Pheasant Branch Conservancy and Longhorn Restaurant in Middleton, Wisconsin by Ruth Paget

Pheasant Branch Conservancy and Longhorn Restaurant Lunch in Middleton, Wisconsin by Ruth Paget 

On Sunday (Day 4 of our vacation), my mom took Laurent and me to lunch at Longhorn Restaurant in Middleton, Wisconsin outside Madison. The drive to Middleton from DeForest to the West Towne Shopping Center where Longhorn is located was beautiful. 

We drove all along the Pheasant Branch Conservancy. The Conservancy according to various online sources is a 682-acre natural area in Middleton with: 

-restored prairies 

-oak savannas 

-mineral springs 

-a creek corridor that provides fresh water to Lake Mendota around Madison 

The lunch at Longhorn was leisurely, which we started with salads full of freshly, shredded cheddar cheese. I love cheddar cheese and relish-heavy Thousand Island salad dressing. I was happy with the meal already. 

The three different main dishes that were reliably great included: 

-Parmesan chicken for mom with mashed potatoes

-a Flo Fillet 6-ounce steak for Laurent with mashed potatoes

-two juicy, well-cooked pork chops with about 4 cups steamed broccoli for me that I dunked in the delicious pork chop juices 

Wisconsin is prime pork chop country. The pork chops were so good that I ate both and all the broccoli. I did not have any room for dessert after that. 

We drove back home the Pheasant Branch Conservancy and heeded the turtle crossing signs as we laughed at Wisconsin’s dangerous driving conditions in August. 

We nibbled cheese and sausage for dinner and went to bed full of energy for the upcoming week’s touring.  

Wisconsin Dairyland Vacation Day 4 – Complete! 

By Ruth Paget 

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lesson written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books 

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games 

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games 

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center 

-creator of French travel and culture games 

-writer of 1800+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs 

-family genealogist 

-developer of 9 music theory games

Athens Restaurant, Sweet Lodi, Amish Country, and Ehlenbach's Cheese Chalet Day Trip from DeForest, Wisconsin by Ruth Paget

Athens Restaurant, Sweet Lodi, Amish Country, and Ehlenbach’s Cheese Chalet Day Trip from DeForest, Wisconsin by Ruth Paget 

On the third day of our trip to Wisconsin, my mom took us out to eat at the Athens Restaurant in Westport, which is located halfway between Madison and Middleton in a strip mall on Madison’s west side. 

You order at the counter and servers bring your food to the table and take away dishes at the end. Laurent and I shared a gyros sandwich platter for two. 

I love spicy lamb and beef gyro meat with thin-cut, white onions and tzatziki made with thin-cut cucumbers, yogurt, garlic, salt, and red wine vinegar. The gyro sandwich bread at Athens is chewy and seemed to be made with some yogurt. I have never had a bad meal at a Greek restaurant. The Athens Restaurant joins Detroit and Chicago Greektowns as a good place to eat. 

After lunch, Laurent and I visited Lodi named after a northern Italian with a long history for battles including one with Napoleon and cheese. Lodi’s dairy contribution to the community in Wisconsin seems to be ice cream at the town’s pizza parlor. 

On the way into town, we saw signs for fresh strawberries and eggs along with billboards for the Lodi Sausage Company. Lodi as a town was very clean. Having a butcher shop seems to promote cleanliness to keep the butchered meat sanitary and cool. 

The day we were in Lodi, there was a small, classic car show going on and a duck show on a small river that meanders through town (the Wisconsin River is nearby and this may be a tributary of that river). 

The town’s tourism magazines advertised wine and whiskey tastings along with shows by blue grass and blues bands. Outside town, there was a large park where people walked with their children. 

The tourism guide said there was an “Amish Country” nearby, so we drove down hilly and crooked roads by very organized and clean farms. People in Amish Country all seemed to have blue Harvestore silos for food to feed cows and farm animals. 

We wound our way back to DeForest and stopped at Ehlenbach’s Cheese Chalet to do some shopping. We bought some garlic and herb sausage and three kinds of cheese: 

-Swiss-style gruyère

-Mesquite wood smoked 7-year cheddar 

-2 year-old aged Swiss 

We ate the sausage, cheese, and toasted bread with my mom for dinner. The Monterey Mice were happy in DeForest on their vacation. 

This was a waddle-to-bed day for me. I had fun all day and conked out sleeping. 

Dairyland Wisconsin Vacation Day 3 - Complete!

By Ruth Paget

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books 

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games 

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games 

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center 

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1800+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs 

-family genealogist 

-developer of 9 music theory games

Easy Lentil - Pasta Soup Recipe by Giada de Laurent’s reposted by Ruth Paget

This is a great recipe that makes use of the expanding magic of lentils and pasta to 5 times their size it seems.

California, especially Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties, grows and produces all the ingredients in this dish.  

For a vegan version, I have rehydrated dry mushrooms and used their soaking water and chopped mushrooms as a vegetable broth:

Giada de Laurentis’ recipe video follows:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=B9F3e9gx9wk&ra=m

Happy Cooking!

Reposted by Ruth Paget

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1800+ Central Coast California blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Chrysanthemums are $12.99 at Costco in Sand City, California today (8-22-2036) by Ruth P

Potted chrysanthemums, mums for short, are selling for $12.99 at Costco in Sand City, California today(8-22-2026)

These fall flowering plants come in a variety of colors ranging from pastels to rust colors while supplies last at Costco.

They are perfect for livening up window sills and patios.

By Ruth Paget

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization Games

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Centet

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1800+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory gams

Feta Cheese Omelet at the DeForest Family Restaurant in DeForest, Wisconsin by Ruth Paget

Feta Cheese Omelet at the DeForest Family Restaurant in DeForest, Wisconsin Right Off I-94 on Highway V by Ruth Paget 

On our first day of visiting Wisconsin, we went to the DeForest Family Restaurant, which is about 10 to 15 minutes away from I-94 on County Highway V depending on if you had to stop at traffic lights. 

The DeForest Family Diner is a classic American diner, which in the Midwest means that you will probably find some Greek dishes on the menu since many diner owners in the past had Greek ancestry. I was able to order a breakfast that I often ate at the Agora Restaurant when I was a student at the University of Chicago in the Hyde Park neighborhood: 

-feta cheese 3 egg omelet 

-crispy brown has brown potatoes that remind me of Swiss rösti potatoes 

-whole wheat toast made with the addition of flax seeds 

-3 strips of thick-cup, hickory smoked meaty bacon 

-2 glasses of bitter iced tea that are usually made from Canadian Red Rose tea to combat humid and very hot weather (85 to 90 degrees) 

That great breakfast made me happy. I cannot find restaurants on the West Coast that make feta cheese omelets, so I considered this a vacation treat and somewhat exotic. 

Laurent and I took my mom back home and then we set out for some grocery shopping at Piggly Wiggly in Waunakee, also located along Highway V in the opposite direction of DeForest.  Waunakee is also about 15 minutes away from the I-94, but the turn off is not indicated, so you will need a GPS to get there.  

Piggly Wiggly is a chain I associate with the south that has expanded north. My sister K. in Atlanta asked us to check out the bakery section, which they are well known for in the south. Laurent bought very good French baguettes and Danish kringle pastries. 

There are many people with Norwegian ancestry in Wisconsin who eat Danish foods, since Norway and Denmark have been united as kingdoms

throughout different periods of history. Laurent and I have now joined the kringle eating crowd. 

Kringles are large, oval pastries with a large hole in the middle made of layered, yeast dough. Laurent bought one made with raspberries and cream and another simply flavored with cinnamon and sugar. We ate slices of these with bitter coffee in the morning during our stay. 

On the way back home, we passed two of my favorite restaurants in Waunakee that locals and tourist alike dine at: 

-Rex’s Inn Keep for steak, seafood, and Friday Night Fish Fry. Rex’s is expensive but worth the money.

-Cuco’s Mexican Restaurant right across the street from Rex’s. The dishes are milder than they are in California. They will happily increase the spiciness upon request. 

Both Rex”s Innkeeper and Cuco’s have their own parking lot. 

We drove around and planned to visit some neighboring towns. I find driving by 7-foot high corn stalks and well-tended white-washed farmhouses, cow barns, and silos very peaceful. The air outside smelled like sweet baked corn in the heat. 

Dairyland Vacation in Wisconsin Day 2 – Complete 

By Ruth Paget 

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books 

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games 

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games 

 -creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center 

-creator of French travel and culture games 

-writer of 1800+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs 

-family genealogist 

-developer of 9 music theory games

Covered Findlay Market in Cincinnati, Ohio reposted by Ruth Paget

I like the covered Findlay Farmers’ Market in Cincinnati, Ohio that allows for sales in snow, sleet, and ice during winter.  

Covered markets are a way for states with winter weather to have farmers’ markets year round.  I especially like how this covered market provides a sanitary environment for meat sales.

I have posted the following link from TikTok.com about the Findlay market in Cincinnati, Ohio:

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTDyXbRfx/

I love videos of markets around the US and world.

Reposted by Ruth Paget

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization Games

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1800+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Wisconsin Vacation Quest 2026 by Ruth Paget

Wisconsin Vacation Quest 2026 by Ruth Paget 

A sandstorm in Phoenix, Arizona set back our arrival time in Madison, Wisconsin to visit my mom for summer vacation 2026, but all ended well. 

We were supposed to land in Phoenix, but instead flew to Tucson, Arizona where we sat on the tarmac until the sandstorm in Phoenix ended. The view of the copper red mountains was nice, but a little hot. 

Waiting for the sandstorm to pass made everyone miss their connecting flight, so we all made our way to customer service once we disembarked.  

With our new tickets, we headed to our gate for Chicago, Illinois. We would drive to Madison from Chicago, which takes about 1½ hours at night on the toll road. I no longer argue with weather issues. I would rather be safe. 

While waiting, I ordered a fly day treat from OHSO Phoenix, which stands for Outrageous Homebrewers Social Outpost – a barbecue fried chicken sandwich with fries drenched in barbecue sauce. The sandwich reminded me of ones I ate at Harold’s Fried Chicken when I was a student at the University of Chicago. 

The super hot sauce is called Georgia Pit Barbecue Sauce I saw online. I routinely ate Harold’s Chicken after Japanese finals when I would tell my friends, “I can deal with any final in English after that Japanese exam including physics.” 

The barbecue chicken sandwich and fries in Phoenix were messy, but delicious. They were definitely a naughty treat for old mom. 

Once on board our flight to Chicago, we flew into the night for an easy trip to Chicago. I read a book about Sicilian food on my Kindle and used the note feature to take notes. The Kindle is the perfect size to read in a middle seat and is lightweight. It has a built-in light that makes it unobtrusive as well. 

Our suitcase was checked ahead to Madison, Wisconsin. We took the airport train to the car rental area. I forgot how crowded big city can be when we got on the standing-room only train. (Chicago is the third largest city in the United States.) 

We went up and down escalators and got our car at Avis. Everything was reserved on the app, so getting the car was easy. Our rental car was a black Honda Prelude. Getting out of the garage was easy. We went out on a street that led us quickly to I-90 West (the toll road to Wisconsin). 

I-90 West goes through Chicago’s wealthy northwest suburbs and straight onto I-94 North into vacation-land Wisconsin. Tolls are taken automatically as you drive along so you do not have to stop to pay. Florida runs its toll roads in the same manner. 

We had a Sirius radio in the Prelude that was programmed to all country music stations. The air conditioner work well. We called my mom once we reached Madison and let her know we would be in DeForest in fifteen minutes. 

DeForest is located next to I-94. Its local businesses cater to locals and tourist alike. The neighborhood would be a good spot for AirBnB rentals, because it is close to so many tourist spots thanks to I-94. 

Mom had fried chicken sandwiches with bacon strip sandwiches waiting for us from North South Restaurant in DeForest. North South Restaurant serves both Mexican and classic American diner dishes. I gleefully ate my second fried chicken sandwich of the day. 

I went to bed full and thought that despite the delay, it was pretty cool to visit the following cities in one day: 

-Monterey, California 

-Tucson, Arizona 

-Phoenix, Arizona 

-Madison, Wisconsin 

I do not know about these airports, but I know that the airport restaurants in Monterey and Phoenix are good. 

Laurent used the “track my bag app” to know when our suitcase would arrive in Madison the next day. That app is a great use of technology that reduces anxiety and saves time when traveling. 

We now had our “getting there” story and could rest up to start touring the next day after getting our suitcase. 

Wisconsin Dairyland Vacation Day 1 – Complete! 

By Ruth Paget

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe's Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1800+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games