Madison House Chef

Oktoberfest Celebration: Weiner Schnitzel

Weiner Schnitzel, kraut, pomme frites, soft pretzel, and bavarian senf (Bavarian mustard)

My husband Ken and I have long enjoyed Munich as a place to relax, to eat good food and drink exceptionally good beer. This year after leaving Florence, thirsty for a tall Augustiner Edelstoff and wanting to show the kids the amazing Deutsches Museum, we spent several days in Munich. During the time there both kids discovered a love for Weiner Schnitzel.

Italian Cooking Cards

These tips and tidbits were shared at the Thursday night Italian Cooking class for students who are traveling to Florence this summer. They can be downloaded and printed on 4x6 cards or referenced here on the Madison House Chef website.

Download Cooking Survival cards in Word*

Download Cooking Survival cards in .rtf*

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Lifesavers are a Life Saver

When we travel (we've logged over 3000 miles thus far on this trip) my mouth and lips get dry and I need something soothing.  This trip it's been LIFESAVER candies.  The taste began with a single roll purchased at a gas station.  Later, while visiting Gordons in Grand Rapids to pick up spices, potatoes, and parchment paper (all items I have particular favorites for and can't get them in the RGV) we picked up an enormous bag of Lifesavers and all 4 of us have been enjoying them since the first southern-ward miles.  Along the miles we had quite a discussion about the flavors which I've come to realize after a little searching have in fact changed.  The original flavors were lemon, lime and orange with cherry and pineapple added soon after.  I remember getting Lifesavers in my Christmas stocking as a kid and Ken has always had a penchant for the roll of cherry.  

I'm sorry to report that we've not had any meals "to write home about" in the last couple of days.  We're looking for a good BBQ place along the way but thus far no luck.  Perhaps we'll just have to wait until we get home and have some of Ken's amazing ribs! (I'll post the recipe tomorrow and some photos from one of the recent times he made them.)

Lake Superior Whitefish

A view of the Coast Guard lighthouse overlooking Whitefish Point in the U.P. of Michigan (taken from the birding deck behind the museum buildings)

Grilled.  Pan Fried.  Beer Battered and Deep Fried.  Cooked over a campfire.  Shake n bake style using Jiffy Mix and cooked in an electic frying pan while tent camping.  Pate' on crackers. Smoked.  Whitefish's delicate taste and flaky flesh takes to each and every cooking method like a fish to water.  

 

 

A NEW Favorite Breakfast

Over years of travel and culinary collecting, Ken and I have compiled an ongoing list of the 100 Most Memorable Meals.  A new meal had found its way into the Top 10 Breakfast category -- this is the story of that meal.

Since I have had a taste for delicious, crisp, malty waffles since my birthday in June (a food tradition that began several years ago when we were camping in the Soo on my birthday) we decided to have breakfast at the Lockview Restaurant, located directly across from the Soo Locks Visitor Center before heading back downstate.  I, of course, ordered the light and delicious waffle which comes topped with strawberries and whipped cream (Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me...) and the kids each had French Toast -- another Lockview hit.  Ken looked over the menu and mulled his decision.  Something new appeared in the "Breakfast Features" box:  Whitefish and eggs.  Move over steak 'n eggs!