It’s true we have 1.3 million dairy cows in Wisconsin. Those cows produce cheese that feeds 86 million people.They don’t call us cheeseheads for nothing.
But Wisconsin is also the nation’s leading cranberry producer, according to the state tourism Web site.
We do have wineries. (California's wine industry started out here, curiously enough, when Hungarian Count Agoston Haraszthy tried to grow grapes in the 1840s on the site of what is now Wollersheim Winery. He soon moved to California.) In Door County, wineries are popping up like trillium in the springtime.Our larger cities have their share of good restaurants. For years, Madison and L’Etoile restaurant laid claim to the fabulous Odessa Piper, the chef who championed sustainable agriculture and regional cuisine.
We’ve got Friday night fish fries, good beer and sausage and if you like classic steakhouses, there are still tons of them around.
We’ve also got food bloggers. I’m having fun getting to know them. Thanks to Erika of Tummy Treasure, another Wisconsin blogger, I’ve been introduced to two other Badger blogs.
What Geeks Eat is based in Middleton, a Madison suburb, and it’s by a husband-and-wife team who describe their sense of humor as “goofy.” They like to eat local and watch “The Colbert Report” and “The Daily Show,” so I consider them kindred spirits.
Wisconsin Candy Dish is also out of southern Wisconsin. It’s the work of two, or three bloggers (one of whom claims to be 100 years old). They dish about sweets: Who can resist that?
Erika herself puts a lot of time and care into her cooking. Recently she made truffles; so did I. ‘Tis the season.
On a related topic, as I write this food bloggers have already raised nearly $13,500 to feed the hungry through Menu of Hope. We are only three days into the effort.
Here's how you can participate:
1. Go to the Menu for Hope donation page.
2. Make a donation. Each $10 will give you one raffle ticket toward a prize of your choice. Please specify which prize or prizes you'd like in the Personal Message section in the donation form when confirming your donation. Specify how many tickets per prize, and please use the prize code — for example, a donation of $50 can be 2 tickets for UW01 and 3 for UW02. The prize code for my box of fruit butters is UC04.
3. If your company matches your donation, please remember to check the box and fill in the information so we could claim the corporate match.
4. Please also check the box to allow raffle coordinators to see your email address so that they can contact you if you win. Your email address will not be shared with anyone else.
5. Check back at Chez Pim on Jan. 15 when raffle results will be announced. The drawing will be done electronically.
15 comments:
Lately, I have been seeing commercials on TV about California cheese, and happy cows. So maybe California is trying to steal Wisconsin's thunder. At least you've got other things to fall back on!
I think California is catching up, or even overtaking Wisconsin when it comes to dairy food, if the truth be known!
I believe that california now surpasses Wisconsin in terms of cows per capita (or something like that). But Wisconsin has more family-run farms, while California has more of the mega farms.
Thanks for the shout out! I am always on the lookout for other local food bloggers. There have to be more of us out there...
I've heard that California is the real dairy state. I got my stats from a state tourism Web site, so maybe they are — uh — just milking old stats?
Thanks for the directions to more food bloggers Mimi. I love our growing community, don't you?
I do indeed, Christine.
It seems that food bloggers are very big-hearted people, too, at least that's how it appears over at Pim's page!
I wish I was a more interesting writer! Then I could join your fun blog community. I love to cook, knit, quilt, travel when I can.....I so enjoy reading many well-written blogs such as yours, Mimi. And, I agree with Christine, thanks for sharing the blogs with us, Mimi. Oh - now I have to check out Christine's!
Christine is awesome in the true sense of the word, and a nice person to boot.
Glad to have you around, Lu!
We use to drive to Point Reyes, a National Seashore, and the grassy plateaus overlooking the Pacific ocean were dotted with grazing cows, it was just a stunning picture. Mimi, thanks for the shout out!
I miss Madison, Vanessa! I lived, among other places, not too far from West Town Mall just off D'Onofrio Drive — the old Ganser Farm area, not a farm any more, that's for certain.
Do you remeber a few years ago when someone in Wisc. thought the state should have a new slogan?
"Come and smell our Dairy Air!"
I'm going to my home town today - where the old creamery is now a cheese factory .... that sells European canned goods...what a hoot!
Yes, I recall that slogan, Katie. Ever get a wift of dariy aroma? Merde!
I think you are living in a wonderful area-you have so much at your finger tips! I guess the truth is finally getting out!
Merde!!!!I love that...
Yeah, talk about a "life in the merde" — Wisconsin can be pungent on a summer's day, Jann!
Seriously, there is a good percentage of the population here that enjoys good food (and I don't mean the fried stuff) — I hope you will someday consider a trip to Door County as there are some excellent restaurants there!
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