1. Jimmy's Grotto, a place with paneling on the walls and duct tape on the seats. A place that only takes cash. Home of the Ponza Rotta. Yum. A Ponza Rotta is pretty much a pizza folded in half and deep fried. They also have really great deep fried green pepper rings. The ladies had their first Ponza Rotta this trip. Lily is a fan, Ava... not so much.
2. Cheddarwurst. You can buy these in lots of stores outside of Wisconsin but there are only a few brands that are actually sausages, instead of ... well, hot dogs. Every time I go home I bring a cooler to bring these back. We like to slice them down the center lengthwise and fry them on the cut side till the cheese is crispy. Yum, and so low in fat, lol. A word of warning: if you should ever try these on your own and cook them without cutting them first beware, the cheese becomes molten lava that will burn your face off when you bite into it and it goes shooting across the room.
3. Cheese! When I was 18 and moved in with my military boyfriend in Ohio I had no idea how the rest of the world lived. I remember going to the grocery store and looking for cheese and thinking what the hell is this place, where is the friggin cheese?! I found Kraft block cheese and that was it. There was no cheese by weight, no selection, none of my favorites, and NO CHEESE CURDS! If you've never had cheese curds let me know, I will find a way to get them to you!
While we were home my Dad and his friend went on a cheese run for me. We're stocked up now for at least 2 weeks. See that speckled stuff on the right? That stuff is salami cheese, my favorite. I plan on eating most of that myself. Because I'm a pig, that's why.
4. Apple Pie Baked in a Brown Paper Bag from The Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago, WI. If you ever watch Throw Down with Bobby Flay on Food Network you might have seen this. This pie took on Bobby Flay and won BIG TIME!
When I was growing up this place was in the country. You could go there and pick a pumpkin out in a field or pick apples in the orchard. It's different now but still great. They have tons and tons of specialty food: honey, maple syrup, pie, bread, cookies, meat, ice cream, fruits, veggies, preserves etc.
In the fall they have more variety of apples than you ever knew existed and you can choose any apple, either have it sliced or have it put on a stick, slather it with caramel and add as many toppings as you think you could possible eat. You pay by the pound for your caramel apple creation and sit on bales of hay to eat it.
Anyways, back to the pie! This thing is so good. The top is more like a sugar cookie than a crust and the apples are not smushy but aren't too firm either. My husband could eat a whole pie by himself if I let him. My Dad eats his with sliced sharp cheddar cheese. Any way you go, it's good pie.
cheese curds are AWESOME. On of my friends in our tri club brought some fresh curds to a potluck and I killed them.
ReplyDeleteI make a mean apple pie, but that pie in the brown bag sounds and looks really good.
i've never had cheese curds...(spoken in true whiny tones) please also note by lower and very pouty bottom lip...woo)
ReplyDeleteAlright Tanzie, where do you live again?
ReplyDeleteok. i can seriously, truely say, i have never in my life heard of a cheese curd... what is it???
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheese_curds
ReplyDeleteCheck out that link Brittany.
mmm cheese turds, the only ones Ive ever had are the fried ones from A&W. If you think the cheese is bad in the rest of the world, just come here and samle some " tasty" cheese. All the cheese is white and called tasy...its really sad.
ReplyDeleteI really want to try that apple pie...yum!!!
Even before reading this, I have said that if there is one thing I cannot live without, it is cheese (tied with peanut butter, though not to be eaten together....ew). But apparently, I hardly know nothin' 'bout cheese!!
ReplyDelete