Sunday, November 25, 2007

Only is Wisconsin! So what do people in WI do on a Sunday when the Packers arent' playing? We go to the local grocery store to watch a professional cheese carver do his thing. I kid you not.

I look small standing next to this guy. Thanks.

Where else can you still get a gallon of milk or a pound of real butter for less than 2 bucks each? Or buy a nice home for under $100,000? Or freeze your butt off in November? Tell me!

Thanksgiving 2007

Decisions are part of life and on Thanksgiving I was faced with yet another one. Swanson or Banquet Turkey Dinner, with gravy. I'll let you guess which direction I took..... I hope all those of you reading this had a great Thanksgiving Day wherever you celebrated it. Remember that turkey is not just for one day a year. Neither is being thank-ful.

Pub Crawl #23

The Main Exchange

161 South Main Street

Fond du Lac, WI

The night before Thanksgiving, and the town was hopping. Including a packed pub called the Main Exchange.

Mary, whom I call the owner since she's been at the pub for over 25 years, is great. She makes new and old patrons feel at home and welcome.

She is assisted by Jessica who always seems to keep the beverages flowing.

The food is what I call pub food with a good variety of burgers, wraps, sandwiches, and salads.

They have happy hour every day from when I enter, to when I leave. Technically I think it's from 3-7 every day with the double bubble special. Two mugs of beer for $2 bucks. Not bad. For those that enjoy a Long Island Iced Tea, yes they are huge and it's two for $6 bucks.

They always have some fresh popcorn for the takin' and some sort of chips and fiesta dip.

Nice place, with two floors and two bars, and loads of oak furniture.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Some of you know that a few years ago I received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every word out of the bird's mouth was rude, obnoxious, and laced with profanity. I tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music and anything else he could think of to "clean up" the bird's vocabulary.
Finally, I was fed up, and yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelledback. I shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even ruder. In desperation, I threw up my hands, grabbed the bird, and put himin the freezer.
For a few minutes, the parrot squawked and kicked and screamed. Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute.
Fearing that I'd hurt the parrot, I quickly opened the door to thefreezer.The parrot calmly stepped out onto my outstretched arms and said tome, "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language andactions. I'm sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my offensive andunforgivable behavior."
I was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude. Just as I was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in hisbehavior, the bird continued, "May I ask what the turkey did?"
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Sunday, November 18, 2007

So what did this weekend bring to Fond du Lac? SNOW! Not a lot, but just enough to let you know that you're not in Mexico, where some of my Candadian friends are heading this weekend. Friday night I was a guest at Carolyn and Kurt's home, see photo. Cashew crusted Mahi-mahi was on the menu coupled with a bottle or two of Merlot, Old Vine Zinfandel, and Cabernet.

Saturday I found myself at the local restaurant called Fusion. Check out the menu from one of last week's postings. It was fantastic. What amazed me the most were the huge portions that they served. The prosciutto wrapped herb mozzarella Milanese could have fed 4 people. The smoked Gouda encrusted with spiced sunflower seeds was tremendous, and the final course with caramelized white wine poached pear and brie wrapped in a pastry dough was a killer. I could not decide on a favorite, they were all that good. Nor could I finish any of them. (no fat jokes, please) I was joined by two young ladies, Angie and Jill, who were hunter's widows, since it was opening day for deer season. At the end we were joined by Wally from Badger Liquor who entertained us with his wit and humor. A fun time.

I spent a good deal of time on Saturday hammering out 3 items on my to-do list. Change the oil, flush the radiator to prepare it for a WI winter, and change the transmission fluid in Ole Grey, my trusty travel beast. If you know me, I drove it to a service garage, stayed in the van, read a book from my homework list, and then payed the bill an hour later.

More good news was that Pete, Sharon, and Kali had made it safely to Puyallup WA .

Perhaps a recommendation for a good IPA is due. Here are two of my favorites. Enjoy! There are three kinds of people in this world. Those that can count, and those that can't.

And they’re off!
Pete, Sharon, and Kali left on Tuesday morning heading to the Great Northwest, Seattle. They plan to spend most of the winter in the Seattle area helping out with Mom who recently suffered from a stroke and is going through rehab and therapy.

Best wishes for their travels and for Mom's speedy recovery.

Thursday, November 15, 2007
Happy Birthday to my dad, who would have been 82 today.
I got wind of a wine tasting deal this coming Saturday, so I popped into the restaurant and got a brochure. The food sounds fantastic. It’s also at a better time, 2pm versus the 10am sampling last weekend. Fond du Lac really does have some nice restaurants. Fusion is one of them.

Saturday, November 10, 2007
Chilly chilly this morning. Freezing in fact. Then I walked outside for my morning walk. High 20’s, so most of the locals aren’t wearing shirts. I think I froze my teeth during my walk. The furnace went out last night and the house dropped to below 60, so the good news is that the heat bill will be slightly lower.
Starling Castle Riesling, Mark West Pinot Noir, and Luccio Moscato d’Asti were the wines served at 10am today. Yes, 10 am. Not your usual Saturday morning beverages, but if you attend a cooking class, they are. The primary instructor for Morain Park Technical Culinary Art Program in Fond du Lac along with 2 of her students gave some Thanksgiving day cooking tips to a small group of maybe 12 of us. We learned how to truss a turkey, how to thaw a turkey, how to make turkey stock, how to carve a turkey, and how to use a wet towel. (just seeing if you’re reading) We were all invited to visit the school and have a meal prepared by the students. Tuesday-Thursday from 11:00 to 12:30.
Go Badgers!

Friday, November 09, 2007
Dale & Candi’s Cedar Lodge, located in downtown Calumetville, WI was the scene of last night’s birthday dinner for Sharon. If you thought you missed it, or you thought it was on October 11th, you are correct, but we celebrated it last night. Hey, free cheesecake.
It is by far the best food in the Midwest. Italy has some good food, also. They are also known for their great WI style Bloody Marys. The photo doesn’t quite capture the wonderful aroma of this small family run business, so I’ll explain some of the dishes. Pete had his usual, tips and prawns, which is most excellent. Sharon went for the Icelandic Salmon and scallops, while I elected the Lite Fare Scallops dinner, with pasta salad, baked potatoe with all the fixins, and a basket of bread. Let’s not forget their infamous fritter to-go. (Lite Fare?) As I prepare to select a health club here in Fond du Lac…..really! After two days of exhaustive search and research, I now have to decide which club to join. This might take a while.
A great dinner along with great company.

Thursday, November 8, 2007
3,628 mile trip. Wisconsin, North Carolina, Baltimore, Washington DC, Red Brick Station, Cecil County, and Camp Hill, PA. All in 40 days… flat.
Perhaps you noticed that one of those stops was a brewery. Assumptions might be correct this time. But due to an oversight of the author of this blog, I failed to mention a momentous gathering at one of my favorite establishments in the Baltimore area….The Red Brick Station White Marsh Brewing Co. Yes the brews are good. Yes they have 99 cent Tuesdays. Yes they serve food. But the best part is that I got to see my good friend Dr. Speight and meet his fiancé Erica, a wonderful and charming young chemist who has a great smile. The pleasure was all mine. I look forward to returning, as soon as they set a date or in May if they don’t. (Jamie’s Graduation)
Aaron was part of the original CMRA task force (Campaign for Makers of Real Ale) whose sole mission was to discover every pub in Salisbury UK and sample their wares. Note: the task force was comprised of only two of us. We did our best and failure was not on our minds, just fine English ales. Many a memory was stirred that evening whilst we sipped on IPAs, Stouts, Porters, and Ales. I’m smiling just thinking about it. Speaking of brews, having returned to the center of the universe, Fond du Lac, WI (a stolen phrase from some Californian) I am acclimating myself to the term….double bubble. or as some of you refer to the 2 for 1 specials. Hypothetically speaking, a person could take $10 and visit, let’s say three pubs and could enjoy 6 very nice brews complete with dinner. Dinner = crackers, WI summer sausage, cheese, and a lively dip. Oh, and a pickle if you had requested a vegetable. Not a bad hypothetical deal.

Sunday, November 4, 2007
Did you know that the capital of Pennsylvania is Harrisburg? You do now! As I began my journey back to Wisconsin, I stopped for the night in Camp Hill, PA (a superb of Harrisburg) to visit a good friend of mine, Brenda and her daughter, Heather. Phil and I met them on our tour of Ireland, almost one year ago to the day. It was most fitting that we stopped at Ceoltas Irish Pub in Harrisburg and sipped on some cider and Guinness. However, the evening was far from over. Little did I know of the feast that awaited. Some great cheeses and nuts, a fantastic lemon-pesto shrimp on the Barbie, oven baked garlic, sage & fig chicken with an apricot sauce, roasted asparagus and mushrooms, a harvest salad with all kinds of good stuff including a nice blu cheese, and several bottles of great wine. For dinner we were joined by Sue and her delicious pumpkin roll, Heather, Nate (Brenda’s son), and Heather’s boyfriend, Chuck.
I had met Sue, along with Brenda, in March in Mexico when they flew in for a golfing adventure. The adventure was getting to/from Casa Pablo! Lots of laughs, after the first day. Thanks Brenda for the wonderful hospitality, great food, superb wine, and company.

November 3, 2007
Judge Prid is the name I gave Laura when I first met her in Salisbury UK as she served me my first pint at the New Inn. And second, and third…
That was maybe 7 years ago. She was studying to become a “lawyer” back then, and still is, even though she has relocated to the US. The photo was taken at Todd’s neighbor’s place (Kevin) where frequently on any given Saturday, they have a bonfire. Not just a little ole campfire, a real bonfire with 30 foot flames.
The two other young ladies in the photo are her college friends. It was great to see my friend, the Judge, and we spent several hours catching up on past memories of England. I wish you the best in your studies and career, Judge Prid. (and say hi to Todd)

November 2, 2007
Paint n’ Place is what Robin’s ranch is called and I was fortunate to be invited for a week. Hidden deep in Cecil Co. MD, just off Red Toad Road, it’s a great place that makes a person want to relax. Quiet serenity: overlooking a pond, horses in the barn, the morning fog and dew, a cup of coffee on the deck, and good friends. Sounds like a great place for a B&B. Perhaps, some day. The food was fantastic, the wine kept flowing, which I blame on Chris, Robin’s friend, and the often lengthy late night discussions regarding goals, life, and religion. (no politics)
A big thank-you to my friend Robin for puttin’ up with me and puttin’ me up. And it was a pleasure meeting you, Chris. Give Thanks!

October 31, 2007
Grace-Marie Evans the newest addition to the Frank and Ariseli family. Wow, what a cutie! She’s 14 months and a real bundle of joy. For those that don’t the Evans, I met Frank on the EDS project as it began at Edgweood Aresenal in Aberdeen, MD. Following the tests in Salisbury, UK, the system, along with the crew and myself, was deployed to Denver, CO. In Denver, Frank met Ariseli, and the rest I don’t have to explain. It was great to visit them, meet Gracie, and enjoy a nice cup of coffee.
Best wishes to the Evans family and Happy Easter!

October 28, 2007
Drove from Apex, NC to Baltimore to meet my favorite daughter, Jamie. She is a senior at Johns Hopkins this year, yeah!! Graduation is May 22 for those that are interested. After some serious coffee at Café Q, we headed out to dinner with two of her friends, Amy, who is looking for suiters, and Jason, an elderly but very cool student approaching 28. One of my favorite places in Baltimore is Brewers Art and that’s where we dined on fantastic burgers and cool pizza. Got to meet Jamie’s roommate, Peter and their incredible dog, Java. A cross between a beagle and a pug. I returned to Baltimore on Thursday so that Jamie and I could drive to DC, shop at Trader Joes, meet Adrian’s boyfriend, break into their apartment, cook a dinner, and wait for Adrian. Great time, great food, great visit. Thanks!