In an era rife with corporate fast-food franchises, a zeitgeist within the culinary world has emerged that encourages and favors all things specialty and artisanal. Meaning, the smaller the batch, the better the food. In this spirit, there is a tendency among foodies to dismiss cuisine that is made in the kitchen of a fast-food...

Have you ever had one of those horizon-widening moments when you learn that something you’ve been enjoying for years, your whole life maybe, is comparatively inferior to what you could be enjoying. For example, drinking Sanka, and liking it, for 20 years before tasting your first cup of...

Ask someone from rural Wisconsin if he likes apple pie and a likely response will be, “Which kind?” The distinction lies in whether the apple pie was made in an oven or over the stove. Here in the Badger State there is a long-standing tradition of making homemade batches of "Apple Pie," a potent...

Maybe in its last life Wisconsin was a province in Asia. Our unassuming Midwestern state, which is famously known for its cheese and beer, is a major producer of Asian staples like ginseng and soy sauce. Wisconsin’s relationship with Kikkoman Foods, the world’s largest producer of naturally brewed soy sauce...

You’ve seen them before. The uberwaiters and waitresses who manage to provide stellar service to seven tables simultaneously, all the while balancing a 10-pound tray on their shoulders. Waiting tables is a job based on reciprocity. These hardworking food servers have to command a very specific set of skills...

As the days grow shorter and the cold weather sets in, grills and patio furniture are stored for the winter and social lives are mostly relegated to the indoors. If your billiards game is unaligned and bowling just isn’t your sport, you can always engage in more cerebral pleasures during the colder months.

Although beer, brats and cheese are three commodities we Wisconsinites are skilled at producing and happy to consume, the stereotype derived from them has eclipsed our state’s overall depth and diversity. Not only do we produce some of the country’s best cranberries, cherries and honey, Wisconsin grows nearly 95%...

When Chef Jason Gorman participates for the first time at the 8th Annual Kohler Food & Wine Experience, in nearby Kohler, Wis., the Milwaukee-based chef will be showcasing his "New Wisconsin Cuisine." At 38, Gorman is the Executive Chef for Potawatomi Bingo Casino's upscale Dream Dance but his ingredients are as local as well, Sprecher Root Beer.

As we navigate the current financial climate, word of capitalism’s weak spots fills blogs and newspapers across the globe. Our economic system has inherent flaws, to be sure, but it also has some powerful advantages. Whether it’s a tiny piece of plastic or good ol’ fashioned paper currency, power is in the...

Whether it’s the Pabst Blue Ribbon serving tray that’s down in grandpa’s basement bar or the magnetized Blatz bottle opener that’s always been on Uncle Karl’s refrigerator, tiny traces of our town’s brewing legacy have been with many of us since before we can remember. This weekend, guests of the Captain...