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We finally made it to Viroqua! Located in the Kickapoo Valley, Viroqua is a charming small town with great local food offerings. Our first stop on Main St. was the Golden Oven Bakery. We bought a piece of chocolate butter cream cake roll and a sourdough loaf. The two ladies working there were very friendly and seemed to be in a blissful state. I would be that happy too if I was surrounded by bakery smells all day and had easy access to that amazing chocolate roll. The cake was light and airy but not too fine. It had a slight crispness where it touched the cream which had just a kiss of sweetness. They also offered a lemon roll that day but I regretfully decided not to purchase one. We enjoyed some hot, buttery sourdough toast with our milky tea the day after.
Continue reading A Little Trip to Viroqua
Like everywhere else, Mineral Point has been feeling the effects of the economic downturn. There are a few too many empty storefronts downtown at the moment, and the restaurants have taken it particularly hard. Closed recently are the Walker House, Gundry & Gray, Shedders, and (most lamentably) the Old Royal Inn.
Things are looking up though–at least on the restaurant front. A new restaurant, Cafe Ellie (in the lobby of the Mineral Point Hotel), opened this week. Opening night was shrimp and grits, but we missed it because Leslie had to work and I don’t like to go out in public by myself. They have a very small but constantly changing menu, I believe they’ll typically offer 1 soup, 2 salads, 3 entrees (at least one vegetarian) and several desserts. We had a bowl of broccoli soup, a chilled beet salad, meatloaf, lemon custard pie, bread pudding, and a couple of iced teas (all pictured below).
Continue reading Cafe Ellie
We’ve been in this area for almost three years now and I’ve finally made it to The Cook’s Room! It’s in downtown Dodgeville and as you can see they are located in a beautiful, Italianate style (I hope I’m right) building. My first visit was about two weeks ago. I walked in and there was a raucous group of ladies who were definitely having a grand time. It turned out that one of them was a former music student of mine and she told me that they had all just come from a “Laughter Yoga” class and they were practicing what they had learned. An older couple was having a quiet lunch in one corner. Towards the back room, a group of teenagers took pictures of each other nonstop. A toddler waddled and crawled across the room away from it’s mother. The cafe seemed to be a favorite local hangout across all ages. They also support local culture and businessess evident from the posters and cards that decorate the edge of the bar. The space was very colorful yet soothing. I was instantly drawn to the large tins along the wall where they keep their loose teas and was happy to discover that they had apricot tea in stock (my favorite dessert tea).
Continue reading The Cook’s Room
On February 14th, Chef Steven Shoemaker and Cari Stebbins will be preparing a 4-course dinner at Brewery Creek Inn in Mineral Point. Steven and Cari are ardent supporters of the local food culture and love to showcase the bounty of this land. They will have seatings at 6 & 8 o’clock. Show your support for local food producers (and local chefs) and make your reservations now! Check the link above for further information.
MENU
Pear and Parsnip Soup
Sweet Onion Tart with Spinach Salad,
Toasted Hickory Nuts, Chevre, Beet Vinaigrette
Pan Seared Rushing Waters Trout
Root Vegetable Mashers, Roasted Celeriac
Grilled Lamb Chops
Roasted Winter Squash Puree
Wine Soaked Cherry and Shallot Sauce
*
Desserts
Chocolate Pot de Creme
Wine Poached Pears
Producers/Growers of Ingredients
Hidden Valley Mushrooms
New Century Farms
Harmony Valley Farm
Two Onion Farm
Tipi Produce
Ridgeland Harvest
Rushing Waters Trout Farm
Future Fruit
Monte Chevre
KeyWaydin Organics
Green and Green
Elegant Foods
 In Platteville last week, we noticed this coffee shop, Badger Brothers. We knew the name as the brand of coffee served at the Old Royal Inn in Mineral Point. We stopped in a got a cup of their coffee of the day (Ethiopian Yergacheffe). The coffee was wonderful, and not even Leslie getting lipstick all over the cup could ruin my enjoyment. The inside of the shop was really cozy and the staff were very friendly– even when it took me 2 minutes to decide what size coffee I wanted. We did a little research once we got home and it’s clear that the owners take their coffee very seriously. They, of course, offer Fair Trade & Rainforest Alliance coffees (both prerequisites for independent coffee shops I believe). Beyond that, though, they seem to be passionate about quality. And even more importantly, it appears they follow through on this passion because I’ve had quite a few cups of their coffee without ever getting a bad roast (I can’t say that of too many coffee roasters). Besides, their Sivetz Single Pass Fluid Bed roaster is a thing of beauty. I love it because 1) it was clearly designed by an engineer with no thought to aesthetics and 2) fluid bed roasters are the best way to produce the sweet, lighter bodied cup I prefer.
Continue reading Badger Brothers Coffee
Last Friday we went to Steve’s Pizza Palace in Platteville. Steve’s makes a nice pie, with plenty of tasty cheese, a nice chewy crust and (in our case) homemade sausage. Now this not at all like my ideal pizza (which you can read about here) but it’s pretty typical American thin crust. But well executed. We also had a Greek salad that was refreshingly mild (I usually find Greek salads way to acidic). Unfortunately it was snowy and we were tired and in a rush, so we only got these two lousy pictures.
I know, I know, the pictures aren’t going to convince you to go. But I really liked Steve’s. What you don’t see here is that it seems to be the “local joint” in Platteville. While we sat there, there was a constant stream on regulars in and out; stopping to chat with their friends and treating the place like it was home. The other thing you can’t see here is that Steve’s is a little bit crazy. Go to their website and look at the Cove to see one of their “theme rooms”. Cosy + crazy is a keeper in my book. Plus they are open until 130AM on the weekends which is pretty rare out here.
This spot could easily be a dominos or pizza hut. It’s not though, and Platteville is much better off for it. Steve’s has character– you know where you are when you’re there. And that means a lot, at least to me. This is, of course, an outsiders view (believe me, we’re outsiders in Platteville). I’d love to hear from people that know the place better that us, what do you think?
*Their website shows there are other Steve’s Pizza locations in Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota all owned by different family members. Thinking about it, I may have eaten at the Northfield location in the past…
As far as I could tell, Mineral Point’s Candlelight Shopping Night was a big success this year. Keith and I met up with friends and strolled through most of the shops in Mineral Point. The weather was perfect (except for a dash of Wisconsin winter) and plenty of people were out enjoying themselves. Our first stop was at the Kiwanis Club; they were literally roasting chestnuts over an open fire! Tasty. Somehow I ended up dancing and singing a Christmas carol with a random man. It’s a good thing we stopped by early, when we came back around this way later in the evening, they had just run out of chestnuts. After the snack, we went to the Mineral Point Collection. They have many Cornish related items (jewelry, clothes, books, etc). My favorite section of the store is at the back where they sell English foods such as teas, jams, and cookies (Keith says I should say biscuits here, not cookies). In fact, they have the best selection of English tea I’ve seen anywhere in Wisconsin. They have Twinings, PG Tips, Lifeboat, Taylors of Harrogate, and more. We sampled some teacakes and Jaffa cakes; Keith bought two packages of McVitie’s dark chocolate digestives. Another highlight of the night was Phoebe’s Nest where they have beautiful handmade jewelry, scarves, vintage furniture, tea sets, and more. We also enjoyed some of Keith Huie‘s hilarious drawings at the Longbranch Gallery. Set in Stone Bookstore was very popular and we treated ourselves with some Kickapoo coffee , chocolates by Gail Ambrosius, and music by local musician Rick Harris. Finally, we spotted Santa and his helpers caroling through the streets. I guess he was getting in some last minute shopping too!
A Window Shopper
Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire
 Continue reading Candlelight Shopping Trip
It’s 30 degrees out and there’s a light dusting of snow all around. People have decorated their houses with colorful fairy lights. The stores are packed with shoppers trying to find that perfect gift. Which reminds me, I have not done anything to get into the holiday mood. Tonight is going to be a special night in Mineral Point. The town is going to have a Candlelight Shopping event which I urge you to attend if you want to find a truly unique gift for a loved one and to have a delightful shopping experience. Two years ago Keith and I went and it was just wonderful. Imagine at twilight, paper lanterns lining the sidewalks, the street lights adorned with evergreen wreaths and giant red velvet bows, music in the air, and shop windows showing off their one of a kind items. To top it off how about a gentle flurry of snow and some warm chestnuts roasted on an open fire to pacify your hunger before dinner at one of the local restaurants? Experience the small town charm tonight. Saturday, December 5 from 5-9 PM.
Here are some gift ideas: Just a few of my favorite things.
1. Kickapoo Coffee – $12 for 12 oz. The only coffee I will drink now. It’s the best. They have also just won Roast Magazine’s Roaster of the Year award. Keith and I will be visiting their factory in Viroqua soon.
2. Scarf from Global View – $9. Global View is such a neat place. They are secluded among the picturesque hills just outside the town of Spring Green. The shop is full of Southeast Asian tapestries and other decorative arts. My favorite thing to do there is to look through their fabulous collection of hand-painted silk and linen scarves.
Continue reading Gift Ideas & Candlelight Shopping in Mineral Point
Two weekends ago we went to Grandma’s Kitchen in Highland, WI based on a recommendation from Rick Terrien. He said it was the place for pies. It’s right on Main St, you can’t miss it, although there is construction partially blocking the street at the moment. We originally intended to just stop in and sample a couple of slices of pie, but the place looked so inviting that we ended up ordering far more than we could eat. Above is the pork sandwich with (sour cream and chive? I can’t remember) fries. Below is the truly monster club sandwich (and notice my Oreo coffee cup in the background, it was my first time there and they already knew what cup to give me). Everything was prepared right in front of us in the open kitchen, and it was all tasty. We talked with “Grandma” (real name Tess) a little. We chatted with some of the other patrons; one girl offered her lemon meringue pie to Leslie when it turned out to be the last. The fire truck stopped outside and Grandma took their order for coffee and hot chocolate. You think I’m making this up, don’t you? I’m pretty sure they don’t make places like this anymore.
Continue reading Grandma’s Kitchen
Saturday was the last farmer’s market in Mineral Point. Though I’m a little sad, I know that it’s part of living in a place where you have to shift with the seasons. I’m not sharing a recipe today or a restaurant review but just a few favorite snapshots I’ve taken at the market. The vendors moved from their regular spot at the Water Tower Park to the more centrally located Library Park. They are allowed by the city to do this only once at the end of the market season.
Continue reading The Farmer’s Market Goodbye…and Some Good News
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