Travel Journal: Wisconsin, Door County

Today is Wisconsin Wednesday! That means I'll be sharing the first of my travel journal entries revealing the inside scoop on my adventures away from home. I've always wanted to visit Wisconsin and was recently invited on a press trip to Door County. As writers and journalists, we are expected to write (and hopefully sell) stories on all the fabulous things that the visitors' bureaus and local companies share with us. For me, it's as much a learning experience as a working endeavor. We are kept on our toes, with activities packing our days from morning til night, so often we don't have time during the event to write. That's when I jot down and record as many notes as possible, taking pictures as I chat and learn about local foods and local specialties.

I love quick meal ideas everyday, but I love 'em even more when I'm on the road. Stay tuned for some quick Wisconsin recipes soon -- in the meantime, check out these fun Door Country day trips and adventures. Click on any of the small thumbnail photos for more pics from my travel journal.

Cana Island Lighthouse - After a short walk through the woods, the lighthouse appeared before us, a beautiful beacon reminding us of generations past. Mariners attempting to navigate the rugged shoreline and dangerous reefs have relied upon the lighthouse since it was built in 1869 and lit the following year. Originally lit with lard or whale oil, then kerosene (and eventually electricity), the lighthouse still houses the original third order Fresnel lens. What an exciting step back into history -- we got to walk through the original keepers' dwelling and even climb the 102-step, cast iron circular stairway to the watch room. My favorites: the view from the top of the tower and relaxing on nearby rocks overlooking the cerulean blue waters of Lake Michigan, envisioning the events of struggle and survival that transpired in the past centuries.

Country Ovens - My first taste of Wisconsin Door County dried cherries happened here, only hours after I was off the plane. Thanks to Mike for sharing how this family-owned and operated business processes over one million pounds of Montmorency cherries per year. I plan to keep a large bag of dried cherries on hand from now on (I may have to hide it from the family) since there are so many recipes that can use a cherry boost. "Cherries taste great in dressings, salads, desserts," says Mike Johnson of Country Ovens. "Take your favorite recipe and put a cherry in it!"  Now there's some excellent advice, guaranteed to spruce up any recipe. My favorites: the Cherry De-Lites, the Cherry Berry Nut Mix, and the Dark Chocolate Cherry De-Lites. Stay tuned for some special cherry recipes from Country Ovens.

Door County Trolley - When education is entertaining it's the best of both worlds--and that's precisely what happens when you board the Door County Trolley. Bob was our very knowledgeable guide for this hour-long ride that took us from cherry orchards through beautiful Peninsula State Park to scenic overlooks of Lake Michigan. We learned that cherry growing began in the 1870's and that Wisconsin was the #1 cherry producer in the country in the 1960's (currently #3). We learned how Door County got its interesting name, we got the low-down on fish boils (and that we novices should ask for help in de-boning our whitefish), and Cherry Bounce, Door Country's "magical elixir." I hope to return one day to enjoy Door County in the fall, when the native trees (beech, maple, birch, cedar, aspen) change and offer autumn's magical beauty. As Bob says, "It's like driving through a kaleidoscope!"  My favorites: Bob's explanation of a fish boil, tips and encouragement to make Cherry Bounce, and fabulous scenery.

Hands On Art Studio - If there's one place on earth that makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop, this is it (well, I did go to college for art education, so a certain amount of giddiness is natural, eh?). It's the place that has something for everyone. It's for the person who loves art and for the person who "has never done art." It's the perfect place to awaken or re-awaken the creativity that resides within us all. I had to double-check I wasn't openly drooling with anticipation as Cy and Karon showed us around--all the different studios where we could experiment with fused glass, lampworking, metal, jewelry, ceramics, glassware, wood, or mosaic. Where to start? What to do? This is a place where I could return every day of my vacation and still not have done everything I'd like to do. All projects are reasonably priced and staff is on-hand to help with getting you started and answering any questions along the way. All projects are available for pick-up the next day and shipping is available. The only problem you're going to have when you go to Hands On Art Studio is making a decision of which project to try first. My favorites: mosaic (stay tuned for the one I made), fused glass, and jewelry.

Orchard Country Winery & Market - We had been driving past farms and orchards and I had zoomed by plenty of cherry trees in a blur, but here was my chance to see 'em up close and personal. I only wished that I would be able to be in Wisconsin when cherry picking season was in full swing in July. Second best choice: to taste all those cherries (fresh and dried) in salsas,  sauces, snack mixes, juice, and wine. And here was the place to learn how it's all done. Our very knowledgeable tour guide, Katie, was a most gracious host as she took us from orchard to winery and shared the lowdown on cherry farming, cherry processing, and making cherries all-out family fun with festivals. My favorites: the tart Montmorency cherry juice, the cherry barbecue sauce, cherry salsa, and cherry pie filling (it's not too sweet--just right!).

Savory Spoon - If you've ever dreamed of finding a fun way to refresh your mealtime while away from home, here it is. Open June to September, the Savory Spoon is a perfect pick-me-up vacationing class. It's fun, you learn a lot, and it tastes great (and you might even go home with a new tool or two.) Thanks to well-organized chef extraordinaire, Janice Thompson, who spices up classes with tons of tips. Not able to make it to Door County anytime soon? No problem--the Savory Spoon offers culinary vacations to Italy, France, China, and Mexico. What could be better than eating your way through an international culinary adventure? Yum. My favorites: experiencing a live cooking class, and the quick tips that Janice generously peppered in during the entire class.

The Ridges Sanctuary- We literally stopped and smelled the flowers at Wisconsin's oldest nonprofit nature preserve where a knowledgable naturalist (thanks, Aubrey!) not only showed us native wildflowers and plants of Peninsula State Park but shared Native American lore and intriguing anecdotes. This easy hike was especially beautiful to go from woods to shoreline and learn how the unique topography and geologic conditions the created the park's namesake ridges. My favorites: learning how to recognize thimbleberries and maidenhair ferns.
 

Whitefish Dunes State Park - Not many folks think of sand dunes and Wisconsin--but that's precisely what you'll find here: the highest sand dunes in Wisconsin! It's the easiest beach walk I ever took with the grids that lie on the sand and make traversing it effortless. With a beautiful beach along Lake Michigan, Whitefish Dunes was home to eight significant Native American villages from 100 BC to the late 1800s.  My favorites: seeing the Native American period structures authentically re-created along the trail and dipping my toes in Lake Michigan.