Wisconsin is more than beer, brats and cheese. But, we've got to admit it, our cheese is pretty darned good. And "USA Today" thinks so, too.
Today it published a feature (well, a slideshow) showcasing restaurant dishes that exemplify creative uses for one of Wisconsin's hottest exports. You shouldn't be surprised to note that a number of Milwaukee restaurants are on the list.
Among dishes listed are:
- Café Bavaria gets props for three dishes: the Drie-Käse Jar, their Spätzle & Mac & Chips and their bloody Marys, which feature Wisconsin cheese curds.
- Sanford's fried milkweed blossoms with rapini mascarpone puree and salami vinaigrette along with their duo of toasted pinenut and basil mascarpone ice creams.
- Odd Duck's dates that come wrapped in bacon, stuffed with gouda and drizzled with saba.
- Story Hill BKC gets props for both their special crepe with baby kale, baked eggs, smoked Berkshire loin bacon, onion marmalade and quark; and their toast with housemade jam, spiced nuts, local honey and quark.
- The Gouda Girls' the Mac, a grilled sandwich featuring gouda, havarti and colby jack along with a hearty scoop of mac and cheese.
- Classy Girl Cupcakes get props for their cheesecake cupcakes, which come in over 60 flavors.
The Madison location for AJ Bombers also gets a mention for its Mad Sconnie burger featuring a grass-fed beef and bacon patty topped with fried pickles and sandwiched in a miniature version of Stella’s Hot & Spicy Cheese Bread.
Countless other dishes hail from spots like Green Bay, Madison, Appleton and the like. Just be careful not to peruse the slideshow before you've eaten because it's guaranteed to make you hungry.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
