Hello all, it’s New Year’s Eve! Have you got your signature cocktail picked out? Ours is the “French Martini”, not really a true martini but rather a raspberry-pineapple cocktail. Along with the Lemon Drop and Cosmopolitans, it was part of the flavored “martini” craze during the 90′s here in the states. It is typically made with Chambord, a raspberry liqueur named after the castle in France where Louis XIV was introduced to the concoction. Of course I have to connect it back to our Driftless Region. Last summer, I was lucky enough to get my pick of luscious red and black raspberries from some generous friends. I made some syrup from some of the berries I gathered and have been using it to top various desserts like panna cotta and pancakes.
Picking Locations: Point View & Windy Ridge
Continue reading Cheers to 2013!
Congratulations to these fine Wisconsin artisans and producers who are finalists for the Good Food Awards 2013. Wisconsin has been nominated in four categories out of nine. 9 total products. I know we’ll be having some or all of these products at our table during the holidays. Cheers!
BEER
Lakefront Brewery, My Turn:Luther & Wisconsinite
CHARCUTERIE
Underground Meats, Coppa & Goat Salami
CHEESE
Carr Valley Cheese Company,Cave Aged Marisa
Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, Petit Frere
CROPP Cooperative/Organic Valley, CROPP Blue
Uplands Cheese Company, Pleasant Ridge Reserve
COFFEE
Kickapoo Coffee, Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Haru Cooperative
Sjolinds (pronounced “shoo-linds”) makes me think about the scrumptious cottage in the forest in Hansel & Gretel minus the evil witch and minus the forest. Sitting along Main St. in Mt. Horeb (known for their troll statues), it is a friendly and bright space. The best part of the chocolate house are the many drawers filled with chocolate bars! I remember going there for the first time a few years ago and opening every single one. There are the classic Toblerones, Milka, Kinder, as well as some of Sjolinds own brand. I was pleasantly surprised to see a single origin bar from Davao City in the Philippines. My grandparents in the Philippines actually have several cacao trees. Whenever the come to the states they smuggle in some chocolate tablets for the family. So you could say we have our own single origin brand as well.
Shoo-Linds
Continue reading Sjolinds Chocolate House
Hello all. How was your holiday weekend? I hope it was spent well with the people you love. This year Keith and I threw a “Friendsgiving” party. We had quite a delicious menu and some great company. We brined and spatchcocked (butterflied) a couple of turkeys raised by Stacey & Bill of My Fine Homestead. It only took an hour to cook, much faster than when roasting the turkey whole. The skin was crisp and the meat was moist and flavorful. It was also a nice re-introduction to Thanksgiving turkey for our friend Dawn who had not had it for about ten years. Speaking of Dawn, she is quite the baker. She brought a galette filled with three types of thinly sliced squash, caramelized onions, and some ricotta and parmigiano cheeses. The buttery crust had an exquisite balance of the thin flaky and tender layers. Another hit was her pear and ginger cheesecake. Mike brought a sinfully good pecan pie. I’m not a disciplined baker so my contribution was a pumpkin pie made by Grant Achatz‘ family. Thank you Whole Foods Madison for stocking it! Our friend Kiley brought some delicious extra aged Pleasant Ridge Reserve and Rush Creek cheeses which she helped to make. We went traditional for the sides: turkey gravy, cranberry sauce, Brussels sprouts, green bean casserole, and my “must have” sweet potatoes with marshmallow. I love an American Thanksgiving.
My Plate
Continue reading Thanksgiving at the Button Hill
Signs I’m becoming a true Wisconsinite. I always have at least seven kinds of cheese in the fridge and Spotted Cow. I’m starting to think that parkas can be stylish paired with my negative 100 degree Sorel boots, deerskin gloves, and rabbit skin hat. (Oh, how I wish we had a bit of snow right now.) I sometimes catch myself saying “beg” instead of pronouncing /bæɡ/ for a women’s purse. New to my list is “The Old Fashioned” cocktail which I appropriately had at The Old Fashioned Tavern & Restaurant in Madison. The only things left to do is to maybe become a die hard Packer fan and to hunt my own meat. After living in America’s Dairyland for eight years now, I think I’m right on track.
Old Fashioned & Cherry Grenadine
Continue reading A New Friend for the Old Fashioned
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