a fabulous |
| It's a three-hour drive, but where else | | | | time. |
| can you sample beers like Spotted Cow, | | | | Unfortunately, it was already time to |
| Uff-da Bock, or Fat Squirrel other than | | | | head back toward Northeast Wisconsin and |
| at the New Glarus Brewery? It was there | | | | Green Bay. The extra day spent at the |
| we spent the day touring the brewery and | | | | festival put a damper on my plans to |
| where my guests would get to sample some | | | | take them to Central Wisconsin's |
| of the greatest brews around. I was | | | | Cranberry Highway in Wisconsin Rapids, |
| driving the Yukon so, alas, I couldn't | | | | where they would have experienced some |
| partake-but the cheese awaited my | | | | of the most indulgent cranberry treats |
| arrival. | | | | known to man. But that would have to be |
| After a few hours spent at the brewery, | | | | another time, another adventure in the |
| we drove a couple miles to Monroe for a | | | | GMC Yukon. |
| stop at Baumgartner's Cheese Store & | | | | |