Snacking State-by-State: Wisconsin II - Fried Cheese, Please (or "Reason #453 Why Americans Are Fat")

Wisconsin is Cheese Country, dontcha know?  The state's first cottage industry factory was set up in the 1840's by Anne Pickett - the first of now countless cheese factories in the Badger State.  Okay, not exactly countless: today, milk from 12,000 dairy farms and over 1 and a quarter million cows lead to an annual cheese supply of 2.6 billion pounds of cheese - over a quarter of all cheese produced in the United States [Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board 2012].  While the rest of us have definitely eaten Wisconsin cheese in our lifetimes, we probably haven't eaten straight-up cheese curds - not from Wisconsin, not from anywhere.  The folks in Wisconsin eat these things, apparently, with great frequency.

Official Name: State of Wisconsin
State Nickname: The Badger State
Admission to the US: May 29, 1848 (30th)
Capital: Madison (2nd largest)
Other Important Cities: Milwaukee (largest), Green Bay (3rd largest), Kenosha (4th largest), Racine (5th largest)
Region: Midwest, Upper Midwest, Great Lakes; East North Central (US Census)
RAFT Nations: Wild Rice
Bordered by: Minnesota (west); Lake Superior (northwest); Michigan (upper panhandle) (northeast); Lake Michigan (east); Illinois (south); Iowa (southwest)
Official State Foods and Edible Things: badger (animal, though these aren't typically eaten anymore); corn (grain); dairy cow (domesticated animal); honeybee (insect, for the honey); milk (beverage); muskellunge, or "muskie" (fish); sugar maple (tree, for the maple sap); white-tailed deer (wildlife animal)
Some Famous and Typical Foods: typical Midwestern cuisine; German, Central European and Scandinavian foods; dairy, especially cheese and fried cheese curds; Wisconsin-style fish boil (usually done on a massive scale for many people); beer brats (bratwurst cooked in beer and grilled, usually on a "Sheboygan roll", a typical bratwurst roll from Midwest); beer, beer and more beer

Since I've never been to Wisconsin, one would expect that I have never eaten this comfort food that is pretty much confined to Wisconsin and (likely) the states surrounding it.  You would, however, be wrong.  I have had these things once before, at the Museum of American History in Washington, DC.  Big surprise there: their cafeteria, for what it's worth, was serving stereotypical dishes from different parts of the country: North Carolina BBQ, New York cheesecake, and wouldn't you know it, Wisconsin fried cheese curds.  I had never heard of such a thing, so I had to order this.  A medium-sized steaming bowl for about $5 (these are museum cafeteria prices after all) was too much for me to finish.  Hell, it was too much for me to even make a dent into!  And it's nothing complicated or exotic: it's just breaded fried cheese.  

The curds are just the hard parts of the soured milk, often fried (in the Midwest) or eaten over poutine (in Canada) and is sometimes referred to as "squeaky cheese".  And until I started this project, I had no idea you could buy them in the store.  I've never really seen them.  Then again, I never saw pork roll here either but people swear it's been sold in Baltimore for a while (must be all those New Jerseyites).

Ex-pat Wisconsinites will be happy to know that you can indeed buy cheese curds in the larger supermarkets here.  I found mine at Wegman's.  What Wisconsinites will not be happy about is that our locally available squeaky cheese comes not from Wisconsin but from New York.

And a million Cheeseheads boo and hiss, dontcha know?

Seriously, I normally try to buy the ingredients for these posts from the actual states in question, or at least something from that part of the world.  For New York, I sought out actual u-bet chocolate syrup for a chocolate egg cream.  For Vermont, I got actual Vermont cheddar to make muffins.  Idaho?  Real Idaho huckleberries (too expensive for me to do that again).  Alaska?  Real Alaska salmon (frozen, inexpensively, through Trader Joe's).  Virginia?  Virginia peanuts and ham and Chincoteague oysters (not that these last few things are that difficult for someone in Maryland to obtain).  But cheese curds from Wisconsin just weren't happenin', sadly, so I had to go with the next best thing.

The Recipe: Fried Cheese Curds

The recipe I used comes from the EatCurds.com website [date unknown], which also has extensive links on where to find cheese curds in Wisconsin, a fascinating biography of the humble cheese curd, and even an entertaining FAQ about whether or not the squeaking of the curd means it hurts when you eat it.  (Huh?)  I'll say one thing: if biting it hurts. I can't imagine how much worse being dipped in egg batter and fried at 375°F must feel.

Assemble the following:

* cheese curds (otherwise you can't make fried cheese curds.  All I could find were Yancey's Fancy New York artisan cheddar cheese curds, for about $4.50 for the bag at Wegman's)
* eggs (had them)
* baking powder (same)
* flour (hat that too)
* milk (bought some fresh at Giant)
* salt (had this)
* oil for frying (peanut oil in this case, which has a fairly high smoke temperature.  I ran out of the rice bran oil from H Mart, which is comparable in smoke temp)

Put your dry ingredients in a bowl.

Whisk them together with your eggs and milk.

Meanwhile, heat your oil in a skillet or deep fat fryer to about 375°.

Now is the time to coat your cheese curds in your batter.  Make sure they are fully coated.

Drop t hem in the hot oil for a few minutes.  Some will leak if they are not completely covered. Not fun.

I left mine in for about three to four minutes.

Drain on a paper towel.

I can't say I am a "fried things" person.  I like fried foods but usually in the form of chicken or shrimp or other things you typically fry all over the country.  These cheese curds were hot and not nearly as gooey as I had assumed they would be (though I remember the ones at the museum not being gooey either).  If you need to reheat these, for the love of God do not do it in the microwave.  Reheat them in an oven set too about 200° - 250° for about 15 minutes.  They are crispy with a nice firm cheese center.  I'm not sure what to dip these in.  I used whole seed brown mustard.

Sources:

Beer Institute.  "State Per Capita Consumption 2003 to 2011" (PDF available).  Copyright 2012, All rights reserved.

Bostwick, William & Jessi Rymill.  Beer Craft: A Simple Guide to Making Great Beer.  Rodale: New York, 2011.

Bratwurst Pages.  "Classic Wisconsin Beer Brats".  Bratwurst Pages, 2003.  Copyright 2002, 2003 Bratwurst Pages, All rights reserved.

Croswell, Jonathan.  "How to Cook a Bratwurst in the Oven".  Livestrong, 2011.  Copyright 2011, 2012, All rights reserved.

Door County Today (YouTube channel: DoorCounty Today).  "History of the Door County Fish Boil".  Posted March 15, 2012.

Fisher, Joe and Dennis.  "Wild, Wild Rice!"  Brew Your Own, October 2000.

Fulton, April.  "Will Beer And Brats Break Through Wisconsin's Partisan Divide?"  The Salt: What's on Your Plate.  Posted June 12, 2012.  Copyright 2012 National Public Radio, All rights reserved.

Midwest Living.  "Wisconsin Fish Boil".  Midwest Living, 2012.  Copyright 2012 Meredith Corporation, All rights reserved.

Mr. Beer.  "Instructions, Premium/Deluxe Editions".  Copyright 2011 Catalina Products LLC, All rights reserved.

Spencer, James, and Steve Wilkes (YouTube channel: basicbrewing). "Basic Brewing Video - Doctoring Mr. Beer - January 7, 2012".  Posted January 7, 2012.

Splendid Table.  "Episode 487: The Japanese Grill", July 30, 2011, Segment 21:46 – 28:35 (William Bostwick talks home brewing).  Copyright 2011, 2012 American Public Media, All rights reserved.

Vics, Drew (YouTube channel: Cryptobrewology).  "Brewing Mr. Beer American Devil IPA".  Posted January 25, 2010.
Wisconsin Brewer's Guild.  "Wisconsin Brewer's Guild".  Copyright 2009-2012, All rights reserved.

Wisconsin Historical Society.  "Dictionary of Wisconsin History: Pabst Blue Ribbon beer advertisement, 1940 (WHi-56371)".  Copyright 1996-2012, All rights reserved.

Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.  "Cookin' Up Wisconsin Curds".  Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, 2012.  Copyright 2012, All rights reserved.

Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.  "History of Wisconsin Cheese".  Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, 2012.  Copyright 2012, All rights reserved.
Some information also obtained from Wikipedia's "Wisconsin" page and other pages, and the Food Timeline State Foods link to "Wisconsin".

Snacking State-by-State: California Part 1C (the Southern Half) - Date Shake It Up, Baby

If that Southern California institution known as the California roll was especially complicated, this next one is very much the opposite.

Snacking State-by-State: California

Official Name: State of California
State Nickname: The Golden State
Admission to the US: September 9, 1850 (#31)
Capital: Sacramento (7th largest city)
Other Important Cities: Los Angeles (largest, & 2nd largest in the USA), San Diego (2nd largest), San Jose (3rd largest), San Francisco (4th largest)
Region: West, Pacific (small sections of the state can be considered Northwest or Southwest in terms of its food and culture); Pacific (US Census)
RAFT Nations: Acorn, Chile Pepper, Pinyon Nut, Salmon
Bordered by: Baja California, Mexico (south), Arizona & Nevada (east), Oregon (north), Pacific Ocean (west)
Official State Foods and Edible Things: golden trout (fish), California Valley quail (bird), grizzly bear (animal)
Some Famous & Typical Foods: Where to begin? "New California cuisine", diversity of ethnic cuisines, especially Asian, Latin American and Mediterranean (Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Thai, Salvadoran, Korean, Italian), citrus (especially in the south), wine (especially in the center and north), seafood, dates, and so much else

The ever-famous date shake is a desert invention, coming from the Coachella Valley and Inland Empire regions which I am more familiar with than any other part of California. I was quite familiar with the Cabazon-based Hadley Fruit Stand and its locally famous take on the shake. I was quite unfamiliar with the seeming rivalry between Hadley and Shields Date Gardens of Indio, who makes its own variety. I ended up using a third recipe, which Saveur.com attributes to Oasis Date Gardens in Thermal, CA.

The recipe: Date Shake


This one is ridiculously simple, almost as much as the quesadilla, and I actually had all the ingredients on hand:

* milk
* vanilla ice cream
* dates - preferably pitted ones


All you do is chop the dates - about 1/2 cup or 10 dates for a single serving of milkshake - and throw them in the blender with 1/2 cup of milk.


Blend and make sure the lid is on, because those date pieces will be flying all over the blender container. Then add a cup of ice cream, blend until drinkable, and you're done.


I've never cared for milkshakes that have things floating in them, but I admit this shake could grow on me if it weren't so rich. It is indeed a rich shake, with a honeyed taste (dates will do that). A single serving only yielded about 8 ounces, and I could barely finish that due to its richness. It is a shake that is meant to be drunk slowly and savored.

Stay tuned next week, when there will be no California rolls or date shakes. I'm hitting San Fran, Berkeley, Napa - it's all Northern California, dude, and it's hella awesome!

Sources:

Mitzewich, John. How to Prepare Perfect Sushi Rice (video). About.com, date unknown.

Saveur. "Date Shake". Saveur.com (http://www.saveur.com). Originally printed in Saveur Issue #70, November 2003.

Yoshii, Ryuichi. Sushi. From the Essential Kitchen series. Periphus Editions (HK) Ltd., Boston, 1998.

Yoshizuka, Setsuko. "Making California Rolls". About.com, date unknown.

Some information also obtained from Wikipedia's "California" page and the Food Timeline State Foods webpage link to "California".

Eating near Churchville

A few tidbits from Harford County:

1. Across the street from Harford Community College are various eating establishments I need to familiarize myself with. I've started with Richard's Fish and Crabs.


I am usually up that way on Tuesdays & Wednesdays when they have their $1-$2 crab deals. Currently, you can get smallish females for $1, small males for $1.50 and larger males for $2. I got three females and two small males (total: $6). Twenty minutes later and they were done! If you're not in a crab mood, they have everything from rockfish to shrimp, frozen and fresh.


2. I stopped in at Broom's Bloom Farm Products yesterday and saw tables of patrons happily sipping freshly-made soup and homemade ice cream. I first went to the fridge and freezer section, with frozen lamb, beef, pork and various sausages (anywhere from $3.50 to $10 per lb), and fresh farm milk, buttermilk, yogurt, butter and eggs. Nestled among them were plates of quiche and other ready-to-eat dishes, all made at Broom's Bloom Farm.


I was drawn to the ice cream, for $7.50 per quart. It seems steep - and, well, it is - but it is such good ice cream. I bought a small cup of vanilla (about $2.50) and figured I would bring it home to eat. Half way between Exit 80 and the Beltway it was already gone. It is not easy to eat a bowl of creamy, almost buttery ice cream while you are driving a stick shift, I'll tell you what! Also had a silky yet still crumbly corn muffin for only 85 cents.

Both businesses are open Tuesday through Sunday. that's not a Harford County thing, is it?

Quick Microwave Ghee

I was just making dinner - an East African spinach and coconut milk dish (there's a hint for my next Food Ethnography destination), and it called for a little ghee. That wonderful, nutty clarified butter is not always cheap in the stores (though really, how often will you use it). But thanks to the wonders of modern technology, you can now make ghee as you need it in the comfort of your own kitchen!

Well duh, you could always do that. But it's so much easier in the microwave.

This recipe comes directly from Julie Sahni's Moghul Microwave, which I use eagerly and often. For this recipe, which yields 1/3 cup of ghee, all I needed was a Corningware dish with a lid and one stick of unsalted butter (don't use the salted stuff - please). Just take that stick of butter, slice it up into pats and throw it in the Corningware dish. Microwave it, uncovered, for one minute (assuming a 1000W microwave), and then covered - oh, sweet Jesus, make sure it's covered!!! - for five minutes. For about three or four minutes, it will sputter madly. That is why you need it covered, and why you CANNOT remove the lid. The sputtering is the burning off of the milk solids, which will be the brown bits in the ghee. The liquid left behind is the ghee itself.

When it's done, and not sputtering, take it out, strain it into a small container with some cheesecloth over top it, and that 's it! Easy, pain-free ghee in less than ten minutes. Unless you forgot to leave the lid on, then you probably can't say it's pain free.

Milkman vs Mailman

Because Barats and Bereta still manage to kick ass.



Very vaguely reminiscent of that fight scene at the end of Hot Fuzz, only much smaller.

Random Notes...

1. I now agree with pretty much everyone I've talked to: Chopped is stupid.

2. I made those brownies I shipped back from California - the ones I bought from the wonderful Fresh & Easy. It's a better-tasting mix than the regular ones. Didn't have anything partially hydrogenated or high fructose-y.

3. Now that's I've had cream top milk, I don't think I can ever go back to the stuff in the plastic jug. Thank you, South Mountain Creamery.

4. Had two job interviews in a row this morning in Harford County (and a headache now, here). Stopped by Venetian Palace in Edgewood - I visited it when I stopped by Exit 33B for the Beltway Snacking series. Got the same thing - a fried oyster sandwich. The fries were just as savory and tasty. The oysters weren't as good after sitting for half an hour in the car.

5. My sister's father-in-law went a-crabbin' today. Got lots! Three of them are in mah BELL-LEH!

6. It never ceases to amaze me or my friends just how much food you can get at Jong Kak for so little money. Oh, duh, and I forgot to take those vegetables when I was visiting them before we went out to dinner (sorry, guys)!

7.. Now that my DirecTV is working, I may go ahead and re-upgrade it so I can watch Top Chef: Vegas, and Project Runway: Lifetime. Very excited about Runway. Not as much about Chef. No live blogging (as of yet anyway) but I may write some haiku about it later. Check out Minx's All Top Chef blog for more Top Chef goofiness.

It sounds odd but it's actually pretty good...

Starved for a quick snack? Do what I did: take vanilla wafers and scoop them into some low-fat whipped cream cheese. Sounds odd, yes, but it tastes surprisingly good. I used Trader Joe's "Ultimate" Vanilla Wafers, which taste so much different from the Nabisco Nillas. I wonder how a banana pudding would taste with those?

My first photo of the second 1,000 posts. Pardon the mess. It's been a very busy month.

Post #1,001 - Yeah, somehow it's just not as special, is it?

First off, a shout out to all the commenters, all the emailers* and all the lurkers who never post but just like to read the damn thing. Thanks for all the nice comments and etcetera. And yes, I am indeed still alive, taking a very short break from doing work on a freshly rainy Saturday night. Current snack is this Chobani Greek Yogurt. Protien-ier than normal yogurt, and I think it has either as many calories as normal yogurt or fewer. (* A note to anyone who has emailed me: I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to y'all. You can not imagine how fucking busy and stressed out I have been this past week, or how much more stressed out I plan to be this week. I'll get back to you as soon as I can.)

In the meantime. just to prove I'm still alive, here's something very cool. Flash dancers. Single ladies. Beyoncé. Picadilly Circus. Fascinating.

Making skyr: Is it really worth the trouble?

I like skyr (pron. skeer). It's that Icelandic cheese that looks, tastes and feels like really thick yogurt, and comes in various different flavors. It's easily found at Whole Foods, but not many other places outside of Iceland.

The new episode of Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern has him exploring the culinary delights of Iceland. Among these is homemade skyr, which he says trumps the store brand easily, even though it's all organic and stuff. And it's not easy to make. But I thought, "What the hell, why not investigate?"

So I did. You need three ingredients to make skyr: lots and lots of skim milk (not whole), a small bit of rennet, and, strangely enough, skyr (or buttermilk if none is around). An authentic substitute for skyr is something called þéttir (þ, or "thorn", sounds like the th as in, well, thorn), but I'm really not sure what that is.

Apparently it takes an entire day to make skyr, including bringing skim milk to a boil, letting it cool gradually for two hours, then letting it sit for 5 hours. Not 4 1/2. Not 5 1/2. 5. But you have to seal the pot by wrapping it in a towel, and so on. And that's before the cheesecloth even comes into the equation, after which you wit another 12 to 24 hours. After all that, you have 20 servings that last 5 days in your fridge.

Damn!

I don't know how much free time the Vikings had to stop and make this stuff, what with raping and pillaging and all. I mean it sure is time consuming. I just have no patience for this sort of thing. So forgive me, but even though it's not nearly as good as móðir* used to make, I'm just going to buy my skyr at Whole Foods.

*That is in fact pronounced mother, with ð (eth) pronounced like th as in mother.

O Canada, My Home and Easy-to-Spread -on-a-Cracker Land

Oh the things you can find on Blogtimore! I found this on the Walk Tall, Kick Ass blog (your hosts: Mer and Matt), ultimately from the StrangeMaps website. It's a map of Canada, made of cheese.

This really needs no further explanation, except that I think someone ate half of Nunavut Territory.

Obama A-butter

This is in no way a repudiation or an endorsement of anyone. All I'm sayin' is he'd at least make a tasty president