Fellow Wisconsinites, head to the bubbler real quick once…this next bit is for all the visitors to our great state who may not know the wonder that is frozen custard, squeaky cheese curds and brats that have taken a soak in the beer jacuzzi.  We maybe a little on the fluffy side, with a healthy appreciation for Korbel brandy, but we are all about the 3-course meal.

Appetizer – Cheese Curds

Technically speaking, cheese curds are small pieces of curdled milk with a mild, cheddar-like flavor.  They are literally freshly made curds of cheese.

But we think  www.wisconsincheese.com says it best, “these tiny morsels of squeaky goodness are the freshest of fresh cheese- let them sit for 24-hours, and “poof”- the magic and the squeak is gone.”

In their natural state, find them at farmers markets, cheese markets and some grocery stores.  But whatever you do, do NOT find them in the refrigerated case.  Instead, look for a display out at room temperature (I know, don’t freak out.)  They come in a variety of flavors, but I still like plain best.  Pro Tip- Cheese curds make great road snacks.  Ask the cheese shop to open the bag for you.

Our top 3 places to find Fresh Curds

• Harmony Specialty Dairy at the Brookfield Farmers Market
• The Village Cheese Shop in Wauwatosa
• All Sendik’s locations

Oh, we’re not done yet…  Batter ‘em, deep fry ‘em, and they become chewy, stretchy little morsels of goodness- hot, salty, and the perfect beginning to your meal.   We suggest a side of ranch for dipping because we are fancy like that.

Our favorite Deep Fried Cheese Curds

• Any service club at any outdoor event- Optimists, Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions Club, Knights of Columbus…pick the one that speaks to you.
• Oscar’s Frozen Custard
• Kopps Frozen Custard
• Culver’s

You won’t find anything like it anywhere.  Humble in its beginnings, pure in flavor, happy to sit on your counter waiting to squeak.

“Rock on, baby cheese” says the Wisconsin Cheese website.  Yes, rock on, indeed.

Wisconsin’s Cheesy Facts:

• Our cheesemaking heritage goes back 180 years.
• We are the only state that requires cheesemakers to have a license.
• There are over 1,200 licensed cheesemakers in Wisconsin who produce more than 600 types of cheeses.
• We are the only place in the world besides Switzerland with a Master Cheesemaker program.
• Wisconsin produces the most flavors, styles, and variety of cheese in the world.
• We won 117 awards at the 2024 World Championship Cheese Contest: 34 “Best of Class” awards, 36 seconds, 41 thirds, and more than 36% of the total cow’s milk cheese awards.
• Our cheese can be found in 99% of grocery retailers nationwide. (We won’t even talk about the other 1%.)
• Cheeses from Henning’s in Kiel, WI, and Schuman in Turtle Lake, WI made the list of top 20 cheeses in the world for 2024.

Main Course – Brats

Take my advice- don’t order a brat at a restaurant.  It will only make you sad.

Brats are meant to be eaten in a parking lot somewhere, juice dripping on your t-shirt, expertly grilled by a group of parents fund-raising for their kid’s school or sport or other worthy cause.  Fairs, festivals, and service clubs are good options too, because they are usually prepared by the same folks who made your cheese curds.  Or grill them yourself, in the comfort of your own backyard, beverage in hand, waving your tongs to make a point in the conversation.  We don’t make the rules, we just follow them.

Not an Italian sausage, not a Polish sausage, not a hot dog, brats are a Wisconsin institution, and the stuff of tailgating legends.  Every family has a recipe and an opinion on how they should be prepared.  I say beer first, grill later.  My father says the opposite.  We’re all about “you do you”, but there are a few non-negotiables- brats, beer, onions, heat, (this is a 2-step process) and buns.

Here’s where things go up for grabs.    

• Brats- Johnsonville (my favorite) or a trusted local vendor.  Yes Sheboygan, we see you.
• Beer- Miller, Bud, or whatever light-ish beer you’ve got sitting in the back of the fridge left over from Christmas.
• Onions- Yellow or white, never red, sweet, (or God forbid, shallots), sliced in rings.  Yes, rings. None of this matchstick, julienne business- not today.
• Heat- Your choice- (A) a cheap, disposable, aluminum pan on the grill that will probably spill when you try to move it. (B) a pot on the stove.  Safer route, but then your house will smell like beer, brats, and onions.  Your call.  We use the pot on the stove method and open all the windows.

Method to the Madness

Place brats in the vessel of choice, on the heat source of choice.  Add 2 cans of said beers, and onions- about that many.  And water- about that much.

We bring ours just to a boil (aka the beer jacuzzi) and then turn them down to a simmer for about 10 minutes.  Remember, they’re going to get some quality time on the grill, so they don’t have to be done-done.

Grills scare me, so here’s where my husband takes over and the true magic happens.  Brats go on the grill to sizzle, caramelize and char for 5-10 minutes.  Turn them gently from time to time with tongs- never a fork.  You don’t want to pierce the brat and lose all that yummy juice.  Platter up and serve with good buns, (the bakery kind, not the squishy ones from Kwik Trip), and any toppings you want as long as it’s some combination of grainy mustard, ketchup, onions, and sauerkraut.  Again, we don’t make the rules.  Don’t forget a napkin.

Dessert – Frozen Custard

Attention, class- it’s time for your history lesson.  Frozen custard was invented in 1919 in Coney Island, NY when the Kohr brothers realized that adding egg yolks to ice cream made for a smoother texture and helped the ice cream stay cold longer.

The Chicago World’s fair in 1933 popularized frozen custard, but Wisconsin was already producing ice cream and custard in the early 30’s.  Breweries were trying to stay in business during prohibition by producing other items, and since milk and ice were plentiful, frozen custard was ideal.  In 1932, the WI Department of Agriculture required that, to be called custard, the frozen treat had to have 13% butterfat.

Around this time, the first of Milwaukee’s frozen custard stands opened; Gilles in 1938, Leon’s in 1942, and Kopp’s in 1950.  Many others followed earning Milwaukee the title of “Unofficial Frozen Custard Capital of the World”.

The “Big Three”

The OG- Paul Gilles was credited with discovering frozen custard at the world’s fair and bringing it back to Milwaukee.  Find Gilles original 1938 location at 7515 W Bluemound Rd, on Facebook and Instagram, and online at  www.gillesfrozencustard.com.

Kopp’s was the first to combine vanilla and chocolate- a radical idea in the custard community.  While the original location on Appleton Ave has closed, you can find them in Glendale, Greenfield, or here in Brookfield at 18880 W. Bluemound Rd.  Plan your carbs around the flavor of the day on Facebook, Instagram, and online at www.kopps.com

Leon’s- Kopps may have swirled chocolate and vanilla, but it was Leon’s who added Butter Pecan to the traditional chocolate and vanilla line up.  One thing to know before you go…  Leon’s does not serve hamburgers, or any other fried food.  But they do serve their own spin on the Sloppy Joe.  Call it a Spanish Hamburger, Maid Rite or Loose Meat Sandwich, it’s Leon’s “own recipe”, “seasoned just right”, and I think they’re delicious.   Find Leon’s at their original location at 3131 S. 27^th St. in Milwaukee, or on Facebook.  https://www.facebook.com/LeonsFrozenCustard

Fun fact #1: Leon Schneider was Paul Gilles night manager.

Fun fact #2:  Leon’s was not the inspiration for Arnold’s drive-in from Happy Days.  It was The Milky Way on Port Washington Rd.  (Which is now a Kopp’s.)

Fun Fact #3: Leon’s does not serve any fried food.

Want to know more:  Here’s a link to a great article from Milwaukee Magazine.

Bobby Tanzilo also co-authored a book called Milwaukee Frozen Custard published in 2016.  Told you we take this stuff seriously.

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