Wisconsin Buffet

You may not know this yet, but we have something in common. While I sit here at my computer and you sit there at yours, there is something linking us together and it’s not the Internet. It’s food. Food unites people like few other things can and at the same time, defines one region from another. I don’t know where you live, and chances are I’ve never been there, but I know if I asked you to list five foods indigenous to your state or city, you’d easily be able to.

Whether your area is home to amazing BBQ, chili or cheese steaks (and I truly want to hear all about it. Please include drool-inducing details), regional specialties tend to evoke a sense of pride. With that being said, I’d like to show off a few of Wisconsin’s goodies, and I’m going deeper than bratwurst and Miller beer. Today, I’d like to introduce you to the lesser-known stars of Wisconsin dining, some that only the long-time, northern-most residents are familiar with. Admittedly, I’m just scratching the surface here, so feel free to add to the Wisconsin Food List. Furthermore, in the spirit of honesty, I’ll confess that a few of these items totally gross me out, but I have summoned the courage to try them all.

Here’s an overview of what we’ll be discussing today, saving one special item for last. You’ll notice a few appear more appetizing than others.

We have: Door County Cherry Pie (a mini one) from Sweetie Pies Bakery, smoked chubs, pickled whitefish, whitefish livers, cheese curds and Schlitz beer. DEEEE-licious!

My parents picked up most of these treats on Friday when we drove north from Milwaukee to our cabin in Door County. And boy were they excited about it. I only wanted the cheese curds, pie and beer, and since I couldn’t have the beer, I devoured the other two. That’s only fair, right? After all, my stomach is now literally three times the size of that pie.

Let’s take a closer look at a few of these delicacies…

Pickled whitefish. Tastes fishy, sweet and tangy. Yum! Or not at all.

Whitefish livers. Scroll down to the very bottom of this post for a “special” whitefish liver story.

Happily, my parents don’t pop these suckers raw – they bread and fry them, making them slightly more palatable. See?

Isn’t it nice how the blood oozes out as they cook?

These really aren’t that bad, but they do taste like liver and are an acquired taste.

Finally, the chubs, better known as smoked fish.

They have something to say to you…

You can eat them cold, but my mom sautés them a bit and then you just pick the meat right off the bones. I find them to be a little too salty and smoky tasting, but again, they’re not bad and my parents adore them. By the way, all the seafood is from a great place in Algoma, called BearCat’s Fish House – great smoked fish and every kind of seafood you can imagine.

Now, the cheese curds. Good ones always have a mild salty taste, are a little moist and squeak when you chew them. They are excellent and a must try when you come to Wisconsin. But make sure they’re fresh. Seriously. The freshness is critical.

Schlitz beer…this is an old-school beer here in Sconnie. Miller has overshadowed many of the original classic beers of this area. However, years ago, Schlitz conducted a live, blind taste test between their beer and Miller and every person voted for Schlitz. It’s pretty tasty and I believe it’s making a come back.

And cherry pie…who doesn’t love it? Door County is famous for their cherries and you can buy pie just about everywhere up there. This one was good, subtly tart with just the right amount of sweet. But if you stop at Sweetie Pie’s, I recommend getting their pecan pie because it is divinity served on tender, flaky crust.

And last but not least, a new item, not well known throughout Wisconsin, but one that must be mentioned because of its deliciousness. The Corsica Loaf (and breadsticks) from The Door County Bakery.

This bread is magical in that its exterior is perfectly crusty, yet not hard, while its interior is delicate with just a teeny, tiny hint of sweetness. Here’s what makes it amazing…after baking, this bread is soaked in olive oil to the point where each bit is slightly damp and leaves your fingers wet. BUT! The bread never gets soggy. Even after several days. And it’s coated with sesame seeds, adding an enjoyable nutty flavor. It’s a little pricey, but it’s worth trying. As for the other items in the bakery, I’ve never eaten them – the Corsica Loaf absorbs all my attention.

See how it glistens from the flash of a camera?

So, there you have it. Some Wisconsin specialties, some of which can also be found in Minnesota. Now, go out and get what your own city is known for cause the rest of us aren’t lucky enough to eat it!

The Liver Story
On Joey’s very first trip to our cabin with my family, my dad chatted about how he just HAD to have some fresh whitefish livers. He called the local fishery and although they didn’t have any livers ready, they did have buckets and buckets of fresh whitefish guts sitting around. So, my dad sent Joey and I out, telling us to get a few pounds of livers. “Sure thing, Daddy!” Now, my father adores introducing people to new and unusual experiences and he also loves playing harmless little pranks on my sister and me. Therefore, I should not have been surprised when the fishermen pointed at several buckets of fish guts and told Joey and I that we were welcome to dig through them and harvest the livers ourselves. We exchanged uneasy glances, questioned whether we could actually submerge our hands into vats of innards and before we knew it, we were both elbow deep in fish lungs, livers and god knows what, competing over who get the most livers in the shortest time. That was Joey’s initiation into my family. It was a warm, friendly “Welcome!” delivered through frigid and slimy fish guts.

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