Cuisine of Wisconsin facts for kids
The cuisine of Wisconsin is all about the yummy foods found in the state of Wisconsin in the United States. Wisconsin is often called "America's Dairyland." This is because it's super famous for its cheese and other dairy products. Think of tasty cheese curds and creamy frozen custard!
But there's more to Wisconsin food than just dairy. People there also love bratwursts, butter burgers, and special meals like fish fries and fish boils. They also enjoy a hearty stew called booyah.
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Dairy Delights
Wisconsin is a big fan of dairy. You'll find many places selling frozen custard, especially around Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Frozen custard is a sweet treat, kind of like ice cream, but it's made with eggs too, which makes it extra creamy.
Cool Ice Cream Flavors
Wisconsin is one of the states where you can often find blue moon ice cream. This flavor is a bit of a mystery, but it might have been created by a flavor expert named Bill "Doc" Sidon from Milwaukee. People say it tastes a bit like Froot Loops cereal.
At the University of Wisconsin–Madison, there's a place called Babcock Dairy Plant and Store. They make and sell their own ice cream, milk, and cheese right on campus.
Scratch Ice Cream is another brand that makes small batches of ice cream. It started in Milwaukee and you can also find it in Madison, Wisconsin and Chicago, Illinois.
Wisconsin's Famous Cheese
Wisconsin is super well-known for its many cheesemakers. The state has a special program to train "Master Cheesemakers." This program is the only one of its kind outside of Europe!
Wisconsin cheesemakers create all sorts of cheeses. Some make cheese by hand from their own cows. Others work in big factories. Did you know that Colby cheese was first made in Wisconsin in 1885? It's named after the town of Colby, Wisconsin where it came from. Brick cheese was also first made in the state in 1877. Wisconsin is also the only place in the U.S. that makes Limburger cheese.
Cheese curds are a popular snack. You can eat them cold, and they often make a "squeaky" sound when you bite them! Or, they can be covered in batter and fried. Fried cheese curds are a favorite appetizer, often served with ranch dressing for dipping.
Another popular food from Madison, Wisconsin, is hot and spicy cheese bread. It's made by Stella's Bakery.
Bratwurst and Sausage
Wisconsin food also includes lots of sausage, or wurst (which means "sausage" in German). The state makes and eats a lot of summer sausage. It's also the top place in the country for making and eating brats.
Brats are usually cooked in a mix of beer, butter, and onions. They are served on a special bratwurst bun. People often top them with sauerkraut and a spicy mustard.
In Madison, Wisconsin, there's a huge event called "World's Largest" Brat Fest. It's a four-day festival with music, fun activities, and tons of brats grilled on a giant 65-foot-long grill!
At American Family Field in Milwaukee, there's a fun event called the Sausage Race. During baseball games, mascots dressed as different sausages race each other. These include a bratwurst, kielbasa, Italian sausage, a hot dog, and chorizo. It's a fun way to show how much Wisconsin loves its sausages! In fact, American Family Field is the only stadium in the U.S. where more brats are sold than hot dogs.
Sweet Desserts
A popular dessert in Wisconsin is the cream puff. This is a type of pastry that's a famous treat at the Wisconsin State Fair.
The city of Racine in southeastern Wisconsin is known for its Danish kringle. This is a sweet, flaky pastry often eaten as a dessert. Danish immigrants brought the recipe to the area in the 1800s. The kringle became the official state pastry of Wisconsin on June 30, 2013.
Chef Carson Gulley created a special fudge-bottom pie recipe at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. You can still buy it on campus today!
Simply Cinnamon Bakery in Pewaukee, Wisconsin is famous for its delicious cinnamon rolls.
Other Wisconsin Favorites
Seymour, Wisconsin, claims to be where the modern hamburger was invented. However, other places also make this claim. The butter burger definitely started in Wisconsin, probably at Solly's Grille in Milwaukee. Butter burgers are hamburgers with butter spread on the buns.
The Dane County Farmers' Market in Madison is the biggest farmers' market in the country where only the people who grow or make the food can sell it.
Culver's is a popular restaurant chain that started in Sauk City, Wisconsin. It's known for serving butter burgers and frozen custard.
La Croix Sparkling Water also comes from La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Hearty Booyah Stew
Booyah is a very common and filling meal in Wisconsin. It's especially popular in the northeastern part of the state. The name "booyah" might come from a French word meaning "broth."
Recipes for booyah can be different, but it usually has chicken or other meats like beef or pork. It also has lots of vegetables such as onion, celery, carrots, cabbage, peas, potatoes, and rutabaga. All these ingredients are cooked together slowly for several days in a very large, special pot called a "booyah kettle."
Fish Fry and Fish Boil
The Friday night fish fry is a long-standing tradition all over Wisconsin. It usually features battered and fried fish like perch or walleye. In northeast Wisconsin, especially along Lake Michigan and in Door County, the fish boil is even more popular.
Many people go to a "supper club" for their fish fry. A fish fry meal usually includes a serving of fish with sides like french fries and onion rings. It also comes with tartar sauce and cole slaw (sometimes a red cole slaw made with Wisconsin's cranberries). Parsley and lemon wedges are often added as a garnish.
