Oliphant Brewing | Somerset WI
A Small Brewery with Big Character! The Art alone is worth the drive from wherever you happen to be sitting at this very moment. A small “off the main drag and tucked away behind a liquor store” kind of place; it would be easy to miss if not for the ginormous eclectic murals popping up in the middle of Somerset WI. Here’s a list of other notable things that immediately come to mind when talking about Somerset Wisconsin: Um … I’m 37% Sure they’re big…
Ostrich Ferns: Fiddleheads
Know what to look for… Fiddlehead ferns are all too quickly becoming “cliché” in the world of wild edibles and seasonal cookery; a very “been there, done that ” mentality developing with one of nature’s most whimsical edibles. An ingredient (any really) that is used blindly (meaning without educating oneself and exploring the full potential, rather simply accepting what is handed to you). It is in that precise moment when the misunderstood develops into an uneducated idea. This inevitably transpires into a false representation of…
Meat Shop Monday: Bob’s Processing
Meat Shop: Bob’s Processing, Bloomer WI This one is fairly special to me. Moving to Wisconsin was never on my “To-do” list. It’s a funny way how things work out. Fast forward 12 years and look at me now; Sewn seeds, Spread Roots and Loin Fruits! Bob’s Processing was one of the first Local Businesses that I supported as an executive Chef. Living in Bloomer at the time, I would pick up 50 lbs of bacon weekly on my way into work in Chetek. Bob’s…
Exidia recisa (*Exidia crenata) : Amber Jelly Roll
When getting into wild edibles, it’s all about submerging yourself in the woods throughout the seasons and remaining present, inquisitive and flipping every stone. It’s ridiculous to think that anything edible (let alone a a Fungi) just falls from the heavens and lands right in front of you, begging to be eaten… Or perhaps it’s not as ridiculous as you would think? The Ski Is Falling! …And it’s bringing a Fungi with it. In the late winter of 2018, (late April according to some chicken…
The Half-Free Morel : Morchella Punctipes
Classification & Identification: Still Waiting For Spring in Wisonsin While we cannot get into our snow covered woods just yet… We’ll look at the Half-Free Morel, which is often one of the first mushrooms of the Morchellaceae family in the Order Pezizales to pop through the foliage in spring. This classification of fungus represents all kinds of morels, some “Cup-shaped” fungi, the Verpa and several other shrooms. -Pezizales is defined and characterized by having an Asci – [A sac or crevice in ascomycetes (any fungus…
Ramps : A Sustainable Harvest
Allium Tricoccum, AKA:The Ramp! One of the (if not thee) most recognizable wild edibles boasted by seasonally driven restaurants (toting fresh Spring menus) scattered about the northern hemisphere. The Ramp (known by many names; Wild Leek, Ramsons, Wild Garlic, Wood Leek or Spring Onion… just to name a few) has grown in popularity with the gastronomic explosion that has occurred over the past decade. Prior to this stardom, the delicacy was harvested for centuries heralded as the best kept secret of so many foragers past. An Ingredient from…
Butcher’s Cut: Lamb Bacon
“Tell me what you eat and I shall tell you what you are.” –Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin Years ago, I set out to connect to the food I was creating. I found peace in a slaughterhouse. Perfect practice, process, technique, execution, craft, traditionalism, legacy, and a beautiful respect in life and death. This was something of a new rabbit hole, many of the same standards of execution found in a kitchen; yet it somehow had more of a spirituality to it. Instead of cutting a steak…
Red Ace Beets : Infatuated with a Crimson Root
It is too often that perception and preconceived ickiness stop people from truly understanding the beauty and full capacity of an ingredient. The Beet, in my opinion, is at the forefront of this dastardly sin. There are lovers and there are haters; It is the haters who are my motivators. The argument, “It tastes like dirt” is a popular scapegoat catchphrase. Simple understanding (and highschool catty undertones) can clear this up, right quick; Beets grow in dirt… Perhaps you shake it off before you eat…
Winter Forage: Chaga – Inonotus obliquus
I was first introduced to “Chaga” at the St. Paul Farmer’s Market, in Lowertown, many years ago on a trip to the cities. A gentleman with a table full of small 2 oz plastic portion cups which were also filling a trashcan next to him (not that it makes a huge difference, but it did kind of kill the “hippy/natural holistic” vibe that he was selling) beckoned the Ol’ Lady and I from across the pavillion. He offered a sample of his “Chaga Tea.” He…
Winter Wedding Shoot at The Mill in Chetek, WI
A collection of photos captured By, the talented, Breeana Poppe at http://breeannakayphotography.com/ showcasing a few of our dessert options! We would like to thank all of the vendors involved in creating the beautiful ambiance at The Mill found hiding in the wisconsin Northwoods, in the small town of Chetek. Be sure to Check them out! And as a side note… Just for those of you keeping track… The Skulls & Sheep Skin made the shoot too! Venue – The Mill Photography – Breeanna Kay Photography…