Beans & Barley: Tasty AND Good for You

There is a reason the restaurant at Beans & Barley is a Milwaukee institution: tasty, good for you food. Ideally, all our meals would be just that. But often they are one or the other, or neither, so eating at the affectionately nicknamed “Beans” is always a treat. Having lunch with the lone carrier of the xx chromosome on the WMSE staff, Music Director Erin Wolf, was a treat as well.

 

WMSE Music Director Erin Wolf presents black bean and sweet potato burrito

Fittingly, Beans is known for its burritos, so we ordered up a favorite of Erin’s mom and our server, sweet potato and black bean. It’s clear they know how to do a burrito. The elements and flavors are well balanced, it’s pretty hearty and all the stuff is tucked in tight so you can eat it by hand (though Erin and I went for the ladylike approach with utensils). Branching out was a hard decision as the menu is full of so many healthy and interesting options. We went with the fishcake sandwich which was all sorts of comfort food. What is it about beige colored foods that make you feel all snuggly? The tilapia fishcake was crispy on the outside, tender inside and served with a barley and veg salad that was a fantastic combo of nutty and fresh tasting.

Cozy little fishcake

Even on a rainy day and especially on a sunny one, that huge wall of window and lime green walls make Beans a cheery room. Cherry pie goes really well with a good mood so we had to wrap up the meal with a slice. We were pretty excited to find it of the sour/tart cherry variety. A little oatmeal crumble on top and a generous side of real whip cream put it over the top. This was damn. good. pie.

Happy girl with pie

“In a nutshell, this was really satisfying,” Erin said. “You really feel like you ate good food, like mom has cooked for you.” Erin who once lived on the East side says Beans is part of the perfect East side night trifecta: dinner at Beans, a movie at the Oriental and a drink and popcorn at Von Triers.

Erin’s musical pairing pays homage to the city that supports those great institutions, and local music: The local band, The Trusty Knife. “When I lived on the East side, I frequented Beans pretty often and got to know some of the Beans employees who were also involved in the local music scene. I’d notice the familiar faces from shows when I went in to grab groceries, a coffee or dinner. Past and present musicians who work (or worked) at Beans include Doom Buggy, The Scarring Party, Druome, Call Me Lightning, Jonathan Burks, Deprong Mori, Heavy Hand and The Trusty Knife (among more), but among those, Trusty Knife is one the one I’d highlight, for I think their music reflects the easygoing and upbeat energy of the establishment. Milwaukee food culture is heavily linked with its local music culture, and I think that’s a pretty cool realization in regards to the history/stories and community it builds and has been building for years.”

Yours, in cheery satisfaction,

Steph Kilen

Jownai Fouquet: Mouth Party

It was a mouth party at Jownai Fouquet. Everyone was there; crunchy, velvety, sweet, spicy, fresh and all the rest. WMSE Station Manager Tom Crawford and I were there too and boy, did we have fun.

As of last year’s Food Slam, Jownai Fouquet was not yet open in the space that was formerly Abu’s, but the curry they offered at the event had us pretty excited about the prospect. A year later they have made the space their own, a whole lot of gorgeous packed into that little building. Done in pastels and lovely wood inlay, the modern room is calming yet lively. The BBC’s Planet Earth is projected on a wall.

Fresh and happy veg in Cream of Awesome Soup

Our meal started with Thai ginger soup or as Tom calls it, “cream of awesome soup.” Big chunks of vegetable and chicken and many of sticks of fresh ginger float in a coconut broth that is so rich and velvety Tom calls it “sexy.” It is. It really is.

The server brought Tom a tall glass that looked like it was filled with the sunset pattern that graced household furnishings in the ‘70s. When I asked him what it was, Tom informed me it was “angel tears” and offered me a taste. How did I not know about Thai ice tea?! What joy! The creamy sweetness would certainly come in handy as the meal heated up.

A glass of “angel tears” watches over crunchy fried shrimp

The spring rolls were extremely fresh and included shrimp and chicken. The coconut shrimp were the most perfect example of fried food I’d ever had. The breading was super crunchy and delicate and not one bit greasy. There were big, happy sighs all around.

Fat noodle happiness

Could it get any better? Yes, indeed. For the main course we had fat noodles with shrimp and red curry with chicken. The noodles were that fun sort of squishy/gummy that they should be without crossing the line into goopy/pasty and the sauce offered up the salty/sweet/spicy trifecta of good Thai food in perfect balance. (Warning, I’m about to gush…)  The red curry was flat out amazing. Once again the vegetables were really fresh and the chicken was done really well. And, it was hot. Owner and cook Aom explained Jownai’s heat scale, which basically runs 1 to 3. The red curry is a 1. Tom and I both like our food quite spicy, ordering on the upper level of heat scale in most restaurants, and this did the trick and got us sweating toward the end. Aom said what passes for “medium” in other restaurants is half of their 1. At Jownai, 2 is “native” and 3, well, I don’t even want to think about it. One seemed perfect to us. Enough kick to get the endorphins up but not too much that you couldn’t taste how great the rest of the flavors in the dish were.

Tom says, “THAT, is amazing.” Red curry mouth party.

Having eaten all we could possibly fit into our bellies, Tom summed it up, “The food here is really top shelf. This is my new favorite Thai place. I’m not kidding.” The man does not kid about something like that.

Tom’s musical pairing: “Cataclysmic” and “Seaward Say” by Perfect Angel. He says, “They are an Indonesian post rock shoe gazer outfit. Like a warm south seas breeze. Their sounds would offset and subjugate all that was on my plate. All fragrances and spicy heat. The band sounds nothing like the traditional music of their country of origin. Some bands use their country’s musical  traditions and westernize them to make pop songs. This band does not do that overtly like so many bands would do. Yet there’s a just and sincere tone to the compositions that’s so subconsciously far east.  Ethereal Post Rock Shoe Gazer Red Curry Coconuts!”

Yours, eating like it’s 1999

Steph Kilen

Bike Raffle: Bike off the Food Slam Calories

Oh, Ben’s Cycle  you are so kind to once again donate a killer bike for the Food Slam raffle! It’s a white Bianchi Milano. Ain’t she a beaut? Your friends will be so jealous when you ride by and wave “Ciao!” Grazie mille, Ben’s Cycle. You guys are the best!

Steve at Ben’s Cycle musical pairing: “The Boogie Man” by Todd Rollins and his Orchestra. “On those late night fall rides, watch out for the Boogie Man!” Steve says.

SALA: Happy Meal

Volunteer Coordinator Chris DeMay sooo happy at SALA

Good food is a treat. But good company and good atmosphere really make the dining experience.  The WMSE Food Slam has all that in spades, do did my visit to SALA. WMSE Volunteer Coordinator Chris DeMay and I had one of those dinners that leaves you smiling until you fall asleep.

Run by Teresa Balistreri, a peach of a gal if ever there was one, and her brother Tony, SALA  (the restaurant formerly known as Sala da Pranzo) has recently been remodeled and its menu given a bit of new spin as well. It’s cozy, lively and friendly and the same can be said of its food. Everything about it has an energy that makes you comfortable and happy. It’s lovely to feel like something special is going on right at your table while something else special is going on in the room around you. One of the joys of eating out is being part of a convivial communion. SALA is the place for that.

You’ll find a menu full of Italian favorites, all sounding so good it’s hard to choose. Chris and I settled on classic bruschette, beet, arugula and goat cheese salad, saltinbocca and one of the night’s several specials, lasagna. If ever two things were happy together it’s tomatoes and bread. A crunchy and fresh combo is a great, if messy, way to get your appetite going. (Seriously, has anybody ever been able to eat bruschette gracefully?) Speaking of grace, the beet, goat cheese and arugula salad was all sorts of delicate, each element of great quality, making it a really good version of this favorite. The lasagna delighted in similar ways. “It’s exactly what you want from lasagna,” Chris said. “It’s really well layered and the ricotta is so creamy.” Each bite was a little different, showing off more quality ingredients, all playing so well together whatever combination came in the forkful.

The saltinbocca, chicken breasts topped with prosciutto and parmesan over angel hair pasta with a sage beurre blanc, well, I wanted to just snuggle right into the plate. “Velvety and fortifying,” Chris said. Perfectly done chicken breasts, a rarity when eating out, I find, made it even better.

By the time we were taking our lasts bites, I’m pretty sure we were glowing, prompting Chris to say, “They do it really well here; to create something special out of something people do (eat) several times a day.” Which brings us to Chris’s musical pairing: “Great meals, like great records, are journeys of the mind and senses. At best, something that takes the participant on a ride—not merely from point A to B—but to another place altogether new and original, a world unto its own. One record that comes to mind is Ghost of the Great Highway by Sun Kil Moon —Mark Kozelek’s masterpiece from 2003. It sustains as well as enriches the listener. It never fails to take me somewhere.”

yours on a convivial journey,

Steph Kilen

Terra: So Full

WMSE Development Director Justin Shoman and the beloved enchiladas verde

One of the best things about living in Milwaukee: numerous Mexican restaurants, each with its own specialties. The newest, Terra, which opened in May, just west of 6th Street on National Ave., well, they have the best enchiladas verde in the city. There. Said it. Mean it. WMSE Development Director Justin Shoman will back me up. Not too much tang and the perfect amount of heat in the sauce, fresh avocado and cream on the top, very tasty steak inside and enough of it to feed a small radio station staff.

Ceviche: shrimps love being tucked in under blankets of avocado

Bless Justin and his willingness to share dishes because we both got to try the chili rellenos and ceviche, also specialties, as well. The shrimp ceviche was beautiful, fresh and, Justin noted, “really citrusy – just the way I like it.” It was hard to pull away from it to try the other dishes. Like the verde, the rellenos sauce was well balanced with a lot of flavor layers, and the chilies were stuffed with a lot of cheese. And again, the spice level was right in the sweet spot. I made a fantastic mess of eating it but could not have cared less. Food messes are the best kind of messes. Justin and I kept trying to stop eating, but this was really one of those meals that while our stomachs were full, our mouths kept begging for one more bite.

Run by a small staff and in a small space, Terra is warm and lovely. Nibardo Sepulveda, our host for lunch said, “We didn’t want to have sombreros and Corona flags.” Indeed it feels very different from the other Mexican restaurants in the area. Done in earth tones, the dining room features mosaic tables and a bar made by Nibardo and his two partners and striking original art. The menu features around 100 items including American favorites and a few Greek dishes. They serve breakfast all day. That’s the kind of thought that makes one’s heart swell. Perhaps it will catch up with your stomach.

Justin’s musical pairing for Terra is “Islero” by Crooked Fingers. He said, ”It’s a beautiful song with this great Spanish guitar and slowly building trumpet part. I can remember the first time I heard this song, I listened to it 4 or 5 times in a row. I would do the same thing with this meal if I weren’t so damn full.”

It’s exciting to have such a new restaurant be part of the Food Slam. At the event – because you’re going, right? – be sure to wish them a warm welcome.

yours, rolling out the door and down the street

Steph Kilen

Burger Update

You’ve done a fine job of showing your love for WMSE and the great food at Honeypie and Comet Cafe so far:

Honeypie: 344 total - 253 atomic, 91 modern

Comet:  544 total - 340 atomic, 204 modern

If you are craving a second go at one of these burgers or haven’t yet gotten in on the action, you have just until Sunday to grab one (and they’re not sold during Sunday brunch). You don’t want to be pouting come Monday, do you?

Purple Door Ice Cream & Clock Shadow Creamery: Dairy Delight

Could there be a better way to start the day than with ice cream and cheese? A sunny Tuesday morning is a pretty great time to visit Purple Door Ice Cream  and Clock Shadow Creamery. But if you are the kind of Milwaukeean who has love of dairy in your blood, I can’t think of a bad time to visit.

Lauren Schultz, who owns and runs Purple Door with her husband Steve, is just the sort of person you want to see first thing in the morning, friendly and the right amount of cheerful, like a scoop of chocolate ice cream, which she quickly offers. Unbeknownst to Lauren, I’ve been on a search for a really good chocolate ice cream, and there it was, right in our own backyard. In addition to really, really good chocolate flavor, what makes it so good, and all of Purple Door ice cream for that matter, is that it is not just ice cream, or premium ice cream, but super premium ice cream, a distinction which means it is 14% or higher butterfat. Oh, yeah. Even the lemon sorbet is creamy, and yes, delicious, like I-want-to-drive-back-there-right-now delicious.

Testimonial: chocolate ice cream so good I ate it all before I could take a picture

So, there’s all that butterfat and almost all natural and/or local ingredients (chocolate don’t grow ‘round these parts and it’s hard to get a caramel that doesn’t freeze hard), but I’m inclined to believe part of the reason it tastes so good is that Lauren first conceived of the Purple Door in middle school. When she and her friends talked about what they wanted to do when they grew up, Lauren said she wanted to run an ice cream shop and call it the Purple Door. “Twenty years later, here I am,” she said.

Purple Door Ice Cream shares the space on the first floor of the Clock Shadow Building (which has its own fascinating story) with Clock Shadow Creamery. Clock Shadow Creamery is an offshoot of Cedar Grove Cheese in Plain, WI, but it has its own focus. “We really wanted to make cheese locally, right in the community” said Sarah Marcks, storefront, sales and outreach manager, “and to tread softly on the environment,” making them a perfect fit for the environmentally friendly, socially conscious, Clock Shadow Building.

With little room for storage, Clock Shadow Creamery focuses on making fresh cheese, an operation you can watch from the storefront.They currently offer juusto, cheddar cheese curds and quark (“like the sub-atomic particle,” Sarah said). Wheels of cheddar aging in the case still have some time before their ready. The creamery will be offering the Wisconsin favorite, curds, and a European favorite, quark, at the Food Slam.

Good morning! Would you like a cheese curd?

I don’t mind if I do. And while I can’t muster the restraint to wait long enough for it to warm up to the point of squeak, it is, indeed all that a curd should be and has real cheddar flavor, not like those curd-in-name-only kind of things you may have had about the state. Sarah said she recently took some home and ate the whole bag in bed. Her smile at revealing this betrays her bliss. They post their fresh curd days on Facebook and have folks who follow them just to jump on that info.

Squeak, squeak, squeak

Quark is as fun as the curd. (Say that a few times to prove it!) Sarah describes it as a cross between ricotta and cream cheese, very popular in Europe. The fun is in its versatility, it can be used in sweet or savory dishes and the creamery offers garlic and dill, and maple syrup varieties. Indeed, it is a taste shifter, giving different, but equally pleasing enjoyment when Sarah suggests drizzling honey on my second sample.

I left that little dairy heaven on 2nd and Bruce ready to face the day and so excited to see them again at the Food Slam. With a belly full of ice cream and cheese, I half expected a choir to greet me on the street to tell me it was going to be a good day. So, my musical pairing for Purple Door Ice Cream and Clock Shadow Creamery is “Light and Day” by Polyphonic Spree. This song is like rainbows and sparkles and the opening scene from Sound of Music (otherwise known as “the feeling of eating dairy products”) mixed with the collage of life and architecture in the 5th ward.

Presale for Food Slam tickets ends Friday, Sept 28 at 5 pm. If you want to ensure your feeling of spinning around on a mountain top with your arms stretched wide you better get on it!

Yours in dairy state pride,

Steph Kilen

Silent Auction Feature: Metal, Mark and Makin’ Stuff

Mark Winter and some of his minions

It’s an idyllic scene: A dozen wild turkeys waddle by, bees are busy at their hive, wild flowers envelope corpses of vehicles and machines, sparks fly and metal music blares. It’s the Menomonee Falls studio of artist Mark Winter and he is hard at work preparing for Plaza Art Fair in Kansas City, the prestigious SOFA Art and Design show and the WMSE Food Slam Silent Auction.

Amidst a collection of oil cans, a variety of metal objects and scraps (all organized neatly), animal skulls and things that shoot fire, Mark’s sculptures, charming and deviant at once, like their maker, hang out like a small army of misproportioned minions. Among others, there’s a slightly larger than life Billy goat, a sort of post apocalyptic minnie mouse with accessory weapons and Nodding Bob, for the silent auction, nodding agreement, understanding, impatience, to the beat of the music or just nodding off. You can see he has enough attitude to do whatever he wants.

Nodding Bob

Mark’s sculpture is just one of the many intriguing silent auction items awaiting your bid at at the Food Slam.

Mark is a long-time supporter of and volunteer for the radio station. “When I’m making art, music is very important to me,” he says, “There’s no other station in Milwaukee than WMSE that plays the music I need to make my art.” For example, Mark’s musical pairing: “The Soapmakers” by Clutch. “It’s got a good beat and when I hear it I jump up and down and I’m happy when I’m working. There’s no way you’d here that anywhere but WMSE.”

Time Square Bistro & Atomic Chocolate Company: Feel good food

Soup, pizza, bread, mac-n-cheese and chocolate. Sean Henninger of Times Square Bistro and Atomic Chocolate Company takes these comfort food classics to a new level; let’s call it “pamper food.” I say this not because there’s some decadent ingredient added to the classic or that it’s anything fancy-schmancy, but because they are done very, very well.

If you’ve ever stopped into Times Square you may have noticed an interesting pig related special. The day WMSE’s Promotion Director  Ryan Schleicher and I stopped in for lunch did not disappoint in this department (or any department for that matter). Soup of the day: roasted hog head. Yup, he roasted a hog’s head, pulled off the meat, threw in some cannellini beans and some other magic and came up with a soup I will dream about for years to come. Ryan said it was “succulent.” I’d say he’s about right. A warning about eating soup with Ryan. “I get mad when people don’t dunk their bread in their soup,” he said. Good to know, and good thing soup and pizza come with wonderful little hot buns covered in butter.

Roasted Hog Head Soup aka Hog Heaven

Ryan also said, “Sean is such an unassuming creative force.” He’s right about that too. Sean talks about his food with restrained joy and pride. You’d never guess a place tucked into a gas station strip mall could blow your socks off. But Honey, my feet are bare! As one might imagine, Times Square does New York style pizza; crust crisp then chewy, pie cut into triangles, not Milwaukee squares. (Though Sean jokes he’ll cut squares for a dollar extra.) It’s, frankly, pretty perfect.

And then the mac-n-cheese, which just may be making an appearance at a certain WMSE event in a couple of weeks. Yowza. Sean said he resisted putting it on the menu, first because “it’s one of those things you make at home that’s never as good at a restaurant,” and secondly because the Milwaukee restaurant where it was really good, Social, had been once up the street. Social closed and Sean decided to put it on the menu. Thank the Polish Moon he did! Until I had this mac-n-cheese I completely agreed with Sean about restaurant versions. “The pasta’s perfectly cooked!” Ryan said, “Look at that sauce! It’s so creamy! How’d he get it so creamy?”  Indeed the sauce is so tasty one imagines there is a certain amount of alchemy going on in there, but certainly the cheese blend is one of the many things it has going for it; provolone, cheddar, parmesan, mozzarella and monterey jack. For our visit, Sean tucked some home made garlic and sage sausage in with the pasta. There was so much making of yummy noises at our table it was almost obscene.

WMSE Promotions Director Ryan Schleicher and a big plate of cheesy goodness

Right in Times Square Bistro is Sean’s other brilliant baby, Atomic Chocolate Company, which will also be delighting us all at Food Slam. This is the kind of chocolate that should be eaten slowly. It’s crazy creamy. You owe it to yourself to spend time letting it linger in your mouth, you really do. Sean’s creativity come through in flavors such as cinnamon/lavender, pumpkin spice, whiskey macadamia nut and Ryan’s selection, mango/habanero – a combo he said was a perfect balance of tart, heat and coco. Like the pizza and mac-n-cheese, the raspberry and peanut butter classics are so, so good they will ruin you for all others.

Ryan’s Musical Pairing: ”I Only Have Eyes for You” by The Complexions

“It was a feel-good meal in a feel good place so I chose a song that has a lot of feel-good associations.”

Of course there is the New York association with the song on the soundtrack to A Bronx Tale. “I think about blue collar stiffs sharing life with the mobster elite and how they all worship the ritual of food. Times Square and Sean care about the ritual of food and the care and thought required to not simply make and serve food, but to carefully craft and serve great food, food that is so good that if feels like it was cooked just for you.”

Ryan, who also hosts The Disclaimer on WMSE Wednesdays noon-12:30 and who you may have heard  filling in for Dick on The Richard Nice Show on Thursdays from noon – 3pm, suggests  pairing a Times Square meal with Terry Havel’s Doo Wop Corner, which airs at 4 pm every other Wednesday on WMSE. “You can not listen to the Doo Wop corner without feeling good. And in my experience, you can’t visit Times Square Pizza without feeling good. ‘I only have eyes for you’ is also a sentiment tied to when I’m eating there and experiencing what Sean creates, the rest of the world need not bother me.”

Tickets to the 11th Annual WMSE Food Slam are 50% sold. Advance ticket sales end September 28th. You better get yours soon; they’ve sold out the last three years and we wouldn’t want you to miss out on Times Square’s pamper food and all the other deliciousness.

Yours in a big fat cloud of food bliss,

Steph Kilen

Burger smack talk

I’m not naming names, but there’s been some smack talk regarding the Modern Milwaukee Family Burger (aka the veggie) and the Atomic Milwaukee Family Burger (aka the beef) and their gracious hosts Honeypie and Comet Cafe. It seems one venue and one burger are outdoing the others, and that one venue and one burger might be saying some stuff about the other burger and the other venue, but you didn’t hear it from me.

As of Sept 17:

Comet: 223 Atomic, 118 Modern

Honeypie: 115 Atomic, 76 Modern

So, you vegetarians in Bay View might want to up your game and you meat lovers on the East Side should not talk smack with your mouths full. Wherever you live and whatever you eat, you’ve got just until the end of the month to gobble up one of these treats for the love of WMSE.

Yours in the spirit of friendly competition,

Steph Kilen

 

Eat a burger, support WMSE

WMSE Development Director Justin Shoman at Comet Cafe

Once again the good folks at Comet Cafe and Honeypie  have created a couple delicious masterpieces to get us all geared up for the WMSE Food Slam. Two dollars from the sale of each burger will go to support WMSE, while all the calories will go to support your joie de vivre, some of which you may choose to exercise by coloring your placemat while you wait for your burger.

Someone is not so good at staying in the lines

 

I admit, when I saw Hooks Creamery 5-year aged cheddar in the description of the Atomic Milwaukee Family Burger, my first reaction was to stop reading and just say, “Yup. Right there. Want that.” That is the cheese that would get me to give up State secrets if I had any. Throw in the Wisconsin grass-fed beef patty, compote made from Brightonwoods Orchards apples, bacon from Pritzlaff Wholesale Meats and, you know, the lettuce and you’ve got an ideal version of the classic withjust the right amount of sumthin’ extra. (Because every good atomic Milwaukee family has just enough crazy to make you love it just that much more.)

Every modern family needs a blue cat

 

The no-animals-on-my-plate-please folks have something to be excited about too. The Modern Milwaukee Family burger knocks the meat-free patty on a bun thing out of the park. Even if you are the sort who tends to work around animal protein substitutes, that is to say the concept of “fieldroast” confounds you much the way a spork does, the Modern Family would be a great place to break new frontiers. I am so glad I was able to see through the pink cloud of food lust created by the Atomic to get on board with the Modern because I can’t honestly say which I prefer. Fieldroast hazelnut patty,  topped with pistachio relish – a condiment that gives ketchup and mustard a run for their money, veganaise and locally grown tomatoes and lettuce. It pretty much rocks and has changed the way I look at veggie burgers. Keeping with family theme, there is something very comfort food about this one, something Modern Mom or Dad would make you when you’ve had a rough day. So, if you are a carnivore who appreciates the full culinary spectrum, don’t choose just one; find a kindred spirit, order both burgers and split them. Thanks to WMSE Development Director Justin Shoman and Megan Daniels for getting on board with this plan and relieving me of the burden of having to make a painful decision.

Go get your burger on and then get your tickets for the Food Slam where you’ll be wrapped in even more love of food and WMSE.

Yours in nomnomnom,

Steph Kilen, Food Slam Blogger

Good Times and Danke! Gracias! Cheers! Thanks! Ta! You Rock!

Good times were had by all at the 10th annual Food Slam this past Friday night. Thanks to all you spectacular Slammers for coming to eat, drink, bid, and support WMSE, making Friday’s fiesta the biggest, funnest, and successfullest Slam to date!

And hey, check out that sweet video up there expertly shot in a gritty, dizzying, hand-held style by yours truly, Food Slam blogger Erin Harris. I think I missed my calling, Milwaukee. Writing, schmiting. I was meant to be a cinematographer on classic films such as Saving Private Ryan, etc. JK. But do dig the tune by magnificent Milwaukee musician and musical mastermind Rick.

Oh and big, big thanks to the fine local establishments that provided the awesome auction items, and a special shout-out to the following delicious vendors for supplying the tasty vittles:

Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co., Atomic Chocolate Co., Ball ‘N Biscuit Catering, Beans & Barley, Blue’s Egg, Bolzano Artisan Meats, Centro Cafe, Chubby Cheese Truck, Eat Cake!, Hector’s On Delaware, Indulgence Chocolatiers, Jake’s Deli, Jow Nai Fouquet Thai, Kasana Concierge Gourmet, Martita’s Mixers, Maxie’s Southern Comfort, McBob’s Pub & Grill, Milwaukee Ale House, Molly Cool’s Seafood Tavern, The Noble, Outpost Natural Foods, Paciugo Gelato, Purple Door Ice Cream, Red Rock Saloon, Revolucion Mexican Restaurant, The Rumpus Room, Sala da Pranzo, SPiN Milwaukee, Times Square Bistro & Pizzeria, and The Wicked Hop

Nectarous! Cheers! See you next year!

–Erin Harris

Food Slam Sold Out

That’s all. If you got tickets, we’ll Slam with you tonight.

Oh, and you should all probably eat a light lunch. You’ll want your full appetite come tonight.

Food Slam! Tomorrow Night! Rock!

Hungry Slammers unite! A few things to keep in mind about the Food Slam that’s goin’ on tomorrow night from 6 till 10 p.m. at the Grohmann Museum on the campus of MSOE:

1. There might be one or two tickets left. Sales stop tonight at six, so get down to the station before then if you want to get your taste buds rocked tomorrow night.
2. Don’t forget that when you bring two or more nonperishable items to donate to the Hunger Task Force, you get a ticket for the free beverage of your choice.
3. The Food Slam ain’t just about tasty vittles—it’s also a bidding slam for getting awesome deals on sweet stuff like such as the following for instance:

• Starting at just fifty smackers is a makeup party for four, a unique experience that includes a one-on-one makeup application and lesson with Blush’s premier artists! Bring out the feather pillows, the Cyndi Lauper records, and the margarita mix, ladies, cuz the girls are gonna have some fun!

• Two pairs of tickets to any of the Brew City Bruisers’ exciting home-season bouts! Get out the Band-Aids, the crutches, and the steaks for them black eyes! Wait . . . you’re just a spectator—no first aid kit necessary. Just bring the good times! OK—the Bruisers supply those too . . . and lots of ‘em. How ‘bout just bring your splendid self and your vigorous vocal chords for cheerin’?!!

• You must be a luckystar cuz you shine on the opportunity to bid on this fabulous special-edition three-piece from Luckystar Studio’s Chimp Series. There’s a dude with a yellow background who’s gettin’ pretty chesty with the Superman thing, and then he’s over there regarding that banana peel, and I don’t know what he’s doing in that suit, but it’s definitely cool. Yeah, that chimp stuff’s definitely gots it goin’ on!

• Holy supercool handcrafted handiwork, Batman—get down to the Slam and check out the wrought-iron “Squiggle” candle holder hand-forged by Bay View’s own Milwaukee Blacksmith. Ain’t nothin’ as cool as something that took fire and muscle and iron to make—this thing’s gonna floor ya.

• Whoa, daddy, a two-hour experience aboard the Milwaukee Pedal Tavern! A 16-person bicycle-powered party on wheels! Whether you’ve got a pub crawl, a bachelor party, or a company event coming up, this is the travelling apparatus and terrific adventure for you. Bid starts at sixty bucks. SIXTY BUCKS? Pretty sweet for a super-fun segue to good times. Forget rotting away in dark bars—get some air with your booze, Milwaukee!

• Itchin’ for some ink? Put the pedal to the metal and the needle to the skin and bid on a $250 gift certificate for a custom tattoo from Spencer at Zoe’s Vicious Circle in Bay View! When the bidding starts at $55 for Spencer’s spectacular work, we’re talkin’ pirate’s booty here, ladies and gents. You’re liftin’ the loot, pilferin’ the plenty, and you ain’t even gonna walk the plank for it.

• And superartist extraordinaire dwellephant’s shootin’ ya some painted records. Painted records? Painted perfection! Check out the great Joey Ramone gracin’ the wax! And dang, dwellie whips it good! The dude from Devo’s painted on another record—mix it, spin it, turn it, loop it, whirl it, twirl it, swirl it, whip it, frame it, hang it, show it, love it, dig it, rock it . . . and, of course, crack that whip!

And that ain’t even the half of it. There’s that, and more, and a ton of stuff galore. So sweet! Get stoked! And we’ll see ya at the Slam!

–Erin Harris

Centro Cafe’s Luscious Lasagna

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Riverwest’s smackdown, dynamite Centro Cafe is bringing its A game to the WMSE Food Slam this Friday at the Grohmann Museum on the campus of MSOE. For all you vegetarians who’ve had enough talk about salami and reubens and tuna and reubens and meat and meat and meat, chow down on Centro’s luscious lasagna layered with leeks, roasted butternut squash, garlic, and rosemary. It’s got this cream sauce, see, that makes you swoon, and the leeks are heaven, and the squash melts in your mouth, and it all comes together like the way a good band comes together, when everyone’s firing on all cylinders and you can believe in harmony and unity and perfection. And then there’s Centro’s vegan Caesar salad, which is cunningly creamy (how do they do it? Tahini and silken tofu, I think), fantastically fresh, and succulently snappy. These dishes are gonna shine as stars of the show come Friday night. You won’t be able to get enough.

And, while I was at Centro, I also tried their gluten-free pasta with marinara sauce, since I usually (except in anticipation of the Slam, when I get to write this blog) roll gluten free, and had shamefully not previously made it to Centro, though I had heard great things about their GF options. The pasta is good, you know, as good as gluten-free pasta can be, but what makes that dish is the well-balanced marinara sauce–bright, fresh, garlicky, rich, and neither too sweet nor too astringent. It hit the spot, I’m tellin’ ya–it was on the mark. I felt like Goldilocks, Slammers–the porridge was just right. Fo shizzle.

And regarding tickets, I really don’t know what to tell you. No, I’m kidding . . . I think there are a few left–maybe two–so if you ain’t got yours, hit up the station down at 820 N. Milwaukee Street during business hours (9 a.m. till 6 p.m.) through Thursday for a fix.

–Erin Harris

Anodyne’s Cuppa Mo-Joe

SCIENCE! And necromancy. I stepped down to Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co. with the charismatic and magnificent Buzz, illustrious host of the great WMSE show Buzz’s Garage, and got a brewing demo and coffee tasting divined by coffee conjurer Steve Kessler. As you can see in that video up there, the siphon-pot demo was like some kinda mad, cool science experiment conducted by Bill Nye or Mr. Wizard. The brewing apparatus looks like something in a lab, what with the little Bunsen-burner-like flame under the glass vessel. The vacuum action of the siphon pot swirls and whirls and spins like a cyclonic particle accelerator and forces the water up to saturate the savory grounds and produce an exquisite extraction. It’s almost like you’re watching an illicit substance being cooked up, and, I’m telling you, what comes out of that carafe is so good it might as well be against the law. We tried the Ethiopian Limu Natural brewed with this device, and the coffee’s berry notes and light, clean, creamy body knocked us over with deliciousness. Buzz weren’t jestin’, ladies and gents, when he said “Hey, that’s good coffee!” Well, OK, he kinda was, but just to make you laugh–he was serious too. When the alchemical magic gets coaxed out of a naturally processed Ethiopian heirloom bean with some kinda necromancer’s mojo, that stuff truly blows your mind.

And it’s gonna taste like a million bucks with Kasana Concierge Gourmet’s panna cotta infused with Madagascar vanilla and topped with homemade caramel with rum. This classic Italian dessert is creamy, aromatic, and knockout delicious with its sensuous, exotic, islandy twist, and knocked-off socks will be flying around the Grohmann when Slammers savor the panna cotta with my favorite Anodyne offering–Guatemalan Huehuetenango, which wins first prize for fullest body, richest flavor, and funnest name to say. Way-way-ten-ango. Way-way-ten-ango. Way-way-ten-ango.

So you’ve really got to step on it if you haven’t gotten your Food Slam tickets yet. They’re almost 90% sold out, and we know you wanna revel in the food event that’s gonna rock Milwaukee’s taste buds on October 7, so you best click here, if ya know what’s good for ya.

–Erin Harris

PS. Thanks to Milwaukee outfit Sons of Saboteurs for the use of their spectacular tune (in the video) called “It’s Just a Slide.”

Outpost’s Deliciously Diverse Dessert Bars

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Hey, check it out! Outpost Natural Foods is rollin’ out the barrel of tasty variety with a pleasing potpourri of delectable dessert bars to suit any taste and any diet. If you go-go vegan, they’ve got Chewy Granola Bars, packed with oats, raisins, peanut butter, walnuts, wheat germ, and sesame seeds. They’re crispy, nutty, sweet, ‘n good. If you roll gluten free, hit ‘em up for one of their Gluten-Free Marble Cheesecake Bars, whose chocolaty goodness and creamy divinity convey the sumptuousness of edible velvet. If you don’t do wheat or dairy but you do munch oats, dig Outpost’s Sheba Bars, which are kinda like sorta healthy Rice Krispie treats cuz they’ve got that fun, sweet, I’m-a-kid-again chew to ‘em from brown rice crisps. And if you eat what you want when you want cuz you’re your own man or lady or cuz you’re not limited by dietary restrictions, the good folks at Outpost’ll set you up with one of their Chocolate Indulgence Brownies. Just before my tasting at Outpost, I went to a brewing demo at Anodyne and sampled some fine coffees, and I wished that I had a cup of that luscious liquid heaven in my hand while I savored the succulence of that spectacular brownie, which, I’m ashamed to say, I didn’t do justice to with that blurry photo up there. But I made up for it with that tantalizing pic of the savory Sheba Bar, right? Right. And regarding perfect pairings, have no fear, Slammers, cuz the Food Slam’s gotcha covered on October 7, when you’ll be throwin’ back brownies, dippin’ ‘em into Purple Door’s magnificently melty espresso ice cream, and washing it all down with a steamy cuppa Anodyne coffee–all at once, simultaneously, at the same time, concurrently, the way Nature intended.

And hey, my crystal ball’s showing me that Food Slam tickets will be sold out within a week. Seriously, Slammers, tickets are currently well over 70% gone, daddy, gone, and there are still almost two weeks till the event, so you best scoop up some tix before they vanish like my fleeting–but accurate–powers of intuition.

–Erin Harris

The Tom Wanderer Dining Experience at McBob’s Pub and Grill

Oh, Sweet Daddy . . . A Luscious McBob's Reuben!

Hey if you’ve got the radio on on Thursdays from 3 till 6 pm, you know and love WMSE DJ Tom Wanderer, host of The Tom Wanderer Radio Experience. You know, that real gone cat who really knows how to lay a patch of sweet sonic delights. I caught up with the good TW at McBob’s Pub and Grill earlier this week, and we talked The Stones and The Stooges and Buzzcocks and The Who and The Jesus & Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine and Mad Men and spaghetti Westerns and Terrence Malick and drank beer and hung out on the patio at McBob’s and chowed down on mouthwatering reubens stacked with luscious, juicy corned beef; tangier-than-elsewhere sauerkraut; snappy horseradish mustard; and buttery, toasted marble rye. Oh, the scrumptious crunch, the tender beef, the savory zip of the fixins . . . I’m salivating as I recall the deliciousness, which was so ambrosial that Tom said that it was the best corned beef he’s ever had. He said that totally off the cuff, with genuine glee, as he whet his whistle on one of them award-winning reubens. I said, “Holy awesome quotes, Batman, can you say that again on film?” So check out the 12-second video down there of Tom’s gracious reenactment of his awe at his knockout sandwich. Sorry about the brevity–I was too busy downing Guinness to have the presence of mind to keep the camera rolling. Thanks to Milwaukee artists Sons of Saboteurs for the use of their song “Eleven 11.”

And Food Slam tickets are, as you can imagine, since the Slam is thee food event that’s gonna rock your taste buds on October 7, flying like hotcakes. They’re more than half sold out, so snap up a pair while you can, cuz you know you wanna feel that wild swing of euphoria that comes with chompin’ down on the best corned beef the great Mr. Tom Wanderer has ever had.

–Erin Harris

Burger Count Update

We just got the first updates from the managers at Comet and Honeypie. Here are the breakdowns.

 

 

 

 

 

Old Milwaukee: 145
New Milwaukee: 109

Total Sales: 254
Total Donated: $508.00 

Old Milwaukee: 149
New Milwaukee: 88

Total Sales: 237
Total Donated: $474.00

As you can see, the total sales competition between the two cafes is a pretty close one, separated by only $34.00, but Old Milwaukee is demolishing New Milwaukee 294 to 197. Yup, Old “Carnivorous” Milwaukee has about a 100-sale lead.

Will the damsel catch the old guy? That’s up to you, Milwaukee.

Thanks to everyone who has so far purchased either sandwich from either establishment!

Radio Chow Time at SPiN Milwaukee

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Tom squared, Slammers. Tom squared. I hit SPiN Milwaukee with WMSE station manager Tom Crawford one night, and McBob’s with DJ Tom Wanderer the next. TC and I saddled up to the bar at the table-tennis social club and tucked into some good stuff. We started out with the Taste of Wisconsin appetizer, comprised of Wisconsin cheddar-cheese curds, beef sticks, pretzel bites, and stone-ground mustard. You’ll notice in the pic above that one of the beef sticks has a bite taken out of it, and the pretzels look a bit scant, and there might be a pepperoncini missing. That’s cuz this platter’s so tasty that we dug in before I remembered to take pictures. This appetizer embodies traditional Wisconsin standbys in a way that can only be matched by SPiN’s house tap brewed by Sprecher, which goes so well with the pretzels and cheese that I felt like I was home in Bavaria or maybe on a mountaintop in Switzerland.

Next we continued our tradition of divvying up delicious sandwiches, and we each tucked into half a BLT and half a turkey sandwich. Jet over to SPiN with some work chums for a corporate event, or with just some regular friends for a game of ping pong, and chomp down on this BLT. It’ll strike a chord with your taste buds because the bacon ain’t just breakfast-table bacon–it’s deep, rich, crispy pancetta, and the mayo ain’t just bologna-sandwich mayo–it’s pesto aioli, rife with the heaven of garlic and the flavor and fragrance of fresh basil. The arugula gives the BLT bite and snap, and the toasted Tuscan bread . . . my God, why did I forget to ask them where they get that magnificent bread? Oh yeah–it was because I was so overwhelmed with the deliciousness of the turkey sandwich, which they’ll be featuring at the Slam. What could be better for an early-fall event than a sandwich that recalls one of the savoriest spreads of the year. The roasted turkey marries like rock and roll with the cranberry-orange chutney, and the cats in the kitchen at SPiN top it off with fresh baby spinach and creamy, pungent brie.

This is a sandwich you’re gonna wanna chow down on, so if you’re a lucky Food Slam ticket holder, you gots it goin’ on. But I admire anyone who doesn’t have their tickets yet. You’re living on the edge. You’re a thrill seeker. An adrenaline junkie. You’re gonna get your kicks, all right, as you hold back and back and back and feel the anticipation and wait for the rush. Then right at the last second you’ll shoot for the last pair of tickets as your palms sweat and your heart pounds and you can’t find your breath. But don’t drop the ball–you don’t wanna suffer Food Slam withdrawal. Be sure to score your tix and your fix.

And please stay tuned to this here blog for tomorrow’s news of The Tom Wanderer Dining Experience.

–Erin Harris

An Ocean of Deliciousness at Molly Cool’s Seafood Tavern

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I stopped down at Old World Third Street fish-slingin’ Molly Cool’s Seafood Tavern and tried the tastiness they’ll be showcasing at the Slam on October 7. First up is their signature hot crab and spinach dip, which is creamy, delicious, packed with Parmesan, and served with buttery, garlicky toast points for dippin’. Next up is their tuna tartare–diced raw tuna stacked up all tasty and fresh on homemade wonton chips with wasabi, soy sauce, and sesame oil. When the rich, deep, and salty flavor of soy sauce melds with the peppy kick of wasabi and saturates your tongue as the wasabi clears your sinuses and seems to go so far as to even clean your brain, it combines with the silky texture of tuna like nobody’s business. These tartare wontons got it goin’ on up in here, so I’m probably gonna eat about fifty of ‘em on the night we all come together to eat to the beat of WMSE.

Food Slam tickets are just about 50% sold out, so if you plan to be one of 500 lucky attendees eatin’ and drinkin’ and havin’ a real good time on October 7, you gotta get your tickets before someone beats ya to the punch. So the gloves are off, Milwaukee–gird your loins, swing over here, and give ‘em the old one-two.

–Erin Harris

More Burger Returns

Words by Ryan

The first veggie burger Comet and Honeypie have ever created for WMSE is a huge hit so far. This comment came through on Facebook this weekend from Erik R:

“WMSE Veggie Burger at Comet. Holy f*ing ball of YUM! Come on folks! Go get one. Or two. Yes, they also make a regular beef version, too.”

If you missed Erin’s detailed post about both burgers, here you go. Now, go eat as many as your belly and conscience will allow from now until September 30th.

Martita’s Magnificent Margaritas

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I was feelin’ down about the demise of summer till I tried Martita’s Guiltless Margaritas. One sip and I sailed away to a tropical paradise where the sun was shining, the waves were calm, and the tequila was flowin’. Throw back one of these good, good, good, good libations and get transported to a land of palm trees, sandy beaches, and a peaceful, easy feelin’. And whether you’re counting calories or just wanting to avoid a sugar-spun spike in your blood sugar, the agave nectar in these mixers is the perfect sweetener since it comes from the same blue agave plant as tequila. Martita’s mixers are made with stevia as well, which, like agave, has a lower glycemic index than cane sugar. So one serving of Martita’s Guiltless Strawberry Margarita Mix has just 25 calories, and one serving of the regular Guiltless Margarita Mix has just 5 calories. And you’re gonna wanna go easy on the liquid thermal units cuz Hector’s on Delaware’ll be throwin’ down their tasty tacos, which are the perfect pairing to these magnificent margaritas.

The sun’ll be shining at 6 pm on October 7, Milwaukee, but only at the Grohmann, where the Slam’ll be rockin’ till 10 pm. So get two tickets to paradise right here.

And instead of posting that Eddie Money song, I’ll share with you my favorite feel-good song ’bout booze ‘n sunshine–His Name Is Alive’s “Lemon Ocean.” It ain’t local, but it sure is lovely.

–Erin Harris

Classic Hand-Cut Goodness at Jake’s Deli

Jake's Scrumptious Chow. Clockwise From Left: Pastrami Dog, Assorted Meats, Reuben Sandwich

I stopped at Jake’s Deli today and dug into some mouthwatering grub. First up is the classic reuben sandwich, which, if you were lucky enough to hit the Slam last October, you’ll recall that we’ve got a kinda tradition of savoring at the food event that rocks your taste buds every fall. Crispy toasted rye bread, tangy mustard and sauerkraut, creamy thousand-island dressing, and juicy, hand-carved corned beef make up this time-honored work of genius. I also tried a pastrami dog, a killer new addition to Jake’s menu, comprised of luscious pastrami, a grilled hot dog, and Swiss cheese on a pretzel roll. And I sampled some lone meats–pastrami, corned beef, turkey pastrami, and salami. These meats are magnificently moist and savory on their own, and when you get ‘em nestled in a Jake’s sandwich with all the fixins and the juice runs down your arm, you know you’ve tucked into something good. The latest word is that Food Slam tickets are 40% sold out, so if you love corned beef…if you revel in pastrami…if you relish deli goodness and old-school tradition, scoot over to Brown Paper Tickets and get yourself a pass to paradise while you can.

And check out this video of me, Food Slam blogger Erin Harris, giving up my anonymity and telling you just how sumptuous Jake’s reubens are. Thanks to Red Stuff for the use of their tune “Surf/Drag.”

–Erin Harris

Purple Door’s Perfect Four

Purple Door Ice Cream's Espresso, Chocolate, and Salted Caramel Ice Creams

Ice cream for lunch. You scream for lunch. We all scream for lunch. I stopped down at Purple Door Ice Cream’s production facility yesterday and had ice cream for lunch, and O, Sweet Succulence, let me tell you how good it is. The espresso flavor, made with beans roasted fresh at Anodyne, pops with a superbly balanced kick ‘a coffee. The chocolate’s perfectly sweet, and the expert confectioners down at Purple Door ain’t afraid ‘a no cocoa. And the salted caramel, well, in the words of one of Purple Door’s retailers, the salted caramel is “make-out good.” I’m not entirely sure what that means, but I’m guessing it refers to the luscious sensuousness you feel when that sweet stuff lingers on your tongue. And the fourth thing that’s cool about Purple Door–if you’re wondering about the discrepancy between the number of flavors in the photo and the number of things in this post’s title–is Purple Door’s Milk for Milwaukee program. The good folks at Purple Door designate a portion of their proceeds to providing milk to local homeless shelters including The Guest House, The Cathedral Center, and Pathfinders. These cats are dedicated to both crafting deliciousness and helping people in need. So come to the Slam to get a taste of their nectarous goodness alongside, say, a knockout slice-a cake from Eat Cake. But you know the drill–you gosta get your tickets ASAP cuz there won’t be none left PDQ.

And here’s a video of Purple Door co-owner Steve Schultz talkin’ ’bout makin’ the sweet stuff. You’ll notice that the dude totally rocks.

–Erin Harris

Local Craftsmanship and Succulent Salamis

Bolzano Artisan Meats Owner and Charcutier Scott Buer Talkin' Handcrafted Salami

Hey you know when you write the official Food Slam blog, you get to jet around Milwaukee and meet cool people who are passionate about creating spectacular food–and my visit to Bolzano Artisan Meats today just might take the cake. I attended charcuterie school and learned about owner and charcutier Scott Buer’s process of handcrafting delectable dry-cured salamis. I tasted the Old School salami–rich, aromatic, vibrant with garlic and cracked black pepper; the Pamplona Runner salami–smoky, sweet, delicate, and melt-in-your-mouth spectacular; and the Fumetti salami–a smoked salami rife with extraordinary flavor. The enzymes created by the fermentation process turn the fats in the meat into jewels as soft and rich as butter, and the delicate seasonings swim with a succulence that lingers on your tongue while your palate begs for a luscious swig of wine or beer. So by all means, get down to the Food Slam on October 7th to taste these magnificent meats that are lovingly crafted with locally sourced ingredients.

Word of caution: Get tickets while you can cuz the Slam’s already over 30% sold out, and you don’t wanna be disappointed!

And check out this video of Scott talking about Wisconsin’s revival of its history of handcrafting great beer, cheese, and other artisan products. And speaking of local craftsmanship, feel the good vibes in the background tune by Milwaukee outfit Black Eagle Child. The song, from the Lobelia album, is called “Families Get Together.”

–Erin Harris

Early Burger Returns

Photo from The Cakewalk blog

We’re only one full day into the burger promotion with Comet and Honeypie Cafes, but already we are seeing some great early returns.

From Twitter:

@roachcraft – “The new @WMSE burger (minus mushrooms) gets a thumbs-up; not an instant heart attack like past entries, totally unique, totally MKE.”

We can only assume that Mr. Roach will convulse and die if he eats mushrooms because we can’t imagine any other reason to exclude the mushrooms. Locally grown, delicious mushrooms, even.

From the Cakewalk Blog:

“I split the WMSE burger with Sasa since there is no chance I could eat the whole thing myself. It was great, but what was really exciting to me was this brussel sprout that was garnishing the “Old Milwaukee” style burger. I planted a solitary brussel sprout plant, which appears to be growing alright, if not a bit on the slow side. If I can’t glean enough to pickle, I will procure farmer’s market sprouts to make these spicy hot brussel sprouts!”

While Ms. Cake wasn’t ready to tackle the entire burger, as Mr. Roach said, this year’s burgers are much less heart-attack inducing than previous years’ creations. During our tasted test, all four testers were able to eat half of the Old Milwaukee and half of the New Milwaukee. As we said in the initial burger promotion post, “do what we did—cut ‘em in half, divvy ‘em up, and taste the best of both worlds.”

Taste Both Old and New Milwaukee at Comet and Honeypie All September Long

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WMSE and the fine cats at Comet and Honeypie are kicking off the month leading to this year’s Food Slam with not just one tasty, delicious burger, but two tasty, delicious burgers. So I, Food Slam blogger Erin Harris, headed down to Honeypie with station manager Tom Crawford, promotions director Ryan Schleicher, and development director Jason Mohr to dig into these gems, which have been lovingly created by good folks who love good food for good folks who love good food.

Burger 1, the Old Milwaukee burger, celebrates the traditional Milwaukee staples of pastrami, sauerkraut, and thousand-island dressing by melding these classic ingredients in a luscious magnum opus that will knock you to the floor with deliciousness. The pastrami is blended with Wisconsin-raised, grass-fed beef in a succulent patty and topped with homemade sauerkraut that’s fermented with–yeah, you guessed it, Milwaukee–that good old-fashioned refreshment we all know and love known as beer, and capped off with creamy, made-from-scratch thousand-island dressing and big chunks of house-made pickles.

Burger 2, the New Milwaukee burger, is comprised of a crispy veggie patty with a tasty hazelnut crust, heirloom tomato confit, spicy olive relish, and blue cheese. The garlic in that olive relish melds with the blue cheese in a way you won’t believe. We all had a tough time deciding which burger was better—and that’s a testament to the magnificence of the New Milwaukee burger. When you get four carnivores together who are floored by a veggie burger, you know that veggie burger’s good. So get on down to Comet and/or Honeypie to try these bad boys, which are a steal at ten bucks each. And two of those bucks go to support the station, so you know you’re doin’ good by your gut as well as your favorite tunes. Rock! So bring a friend, order one Old and one New, and do what we did—cut ‘em in half, divvy ‘em up, and taste the best of both worlds.

And check out this 28-second video of Tom, Ryan, and Jason divvying up the burgers and trying ‘em out. Sorry about the quality, or lack thereof—I’m just getting the hang of this new-fangled twenty-first-century technology business. Dig the tune though—it’s a dang fine one by local band Red Stuff. I’ll be featuring local artists’ music in all the blog videos to come, and the music certainly makes this video, though I have to say the dudes in it ain’t too shabby themselves, not to mention, of course, them tasty burgers.
–Erin Harris

Tonight! Eat to the Beat of WMSE! Whoooo!

Yokel Local Outlaw Big Sam Spurhog Saddlin' Up to the Grohmann for the Food Slam

Yee haw, Milwaukee! Food Slam tickets are SOLD OUT! and WMSE is thrilled that the ninth annual Slam is going to be the biggest, funnest, and successfulest Slam to date. I caught up with Yokel Local outlaw Big Sam Spurhog and asked him to nail down the answers to a few FAQs about the food event that’s gonna rock your taste buds this very night. As always, Big Sam was initially terse, surly, and reluctant as hell, but he started talkin’ freely once I lubed him up with some fat cigars and a couple bottles of whiskey.

EH: You excited for the Food Slam tonight, Big Sam?

BSS: [Lighting a cigar and throwing back a shot] I reckon it’ll be ’bout as good a time as when I met up with them Carson twins out on the ole Carson ranch. Old man Carson was gone a-speculatin’ ‘n I struck a little gold myself.

EH: That’s great, Big Sam. Hey, the Slam’s at the Grohmann Museum, right? What do you know about parking around there?

BSS: ‘Round those parts you pony up real quiet so no one hears you comin’. You keep your horse from brayin’ ‘n you take ‘em by surprise ‘n show ‘em who’s boss.

EH: That’s not the way I heard it. I heard there’s gonna be free parking in the MSOE lots located between Broadway and Milwaukee just north and east of the Grohmann.

BSS: [Pickin' his teeth] Could be.

EH: What do you know about free drinks at the Slam?

BSS: That ‘un’s easy. Just smash your last bottle an’ start punchin’.

EH: That doesn’t sound right. What if you bring two or more nonperishable food items and donate ‘em to the Hunger Task Force? I heard the fine folks at WMSE’ll give you a free beverage ticket.

BSS: That’ll work too, I reckon.

EH: You gonna do any bidding, Big Sam?

BSS: I got my eye on a couple ‘a things. I got my eye on that Annie down at The Establishment. I’m gonna win myself a good groomin’ with her.

EH: I think Annie’s service is a Brazilian wax, Big Sam. I’m not sure that’s what you had in mind. I bet Martita’s prize pack is more your speed. It’s two bottles of Martita’s Guiltless Margarita Mix, a bottle of tequila, and four margarita glasses.

BSS: Hoo-doggie! Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about!

EH: So you ready to do this thing, Big Sam? This Food Slam thing?

BSS: I’m riled up like a groom on his weddin’ night! I’m a-rearin’ to go!

EH: All right, Big Sam. Kick them spurs. I’ll see you at the Slam!

–Erin Harris

Go Wisconsin Artisan Cheese!

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Food Slam tickets are sold out and I feel real bad for everyone who’s gonna miss out on cheese enthusiast Laura Bucher’s cheese tasting tomorrow night. I met with Laura today and tasted four of the fabulous artisan cheeses she’ll be showcasing at the Slam. Les Freres, a European-style cheese produced by Crave Brothers of Waterloo, is a sweet and earthy cheese that won first place in its category at the 2009 American Cheese Society competition in awesome Austin, TX. Another nectarous cheese, Roelli’s Dunbarton Blue, which Laura terms a “beginner’s blue,” is in the cheddar blue vein family. It’s rich, creamy, deep, and delicious, and its natural rind is so marbled and beautiful that I couldn’t stop eating and photographing its magnificence. The third cheese, Burning Nettle Melange crafted by Holland’s Family Farm in Thorp, WI, is a lusty gouda layered with the flavors of celery, chive, and onion. It’s no wonder that it was a top contender at the 2010 World Cheese Championship. Fresh milk is pumped directly from the dairy to the cheese vat, enabling the cheesemakers to produce the good gouda without preheating, pasteurizing, or bastardizing the milk in any way. My favorite cheese is Marisa made by Carr Valley in La Valle, WI. It’s a sheep’s milk cheese, aged for up to six months, and infused with a subtle toothy crunch, which is the result of tyrosine, an amino acid that’s reputed to spark happiness in the brain. So there’s your science lesson for the day, provided by a writer who had to take Biology twice in high school in order to pass. Laura says that some of these cheeses are pretty weird, but, as we all know, we WMSE supporters are pretty freakin’ weird ourselves, so the cheeses are in good company. I myself will be camped out all night next to these spectacular delights, washing them down with glass after glass of fine Trapiche wine.

–Erin Harris