Light Lunch Wisconsin by Ruth Paget
If you ask someone what a light lunch in Wisconsin is they might tell you, “A locally brewed beer and a bretzel” or “a strong black coffee and a pastry.”
Then, they would wax philosophical and say, “Just appetizers, a casserole, or a spread or dip in small portions, especially in cold weather.”
I agreed with those statements and felt like it snowed nine months of the year when I lived in Wisconsin. Nine months may be too many, but seven months of snow was close to accurate. I do like high-calorie foods like those above in cold weather I have to admit.
The immigrant groups who have come to Wisconsin have many dishes of German, Polish, Scandinavian, and Irish origin that are great winter fare. There are recipes for of all these immigrant groups in the cookbook The Best of the Best of from Wisconsin Cookbook edited by Gwen McKee and Barbara Moseley.
Some of my favorite dishes from this cookbook include:
-creamy horseradish ham roll-ups
-beer spread made with cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, and beer
-mini Reuben sandwiches made with rye bread, sour cream, corned beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese
-baked cheese wings with Parmesan
-cheddar jalapeño corn bread
-cheese drop biscuits
-Danishes made with jam
-Norwegian sour cream waffles with apple pecan topping
-Dusseldorfer sandwiches made with rye bread, tarter sauce, dill pickles, liverwurst slices, and Swiss cheese
-Wisconsin beer cheese soup made with 5 cups of cheddar cheese
-Polish noodles with cabbage
-New Glarus cheese and onion pie from a recreated Swiss village town
-Lithuanian Kugela made with bacon, onion, potatoes, milk, and eggs
-Potatoes Romanoff made with cheese, sour cream, onion, and shredded cheese
-Colcannon, an Irish dish, made with heavy cream, garlic, chopped cabbage, and leeks
-chicken Calvados made with apple schnapps
These delicious dishes give a good idea of what you make in severe weather to stay warm. Chefs and people of German and Eastern European heritage might especially enjoy Best of the Best from Wisconsin Cookbook edited by Gwen McKee and Barbara Moseley.
By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France
