A Few of My Favorite (Wisconsin) Things

Of course my favorite thing about spending last week in northern Wisconsin was getting to see my in-laws and getting to know more of Carl's side of the family.  At one point there were seven of us and four dogs staying in the cabin - it was one big slumber party!  So cozy and filled with family.  We stayed in, we went out, we ate, we drank, we had a good time.  And it snowed!  Beyond hanging out with family and watching the dogs run around in the snow while wearing orange hunting vests, I found some pretty good things.

Ciderboys - I love hard cider.  I'd rather have a hard cider over a beer almost any day.  Thankfully, Carl's aunt introduced us to this new brand out of Stevens Point, Wisconsin.  This article has some pretty good information about the brand, the brews, and the availability.  We tasted the First Press and Cranberry Road flavors (of which I preferred First Press.)  We'll be heading back to Wisconsin in early January, so I'm hoping to try the Mad Bark flavor then.

Cheese curds - Yep, I said it.  Cheese was most definitely not a staple in my diet until Carl came along.  I didn't even really like cheese for that matter.  And then I married a Packer-loving man from Wisconsin.  So yes, I had cheese curds at several restaurants while we were in the Northwoods area and I even purchased a small bag to bring home with me.  Garlic and dill flavored..who even knew that was possible - yum.

Green Bush Bakery in Madison - This was Carl's place of employment while he was attending classes (read: partying) at the University of Wisconsin.  On our way back to Indiana, we thought it'd be nice to stop in, snag some fresh doughnuts, and visit with some of the guys seeing as Carl hadn't seen them since our wedding.  Let me tell you, those doughnuts were delicious.  It's a kosher bakery, which I'd never had before so I wasn't sure what kind of taste I should expect.  Well, bakery perfection is what I got.  You have to try them if you're ever in the area.  Seriously.

Leinenkugel's Lemon Berry Shandy - I know I just said I wasn't a huge beer drinker.  But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate a good beer every so often and I'm a fan of this one.  It's crisp, it's refreshing, and it's got just enough flavor.  As a side note, I'm putting 'take a Leinie brewery tour' on my Wisconsin to-do list.

Now I'm looking forward to find more favorite things in Wisconsin!