Between the Bars

Know Your Fair Food

It all started so innocently, didn't it? Some guy speared a hot dog with a stick, dipped it in corn batter, and deep-fried it to make a corn dog.

Now at the Wisconsin State Fair, a corn dog is just so, well, boring.

For many fair vendors it seems to have become a personal mission to come up with the next health hazard. They'll impale any foodstuff, dip it in batter, throw it into hot oil, and serve it up to flocks of adventurous fairgoers who, I presume, have already scheduled their angioplasty. In fact, there’s no shortage of crowds noshing on an exorbitant amount of grub, often deep fried, on a stick, or deep fried and on a stick.

And the list of artery-clogging food options keeps expanding. Each year dozens of new calorie-packed foods are added to the State Fair menu. Promising everything from deep-fried beer to cheesecake on a stick, there are plenty of options for those willing to ditch their diets and relish in a deep-fried, waist-expanding food feast.

Festing It Up: Greek Fest

The welcome banner was in place, gently bouncing in the light wind. Dozens of white tents were assembled above cooking stations and dining areas and craft stands. The amusement rides were in place and in motion, flashing and zipping around. But most importantly, the yiayia (grandmothers) were cooking - and cooking, and cooking.

It was time, once again, for Greek Fest, put on by the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church and featuring a variety of ethnic foods and entertainment, including authentic dance performances and live music, carnival games and rides, a market and a cultural area. Now in its 47th year, its fourth year held at Wisconsin State Fair Park, the annual three-day festival is one of the biggest fundraisers for the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed church.

Eric and I went Saturday around 4 p.m., which, surprisingly, was the perfect time to go. We scored a primo parking spot just a few strides from the main entrance, paid $5 to park, and then were quickly ushered through the massive gate by a swam of people.

Upon entering, we were immediately drawn to the packed performance area where the Hellenic Dancers, a Greek dance troupe, decked out in traditional black, white and red regalia, performed authentic folk dances. The traditional performances are one of the popular aspects of the festival, but the biggest draw is undoubtedly the food.

Get Out: Dine downtown this week

Make some room in your belly - and in your schedule. Downtown Dining Week is dishing up another round of eats starting today and running through June 14.

With more than 40 participating restaurants, Downtown Dining Week will continue to offer affordable three-course menus at $10 for lunch and $20 or $30 for dinner for the unique opportunity to sample some of Downtown Milwaukee's best cuisine without breaking the bank. For all three price points, the three courses include your choice of appetizer, entree and dessert (beverage, tax and gratuity are not included).

Local Newswire: Milwaukee named "Bar City" just in time for opening of post-bar pizza hub

To keep Between the Bars – and you – up-to-date, this weekly post provides a compilation of both the amusing and the significant (mostly the amusing) local stories from the last few days that I've found by keeping a sharp eye on the local newswire. Enjoy the wealth of information, dear readers. You deserve it.

• It’s been weeks since Milwaukee popped up on another highly scientific, beer-related online list. This time, Esquire magazine has named Milwaukee the “Bar City Of The Year”. Milwaukee is given props for its blue-collar image and its German heritage, also for a few bars that are always big with out-of-towners: Wolski’s, Old German Beer Hall, Koz’s Mini Bowl, and Bryant’s. (Koz’s and Bryant’s are named two of the “Best Bars In America.”) It’s nice to see Milwaukee get more alcohol-related press. I'll drink to that!

Quick Review: Classy Girl Cupcakes

When I’m not blogging from the nearby coffee shop, I’m working at a local advertising agency. I'm not going to lie, there are some perks to working in this industry. One particular bonus is the goodies we often receive from potential reps or media vendors. I reckon about once a week we get some type of sugar-laden gift from a rep that's trying to convince our agency to do business with them.

Today’s sweet enticement came from Classy Girl Cupcakes, one of the many gourmet cupcake bakeries to recently open shop in the Milwaukee area. Our generous rep from About.com ordered a dozen and had them delivered this morning.

Beginning as a cupcake-centric catering business, the success of Classy Girl Cupcakes spurred the opening of their cupcakery just two years ago. Positioned amid the trendy bars and eateries downtown Milwaukee in Cathedral Square, the storefront is where cupcakes are baked from scratch in small batches each day, using high-quality ingredients such as real butter, unbleached flour, fresh fruit and natural vanilla.

Quick Review: Aladdin - Tastes of the East

With the warm weather finally here, my body has been crying for spring-fresh, flavorful foods, mostly of the fruit and vegetable variety.

One of my favorite places to procure fresh vegetarian deliciousness that fills you up without emptying your wallet is Aladdin – Tastes of the East deli. Located inside the Public Market, Aladdin dishes up an exceptional array of tasty Middle Eastern food to go.

I stopped in today over my lunch break. Just a brisk walk through a sun-dappled alleyway takes me directly to the Market in mere minutes. Yep, that’s one of the luxuries of having your office located in the Third Ward. It’s also why as soon as the day reaches 11 a.m., I begin to daydream about stuffing my face with silky hummus.

Recurrently voted best Middle Eastern cuisine, at Aladdin you can get a variety of made-to-order sandwiches and combo plates that both meat eaters and vegetarians will find exciting. The bevy of items include chicken curry, chicken and Egyptian rice, kabobs, gyros, falafel plates, and for dessert, baklava. Should you find yourself in need of a single item, say some olives, baba ghannouj or pita bread, those can be purchased as well.

Get Out: Ways to celebrate Easter

Note: Between the Bars continually updates the many posts available here, though it's possible some details may have changed. Consider calling first if you have specific questions about the business or activity mentioned in this post.

Easter Events

As a kid, Easter weekend was made up of dyeing eggs, gorging on marshmallow Peeps, and then having a standoff with my mom when it came time to change into my Easter dress for church. These days, there are plenty of events for experiencing the holiday in a way I could only have imagined as a kid - a whole lot more fun.

That said, here is a list of eggs-cellent (sorry, I should be punched for that) Easter events in the Milwaukee are:

Pi Craving

I don’t know what it is about National Pi Day, the unofficial holiday commemorating the mathematical constant π, but I’ve been having a strong urge to consume a nice slice of blueberry pie all day.

Strange, I know.

Fortunately (for my sake), Milwaukee boasts plenty of eateries that serve up a fresh slice of pi pie. Here are some of my favorites:

Alterra
2999 North Humboldt Blvd.
(414) 292-3320
Although Alterra Coffee Roasters is primarily a specialty coffee company, six of their cafés offer food and bakery items that definitely should not be overlooked. Alterra on Humboldt houses Alterra's headquarters, main roasting facility, café and bakery.

“Pepperoni Cannoli Guy” will be missed

Milwaukee lost a lovable character this week, as OnMilwaukee reported, Frank “Pepperoni Cannoli Guy” Pecoraro died at age 76. He was an East Side fixture for years and brought joy, sausage and pastry desserts to hungry drunks.

Anyone who has closed down an East Side bar knows former butcher Frank Pecoraro. But most folks didn’t know him by name, but by his call of "Pepperoni! Cannoli!" Yes, Frank Pecoraro, as I later learned, is the Pepperoni Cannoli Guy who peddled - you guessed it - pepperoni and cannoli to the bar crowds on Brady St. and around North Ave. for years.

Sometimes gregarious and pleasant, sometimes surly and cantankerous, Pecoraro was a Milwaukee institution, always ready to curb a hungry drunkard’s 2 a.m. craving. I have crossed paths with the local eccentric on several occasions.

Wisconsin is serious about cream puffs

As the soon-to-be official state dessert, it’s clear that cream puffs are serious business in Wisconsin, especially when it's State Fair time.

Last year, close to 340,000 oversized confections were sold at the Wisconsin State Fair alone. Actually, they’re the longest selling item at the State Fair, originating with the Wisconsin Bakers Association who began selling the famous cream puffs to fairgoers in 1924.